"This mission is a B-class escort mission."

In Kakashi's team, the leader of the team stood at the gate of Konoha Village and said to the three team members with a serious face.

"B-class escort mission? It's really rare. ”

A middle ninja showed surprise after hearing the words of the leading shinobi.

Another Nakashinobi in the team also nodded in agreement.

The general escort missions are mainly C-rank, and B-rank missions already involve battles between ninjas.

"So who is the target of the escort?"

Kakashi didn't care about the level of the mission, he just wanted to understand the content of the mission quickly and complete it as soon as possible.

After Kakashi finished speaking, the two shinobi in the team looked at him and took a step back slightly, obviously not wanting to stay with Kakashi.

When the leader of the team saw this scene, he sighed quietly in his heart.

I knew it was going to be like this.

He stuffed Kakashi into his team, which was also a helpless move, on the one hand, it was the Hokage's entrustment, and on the other hand, the combat effectiveness of his squad was indeed a little insufficient.

Adding Kakashi to the team is just the right thing to make up for the lack of combat power.

It's a pity that Kakashi's problem is not that he lacks strength, and that becoming a shinobi at this age is a little too appalling.

This also proves that Kakashi's strength is not bad, otherwise it would be impossible to pass the extremely difficult Zhongnin exam.

"The caravan of the Oni Country."

The leader of the team said.

"The land of ghosts? Is it that far? ”

Not only Kakashi, but even the other two shinobi frowned.

The Land of Oni is a rare neutral country in the ninja world, bordering the Land of Snow and Earth to the north, the Land of Darkness and the Land of Bears to the south, and the Land of Water and the Land of Thunder to the west.

Although it is bordered by many countries, it does not share a border with the Land of Fire.

The Land of Demons and the Land of Fire are separated by several countries, and it takes a long distance to get there.

"Don't worry, this mission is not for us to go to the land of ghosts. In fact, we just need to wait for the caravan in the Land of Rain. ”

Seeing that the three people in the team were unknown, the leader of the team explained and said: "Since the country of fire and the country of ghosts are far apart, the other party has hired Iwa Shinobi to escort the distance from the country of ghosts to the country of rain. As for the second half of the journey, it will be escorted by our Konoha ninjas. Hokage-sama has already secretly discussed this matter with Tokage-sama, and there will be no diplomatic problems. ”

After listening to the explanation of the leading team Shangnin, the three of them understood.

Indeed, at the beginning of the last ninja war, Iwa Shinobi was also a participant, and he fought a few battles with Konoha in the Land of Rain, but the main strength of Iwa Shinobi was to deal with Hanzo in Yuyin Village, and the friction with Konoha was not deep.

However, Konoha and Iwakure are not allies, and their relationship has always been lukewarm.

This kind of special task that requires the ninjas of two villages to hand over the escort together does require the leaders of the two sides to discuss in advance, so as not to cause some diplomatic disputes at the time.

"If that's okay, let's go now."

◎

In the Great Forest of the Land of Fire, the Konoha four-person team is running fast inside.

"Speaking of which, captain, why is the caravan from the Oni Country coming to the Fire Country?"

A member of the middle ninja team caught up with the footsteps of leading the team and couldn't help but ask.

In the process of rushing, it is actually very boring, and I can only find some topics to talk about.

The leader of the team replied, "Not exactly, this time the caravan we escorted is stationed in our Konoha Village. ”

All three Kakashi were amazed.

"Aster Flower Pharmaceutical Technology Company, have you heard of it?"

"Well, I've heard of it. Although it is only recently established, the company has developed drugs that are much better than those on the market, and has already sold well in several surrounding countries, making a lot of money. ”

"That's right, the caravan escorted this time is the delegation of the Aster Flower Company. They are planning to open a branch pharmacy in our Konoha area, and this matter has been approved by the daimyo and Hokage-sama. ”

"It's really amazing, it seems that this company has been established for less than half a year."

Nakashinobu said with emotion.

"This is someone else's ability, if the medicine they developed is very ordinary, they will not get the consent of the daimyo and Hokage-sama."

Of course, the neutral status of the Oni Country also provides a lot of convenience.

