"I'm Uchiha Kagami, the jonin supervising this mission. From here on, my team and I will escort you safely back to your estate."
Kagami handed the mission scroll to Yuten for verification. Each party kept a copy for record-keeping.
He then waved over Uchiha Kaien and Namikaze Minato.
"Thank you, Lord Kagami. I'll be counting on you and your team, then."
Yuten's attitude was polite and respectful—he was a regular client of Konohagakure. He knew that missions led by jonin instructors were handled by the true elites of the village.
If it had been just a genin squad escorting him, he might've had some concerns. But with Uchiha Kagami personally taking the mission, all his worries vanished.
The Uchiha clan's reputation preceded them. Their mission completion rate was second to none. While most Uchiha were known to be aloof, they were also ruthlessly efficient when it came to fulfilling client expectations.
That reputation gave them a solid standing among the client circles.
And this particular Uchiha? He seemed approachable—something rare. Plus, the two genin behind him looked young but sharp.
Yuten's tone grew even more courteous. To lead a team of such young ninja, this Uchiha jonin must have immense confidence. He felt like he'd hit the jackpot.
A servant soon led a horse-drawn carriage over, and the group officially departed.
...
The escort team wasn't just Kagami's squad. Yuten had also brought along his personal guards—samurai trained in basic chakra techniques.
As for their combat effectiveness? Better than civilians, sure—but against proper shinobi, they'd be wiped out in seconds. Which was why the noble had hired ninja in the first place.
Uchiha Kagami walked alongside the carriage, vigilantly scanning their surroundings for signs of an ambush. Kaien and Minato, due to their smaller builds, rode inside to provide close-quarters protection.
Inside the carriage, Kaien and Minato sat side by side. Across from them were Yuten and his son, Jiro.
For once, Jiro wasn't bouncing off the walls. He sat obediently at his father's side.
Opposite him sat Kaien.
From the moment Kaien entered, he hadn't said a word. Jiro dared only a glance before quickly lowering his head again, then sneaking another peek, feigning nonchalance.
Every time Kaien's gaze met his, Jiro would flush and quickly look away.
The ninja sitting across from him looked better than any princess he'd ever seen—but the air he gave off was far too intimidating. Jiro didn't dare approach. All he could do was steal glances from a distance.
Minato watched silently from the side. Even in the carriage, he remained alert, subtly monitoring everything—especially the client's health and demeanor.
He was already used to this. Kaien had a strange kind of charisma that was almost unfair. This wasn't the first time a mission target had reacted this way.
To kids his own age, Kaien's presence was a critical hit—an icy confidence that created a natural distance. People could look, but they never got close.
The truth was, Kaien was surprisingly gentle. But Minato wasn't about to share that. Some treasures were better kept secret—the fewer people who knew, the better.
As for Kaien himself, he didn't particularly care. Probably being misunderstood again, but it didn't matter. It was just a passing encounter—no reason to speak up.
The [Affinity] trait not triggering at this range would've been the real surprise.
Besides, this was just a civilian. He couldn't generate any affection anyway, which made Kaien even less interested.
Bored, Kaien casually formed a hand seal, pretending to summon a contract beast—when in fact, he was materializing his phantom beast.
It appeared in its usual form: a black cat with snow-like paws.
Might as well keep refining his techniques while they had downtime.
"Minato, look after my cat for a bit. It has sensory abilities—if something dangerous shows up, it'll warn you."
Kaien handed the phantom beast to Minato and leaned back with his eyes closed.
This was the perfect chance for the phantom beast to collect Minato's chakra signature.
As long as it maintained contact, it would gradually absorb enough information to fully replicate him.
Unlocking Minato's "profile" now might prove useful down the line.
Minato immediately recognized the cat—it was the same black feline Kaien always used for nighttime perimeter alarms. He accepted it naturally.
He'd seen it at Kaien's house plenty of times. Its sensory range was impressive.
Kaien hadn't yet mastered sensory ninjutsu, but his phantom beast—disguised as the black cat—was capable enough. The excuse was airtight.
"Meow~"
The cat purred, rubbing affectionately against Minato before curling up in his lap, secretly syncing with his chakra.
"Meow!"
Suddenly, the cat let out a sharp cry of warning.
Kaien's eyes snapped open.
"There's a foreign chakra signature nearby!"
He and Minato exchanged a look. Then Minato slipped out of the carriage without hesitation.
Outside, Kagami was already fully alert, his Sharingan in full three-tomoe mode, eyes locked onto a shadowy patch of forest up ahead.
He raised a hand, signaling the carriage to fall back.
That chakra signature... it felt familiar.
"Yuten, right? Worth five million ryo on the black market."
A deep voice rang out, paired with a pair of eerie green eyes. The sheer pressure made Kagami tense instinctively.
It was him—the stitched-up freak they'd fought before!
"Oh? We meet again, Uchiha Kagami. Your Sharingan is worth even more—fifty million ryo."
"Looks like I hit the jackpot today."
The attacker emerged into full view—shirtless, with grotesque stitching across his body. Clearly a shinobi, but nothing about him was normal.
The pressure rolling off him made everyone present ramp up their guard.
"Kaien, Minato—get the client out of here. This guy's not someone you can handle."
Kagami narrowed his eyes.
He remembered their last encounter clearly. The man's multi-nature techniques were tricky, but still manageable... assuming he wasn't working with the person who ambushed Kagami before.
He instinctively touched the side of his eye.
If it came to it, he'd have to use his Mangekyō...
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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