Escort Mission Begins.

Kumogakure welcomed the new dawn with its towering peaks. The sun peeked through the rough terrain and open arenas, bathing what was once shrouded in darkness in resplendence.

The crisp morning air clung to their skin as they stood at the village's edge, the sun barely cresting over the towering peaks of Kumogakure. The escort team made their final preparations. Aki adjusted his gear, eyes scanning the horizon while the rest of the team prepared for their departure.

Princess Kanna's mode of transportation was elegant, befitting her status as royalty. A palanquin, with silk drapes embroidered with her family's crest, stood ready, held aloft by four stout men. She was not alone; two stout men stood beside the palanquin, serving as both guards and servants to the princess.

As they completed their preparations, two additional ninjas from the Land of Frost appeared, having been part of her initial escort on the journey to Kumogakure. One was a tall, scarred middle-aged man with a stern look; the other, a younger ninja, bristled with cockiness as they approached the new team.

The younger ninja's eyes landed on Aki, and his brow furrowed in disbelief. "What the… a kid?" he blurted, unable to hide his astonishment. He shot a quick glance at the middle-aged man beside him before glaring back at Aki. "This is the 'elite' escort from Kumogakure?"

The middle-aged man, clearly more experienced, kept his expression neutral as he assisted Princess Kanna into the palanquin. However, the doubt in his eyes was clear, and Aki felt the weight of their judgment.

Yugito's gaze turned icy as she stepped forward, her voice cutting through the morning air. "If you underestimate little Aki, you've got another thing coming."

The younger Frost ninja sneered. "I don't doubt your abilities, Yugito-san, but this kid? You've got to be joking. We're talking about protecting royalty here."

Aki's fingers twitched, but he kept his composure, he would let his actions speak for themselves.

The older ninja finally spoke, his tone calm but firm. "We've come a long way to ensure the princess's safety, and this is a serious mission. Forgive us if we are cautious."

He glanced at Aki, clearly measuring him. "I assume the Raikage has confidence in your abilities, but this journey will test you. I hope you're ready."

Haruto, standing behind Aki, stepped in smoothly. "Aki's more than capable," he said with a knowing smile. "The Raikage doesn't trust just anyone with missions like this. Besides, we're here as a team. You won't find a stronger combination than what we've got."

The younger ninja crossed his arms, clearly still unimpressed, but remained silent under the older ninja's gaze.

Princess Kanna's voice emerged from the palanquin, soft yet commanding. "I trust that Kumogakure would not send someone unworthy of the task," she said, though her tone carried a note of skepticism. Her eyes briefly met Aki's through the curtains of her palanquin. "I expect this journey to be without incident, regardless of… age."

Aki gave a slight bow, his voice calm and steady. "You have my word, Princess Kanna. You will reach your destination safely."

With that, the group set off, the palanquin carried by the stout bearers, and Aki leading the way with his team.

The road ahead stretched out before them, flanked by towering trees and the distant hum of wildlife. Aki's eyes narrowed, always scanning for any possible threat. Despite the quiet, there was a tension in the air that kept him on edge.

He had already sensed the other 2 ninjas to be one Jonin and one Chunin.

Aki did not use his Byakugan, no he did this unexpectedly. Maybe meeting the princess was the trigger to something. 'Could Kaguya sense chakra of others?'

Aki thought as he wasn't expecting something unknown awakening before the known. As they went further, the trees surrounded them and nature seem to take your breath away with its beauty.

Aki started to feel a connection, as if he could connect with every blade of grass and the trees along with the environment around.

'Ah shit'

Aki suddenly thought of sage mode… no way he couldn't be randomly awakening a sage mode during an escort mission. The nature energy is one way to hell for him right now as he isn't being trained by one of the sage mode teachers or the holy grounds.

(A/N: What do you guys think is happening?)

Aki felt fine there was no sign of discomfort whatsoever, 'Am I thinking too much.'

This sudden sensor ability was the reason Aki did not activate Byakugan on the way till now. Remembering he activated it.

"Byakugan"

There is no way Aki would let the uncertain and unknown ability guide him towards danger. Byakugan is his sure way of knowing on a diameter of around 70km.

"So, what's it like being the Raikage's kid?" The younger Frost ninja's voice broke the silence, his tone mocking.

Aki didn't turn to face him. "You mean adopted," he corrected, his voice steady.

"Right, right," the Frost ninja said with a smirk, quickening his pace to walk beside Aki. "But I bet it's nice, huh? Getting special treatment, going on big missions before you've even earned it." His voice was laced with sarcasm, clearly trying to provoke a reaction.

'Exactly Kumo is the best village.' Aki thought to himself but didn't bother to comment on it.

Yugito, walking slightly ahead, glanced over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing. "Back off," she warned. "Aki's earned his place here."

The Frost ninja shrugged, unfazed. "Sure, sure. I'm just saying, that a lot of people have to fight tooth and nail even to get noticed. Guess being the Raikage's adopted kid has its perks."

Aki's jaw clenched, but he kept his emotions in check.

The older Frost ninja, who had remained silent so far, finally spoke up, his tone measured. "That's enough, Daichi." His gaze shifted to Aki. "No need to stir things up when we're on a mission."

Daichi, the younger ninja, rolled his eyes but fell back in line, muttering something under his breath.

"Don't let him get to you," Haruto said quietly, walking beside Aki. "Some people just can't stand the idea of someone younger or more talented outshining them." He gave Aki a reassuring nod.

