Chapter 264: Daimyo
Coming out of the restaurant, each holding an extra dango stick in their hand, their stomachs bloated from eating too much, they headed toward their homes after thanking their sensei for the treat.
"Those brats, were they starving for the whole week for this day? How the hell could they eat this much in a single sitting?" Jiraiya said as he paid the bill.
"I don't know, sir…" The young boy at the counter responded meekly. Since Jiraiya was a famous and powerful ninja, most civilians, though they respected him, were easily intimidated by his presence.
Accustomed to this, Jiraiya simply paid the bill and left. Unlike his disciples, he still had work to do.
...
After resting for a day, all three were summoned to the Hokage building the next morning. When Kaida received the message, Shisui had already left the house. Kaida followed and united with Kabuto and Itachi at the Hokage's office.
"Hey, guys," Kaida said, sitting next to Itachi and Kabuto.
"You're late," Kabuto remarked.
"Nope, I'm on time. This isn't a mission site where I have to be 10 minutes early to scan for traps," Kaida replied with a smile.
"Still, you're visiting the Hokage. What if you made him wait?" Kabuto asked.
'Brat, you helped in killing the same Hokage,' Kaida thought but kept the thought to himself.
"Well, I was on time, so no worries."
"Lord Third is calling for you," the receptionist said.
Receiving the order, the three made their way toward the Hokage's office.
...
"Good morning, Lord Third," all three said, bowing slightly.
"Good morning. Were you able to rest well?" Hiruzen asked in his usual grandfatherly tone.
"Yes, Lord Third."
"Good. Now, about the exam— as you know, this is not just a simple promotion exam for you. This is a mission to show the world that the Will of Fire burning inside every Konoha ninja is as strong as ever, if not stronger.
The new generation not only matches the previous one but surpasses it. The world needs to know this, and you are going to make sure they do. Though this task is dangerous, the village will ensure your safety. Not only will Jiraiya accompany you, but Shisui as well, along with two extra squads of Jonin. Your safety is fully secured."
Though Hiruzen was trying to reassure them, he was also hinting at the actual danger of the mission. Sending two Kage-level ninjas along with eight Jonin was enough to bring down any small ninja village without casualties. If such a team was required for their safety, then the danger level of this mission was clearly on another level.
While all three were thinking this, Itachi, being the clan heir and trained in politics from a young age, thought of other implications as well.
"But, Lord Third, can we really send such a team to an enemy village under the pretext of security?" Itachi asked.
"Very good, Itachi. This is the quality of a good leader—thinking about the hidden details as well," Hiruzen said with a smile, then continued, "The Daimyo will also be there to watch the exam, and you all will be part of the guard team. This is an S-rank mission, and I would normally send Jiraiya with him anyway, but now we have a reason to send the others as well."
"So, will they stay with the Fire Daimyo all the time?" Kaida asked, concerned that if that were the case, it would make ambushing them easier.
"No, a Daimyo doesn't need protection inside a ninja village. Once we reach Kumogakure, it will be their responsibility to maintain his security. However, we will leave four Jonin with him, and the rest will focus on countering any schemes against you," Hiruzen explained.
Seeing that there were no further questions, Hiruzen added, "You will leave for the Fire Capital in one hour, so head to the village gate then."
"Yes, Lord Third," everyone said, taking their leave to make final preparations and say goodbye to their families, as they might not return for a month or two.
...
Kaida said goodbye to Hae and Naruto, along with Shisui, and wrote a letter to Yomi explaining the recent developments, so she would know why he wasn't there when she returned. He also bid her farewell, as she was still at the outpost, completing her tracking and sensing training. Along with Shisui, Kaida headed for the village gate, the meeting point of the new team.
There, they met Itachi and Kabuto.
"Hey, I'm Shisui Uchiha, Kaida's big brother. Nice to meet you," Shisui said, meeting Kabuto for the first time.
"I've heard many things about you, Shisui-sama. It's my pleasure to meet you," Kabuto said, showing proper respect to his superior.
Shisui, being an elite Jonin, was highly superior to Kabuto.
"No need to be so stiff. Since you're my brother's friend, you're like a brother to me as well," Shisui said, patting Kabuto's shoulder.
"Save the talk for the journey; we have quite a long one ahead of us," Jiraiya said, appearing in front of them, followed by eight Jonin. Four were Anbu, responsible for the Daimyo's security, while the other four were elite Jonin from the Uchiha clan, directly under Fugaku's orders.
Seeing them, Itachi recognized them by their uniforms, and Kaida did as well, having seen them during the Danzo incident when they were active in the Uchiha compound.
Noticing their gaze, Jiraiya explained, "Itachi is the clan heir of the Uchiha. These are his guards for the mission, appointed by the Uchiha clan head."
"I nearly forgot our captain was a prince," Kabuto said with a smirk.
"How could you? He always maintains his royal attitude to remind us," Kaida said in mock shock.
"Yup, totally," Shisui added.
For the first time since meeting Itachi, they saw a flicker of embarrassment on his face, his cheeks turning slightly red before he quickly composed himself.
"I never asked for guards," Itachi muttered.
"A prince often gets many things without asking," Kaida teased. The guards, though loyal to Fugaku, were not as rigid as Root ninjas. Rather than being offended, they seemed pleased by the liveliness of the young ninjas.
"It's good that you're in high spirits, but we don't have all day. We can't be late to meet the Daimyo, so let's go," Jiraiya said.
Everyone nodded, leaving behind the peaceful atmosphere and becoming completely serious as they started running toward the Fire Capital.
There was no one in the group below Jonin level, so there was no need to wait for anyone during the journey. The weakest among them was Kabuto, but he was still able to keep pace.
Using movement jutsu between runs, they reached the capital in just two hours, arriving by 10 a.m., well ahead of the 12 p.m. departure time. It was necessary because, with the Daimyo involved, there was no room for error.
Who was the Daimyo? The king of the country, the one who controlled the entire economy. If he became offended, Konoha, which was just beginning to regain its economic strength, could face problems even bigger than before.
***
(A.N: 67 powerstones, Yaaaay thanks guys, let's see how much this number increase till sunday ^~^)