Konan

Listening to the roar of Explosive Tags from the mountain.

Uchiha Yufeng found a clean, shady spot, leaned against a tree, and dozed off.

About an hour later, the two girls finally came down the mountain, panting heavily.

Yuhi Kurenai's clothes were spotless, and she still held a Kunai covered in Explosive Tags. However, her chubby little face was somewhat pale.

Uzuki Yugao, on the other hand, had specks of blood on her clothes. The Kusanagi Sword in her hand gleamed coldly, and her eyes carried a few more traces of sharpness than before.

The Shadow Clones following the two girls turned into wisps of smoke.

Uchiha Yufeng stepped out of the shade.

"You completed the mission well..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Uzuki Yugao stepped forward and handed over the Kusanagi Sword in her hand.

"This is yours!"

Uchiha Yufeng looked at the Kusanagi Sword, then at Uzuki Yugao's current state, and smiled.

"I saw that you lacked a proper weapon, so I lent it to you for now."

Uzuki Yugao froze for a moment, glanced at Uchiha Yufeng, and took a deep breath.

Without any pretension, she accepted it.

"Kurenai, tell me what you think."

From the memories passed on by the Shadow Clone, Yuhi Kurenai had seen that the bandits on the mountain seemed honest and simple at first. She had found it difficult to strike, but fortunately, reason prevailed in the end, and she completed the mission successfully.

"I..."

Yuhi Kurenai lowered her head at his words.

"A ninja must never show feelings they should not show, no matter the circumstances. The mission always comes first."

"Yes, I understand!"

Yuhi Kurenai bit her lip, and a flash of resolve passed through her eyes.

Uchiha Yufeng reached out and rubbed her head.

After all, she was just a little girl who had graduated from the Ninja Academy. It was perfectly normal for this to happen.

After doing more missions like this, she would get used to it.

It was precisely because he had considered this that Uchiha Yufeng had sent the Shadow Clone along with them.

"Yufeng, these are the unused Explosive Tags and Shuriken..."

Uchiha Yufeng shook his head.

"Keep them for next time."

As soon as he said that, Uchiha Yufeng frowned.

He looked westward.

"What is it?"

Just as Yuhi Kurenai's puzzled question fell, an unfamiliar group approached from the west.

There were roughly ten people in the group, led by a young Kunoichi.

She wore a pink coat, its collar a warm brown that matched the color of her hat. Her eyes were like orange amber, clear and luminous.

When she clearly saw the Konoha forehead protectors worn by Yuhi Kurenai and Uzuki Yugao, the woman at the front looked somewhat surprised.

"Ninjas from Konoha?"

The blue-haired woman came forward and gently removed her hat.

"Hello."

Her voice was gentle, and her face was as angelic as could be.

The moment Uchiha Yufeng saw her face clearly, he froze.

Holy shit, Konan?

"I am Konan of Amegakure. We came this time because of a villager's request, to search for a group of bandits who escaped from Amegakure to this place."

Konan from Amegakure?

Looking at Konan's delicate features, the Amegakure forehead protector on her brow, and her flower-like youth, she seemed to shine brilliantly.

Seeing Yuhi Kurenai and Uzuki Yugao looking toward him, it seemed they wanted him to make the decision.

Uchiha Yufeng stepped forward and spoke with Konan.

"We are ninjas from Konoha. We came here because our village accepted a commission. Our objective is the same as yours: a group of bandits."

Uchiha Yufeng then made a simple comparison between the mission scroll and the commission details Konan had received. The final conclusion was that they were indeed the same group.

What a coincidence.

"Thank you for your help!"

"However, we still need to go up the mountain and see whether we can find the tokens the villagers had taken from them, so I can bring them back to their families... as something to remember them by. Could you..."

Hearing Konan's request, Uchiha Yufeng nodded.

"If you do not mind, we can act together."

Konan's eyes lit up at Uchiha Yufeng's words.

"I do not mind! Thank you!"

Though Uchiha Yufeng only believed three parts out of ten of what Konan's group said, Amegakure was too sensitive a village. He did not want to return to Konoha and leave behind some unexpected trouble for himself.

They could keep an eye on them while going up the mountain.

Smiles appeared on Konan and the others' faces.

After all, the bandits had already been killed by the people from Konoha, and with Uchiha Yufeng's group helping them locate the bodies, their search would surely take half the effort for twice the result.

Half an hour later, Konan and the others had finished searching.

After Konan thanked Uchiha Yufeng's group, she left.

"All right, let's head back too. Sensei is probably getting impatient!"

Seeing that the sky had already darkened, Uchiha Yufeng spoke to the two girls.

"Yufeng, do you know the leader from Amegakure?"

Yuhi Kurenai stepped forward and quietly asked Uchiha Yufeng.

"No."

Uchiha Yufeng noticed an indescribable look in Yuhi Kurenai's eyes.

With a smile, he reached out and ruffled her hair.

Yuhi Kurenai frowned, quickly pulling away from Uchiha Yufeng's hand.

"Do not grab my hair. You are messing it all up!"

"I grew up in Konoha. How could I possibly know people from other villages?"

Hearing that explanation, Yuhi Kurenai nodded.

"That is true. It is our first time leaving the village."

After figuring that out, Yuhi Kurenai smiled again.

Uzuki Yugao, standing beside them, curled her lips when she heard that.

When that Kunoichi leader had come over earlier, Uchiha Yufeng had stared so hard his eyes nearly went straight.

Was the point of this question really whether he knew her or not?

Uzuki Yugao could not help complaining inwardly.

But then she remembered that she was still holding the Kusanagi Sword Uchiha Yufeng had lent her...

There was no need to stir things up for Yuhi Kurenai.

She secretly gave Uchiha Yufeng a look that said, I understand you.

Walking ahead of them, Uchiha Yufeng turned around and saw the strange look in Uzuki Yugao's eyes, utterly baffled.

What is this girl trying to say?

After leaving the mountain, the three walked for about an hour before reaching the agreed-upon town.

"You are back so late?"

A figure used Body Flicker to appear before them, his brows tightly furrowed.

"Father, we just encountered people from Amegakure..."

Yuhi Kurenai stepped forward and roughly explained the mission and their encounter with the Amegakure ninjas.

"People from Amegakure? Were they really here to carry out a commission?"

Yuhi Shinku muttered, his expression grave.

It was not that he was making a fuss over nothing. Amegakure was simply too sensitive a village for Konoha.

He had already decided that once they returned, he would report this matter to Lord Hokage.

"All right, we will rest in this town tonight.

I have found three guest rooms for you. Here are the room keys, and meals have been prepared in your rooms. Follow me."

The three followed Yuhi Shinku to the inn.

Just as they reached the entrance, Yuhi Shinku and Uchiha Yufeng stopped in their tracks and looked toward the rooftop at the same time.

Four or five figures were chasing one another up there.

When Yuhi Shinku saw the forehead protectors on their heads, he frowned.

Before he could react.

Three Kunai flew directly toward Uchiha Yufeng, Uzuki Yugao, and Yuhi Kurenai.