"After all, there's a Chunin in our team, so it shouldn't be a problem to take on a C-rank mission, right?" Sasuke said calmly, his voice laced with confidence.
"I don't think it's an issue either. I've completed over a dozen C-rank missions already—there hasn't been any threat I couldn't handle. The enemies are usually just common bandits or rogue fighters." Sai added, backing him up.
Itachi lowered his gaze slightly in thought before finally pointing toward a C-rank mission posted on the task board. He looked at the administrative ninja and said quietly, "We'll take the mission to eliminate the bandits."
Typically, newly formed squads begin with D-rank missions—menial tasks designed to build teamwork. But this squad was a clear exception. Sai, a confirmed Chunin trained in Root, had more experience than most Genin. And Itachi knew Sasuke's potential intimately.
Even if Sasuke were to spar with a Chunin now, he wouldn't be at a disadvantage. That had been true even six years ago. Although he wasn't certain of Sasuke's current limit, Itachi had no doubt his younger brother had grown even stronger.
"Understood. Please wait a moment."
The desk ninja sorted through a few mission scrolls before handing one to Itachi.
"This is the mission scroll. It contains the detailed assignment and objective."
Itachi accepted it and walked with Sasuke and Sai to a quieter corner of the hall. He unfurled the scroll.
---
Mission Assignment: Bandits have taken control of the area around Xiaotang Village in the western Fire Country, ambushing merchant caravans, looting nearby settlements, and threatening civilian lives. Villagers have submitted a written request to Konohagakure to exterminate the bandits.
Objective: Eliminate all hostile bandits in the area.
Reward: 1,000 Ryō
Time Limit: Within two months.
---
A rough map of the region was sketched on the reverse.
Sasuke and Sai reviewed the mission parameters. Assignments like these, especially those lacking a named client, were usually sent by remote villages via courier, with payment included in advance.
Itachi closed the scroll after they'd finished reading. "Alright. You both understand the mission. Rest up tonight. We'll meet at the village gate first thing tomorrow morning. Got it?"
"Got it!" both responded in unison.
"Then I'll head out. See you tomorrow, Sasuke, Itachi-sensei." Sai gave a small wave with his usual practiced smile and vanished with a swift Body Flicker.
"Let's go, Sasuke." Itachi gave his younger brother a brief pat on the shoulder.
"Mm." Sasuke withdrew his gaze from the direction Sai had disappeared, then followed Itachi back home.
We'll see what you're really planning, Sai...
---
Deep underground, in a dim Root facility, Sai knelt on one knee before a bandaged man leaning heavily on a cane.
"They didn't suspect anything, did they?" Danzo asked, his tone even.
"No. I relied on my smile to gain their trust," Sai replied without hesitation.
"Good. Proceed with the mission as planned. You know what you're expected to do."
"Yes." Sai bowed his head lower.
Danzo snorted. "That fool Minato actually allowed an Uchiha to lead a squad. It's a betrayal of the village's true interests! He claims the Uchiha are best suited to guide their own clan. What idiocy. Does he think of himself as one of them now? What gives him the right to be Hokage? And Sarutobi... handing over command of the Anbu like that—useless relic. Why did our sensei ever choose him?"
In a fit of suppressed rage, Danzo slammed his cane against the floor. Sai remained kneeling, silent and unmoving.
"Konoha will only be strong under my control."
Danzo's tone cooled, his breathing leveling.
"You may go. Make sure you don't expose yourself."
"Understood." Sai stood, saluted briefly, and disappeared into the darkness.
Thunk!
Danzo tapped the floor again, summoning five Root operatives who materialized beside him without a sound.
"You know your assignments, yes?"
"Yes, sir," the five answered in unison, bodies stiff with tension.
"Good. Rest assured—your families will remain safe in Konoha. Your children will enter the Academy. That's the price of your loyalty."
"Understood."
The five disappeared without another word. Danzo turned and slowly walked deeper into the shadows of the base, his footsteps echoing softly off stone.
---
The Next Morning
Team Eleven assembled at the village gate just after dawn. None of them carried much—field survival was something every shinobi was trained for.
"Since we're all here, let's move," Itachi said.
He glanced at Sai. Last night, Sasuke had told Itachi about Sai's true identity. While Itachi wasn't sure how Sasuke had discovered Root's secrets, he believed his brother.
Danzo's infiltration attempt had already failed—any intel he gained now would be exactly what the brothers allowed him to learn.
"Let's go."
The three left the village with composed expressions, almost like a group headed for a leisurely trip.
By evening, they had already traveled halfway to their target location. They had barely stopped—eating soldier pills on the go—and Sasuke had begun to feel the physical wear of a true mission.
When they reached a small stream, Itachi finally signaled for a halt.
"We'll rest here tonight. We'll continue at first light."
Sasuke set his gear down and exhaled quietly. But something tugged at his thoughts—Ryūjin Jakka hadn't eaten.
Although a Zanpakutō spirit didn't need to eat, ever since he gained the ability to manifest Ryūjin Jakka into the physical world, she'd insisted on gourmet meals—daily. Missing a meal meant suffering a tantrum.
He'd forgotten to feed her yesterday, and today's training session had earned him hours of punishment from her manifested form, regardless of apology.
He had once asked Ryūjin Jakka whether she'd been this demanding with Genryūsai Yamamoto.
Her answer? "He was stronger than I was. I had no choice."
She admitted her power had originally been average for a flame-type Zanpakutō—only through centuries of refinement under Yamamoto's hand did she become the strongest of her kind.
Sasuke made a mental note to thank the former Captain-Commander—begrudgingly.
"Itachi-sensei, I saw a few wild rabbits by the thicket earlier. I'll catch two—roast them for dinner."
Sasuke vanished into the trees before anyone could stop him. Itachi didn't move.
"Is it alright to leave the squad without permission?" Sai asked, eyes narrowing.
"It's fine. I've already secured the area with detection seals and shadow clones. There's no threat nearby," Itachi responded calmly.
"That's not what I meant. Doesn't leaving the team during a mission violate shinobi protocol? Why don't you, as the captain, discipline him?"
Sai seemed genuinely perplexed. At Root, such disobedience would've drawn harsh punishment.
Itachi glanced at him. "Not all missions are just tests of obedience. You'll learn that soon enough."
Sai remained silent, frowning slightly, unsure whether he'd misjudged the rules… or just the Uchiha.