บท 158: 158
Sakumo Hatake stood in the early morning mist, arms crossed as he gazed at the horizon. The cool air clung to the training grounds, but his thoughts were elsewhere. His team—Haruto, Daichi, and Shisui—had exceeded expectations time and again. They had performed well beyond the usual capabilities of Genin, but he knew their growth had only just begun.
Their most recent mission, an escort job, had gone smoothly, particularly with Daichi's adept use of the Hidden Mist Jutsu. His chakra reserves, vast like an ocean compared to most Genin, had allowed him to maintain the mist for a long time, confusing their enemies and giving the team the upper hand. Daichi had a way of balancing his strength with his natural charisma, making sure their client, Reika Ueda, felt protected and valued. It wasn't just about combat; Daichi understood that a happy client is a repeat client, a lesson most Genin didn't grasp until much later.
Sakumo's thoughts shifted to Haruto, the quiet and analytical member of the team. Skill-wise, Haruto was already better than most chunin, especially in chakra control and medical ninjutsu. During their last mission, he had guided his team through the dense mist using his tier 2 chakra sensitivity, his shuriken finding their targets with unerring precision. His ability to remain calm and focused during the battle was remarkable.
But what concerned Sakumo most about Haruto wasn't his skill—it was the fire burning beneath his composed exterior. That fire had flared up during one of their earlier missions, when they had encountered a group of bandits who had captured and brutalized four women. Haruto's reaction hadn't been shock or disgust, but anger. There was a controlled ferocity in how he had fought, driven by the cruelty he had witnessed.
Sakumo remembered the way Haruto had torn through the remaining bandits, precision mixed with fury. Anger wasn't inherently bad, but it couldn't control a shinobi. Haruto had harnessed it effectively in that moment, but Sakumo worried that if left unchecked, it could cloud his judgment in the future. A shinobi had to remain focused, even in the face of the worst humanity had to offer.
Then there was Shisui Uchiha, the quiet prodigy. Shisui's talents were undeniable—already operating at a level beyond most of his peers. His movements were fluid, his strikes precise, and his calm demeanor during combat was a stabilizing force for the team. Shisui didn't need the team to grow, but his presence was important for them. The Uchiha needed more integration with the village, and Shisui was part of that process, building camaraderie and trust with his teammates.
As Sakumo reflected on his team's progress, he knew their current missions were no longer challenging them. C-rank missions, especially those involving non-shinobi threats, posed little risk to his squad. Bandits and rogue groups without ninja training were no match for Haruto, Daichi, and Shisui. They had handled large groups of enemies with ease, executing plans flawlessly and with precision.
But before Sakumo could take them on a B-rank mission, they needed to face something deeper—the darkest aspects of humanity. Haruto had caught a glimpse of it during that first bandit mission, but there was more to learn. Shinobi weren't just fighters; they were protectors, and that often meant dealing with the worst kinds of people.
Sakumo had been considering a mission that would expose them to that very darkness—a human smuggling operation that had been gaining traction. It was classified as a C-rank, but he knew better. These missions always revealed the true horrors lurking beneath the surface, where greed and cruelty thrived. Haruto, Daichi, and Shisui needed to face this, to see the cruelty of the world firsthand, and to learn how to confront it without letting it consume them.
The human smuggling mission would be their next test—not just of their skills, but of their strength of character. They had the talent; now they needed to experience the reality of the world they had chosen to protect.
As the first light of dawn broke through the mist, Sakumo made his decision. The team would face this mission, and in doing so, they would grow stronger—not just as shinobi, but as protectors of Konoha.
They were ready, even if they didn't yet realize it.
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