The Escort Mission
Jin understood better than most the gap between commoners and clan-born shinobi.
Even if one had no ambition for fame, simply surviving the war required forging ties with the powerful. Clans had access to information — secrets that could mean the difference between life and death.
Even a whispered warning was sometimes more valuable than a jutsu scroll.
Jin didn't bother explaining. The inner armor was impossible to hide, so speculation was inevitable. Let them think what they wanted — it wasn't worth caring about.
Still, he noted the looks around him.
Nara Kazama and Kudo Nobuyuki's gazes remained calm, pragmatic. But Ishikawa Itsuki's eyes brimmed with jealousy and resentment.
So that's how it is, Jin thought grimly. I'll need to watch him more carefully from now on.
Having lived two lives, he knew all too well that while men like Itsuki never achieved greatness, they could still cause plenty of trouble.
Just then, a Chūnin in a green vest approached.
"Team Seven. This is your mission."
He spared only a brief glance at Jin's armor, then handed over a mission scroll and walked away without another word.
Kudo Nobuyuki's expression hardened as he unrolled the scroll.
"Our assignment is to escort supplies to the front line," he announced. "Let's move."
His tone left no room for debate.
Veterans didn't waste breath. On the battlefield, clarity and speed kept you alive.
Jin and Kazama fell in step behind him at once.
Itsuki, however, trailed with a scowl.
The reason was simple: back at the Academy, being "top three" had filled him with pride. Yet here, no one seemed impressed. Not Jin, not Kazama, not even Kudo.
To them, his "achievement" meant nothing.
That was unbearable. How could average students from Class B — clan heirs or not — look down on him, the so-called best?
His gaze slid to Jin's armor again. Something he himself might never touch, no matter how hard he worked.
Why? he seethed inwardly. Just because I'm a commoner?
The more he dwelled on it, the hotter his resentment grew.
What he failed to realize was simple: the clans hadn't bothered competing in Class B. His "top three" ranking was only an empty title, meant to keep the civilian-born hopeful.
It was meaningless in the eyes of true elites.
---
Before long, Team Seven reached the supply depot. With their mission scroll, they were assigned three wagons of goods, along with an escort team of eight civilians.
Scroll storage existed, yes — but it was too costly for bulk provisions. For ordinary supplies, wagons and draft animals were still the norm.
"Master Ninja, shall we set off?" one of the civilians asked nervously.
"Yes. Move out," Kudo replied briskly.
His tone carried a hint of pride. Once, he had been no different from these men. But now, as a shinobi, the gulf between them was vast.
When facing clans, Kudo felt small. But before true civilians, his pride as a ninja asserted itself naturally.
---
The Land of Fire stretched before them in tranquil beauty.
It was the jewel of the shinobi world — fertile, resource-rich, and blessed with four distinct seasons.
Unlike Amegakure, where storms raged endlessly. Unlike Sunagakure, choked by desert sands. Unlike Iwagakure, a land of stone and barrenness.
Here, rivers flowed clear, forests thrived, and golden sunlight filtered through the leaves. Even the air carried a lazy warmth.
And that prosperity was precisely why every other hidden village coveted it. Konoha was the richest prize, the fat prey of the shinobi world.
Their caravan rolled steadily through the countryside.
The civilians strained at their tasks, while the shinobi lounged atop the wagons, watching the scenery slip by.
Within Fire Country's borders, attacks were rare. Tension couldn't last forever, and the squad had grown lax.
---
In the last wagon, Jin sat cross-legged. Unlike the others, he wasn't enjoying the view.
His mind lingered on his talk with Shisui.
Had it been right to reveal the truth? Or reckless?
On one hand, years of restraint left him longing to confide in someone. On the other, this was a deliberate test.
Let's see how far Shisui's trust truly goes.