Inside the Hokage’s Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi was smoking as usual while working through a mountain of paperwork.
When Shuji pushed open the door and entered, the Third Hokage skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point.
“You’ve done a good job building the team, and the three of you seem to be settling into your roles well.” There was a trace of approval in Hiruzen’s voice as he studied Shuji.
“In your judgment, are you ready to start taking missions?” “Mitarashi Anko’s mental state has mostly recovered,” Shuji replied cautiously.
“So my assessment is that our team can handle B-rank missions.” He deliberately emphasized B-rank.
This would be their first official mission together, and he wanted to leave the team some breathing room.
The last thing he wanted was for the village to immediately dump some dangerous mess into their laps.
The wrinkles around Hiruzen’s eyes shifted almost imperceptibly.
The Shuji he remembered had always been direct and forceful.
It was unusual for him to show this kind of caution—almost as if he were deliberately underselling his team—when discussing mission difficulty.
Was it the lingering shadow of his last mission, when he had been gravely wounded and lost his teammates?
Or was it because of the eight-year-old Uchiha on his new team, whose identity made everything more sensitive?
Or perhaps…
The thought passed through Hiruzen’s mind without affecting his movements.
“Very well.” The Third Hokage reached into a stack of scrolls on his desk and pulled out one with practiced precision.
With a flick of his wrist, he sent it arcing through the air into Shuji’s hand.
“A B-rank mission.
Escort a merchant caravan to Degarashi Port.” An escort mission?
If it had been classified as B-rank, then the central risk was obvious: there was a genuine possibility of encountering hostile shinobi.
Shuji untied the cord around the scroll and quickly scanned the neatly written contents.
Client: Hiroyama Makoto.
Occupation: Cloth Merchant.
Cargo: A shipment of high-quality textiles from the Land of Fire.
Destination: Degarashi Port.
Mission Rank: B.
The mission itself was clear and straightforward.
On the surface, it looked like an ordinary cross-border commercial escort.
But the B-rank classification was itself the biggest warning.
Degarashi Port lay along the coast at the southwestern corner of the Land of Fire, though it officially belonged to the Land of Tea—a country with an unusually complicated geography.
On the mainland, the Land of Tea possessed two separate territories that were not connected to one another.
One lay along the southwestern edge of the Land of Fire, while the other occupied part of its southeastern edge.
A vast stretch of Fire Country territory separated the two.
Beyond the mainland, the country also controlled two large offshore islands, Naki and Ōuzu.
Taken together, the Land of Tea’s total territory was even larger than that of the Land of Water.
And yet, the Land of Tea had no hidden shinobi village of its own.
Because its mainland territories bordered only the Land of Fire and it lacked meaningful military power, the country had effectively become one of Konoha’s most reliable sources of missions.
Nearly every important commission within the Land of Tea eventually found its way to the Hidden Leaf.
Hiroyama Makoto’s caravan was currently stationed at Minamimori Station, south of Konoha.
Traveling from the heart of the Land of Fire to Degarashi Port—another region firmly within Konoha’s sphere of influence—should not normally carry a serious risk of shinobi combat.
So why had the mission been classified as B-rank?
Shuji looked up at the Third Hokage, his expression calm.
“Are there any additional objectives attached to this mission?” The escort itself did not justify the ranking.
There had to be another factor that had not been written on the main scroll.
“Sharp as ever.” Hiruzen did not seem surprised.
He raised his pipe, took a slow drag, and exhaled.
For a moment, the smoke blurred his expression.
“Over the past month, a group of wandering shinobi has appeared around Degarashi Port.
They’ve become rather troublesome.” “Understood.” Shuji nodded.
That explanation made sense.
“Does the village have detailed intelligence on them?” “Five shinobi.” Hiruzen opened a drawer, removed two thinner scrolls, and placed them on the desk.
“They call themselves the Black Eclipse.
Their movements are difficult to track, and they possess several vicious secret techniques.
They are not opponents to underestimate.” He pushed the two scrolls toward Shuji.
“In addition to ensuring that Mr.
Hiroyama’s caravan reaches Degarashi Port safely, I want your team to investigate the Black Eclipse while you’re there.” Hiruzen pointed at the two scrolls.
“A-rank mission: drive the Black Eclipse out of the area or eliminate them.” “B-rank mission: conduct reconnaissance and obtain detailed intelligence on them.” “You may decide which objective to pursue after evaluating the situation on the ground and the condition of your team.” He paused.
“If your assessment after arriving is that the risk is too high or the enemy is beyond your current capabilities, you are permitted to complete only the primary escort mission and return safely.” “One more thing,” Hiruzen added.
“Your team will retain the designation of your previous squad—Team Five.” Shuji’s gaze lingered for a moment on the scroll bearing the words Team Five.
That number had once belonged to the squad whose members had fought beside his predecessor on the border—the team that had ultimately been reduced to a single survivor, with Shuji alone escaping back to Konoha carrying their intelligence.
Without a word, he gathered the two scrolls concerning the Black Eclipse as well.
Hiruzen rose from his chair, walked around the broad desk, and stopped beside Shuji.
