When Kakashi heard the mention of double payment, his single visible eye curved into a smile. "Sure, sure. We'll definitely do our best to rescue young master Yuta."
Jun'ya Watanabe nodded thoughtfully. "By the way, since the kidnappers are motivated by money, I've already prepared the ransom. Take it with you. If anything goes wrong, just use the money to bring my son back. It's not worth risking lives over a few million Ryō."
Kirito looked at the rich merchant and sighed inwardly. With that kind of wealth, he could've hired an army and saved his own son. Why even issue this mission?
As expected, no matter what world you live in, having a wealthy father solves everything.
While he was lost in thought, the familiar sound of the system echoed in his mind—
"Ding! Task reward from the 'Competition Mission': Stand Power — Crazy Diamond obtained!"
Kirito's heart leapt. Perfect timing! But since it was a one-time use ability, he decided to save it for when it really mattered.
Then another notification appeared as he opened his mission list. A golden marker shimmered right above Jun'ya Watanabe's head—an indication that this mission was meant for him.
At that moment, Kakashi reassured the client. "Don't worry, Mr. Watanabe. We'll make sure your son returns safely."
Kirito chimed in with a grin, "Yes, Mr. Watanabe! Leave it to us."
Jun'ya smiled warmly at him. "Thank you, little brother. I'll be counting on you."
And just then, another system chime sounded—
"Ding! Mission triggered: [Rescue]."
"Objective: Rescue Yuta Watanabe and ensure his safety."
"Reward: One Pokémon — Pikachu."
"...What?"
Kirito froze. Did it just say Pokémon? His eyes widened. Everyone around him stared, puzzled by his sudden expression.
"What's wrong, little brother?" Jun'ya asked curiously.
Kirito quickly shook his head. "Ah, it's nothing! I was just… thinking."
The others shrugged and returned to discussing strategy. Kirito, meanwhile, was trying to wrap his head around the reward. A Pokémon? Really? At least it made sense—this world had Summoning Beasts, so a "Summoned Pokémon" wasn't too far-fetched.
They spent over an hour going through the details of the rescue plan.
When Kirito, Kakashi, and the rest exited the izakaya with a chest full of Ryō, Anko came rushing back, slightly out of breath.
Kakashi looked up. "How's the report?"
Anko waved a hand and replied seriously, "I already informed Lord Hokage. The Anbu didn't detect any intruders, and the village barrier didn't react either."
Guy frowned. "That means the guards were completely bypassed. Should one of us stay behind just in case?"
Kakashi shook his head. "No need. The target isn't Konoha. Let's go meet whoever has the nerve to sneak in and out of the village unnoticed."
Inside the cave
Hidan entered, spinning his triple-bladed scythe lazily as he walked toward the fire. Kakuzu glanced up. "What happened?"
Hidan grinned, kneeling down. "The kid's old man went to Konoha. Took longer than expected."
"Konoha?" Kakuzu raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah," Hidan said, twirling the pendant of the Jashin cult around his finger. "The rich brat's dad filed an S-rank mission. Should we bail? If shinobi from the Five Great Nations get involved, it could blow our cover."
Kakuzu scoffed. "Hmph. We finally caught a fat sheep. I'm not leaving until I carve some profit out of him."
Hidan smirked, his eyes gleaming. "Fine. Then anyone who comes here dies. Simple."
Since the S-rank mission wouldn't be completed in a single day, the five-man team decided to return home to pack their supplies, agreeing to meet at Konoha's gate by 4 p.m.
Kirito packed light—just essentials and a bit of money. By 3:45, he was already waiting at the gate, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the village path.
"Oh! Kirito!"
A cheerful voice called out. Kirito turned and saw Rock Lee jogging toward him.
"Mr. Lee," Kirito greeted politely.
"Just call me Lee," the boy said, scratching his head with an easy smile. His enthusiasm was contagious.
By 4 o'clock, Guy and Anko arrived as well. Kirito looked up at the sun's edge and muttered, "Meeting time at 4 p.m.… definitely Kakashi-senpai's idea."
Anko snorted. "It'd be strange if Kakashi actually showed up on time."
Kirito sighed. "…Right."
Sure enough, after nearly an hour, Kakashi finally appeared, nose buried in his copy of Icha Icha Paradise.
"Ah, everyone's here already?" he said casually, tucking the book away under the collective glare of his teammates. "Alright then. Let's move."
The group set off through the forest outside Konoha. The trees were dense, the shadows long, and the air thick with the faint presence of Anbu and Root operatives hidden among the leaves.
And yet, someone managed to deliver that ransom letter unnoticed, Kirito thought grimly. This mission… might be more dangerous than we think.
Still, with Kakashi and Guy leading, even a Kage-level enemy wouldn't be a problem.
Guy glanced at Lee, who was sweating but keeping pace. His grin widened. "Lee! You're managing to keep up! Your training's paying off!"
"All thanks to your guidance, Teacher Guy!" Lee replied through heavy breaths.
"No, no, it's all your own hard work!" Guy declared, striking his usual sparkling pose.
Anko rolled her eyes and called over her shoulder, "Guy, stop chatting and move! We're on a schedule!"
"Understood!" Guy shouted back. "Lee, training's over for now. I'll carry you the rest of the way!"
Before Lee could respond, Guy had already hoisted him onto his back. "Kakashi! Let's see who gets there first!"
And with that, he vanished in a blur of green and dust.
Kirito blinked. "Uh, Kakashi-senpai… aren't we chasing them?"
Kakashi waved a hand lazily. "Let them have their fun."
Three hours later, the team reached Okuno Peak Town—the closest settlement to the rendezvous point. Guy and Lee had already secured rooms at an inn.
Exhausted from the journey, Kirito barely managed a shower before collapsing into bed.
The next morning, Lee stayed behind to watch their luggage while the others prepared to move out.
Kakashi had finalized the rescue strategy: Kirito and Anko would handle negotiations in the open, while Kakashi and Guy concealed themselves for a surprise attack if needed.
Anko adjusted her gloves and said seriously, "Kirito, pay attention to my signals later."
Kirito nodded, clutching the heavy chest of Ryō. "Got it!"
End of the chapter.