As Reiki walked away, Yahiko fell silent. Would he have been able to let go of hatred so easily in the same situation? The answer was… no.
"Yahiko-sensei," one of the Amegakure students spoke up, "do we really need to learn to let things go like that? What if those ten attack us again? Their leader was killed—that hatred won't disappear just because they were let go."
The other students nodded in agreement. To them, Reiki's decision seemed unrealistic, even naive. It went against the survival instincts ingrained in them as ninjas.
"Lady Tsunade," Yahiko called out, looking to her for insight. To him, Reiki's actions defied the harsh logic of the ninja world, and it left him feeling uncertain.
"I respect his approach," Tsunade replied calmly. "Everyone finds their own way of being a ninja, and his way involves a certain… confidence."
Hearing her response, Yahiko froze, understanding her meaning. Confidence. Reiki didn't consider those ninjas a threat. They were so insignificant to him that he could afford to let them go.
---
Meanwhile, further away from camp, the mercenaries were gathering their thoughts.
"Zhi, are we really leaving?" Hongishi's voice was thick with frustration. "We were ambushed before. If we could catch them off guard, it'd be easy to teach those brats a lesson. And Master Xin is dead. We owe it to him to get revenge."
"Do you not get it?" Zhi replied, shaking his head. "That kid didn't fear us at all. That's why he let us go. If we tried anything now, do you think we'd even stand a chance?"
Hongishi clenched his fists, his pride stinging. But before he could respond, a voice came from the shadows.
"It's true; you wouldn't have a chance," came Reiki's calm voice, causing all ten mercenaries to tense up, their eyes darting around for signs of Tsunade.
"Don't worry, my teacher's not here. But my big brother is," Reiki continued, gesturing to a tall, armored figure who stepped forward, radiating a terrifying aura.
"So, letting us go was just a trap," one of the mercenaries muttered, alarmed.
"Not at all," Reiki replied, "but I have a job I'd like to entrust to you." He tossed a box to them, which Zhi caught and opened.
Inside were ten sets of potions.
"Stamina potions… recovery potions!" Hongishi and Zhi's eyes widened, realizing the value of the contents. The black market price for a single potion was at least 10,000 ryo, and here were ten groups of them—worth at least 200 million ryo altogether. It far exceeded any payment they'd received from Xin.
"This is your reward. The job details are in this scroll. If you agree, sign here," Reiki said, tossing a scroll their way.
Zhi opened the scroll, his eyes narrowing as he read, while Hongishi scowled.
"What's the meaning of this?" Hongishi said indignantly, feeling insulted by the job description.
**[Mission: After the Chunin Exam, engage with three specific Konoha ninja in a mock battle, ensuring you remain undefeated. Tsunade should not intervene.]**
"Each of you is a Chunin and has experienced life-and-death situations in the field. This isn't a fight to the death, but a test. You can prepare however you need, and there's no need to tell us when and where it will happen. Just give me an answer," Reiki explained smoothly.
Hongishi gave a derisive snort, but Zhi's expression softened, realizing the challenge.
"We accept. But next time, bring us more missions like this," Zhi said, signing the scroll. The group took their potions and disappeared into the night.
---
The next morning, Tsunade's group resumed their journey, reaching the Village Hidden in the Waterfall by afternoon.
"Tsunade-sama, we'll split up here," Yahiko said, giving a respectful bow. "If our paths cross again, please ask your disciples to go easy on my team." He gave a quick, friendly nod before heading off with his group.
Shortly after, Konoha's other Genin teams, led by Kato Dan, arrived to join them.
"Tsunade, we…" Kato Dan began, but Tsunade's cold glare cut him off.
"If I were you, I'd keep my distance," she replied, turning away without another word.
Feeling uncomfortable, Kato Dan quickly addressed his own group. "All right, let's head to our quarters and prepare for tomorrow's exam."
As night fell, Kato Dan gathered his students together in his room.
"Ziyu, all of you have strong academic abilities," he said encouragingly. "Don't let the pressure of the exam get to you. Perform as you normally would. But for now, here's some cash—go explore the village and enjoy yourselves," he added, handing them a stack of bills.
"Yes, Kato-sensei!" the six Genin answered enthusiastically. While older than Reiki's team, they were still young and excited to experience a new village.
The six Genin had barely stepped out of their quarters when they spotted Reiki, Shisui, and Nozuki approaching.