Task Complete

[To make things easier for readers, I've gradually changed Hatake Sayun to Hatake Sakumo in the earlier chapters. If you spot the name Hatake Sayun again, leave a comment to let me know and I'll fix it... Let me state again... This is a translation issue, a translation issue...]

After that attack, the next few days of their journey passed without incident. They encountered no further ambushes.

After safely delivering Oda to the Land of Wind's daimyo estate and signing the mission completion report, Namikaze Minato and the other three rested properly in the daimyo's city for a day.

The next day, just as dawn began to break, the four had already packed their things and prepared to set off for the village. Without Oda slowing them down on the return journey, they moved much faster and expected to reach Konoha by the evening of the third day.

Along the way, Namikaze Minato instructed his three subordinates while considering how to report this incident.

Pretending nothing had happened was not Minato's style. It did not matter if he himself had suffered a loss, but his subordinates had faced mortal danger. There had to be some response.

Yet directly lodging a complaint against Elder Mito, who had issued the mission, clearly would not succeed. After all, they lacked sufficient evidence. For a time, Minato was quite troubled.

Then he turned his head and glanced at Kakashi.

"Treat it as an unexpected incident. Nothing will come of this unless you become the Fourth Hokage, Sensei." Kakashi's voice was somewhat indifferent, utterly mismatched with his age.

"But... Kakashi..."

"Sensei, you need to remember that we are all merely civilian ninja. Before we have the chance to reach that position, we cannot involve ourselves in too many responsibilities that we cannot bear."

"This..." Minato understood the meaning behind Kakashi's words; they were somewhat similar to his own thoughts. "You've been wronged, Kakashi. If I get the chance, I will definitely seek justice for you." He made the promise solemnly.

This was where Namikaze Minato surpassed Hatake Sakumo. Though he too had been born a civilian, he possessed considerable political acumen. He knew what to do at what time and from what position.

"Then I'll thank you in advance, Minato-sensei."

"But Kakashi, most of the people in the village are good. Those harboring ill intentions are ultimately only a minority. I hope you will not come to resent the village because of this."

Although Kakashi's displayed maturity far exceeded Minato's expectations, he was still somewhat worried that Kakashi might develop the wrong ideas.

"Please rest assured on that point. My dream has always been to become the Fifth Hokage. You know that."

"Hahaha, then I'm relieved."

Minato laughed happily and continued onward. The other two were walking behind them, and since Minato and Kakashi had spoken quietly, they had not heard this exchange.

Soon, the group arrived beside a small river and stopped to rest and regroup.

"Once we leave here, we'll enter the desert region at the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire. So this river is the last fixed water supply point along this route." As Minato drank and filled containers with water, he passed on this knowledge to his subordinates.

"What a pain. We have to eat sand again." Inuzuka Kawa scratched his head and grumbled unhappily.

Used to his personality, no one mocked him. They simply rested quietly and replenished their strength.

"Haru, there's something I've been wanting to ask you. The way your clan raises insects is by using your own chakra to cultivate them, right?" During their idle chat, Kakashi suddenly thought of a question.

"Hm? Yes. Is Kakashi interested in our Insect-Control Technique?" Aburame Haru was a little surprised by his sudden question.

"I was wondering, since you raise so many insects, do you have enough chakra?"

Thinking of how Aburame Shino would casually wave his hand and produce a vast swarm of insects in the future, Kakashi found it puzzling.

"Mm... Kakashi, you may have misunderstood. Our clan uses chakra to cultivate insects, but... it isn't something that needs to be done constantly. Put simply, after most newly hatched larvae are cultivated with our chakra, they take shape in one go. The insect swarm does not need to be fed chakra over a long period of time."

"I see..." Having cleared up the doubt in his mind, Kakashi casually asked another question.

"Then can the insects you raise be used by members of your clan?"

"If a clansman practices the same branch of Insect-Control Technique as I do, then yes. It's just that they wouldn't be able to command them as smoothly as I can."

"I understand. Thank you, Aburame."

"You're welcome. This isn't classified information. Likewise, I'm very curious about your swordsmanship and your summoned beast, Kakashi."

"Yeah, yeah! Kakashi, why is your swordsmanship so strong? Lord White Fang taught you, right?" Inuzuka Kawa, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, immediately cut in when they reached a topic that interested him.

"Yes, my swordsmanship was passed down by my father. It's just that my skill brings shame upon him. I had such a hard time even cutting down a Chunin." Kakashi had barely finished being modest before Minato exposed him.

"You should stop being so modest, Kakashi. You're only five this year, right? Yet on your first C-rank mission, you already killed two Chunin and one Jonin. Even Senior Sakumo did not have such a record at your age." Seeing that the other two students did not know of Kakashi's achievements, Minato told them what had happened after they left the main battlefield. However, he did not describe Kakashi's techniques in detail.

"Wow, Kakashi. So you're that strong!" Inuzuka Kawa exclaimed in shock.

"As for my summoned beast, its name is Kōsei. It is a giant snake from Ryūchi Cave. The Summoning Technique was taught to me by my mentor, Orochimaru-sensei."

"I'm really jealous... Kakashi. Although I can't possibly master another summoned beast, having such a powerful one really is something to envy."

"Actually, Kawa and Haru, you really don't need to envy Kakashi's summoned beast. A ninja's own strength is what matters most. Summoned beasts are ultimately only an external boost to one's strength. Both of your clans have their own secret techniques and ninja beasts. If you cultivate them to a profound level, they can be incredibly powerful too!" Worried that Inuzuka Kawa and Aburame Haru might be too discouraged, Minato encouraged them.

"Hehe, Minato-sensei, don't worry. We're not so easily disheartened. Kakashi is only ahead of us for now; sooner or later, I'll catch up to him." After saying that, Inuzuka Kawa turned to look at Kakashi.

"Don't you slack off either, Kakashi. Hmph, let's see which of us becomes a Chunin and then a Jonin first!"

"But Kawa... did you forget that Kakashi is much younger than us..." Haru interjected at just the right moment. Inuzuka Kawa instantly froze.

"Hahaha..." Minato, watching the show, laughed heartily.

"Big mouth. You're older than him too, Haru. You're even a few months older than me! Hmph!"