The next day, Tsunade led her team out of the camp early in the morning.
She needed to bring reinforcements to the front lines, while Takuya's team finally received a long-awaited mission: transporting supplies.
"The camp is currently short on manpower, with most of our shinobi deployed to the front lines. Takuya's team will lead three other Chūnin squads, forming a supply transport unit responsible for delivering supplies to the front lines," Danzo explained as he handed the mission scroll to Takuya instead of the usual recipient, Minato, who was the team's de facto diplomat.
He then marked a line on the map, outlining the route the transport convoy would need to take.
Despite the use of sealing scrolls, most supplies, aside from medical materials and ninja tools, had to be transported by cart. This was why a full transport unit was necessary.
The combined forces of three Chūnin squads and Takuya's team were not meant for combat; their mission was purely to transport goods.
Danzo's expression was grave as he pointed to the route they would be taking.
"With the current instability in the Land of Rain, many of Iwagakure's shinobi have retreated, likely to defend against potential attacks from Kumogakure. However, Sunagakure is still keeping a close watch on us, so your mission is crucial."
Danzo's gaze then shifted to Takuya. Under normal circumstances, a transport unit of this nature would be led by a powerful Jōnin.
But with most of the camp's Jōnin already on the front lines and the rest needed to defend the camp, Danzo had no choice but to assign this task to Takuya's team.
Fortunately, Takuya possessed strength comparable to a Jōnin, making him a suitable leader for this transport unit.
"So, we'll need to be ready for potential enemy attacks at any time?" Takuya asked.
Had Danzo not been so forthright, Takuya might have suspected a setup. But with everything laid out plainly, it was clear that this was not some trap.
In a period where the village was short on high-level combatants, Danzo wouldn't risk sabotaging Takuya. This was, indeed, just a standard transport mission.
"Yes, that's why I'm entrusting Takuya's team to lead the other three Chūnin squads," Danzo confirmed.
"Takuya Yagami, though you haven't officially been promoted, your record shows that you possess the strength to rival, if not surpass, a Jōnin. Therefore, you need to lead this unit effectively."
Nodding, Takuya accepted the mission scroll.
As long as this wasn't a deliberate attempt to set him up, he had no other concerns.
He wasn't afraid of facing enemies head-on; what worried him was the possibility of being betrayed by his own allies.
With Takuya taking on the mission, Danzo seemed satisfied and continued, "These three shinobi are the Chūnin captains who will be assisting you in this operation. You should coordinate with them and familiarize yourselves with each other's teams and formations."
After leaving the command center, the three Chūnin captains introduced themselves to Takuya.
"Captain, I'm Yama Akizuki."
"I'm Sasaro Kouta."
"Shimura Suimoku," the third captain said, catching Takuya's attention.
"Are you from the Shimura clan?" Takuya asked, somewhat surprised.
"Yes, Captain," Suimoku replied. He was well aware of Takuya's reputation; the Shimura clan had become something of a laughingstock because of Shimura Hideitsu's infamous incident.
Their clan had been the subject of ridicule from other families, which had naturally fostered some resentment toward Takuya.
Suimoku had initially shared that sentiment.
But after learning of Takuya's impressive record, Suimoku had quashed his own resentment.
Even if Takuya hadn't officially advanced in rank, his capabilities were on par with those of a Jōnin.
A Chūnin like Suimoku had no business getting involved in conflicts between Jōnin-level shinobi. He knew that antagonizing Takuya would only bring misfortune upon himself and possibly his teammates.
After all, he wasn't particularly close to Shimura Hideitsu; there was no need to provoke Takuya on his behalf.
"Very well, gather your teams. We'll meet at the camp gate in an hour," Takuya ordered.
It was clear that Suimoku, unlike many others from the Shimura clan, didn't harbor any hostility or resentment towards Takuya. Whatever his reasons, as long as Suimoku didn't cause trouble and followed orders, Takuya saw no need to make things difficult for him.
"Yes, sir!" the three Chūnin captains replied in unison before heading off to assemble their squads.
Nawaki sighed with a mix of pride and disbelief. "Who would've thought our team would end up leading a whole transport unit?"
Minato glanced at him and quipped, "We're only getting this mission because Takuya has the strength of a Jōnin—maybe even stronger. Otherwise, we'd still be stuck doing grunt work."
"..."
Did you really have to ruin the moment?
Your sunny disposition is anything but warm; it's more like a harsh spotlight.
"Sunny..."
"Shut up!" Nawaki grumbled, annoyed as Minato chuckled at his frustration.
Takuya sat nearby, enjoying the banter between the two. Everything they needed for the mission was already packed. Once the three squads gathered, they'd be ready to depart.
Soon enough, the squads were assembled, and the supplies were loaded onto the carts. With everything in place, the convoy set out from the camp.
From an inconspicuous spot within the camp, Danzo watched the convoy disappear into the rain. A Root shinobi standing beside him couldn't help but voice his concern.
"Sir, are you sure it's wise to entrust this mission to Takuya's team? They're still just kids."
"The 'kids' you're referring to have already proven capable of taking down Jōnin with ease. If someone were to sponsor his application, Takuya Yagami would undoubtedly pass the Jōnin exam. Don't let age cloud your judgment," Danzo replied calmly.
"Now, what's the latest on our investigation into Kusagakure?"
The Root shinobi responded respectfully, "We've located three members of the Uzumaki clan. Just give the order, and we can proceed with the rescue operation."
"Proceed."
Danzo raised an umbrella and began walking toward the command center.
"We already have one Uzumaki, Nami. A few more won't hurt. After all, a Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails is still just that—a Jinchūriki. They're not invincible.
"What belongs to Konoha, stays with Konoha. Even if we don't need it, we won't let other villages have it."
Danzo glanced in the direction of Iwagakure, a cold smile forming on his lips.
Ōnoki, you think you can get your hands on a perfect Jinchūriki? Think again.
If Ōnoki hadn't meddled, Danzo wouldn't have cared about the Uzumaki remnants in Kusagakure.
Konoha already had a new Jinchūriki, and as long as nothing went wrong, Kushina could keep the Nine-Tails in check for decades.
There was no need to go through the trouble of finding a new Jinchūriki.
But since Ōnoki had interfered, Danzo decided that the Uzumaki remnants couldn't be allowed to fall into Iwagakure's hands.
He quickly ordered Root to investigate, rescue the Uzumaki survivors, and bring them back to Konoha.
After all, Takuya's team had already brought one Uzumaki, Nami, back to the village. A few more wouldn't upset the balance.
Besides, the rescued individuals were just children. Once they grew up and integrated into Konoha, they would naturally develop a sense of loyalty to the village.
As for the adults, they weren't worth rescuing.
Along the muddy roads of the Land of Rain, the three Chūnin squads struggled to push the carts forward. Transporting supplies in this terrain was proving to be a challenging task.
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