If the backstage of the Shion Flower Company is a big country such as the Land Country and the Wind Country, the Daimyo of the Fire Country, and their Hokage-sama, they will not agree to anything they say.

It's like the Iron Country can open a ninja shop in Konoha, neutral countries don't participate in the ninja war, and the reputation of the Iron Country has always been recognized by all countries, so Konoha will open the door of convenience.

Not only that, but many ninja villages have weapons merchants from the Iron Country who have settled in and opened branches to provide sophisticated weapons.

And the current business method of the Aster Flower Company is just the same as that of the Iron Country.

Good reputation, neutral country status, and excellent drug research and development capabilities are important reasons for obtaining permission to settle in.

"I heard that the monthly turnover of this company is very terrifying, it must be a number that ordinary ninjas like us dare not imagine."

"Then try to get the job done."

The leader of the team said encouragingly.

"Captain, it's only a few dollars to do the task."

The Nakaya shinobi grumbled.

Not to mention D-level and C-level tasks, the rewards of thousands or tens of thousands of taels are accumulated, and after replenishing the forbearance, there is not much money left.

"Then I can't help it, maybe in normal times, you can find a place to work part-time."

"It's impossible to do it, you still have to practice in normal times, after all, ninjas need to exercise their strength in order to choose higher-level tasks, and the rewards will be higher when the time comes."

Kakashi said at this point.

"That's right."

The leader nodded his head.

And vice versa, the lower the strength of the ninja, the lower the level of the tasks that can be received, and the reward or something, barely able to live on their own.

If you think about it, there really is no way to make money in the profession of ninja.

It's only when you get to the upper forbearance that you will change a little.

An A-level task is down, and the minimum is more than 100,000 taels.

And the S-level task, completing one, is at least hundreds of thousands of taels of rewards.

"Alright, hurry up, we must get to the rendezvous point in the Land of Rain as soon as possible. Be careful when you arrive in the Land of Rain, the environment there will be chaotic. ”

"Yes."

Leading the team to shinobi and talking, Kakashi and the three of them were all awe-inspiring.

Although they have not yet penetrated into the Land of Rain, they also know that the country of Rain is now in turmoil, with bandits rampant, and even traitorous ninjas and wandering ninjas mixed in it.

◎

Land of Rain, northern border.

When the Konoha ninja team arrived here, it was already around three o'clock in the afternoon of the next day.

At the entrance of a rainy town, a delegation of the Aster Flower Company caravan from the Land of Oni was seen.

There were a total of twelve horse-drawn carriages used to transport medicines, each of which was filled with precious medicines.

After handing over the task to Iwa Shinobi's four-person team, Konoha's team leader Shinobi signed the paperwork, and the Iwakure Shinobu left with three Iwa Shinobi teammates.

Then, the leader of the team looked at the representative of the caravan of the Aster Flower Company.

He was a short young man, about twenty-three or fourteen years old, with round-framed black sunglasses on his face, a spotless black suit, and an umbrella in his hand.

The young man's name was Cardo.

The president of Aster Flower Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd., a big businessman with extremely powerful business methods.

In less than half a year, from an unknown person to a hot businessman in the world, the four Konoha dare not underestimate him, an ordinary person who is not a ninja.

As a rookie representative among the merchants, his head has been rewarded at a price of five million taels on the underground black market.

This is already a very expensive bounty price for an ordinary person.

Presumably, as the rolling capital of the Aster Flower Company grows larger and larger, the price of his head will also rise, rising to more than tens of millions of taels.

Because of the sudden entry of the Aster Flower Company, many small companies in the pharmaceutical industry are on the verge of bankruptcy and crowd out the interests of others, and it is natural that Cardo has been rewarded in the black market.

"Konoha guys, let's rest in this town for the night tonight, I've already booked a hotel, how about leaving early tomorrow morning?"

After Cardo's friendly handshake with the leader of the team, he pushed the black sunglasses on the bridge of his nose with his fingers and smiled calmly.

"That's fine, it's really not appropriate to walk at night at this time."

What's more, the carriage is full of precious medicines, and it would be bad if something happened.

Looking at the two guards beside Cardo, wearing a black trench coat, and on the back of the black trench coat, the mark of the aster flower was printed, and he knew that these people were not ordinary level guards.

