Damn it... That group of useless fools—they couldn't even handle one genin?
The moment Shinji saw Yuki and Tenmei return to the campsite, he knew their mission had actually failed.
In terms of strength, although he was slightly stronger than this female Jōnin, the suddenly appearing youth gave him a sense of being not easy to deal with. If it were two against one, even using his true strength, Shinji might not necessarily defeat them.
After pausing for a second, the "Akabane Corps" platoon leader's figure swiftly leaped high into the air, so fast that even Yuki attempting to control "Kaguya-hime" to intercept couldn't manage it!
So fast! This guy... his speed is not inferior to Hannya's at all?
"We will meet again."
After tossing out these words and fleeing, Shinji suddenly began forming hand seals!
Seeing this, Yuki and Kurenai both prepared to defend. But when Shinji's seals were completed and his figure vanished, they realized nothing seemed to have happened.
Nothing happened? That's not right. When his seals were completed just now, his chakra indeed decreased. What did he...
"Hey! What's going on?!"
But at that moment, an exclamation came from Mr. Tenmei near the tree not far away. Yuki and Kurenai immediately ran over, only to witness a horrifying sight.
Under the dim moonlight, the squad leader Yuki, who had just been bound to a tree, intending to extract information later, was now foaming at the mouth, head lolling to the side. Yuki hurriedly checked, only to find he was completely dead.
"I see. These members all carry curse seals. That guy's seals before leaving were to avoid leaving live witnesses..."
Sighing, Yuki turned his gaze toward the distant battlefield. Under the curse seal's power, even the last two black-clad figures fighting Kiba and Shino had fallen to the ground.
"Huh? I haven't even exerted myself, and you collapse?"
Kiba looked puzzled at the enemy who suddenly fell foaming before him, awkwardly scratching his head, as if wondering when he had mastered such an invincible technique to scare people to death with his aura.
Since the assassins were either dead or escaped, and the battle was over, Kurenai scanned the battlefield and quickly said, "For now, clean up the battlefield, then take Mr. Tenmei and leave. This place isn't safe to linger."
"Yes!"
Under Teacher Kurenai's lead, Team 8 promptly cleaned their traces at top speed, packed their campsite items, and left overnight with their protection target.
Shortly after, in a dry cave dozens of miles from the conflict site, a campfire was relit. But everyone had long lost any sleepiness.
"Care to explain, Mr. Tenmei? Those assassins were clearly targeting you. But logically, your C-rank mission request shouldn't involve clashes with ninja."
Though the campfire brought warmth to the cave, Yūhi Kurenai's tone now held some chilliness. Clearly, this client hadn't told the full truth during the mission request.
The cost difference between mission ranks was huge. Occasionally, clients would misreport mission circumstances to lower expenses. But this actually brought great danger to executing ninja, because preparations and vigilance beforehand were completely different.
If she knew even Jōnin-level opponents would appear, Kurenai would never have brought Team 8 to take the risk. After all, Yuki and the others had just graduated; immediate participation in such high-level combat was too risky.
"Apologies. Strictly speaking... I did deceive you. But I truly didn't know it would attract such fearsome pursuers. That's absolutely true."
By now, all traces of the earlier frivolous demeanor pretending to be a fisherman were gone from Mr. Tenmei's face, replaced by a serious, composed expression. Even his speech tone had greatly changed.
Finally dropped the act... Hearing the troublesome client's words, Yuki smiled. "You mentioned earlier you suspected something. Still suspecting now?"
"You're right. Before, I merely had suspicions about that matter. But now it's practically confirmed... Please listen to me first, then consider whether to continue the mission, alright? Given this matter concerns over a dozen lives."
Knowing the rule that ninja accepting misreported missions can terminate at any time, Tenmei's tone was very sincere, though admittedly he hadn't been upfront about this.
Over a dozen lives? Hearing this, not only Yuki and Kurenai's expressions changed immediately, even thick-skinned Kiba couldn't help but gape. Shino excepted, as nobody could see his expression.
"I truly am not a fisherman. Strictly speaking, I'm an oceanography doctor, specializing in marine ecology. That's why I often resided in a small fishing village near the southern coast."
"Small fishing village? The location you intended us to take you?"
"Yes. It was originally a very tranquil village, like a paradise... At least a year ago it was."
"A year ago?"
"Yes... Starting a year ago, villagers began disappearing intermittently. Initially, villagers thought it was accidental drowning or various mishaps. Later, they discovered it was nothing like that."
Here, Tenmei took a deep breath, then continued. "About two miles from the coastline is an isolated island. Originally, it should have been uninhabited. But once, a villager accidentally picked up a bottle with a cloth strip from the sea. The cloth strip inside said 'Island, Base, Help.' And... it was written in blood."
Mentioning this, the old man still seemed somewhat fearful. But from a certain angle, this wasn't entirely bad for the villagers, because it meant the missing villagers might still be alive.
I see. Likely some unknown group occupied the island and kidnapped some residents.
Hearing this, Kurenai roughly understood the situation's outline. But she then asked, "If it's such a matter, you could have properly issued a B-rank or above mission to Konoha for aid, right? Why... Ah, is it a funds issue?"
Halfway through, Kurenai realized why Mr. Tenmei had misreported the mission. After all, "C-rank mission" rewards ranged from 30,000 to 100,000 ryo, while "B-rank missions" ranged from 80,000 to 200,000 ryo, with higher ranks even costlier.
Several hundred thousand ryo might be a stretch for a remote fishing village relying on fishing for generations. That's what Kurenai thought.
But before she finished speaking, Mr. Tenmei immediately shook his head. "Not that. Although several hundred thousand ryo isn't a small sum, the villagers together could scrape it together. What truly worries me... is a pattern drawn behind the cloth strip in that bottle."
"Pattern? Information the captives tried conveying to the outside world? What pattern exactly?"
"This pattern is... the 'Three-Leaved Vine Crest.'"
"What!" The moment she heard this term, Yūhi Kurenai's slender frame couldn't help but tremble, showing the immense impact this unfamiliar term had on her.
"Huh? Is this 'Three-Leaved Vine Crest' significant? Represents a powerful ninja?" Seeing the usually calm teacher Kurenai so shocked, Kiba hurriedly asked.
After a momentary daze, Yūhi Kurenai slowly said, "It doesn't represent a ninja. Because 'vine crest' is a family crest, representing a daimyo's power. The 'Three-Leaved Vine Crest' represents the current Land of Fire's daimyo... Lord Ensō Hikari."