On the morning of their departure from Konoha, dawn was breaking and the air was still damp with dew. There was no grand farewell, only the rumbling of the carts and horses as the caravan regrouped and the low shouts of the porters.
With his pack on his back, Shira took one last look in the direction of the Training Ground Three, where it was quiet and the morning mist had not yet dissipated. He took a deep breath of the cool Konoha, turned around, and followed the group.
Stepping out of the Konoha Gate and through the familiar forest beginning to turn autumnal, the path gradually widens, and the scenery becomes desolate once again.
We walked for a long time.
The wind was no longer the Konoha carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees, but gradually took on the dry, rough, granular feel unique to the borderlands of the Land of Wind.
The humidity in the air seemed to be sucked out all at once, and when I breathed it into my lungs, it made my throat feel a little sore.
But Shira felt a strange sense of security from the wind, the air, and the increasingly rough sand beneath his feet.
It was as if I had just woken up from a passionate but fleeting dream, and my feet were now firmly planted on the familiar and solid ground of reality that belonged to me.
The return journey was much smoother than the way there. The border skirmishes seemed to have subsided somewhat, and the sporadic disturbances encountered along the way were nothing more than minor skirmishes in the face of the Reppu Squad and the caravan guards who had regained their vigilance.
Captain Reppu remained calm Earth Flow at the front, his gaze carefully scanning the surroundings. The Sada Sasori brothers, controlling their repaired puppets, guarded the flanks on either side.
The Asuka regained its usual liveliness, leaping and bounding to explore the way, but the occasional glances it gave Shira still carried a lingering shock that seemed to say, "You really are the protagonist of the legend of the green-skinned monster."
After walking for several days, we are getting closer and closer to Sunagakure.
That afternoon, the group rested under a sheltered rock face. The sun was setting, casting long shadows on the sand.
Reppu summoned several Genin ninjas and pulled out a few scrolls and a small cloth bag from his robes. His face remained expressionless, still displaying his usual businesslike demeanor.
"The mission is basically complete. There are a few things I'd like to explain to you."
The Reppu howled, its voice low but clear beneath the open rock face. "This B-level escort mission will have its rewards divided according to the rules. The caravan leader gave an extra bonus as compensation for the losses and casualties along the way. The rewards will be distributed according to your contribution—you few..."
He glanced at Shira, Asuka, and Sada Sasori, "They'll all get some. Go back to the mission area to collect them."
He paused, opened the small cloth bag, and poured out several metal plaques engraved with distorted symbols and blurry portrait outlines, still stained with indelible dark brown dirt.
"In addition, the bandit leaders we killed at Rolling Stone Gorge, and the remaining members we cleared out later— 'Viper,' ' Shipi,' ' Giant Rock,' ' Mandrill '... are all on the bounty lists in each village, and the amounts aren't small. Here are the receipts; go back and hand them all in, and you can divide the bounty among yourselves."
He handed out the tokens to the group. Shira took hers; the cold metal felt heavy against her palm. She weighed it in her hand, quickly calculating in her mind.
The mission reward, plus the extra compensation, and these bounties, even if split equally, would still amount to a considerable sum. It would be enough to cover the money spent in Konoha, with plenty left over.
The money spent on gifts for my parents, teachers, and friends has covered my costs, and I even have a surplus. More importantly, this money was earned through my own fists and sword, on the brink of life and death.
This feeling was more reassuring than simply receiving money; it even brought a touch of satisfaction to Shira. This trip to Konoha had yielded far more than she had expected.
"Wow! I'm rich!" Asuka took the sign, his eyes shining. He turned it over and over in his hand, examining it as if he could see something amazing in it.
"Those guys are worth pretty much! All that fighting was worth it! Captain, should we be able to buy that new Fūma Shuriken when we get back?"
Sasori scoffed, "With your Shurikenjutsu, buying anything would be a waste. You might as well buy me some high-grade puppet lubricant."
Sada didn't speak, but silently put away the sign and continued to examine the joints of his puppet.
Reppu ignored their bickering and carefully put away the remaining scrolls. "We'll talk about the bounty later. Be careful on the way, especially on the last leg."
After finishing their business, the atmosphere relaxed a bit. Asuka moved closer to Shira, nudged him with his elbow, and winked, "Hey, Shira, that... um, 'battle robe,' you've put it away? Not planning on wearing it back, are you?" He was clearly still shaken by that green bodysuit.
Shira glanced at him. "Okay, keep it safe."
That was a gift from Senior Kai, as a keepsake. Wearing it back? For now, he doesn't have that plan.
The Sunagakure, windswept landscape might require more durable fabrics than a dazzling green.
Asuka chuckled twice, then moved closer to Reppu, helping the captain organize his ninja tool bag while casually asking, "Captain, can I ask you something?"
"Speak." Reppu didn't even look up, examining the blade of the Kunai.
"Well... we all think so," Asuka scratched her head, her tone genuinely doubtful, "Captain, you... you're clearly very strong."
"That time in the canyon, you fought two against one, using Wind Release and Fire Style so skillfully, and your tactical command was so steady. By all accounts, you should be at the Jonin, right? How come... you're still Chunin?"
This question seemed to have been weighing on Asuka's mind for a long time. Sada Sasori also stopped what he was doing and looked over. Shira also raised her eyes and looked at Reppu.
