"Captain," His team members said, stopping their work as he approached.
Xin tossed the mission scroll to Hyuga Suzune. "The Hokage has some business with me. When you're done, go to the mission office and turn in the task. Don't try to slack off, and remember to keep my share of the reward."
With that, he left without further explanation.
"Why didn't he give it to me?" Aida Sui wondered aloud, puzzled about what the Hokage could want with Xin.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Ryoji was annoyed that Xin had given the scroll to Hyuga Suzune instead of him.
To Ryoji, Xin should've handed the scroll to him-why give it to that stuck-up Hyuga girl? Staring at the scroll in Suzune's hands, Ryoji felt irritated.
"Hmph!" Suzune snorted, unimpressed by Ryoji's envious gaze, and turned back to her work. She wasn't about to let him show her up.
"Damn it, as a proud Uchiha, I refuse to lose to you!" Ryoji grumbled, gripping his scythe tightly and cutting even faster.
"You stay here and watch over them," Xintold the Anbu member, who had been about to follow him.
Anbu operative hesitated but was immediately stopped by Xin, whose Sharingan was spinning, pinning him with a stern gaze.
"If anything happens to them while I'm gone, I'll hold you responsible," Xin said calmly, the threat clear in his tone.
The Anbu member felt a chill run down his spine, his heart sinking. He worried Xin might actually do something to him.
"I-I'll keep an eye on them," Anbu member stammered nervously.
Satisfied, Xin gave him a look that said, You better, and then disappeared from sight.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Anbu operative felt relieved as he turned back to the field, keeping a close eye on the three young shinobi. He didn't want to risk Xin coming after him.
Xin made his way back to the village, heading straight for the Hokage's office.
Upon reaching the building, an Anbu agent quickly approached him.
"The Hokage is in the meeting room," The agent informed him.
With a nod, Xin proceeded to the meeting room.
He's here.
The Third Hokage put down his pipe and addressed Xin. "It's unfortunate, but we have a rather special mission that requires your attention."
Of course, Xin thought. he knew this wouldn't be anything good.
"Is this mission related to the war?" Xin asked. Konoha wasn't so desperate that they'd need to send him to the front lines, right?
"It is related to the war, but not directly to Konoha," Homura Mitokado interjected, taking over the explanation.
"Following its defeat, the Hidden Rain Village is in chaos. Its economy has collapsed, and the entire country is in disarray. To solve this, Hanzo, the leader of the Rain Village, has chosen to wage war."
No way. Hanzo really is that bold? He's actually gone to attack the Land of Iron?
The Land of Iron was a neutral country. Aside from the distant and isolationist Hidden Mist Village, and the struggling Hidden Sand Village, the remaining major villages-Konoha, Iwa, and Kumo-would never allow the Rain Village to attack the Land of Iron.
"So, if that's the case, what does the Rain Village attacking the Land of Iron have to do with Konoha?" Xin asked, genuinely puzzled.