Not only that, but next to the twelve carriages full of goods, there were nearly twenty guards, all wearing black trench coats of the same style, with the mark of the aster flower printed on the back.

It means that they are from the same force.

After thinking about it, he was relieved to lead the team to shinobi.

Although the Aster Flower Company has not been established for a long time in the country of ghosts, it is estimated that it is only a matter of time before it becomes a giant company in the pharmaceutical industry.

There must be special units dedicated to training armed personnel to protect their own goods.

However, with so many guards, it seems that the total value of this batch of drugs is so high that an ordinary person dare not imagine that so many guards are needed for protection.

In short, it's not something you have to think about yourself.

The task of his own team is only to escort the caravan delegation of the Aster Flower Company to Konoha safely.

The rest of the business cooperation, that's the Hokage's job.

◎

The next morning, the Konoha four-member ninja team and the guards of the Shion Flower Company escorted the twelve carriages loaded with medicines to set off in the direction of Konoha in the Land of Fire.

Because of the escort of these valuable medicines, the convoy traveled slowly.

It wasn't until two o'clock in the afternoon that he slowly arrived at the junction of the Land of Rain and the Land of Fire.

"Mr. Cardo, walk through the canyon ahead, and a little more to the realm of the Fire Nation."

The leader pointed to the huge canyon in front of him that had sunk in the rain, and pointed out the direction to Cardo.

"Let the people behind you move a little faster."

Cardo nodded and said to the guard next to him.

The guard went down and delivered Cardo's orders.

"When you get to the border of the Fire Country, you don't have to worry about bandits on the road, there is our Konoha border defense force on the border."

The leader of the team said with a smile.

"The ability of Konoha ninjas has always been the best in the ninja world, and our company can trust this. In fact, we also came with a win-win attitude this time. ”

Cardo also responded with a smile.

As he spoke, the convoy was slowly moving into the canyon.

At this point, the rainfall began to decrease, but the road was still muddy, and it was not only difficult to walk on foot, but also the speed of the convoy needed to be reduced to ensure the safety of the medicine in the carriage.

In this regard, the team leader Shangnin and Cardo didn't say anything, a country like the Land of Rain that has been in chaos for many years can't even guarantee the safety and life of the people in their own country, let alone invest extra money in road repair.

"Captain......

Kakashi and the other three shinobi came up at this time and whispered softly beside the leading shinobi.

"Ah, I know."

Ever since entering the canyon, the leader of the team has noticed that the atmosphere here is not quite right, and there is a cold smell mixed in the rain.

Rumble!

The explosion came too suddenly, but the guards escorting the convoy, as well as the Konoha ninja, were not too afraid.

As the flames burst across the rock wall, huge rocks fell from above.

Kakashi took the lead in pulling out the whitefanged dagger behind his back and swung it hard at the falling rock.

The rock splits in half from the middle, and then uses the falling rock as a pedal to start attacking the top of the rock wall.

Behind him, the captain of the upper ninja and two middle ninja teammates also rushed forward.

They were greeted by a large number of kunai and shuriken projected from the sky.

Cardo stood calmly in the middle of the group, and the two black-coated guards standing beside him also had unchanged faces, like stone pillars standing in the rain.

The guards in black trench coats around them were half left behind to protect the vehicle, and half of them cooperated with the four ninjas of Konoha to fight and annihilate the incoming enemies.

"Really, I can't help but want to do it when I get here, it seems that I overestimate these people."

Cardo sat on the pedal of a carriage, unfazed by the sound of the fight that appeared in his ears.

Since he took over the company, he has been attacked several times a month with these assassinations, but the fact that he is still alive and well is a testament to the strength of the Aster Flower Company.

"It can't be helped, after all, the value of this batch of drugs is too tempting."

"It's worth watching as an after-show. Fix it quickly. ”

"Yes."

Growing the company and making it profitable is Cardo's task.

And it is their job to destroy the enemy.

Kakashi, who was at war with the attackers, immediately understood the identities of these people through the way of fighting, they were born as samurai, they knew some chakra applications, and some of them were wandering ninjas who knew a little more practical low-level ninjutsu.

