Chapter 29: The Test
"Anko, Itachi. From now on, you two are on watch duty at Hiroyama-san's warehouse."
After they acknowledged the order, Shūji turned back to Wasabi Jirōchō. "I understand the situation you've described. If what you say is true, Wasabi-dono, your position is... precarious."
After all, Jirōchō actively seeking them out would be seen as a threat by the other side.
Shūji had expected an invitation back to the Wasabi estate. Instead, Jirōchō hesitated. "My estate is secure for now, but I have... arrangements to make. If Shūji-jōnin would be so kind as to wait, I will return personally to apologize once my business is concluded."
"Then I won't keep you, Wasabi-dono. Please."
Jirōchō excused himself and left. Shūji watched from the window as his back, flanked by several guards, disappeared.
Strange.
"That guy," Anko said, "He's the one asking for help, but when you offer, he pushes you away." She had understood Shūji's unspoken offer of protection, and Jirōchō's clear refusal.
"He likely already has protection," Shūji said simply. "Someone he can't let us see. He needs to go back and clear the board."
"Man, this mission is so complicated," Anko sighed, flopping down on one of the inn's beds. "As expected of a Jōnin, you're not even fazed."
Itachi glanced sideways at her.
"If the old man... Hokage-sama... already accepted the Wasabi family's request, why hide it in the briefing?" Anko grumbled. "If we'd known the score, we could have just wiped the floor with those guys at the gate."
The youngest member of the team finally interjected. "Anko-senpai, as shinobi, we cannot openly engage with a nation's official personnel."
"Yeah, yeah, I get that. So why are we still stuck on this merchant? Our escort mission is done. If we can't do it in the day, why not just handle it tonight? They're just a bunch of thugs."
"Because the village assigned two secondary objectives," Itachi said, his voice flat. "Those 'guards' are likely connected to the 'Kuroshoku-shū' rōnin, or there may be a shinobi among them." He remembered his first mission with Shūji. The intel had said a dozen bandits. The leader had been a missing-nin. "That's why Captain chose not to act rashly."
"But still..."
"Water?" Shūji poured a cup for himself, then looked at the other two.
"I'll take one." Anko sat up, facing him.
"It's as Itachi said. For the Tea Mountain Gang to be 'hired,' there must be another power at their back. As for why Hokage-sama didn't just give us the real mission..." Shūji's mind drifted. This was a classic Konoha move. It was just like the Land of Waves mission from the original story. Tazuna had lied about the mission rank, but there was no way Konoha didn't know. The moment Kakashi ran into the Demon Brothers, he knew it was a B-Rank or higher. But he continued. Why? To fight Zabuza, a S-Rank missing-nin, with three fresh Genin? It was insane.
The most likely answer: Konoha, still reeling from the Uchiha massacre, was looking for new client-states. The mission was a test. Konoha and Tazuna were both taking a risk, each for their own ends.
This mission isn't exactly like that, but it's close. The village saw a high-C-Rank request, conveniently upgraded it to a B-Rank, and sent Squad 5 to handle the Izuke Port problem. The escort is the only mandatory part. The rest is optional.
As for why it wasn't stated clearly...
...this is probably a test. For me.
Shūji knew. His entire demeanor had changed since his "death." The old Shūji, desperate to prove the Senju's glory, was gone. When a star employee suddenly stops trying so hard, the boss notices.
So, this is the mission I get. A mission with no real, stated difficulty. How he completed it was up to him.
He had two choices. He could complete the bare-minimum B-Rank escort and go home. The village wouldn't blame him for not getting involved in a high-risk, unstated objective. Jirōchō had no proof of the village's support. This would be the "easy" path. It's what Tōka-bā-chan would want. It's what he wanted.
But... the future won't allow it. The Uchiha Massacre... it's coming. It will weaken the village. If I want to stop it, I can't be a nobody. I need rank. I need influence.
"A hidden village interfering in another nation's internal affairs is... messy," Shūji finally said, answering Anko. "It's never put on paper. They send a Jōnin-led team and give them discretion to handle it as they see fit. That's us."
"Heh. In that case, I'll just leave all the big-brain stuff to the Jōnin-sama!" Anko giggled, flopping back. "I'm just here to follow orders."
Shūji just glanced at her. If only.
Meanwhile, in another part of the port, the scar-faced guard captain was reporting to a tall man in a brown kimono and white haori, a samurai sword at his hip.
"Jūbei-sama, what should we do about those shinobi? The gate tax..."
"Watch them," Jūbei said, his eyes cold. "Do not engage the Konoha shinobi. Suspend the gate tax for now. Wait until they leave. And control your men. Understood?"
The captain trembled and bowed low. "Yes, Jūbei-sama!"
Back at the Wasabi estate, Jirōchō was also speaking to someone.
"Oh... a Jōnin. Shūji... Fine. If he's willing, let him come."
"In that case, I will go and invite him back," Jirōchō said with a smile. "My earlier refusal... I'm afraid it made him suspicious of my intentions."
"Ah, don't worry about it," the other person replied. "Once he sees me, he'll understand."
"Of course."