"I see. A wise man never suffers a loss in front of him."
In the yard of Wasabi's house, Ido Tian was complaining to his boss.
"Boss, the Mustard Seed Family has hired ninjas again this year, and they're just three little kids. But one of them, a red-haired boy, is pretty good at fighting."
"The wound on your chest wasn't caused by a ninja?" Wasabi Jiro asked loudly.
Ido Tian looked embarrassed and nodded awkwardly. "It's because the other party didn't play by the rules and attacked suddenly. Otherwise, I would have dodged it easily…"
Wasabi Jiro sighed. "Four years ago, they hired ninjas to escort their contestant and won the race. Since then, our Yama family has been suppressed. So this year, I also hired ninjas."
Ido Tian frowned. "Why bring ninjas into this? I was once a ninja myself, and I know how dark their world is. I don't trust them!"
Before Wasabi Jiro could respond, there was a knock on the door.
A young voice called from outside, "Excuse me, is this the Wasabi residence? We are the hired ninjas sent to protect the contestant."
Wasabi Jiro's eyes lit up. "That guy really came! This year, the management rights of Deka Port belong to us!"
Ido Tian looked confused. "Why are you so sure… Wait… This voice sounds familiar…"
As soon as he finished speaking, the door of Wasabi's house swung open, and Morkel, along with Naruto and Sasuke, walked into the courtyard.
Ido Tian's eyes widened in shock. "What a small world! I ran into these three little devils again!"
"Hey! Isn't that the guy we met at the teahouse?" Naruto pointed at Ido Tian.
Wasabi Jiro glanced at Morkel, then back at Ido Tian, whose face had turned pale. He immediately understood the situation.
"Ido Tian, are these the so-called unethical ninjas you mentioned?" Wasabi Jiro asked.
Ido Tian hesitated but then quickly recovered. "That's right! Especially that red-haired kid! He attacked me suddenly! That kick still hurts! Boss, arrest them and avenge me!"
Wasabi Jiro was silent for a moment.
Naruto, frustrated, shouted, "You started the fight! Now you're playing the victim?!"
Morkel nodded and looked at Wasabi Jiro. "We came here on behalf of the Wasabi family. If you don't want our help, just cancel the commission."
Wasabi Jiro broke into a sweat. He knew Morkel was powerful—close to Kage-level. With him on their side, the Wasabi family had a great chance of winning. Offending him now would be foolish.
So, Wasabi Jiro immediately bowed. "I sincerely apologize!"
Ido Tian was stunned. "Boss?! Why are you apologizing to these kids?"
Wasabi Jiro turned and slapped Ido Tian on the head. "The Konoha ninjas are our honored guests! Did you offend them? Apologize now!"
Although Ido Tian was reluctant, he bowed slightly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mocked you at the teahouse."
Wasabi Jiro looked at Morkel. "Is that acceptable?"
Morkel grinned. "It's fine. We're not injured. But I did kick your little brother, Boss Wasabi…"
Wasabi Jiro waved it off. "Forget it." He then invited the three into the living room.
As they settled in, Wasabi Jiro explained the history and significance of the race. He then described the competition process.
"The race is simple. Both participants will set off from the starting point, take a boat to the Mozuki Shrine to retrieve the Dragon and Tiger Jade, then run another 20 kilometers to deliver it to Hongdashe Shrine. The first to arrive wins."
Morkel nodded. "Which village do the Mustard family's ninjas come from?"
"Four years ago, they hired Rain Shinobi ninjas. It could be them again this year," Wasabi Jiro replied.
Naruto scoffed. "Oh, just Rain Shinobi? That's nothing!"
Sasuke warned, "Don't underestimate them."
Morkel then asked, "What's your relationship with Ido Tian?"
Wasabi Jiro replied, "I picked him up three years ago. I don't know what he did before, but he's been loyal ever since."
Morkel fell into deep thought. "Morino Ido Tian… That name sounds familiar. There's a Morino family in Konoha…"
He started to suspect Ido Tian might be a runaway ninja from Konoha. "If he's a missing-nin, turning him in could earn me a bounty…"
Meanwhile, in Chujie Port, Killer Bee and his team were discussing their ambush plan. Omoi, worried, said, "Master, this Morkel kid is rumored to use Wood Style and summon massive Buddha statues. He even defeated Orochimaru!"
Karui smirked. "They're just kids. Master Killer Bee is the perfect Jinchūriki. He'll crush them easily."
Killer Bee, however, remained cautious. "Don't underestimate him. He's the brightest new star in the ninja world."
On the day of the race, the whole port gathered at the starting line. The crowd murmured:
"I hope the Wasabi family wins."
"The Mustard Seed family has ruled for too long."
"Wait, why did they send a child? Is this a joke?"
At the referee's signal, the race began. The Mustard contestant boarded a boat, while Ido Tian ran in the opposite direction!
The crowd was shocked.
"Is he running away?!"
The Mustard leader laughed. "Your guy chickened out, Jiro!"
Wasabi Jiro, however, remained calm. "Ido Tian must have a plan."
Morkel then realized, "I get it! The wind will soon slow down the boats. He's taking a longer but faster route!"
Naruto's opinion of Ido Tian changed. "He's smarter than I thought."
Sasuke said, "Our mission is to protect him. Let's move."
Morkel smirked. "No need to rush. I've marked him with Flying Thunder God. Hold on."
On the sea, Killer Bee and his team had set up a trap. But seeing Morkel's group take a different route, Omoi groaned, "All that effort wasted!"
Killer Bee frowned. "Did they sense us?"
Omoi muttered, "Maybe. He's an Uzumaki, and they have strong chakra senses."
On the water, Morkel sensed an ambush ahead. "Rain Shinobi are waiting for us."
Sasuke and Naruto gripped their kunai, ready for battle.
As they neared the enemy, Morkel formed a seal.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive fireball roared forward, engulfing the mist and forcing their attackers to reveal themselves.
The battle had begun!