"Captain, are we not going to make a move?" a ninja in a completely black uniform asked.
"Can't you see who's accompanying that boy? It's Shisui of the Body Flicker. Even if we could assume we might overpower him, there's no way for us to stop him if he decides to retreat. If that happens, our village could only sacrifice us as rogue ninjas before the Daimyo since they're technically his escort," the group leader, an experienced war veteran, explained.
"Sorry about that, Captain," the ninja apologized.
"Then what are we going to do now?" the captain of another squad asked.
"Let's just follow them quietly. If we get a chance to find that boy alone, we can complete the mission. If not, there's nothing we can do except return empty-handed."
*Author's Note: I'm not overestimating Shisui's strength. If you have any doubts, watch this YouTube video, which does a great job of showing who Shisui really was - https://youtu.be/n_S8zEMIZ9U?si=6RYZJ_1DARxNDmh9*
Since they were the most efficient stealth squads in Kumogakure, they believed they could quietly follow Shisui and Kaida. But when they saw the pair reaching the bear's cave, Shisui suddenly looked directly at their location, not just in a general direction but exactly where they were.
All the ninjas immediately became alert, preparing to fight for their lives. However, Shisui did nothing for 30 seconds.
"Our cover's blown. This mission is over. Retreat," the leader of one team said, and all eight of them flickered away.
…
"Is there something there, brother?" Kaida asked, noticing Shisui looking at a spot for some time.
"Nothing, just some rats. They ran away," Shisui replied.
"That's great. But if that's the case, we should hurry back," Kaida said.
By now, the bear was also ready to go with them. Kaida stored the food in the storage seal, and they headed toward the outskirts of Kumogakure.
…
"Is everything ready?" Jiraiya asked the eight jonin standing before him.
"Yes, Jiraiya-sama. We checked all supplies twice, and the caravan was scanned twice," one of the ANBU jonin replied.
"Good. Then we'll leave in half an hour," Jiraiya said, going to inform the Daimyo that everything was ready and they could depart whenever he was prepared.
After half an hour, the royal caravan of the Fire Daimyo was on the move again. As they left Kumogakure, the caravan slowed down. Soon, they spotted a brown dot approaching quickly, and those from the Uchiha clan recognized who it was.
"Jiraiya-sama, Shisui and Kaida are back," a jonin reported.
"Good. Have them handle the rear security with Itachi and Kabuto. I'll take the front. You all cover the left and right," Jiraiya ordered, moving to the front of the caravan. The security was tighter now, as there was a real threat ahead.
Though the chances were low, there was still a risk of an attack to eliminate at least one of Konoha's talents. Thus, the security was as much for themselves as for the Daimyo.
Kaida and Shisui joined the group 10 minutes later, where Itachi and Kabuto waited at the rear.
"Hello, buddy," Kabuto greeted, patting the bear's head. It responded with a small roar. The other ninjas found it cute, but the Daimyo's servants and guards were terrified of the three-meter-tall beast. Ordinary bears don't grow this large, so the sight of one like this unsettled the civilians, especially the Daimyo's personal guards. They were certain some of them wouldn't survive if forced to defend against the bear.
Fortunately, the bear seemed friendly, allowing them to focus on potential enemies rather than worrying about friendly casualties. Some ministers even looked at the bear, amused rather than fearful—after all, with two S-rank ninjas as protection, they'd be safe even if a horde of such bears attacked.
…
"So, we're handling the rear. I'll manage vigilance. Itachi and Kabuto, stay with the caravan, keep watch from the top of our cart, and alternate shifts. Conserve your energy as well, as you may need to switch positions with me if necessary. Kaida, stay with your bear. You two will also keep an eye, especially on the left side. I'll cover every direction, mostly left," Shisui instructed his impromptu team.
They maintained a 50-meter radius from each other, and Shisui could cover that distance before anyone could blink if needed.
As the journey continued, they set up tents and prepared food as night fell. Kaida started cooking the deer meat the bear had roasted, similar to how he did in the forest, though he now had access to more ingredients. The result was even better than before, and Kaida, Itachi, and Kabuto took their shares.
"Hey, what about me?" Shisui asked, returning after reporting to Jiraiya.
"Here, brother," Kaida said, dividing the food into five portions, though the bear still received more than the four of them combined.
But Shisui wasn't the only one drawn by the aroma. The delicious scent of roasted deer meat spread throughout the area while Kaida cooked, lingering for hours. Although the Daimyo and his ministers weren't interested, as it didn't meet their "standards," the guards and servants—particularly the guards—were losing patience with their own bland rations.
Finally, a young guard, who had no desire to eat jerky after hours of smelling the tantalizing aroma, approached and asked, "Hey, that looks really delicious. Can I have a little?"
The five of them, especially the bear (whose portion was about to shrink again), looked at him.
Kaida hadn't initially considered the ninjas or guards when preparing the food, as they typically made their own meals. But seeing everyone glancing at him, he sighed, noting the guards' sad diet of jerky, bread, and odd-looking soup. Kaida stood up.
"I'll hunt another one for you soon and cook a larger portion. Can we share this with everyone?" Kaida asked, looking at the bear. The bear eyed its portion like it was making the most important decision of its life—a decision even bigger than leaving its home to follow Kaida to a foreign land.
After a moment, the bear nodded. Kaida smiled, cutting off one leg for the bear and another for the eight jonin. Since Jiraiya was eating with the Daimyo, there was no need to save any for him. Kaida took the rest to the guards.
"Please share this with everyone, and give a little to them as well," Kaida said, pointing to the servants.
"Is it really okay?" one guard asked.
"Yeah, no problem at all," Kaida replied, pushing the food forward.
"Thanks," the guard said, taking the food, amazed at how easily Kaida, a young boy, handled a weight that strained him to his limit.