Capítulo 35: Tora! Tora! Tora!
Natsu fidgeted, unsure whether she should ask, her eyes shifting to me. Itachi, too, fixed a curious gaze on me before Natsu finally spoke up, "Um... Is that a new fashion choice?"
I smiled, appreciating their curiosity. "Yes, it is," I replied, keeping my answer brief, refusing to elaborate further.
I was dressed in a dark-red buttoned shirt, paired with black trousers. A katana hung loosely from the utility belt on my waist. I carried a lightweight satchel containing scrolls I would need for our mission.
Hidden beneath my sleeves were two wrist guards, each embedded with storage seals on the inner side to prevent scratching when I used them as makeshift shields. Though I also wore a vambrace, just in case.
With the help of remote storage seals, I could easily retrieve items stored within a five-meter radius around me. However, I couldn't store jutsu inside them, as that risked causing an implosion. It would be a shame to accidentally steal treasured equipment from the enemy during a fight, wouldn't it?
While my attire may have seemed ordinary to them, what caught their attention was the long head cowl I wore. Due to village rules, wearing a full mask was prohibited as it invited unwanted attention from the T&I department.
Instead, I opted for a Menpo, a half-face mask made of steel that I had specially ordered from Magoroku Ojii-san just yesterday. The intricate carvings on it, with the kanji for 'iron' and 'blood' on each side, served a special purpose.
Besides, I found that wearing the mask made me less nervous than usual.
"Looks like you're really proud of them, Nobuyuki," Natsu remarked, and Itachi nodded in agreement.
"Well, I hope it lasts," I replied, tilting my head slightly.
"Why the sudden mask?" Itachi inquired.
"Even if you ask that... I feel less nervous when wearing it, don't you think?"
"Hmm... You may be right. How enviable," Natsu said, squinting her eyes at me. The sight was both jarring and intimidating, considering her Byakugan. "I heard there's some kind of hypnosis trick to it."
I tried to hide the sweat trailing down my forehead and averted my gaze. "Nope," I feigned ignorance.
I couldn't reveal to them or anyone else, for that matter, that I saw them as talking bipedal dogs or robots. It was a genjutsu trick, after all, although I would have to dispel it if we ever went on a mission.
"Putting Nobuyuki aside, it seems our sensei has arrived," Itachi interjected.
I turned to the direction they were looking and saw that Itachi was right. Hayasama-sensei was walking towards us.
How ordinary. I had expected a more extravagant entrance, like him performing shunshin and appearing behind us.
I guess not all jonin are that eccentric. Perhaps I should be grateful to have a more normal sensei... or so I thought. I wasn't quite sure how to feel about it.
"Everyone is here," Sensei declared, his eyes scanning each of us. He lingered on me a bit longer before refocusing on the group. "Now, are you ready for your first mission?"
We nodded in unison as we followed our jonin sensei inside the Hokage Tower. It was customary for genin teams to receive their first D-rank and C-rank missions directly from the Hokage himself.
"What do you think our mission will be?" Natsu wondered aloud. "Maybe escorting a merchant? I heard that's a common one for genin."
"No, missions that involve leaving the village are usually categorized as C-rank and above," Itachi explained. "For our first mission, we'll likely be assigned a D-rank mission within or near Konoha."
"Ah, that sounds boring," Natsu sighed.
"Boring is fine," I chimed in. "We never know when death is near, even during seemingly simple missions. It's always better to stay prepared as shinobi."
"That's true," Natsu replied cheerfully. "But at least we have each other, right?"
Itachi settled with a nod, while a small smile appeared on my face. We didn't engage in further conversation as the door to the Hokage's office stood before us.
"Hokage-sama, it's me, Shirakumo Hayama, along with Team 2 Genin," Sensei knocked politely.
A muffled voice resonated from inside, "Hayama-kun? Come in!"
"Excuse me," Sensei opened the door, and we followed behind.
The Hokage greeted us with a smile, his pipe never left cold even in the morning.
"Let's see," he said, fetching a document, "Team 2. Uchiha Itachi." He glanced at Itachi before shifting his attention to Natsu. "Hyuuga Natsu." Finally, his eyes landed on me, and he smirked. "Nobuyuki."
"An Uchiha, a Hyuuga, and an aspiring orphan. Quite the formidable team we have this year. What brings you here?" the Hokage inquired.
We exchanged glances, and Hayama-sensei nudged one of us to step forward. Itachi took the initiative.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. We're here to receive our first mission as shinobi of Konoha," he explained.
