Rest could not last more than a few days. Team Five soon received another summons from the Hokage's office.
When the three stepped into the Hokage's office, they discovered an additional person inside.
Deep green bodysuit under a matching vest, thick eyebrows and large eyes, entire body radiating excess vitality. A man whose face was written all over with youth.
"The Cloud envoy is about to reach the border."
"Team Five, your mission is to investigate whether any abnormalities exist along their entry route."
"Considering potential risks, Jōnin Might Guy is temporarily assigned to your squad, Shuji."
The Third briefly explained the situation.
"Guy, Shuji is a shinobi with excellent command ability. Though you are a jōnin, still follow Shuji's lead in this mission. Any problems?"
"Of course not, Hokage-sama!" Might Guy's voice was loud enough to nearly shatter the ceiling.
He whirled toward Shuji, eyes shining, raising his signature thumbs-up. "To earn such high praise from Hokage-sama at such a young age! Shuji-kun! Your youth must burn incredibly hot!"
"Ohhhhh! Compared to that, I'm still far behind!"
Somehow tears streamed down Guy's face. An invisible flame seemed to burn around his body.
The Third watched. Shuji watched. Itachi revealed a strange expression. Anko took a step back, retreating behind Shuji.
"Captain, is this guy reliable? He's also a jōnin, actually a whole rank higher than you."
She muttered in Shuji's ear.
Guy pulled out a brand new, equally blindingly green bodysuit, enthusiastically offering it toward Shuji. "Nice to meet you! I prepared this representing youth and bonds..."
"Ahem, Guy, save other words for later."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" Guy responded. Yet his hands unceremoniously stuffed the bodysuit into Shuji's hands.
He then retreated to his original position, face still wearing that smile showing eight shining white teeth that could illuminate the entire office.
...
Shuji looked down. Index finger and thumb rubbed the clothing. The texture was good.
Itachi glanced sideways.
Anko stepped further away.
Shuji looked up at the Third. The meaning in his eyes was very clear.
Respected Hokage-sama, don't you think his style doesn't match Team Five? This side goes for deep, cold, melancholy style. That side is shonen manga. Not very compatible.
Sarutobi Hiruzen merely pretended not to see, saying gravely. "Guy is a very excellent shinobi. His taijutsu is especially powerful. This mission is very important. You must put your hearts into it. Whether peace can arrive smoothly depends on this. I'm counting on you."
—
Might Guy was extremely reliable in normal times. That excessive youth aura from the first meeting, after leaving the Hokage Building and attempting to gift matching bodysuits to Itachi and Anko, subsided by half. He recovered the calm posture an elite shinobi should have.
Of course, his bodysuits were refused. For Anko, bodysuits were too oppressive.
As for Itachi, though he always respected seniors, he could not accept that kind of clothing.
As for Shuji? Under Anko and Itachi's mixed gaze of surprise, confusion, and a trace of "so this is what kind of captain you are," he accepted it.
To be fair, the clothing quality was really good. Except the color wasn't quite right. The style wasn't quite right. Later he planned to take it to Aoki Ninja Tools and have the owner look at how much regular clothing of this material cost.
"Guy-senpai, I'll briefly explain this mission's situation."
"Intelligence shows that since leaving Kumogakure, the Cloud envoy has encountered multiple waves of unidentified shinobi harassment along the way. Within their own country, attacks were all successfully intercepted by Cloud-dispatched escort forces."
"After leaving Frost Country and entering Hot Water Country, escort duties were taken over by our shinobi. However, attack incidents have not stopped. Frequency and intensity have actually increased. This is why the envoy's itinerary has been repeatedly delayed until reaching Fire Country's border today."
"Mission deployment: I, Itachi, and Anko are responsible for outer reconnaissance and early warning. Guy-senpai," Shuji looked at Might Guy. "Your instant burst and long-distance sprint capability is the strongest among us. As mobile support core, once any direction discovers abnormalities or sends distress signal, you must arrive first."
"Of course no problem!" Guy's thumbs-up rose again. White teeth flashed. Fighting spirit soared. "The speed of youth is never late!"
Team Five fell into brief and subtle silence.
Shuji's expression did not change. He quickly skipped this moment of awkwardness and made a concise gesture to Anko and Itachi. The two understood. Their figures silently swept toward the dense forest on the road's left side. Shuji alone hid into the darker tree shadows on the right.
The warning forces Konoha committed were far more than just Team Five. Almost all available mobile personnel were mobilized.
Team Five was responsible for only a small section of the long border line. Yet it was not smooth sailing.
One day later, an unidentified squad appeared cruising in the left area. Anko and Itachi cautiously tracked. When the other side tried to approach the delegation's preset route, they decisively sent a signal.
Guy arrived in support. His form was so fast it nearly left afterimages. With pure taijutsu suppression alone, within a few breaths he easily knocked down those people. Movements clean and efficient. No dragging.
That also let the two discover that what the Third Hokage said was absolutely true. Though Guy was occasionally abstract, his strength was genuinely strong.
The right area Shuji was responsible for was likewise restless. A four-person squad was discovered by him. Mediocre strength, about average chūnin level. He did not spend too much effort before silently dealing with them properly.
"All ordinary goods," Anko summarized quietly at the rendezvous point. "Not like they're from proper ninja villages. More like small ninja clans cobbled together. Average level."
"Mm, my side's situation is similar." Shuji nodded. "Enemy objective seems to be just harassment. Creating chaos and delay."
Just harassment? This degree of disturbance expended manpower and resources, yet no real experts appeared.
Was the other side unable to commit, or had those more threatening targets already been preemptively eliminated by Anbu lurking deeper?
While thinking, a sense of being watched pierced Shuji's perception without warning. His body did not move. Yet his gaze seemingly casually swept past Guy not far away.
The youth jōnin's footsteps shifted half a step imperceptibly. His tall body just happened to shield Shuji momentarily.
The instant vision was blocked, Shuji's fingers moved slightly. A shadow clone remained in place. His main body had already launched Earth Release. Like a swimming fish, he entered underground, rapidly escaping toward the source of the watching.
The instant he broke through the earth, mud splattered. Almost at the same moment, Guy, Anko, and Itachi's figures flew over, landing beside him.
Empty.
No. Shuji's gaze sharply swept across the ground. On dead leaves and soft humus, a pair of extremely shallow, extremely fresh footprints were clearly imprinted. The footprints' direction faced directly toward where they had just assembled.
The leaving speed... so fast.
Moreover, no traces of departure. No extending footprints. No broken branches. Even residual chakra fluctuations were so faint they were hard to capture.
As if that person appeared here out of thin air, looked once, then vanished into thin air.
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild