Nawaki, with a grin from ear to ear, suddenly stopped, causing the others to almost bump into him.
"Hey, guys!" He turned to look at them. "What do you say we celebrate our first mission together? Dinner's on me!"
Inoichi raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Impressive, Nawaki. I didn't know you'd become rich overnight. Did you find a treasure or what?"
Pulling out a worn wallet from his pocket, Nawaki swelled with pride. "Ha! This is the fruit of my hard work. The reward for picking up manure the other day, plus my life savings. Enough to treat you to a feast!"
"Nawaki, you idiot! Did you have to mention the manure right before eating? How gross!" Kushina wrinkled her nose.
"Huh?" Nawaki blinked, confused. "What did I say?"
Seeing the perfect opportunity, Chen quickly intervened. "Well, well! Since Nawaki is being so generous, how about we go to the barbecue restaurant? I've heard they have the best ribs in all of Konoha."
He began to guide the group towards the restaurant district, his mouth already watering at the thought of abundant food. However, they had barely taken a few steps when Nawaki stopped them.
"Uh... Chen," he said, scratching the back of his neck with a smile. "The ramen stand is that way. I think you took a wrong turn."
Chen froze in his tracks, slowly turning to look at Nawaki. "Wait, what? Nawaki, don't tell me..."
Letting out an uncomfortable chuckle. "Well, you see... With what I have, at most I can treat you to ramen. But it's the best ramen in Konoha, I swear!"
An awkward silence fell over the group. Chen seemed about to say something when Shikaku let out a sigh.
"What a drag," he muttered, reaching into his pocket. "Forget it, I'll pay."
Chen's eyes lit up. "Shikaku! I always knew you were the most generous of us all."
But Shikaku shot him a warning look. "Don't get too excited, Chen. This is money I've been saving for years. Don't eat it all at once, understood?"
The group headed to the barbecue restaurant, the aroma of grilled meat filling the air as they approached. Chen and Chōza were at the front, already discussing what dishes to order.
As they entered the place, Shikaku couldn't help but feel a pang of regret seeing the hungry look in Chen and Chōza's eyes.
"This is going to be expensive," he muttered, but couldn't help smiling. After all, what better way to spend his savings than sharing a good meal with friends before a potentially dangerous mission?
_____
As diners laughed and chatted around them, the atmosphere at their table began to subtly change.
After observing his companions throughout the meal, Shikaku finally cleared his throat.
"We should reconsider today's mission," he began. "It's too dangerous."
Nawaki almost choked on his bite. "What?! We can't give up. It's our first C-rank mission!"
"It'll be yours," Kushina replied, rolling her eyes. "We've done missions like this before."
The Senju's eyes widened. "Really? When? Was it when you returned from outside the village with my sister the other day?"
With a sigh, the group's strategist rubbed his temples. "I'm trying to talk about something serious here."
Silence fell over the table.
"We're not in times of peace," the Nara continued. "The border is in chaos. War could break out at any moment, and Amegakure will be the main battlefield."
"Escorting someone to Amegakure is not a C-rank mission. It's at least B, possibly A. Without a jōnin, it's too risky."
But Nawaki quickly responded with determination. "I don't care. I'm not giving up. I'll go alone if necessary."
Seeking support, Shikaku looked at Chen. "What do you think?"
Surprised by the sudden attention, Chen blinked before responding with a carefree smile. "I'm definitely going. I need the money. We have a house to rebuild."
"Could you take this seriously for once?" the strategist replied, frustrated.
Chen's smile faded. "I am being serious. I'm going. But you're right to be concerned. This mission won't be easy, and it's probably a trap."
Minato, who had remained silent, finally spoke. "I already accepted the mission. I have to go."
With a sigh of defeat, Shikaku yielded. "Fine, it seems we're all going. But promise me: if things get complicated, we forget the mission and withdraw immediately. Understood?"
One by one, they nodded.
_____
Dawn was barely tinting Konoha's sky with orange hues when Chen, Mikoto, and Kushina arrived at the village gates.
At the entrance, Nawaki and the others were already waiting.
"Finally!" Nawaki exclaimed. "What took you so long? We've been here for hours."
With a carefree smile, Chen shrugged. "What's the rush? The client hasn't arrived yet, has he?"
As they waited, Chen, Mikoto, and Kushina slightly moved away from the group.
Chen leaned towards Mikoto, whispering something in her ear that made her laugh softly, her eyes shining with affection. Kushina, not wanting to be left out, leaned on Chen's shoulder, intertwining her fingers with his.
"Remember our first mission together?" Kushina asked nostalgically.
Mikoto nodded, a smile playing on her lips. "How could I forget. You almost set the store on fire trying to cook."
"Yes!" Chen chimed in. "You were so bad at cooking, Kushina."
As Kushina protested, joy engulfed the three of them in the morning while Chen put an arm around each of them, drawing them closer.
To any observer, they looked like a newlywed couple and their best friend, or perhaps something even more intimate.
Observing the scene from a few meters away, Nawaki felt his irritation growing. Not only had they arrived late, but now they were acting as if they were on a date instead of an important mission.
"Can you believe it?" he muttered to no one in particular, his brow furrowed. "We're supposed to be on a serious mission and they're there, acting like... like..."
"Like a family?" Shikaku suggested.
"Exactly!" he exclaimed. "We should be preparing, discussing strategies, not... not doing whatever they're doing."
As Nawaki continued his tirade in a low voice, Tomo observed this scene with a more complex expression. Her eyes went from Chen to Kushina and back, a mix of emotions crossing her face.
There was admiration there, certainly, from the way she looked at Chen she seemed obsessed. But there was also something else: a flash of longing, perhaps even jealousy, especially when her gaze fell on Kushina.
"They look... happy," Tomo murmured.
The sun was already high in the sky when a figure finally appeared.
A small man with a peculiar face approached, flanked by guards. Nawaki, eager to begin, quickly pulled out the portrait to confirm the newcomer's identity.
Before he could speak, the man —Yamada Kenji— looked them up and down with disdain. His unpleasant voice cut through the morning air:
"These beardless brats are my escort? Konoha's standards have really fallen. Next time, I'll seek protection in another village."
Nawaki's face flushed with anger, a vein visibly pulsing on his forehead.
His fists clenched, his body tense like a spring about to jump. It was only Hizashi's quick intervention, grabbing his arm, that prevented him from lunging at their client.
Tired of this, "Let's go register." Chen took Mikoto and Kushina's hands, guiding them towards the village gate.
The rest of the group followed them.
The management of each Ninja village is very strict. Entry and exit from the village must be registered, otherwise, leaving the village is not allowed.
At Konoha's gate, two chunin guarded it, their serious faces reflecting the importance of their task.
"Papers, please," one of the guards requested.
Chen and his group passed without problems, Konoha's official seal shining on their documents. Shikaku and Minato followed them, the process as smooth as water.
However, when Tomo approached, the atmosphere changed. The guard, Asama, frowned, his eyes going from Tomo to a nearby poster and back.
"They can go," Asama said, "but you..."
Suddenly, a figure dressed completely in black, with a fox mask, appeared as if it had come from the shadows themselves.
"Asama," the shadow called. "Come here. I have important information."
Asama, visibly nervous, followed the ANBU, leaving Tomo and the rest of the group in tense silence.
Finally, Asama returned. Without saying a word, he sealed Tomo's exit permit.
Chen observed the scene from one side, feigning disinterest. However, his eyes narrowed slightly and a gleam appeared in them.
The fact that Tomo, being a Jinchuriki, could leave the village so easily did not go unnoticed by him. What intrigued him most was the absence of secret surveillance. Normally, a Jinchuriki would be under constant observation.
Just yesterday, he had noticed an ANBU following Tomo.
Today, on the other hand, there was no trace of surveillance, and the girl had received permission to leave Konoha without problems.
"Interesting," he thought as a slight smile played on the corner of his lips.
________
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