For him, who had learned the White Fang Knife Technique, these people were not strong enough to pose a threat.

But for those two fellow shinobi, there might be a little trouble.

Watching the two of them fight hard, they were almost hit by enemy attacks several times, but Kakashi just glanced at it and made sure that his leader Kamishinobi was not far away, and the two of them would not be in any danger to their lives.

Therefore, the bitter battle faced by the two of them, Kakashi directly ignored the past.

Rather than thinking about this kind of thing, destroying the enemy quickly and completing the task as soon as possible is what he has to do.

As one enemy after another fell, Kakashi, who was shuttling through the rain curtain, the blood on the white fanged dagger in his hand was constantly washed by the rain, red and white, white and red, and changed repeatedly.

The battle ended after more than ten minutes.

At the cost of a few minor injuries, all these people were defeated, and some people saw that the situation was not good, and fled directly, and everyone did not pursue.

"Mr. Cardo, we can get on our way."

The leader of the team wiped the blood from the clothes on his shoulders, and the pungent smell of blood was very faint in the rain.

When Cardo pushed the sunglasses on the bridge of his nose and gave the order to let the convoy move on, there seemed to be a dispute on Kakashi's side:

"Hey, Kakashi, what's the matter with you? Didn't you see that we were sending you a signal of support just now? ”

After the battle, the two shinobi who had worked with Kakashi for the first time were very dissatisfied with Kakashi's indifferent attitude just now.

Because there were a large number of enemies besieging the two of them, there were a lot of colors on their bodies.

"With the strength of the two of you, I think you will be safe even without my help."

Kakashi told the truth.

The strength of these two people is also there, and in that kind of surrounded, it is enough to defeat the besieging enemy.

Being able to destroy as many enemies as possible, Kakashi decided that this was the best option given the situation.

The sooner the enemy is eliminated, the sooner the safety of this batch of medicines will be out of danger.

"What do you say? Kind of say it again? Aren't we companions in a squad? ”

The Nakashino grabbed Kakashi's collar.

"As I said, I judged that if you two were not in danger of your lives, destroying the enemy as quickly as possible was the most priority at that time. The longer the time drags on, the more dangerous the convoy will be. The safety of this batch of medicines is more important than yours. ”

The faces of the two middle ninjas were pale, and they were completely difficult to look at.

"Okay, you three, don't do it like this the first time you work together. I was watching at the time, and I won't let anything happen to the three of you. ”

The leader of the team smiled apologetically at Cardo, and then reluctantly walked to the three of them to dissuade the relationship between the three from deteriorating further.

"Cut. I don't get along with this kind of person at all. ”

The two shinobi gave up and began to deal with the wounds on their bodies.

"I'm just trying to keep the risk of mission failure to a minimum."

Kakashi also tilted his head to the side, still looking to think that he had made the right choice.

Captain Shangnin scratched his head, and his head ached.

He knew it was like this, Kakashi was more difficult than he thought.

I guess he won't be in his team for long.

I really hope that any Shangnin will educate this genius kid well, and then get it out to carry out the mission.

Otherwise, a team will not be able to form a good collaborative relationship at all.

"Laughing, Mr. Cardo, let you see such a humiliating side of our Konoha."

"It seems that it is not easy to be a ninja."

Cardo said with a smile.

Captain Shangnin smiled bitterly helplessly.

He's really not very easy to be a ninja.

But he could understand why Kakashi had become the way he was.

However, he found that Kakashi's psychological problems were more serious than he had imagined, so he gave up the idea of correcting him.

◎

Two days passed, and the captain of the upper ninja arrived at Konoha with the target escorted by the mission.

After leaving the three Kakashi behind, Captain Kamishinobi went to the Hokage Building to report to work.

"Good work."

Hinata smiled at the name.

"It's nothing, although there was a little accident on the road, but the problem is not very big."

"I probably already know about it."

Hinata glanced at the work report submitted by the captain of the upper ninja, and his face sank.

"Hokage-sama, is there anything you would like to add?"

"Kakashi, is there really no way to correct his problem?"

Hizai asked about the question he was most concerned about.

