Uchiha, Anko, Hayama Shirakumo

"Sis, you can't say that. Only marriage, only having children, can pass down the Will of Fire of the Hokage, right?"

A boy around four and a half feet tall, with a ping-pong paddle pattern on his back, appeared. His eyes were melancholy, as if they held countless stories.

He objected to Mitaraishi Anko's words.

At the same time, he strongly approved of Tobitake Tonbo's approach.

"Hey, kid, who are you?

Don't tell me you're our teammate. If so, go back and train some more before coming. Border missions aren't something you can handle."

Anko frowned at the sight of such a young boy.

Why would the Third send someone this young on a border mission? Wasn't that reckless?

Hayama Shirakumo said, "All right. Since the team has assembled, introduce yourselves and your specialties first so I can make arrangements."

The boy said, "You are all my seniors, so I'll go first. Itachi Uchiha. I'm skilled in analysis, Fire Release, Shuriken, and Sharingan perception. Please look after me."

Tobitake Tonbo looked at the little brat. He seemed like he had not slept for days and nights; the bags under his eyes were bigger than his father's.

So this was what Itachi Uchiha looked like when he was young? So ugly. Not nearly as cute as Sasuke.

It also showed that mature thinking was not good for children.

To Tobitake Tonbo, the current Itachi was a child, regardless of whether he possessed the mindset of a Hokage at seven years old.

At the same time, he was pondering the Third's intentions.

Not long ago, he had gossiped about Itachi getting his teammates killed. He had not expected them to become teammates today.

Obito Uchiha... he wasn't going to pull that again, was he?

Besides,

He was so young, yet the Third had actually felt safe sending him to the border, where a local war might break out. Did he think the few of them were enough?

He looked toward the others.

Hayama Shirakumo and he were both Jōnin. It seemed the Third had quite a bit of faith in them!

"Mitaraishi Anko, Chunin. I'm fairly well-rounded and have some experience in combat, reconnaissance, and other areas." Anko frowned. She had not expected this little brat to be from the Uchiha clan.

And he was the famous Itachi Uchiha.

Graduating at seven was an incredible achievement.

As for only having children being able to pass down one's will, that was easy enough to say. Men were not that easy to find.

Thinking of that, she looked at Tobitake Tonbo. This guy was really lucky to already have a wife.

Tobitake Tonbo laughed. "Haha, Tobitake Tonbo. I specialize in the Mind Reading Technique and have some skill in Genjutsu. I'm also a sensory-type ninja, and I can handle battlefield first aid."

Hearing that, all eyes fell on him.

They were all surprised.

Hayama Shirakumo had not expected him to know battlefield first aid. The Third's files had not mentioned it. It seemed this classmate had learned quite a lot during the Third Shinobi World War!

He was delighted as well. Even if it was only battlefield first aid, it meant their team could be considered to have a medical ninja, making missions much easier.

Itachi Uchiha raised his head. "You're impressive, Senior."

He could actually do so many things. He seemed to be an outstanding ninja as well.

And since he specialized in the Mind Reading Technique, this mission would surely be easier than expected.

Anko asked suspiciously, "Kid, you aren't bragging, are you? You should know that even a slight discrepancy in intelligence can get people killed."

Those were harsh words.

She did not believe Tobitake Tonbo, who was only two years older than her, could have learned so many things.

After all, she had trained under Orochimaru, yet she still did not know much.

"I believe him, Senior," Itachi said firmly.

Tobitake Tonbo grinned and said to Anko, "That's why I'm a Jōnin while you're only a Chunin!"

That one sentence

Made Anko see red. What an obnoxious guy.

She gritted her teeth.

"So what if you're a Jōnin? Sooner or later, I'll be one too."

"Talk once you've actually become a Jōnin."

Tobitake Tonbo laughed.

"All right, stop arguing. I'm your captain,

Hayama Shirakumo, Konoha Jōnin. I specialize in the Body Flicker Technique, Genjutsu, Wind Release, and Taijutsu."

"Now, check your ninja tools and see whether you've forgotten anything.

It won't be so easy to resupply at the border."

He gave his final instruction.

The three of them stopped bickering and began checking their ninja tool pouches.

Tobitake Tonbo checked his seriously as well.

From his battlefield experience, checking one's ninja tools before a mission was essential.

Even though he was already quite strong, there was no harm in being careful.

He did not want Ayame to become a widow while she was still young.

They had not even raised a son or daughter yet!

Whoosh! Whoosh!

After registering with the gate guards, the four of them set out at once.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The Land of Lightning lay northeast of the Land of Fire, connected by a narrow strip of land.

Their destination was the Land of Iron, located along that narrow land bridge.

"Our mission this time is to deal with Kumogakure ninja who have entered the Land of Fire,

And find out why they came to the Land of Fire."

As they leaped across towering mountains and steep ridges, Hayama Shirakumo slowly explained their mission.

Whoosh!

Itachi Uchiha fell silent for a moment. "The most likely possibility is that they want to cut off the Land of Fire's mineral supply from the Land of Iron.

They may also want to cross the border and gather intelligence within the Land of Fire,

So they can take specific measures against Konoha."

Whoosh! Whoosh!

"We also cannot rule out other villages causing trouble.

For example, the Land of Hot Water, which is separated from the Land of Iron by the sea, and Kirigakure on the other side.

When reading the memories in the heads my companions brought back, or the memories of enemies,

I learned that Kirigakure seemed to be undergoing intense internal turmoil.

We cannot rule out the possibility that they want to replenish resources through this route.

The Land of Water and the Land of Hot Water have always had relatively good trade relations,

So we cannot rule out the possibility that they want to use that as a bridge and set their sights on the mineral-rich Land of Iron."

Tobitake Tonbo offered his own analysis as well.

"So our greatest enemy may be Kumogakure's people,

Or ninja from Yugakure and Kirigakure?" Anko frowned.

That would be troublesome. The Land of Lightning alone was already difficult enough, and now there were so many variables.

They looked at their captain.

Hayama Shirakumo said, "Yes. The situation is rather complicated, which is why Lord Hokage specially formed this special operations team."

"According to Lord Hokage's intelligence, we can confirm that the enemy is targeting our mineral trade.

They want to take measures against Konoha economically and at its foundations.

Several trade routes have already suffered losses,

Which is why the Land of Iron asked Konoha for aid."

The four of them pieced together the full story behind the mission through their discussion.

Aside from the genius Itachi Uchiha, Tobitake Tonbo and the other two were all veterans of the Third Shinobi World War, so they quickly discussed several possible approaches.

Tobitake Tonbo felt very comfortable with this.

Whether it was Anko, who had learned at Orochimaru's side, Jōnin Hayama Shirakumo, or the genius Itachi Uchiha,

They were all top-notch teammates.

They put people at ease.

There would not be scenes like with Naruto, constantly arguing with his teammates.

He sighed inwardly. The Third truly had considered things well.

Unlike the anime's portrayal, which was all from the protagonist's perspective, reality was far more complicated.

Mineral trade

Was one of the foundations for the prosperity of the major shinobi villages. Without the minerals needed to make ninja tools, a shinobi village's strength would drop by more than a fifth.

That was the conclusion Tobitake Tonbo had reached over the years.

Even someone like him, who considered himself somewhat talented, or even the Third and Fourth Hokage, would see their combat power greatly reduced without ninja tools.

"I hope the mission goes smoothly."

Tobitake Tonbo leaped across the tree branches and silently prayed.

He had only just left Konoha, and he already missed his wife.