In the morning, Ayane playfully interacted with a caged bird in the corridor, a gentle smile gracing her fair and pristine face.
At the other end of the corridor, Hiashi, who had already finished getting ready, witnessed this scene. The beautiful image froze in his mind, leaving him momentarily captivated.
At that time, Hiashi never imagined that Ayane would remain by his side and become his maid.
"Good morning, Hiashi-sama," Ayane greeted calmly, rising from her place, no longer teasing the caged bird. Her smile was warm and respectful, reflecting all the beauty in the world in her pure white eyes.
Every time Hiashi saw Ayane's eyes like this, he couldn't help but question deep within.
Has she accepted her fate of separation? Does she genuinely submit to the main family?
There was no trace of resentment or animosity in her eyes.
It seemed that years of companionship had allowed her to let go of her prejudice against the main family.
"Good morning, Ayane," Hiashi responded. He wasn't intentionally aloof, but neither he nor Ayane fully understood this about themselves.
However, it is precisely because of his gentle nature that Hiashi inadvertently exudes a serious and cruel image. His gentleness may prove disastrous for the Hyuga clan and may cause harm to others.
His tenderness had once wounded his younger brother, Hizashi, and he didn't want Ayane, his maid who had been faithfully by his side for many years, to suffer the same fate.
"I heard you're going on a mission, right?" Hiashi inquired.
"Yes, Hiashi-sama. I apologize, but I may not be able to serve you at all times in the future," Ayane bowed apologetically.
"It's alright. Our Hyuga clan is a part of Konoha too. Don't worry, your team leader, Sakumo Hatake, is an exceptional ninja."
It seemed that Hiashi knew something.
"Did Hiashi-sama discuss this matter with the clan head?"
Ayane's pure white eyes filled with gentle hues without any impurities.
Hiashi didn't answer. He walked past Ayane, his expression impassive.
Ayane glanced at the time; it was almost time to gather. She was about to leave.
"By the way..."
Hiashi's voice came from behind.
Ayane turned her head, looking at Hiashi with curiosity.
Hiashi didn't turn around; he kept his back to Ayane.
"Take care of yourself."
After uttering those words, Hiashi suddenly quickened his pace and disappeared at the end of the corridor.
Unlike the indifferent and arrogant clans, Hiashi always harbored a soft heart.
Ayane wore a soft smile on her face as if she had heard Hiashi's words, yet it seemed as though she hadn't heard them.
Adjusting her forehead protector, her long black hair cascading down, she lingered in the corridor for a moment before raising her footsteps and leaving the Hyuga clan.
'I don't deserve such treatment, Hiashi-sama.' She held these words in her heart.
....
Following the barbecue from the previous day, the team's atmosphere had become relatively harmonious.
Sakumo had also gained some understanding of his team members.
Chiba Shiraishi, a medical ninja, didn't reveal much about his personality, but overall, he seemed like an ordinary ninja. However, his expertise in medical ninjutsu gave him an edge.
Hyuga Ayane, hailing from a branch of a prestigious coan, possessed a gentle and considerate nature, occasionally harboring a mischievous side that aligned with her liveliness. Most importantly, she eats alot.
Uchiha Ruri, a prodigy of the Uchiha clan, had skills that, judging from their brief fight the day before, were on par with the average jōnin. Notably, she was wealthy.
In the eyes of Shiraishi and the others, the ninja Sakumo Hatake, known as Konoha's White Fang, had a relaxed personality. He wasn't as ruthless as the rumors suggested, and he was also a poor soul who couldn't even afford a barbecue.
After all, there was always a significant gap between rumors and reality, and their interactions with Sakumo had become quite casual.
At ten o'clock in the morning, Sakumo's team members gathered at the gate of Konoha Village.
"I just went to Hokage-sama to pick up an A-rank mission. Let's use this opportunity to sharpen our skills" Shiraishi's mouth twitched, knowing that this team was embarking on no ordinary mission.
By training with A-rank missions, Shiraishi could get a taste of the grim and uncertain mission career that awaited them in the future.
It was likely too late to back out now.
"Let's go," Sakumo declared, noticing that despite the differing expressions on their faces, all three members obediently followed the plan.
Shiraishi and the others didn't lag behind, swiftly giving chase as Sakumo vanished from sight.
During long-distance travel, it was crucial to conserve sufficient physical strength. As a result, ninjas don't run at full speed; otherwise, even jōnin wouldn't be able to endure it.
"Sakumo-sensei, what is the content of this A-rank mission?" Shiraishi asked since neither Ruri nor Ayane seemed interested in inquiring about it.