Aki nodded slightly in response but remained quiet.

The path ahead twisted deeper into the forest, the dense trees forming a canopy that filtered the sunlight. The sound of birdsong and rustling leaves filled the air, a peaceful contrast to the tension simmering between the group.

Princess Kanna, from within her palanquin, spoke up, her voice soft but authoritative. "Aki, was it?"

Aki turned his head slightly. "Yes, Princess."

"You mentioned earlier that I would reach my destination safely," she said, her tone curious. "What gives you such confidence? You're young, and this world is full of uncertainty."

Aki's eyes scanned the forest again as he responded. "I've trained my whole life for missions like this. I trust my skills—and my team." His voice was calm, but the weight of her words hung over him.

There was a brief silence before Kanna spoke again, her tone more thoughtful. "I hope your confidence holds true, young ninja. I have much riding on this journey."

Haruto shot Aki a grin as if to say, 'Nice save.'

As the sun climbed higher, Daichi continued to occasionally throw snide remarks, but Aki ignored him. His mind was preoccupied with the strange feeling from earlier. The connection to nature hadn't faded, and despite the chaos around him, Aki couldn't help but feel drawn to it.

On the contrary, the feeling was becoming more lucid as they reached further, trees around them felt even closer.

The group reached a clearing as the sun began to sink behind the mountains, casting a warm, golden glow over the trees. Aki decided it was time to stop for the night.

"We'll camp here," Aki said, scanning the area with his Byakugan. "It's clear for now."

Yugito nodded, while Haruto quickly set to work gathering firewood. Daichi, the younger Frost ninja, looked around with a scowl but begrudgingly followed Haruto's lead, clearly less enthusiastic about the task.

Meanwhile, Kazuo, the elder Frost ninja, helped set up Princess Kanna's tent in silence.

With the fire crackling to life, it was time to prepare dinner. The tension from earlier still hung in the air, Daichi's sneers and doubts about Aki lingering like a bad taste.

"I'll handle dinner," Aki said suddenly, taking the lead. He pulled out a bundle of food supplies, mostly meat and vegetables, from his pack.

Daichi raised an eyebrow, a smirk creeping onto his face. "You? This should be good," he said sarcastically. "What's next? You're going to show off some fancy Kumo dish?"

Aki didn't rise to the bait, instead deftly cutting the meat and vegetables with quick, precise movements. Yugito and Haruto exchanged a glance, familiar with Aki's cooking skills but still amused at the potential shock the Frost ninjas were in for.

As Aki worked, his motions were fluid and practiced, much to Daichi's surprise. He sat back, watching with curiosity as Aki seasoned the meat and skewered it over the fire. The smell of spices and roasting meat soon filled the camp, making everyone's stomachs growl.

Kazuo, who had been silently observing the scene, gave a subtle nod of approval. "It seems the young shinobi of Kumogakure have more skills than just combat," he remarked quietly.

Daichi tried to cover his surprise with another sneer. "Not bad, but let's see if it tastes any good."

Aki, still focused on his task, ignored the jab. He turned the skewers carefully, ensuring the meat was cooked evenly. Haruto, leaning back and watching the fire, couldn't help but grin. "You're in for a treat," he said casually to Daichi.

After a few more minutes, Aki pulled the skewers from the fire, the meat perfectly cooked and golden. He handed them out to the group, his expression calm and composed. "Eat up," he said.

Daichi took a cautious bite, his bravado slipping as the flavor hit him. His eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly took another bite, trying to mask how impressed he was.

Haruto chuckled. "Told you."

Even Yugito, who was usually hard to impress, gave an appreciative nod as she chewed. "Not bad, Aki. You've improved."

Kazuo ate quietly, but the small smile on his face was telling. Princess Kanna's voice drifted from her tent, amused. "The smell alone tells me that my escort is more than capable."

Daichi, swallowing another bite, tried to regain his swagger. "Alright, fine," he muttered. "The kid can cook. But that doesn't mean he's got what it takes to protect the princess."

Aki finally looked up, his calm gaze meeting Daichi's. "There's more to being a shinobi than just fighting. But don't worry," he said, with just a hint of a smile. "When the time comes, I'll show you that too."

The fire crackled between them as Aki's words hung in the air. Haruto chuckled to himself, clearly entertained by the exchange. "I'll back him up on that one," he said, stretching his arms behind his head.

"Aki's got a few surprises up his sleeve."

As the group settled in to eat, the earlier tension seemed to dissipate, the shared meal bridging the gap between the Kumogakure and Frost ninjas—if only for a moment.

The forest around them grew quieter as night settled fully, but Aki's thoughts drifted back to the strange connection he felt earlier, still lurking in the background of his mind.

"Haruto and Yugito, you guys will be the first group to handle the night duty. Second will be I, Daichi, and Kazou"

Ninjas agreed on the setup, as it seemed like the most logical choice, in second group only Kazou was a Jonin. Among Aki and Daichi, one was on his test mission for Jonin and the other was just an escort from the village hidden in the frost.

Before they took their positions, Haruto leaned over to Aki, his voice low. "That was a good move, showing off your cooking skills. Kept things from boiling over."

Aki nodded, but his thoughts were elsewhere, still preoccupied with the mysterious connection to nature that had been growing stronger throughout the day. He glanced at the trees surrounding them, feeling a pull he couldn't quite explain.

Aki was now free, could rest from constant use of Byakugan, and seeing only the infrared vision. He decided to tap into this feeling and identify what was happening.