"A mission!"
The three girls reacted at the same time.
Hinata cautiously raised her head.
She looked at Ino on her left, then Sakura on her right, before finally glancing at Xuandou.
Her face was taut, like a student listening attentively in class, and she sat perfectly straight on the bench, the curves of her chest straining tightly.
Her thoughts drifted back to the day Shion from the Land of Demons had left her prophecy... marrying Teacher Xuandou...
"Finally, no more delivering those intelligence scrolls!"
"Lately, because of the Land of Fire and the Land of Water, the intelligence department's workload has practically quadrupled."
"And we're actually down a few people."
"They all went on about hope, the future, poetry, and distant horizons, then swarmed off to Konoha and Kirigakure."
"Well, now I get to go on a mission too..."
"Teacher Xuandou, what kind of mission? Is there anywhere far away?"
Ino clasped her hands together, her chin raised slightly, unable to hide the excitement on her face.
A mission Xuandou had specifically brought up to them most likely wouldn't be in Azure Tide Port.
At the thought of getting to go out and have fun again, completing the task their teacher assigned while enjoying herself and avoiding this hectic spell,
Ino was absolutely delighted.
She radiated the youthful energy of a lively teenage girl.
Sakura propped her chin on both hands, sitting beside Hinata on the bench, her sparkling eyes fixed on Xuandou.
She followed Ino's lead and asked,
"Teacher Xuandou, is there anywhere far away? Even farther would be fine!"
"It would be best if it took a little longer too..."
"What, is the Ninja Hospital really busy now too?" Xuandou pointed at the complaining Ino, then turned to ask Sakura.
His three disciples had now become mid-level