The break didn't last long. Before Team 5 could properly unwind, another summons arrived from the Hokage's Office.
When the trio entered, they immediately noticed someone new waiting inside.
He wore a skintight green jumpsuit under a matching flak vest, his thick eyebrows casting shadows over eyes that blazed with vitality. His entire face radiated one word—youth.
"The Kumogakure envoy is about to reach the border," the Third Hokage began. "Team 5, your mission is to investigate for any abnormalities along the envoy's route of entry."
He continued, "Given the possible risks, Jonin Might Guy has been temporarily assigned to your squad, Roshi."
Hiruzen's calm tone left no room for negotiation. "Guy, Roshi is a ninja with excellent command ability. Although you outrank him, he'll lead this mission. Any objections?"
"Of course not, Hokage-sama!" Guy's voice boomed like thunder.
He turned to Roshi, eyes blazing brighter than ever, giving a thumbs-up that practically glowed. "To be so young and already praised by Hokage-sama! Roshi-kun! Your youth must be burning with passion!"
"Compared to you, I'm still far behind!"
Somehow, tears started streaming down Guy's cheeks as an invisible fire of emotion erupted around him.
The Third Hokage watched silently.
Roshi watched silently.
Itachi's brow twitched.
Anko instinctively took a step back behind Roshi.
"Captain," she whispered, "is this guy reliable? He's a Jonin—technically higher-ranked than you."
Before Roshi could answer, Guy pulled out a brand-new pair of bright green tights and thrust them toward him. "A gift to celebrate our first meeting! Nothing bonds comrades like the color of youth!"
"Ahem," Hiruzen interjected before the situation could escalate. "Guy, we can discuss... gifts later."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" Guy barked, but still pressed the tights into Roshi's hand with heartfelt insistence before returning to his spot, flashing a grin so white it could probably reflect ninjutsu.
.
.
.
Roshi glanced down at the tights, rubbing the fabric between his fingers. Surprisingly high-quality.
Itachi's stare lingered.
Anko stepped another pace back.
Roshi looked up at the Hokage, his expression saying plainly:
'Hokage-sama, don't you think his style clashes with Team 5's aesthetic? We're going for the "brooding elite" vibe, not... shonen protagonist energy.'
But the old man only pretended not to see it. "Might Guy is an exceptional Ninja—his Taijutsu ability is top-class. This mission is crucial. It concerns the success of our negotiations with Kumogakure. I'm counting on all of you."
In truth, Might Guy turned out to be remarkably dependable.
Once they left the Hokage's office—and after his failed attempt to give Itachi and Anko matching tights—his enthusiasm mellowed into the focused discipline of a Jonin.
(For the record, both refused. Anko claimed tights were "too suffocating," and Itachi, ever polite, simply couldn't bring himself to wear something that... green.)
As for Roshi—under the combined weight of their stares, equal parts confusion, pity, and "so that's the kind of captain you are"—he accepted them.
To be fair, they were good quality. Wrong color and cut, maybe, but the fabric was durable. He made a mental note to ask the Aoki Tool Shop later how much a normal outfit in that material might cost.
"Guy-senpai," Roshi began, tone calm and professional again, "I'll explain the mission in detail."
"The envoy has been attacked several times by unidentified groups since leaving Kumogakure. Inside their territory, their guards handled it. But after crossing into the Land of Hot Water, the assaults increased in both frequency and scale. That's why his progress has been delayed—they're only now reaching the Land of Fire's border."
He pointed to their assigned area on the map. "Anko, Itachi, and I will handle perimeter reconnaissance. Guy-senpai—your burst speed and range of movement are unmatched. You'll serve as mobile support, responding instantly to any signal."
Guy's eyes gleamed with fervor. "Understood! The speed of youth shall never arrive late!"
Team 5 exchanged a moment of collective silence.
"…Right," Roshi said, face unreadable, before motioning for formation.
Anko and Itachi vanished into the left treeline. Roshi slipped into the shadows on the right.
All along the border, Konoha's patrol forces were active—Team 5 was merely one link in the chain. Even so, their area saw plenty of activity.
By midday, Anko and Itachi had trailed a suspicious squad attempting to approach the envoy's route. They signaled.
Guy's response was instant. He shot past them like a green blur, subduing the intruders with pure Taijutsu in seconds, mercilessly.
Roshi's sector wasn't much calmer. A four-man Chunin-level team appeared, clearly no match. He eliminated them quickly and quietly.
"They're all small fry," Anko muttered later at the rendezvous point. "Not from any major village. Probably mercenaries or stray clans."
"Same on my end," Roshi said. "Feels like they're just trying to delay, not destroy."
But why? If they were just harassers, why invest this much effort? And if there was a real threat, where was it hiding?
As that thought crossed his mind, a sudden prick of killing intent brushed the edge of his senses.
He didn't move, but his eyes flicked toward Guy.
Without a word, the Jonin shifted half a step, his tall frame subtly blocking Roshi's line of sight.
In that instant, Roshi left a Shadow Clone behind and silently sank into the ground using Earth Release, tunneling straight toward the source of the gaze.
He burst from the earth in a spray of dirt—just as Guy, Anko, and Itachi appeared beside him.
No one was there.
But Roshi's sharp eyes caught something others might have missed—two faint, fresh footprints pressed into the soft earth, facing back toward their previous position.
The person had vanished in an instant.
No chakra residue, no displaced branches, not even the faintest trace of movement.
It was as if someone had appeared out of thin air… taken a look at them… and disappeared just as easily.
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