25 - Escort Mission

After a month plus a week of D ranked missions or torture as the genins would prefer to call it. They had finally met the requirements to do their very first C ranked mission.

"Alright, Team Five under Special Jonin Hayate Gekko, you have all completed over 40 D ranked missions in just under a month and a half. Now you are all eligible to go on higher missions" The hokage said.

"Yes!" Akame cheered

"Finally better pay!" Ren said as he smiled widely

Shigeo also smiled at the sight of Akame and Ren's excitement. Out of the three, Shigeo was the calmest while the other two voiced out their complaints of the boring missions after the 3rd day. But that did not mean he was not getting tired of it.

"So, Hayate. Do you think your team is ready for their first C ranked mission?" The third hokage asked as he looked at the sickly jonin.

"*Cough!* *Cough!* Yes, Lord Hokage. I believe they are more than ready" He said with a smile.

"I see, then here's the file. Read it while I get someone to get the client." The third hokage said as he waved his hand to which an anbu left to get their client. In the meantime Hayate took the file to read it.

"Takumi village? I haven't heard of them in a while" Hayate said looking quite surprised.

"Indeed, if I remember correctly they are a village known for their skills in making weaponry" The third said making Hayate nod.

"Yes, but aren't their relations with larger villages somewhat strained?" Hayate said looking at their Hokage.

"Yes, they were attacked by one of the larger ninja villages in the third great ninja war in fear of their ninja weapons, and they requested other villages for aid but were ignored." Hiruzen said as he blew on his pipe.

"But worry not, the leaf was not the village that attacked nor were they the village that ignored their warning... their warning had arrived when the attack on their village was already over" The third hokage said.

"I see..." Hayate said nodding.

Meanwhile, Shigeo who was listening in to their conversation was deep in thought. ' A village of weapon smiths. I do need a weapon for myself' Shigeo said in his head'

Just as he finished thinking the doors opened and a man came in.

"Ah just in time, alright everyone. Meet Hibiki, he's the merchant that you're team will be escorting to Takumi village in the land of Rivers." The third said as the man who looked to be in his late twenties waved.

"Yo, so these are the escorts. Genin huh, well at least theirs a jonin in the team" Hibiki said as he looked at team five.

Although it sounded rude, Akame and Ren didn't retort back because he was a civilian. That, and the fact that Hayate had taught them that it would always be best to not fight with their clients lest their pay be deducted.

"Alright team, get your things ready.*cough!* *cough!* We will meet at the main entrance an hour from now understood?" Hayate asked.

"Yes Sensei!/Understood Hayate-sensei" Both Akame and Ren said as Shigeo nodded.

"Good then you three are dismissed." Hayate said.

....

After an hour the group was seen walking out of the village. Hayate was leading while everyone else idly followed. Ren and Akame were talking amongst each other as Hibiki and Shigeo followed.

Though as they were walking Shigeo looked at Hibiki and couldn't help but notice that despite being a merchant he barely had anything on him except for his large backpack. So due to his curiosity he couldn't help but ask.

"Say Hibiki-san, though your a merchant, you don't seem to have a carriage or cart like most merchants. Do you happen to use storage scrolls?" Shigeo asked.

"Hmm?" Hibiki said surprised. "Well yes, I do use storage scrolls" the merchant said nodding. But their conversation didn't go unheard as both Ren and Akame heard the two.

"Storage scrolls, but how? Aren't you a civilian, Hibiki-san?" Ren said as Akame looked at him as if he were stupid.

"Pfft-Hahahaha! Good one boy!" Hibiki said bursting into laughter before he realized the boy was serious.

"Why are you laughing?!" Ren said annoyed before he looked at the stares he got from both Akame and Shigeo.

"What? Something on my face?" Ren asked as Shigeo gave him a wry smile.

"No you idiot!" Akame said "Just because someone is a civilian doesn't mean they can't use storage scrolls!" She explained.

"What?! But how can they use chakra?!" He asked making even Hayate stumble.

"Oh my God, How did you pass the academy?!" She said surprised

"They literally first taught us that every living being has and can use chakra. It's just that the civilians don't know how to use it but that doesn't mean they can't learn. After all most kids join the academy, where they learn how to use chakra and some of those kids who don't pass eventually give up and just end up being regular civilians. But it doesn't mean they lost their knowledge of what they learned from the academy" She explained.

"Oooh! That makes perfect sense!" Ren said. "So that's why storage scrolls sell out fast!" He said piecing the two together.

"Exactly dimwit" She said sighting.

Looking at their exchange, Hibiki chuckled before praising Akame. "Indeed, well said little one. As to answer your question boy. I too, once inspire to be a ninja but I ultimately failed. I never got around to getting into a squad and becoming genin." Hibiki said.

"Oh, well at least you've become successful" Ren said

"Yes, yes I have" Hibiki said.

---

"Alright. We've been travelling for half a day. The sun is almost down, so we will rest here for the night" Hayate said as he told his group in a clearing in the forest.

"Shigeo, you help Hibiki-san set up his tent. Akame and Ren will scout the surroundings. Understood?" Hayate said before giving them all a small pouch filled with pills.

"Yes Hayate sensei!" The three genin answered

"Those are food pills. Don't finish them all, its your dinner" Hayate said dismissing them.

"Ugh Food pills" Ren said being grossed out while Akame nodded.

"We are ninja, we won't have the luxury of delicious food in a battlefield since it takes too long to make. You might even be killed when making it" Hayate said giving out lessons to them.

"Yes, sensei" Ren said in a defeated tone.

Shigeo had to hide his smirk as he himself brought preserved foods that don't need preparations with him like canned goods or beef jerky. He had a few scroll filled with them, and he is NOT planning to share.

--

"Say, Hibiki-san..." Shigeo started as he was helping the man set up his tent.

"Yes? What is it boy?" Said man said as he nailed one stake to the ground.

"Since you are a merchant, that must mean you have a variety of things. Do you... happen to have weapons?" He asked making the man freeze.

"Well, yes boy. I do, in fact I even have I quality weapons made from master smiths from Takumi village" The man said as he grinned.

Hearing that excited Shigeo as he was glad he brought with him a large amount of money. "Can you sell me some?!" He asked eagerly.

"I don't know boy, do you have the money for it?" He asked. After all Shigeo was just a kid, most his age apart from clan heirs have hardly 10,000 ryo.

"Don't underestimate me Hibiki-san. I might be a kid but I got a nice business, I am an apprentice sealer and could make storage scrolls. I sell them and since you are a merchant, you know how much storage scrolls cost. You do the math" He said with a smile.

"Hoh? Well who am I to turn down business" The man said as he finished tying a rope to the stake on the ground.

"Well, were about done with the tent so how about we do business now. I have a whole scroll with weapons ranging from quality but I assure you they all are better than those you can find in your regular shop." Hibiki said.

Hearing that, Shigeo was excited as he himself didn't have a weapon of good quality.