The mission to escort the wounded was classified as A-rank, and Akira wasn't undertaking it alone. Altogether, twelve shinobi in three teams were assigned to this operation. When they gathered, Akira recognized some familiar faces: Duy, Guy, Ebisu, Genma, and even Kakashi.
The higher-ups were taking no chances with this escort mission. The team was high-caliber, with not only skilled shinobi like Akira and Duy but also members of the Hyūga clan providing reconnaissance.
The group was sizable, with a hundred members, including wounded and a contingent of medical-nin. Such a large group, carrying injured personnel, couldn't move stealthily. However, no one seemed worried—no one expected any enemy would be reckless enough to attack them. With the Hyūga's Byakugan on watch and warriors like Akira and Duy, who had once taken on the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, everyone felt an unshakable sense of security.
Any enemy would need more than a handful of jōnin to pose a real threat to this escort.
"Good to see you again, Duy," Akira said, greeting him along the way.
"Ah, Uchiha boy! What a coincidence! I didn't expect we'd be on a mission together," Duy replied with enthusiasm, his energy as boundless as ever.
"Definitely a pleasant surprise," Akira nodded with a smile. "After this mission, Duy, you should finally be able to advance to jōnin, right?"
Duy's face lit up, though he hesitated a bit before replying,
"Minato recommended me, but I feel like I still have a long way to go before I'm truly at a jōnin's level. So I'm not in a rush to advance. I'm quite content with being a chūnin. That way, I can still get assigned to some interesting missions."
"Well, I wouldn't be surprised if you make jōnin soon, Akira." Duy gave him a thumbs-up, his bright smile gleaming.
Akira shrugged. "Maybe."
The two continued chatting casually at the rear of the group, while nearby, Guy, Genma, and Ebisu were conversing quietly among themselves. Kakashi, however, radiated a chilling aura, his demeanor colder and more distant since the recent death of Rin. Even Guy could only exchange a few words with him, Kakashi barely acknowledged anyone else.
To ensure Kakashi didn't lose himself in grief and rage against Kirigakure, Minato had assigned him to this mission, giving him a chance to return to Konoha and hopefully find some peace. With the war nearing its end, it made sense to start sending some troops back.
"Kakashi, you should've seen Akira fighting the Seven Swordsmen from the Mist! If only I had such strength," Guy said, looking at Kakashi with envy.
Kakashi's tired eyes twitched slightly as he glanced at Akira chatting with Duy nearby. He thought to himself, Akira is so different from Obito and the other Uchihas. He's neither as thick-headed as Obito nor as arrogant as most of his clan. In a way, he's a bit like Minato-sensei…
Guy, unbothered by Kakashi's silence, continued, "Kakashi, do you think Akira could take on a tailed beast?"
At the mention of tailed beasts, a flash of pain crossed Kakashi's eyes. He recalled the recent horror of seeing Rin used as a vessel for the Three-Tails, feeling a surge of frustration over his own weakness and his failure to keep his promise to Obito.
Kakashi looked at Guy and replied coolly, "Why don't you ask him yourself?"
Unfazed by Kakashi's icy tone, Guy cheerfully walked over to Akira and asked,
"Akira, with your strength, could you take on a tailed beast? I hear they're the trump cards of every major village!"
"Guy!" Duy's voice turned serious as he shot a reproachful look at his son. "That's a personal question, you shouldn't ask such things!"
Indeed, questions about a shinobi's abilities were often private, and even close friends avoided bringing them up. They weren't even particularly close to Akira, making Guy's question all the more audacious.
"Please don't take offense at Guy's question," Duy said, scratching his head in embarrassment.
Realizing his mistake, Guy looked sheepish. "Sorry about that, Akira."
Not far away, Genma and Ebisu, who had been eavesdropping, sighed in disappointment, they'd been just as curious as Guy about the answer. Having spent over a year on the battlefield, they knew that each village's tailed beasts were their deadliest assets. While they hadn't seen a tailed beast up close, they'd seen the massive craters left by their Tailed Beast Bombs.
"It's alright," Akira replied with a friendly smile.
Seeing that Akira didn't seem bothered, Guy's curiosity got the best of him again.
"Akira, I bet you're strong enough to handle a tailed beast, right?"
"Guy!" Duy scolded, giving him a stern look. The kid is getting a bit too bold with these questions, he thought.
Akira chuckled, thoughtfully stroking his chin. "Well, tailed beasts vary in strength. With my current abilities, I might have a shot against some of the weaker ones."
"That's incredible!" Guy said, visibly impressed.
Akira grinned. "Though if it were your dad, he could probably take on any tailed beast except the Nine-Tails."
"Really, Dad? You're that strong?" Guy looked at Duy in awe.
The mention of the Nine-Tails left Guy truly stunned. Known as the mightiest of the tailed beasts, it was viewed as a true force of destruction among shinobi.
Duy quickly shook his head.
"I'm not that powerful. Even with the Eight Gates, I'd have a hard time against a tailed beast. There's still a long way to go for me."
"If it were Hokage-sama, though, he might even be able to handle the Nine-Tails," Duy added with a touch of admiration.
Akira merely chuckled without offering a comment. Sarutobi Hiruzen could probably hold his ground against the Nine-Tails for a while, but that's about it. The raw power of the Nine-Tails was leagues beyond the other tailed beasts; without specific tactics, it was difficult to counter.
Even Uzumaki Kushina had more effective means of handling the Nine-Tails than Hiruzen.
Just then, one of the Hyūga scouts, Hyūga Homon, appeared beside them in a flash. He looked at Akira and Duy, his face serious as he reported,
"There's a squad of thirteen Kirigakure shinobi one kilometer ahead of us, at our ten o'clock. One of them has an unusually large chakra reserve—possibly the Six-Tails' Jinchūriki!"
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