章 45: Chapter 45

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Early in the morning on the next day, before six o'clock, the sky was just beginning to lighten. The first rays of the sun barely peeked over the horizon, casting a faint glow in the east and gradually illuminating the earth.

At the entrance to the Uchiha clan compound, under the entrance gate, two young boys and a girl gathered. They were Toshiro, Asuka, and Kirishima, ready to embark on their mission outside the village.

Unlike most mission teams that preferred to assemble at the Konoha Village gate, Satoshi's team chose to meet at the entrance to their clan compound. While this was convenient for the team members, it also had its drawbacks.

"Kaasan! Don't worry! It's just a small mission, and with Satoshi-sensei leading us, there won't be a problem at all!" Kirishima spoke awkwardly, surprised to see his mother there to see him off.

"I'm not a kid anymore; I can take care of myself. You can trust me!" Kirishima reassured her. The single mother, whom they had previously met, stood a bit further away from Asuka.

Kirishima continued explaining that the mission was merely a small C-rank mission with no real danger. He tried to ease his mother's worries about him going on a mission alone. "Besides, after two weeks of special training, I'm much stronger now. Even if I face a chunin, I'll win!" He patted his chest confidently, grinning widely.

Kirishima didn't notice that, as he mentioned facing a chunin, his mother's worried expression deepened. Her eyes showed her concern.

"Shima-kun! Promise me that during the mission, you will obey Satoshi-sensei's commands. Work well with your teammates, discuss things with them, and don't act recklessly..." She knew her son's reckless nature all too well. Hugging her ten-year-old son, whose height now reached her shoulders and whose face resembled his father's so much, she gave him earnest advice, tears streaming down her face.

She was genuinely afraid. She remembered how her husband had left for a mission with a similar farewell and never returned, leaving only his forehead protector and a death notice in his memory. In the ninja world, as someone who hadn't become a ninja herself, she held a relatively low status, and the loss of her husband had made her fear for her son's safety even more.

As a traditional woman with a somewhat weak mentality, she couldn't stop her son from becoming a ninja. Now, she deeply regrets not refusing him firmly when he first expressed his desire to become one.

"Promise me that you'll come back safely!" she cried, holding her son tightly. As a single mother, she couldn't stop repeating herself, her tears soaking the young man's shoulder.

Faced with his mother's sudden emotional outburst, Kirishima stood stiffly. He felt the wetness on his shoulder, his mother's trembling body, and her uncontrollable sobs.

Having never encountered such a situation, he was momentarily flustered, unsure of how to respond. He stood there, allowing his mother to vent her emotions.

After a while, sensing his mother's deep worry, he finally comforted her: "Don't worry, Kaasan. I will come back safely. I won't leave you alone!"

Understanding his mother's relentless anxiety, the usually dumb guy showed a rare moment of tenderness. He gently stroked his mother's back and said, "This mission is just to deal with some ordinary bandits. They won't even use chakra; there won't be any danger!"

Realizing that his few words of comfort might not be enough to ease her worries, he revealed some details of the mission to her, despite the usual secrecy.

"Our mission targets are ordinary people who can't use chakra, not ninjas or samurai. The danger is minimal," he reassured her, hoping to calm her fears with the disparity in danger between their targets and true ninja combatants.

He didn't care at all about leaking mission information.

Toshiro and Asuka, who were standing nearby, had excellent senses as ninjas. They overheard their companion sharing mission details with a non-mission member but had no intention of stopping or reporting him. This is one of the benefits of teaming up with clan members. Everyone is part of the same clan, and no one would report their comrades or fellow clansmen over something trivial.

Being from the same clan creates a sense of unity, and it's not an exaggeration to say they are all related. They see each other daily and understand that reporting such matters is unnecessary.

In a typical ninja squad, Kirishima's act of leaking mission information would be extremely frowned upon. A single report from a team member could cause significant trouble. At best, he'd be invited for a "talk" by the ANBU or Root, involving long ideological lectures, depending on whether his sensei put in a good word for him. At worst, if his team leader had a dark personality or had not built good relationships, he could end up as cannon fodder, quietly perishing on a mission.

The ninja profession is inherently brutal, far removed from the warmth and affection often depicted on TV.

This understanding helped Toshiro immediately recognize the sinister undertones behind the 'White Fang debacle.' Hearing the news, he realized there was likely someone orchestrating it from the shadows. Information secrecy is paramount in the ninja world.

