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Night.
It was rare for no one in Team Minato to go to bed early.
Rin volunteered and went to try communicating with Minako again.
Kakashi folded his arms, leaning against a tree, staring out at the night sky.
Obito moved closer to Akira Tsubaki, a serious expression on his face.
"Akira."
"Hm?"
"Do you have someone you like?"
"The person I like?"
Akira Tsubaki thought about it seriously.
"The person I like hasn't been born yet."
"Huh?"
Obito was baffled, but immediately realized what he meant.
He just means he doesn't have anyone, but he had to say it so poetically.
After discussing this topic, Akira said casually.
"By the way, Obito, what would you do if the team encountered an enemy?"
"Of course, I'd fight!"
"What if you can't beat them?"
"Then let Kakashi go."
"What if Kakashi can't handle it?"
"Then…" Obito failed to come up with an answer.
He couldn't think of what to do. If even Kakashi couldn't handle the enemy, the team should just be wiped out, right?
"Then what will you do?"
Suddenly, Kakashi's voice cut in.
Kakashi had overheard the entire conversation and was curious: what extreme measure would the perpetually lazy Akira Tsubaki take in that situation?
Pity.
Akira Tsubaki did not answer the question.
Nothing else was said all night.
Just after dawn, Team Minato was back on the road.
Akira Tsubaki was not in a great mood.
Today, the Spirit attribute was randomly doubled, not Agility.
Spirit:40 (20*2)-[Primary Immunity]
To be honest, Akira Tsubaki didn't feel any tangible change in strength with the doubling of his mental attribute.
The only difference was that his mind felt much clearer, and his focus seemed concentrated.
Looking at the tag [Primary Immunity], he had a guess.
"Primary Immunity—does that mean immunity to basic Genjutsu (Illusion Techniques)?"
Forget it, no point guessing.
After a brief preparation, the team set off.
Still a quiet day.
As night fell, Kakashi gave the last mission debriefing for Team Minato.
"Tomorrow, we will enter the Land of Hot Water. If all goes well, we should arrive at the Daimyō's Manor tomorrow evening."
"As long as Miss Minako is safely escorted to the Manor, our mission will be complete."
"Therefore, tomorrow is going to be a hugely important day."
Indeed.
Tomorrow was the final, and most dangerous, leg of this mission.
"I hope my speculation is wrong," Akira Tsubaki sighed, whispering to himself.
Subsequently.
He opened the ninja pouch on his lap and felt the three hundred-plus Detonating Tags inside.
"It's still not enough."
The early morning chirping of birds broke the silence.
After Akira Tsubaki woke up, the first thing he did was check his properties panel.
Name:Akira Tsubaki
Age:12 years old
Strength:26-Genin Level
Physique:36-Chūnin Level
Agility:88-Jōnin Level
Spirit:80 (40*2)-[Intermediate Immunity]
Chakra Amount:230
Skills:None
Ninjutsu:None
Comprehensive Strength:Trainee Genin
Staring at the property panel, he was speechless for a long time.
"Akira, let's go!" Obito shouted.
On the road, the ox cart moved slowly toward the border.
Team Minato was tense, and everyone was on high alert.
Finally.
A river loomed into view—that was the border.
Once they crossed the river, they would officially be in the Land of Hot Water.
"Wait a moment!"
Akira Tsubaki suddenly spoke, his tone serious.
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"Are there enemies?"
Called out by Akira, Obito and Rin instantly became vigilant.
Kakashi also leaped over, his face questioning.
"We're approaching the border—why isn't there even a single Konoha border guard ninja?" Akira Tsubaki asked, his voice concentrated.
"That's normal," Kakashi said, relieved.
He thought Akira Tsubaki had really discovered an enemy, but it was only about the lack of patrols.
"You say that's normal?" Akira Tsubaki frowned.
Earlier, Kakashi said Jōnin couldn't enter neutral countries—that was one thing. But now, there weren't any Konoha border guards either? Was this fucking normal?
Next, Kakashi explained.
"Because the village signed a Treaty of Mutual Trust with Kumogakure (Hidden Cloud Village)."
"Trust? A treaty?" Akira Tsubaki was stunned.
"Yes! According to the Treaty of Mutual Trust, Konoha won't station troops on the border with the Land of Hot Water, and Kumogakure won't station troops on the border with the Land of Lightning."
Kakashi relayed the contents of the treaty.
Akira Tsubaki and the others were completely dumbfounded.
Konoha Village actually signed such an utterly naive contract?
If Kumogakure abided by the treaty, it would be fine. But if they didn't, wouldn't the border be completely undefended?
Which idiot in the village signed this treaty?
"This was drafted by the Third Hokage himself, to show sincerity to Kumogakure and promote peace," Kakashi added.
Akira Tsubaki was beyond complaint.
Can peace be achieved through honesty?
It can only be achieved through force.
From this incident alone, it wasn't hard to see that the upper echelons of Konoha had entered a stage of decay.
Submissive externally. Harsh internally.
The fate of Sakumo Hatake was the perfect example.
After crossing the river, Team Minato entered the Land of Hot Water.
The ox cart had been left tied to a tree on the opposite side of the river as it couldn't cross. Minako would continue the rest of the journey on foot.
Swish!
Suddenly, a red flare rose from the woods.
Immediately afterward, a large number of ninjas leaped out of the trees, completely blocking Team Minato's escape route.
Ten, twenty, thirty, forty…
Squads of ninjas emerged one after another.
Obito and Rin were dumbfounded, frozen in place.
How could they have imagined that a simple C-rank escort mission would suddenly involve dozens of enemy ninjas?
Was this a joke?
At this moment, Kakashi's eyes were more solemn than ever.
Over fifty ninjas, all of them seem to be Chūnin?
"I fucking knew it!"
Akira Tsubaki cursed internally and instantly pulled out his massive stock of Detonating Tags.
Crash!!!
Without even thinking, he threw them all out.
"What are you doing? Run!"
Boom!
Intense explosions ripped through the air, creating a massive concussive force and simultaneously kicking up a large cloud of smoke and dust.
Taking advantage of the diversion.
Team Minato scattered and ran wildly.
Even Minako gritted her teeth and ran with them, but she was gradually being left behind.
"They still left me," Minako thought with despair, watching the backs of the teenagers growing smaller in the distance.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a figure, moving from far away, rushed back just as quickly.
It was Akira Tsubaki.
"You little rookie! Get on my back, fast!"
Bending down, Akira Tsubaki urged her.
He really hadn't intended to come back.
But who told me to sleep with my arms around her all night?