Shū fell to his knees, breathing heavily. "I'm going to die," Shū wheezed, his forehead nearly touching the dirt. "I'm actually going to die here. Tell my family I died a horrible death."
Itsuki, leaning against a nearby tree, looked equally exhausted. "Actually, this wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."
"Shut up. I don't have the strength to hate you right now."
Kakashi stood a few paces away, looking as fresh as she had when they'd left the Hatake estate six hours ago. She tilted her head. "Maa, what's with those long faces? We've arrived, haven't we?"
Shū let out a strangled noise and collapsed face-first into the dirt.
Kakashi pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. The boy sure had a knack for being dramatic.
"Anyway," she said, clapping her hands together. "Let's get going. We need to find a tavern or an inn, check the bounty board, and decide which bounty to pursue."
With a sigh, Shū dragged himself upright, brushed the dirt from his clothes, and followed the other two toward the town gates.
Kaneishi was by far larger than Komori Village. Its streets were lined with wooden shops and crowded with merchants hauling carts of goods. The smell of freshly cooked food drifted from roadside stalls, mingling with the earthy scent of the market.
Travelers moved through the streets alongside armed men wearing various clan insignias. Some carried swords openly at their waists, while others had the unmistakable air of shinobi.
The difference between a small village and a town was obvious.
"It's a trading town," Kakashi told the two of them. "Several roads converge here, so merchants use it as a stopping point before continuing their journeys."
She had asked Elder Tane for a detailed clarification of what to expect from this place.
They continued down the street, casually scanning the shops and buildings.
"Kakashi-sensei?"
"Hmmm."
"I think that's a tavern over there." Itsuki pointed toward a large wooden building on the other side of the street.
A weathered sign hung above the entrance. Below it, a broad noticeboard had been mounted against the wall, covered in sheets of paper bearing names, descriptions, and promised rewards.
"Nice catch, Itsuki," Kakashi said, ruffling his hair as she passed him on her way in that direction.
Kakashi reached the board and began scanning the notices.
Most were unremarkable. Small-time thieves, missing merchandise, bandits who had been harassing merchants on the roads. The rewards varied, but none were particularly impressive.
Not surprising. Anything with a ridiculously high bounty might be sent directly to a clan that's willing to take the job.
Which was good for Kakashi in this case. Because they were not here for money, they were here to find a mission with an appropriate level of risk to test her two students.
"Alright, which bounty do you want to pick?"
"Eh? We get to choose?" Itsuki asked excitedly.
Shū, on the other hand, eyed her distrustfully. Kakashi smiled back at him. Being cautious was always a good trait, but it would harm him in the future if it was too excessive. She would have to really push him out of his comfort zone at some point.
"Well? Don't keep me waiting. Pick something that interests you."
Itsuki immediately leaned toward the board, scanning the notices with the enthusiasm of a child presented with a new toy.
"Ooh! This one!"
He pulled a notice from the board.
Itsuki pouted at him. "Why?!"
"Because it says the target has killed twelve people! Do we look like we can handle that?"
"I mean, after Kakashi-sensei's training?" Itsuki shrugged. "I feel like we can totally do it."
"Wow, how did I not notice you getting this… delusional?"
Kakashi took the notice from Shū and glanced over it.
The reward was certainly attractive.
Unfortunately, it was also far beyond what she considered appropriate for two inexperienced shinobi.
Kakashi returned the notice to the board. "Good judgment, Shū-kun. You two aren't ready for a multi-target job."
Shū blinked. He stared at Kakashi as though he hadn't expected her to agree.
"Aw," Itsuki whined in disappointment. "And here I thought it was a good pick, too…"
"Don't get discouraged." Kakashi tapped the bounty board. "There are plenty of other options."
Itsuki, meanwhile, had already moved on to another notice. "What about this one?" He pulled it free and read aloud. "Wanted for theft and assault. A bandit named Kuroda and his unnamed partner. They have been robbing travelers on the northern road."
Kakashi hummed thoughtfully. "Actually, that's a decent choice."
Kakashi took the notice from Itsuki and studied it.
The reward was modest, and their reported activities suggested they relied more on intimidation than on any exceptional skill.
She glanced at her students. "Sounds like a good bounty for you two? What do you think?"