With his hands in his pockets, a backpack on his back, and a tanto at his waist, Toshiro stood aside, silently watching Kirishima comfort his mother.

'As far as anime is concerned, reality is light years away!'

'I never expected that people from the Uchiha clan, who rarely appear in the TV series, would be so emotional.'

As he watched the emotional exchange unfold before him, Toshiro mused silently.

Fortunately, both Mei and the parents of Asuka are working ninjas. They have a general understanding of the C-rank missions that a new ninja squad would undertake. So, they offered some verbal encouragement but didn't come to say goodbye like Kirishima's mother. Otherwise, it wouldn't just be Kirishima dealing with a headache; it would be Toshiro and Asuka as well.

C-rank missions typically involve missions like delivering messages or escorting clients and generally do not involve combat. If there is any fighting, it usually involves facing ordinary bandits who cannot use chakra. Even in situations where combat is required, the opponents are typically wandering ninjas who have accidentally learned how to extract chakra.

These wandering ninjas, apart from being slightly stronger in physical combat due to chakra, are generally not skilled in ninjutsu or genjutsu. Without clan inheritance or formal training from a ninja village, achieving proficiency in these areas is extremely difficult.

This scarcity also explains why ninja corpses fetch high prices on the black market. Many wandering ninjas hope to study the mysteries of ninjutsu through these bodies. Major ninja villages also participate in this trade to better understand their opponents' weaknesses.

In a ninja mission, if it involves combat with Chunin or a Jounin, the mission classification immediately upgrades from C-rank to B-rank or above. Even if they encounter wandering ninjas with Chunin-rank strength, Satoshi will ensure their safety.

Of course, if they were unlucky enough to run into an elite team from another village carrying out secret black-ops missions, that would be a different story. However, such teams are usually accompanied by sensory ninjas to avoid contact with ninjas from other countries, ensuring their concealment.

On the main road of the Uchiha compound, a man in his 30s was walking slowly in the distance. He wore an ordinary green Jonin vest, black cropped pants, and high ninja sandals. He carried a backpack similar to Toshiro's. This man was Satoshi Uchiha.

"Ahh, it's Reika-san! It's been a long time; my apologies for the rudeness."

As Satoshi arrived at the gate, he saw Rieka Uchiha, Kirishima's mother, reluctantly explaining something to her son.

Satoshi knew Kirishima's father well and had met Rieka several times. However, after Kirishima's father passed away, Rieka began to live in seclusion, making their interactions less frequent.

He greeted her with a bow, a common practice in the ninja world, which is heavily influenced by Japanese culture. This formality, though, made Toshiro, a modern guy from the 21st century, quite uncomfortable in the beginning.

From a quick glance, Satoshi could easily guess the situation before he even arrived.

"Reika-san, please rest assured. While I can't guarantee complete safety, I promise that as long as I am alive, Kirishima will remain unharmed."

Satoshi spoke these words solemnly to Kirishima's mother. This wasn't mere rhetoric but a vow he had made when he first became a sensei. He was willing to stake his life on it.

Toshiro looked on in amazement at the promise Satoshi-sensei made, watching the scene unfold. It made him think of a similar kind of promise Kakashi makes to his students.

In the academy, he had heard of many squads led by Jonin, some returning safely while others experienced losses, sometimes even complete annihilation. The village rarely punished these Jonin too harshly, provided they had "reasonable" explanations. The value of a few Genin was weighed against the pillars of the village, and the Hokage would often favor the latter.

Of course, if the Jonin lost a well-connected ninja on their team, it was wise to consider fleeing immediately if they lacked strong backing.

Upon hearing Satoshi's words, Rieka, who had raised her son alone and devoted all her efforts to him, did not express joy. Instead, she tidied her appearance and bowed deeply at ninety degrees to Satoshi, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Satoshi accepted the bow calmly. Early-rising clansmen and passing ninjas witnessing the scene did so quietly, without interrupting them at any point.

AN : You can read chapters published ahead by supporting me (3$) on my p@treon account - p@treon.com/noviceauthor777

Currently, I have published 45 extra chapters in P@treon. The extra chapters are going to increase in the next few days. Please support me.

For the next week, I have an offer for all the patrons joining until June 15th. They will have access to two more chapters than promised in each tier.