[I'm in a bit of a pickle here. So, according to the manga Might Duy killed six of the seven swordsmen of the mist but in the anime he killed only four. The anime downplayed it to ensure two filler arcs will be made. Classic Studio Pierrot money grubbing strategy. Now, I can't figure out if I should kill off six of them or just four of them. What should I do?]
I was already pretty sure which genin team was going with us. It was going to be Itachi's team, obviously. They were the only actual competent genin team besides us. I did not recognise Itachi's teammates; they were different from the ones he had in the anime.
Due to the changes I have caused in this world, it seemed that there were actual visible effects. I was quite glad to see that. I did not want to suffer from the hopelessness a person feels when they feel that their existence had no effect on the world.
There were no shinobis from Kirigakure in the Hokage office. It was only Hiruzen himself along with Itachi's team. We closed the door right after entering the office.
As all of us stood on our respective positions, Hiruzen started giving us the details regarding the mission.
"You should all know about the seven swordsmen of the mist. Due to an incident involving both Konoha and Kirigakure, they lost multiple of their swordsmen along with the legendary swords. The Mizukage has been trying to find them to bring them back to the village, and we have gained information regarding one of these swords. Kabutowari, the helmet splitter. The intel has stated that it is currently in the hands of a missing nin in the Land of Whirlpool. We don't know the identity of this person nor the exact location of it."
Hiruzen stopped to give emphasis to his point.
"You will be joining with a small team from the cypher division of Kirigakure along with a four-man team consisting of one jonin and three chunin. The official mission you have been given is to help the shinobis from Kirigakure to find this sword. But... this will just be a front."
Hiruzen got up from his chair and walked towards his window. His face was opposite to us, so we couldn't see what his expression was.
"Your main mission will be to investigate the Kirigakure itself. There have been rumours and fragmented information that Kirigakure is trying to plan something. Something that will endanger the peace we have built in the last few years. This peace has been attained through the blood of many shinobis of our own village, and that will be maintained as long as I live."
He turned towards us, and I could see the conviction in his eyes.
"I did not want to give this mission to squads as young as yours, but this is all I could manage from the negotiation. The shinobis there are smart, and they might've already predicted what your true purpose is. So, be careful and always remain alert. They might be our allies for now, but don't trust anyone even for a second. Shinobis will stab you in the back just as soon as they get the chance. The more detailed parts of your mission are already given to your jonin sensei. Completion of this mission will give you an opportunity to have one B-rank mission completed even before you have become a chunin. I expect everyone to know how big of a boost that will be in your future as a shinobi."
Everyone stood up straight and answered in an assertive tone.
"Yes, sir!"
"Good. Everyone can leave now."
Just as I was going to turn around, Hiruzen spoke up.
"Rei, stay back. Others leave."
I stood back as one by one everyone from both the teams left. After everyone had left the room, Hiruzen seemed to relax a bit.
"Do you know why I am keeping you here still?"
"Because you have a mission to give to me, Master."
"Exactly. You have two different objectives in this mission. One of them will be given to you from your master and the other from your Hokage."
"Yes, master-kage."
Hiruzen just ignored my joke and rolled his eyes to show his annoyance.
"Your first objective is to learn. We do not get many joint missions with Kirigakure, and we very rarely can have a chance to see their Water Release in person. This is a golden opportunity for you. You might not have the ability to copy a jutsu after seeing it only once, but I do know that you are talented. Talented enough to figure out how their jutsu works after seeing them from close range. You will not be able to do it instantly, but you will gain enormous comprehension just from experiencing it firsthand."
This was something I was planning to do anyway, but Hiruzen giving me a clear instruction just hammered down the point again.
"Before I tell you about the second objective, I need to test your sensory power. How much area can you sense for chakra signatures as of now?"
I felt hesitant to answer that question. It's just that nobody actually knows how much area I can sense at once. They knew that I was a good sensor ninja, but none knew my actual range. I considered my sensory capabilities as one of my main weapons, and you don't announce the specifics of one of your greatest weapons to others.
But Hiruzen was different. I was trying to gain his trust fully, and without showing him that I trust him too, it would be impossible to build a bridge. So, with slight reluctance, I replied,
"Almost the whole village."
A flash of surprise went through Hiruzen's face. He did not expect my range to be this much. No one did.
After the flash of surprise was gone, it was replaced with a smile.
"It seems that I have severely underestimated your capabilities. With that much range, you'll be perfect for this mission. You see, I lied before in the mission briefing. We don't only have information about one of the swords but two of them. The other one is Nuibari, the Sewing Needle. Although the location of the Kabutowari can be deduced using the trail, the location of Nuibari is unfortunately seemingly out of our reach. But I have a small piece of that blade that can be used to track it."
Hiruzen opened a box and showed me the small piece of metal that is supposedly a broken piece of Nuibari. As he handed it to me, he explained further.
"The number of people who know about this piece of metal can be counted on one hand. The reason why we are being so secretive is because I want that sword inside Konoha. Kirigakure has always been an unpredictable village, and their seven swordsmen have taken the lives of many shinobis from our village. Not only are the weapons themselves strong, but they also carry a meaning, a meaning that translates to death. I cannot let that happen again, so you need to find this sword and somehow take it back to Konoha. Do you understand your objective?"
"Yes, master."
"Now go and meet up with your team."
As I was going to go out of the office with the box in my hand, Hiruzen spoke from behind.
"No matter what, Reiga cannot know of this sword. He had lost his entire platoon to this sword's previous wielder. He might be calm most of the time, but when it comes to this sword, he can become a totally different person."
I gave a slight nod to confirm his words.
"Be careful, boy."
Of course I will be.