"In my personal ability, I can't correct his problems. I don't know how long I can keep him in the team, but Kakashi looks like this...... It is estimated that at most a month, you will need to find the next one. ”

Captain Shinobi replied truthfully.

Kakashi was forgiven for being like this, but he didn't want such a member of his team to ruin the team's relationship.

After all, he wanted to act in the interests of the team as a whole, and he couldn't accommodate Kakashi alone.

"I see, I'll think about it. You go down first. ”

"I beg your pardon, Hokage-sama."

Captain Shinobi bowed to Hinata and walked out of the office.

After Captain Shinobi walked out of the room, Hinata pondered.

"Are you really going to put him in the shadows?"

Too young.

Experience is not enough.

It does not reach the passing level of the dark part.

And Kakashi entered the shadows in this state, which made Hinata even more worried.

The answer to the question of which is more important, the task or the companion......

Hizashi sighed in his heart, he really didn't have the shame to tell Kakashi the answer to this kind of question.

Because to tell Kakashi one answer, one must be to deny the other.

How to explain Shuo Mao's death?

This is a very contradictory question.

Or rather, he didn't have a standard answer in his own mind.

"Hokage-sama, Mr. Kado, the head of the Shion Flower Company, wants to see you."

A shadow officer walked in from the outside and reported to the sun.

"I see, let him in."

Hizag sorted out his sad face and commanded the dark department.

Today, Shionka has cooperated with Iwakuin and Shayin, and has successfully opened branch pharmacies in two ninja villages, which is said to have greatly alleviated the problem of shortage of medicines in the two villages, and the results are considerable.

Therefore, this business cooperation is also very important for Konoha.

He couldn't be rude in front of the guests.

◎

In the evening, Konoha Cemetery.

Kakashi was the only one standing here, standing in front of his father's grave, Shigeru Hachiki, staring blankly at the black-and-white photograph that lay there.

The man looked at him with a gentle smile, and that look contained love for the world.

But this loving gaze gave Kakashi the urge to run away.

He is neatly dressed at the moment, but the overall impression is that he is embarrassed, like a stray dog with nowhere to live.

"Father, tell me...... Why ......"

Kakashi had a blank look in his eyes.

He couldn't understand it.

I can't understand what I should do and how to do it.

The father, who saved his companions and abandoned the mission, was abused and slandered, and chose to commit suicide.

Then he chose the task first, and his companions second, why was he still ostracized?

Kakashi couldn't understand the question, how to answer it.

As an honor student who graduated from a ninja school at the youngest age, Kakashi was puzzled to this extent about a question for the first time.

The will to fire that he had learned should be based on the fact that everyone in the village is a family.

Everyone in the village is their own companion, a family-like existence, something that must be protected even if they die to the death.

But...... His father committed suicide.

Because of his act of saving his companions, the mission failed.

Therefore, the ninja should give priority to the task, just a tool to perform the task, and the tool does not need to be too loving, so when necessary, the life of the companion can also be casually discarded.

What about the Will of Fire that I learned in school...... What's the use? Kakashi was taken aback by his own rebellious thoughts.

So, the words companion and mission kept jumping in my mind, and began to do the fiercest and most brutal struggle.

At this moment, Kakashi suddenly covered his head, and his face became distorted.

No more.

I can't hold on anymore.

My head hurt to the point of bursting.

It's the only thing Kakashi can feel right now – pain.

Which is the correct answer?

Why did they not accept me when I chose the mission?

If I was wrong, then my father's approach was right, why did my father commit suicide?

Should I choose a companion or a quest?

What exactly is Will of Fire?

Kakashi, who was tortured by these two thoughts to the point of almost breaking his will, finally couldn't hold it anymore, so he knelt in front of the tomb with his hands on the ground, and the cold sweat on his face kept dripping down.

"Hah...... Ha...... It hurts a lot...... It hurts......"

In the woods next to the cemetery, a figure leans against a tree, revealing only half of its face, and the other half of its face is shrouded in darkness.

It's a young male face.

None other than Shiraishi.

He leaned against the trees, his hands in his trouser pockets, and listened quietly to Kakashi's murmuring of pain.

After a moment's pause, it vanished from behind the trees, leaving no trace.