He reached out and gave Shuji a reassuring pat on the shoulder, though his eyes were directed through the window toward the bustling village outside.
His voice lowered.
“The Land of Tea’s share of commissions is extremely important to the village’s finances right now.
We cannot afford to lose it.” He withdrew his hand, and a trace of helplessness entered his tone.
“Kumogakure’s delegation will arrive soon.
Our manpower is stretched thin.
Both ANBU and the regular forces have to prioritize the delegation’s security and the peace negotiations…” Hiruzen looked back at him.
“So I’ll have to trouble your Team Five to investigate the situation at Degarashi Port first.” Shuji inclined his head slightly, his face revealing no unnecessary emotion.
“Understood, Lord Hokage.” He put away all three scrolls and turned to leave the Hokage’s Office.
The heavy wooden door closed behind him, shutting away the smell of tobacco—and the weight of Hiruzen’s request.
The corridor outside was dim.
Shuji walked at an even pace, but his mind was already racing.
The Black Eclipse.
Wandering shinobi.
Reconnaissance, possibly even expulsion or extermination…
The difficulty was clearly nothing to scoff at.
Itachi might be a genius, but his age and physical stamina still imposed unavoidable limits.
Anko had recovered considerably, yet she was not back to her peak condition.
Taking a newly formed team on its first official mission while carrying two separate objectives into an area where powerful enemies might be waiting sent the risk level soaring.
Still, the Hokage’s message was equally clear.
Over the past decade, Konoha had enjoyed only a single truly peaceful year, around Konoha Years 50 to 51.
No matter how wealthy the Hidden Leaf might appear, years of conflict had placed tremendous pressure on the village’s finances.
That made the Land of Tea’s missions even more important.
Konoha could not simply abandon that source of income.
“Team Five…” Shuji quietly repeated the revived designation.
Memories associated with that number surfaced in his mind.
They were not experiences he had personally lived through, yet they still left him with complicated feelings.
He drew a deep breath, pushed the distracting thoughts aside, and quickened his pace toward Training Ground Three.
It was time to prepare for Team Five’s new beginning.
By the time Shuji returned, the sunlight over the training ground had already become harsh.
Anko was repeatedly practicing the attack angles of Hidden Shadow Snake Hands against a reinforced wooden post.
Sweat had soaked through the back of her dark-purple combat coat, but her eyes remained intensely focused.
Itachi sat in an open area nearby with his eyes closed, concentrating deeply.
He seemed to be repeatedly simulating some form of chakra-control exercise in his mind.
When Anko saw Shuji return, she stopped and wiped the sweat from her face.
“Captain, what did that old man Hokage—” She coughed abruptly.
“Ahem.
What did Lord Hokage want?
Did we finally get some big mission?” Her eyes gleamed with anticipation.
The past few days of training had clearly helped her recover some of her former spirit.
Itachi opened his eyes as well and quietly turned his attention toward Shuji.
Shuji walked into the center of the field and spread the three scrolls across the sand.
“B-rank mission.
We’re escorting a cloth merchant’s caravan to Degarashi Port in the Land of Tea.” He pointed to the primary mission scroll, keeping his explanation concise.
“Degarashi Port?” Anko raised an eyebrow.
“Isn’t that place supposed to be pretty peaceful?
Why B-rank?
Are ninja from another country planning to cause trouble along the route?” “It used to be peaceful.” Shuji’s voice remained calm.
“A group of wandering shinobi calling themselves the Black Eclipse has recently appeared around Degarashi Port.
They possess secret techniques, keep their movements hidden, and have begun threatening the trade routes.” He pointed to the other two scrolls.
“Additional objective: investigate the Black Eclipse and gather intelligence—B-rank.” “Alternatively, depending on the situation, drive them out or eliminate them—A-rank.” Anko sucked in a sharp breath.
“A-rank?!
We’re going that big on our very first mission?” “Lord Hokage gave us the right to choose.” Shuji emphasized each word.
“Our first priority is getting the caravan safely to its destination.
Whether we investigate further or attempt to drive the enemy out will depend on what we learn after arriving and on our own condition.” His gaze moved between Anko and Itachi.
“The risk is significant.
We know very little about these wandering shinobi, so neither of you is allowed to get careless.” He paused, his voice becoming firm and steady.
“Team Five’s objectives are as follows.” “First: ensure that Hiroyama Makoto’s caravan reaches Degarashi Port without suffering any losses.” “Second: as long as it does not endanger us, gather as much intelligence on the Black Eclipse as possible.” “Third…” Shuji looked directly at Anko and Itachi.
“Only after those two objectives are secured do we consider driving out the Black Eclipse.
Understood?” The surprise disappeared from Anko’s face.
Her expression turned serious as she nodded firmly.
“Understood!” Itachi answered just as clearly.
“Yes, senpai.” “Good.” Shuji gathered the scrolls.
“Rendezvous point: Minamimori Station.
The caravan departs early tomorrow morning.” He looked at both of them.
“Training is over for today.
Go home and prepare your travel gear, ninja tools, and medicine.” Then he gave them the final order.
“Tomorrow, assemble at the village gate before six in the morning.”