Indeed, throughout this journey, Reppu's strength, experience, and composure far surpassed that of Chunin. He was even comparable to many of the Sunagakure Jonin he had encountered in terms of on-the-spot adaptability and team leadership.
Reppu, who was wiping his Kunai, paused almost imperceptibly. The usual, businesslike calm on his face seemed to crack slightly at the question, revealing something else beneath.
He didn't answer immediately, but slowly put the polished Kunai back into his ninja tool pouch, his movements very careful, as if he were performing some kind of ritual.
The wind whistled past beneath the cliff, whipping up fine sand that rustled softly against the rocks.
Several seconds passed before Reppu spoke. His voice was lower and deeper than usual, with little inflection, yet every word was clear and resonant in the wind.
I've made some mistakes in the past.
That was all; they didn't specify what the mistake was. But even the Genin could sense that the "mistake" was serious, far more than just a mission failure.
Reppu raised his eyes, his gaze somewhat vacant, as if he were looking through the rock wall in front of him into the distance. His profile, outlined by the setting sun, appeared somewhat hard and weary.
"Because of those mistakes, we lost something very important."
He paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, or perhaps suppressing some surging emotion, "Teammates, trust, and something else. It's not the village punishing me, it's myself... I can't get over it."
He lowered his head again, looking at his hands covered in calluses and tiny scars, his voice growing deeper. "I swore an oath to Lord Kazekage, and to myself. For this lifetime, I will Chunin."
"Use this identity to lead each squad well, complete each mission, and protect those who need protection. Jonin... I'm not worthy. Nor is it necessary."
He spoke calmly, without self-pity or feigned profundity; it was simply a statement—a statement of a decision he had made and would continue to uphold.
But beneath that calm lies a profound and resolute weight that has accumulated over the years and seeped into one's very being.
The Asuka opened its mouth, but the playful smile on its face vanished, replaced by a look of bewilderment, as if it hadn't expected such heavy words to come out of it.
Sasori also dropped his nonchalant expression and pursed his lips.
Sada remained silent, but a hint of realization flickered in his eyes.
Shira listened quietly, but a thought stirred within her. To Chunin life? Because of past mistakes and self-punishment?
Suddenly, the image of Konoha flashed through his mind—the kind and approachable Maruboshi Kosuke Jonin.
That person is a "perennial Genin," who voluntarily remains in the Genin position, dedicating his life to protecting and nurturing the next generation.
Uh, Captain Reppu, is he a "perennial Chunin "?
Interesting. Two villages, two individuals who voluntarily remain as low-ranking ninjas, yet possess strength and awareness far exceeding their rank.
The reasons may differ, but the spirit of self-discipline, willingness to take responsibility, and transforming responsibility into a protective force seems to have something in common.
Looking at Captain Reppu's somewhat lonely yet exceptionally upright figure in the setting sun, Shira felt a greater sense of genuine respect for this always calm and reliable captain.
Some wounds will never heal, but one can walk a more determined, and even more arduous, path with those wounds. Captain Reppu chose just such a path.
"Captain..." Asuka murmured, wanting to say something to comfort him, but not knowing where to begin.
Reppu waved his hand, interrupting the Asuka, and his face regained its usual distant calm, as if the momentary melancholy just now was merely an illusion.
"Alright, that's old news, nothing to bring up. Once we've rested enough, let's get ready to set off and reach the next supply point before dark."
He stood up, dusted himself off, and transformed back into the reliable, taciturn Chunin captain who led his team forward.
The group set off again. The setting sun cast long shadows of the group across the endless Gobi Desert.
The wind still howls, carrying with it the eternal desolation and resilience of the Land of Wind.
Two more days passed. When the familiar silhouette of the massive, wind-eroded mountain, riddled with countless holes, appeared on the horizon, and when the unique, dry smell of sand and a hint of mineral grew stronger in the air, everyone knew—
We've arrived at Sunagakure.
The familiar sentry post, the familiar gray-yellow rock wall buildings that look somewhat mottled in the wind and sand, the familiar wind-eroded landforms, and the flag with the Sunagakure symbol fluttering in the wind at the entrance of the village.
The caravan emitted a weary yet cheerful clamor. The porters quickened their pace, and the guards breathed a sigh of relief.
The Reppu Squad stopped at the village entrance, gazing at the rugged yet sturdy homeland bathed in the golden-red light of the setting sun.
"Mission complete." Captain Reppu turned to face his subordinates, a barely perceptible hint of relief on his face. "Go and turn in your missions and collect your rewards. Dismissed."
"Yes, Captain!" the men replied in unison.
With a cheer, the Asuka charged ahead towards the mission hall. The Sasori, dragging its brother Sada along, muttered that they were going to the puppet workshop.
Shira stood still, took a deep breath of the familiar, sandy air of Sunagakure, and felt the familiar, slightly stinging sensation in her lungs.
He returned, exhausted but full of energy, with an empty wallet (though it will soon be full) and bulging gifts.
He looked up and gazed into the depths of the village, roughly in the direction of his own general store.
Mother should have already prepared dinner, right? Is Father quietly wiping the merchandise behind the counter again?
He started walking towards home. The setting sun cast his shadow long and steady on the rough earth of Sunagakure.
The wind is still blowing. But this time, it's the wind that carries me home...