Sakumo didn't hold back: "A large-scale battle is taking place on the front line. Our task is to eliminate the hidden enemies in the Land of Fire. They frequently target supply convoys transported from Konoha and destroy towns within the Land of Fire."
"Is it that serious? In other words..."
Shiraishi had a vague suspicion.
"Ah, you guessed right. An A-rank mission can easily escalate to an S-rank mission at any moment because even the Anbu can't fully track the whereabouts of these hidden enemies. That's why a ninja with the Byakugan is assigned to the team. Our mission is to patrol the Land of Fire and eliminate any enemies within our field of vision."
The number of ninjas among the enemy ranks, their ranks as chunin or jōnin, remains unknown.
That's why Sakumo mentioned that A-rank missions can quickly become into S-rank missions.
"Are we the only team?"
Ruri calmly inquired, unperturbed by the mission's nature.
"Of course not. There will be an Anbu team cooperating with us."
Shiraishi, Ayane, and Ruri nodded, feeling somewhat relieved.
If an Anbu team is providing support, the mission should become much more manageable.
Anbu consists of a total of 70 members, with two captains and two vice captains. They serve as the personal guards of the Hokage and generally don't undertake missions directly.
Under the leadership of the commander-in-chief and deputy commander-in-chief, the Anbu is divided into four sub-units.
Each sub-unit has a team leader, and each team leader has four classes, with each class consisting of four Anbu ninjas.
In other words, Sakumo's team will cooperate with seventeen Anbu ninjas to eliminate the hidden enemies in the Land of Fire.
The journey continued in silence. An hour after leaving the village, Ayane activated her Byakugan to scan the surrounding area, detecting any lurking enemies within a five-kilometer radius.
Ayane's Byakugan had surpassed its previous capabilities, providing a significant breakthrough.
Another hour passed, and Sakumo, who led the way, signaled for a halt.
The four of them landed in a clearing and stopped.
"Let's rest here for now."
Discipline is crucial within a team. As the leader, Sakumo's commands are followed unquestioningly by Shiraishi and the others.
After taking a seat, Sakumo spoke: "Further ahead lies a dangerous area where we may encounter enemy ninjas lying in ambush at any moment. You three have excelled in theory during your schooling, and you should be familiar with the fundamentals of team cooperation. Let's work together."
"Are you referring to the three rules of medical ninjas?" Shiraishi asked.
Sakumo nodded.
The three rules of medical ninjas are guidelines set forth by Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin.
First Rule "No medical ninja shall ever stop medical treatment until the lives of their teammates have come to an end."
Second Rule "No medical ninja shall ever stand on the front lines."
Third Rule "No medical ninja shall ever die until they are the last of their team."
Therefore, avoiding combat isn't a disgrace for a medical ninja, nor is it shameful to rely on others for protection.
"In that case, I'll take charge of the vanguard. Ruri and Ayane, your priority is to stay by Shiraishi's side at all times. Even if the surroundings appear to be safe, do not prioritize battle. If a situation arises where you have to fight, Ruri, you'll handle the offense, while Ayane will focus on protection."
"Yes!"
Understanding and executing are two different matters, but Sakumo can only trust that the three of them will cooperate effectively.
After a brief rest, Sakumo led the team forward.
As Sakumo had mentioned, the further they proceeded, the more dangerous the area became, and battles could erupt at any time and anywhere.
"At one o'clock, approximately 2,300 meters ahead, seven Suna ninjas are lying in ambush. Two are concealed underground, three are hiding behind trees, and the other two are hidden in the grass."
Ayane, who had kept her Byakugan active, shared the information she gathered through her vision.
"Let's move," Sakumo's pace quickened abruptly as he sprinted towards the one o'clock direction pointed out by Ayane.
Under the insight of the Byakugan, all ambushes and hidden positions were exposed, with nowhere to hide.
The distance of 2,300 meters wasn't too great, and they reached the enemy's ambush in less than three minutes.
"Sakumo-sensei, should we proceed with caution..."
Just as Ayane was about to say something, Sakumo had already disappeared from her sight.
Under the Byakugan's detection, all Ayane saw was a flash of sword light, and the chakra signatures of the five Suna ninjas vanished instantly, leaving behind lifeless corpses.
The remaining two fled towards their location, seemingly terrified by Sakumo's surprise attack.
"The two targets straight ahead were specially sent by sensei for us to practice. Let's handle them using fire escape."
Ayane sighed.
Where the enemy came from, the number of targets, and the best methods to neutralize them were all visible.
This wasn't much of a battle.
Ruri had already formed the necessary hand seals.
Two large fireballs erupted from her mouth in quick succession.
The two fleeing enemies had no idea that fireballs would arrive so precisely, catching them off guard and reducing them to ash.