Chapter 69: Departure for Kusagakure
Three days later, Naruto arrived at the Konoha main gate right on time.
He didn't know who made the rule, but every time they had a mission, they had to meet at the village entrance.
They all lived just a few streets apart and could have easily met up on the way, but no, they had to go the long way around to the gate.
"Hinata! Morning!"
From a distance, Naruto spotted Hinata approaching, laden with bags. She was wearing a lavender sun hat and carrying a backpack almost as tall as she was, which looked incredibly heavy.
"Naruto-kun... is your body okay?" Hinata blushed instantly, but she still called back from afar.
Naruto grinned. "Of course! Staying in the hospital for so many days, I felt like I was rusting!"
He thumped his chest. "See? Totally fine!"
"That's good..." Hinata breathed a sigh of relief.
Naruto felt like something was different about Hinata today, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
Soon, Hinata reached them.
"Whoa! Hinata, you brought so much stuff?" Naruto leaned in curiously, poking the massive backpack. "It looks like you're going camping for a month!"
"Ah, this..." Hinata flustered, trying to hide the pack behind her. "I thought we might need medical supplies and dry rations... and change of clothes, and sleeping bags..."
"Pfft—haha." Shikamaru's voice came from behind them. "Naruto, you idiot. You don't even understand basic preparation. Good thing Hinata thought ahead."
"Shikamaru!" Naruto spun around, glaring. "I'm not an idiot! I just think carrying too much stuff slows us down!"
"Is that so?" Shikamaru yawned lazily. "Then don't come asking me or Hinata for food or supplies later."
"I... I prepared some for Naruto-kun, too..." Hinata whispered, pulling a small package from a side pocket. "Food pills and jerky..."
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, giving Hinata a meaningful look. "If only you were this thoughtful for the rest of us."
Hinata's face turned as red as a ripe tomato. She shoved the package into Naruto's hands in a panic. "No! I just..."
"Thanks, Hinata!" Naruto took the package without a second thought. "You're the best!"
"Naruto-kun..." Hinata practically buried her head in her chest.
Asuma's arrival broke the atmosphere.
"Looks like you're all eager. Let's head out."
Kusagakure. Or at least, the place they called a village.
By the standards of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, it was basically just a camp.
Sandwiched between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, it was filled with ninja of unknown origins.
Some were rogue ninja scraping by, while others were spies from various villages lying in wait.
The entire village was a gray zone. Although there was a so-called leader, his authority was limited.
Most of the ninja there were mercenaries who listened to orders but not to authority.
"This is Kusagakure? It's... more run-down than I thought." Naruto stood on a hill, frowning down at the scattered grass huts and wooden structures.
As a child raised in the great village of Konoha, his memory of a "ninja village" was Konoha.
Even Uzushiogakure, though in ruins, had clearly been a well-established place comparable to Konoha.
But Kusagakure completely overturned his perception. So the villages outside are this shabby.
Moss covered the crooked wooden buildings. Sewage flowed openly in the streets. A few ragged children were chasing a scrawny wild dog through the mud.
"This is a ninja village?" Naruto muttered. "Even the outskirts of Konoha are better than this."
Shikamaru tapped his temple, scanning the gloomy guards at the entrance. "Intel said this place was a mixed bag. Looks like it's true. Those guards... their headbands are crooked, their eyes are shifty. Clearly not properly trained."
Hinata had already activated her Byakugan, scanning the area. "The chakra signatures are chaotic here... To the southeast, there are two chakra sources moving fast. Like... a chase?"
Before she finished, the sharp clang of metal on metal rang out from that direction.
Asuma quickly signaled for everyone to hide.
"Don't make a move yet," Asuma whispered. "Kusagakure is technically neutral, but it's a hotbed for spies. We're just here to investigate the border activity..."
"Help!" A desperate scream cut through the air.
Naruto's body moved faster than his brain. He lunged forward, but Shikamaru grabbed his collar tight. "Idiot! Assess the situation first!"
Around the corner, a boy of about thirteen or fourteen stumbled out, his right arm bloody.
Chasing him were three ninja wearing Kusagakure headbands. The leader's kunai was dripping blood.
"Kill the traitor!" the pursuer snarled, throwing the kunai.
In the nick of time, the boy tripped in the mud, and the kunai grazed his hair, embedding itself in the ground.
Hinata's Byakugan clearly saw the chaotic chakra flow inside the boy. "He's been poisoned."
"Asuma-sensei!" Naruto was sweating with anxiety.
Asuma thought for a split second. "Hmm... save him. Shikamaru, plan."
"Yes!" Shikamaru immediately switched into tactical mode. "Hinata, check for ambushes. Naruto, use Shadow Clones to draw attention. I'll flank with Shadow Possession to control the pursuers. Sensei, cover us. Go!"
Three figures shot out simultaneously.
Naruto's Shadow Clone swaggered toward the three Kusa-nin. "Hey! What do you jerks think you're doing?"
The pursuers paused, startled. In that instant, Shikamaru's shadow snaked across the ground.
The leader froze, watching in horror as his hand turned against his will, pointing his kunai at his comrade.
"Ambush!" The other two quickly went back-to-back.
One of them formed seals. "Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
A wall of earth rose, blocking Asuma's line of sight.
"Watch out! A third person..." Hinata warned urgently.
But as she shouted, Asuma had already thrown his chakra blades. Enhanced with Wind Style chakra, they punched straight through the earth wall, piercing the Kusa-nin holding a kunai.
The Kusa-nin controlled by the Shadow Possession spoke up. "Konoha ninja?"
"Interfering in internal affairs on Kusa soil? That's not very appropriate, is it?"
Asuma replied, "Ignoring someone in need isn't the ninja way. This kid needs medical attention."
"Medical attention? We're under orders to execute a traitor. Konoha... aren't you afraid of provoking Kusagakure?"