"Isn't that a bit too much?" Tenten asked hesitantly.
"What's wrong with it?" Naruto immediately retorted, "Obviously, completing the mission safely is the most important thing. We're Shinobi, but that doesn't mean we should let the client have their way recklessly."
"Money can be earned again, but you only have one life. It's obviously not worth it to gamble your companions' life with this kind of brother complex of unknown origin!"
Neji was silent, staring out the window for a long time.
Tenten also fell silent, fiddling with her fingers as she struggled with the decision.
"Tie him up!" Neji gritted his teeth and said.
"Yes! We must tie him up!" Tenten agreed resolutely, "This time, our opponent might be one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. We can't take any chances."
"I'll tie up that Rokusuke. Anyway, I'm not part of Team 3. You guys don't have the heart to do it, but I can." Naruto said with a smile on his face.
"I'll make him an offer he can't refuse. We won't get any complaints."
Almost instinctively, Tenten shuddered. She couldn't shake the feeling that this mission wasn't going to go smoothly. Especially with Naruto joining them, as it seemed even more dangerous now.
An hour and a half later…
Team 3, along with three villagers and a blond temporary worker, set off on their journey to the Land of Rivers. The mission was urgent, leaving them no time to prepare.
Kurama was left at home to watch over the house. With enough food in the fridge, Naruto wasn't worried about Kurama starving. Even if he went out to find food, he'd still manage to eat well.
The Land of Rivers was known for its frequent rainfall, mainly due to its elevation and terrain. Unlike the Land of Fire, where rainfall was evenly distributed throughout the year, the Land of Rivers experienced heavy rainfall mostly in the summer and early autumn.
As they crossed the border into the Land of Fire, a sudden downpour forced the group to take shelter in an abandoned cave.
The three villagers leading the way felt increasingly uneasy, but every time they looked up, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
However, the closer they got to the Land of Rivers, the stronger this sense of unease became.
Tenten was a little nervous. It was the first time in her life that she would have to act against a client, although it was for the sake of the mission, 'Successfully completing the mission would be the best interest of the three villagers as well.'
'But…'
In comparison, Naruto remained much more composed.
He observed that Rokusuke had been unusually silent throughout the journey. He basically didn't speak and maintained a serious expression. It was hard to tell what he was thinking.
Generally speaking, troublemakers were the ones who had no skills but a lot of ideas.
Five days later.
"We're almost there!" The bearded villager pointed to a tall mountain hidden among the trees, "That! That's the Katabami Gold Mine!"
The bare mountain towered into the sky, resembling a massive, irregular stone monument, but within it lay the shimmering gold veins.
While the three villagers were gazing at the mine in their homeland, Naruto was already gritting his teeth with jealousy. He suddenly understood why Raiga enslaved this village.
"I remember now!" Lee suddenly perked up and pointed in another direction, saying, "Granny Sansho's curry shop is in front!"
'Curry? Now that he mentions it, I feel hungry.'
He looked back and saw that everyone except Rokusuke was looking at Lee. Even the other two villagers, who were anxious about returning home, had their stomachs grumbling.
The look in his eyes was almost self-explanatory, as if saying: Now that things have come to this, let's eat first!
Rokusuke noticed the expressions of his fellow villagers, and his face grew even darker. He walked to the side of the road without saying a word, and squatted down to rest.
Naruto's eyes never left Rokusuke, and when he heard Lee say that there was a familiar curry shop up ahead, he instinctively sensed that the opportunity to take action had come.
He turned to look at Tenten and Neji, and the three of them exchanged knowing glances, reaching a consensus in an instant.
If they didn't control this potential traitor now, then what is the point of the mission? They might as well clean their necks and prepare for the worst. After all, nipping the threat in the bud as soon as possible is what normal people do.
The Granny Sansho's curry shop looked a bit old and worn. It was a two-story brick building with a simple design. There wasn't even a sign hanging out front, just an elderly woman sweeping the entrance with a broom and water basin.
"Granny Sansho!" Lee, unaware of his teammates' plan, excitedly ran up to the old woman and lifted her off the ground, spinning her around several times.
"Here! Here! This is Granny Sansho!" Lee enthusiastically introduced the Sansho to his companions and strongly recommended the shop's signature spicy curry.
"Neji! Tenten, Naruto! It's really good!"
"If you don't believe me, just try it!"
"The curry made by Granny Sansho is the best curry in the world!"
The three of them sat in the dining area, and Neji, unable to resist Lee's enthusiasm, ordered a serving of the signature curry. Tenten was still hesitant, but Naruto suddenly raised his hand and said, "I'll have a regular curry, please!"
Hearing this, Lee burst into tears instantly, "Naruto, you don't believe me?"
"It's not that I don't believe you, I just don't like heavy flavors." Naruto said, rubbing his chin. He pointed to the three villagers at another table and added, "Give them each a serving of the signature curry. I think they might need it more."
About ten minutes later, aside from Tenten, Naruto, and Lee, everyone else was predictably coughing up fire from the spiciness.
Lee, ever the iron-stomached and iron-assed warrior, didn't mind the spiciness at all and continued to eat with great enjoyment.
Halfway through the meal, Rokusuke suddenly said that he needed to step outside for some air.
Lee was still busy devouring his food, completely oblivious to the fact that Naruto, Tenten, and Neji had all stopped eating simultaneously.
Without the slightest hesitation, the three of them worked together perfectly. Within half a minute, the three villagers were tied up like dumplings and thrown to the ground. Naruto, who had somehow procured an old rag, used it to gag Rokuro.
"Mm! Mm!!!" Rokusuke reacted violently and struggled continuously.
In contrast, his two fellow villagers, who had been equally tied up, were left in a state of confusion, repeatedly asking what was happening.
"It's nothing, we just need your cooperation. I want you guys to stay here for a day so you don't interfere with our mission." Neji has completely accepted Naruto's theory and quickly put it into practice.
"We want to complete the mission, and you want to save your village. We share the same goal." Neji paused and said to the two villagers who weren't gagged.
"Please tell us everything you know and give us detailed information about the village. I will keep this a secret for you after we drive the Kurosuki Family out of your village."
The two villagers, bound tightly, exchanged glances and seemed to realize they didn't have a better option.
Rokuro, still gagged, continued to whimper as if he wanted to say something.
Naruto, not in the mood for nonsense, kicked him rudely and said disdainfully, "What's with all the mumbling? Are you trying to be Thomas the Train?"
"When you had the chance to speak, you stayed silent. And now you want to talk?"
"Naruto, let him speak."
Hearing this, Naruto nodded and reluctantly took the rag out of Rokusuke's mouth.
"Cough, cough, cough!" Rokusuke coughed violently a few times and quickly said, "The thugs of the Kurosuki Family are all from the village. They are holding a funeral right now. I can hear the funeral bells!"
Naruto clicked his tongue in annoyance and said, "Your village sure has a lot of traitors, doesn't it?"