The mission they took on was a escort mission, where the target was the daughter of a wealthy merchant. The task was to escort her to the capital of the Land of Fire.
On the surface, it seemed simple, but the task description noted that the young woman was being targeted by unknown ninjas, which was why it was classified as a B-rank mission.
There were no deeper details available. Although it looked more complicated than it appeared, the mission was within the borders of the Land of Fire, so Hiruzen didn't pursue further information.
After briefing the team on the mission details, Ye Zi and his team met with the escort target.
The target's name was Moko Kumokawa. She was a beautiful young girl with waist-length black hair, straight bangs, large eyes beneath well-defined eyebrows, a delicate nose, and a small mouth with a hint of pink lipstick. Her face was lightly made up—subtle and not overly striking.
As expected of a merchant's daughter, she was dressed luxuriously, like a princess. She wore a long embroidered cloak that trailed behind her on the ground. However, a stern-looking middle-aged man was holding up the end of the cloak to keep it from dragging on the floor.
Upon seeing Ye Zi and his team, Moko's expression was calm and serene. Her pink lips were slightly curved, as if she was either smiling or merely pressing her lips together. She gazed at the four of them with a tranquil demeanor, showing no visible emotion.
She didn't speak, but the middle-aged man holding her cloak questioned them bluntly, "Is this how Konoha operates?" He looked at Kurenai and Guy with clear skepticism, implying why there were two kids in their team.
Ye Zi and Kotoe looked young as well, though they were not exactly children.
The middle-aged man, judging by appearance, didn't seem to recognize Ye Zi or Kotoe.
Ye Zi glanced at the man without showing anger. Although this was only a B-rank mission, the payment was nearly at the S-rank level. It was typical of wealthy individuals to question the choice of ninjas, especially when they had paid a hefty sum.
It was reasonable for him to question the presence of two young ninjas given the significant expense involved.
"I will ensure no harm comes to the target, even if it costs me my life."
Ye Zi spoke calmly and directly, without much emotion. His promise was straightforward and reflected his confidence. If not for having Kurenai and Guy in the team, he wouldn't have taken on a B-rank mission.
As a well-known ninja, making such a promise was sufficient.
However, the middle-aged man seemed unaware of Ye Zi's identity. Just as he was about to say something unpleasant, Moko raised her hand to stop him.
The quiet girl who hadn't spoken before looked up at Ye Zi with mild surprise and said calmly, "I trust you, Konoha's Little White Fang."
Hearing Moko mention the name, the middle-aged man's expression changed. The young man in front of him was the infamous Little White Fang? He was horrified at the thought of almost insulting him earlier and was now too intimidated to look at Ye Zi. Instead, he lowered his head, avoiding eye contact.
He also wondered how Moko recognized him.
Ye Zi was somewhat surprised and nodded slightly at Moko, asking, "When do we depart?"
Moko replied, "Immediately."
Ye Zi agreed promptly, "Alright, we will wait here until you are ready."
Moko nodded slightly and then turned to enter the residence designated for hosting distinguished guests in Konoha.
Once Moko was inside, Kotoe and Kurenai finally let their admiration for her show.
"What a beautiful lady," Kurenai's eyes sparkled. In her view, Moko was not only good-looking but also exuded a graceful and gentle aura that was very pleasant.
Kotoe snorted softly and looked at Ye Zi, asking, "Isn't she pretty?"
Ye Zi, maintaining his focus, replied coolly, "She's someone who's not unpleasant. I initially thought the target would be a more arrogant girl."
Kotoe gave a slight huff but couldn't refute his comment. It was hard to dislike someone who outshone her in both looks and demeanor.
Guy, however, paid no attention to Moko. Using the limited time, he started doing push-ups again, making Hong roll her eyes.
Inside the guest residence.
The middle-aged man, the housekeeper Shin Miyamoto of the Kumokawa family, expressed his concerns to Moko. "I heard that Konoha's Little White Fang has a taste for raw human flesh. Should we ask the Hokage for a different team of ninjas?"
Moko didn't answer immediately. Instead, she looked at her reflection in the mirror, uncertain if her current attire would be suitable. She thought that if she appeared in front of Ye Zi in such a dress, he might not appreciate it.
Thus, she was debating whether to change into more practical clothing.
After a moment, she decided to change and instructed Shin, "Please prepare a simpler outfit for me."
Shin was momentarily stunned, not rushing to fulfill her request as usual, but continued to advise, "Miss, I believe this team is not suitable for your escort, and Konoha's Little White Fang is known for his ferocity. How can we feel secure with them?"
"Seeing is believing; hearing is not." Moko glanced at him with a hint of annoyance.
Shin was taken aback but decided to keep quiet and left to prepare her new clothes.
Moko turned her gaze back to her reflection in the mirror, her expression calm and similar to Ye Zi's, lost in thought.
Once everything was ready, Moko reappeared in front of Ye Zi and the others, now dressed in simple pink clothing instead of her earlier elaborate outfit.
The change made her less ostentatious but more agreeable to Ye Zi and the team.
Ye Zi glanced at the bundle Shin was carrying and thought that the wealthy merchant's daughter was quite different from what he had imagined.
Though Moko didn't have the arrogance of a typical rich girl, her physical condition wasn't fit for walking, so she would ride in a carriage driven by Shin. The rest of the team, except for Kurenai and Moko, formed a protective formation around the carriage.
As night fell, everything had gone smoothly. Ye Zi found a spot for the team to rest and set up a campfire.
The group sat around the fire, with Ye Zi going into the woods.
Moko's grace was remarkable, but she could sit on the ground like Kotoe and the others, hugging her knees and staring silently at the fire.
Kurenai had been eager to talk to Moko but found no opportunity during the carriage ride, and Moko remained silent even after getting out.
Kotoe occasionally glanced at Moko, especially lingering on her chest area, which seemed to help her regain some confidence.
Guy, on the other hand, remained vigilant, paying attention to the surroundings. The calm journey had not eased his alertness, reflecting his cautious nature.
After some time, Ye Zi returned with two rabbits, which would be their dinner.
Check out the patreon and get 49 chapters in advance