"Mm… that's not so bad. Being with Senior Jakkō, I'll have someone to look out for me." Tōji said these insincere words without missing a beat.
They went up the stairs and saw the large conference room doors wide open.
Looking inside—there were a lot of people!
Mostly chūnin and genin, packed several layers deep. At least eighty, maybe even a hundred.
Amid the murmurs of the crowd, they waited another ten minutes or so.
Once it seemed everyone had arrived, the person standing beside the Third Hokage gave him a nod.
The Third began the briefing:
"We've called you all here today because the front lines are stretched thin, and we need logistical support."
"The Iwa forces recently launched a sudden incursion into the Land of Fire, so our支援 forces sent to eliminate them—along with the main troops diverted from the Land of Grass—are now running low on supplies of all kinds."
"Your mission is to deliver these supplies to the front lines within three days. During transport, you will follow the orders of Jōnin Hyūga Hizashi."
Tōji looked toward Hizashi, whom the Third indicated. Hizashi stepped forward two paces and nodded to the assembled group.
He really did have that long, straight black hair. Tōji didn't see those white eyes often—every time he did, he found them a bit unsettling. Everyone from the Hyūga clan had a certain dignified air about them, that high-and-mighty spirit.
『Even the Hyūga clan's face is being sent out on a mission now…』
While Tōji was lost in thought, the Third continued, "Many of you here are from squads that are already understrength, so…"
The Third picked up a piece of paper from his desk and handed it to Hizashi. "…these squads have been reorganized. Does anyone have questions?"
Though the Third asked, it was clearly just a formality.
After Hizashi quickly glanced over the new roster, the Third waved his hand. "Everyone, get to know your new squads as soon as possible. Then assemble at the village main gate in an hour and a half. Dismissed!"
"Yes, sir!" The assembled shinobi answered in unison. That single response suddenly stirred up a surge of fighting spirit.
"Now I'll announce the new squad assignments. Listen carefully!" Hizashi's voice carried a quiet authority—even his tone had a hint of command. "Squad one is…"
Hizashi read at a steady pace, neither hurried nor slow, with a rhythm all his own. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a strange effect—clear and resonant yet somehow soft.
"Squad twenty-one: Hitsuchi Jakkō, Izuno Natchi, Kazamatsuri Tōji…"
『Oh crap! The one thing I didn't want to happen—actually getting stuck in the same squad as that creepy guy…』
Tōji cursed inwardly endlessly.
These squads were uniformly three-man teams, with Hyūga Hizashi as the sole overall commander.
There were twenty-seven squads in total. Three of them each had a tokubetsu jōnin. The rest were made up of chūnin and genin, with chūnin making up about a third.
『Just delivering supplies takes over eighty people—so the front lines must have over two thousand?』
『There are still over a thousand at Kikyōyama. If they've got at least two thousand each on the fronts against the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth… doesn't that mean Konoha has practically every available fighter deployed right now?』
Tōji didn't know if his estimate was right, but he had a sinking feeling—if this batch really was the last reserve, then they'd be the next cannon fodder too.
Suddenly, even being stuck in the same squad as Hitsuchi Jakkō didn't seem so important.
After Hizashi announced they could prepare, Tōji hurried off to collect his pay from the last mission—over three thousand ryō—plus the bounty for the joint kill of an enemy jōnin, over eight thousand ryō.
『Time to buy two more Exploding Tags!』
Tōji was worried that after delivering the supplies, he'd just be kept on the front lines to fight…
If I started a and offered early chapters to members, do you think anyone would actually subscribe?