Chapter 82: Promise

"The reality is so different from the anime!"

"No one would have thought that the rarely spotlighted Uchiha clan in the TV series would have such a touching moment!"

Hinamori silently thought to himself as he watched the heartwarming scene unfold before him.

Fortunately, both Mika and Ryo's parents, as fellow ninjas, had a general understanding of the C-rank mission that the new ninja squad was undertaking.

Thus, they only expressed a few words of concern and did not come to see them off like Tetsu's mother did. Otherwise, it would not just be Tetsu feeling the headache but also Hinamori and Ryo.

C-rank missions generally involved tasks like delivering messages or escorting, requiring them to leave the village but not facing real combat. Even if a fight did occur, it would usually be against bandits who couldn't use chakra.

Even in the rare event of a combat involving ninjas, the opposition would generally be rogue ninjas who had stumbled upon the way to extract chakra.

These individuals might have slightly stronger physical and martial prowess due to chakra. Still, they lacked proficiency in ninjutsu or genjutsu, as mastering chakra applications without family heritage or village training was nearly impossible. Hence, ninja corpses fetched high prices in the black market, driven by rogue ninjas hoping to unlock the secrets of ninjutsu, as well as village interests aiming to understand their adversaries' weaknesses better.

Once the mission involved combat with chunin-level and above, its rank would immediately be elevated from C to B or even higher. Even encountering rogue ninjas with chunin abilities posed no significant threat under the protection of elite jonin Uchiha Nahara.

Of course, if one were unfortunate enough to stumble upon an elite team from another village secretly on a mission, that would be a different matter. Such teams usually included sensory-type ninjas to avoid contact with foreign ninjas and ensure information security, steering clear of other squads deliberately.

On the rare occasion of such teams meeting, both sides would generally pretend not to notice each other, avoiding confrontation to keep their team members safe. Both squads would continue their respective missions if they detected each other's presence, rarely engaging directly.

In the main thoroughfare of the Uchiha residence, a young man around thirty slowly walked towards them. Dressed in a plain green jonin vest, black capri pants, and high ninja sandals, he carried a backpack similar to Hinamori and his companions'.

This approaching figure was their guiding jonin, Uchiha Nahara.

"Oh! Mrs. Rie, it's been a while. My apologies for not keeping in touch."

Uchiha Rie was Tetsu's mother's name. As the younger brother of the clan leader, Nahara knew Tetsu's father and had met his mother a few times. However, after Tetsu's father passed away and his mother became reclusive, they had grown distant.

He greeted her respectfully, bowing slightly. The ninja world, after all, evolved from Japan, sharing many customs, including frequent bowing. This often made Hinamori, from the 21st century, uncomfortable.

With a quick glance at the situation, Nahara guessed what had transpired before his arrival.

"Mrs. Rie, please rest assured, though I cannot guarantee absolute safety, I can promise you that as long as I am alive, Tetsu will remain unharmed!"

Nahara's solemn gaze and deliberate words to Tetsu's mother were not mere platitudes but a personal vow he made upon becoming a guiding instructor. He would not hesitate to sacrifice himself for this promise.

"It seems Nahara-sensei is really dedicated, to even say something like this!"

Hinamori, observing from the side, was slightly taken aback by his teacher's serious promise. In the ninja academy, he had heard of many instances where guiding jonin returned safely from missions, but the genin team members often suffered losses or even complete annihilation. The village rarely imposed heavy penalties on the jonin if they provided 'reasonable' explanations. 

Between choosing a few genins or the village's pillar jonins, the Third Hokage would always make a balanced judgment. However, if a significant individual's favored junior were to perish silently in someone's squad, escaping would be advisable without strong backing.

Hearing Nahara's vow, Rie, who had raised her child alone and invested her everything in him, did not show joy. Instead, she solemnly tidied herself and gave a deep, ninety-degree bow, refraining from uttering any further pleas. Her lingering bent posture and trembling shoulders revealed her inner turmoil.

Nahara also accepted her bow with composure. Early risers or other witnesses watched silently, avoiding any interruption.

(Chapter End)