"Hey, Kurotsuchi, heading out on another mission today?"
Inside Iwagakure, a girl with ear-length hair and a forehead protector walked down a village street.
"Ugh, sir, honestly, Grandpa keeps sending me out on useless missions."
Kurotsuchi curled her lip helplessly. She spoke her mind and complained whenever she wanted to, and not even her grandfather was spared.
"I see. Ah, these days..."
The old man had originally wanted to tell Kurotsuchi that she should listen to her grandfather and such.
But remembering her usual temperament, he decided to give up.
"Well, sir, I'm heading out!"
The corners of Kurotsuchi's mouth lifted, and she broke into a run toward the village gates.
Her mission today was to meet her senior fellow disciple, Akatsuchi, on his return to Iwagakure.
After Grandpa received a letter from Konoha, he had started acting strange. His body stayed tense, and every so often, he muttered something about Madara?
Anyway, it was strange. When she asked him, he wouldn't answer. Instead, he sent her father, Kitsuchi, and her senior fellow disciple, Akatsuchi, out of the village together to bring that guy Roshi back.
It really was strange. Roshi and Grandpa had fallen out before, and Roshi had left the village in a fit of anger to wander around outside.
Although he was wandering around, he still sent letters back from time to time.
But these letters weren't to let them know he was safe. They described how happily he was living outside and how he had discovered the true meaning of life, before mocking Ōnoki.
As far as Kurotsuchi was concerned, they were both stubborn old men.
What clearly wasn't a big deal had turned into a thoroughly strained situation because the two of them were as stubborn and childish as old children.
However, since Roshi hadn't