Never Afraid to Assume the Worst

Shisui Uchiha...

Before entering the Mission Center, Zou Hyuga was still thinking about that name.

Shisui was a genius of the Uchiha Clan, and the second Ninja Academy student after Kakashi to graduate early.

Zou knew little about Shisui's exploits. All he knew was that this Uchiha would later awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan, only to be ambushed by Danzo and die in the river near Naka Shrine.

It was Shisui's death that further inflamed the conflict between the village and the Uchiha Clan.

That ultimately led to the destruction of the Uchiha Clan, one of Konoha's great clans, at the hands of the village and their own people.

In all fairness, Zou had little contact with the Uchiha Clan, and their destruction had little to do with him. They were a clan of powerful lunatics-the more extreme their mental state, the stronger they became.

Their infamy in the shinobi world was perhaps second only to that of Kirigakure's Kaguha Clan.

But if the Uchiha Clan reached the point of extermination, what would happen to Oto?

Should he arrange for her to defect beforehand, or have her fake her death and escape? She was one of his greatest combat assets. He absolutely could not let anything happen to her!

By his calculations, there were still seven years until the massacre. Could he break the Caged Bird Seal in that time?

"Zou, what's wrong? Feeling down?"

Oto Uchiha noticed Zou Hyuga's distraction and moved closer, concerned.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking about that C-rank mission a few days ago. We ran into ninja again..."

"Running into ninja on a C-rank mission... isn't that perfectly normal? When have we ever not?"

"Yeah..." The corner of Zou Hyuga's mouth twitched as he reluctantly agreed.

How was running into ninja on a C-rank mission normal? Every time, we did A-rank assignments for C-rank pay.

He even suspected that if he advanced in rank and started taking B-rank missions...

He might encounter an S-rank rogue ninja and spark a shinobi world war. So, for the sake of world peace, he was better off staying a Genin.

Suddenly, Zou Hyuga stared straight at Oto Uchiha and asked, "Are we close?"

His question startled Oto Uchiha. Then she said, "I'd say we're pretty close. We've been doing missions together for years, after all. You mean a lot to me, Zou."

"Really..." Zou Hyuga nodded, then murmured:

"If we're that close, would your Sharingan advance another stage if I died?"

"What?" Oto Uchiha hadn't heard him clearly and gave him a puzzled look.

"Sorry, I had an episode just now. Please bear with me," Zou Hyuga explained, realizing he had been talking nonsense.

"Take more medicine!" Oto Uchiha didn't dwell on it, firing back with his own vocabulary.

Inside the Mission Center.

Zou Hyuga held the mission list and examined it carefully, his previously relaxed brows gradually drawing together.

Perhaps because he had arrived late, there were no D-rank missions on today's list. The remaining missions were at least C-rank, with even a few B-rank missions among them.

"This isn't right. This really isn't right!"

Zou Hyuga shook his head, put down the mission list, and prepared to leave the Mission Center.

D-rank missions were a form of welfare provided by Konoha, an important source of income for retired Genin and rookies. Under normal circumstances, they never ran out.

Today's situation might simply have been down to his bad luck. He had long since learned exactly what his luck was like.

So, although those C-rank missions looked safe and offered tempting rewards...

He absolutely would not accept them. Absolutely not!

What happened on the last C-rank mission? Even wiping out bandits brought us face-to-face with Thirty-Million Sarutobi and that slippery bastard Jiraiya.

It had even cost him his most precious Discount Card from before he turned nine.

"Let's go, Oto." Zou Hyuga looked at Oto Uchiha and said, "We don't need to take these missions. Let's go to the Small Woods Behind the Mountain and practice ninjutsu!"

Oto Uchiha nodded and followed him. They were short on money, but the spoils from their last mission had been substantial.

At least enough to cover several months of expenses.

Just then, the Chunin in charge of mission assignments stopped Zou Hyuga and Oto. Under their puzzled gazes, he said, "Wait. You're Zou Hyuga and Oto Uchiha, right?"

Zou Hyuga looked even more puzzled. "Yes, I'm Zou Hyuga, a Genin."

"Good, I've got the right people. We've been waiting for three days. Here's your assignment."

Zou Hyuga took the assignment and gave it a quick scan. The enormous mission rank at the top-B-rank-immediately caught his eye, and his brows furrowed deeply.

"Sorry, I'm not taking this mission. I'm just an ordinary Genin."

"This was assigned by Lord Hokage."

The Chunin looked helpless, his eyes filled with envy as he regarded Zou Hyuga. He was only a Genin, yet he had earned Lord Hokage's favor.

But when he saw the blue-green mark on Zou Hyuga's forehead, he immediately understood.

There was an unbridgeable gulf between ninja from great clans and those of common birth.

"All right!" Zou Hyuga obediently accepted the assignment. Since it came from Lord Hokage, he had no choice. The Hyuga Branch Family couldn't even defy the Main Family, let alone the Third.

Unfolding the assignment, Zou Hyuga's expression grew increasingly unsettled. Certain names appeared in the commission, which read as follows:

Escort a senior official of the Land of Fire to the Capital of the Land of Fire. Orochimaru and Anko would also accompany the party as guards.

The reward was three hundred thousand ryo. Under the usual arrangement, he and Oto would each receive fifty thousand.

But with Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, accompanying them, did they really need two Genin?

Could Orochimaru be after my and Oto's kekkei genkai? Was he finally taking his first step toward abandoning humanity?

Zou Hyuga was never afraid to assume the worst when interpreting other people's actions.

After a little thought, Zou Hyuga considered the situation from another perspective and came up with the most plausible explanation.

Don't tell me the Third found out I saved his son and deliberately arranged for me to coast along and earn credit, so I'd take the chunin ninja exams!

Should I say this was just what I'd expect from the Shinobi Hero? He was actually forcing innocent Genin to become Chunin.

Just like that, Konoha would lose two of its strongest fighters!

Simply complaining would accomplish nothing. Once he was done lamenting, he still had to carry out the mission.

A day later, Zou Hyuga arrived at the village entrance and saw the convoy. Their client, a balding senior official of the Land of Fire, climbed into a carriage with help from his attendants.

Zou Hyuga paid no attention to the balding official, instead glancing at the sinister-looking man.

That was Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, a renowned scientist of the shinobi world, and an avid collector of kekkei genkai.

Behind Orochimaru stood a girl dressed in mesh, her head lowered as she munched on Three-Color Dango. Was her name Mitarashi Red Potato (Anko)?

"Lord Orochimaru," Zou Hyuga and Oto Uchiha said in unison.

After accepting the mission yesterday, they had discussed their approach. While working with Orochimaru, they needed to keep themselves as far on the sidelines as possible, neither currying his favor nor provoking his anger.

They only needed to be invisible ninja within the group. With Orochimaru around, they wouldn't have to worry about attacks from bandits, wandering ninja, or the like.

Orochimaru looked at the two of them and gave a slight nod. Without saying anything more, he returned to the group.

Soon, the convoy left Konoha and set out for the Capital of the Land of Fire.