Ye Zi skillfully prepared the rabbits, roasting them over the campfire on sticks. After giving some instructions to Yan Ye, he got up and went back into the woods.
While rotating shifts for keeping watch was necessary, setting up warning traps wouldn't hurt either. The resting spot he had chosen was strategically tricky, so only a few traps were needed to cover the whole area.
When Ye Zi returned after setting up the traps, Kotoe had already finished preparing the rabbits. The golden-brown color and the fragrant aroma made Kurenai, who had been hungry all day, gulp, and even Guy was drooling.
With only two rabbits for the six of them, it was definitely not enough. The reason for only catching two was quite clear.
Kotoe understood Ye Zi well and didn't ask questions. She handed one of the rabbits to Moko and then used chakra to cover her palm, tearing the other rabbit into two halves. She gave one half to Kurenai and kept the other half for herself.
As for Shin, Ye Zi and Guy, they naturally had to make do with dry rations.
After eating, the flames of the campfire had weakened. Although it was still early, there were no plans to add more firewood.
Ye Zi told Moko, "Rest now. We'll continue traveling early tomorrow morning."
Moko glanced at him and, without saying a word, headed towards the carriage. Shin, meanwhile, leaned against the carriage, curling up and closing his eyes.
Seeing that the two had gone to rest, Ye Zi assigned the shifts for keeping watch and then sat down under a tree, preparing to rest himself. His watch would be during the latter part of the night.
At dawn, a light mist filled the woods, and every corner was permeated with moisture.
That night had passed peacefully. According to Shin, the enemy was intent on exterminating Moko, but there had been no sign of them until now.
Ye Zi didn't think too much about it. He woke everyone up, had a quick breakfast, and continued their journey.
With their current pace, they hoped to reach a town before sunset. This was why Ye Zi had wanted Moko to rest early.
The journey was silent, with the carriage wheels making a rolling sound on the road.
The route Ye Zi had chosen was a main road, bright and open, as if welcoming hidden enemies. Eventually, some couldn't hold back.
Suddenly, several fireballs shot out from the woods on both sides, heading towards the carriage protected by the group.
Before Shin could react, the horse was startled and raised its front hooves. Fortunately, Shin managed to tighten the reins and control the horse.
Inside the carriage, the sudden jolt caused Moko to bump into the wooden wall. Fortunately, Hong was with her, steadying her and holding her in place.
The fireballs came from different directions, followed by a large number of shurikens.
"Guard the carriage."
Seeing the incoming shurikens and fireballs, Ye Zi's expression hardened. He quickly formed hand seals and created three shadow clones, which then moved in different directions.
Kotoe and Guy moved towards the carriage, staying alert for any further attacks from the enemy.
At the same time, Ye Zi's main body and clones completed their hand seals.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Several gusts of wind blasted out, blowing away the fireballs and shurikens.
Although wind can fuel a fire, when one side is significantly stronger, the interaction between elements is less noticeable.
Team Nine's response was efficient. The enemies, who had intended to approach the carriage, gave up when Kotoe and Guy closed in to protect it and quickly retreated.
The attackers had tried their best and, upon realizing their situation, decided to retreat decisively. This implied a lot of things.
Ye Zi stared coldly at the direction in which the enemies had retreated. He realized many things.
The attackers not only struck from outside his sensory range but also retreated quickly after failing. This suggested that they recognized him. The fact that they attacked despite knowing his identity meant that the girl in the carriage had a high value to these people.
If he hadn't sensed the enemy approaching the carriage, he wouldn't have instructed Yan Ye and Kai to protect it. The mission might have gone badly otherwise.
"A B-rank mission, huh."
Ye Zi sneered. There had been twelve ninjas in the ambush, with the number of reinforcements unknown. Each ninja was at least a Chunin, with three of them having Chakra levels of Jounin, responsible for the three fireballs.
Facing them directly wouldn't have been a problem for Ye Zi.
However, this level of setup was indeed impressive. The fact that they dared to act after recognizing him suggested that the girl in the carriage was far from an ordinary person.
"Kyo… Kyoto?"
Ye Zi turned and walked towards the carriage.
Guy, who had been eagerly anticipating, was momentarily stunned when he saw Ye Zi approach. Was it over?
He had his pants down and was left speechless.
Shin, who had been sitting on the carriage's front ledge, looked shaken and gazed at Ye Zi with admiration.
Ye Zi could think of many things. Kotoe also realized some of them and looked slightly pale. The previous attack had been grand, indicating a large number of ambushers. This was clearly not a B-rank escort mission. The girl in the carriage was definitely not simple.
The daughter of a wealthy merchant? Don't joke around…
"Moko, who exactly are you?" Ye Zi asked the girl in the carriage.
Shin opened his mouth but didn't speak. If he hadn't witnessed Ye Zi's strength, he would have definitely told Ye Zi not to ask so many questions.
Inside the carriage, Kurenai looked at the calm Moko with astonishment. The sudden jolt from earlier was terrifying. With Mu Zi's physical condition, a collision could have been serious, but throughout the incident, she had shown no signs of panic or fear.
This girl was too calm, frighteningly so. She couldn't possibly be just the daughter of a wealthy merchant.
Facing Ye Zi's question, Moko remained silent for a while before responding, "Moko of the Kumokawa family, the fiancée of the current daimyo's son of the Fire Country."
The scene suddenly fell silent. Kotoe, Guy, and Kurenai were all left speechless.
The current daimyo was aging, and succession was a given. To think that the fiancée of the future daimyo was their mission's target.
Ye Zi frowned. To hide such an important matter was incredibly foolish. If it hadn't been him on this mission, not only would Moko have faced dire consequences, but Konoha's ninjas would also be in danger.
He didn't know that Moko had only agreed to his presence because of his reputation. If it had been another ninja she hadn't heard of, she would have refused and switched teams repeatedly. To some extent, it was a matter of wealth and caprice. Ye Zi coldly said, "If this is your true identity, the village would surely know."
Moko responded, "The news hasn't been released yet, so only a few people know."
Ye Zi continued to ask, "Why are you here?"
He didn't need to know too much, such as why a mere merchant's daughter would be engaged to the future daimyo. Some things just needed clarification.
"I don't want to say."
Moko didn't answer, and Ye Zi didn't force the issue. In the end, it was still about the high reward.
He didn't press further and instructed Shin to slow down the pace as they continued their journey.
"Sensei Ye Zi, next time there's an attack, can I make a move?" Guy asked with hopeful eyes.
Kotoe rolled her eyes. With the previous setup, were you looking to get yourself killed?
Ye Zi, without turning around, said, "It depends on the situation. The enemy's strength is not to be underestimated."
Guy clenched his fists, eager to try.
Kotoe looked at Ye Zi's back and thought, You really trust him, don't you?
A/N: Kyoto refers to the city of the Fire Country
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