"The fact they pulled me from Captain Yūhi's squad for a separate mission… this won't be a simple errand."
Lock watched the ANBU's silhouette vanish into the night. A dangerous assignment, no doubt—but instead of fear, he felt something stir in his chest. Leaving the village meant risk. Risk meant battle. And battle meant growth.
He packed lightly: weapons, sealing tags, field rations. A short note for his mother, pinned to the message board. Then he moved quickly toward the village gates.
When he arrived, five shinobi were already assembled.
"Chūnin Lock, reporting as ordered."
A tall jōnin, around forty, turned toward him. His expression was flat, unreadable. "You're Lock? Good. Everyone's here."
The man's voice carried authority without warmth. "Kamishino Mizuno Kenta. I'm leading this mission. Our destination is the northern border of the Land of Fire. Once there, we'll report directly to Lord Orochimaru and follow his command to defend against Kumogakure."
At the mention of Orochimaru and the border with Lightning Country, murmurs of surprise passed through the group. Lock's heart tightened. The Fire Country didn't even border Lightning directly—between them lay other nations. For the Hokage to post Orochimaru, there meant only one thing: Kumo was preparing to move.
"Since everyone's gathered, we depart immediately."
There were no further introductions. Mizuno simply leapt forward, and the others followed.
Their pace was relentless. Among the group, besides Mizuno, were two other jōnin: one from the Hyūga clan, the other from the Aburame. Lock and two more chūnin made up the rest.
During a short break, the Hyūga stepped closer. He was young, but carried himself with composed dignity. "Hello, Lock."
Lock hesitated. The Hyūga crest stirred old unease. "And you are…?"
The man smiled faintly. "Forgive me. Hyūga Hizashi."
Lock's eyes flickered. Hizashi—the father of Hyūga Neji. No wonder his presence radiated quiet strength. Outwardly, Lock kept calm, though his guard was high; Hizashi was also the brother of Hyūga Hiashi… and the elder sibling of the man Lock himself had once killed.
"I remember you," Hizashi continued. "Back at the Academy exams, you stood against Minato for five minutes. Impressive." He offered a rare thumbs-up.
Lock scratched his cheek awkwardly. "That? A fluke, honestly."
His thoughts turned serious. "Senior Hizashi, do you know why we're being sent to the border? Is Kumogakure really preparing for war?"
Hizashi shook his head. "I can't say. If the Hokage has deployed Orochimaru, there's more happening than we're told. Only Captain Mizuno may know the details."
Lock frowned. Mizuno's coldness still unsettled him. "Does he always act like that?"
Hizashi chuckled softly. "He's a former ANBU. They tend to carry that chill. Don't take it personally. He treats everyone the same."
Relief washed through Lock. At least Mizuno wasn't singling him out.
Hizashi then introduced the others: the Aburame jōnin, silent and stern, his body crawling with kikaichū; a Nara clansman whose lazy expression hid sharp eyes; and a perceptive Yamanaka chūnin, calm and composed.
It clicked into place.
Every member was chosen for a reason:
Byakugan for surveillance.
Aburame insects for offense and defense.
Nara shadow for tactics.
Yamanaka for communication and infiltration.
Lock for his unique stealth.
Six shinobi—but together, they formed a unit with no gaps. A perfect infiltration and counter-assault squad.
No wonder the Hokage entrusted such a small force to Orochimaru's command. Their presence alone signaled how volatile the border had become.
Even at full speed, it took three days to reach the border. Along the way, Lock gradually grew comfortable with his teammates. They were all heirs of old bloodlines, veterans in their own right—and when they learned Lock was Jiraiya's disciple, their respect for him deepened.
Only Mizuno remained cold and silent, speaking only to give orders.
At last, the forest broke into a fortified camp: the forward post of Konoha's northern defense line. Mizuno led them straight into the command tent.
Inside waited the pale figure with serpentine eyes—Orochimaru, one of the Sannin.
---
A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
Support: patreon.com/Narrator_San