Itsuki nodded eagerly. "If you think it is a good mission for us, then we will follow sensei's judgment."
"I hate this already." Shū looked mildly disgruntled.
"Don't worry!" Itsuki said cheerfully, clapping him on the back. "I'm sure it'll be fun!"
"Maa, don't be so cranky." Kakashi turned to look at the tavern door. "Itsuki, how about we go into the tavern for dinner and a drink or two?"
"Really?!"
"Yes, really. We will relax for the rest of the day and then start our hunt tomorrow."
"Let's go!" Itsuki practically bounced toward the entrance.
"Oh wow, I'm so excited to get beaten up by bandits tomorrow," Shū said sarcastically.
"That's the spirit, Shū-kun!" Kakashi said, giving him an encouraging pat on the shoulder as she passed.
Shū made a face at her back, sighed, and followed after them.
The tavern was livelier than Kakashi had expected.
Wooden tables filled most of the room, with merchants, travelers, and armed men crowded around them. The air smelled of grilled meat, steamed rice, and alcohol.
It was a perfectly ordinary establishment, which, in Kakashi's experience, meant there was a good chance someone would start a fight before the evening was over.
"Find us a table, you two. I'll order something."
Itsuki immediately dragged Shū toward an empty table near the wall. "Come on!"
"Stop pulling me! I have legs!"
Kakashi watched them disappear into the crowd before approaching the counter. The man behind it looked to be in his forties, his hair tied in a neat bun. He glanced at Kakashi's mask with suspicious eyes.
Which, yeah, was a fair reaction.
Kakashi ignored it and placed an order. "Three servings of whatever your best meal is, please. And a bottle of sake."
While waiting for the food, Kakashi glanced around the tavern. A few patrons were drinking quietly, others were engaged in animated conversations, and several had gathered around a table near the back. New chapters come out on novelping(.)com first.
Cards.
Kakashi's eyes lingered on them.
One of the men slapped his cards on the table with a triumphant shout. His companions groaned, and a small pile of money was pushed toward him.
Kakashi felt something stir in the depths of her soul.
It had been a long time since she'd played a proper game. It had been with Tsunade-sama, Naruto, and Gai. It had been a fun game because Kakashi had won.
Naruto had always been terrible at bluffing, and Gai, for all his shouting about it being a challenge, had been even worse than Naruto. And there was no need to mention why Tsunade-sama lost seven games in a row.
Kakashi smiled beneath her mask.
Perhaps she'd earned a little entertainment.
"Your food will be ready soon," The tavern keeper said. "Which table would you like it placed at?"
Kakashi pointed to the table where Itsuki and Shū were now arguing. "Thank you."
She should have enough time to play a round or two of cards before the food arrived.
Kakashi wormed her way into a game with the guys at the table, though they were annoyingly skeptical about playing against a woman.
They shut up pretty quickly after Kakashi laid down the money she was willing to gamble.
A burly man across the table slapped his cards down with a smug grin. "Let's see you beat that, pretty lady."
Kakashi glanced at her cards. "Maa, that's quite a hand."
The man and his friends grinned wider. "Giving up already?"
"Not at all." Kakashi placed her cards on the table. "It's my win, actually."
The man's grin vanished. Someone at the other end of the table choked on his drink.
Another gambler leaned forward, stared at Kakashi's cards, then at the man's. "No way..."
Kakashi reached forward and swept the coins toward herself. "Thank you very much."
With the grim determination of someone who had just made a terrible financial decision, he elbowed one of his friends, and the two whispered before he pushed another pile of money into the center. "One more round."
Kakashi's visible eye curved into a smile. "Of course."
"You guys look like you are having so much fun," a voice said from behind Kakashi. "Can I join?"
Kakashi looked over her shoulder to see who was talking and immediately froze.
Oh no….
She knew that face…
She'd greeted that face every morning on her way to the Hokage's office. She'd seen the same face carved into the Hokage Monument, watching over the village she'd called home.
And now that very face was standing right over their table, attached to a broad-shouldered man with long, dark hair and a bright, harmless smile. Kakashi could recognize him anywhere.
This was none other than Hashirama Senju.
Kakashi's left eye twitched.