Ten Small Goals

The capital of the Land of Wind.

The long, high-speed march had drained Kakashi badly. His body felt completely hollowed out, and as he walked through the streets, he could barely control his breathing, panting nonstop.

Tahm, on the other hand, smacked him on the shoulder with amusement and said, "Grand-disciple, you shouldn't read too many dirty novels. They're bad for your health."

Kakashi shot Tahm an annoyed glance. Seeing how relaxed he looked, Kakashi said resentfully, "What technique did you use? How can you travel long distances with chakra without getting tired at all?"

This truly shocked the veteran jonin Kakashi, who had been active for many years. To pursue maximum speed on the journey from Konoha to here, he had been continuously using chakra to travel. Even an ordinary Kage-level fighter would have found it somewhat taxing. Yet this Tahm had actually been slower than him at the beginning. Anyone could tell that his physical abilities were merely at the level of an ordinary jonin, or even slightly below it.

Then something terrifying happened. No matter how far they went, Tahm's speed never dropped at all, and his breathing never became disordered. He was like a machine operating at full capacity. In the end, he was the one happily running ahead, turning around to urge Kakashi to hurry up.

"Well, I'm simply blessed with exceptional talent. Hahaha!" Tahm brushed off Kakashi's curiosity. Once he activated data mode, Tahm could remain free of pain and fatigue forever. He could even run several laps around the earth without eating or drinking. Still, this always made Tahm feel as if his body were inhuman, so when he wasn't using it, he preferred to move with his physical body.

"By the way, you've been dragging me all the way to the capital of the Land of Wind. Now that we're here, you still haven't told me what the mission is?" Tahm asked.

"Actually, there's nothing much to say. The younger son of the Land of Wind's daimyo is seriously injured, and you've been brought here to treat him," Kakashi said. "Many famous medical ninjas have already failed. Konoha had originally given up on this mission, but after seeing your healing abilities, the Third Hokage decided at the last minute to send you here to give it a try."

Tahm was deeply disappointed. "Weren't we coming here to chop people up?" If we don't chop people up, where will the gold and experience come from?

"No."

Tahm looked aggrieved. "I'm actually better at chopping people up."

"Ten billion." Kakashi calmly uttered a single sentence. "According to Konoha's standards, you can receive half of the mission fee."

"What?" Tahm was stunned. Having lived off the Hyuga family for so long, he had only realized the importance of money after being hit with that astronomical fine.

"Do you think the reward for saving the daimyo's son could be low?" Kakashi said calmly.

"Stop talking. Let's go!" Tahm excitedly grabbed Kakashi's hand. "I was born to extend people's lives!"

At that moment, outside the daimyo's residence in the Land of Wind.

A group of ninjas wearing Hidden Grass forehead protectors were talking with the guards.

The middle-aged ninja at the head respectfully said to the guards, "We're medical ninjas from the Hidden Grass Village. We've come to attempt to treat the daimyo's son. We hope you can grant us an audience."

The guard wore the distinctive sense of superiority possessed by citizens of a great nation living beneath the emperor's feet. He questioned them without the slightest courtesy. "Medical ninjas from all five great nations have failed. Why are unknown Grass ninjas joining in just to make up the numbers?"

The middle-aged Grass ninja looked somewhat grim, with a hint of anger in his eyes. Fortunately, another steady and dignified voice came from beside him, resolving the confrontation. "The daimyo's son is on the verge of death. If they truly have the ability, what harm is there in letting them try? How dare you turn them away?"

The guard immediately straightened and bowed at a ninety-degree angle, apologizing in panic. "I'm sorry, Elder Sakura! It was our dereliction of duty!"

Sakura no longer paid the guard any attention. As a trusted minister of the daimyo, he had no need to waste time with such minor figures. He turned his gaze toward the Hidden Grass team and suddenly pointed at a little girl behind the ninjas, who was obviously not even a ninja. With some displeasure, he asked, "Is this child also a medical ninja from the Hidden Grass Village?"

The girl looked about seven years old. Her thick, black-rimmed glasses made her look somewhat dowdy at such a young age. Her naturally fair skin was beautiful, but her thin, malnourished-looking body kept that beauty from showing. However, she had striking red eyes and long red hair. Though the color was so vivid, it lacked the crude, gaudy feel of a punk. Instead, it possessed a kind of natural beauty.

When the important figure before her pointed at her, the girl became frightened. As if reacting on instinct, she trembled in terror, unable to utter a single word.

The middle-aged Grass ninja merely smiled obsequiously and said, "Although she isn't a ninja yet, she has a special ability when it comes to treating injuries. Please trust us, Elder."

"So be it. Given the current situation, we can only let a dead horse be treated as a living one. Go inside." Elder Sakura did not pursue the matter further. He merely furrowed his brows and left.

The middle-aged Grass ninja motioned for his companions to follow, then walked up to the girl. His expression instantly changed from the ingratiating respect he had shown moments ago to something cold and terrifying. "Karin, you'd better perform well later. You know what kind of punishment awaits you if you fail."

"Yes, yes!" Frightened by the threat, Karin did not dare raise her head. She could only answer timidly, "I'll do my best, Lord Muto!"

The Grass ninja Muto merely said coldly, "Stop standing around. Get inside."

Outside the daimyo's residence, three figures stood upright atop a tall building, dressed in loose black robes patterned with red clouds.

One was a strange-looking man with a hunched body. He asked with some displeasure, "Kakuzu, you interrupted my research into art just to summon me and my partner here to look at the scenery?"

"Sasori, you certainly have it easy," Kakuzu said. "I'm the one working myself to the bone over the organization's finances."

Kakuzu was somewhat irritated. His teammates were all people who only knew how to fight and spend money. He alone knew how to make money for the organization.

"This is ten billion, after all. Deploying three organization members is worth it."

Another long-haired, snake-eyed man revealed a smile that could truly be called sinister and said, "With the abilities of the three of us, directly attacking the daimyo's residence and taking the money by force wouldn't be a problem, would it?"

"The leader gave direct orders. If someone heals him and receives the reward, we assassinate them. If no one succeeds, we leave it at that. The organization isn't ready to emerge into the open yet. Assassinating a team of medical ninjas and launching a direct assault on the residence of a daimyo from one of the five great nations are two entirely different matters."

"Tch. How boring," Sasori said coldly.

"Wait." Sasori's eyes suddenly sharpened. He had spotted a familiar silver-haired figure outside the daimyo's residence.

"If he's the one who receives the reward, let me handle it. Don't fight me for my prey. I want to personally turn him into a human puppet."

The long-haired, snake-eyed man glanced over and said with amusement, "The only son of Hatake Sakumo? Hahaha, is this about avenging your father, Sasori? It seems you still can't let go of Sunagakure."

"Orochimaru, talking too much can get you killed." Sasori's voice grew increasingly chilling.