So that's how it was. Rong Lin finally understood: it was Tsunade's arrangement.
Weren't the two of them getting along less and less now?
If their meetings continued to dwindle, there would only be one path forward: everyone goes home to their own mother!
"Ah, a bit late."
Kato Dan saw Rong Lin's expression change, then quickly recover. He smiled and merely nodded casually at Rong Lin, and Rong Lin likewise just nodded back.
If others didn't welcome her, why should she shamelessly fawn over them?
Regarding the issues between Kato Dan and Tsunade, to be honest, Rong Lin hadn't done anything malicious in between them. She had only made a few humorous remarks at the beginning. Who knew things would escalate to this point? Who could be blamed?
Clearly, Kato Dan was shifting all responsibility onto Rong Lin. Naturally, Rong Lin couldn't tolerate having such blame fall on her shoulders; being made a scapegoat was out of the question!
"I believe everyone here is acquainted, so I won't say much more. Since we're all partners now, we must take this seriously and get along well. After all, we need to rely on each other during missions. I don't want to see any unnecessary problems arise."
The time for joking was over. Minato immediately transformed, becoming serious. For 483, it was strictly business.
Minato knew a little about the relationship between Rong Lin and Kato Dan. He was speechless about Kato Dan trying to pin the blame on Rong Lin. One couldn't blame others for their own inability to manage relationships; the other party was still a child!
Minato himself would never be able to do something like that.
Rong Lin and Kato Dan both nodded in agreement, neither having any intention of holding a grudge against the other.
Being in the same small squad, they would constantly see each other. If they fought, it wouldn't be good for anyone. Rong Lin was indifferent to this, but if Kato Dan wanted to cause trouble, she wouldn't mind having a spat to see who looked more foolish.
A man in his thirties bickering with an eight-year-old child would definitely lead to him being criticized.
"The Third Hokage brought us together; I believe he has his reasons. From today onward, we are one team. The mission has been accepted. I'll tell you the details on the way. Let's depart now, the squad's mobility is quite poor."
Minato's goal was to become Hokage, and he wouldn't allow himself to be too casual. Only through continuous effort could he achieve that coveted position.
After a brief period of getting acquainted, the three left the village.
"It's an A-rank mission. Given our squad's strength, it shouldn't be too difficult. However, unexpected situations might arise, so I hope everyone remains cautious. Our destination is the Land of Lightning. We need to infiltrate an enemy base and steal a document."
On the surface, the great nations appeared calm, but underlying conflicts never ceased. Even among allies, such issues existed.
The villages of the great nations also tacitly allowed such clandestine operations, believing it was better to carry out certain tasks covertly. As for casualties, that depended on the capabilities of both sides.
If something was stolen, it meant your people were incompetent. If a ninja died in action, it meant they hadn't mastered their craft; no one else was to blame.
Of course, when such incidents occurred, the village would treat the deceased with respect. But how many failed missions truly brought back the bodies?
More often, clothes were used to represent the deceased for burial.
The death of a teammate was quite common. For example, Minato had changed many teammates. Not long ago, one such incident occurred, and that day, Rong Lin happened to be coming out of the hospital.
The distance from Konoha to the Land of Lightning was not short. Fortunately, none of them were ordinary people, and they moved very quickly. Compared to their previous pace with Tsunade's squad, they were not just a little bit faster.
Minato was very relaxed in private, able to chat and laugh with anyone. But once work began, his demeanor would change. Kato Dan always wore a cold expression, the once gentle and smiling god now unable to crack a single smile. As for Rong Lin, she followed casually behind them.
You two (senior/elder), you run ahead and carry me, save me some trouble!
To reach the Land of Lightning from Konoha, they still needed to pass through the territories of three small countries. The trio sprinted the entire way without slowing down. Originally, Minato had been worried about whether Rong Lin could keep up, but he soon realized he had been overthinking. No matter what speed he and Kato Dan advanced at, Rong Lin could follow at a leisurely pace, showing no signs of fatigue.
This allowed Minato, who had intended to take it slower, to boldly pick up the pace. Kato Dan, however, secretly wished Rong Lin would quickly run out of energy and embarrass herself.
Missions like stealing documents needed to be completed quickly and without delay. Otherwise, any intelligence gained would become outdated, which could put the squad carrying out the mission in danger if the intelligence became outdated.
Three days later, the trio entered the territory of the Land of Lightning and quickly headed towards their destination.
"The base is just ahead. Everyone, rest for a bit and replenish your stamina. We'll act in our best condition. I don't want anyone to overexert themselves and affect the mission."
About five kilometers from the base, the three stopped to rest. This distance was just right. Too far and it wasn't necessary, but too close and they might be discovered by the enemy. Sensory ninjas were present in such areas, making detection easy.
Rong Lin and Kato Dan silently took out dry rations and water and began to replenish their stamina.
After casually eating a few mouthfuls of dry rations, Rong Lin sat down on one side, closed her eyes, and rested. Minato was the captain, so his mission was the most important; he needed to decide how to enter the base. As for Kato Dan, he began discussing with Minato. Honestly, if it weren't for Tsunade, Kato Dan's abilities weren't bad.
Rong Lin didn't join in. For matters like this, it was fine to let Minato and Kato Dan decide.
"Dan and I will be responsible for infiltrating the base. Rong Lin, you'll provide support and coordination."
Soon after the two finished their discussion, Rong Lin was left speechless. This sounded like they were looking down on her!
Provide support and coordination? Why not just say I'm on sentry duty, watching you two in action? Wouldn't that be better?
If it were anyone else, they might get angry, but Rong Lin wouldn't. If you two handle everything, that's even better! I can just relax and complete the mission without fighting. What's not to like?
"No problem."
Rong Lin had no objections to Minato's arrangement.
In fact, this arrangement was a hint from Kato Dan to Minato. The reason was simple: Rong Lin was too young, lacked experience and strength, and needed to learn more.
Note: If you want the continuity of this story consider to Support me on Pãtreon/Flokixy to access advance Chapters and To Support The Daily Update
Pay one time and unlock the full story and Future Chapters from the Shop