The Hokage's smile widened. "I see. Let's see what we have for Team 2." Instead of a file, he brought out a clipboard. "We have a few D-rank missions that must be completed before noon. Madam Shijimi has requested the immediate return of her cat for a grooming session. There are a few abandoned stalls in the market district that need to be dismantled. And lastly, we have a rather unique request: a wealthy child is seeking handmade cookies and cake without his mother's knowledge, and he's willing to pay handsomely for it."
"With all due respect, Hokage-sama, we would like to request the option to refuse the mission involving the capture of the cat," Itachi spoke up, his voice calm and composed.
Nice one, Itachi!
The Hokage's smile widened, revealing a hint of sadistic glee. Despite the stench of his delight, I had to give credit to Itachi for having the courage to request that our team not take on the dreaded mission. To hell with Tora and Madam Shijimi, for that matter.
The Hokage's eyes narrowed slightly, sensing the conflict within Itachi. "A shinobi does have the right to refuse an order if it is beyond their capabilities. So, are you incapable of completing the mission?"
Itachi remained silent for a moment, clearly conflicted. It was evident that lying to the Hokage was not something he was comfortable with. "I believe we are capable, Hokage-sama," he finally responded.
"Then why do you refuse?" The Hokage pressed further, his curiosity evident.
At this, Itachi fell silent once again. I couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for his bravery. He couldn't simply state that the mission would be a nuisance, as that could be considered insubordination.
Instead, Itachi chose his words carefully. "The mission doesn't align with our strengths and areas of expertise, Hokage-sama. We believe our skills would be better utilized in other assignments."
He chuckled, his laughter echoing in the room. "I see, under any other circumstances, I might have entertained your refusal, but this is a simple D-rank mission. You don't have the option to refuse at this level."
"Nevertheless," he continued, his tone becoming more serious, "I commend you for even considering the possibility of refusing. It shows that you have thought things through. Consider this mission as your first test, a baptism for every genin team."
He leaned back in his chair, a playful glint in his eyes. "You know, if you had arrived just a bit later, Team 1 would have taken this mission instead," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Well, that settles it," he concluded. "Report back to me once you're done."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" we replied in unison, acknowledging our orders.
As we left the room, I gave Itachi a wry smile, trying to offer him some consolation for his efforts. Then, I subtly gestured for Hayama-sensei to wait for a moment before leaving completely.
The Hokage turned his attention to me. "Now, what is it, Nobuyuki-kun?" he asked, curious about my lingering presence.
I approached his desk and reached into my satchel, producing a scroll. I placed it carefully on the table in front of him.
The Hokage raised an eyebrow, studying the scroll. "And what is this?" he inquired.
"This is my last will and testament," I replied, my voice steady and resolute. His amusement faded, replaced by a more serious expression.
"You're serious?" he asked, a note of concern in his voice.
"Yes," I affirmed, meeting his gaze unwaveringly. "I will never know when my time will come to an end. I want to be prepared, even in the face of uncertainty."
The Hokage's stern facade softened, and he regarded me with a mix of understanding and empathy. "I see," he said quietly. "It's a somber reminder of the risks we face as shinobi. Just remember, Nobuyuki-kun, that you're not alone. We are here to support and protect you as best we can."
I nodded, gratitude welling up within me. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. I appreciate your understanding."
As I left the Hokage's office, I unintentionally collided with someone in the corridor. It was Inoichi Yamanaka, the patriarch of the Yamanaka clan.
"Oh, if it isn't Nobuyuki-kun," he greeted me with a warm smile. "Receiving your first mission? Good luck. Also, nice mask."
I nodded respectfully. "Thank you, Inoichi-sama." With that, I bid him farewell and continued on my way.
Being a student of the Hokage had its perks. I had the opportunity to spend time in his office, studying under his guidance and occasionally being included in non-classified meetings to better prepare me for my future as a shinobi or so he claimed.
This had allowed me to become acquainted with influential individuals like Inoichi.
However, there was one person I did not have a good relationship with—Danzo. He always gave me a suspicious look, and being in his presence made me feel uneasy. I knew I needed to find a way to deal with him sooner rather than later.
The will I had given to the Hokage wasn't entirely accurate. While it did contain my final wishes, it also contained coded messages that I regularly sent to him which will disappear once he read it or someone unauthorized trying to decode or break the seal placed on it. These messages were part of a classified project I was involved in.
It seemed that Hiruzen had grown somewhat complacent in his old age, trusting me so readily. Of course, I had no intention of betraying that trust, as long as he didn't betray mine. I had grown fond of him in these past six months, truth to be told.
For now, I pushed these thoughts aside, knowing that they were not an immediate concern. I returned to the corridor where my team awaited me, ready to embark on our first mission together.
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