Tatsumi didn't know how long it had been, but just as he was about to fall asleep, Yura finally returned.
"Let's go. The captain is back and wants to see you," Yura said, knocking on the wooden door.
At that moment, a black-haired guy suddenly walked out of the room next door.
"Oh, Yura, is the captain back?" he asked, scratching his head. As he did, gray debris—like the endless drizzle of the Rain Country—cascaded down.
Tatsumi, who had a bit of a neat-freak tendency, felt his scalp tingle.
The man looked like he had just woken up. His sleepy eyes landed on Tatsumi and the others, and after a brief pause, his face lit up with excitement.
"Oh, you three are new here?"
Suddenly, his demeanor shifted, as if he had just spotted prey.
Nawaki was about to respond, but the man didn't give him a chance to speak.
"Such a young age," he clapped his hands together. "I get it—you must be Anbu-trained talents. Amazing! To be on your own at this age, you must be elites!"
He had mistaken Tatsumi and the others for Anbu operatives.
After all, many Anbu members were recruited and trained from a young age, chosen for their exceptional abilities. Their missions often began far earlier than those of typical Academy graduates.
Nawaki was about to clarify, but the man once again cut him off.
"Haha, Yura, I'll take these little guys there myself!"
Yura ignored him and simply walked ahead.
The man, however, remained unfazed. He continued chattering away as he followed Tatsumi and the others.
Seeing that he wouldn't get a word in, Nawaki sighed and stopped trying.
The group followed Yura through the passage on the left, which led to a spacious room filled with cabinets and scrolls.
A middle-aged ninja sat at a desk inside. Ryuji was there as well, still wearing his usual stern expression when he saw them enter.
The middle-aged man gave them a welcoming smile.
"My name is Hidemoto, and I'm the leader here. Anjiu has already briefed me on your situation."
He gestured for Tatsumi and the others to sit.
"First, let me explain—our primary mission is to gather intelligence on Iwa forces. All kinds of intelligence. If we are careful, our work is relatively safe."
"One more thing—while we operate under Konoha's command, we actually report to Anbu!"
The pride in Hidemoto's voice was unmistakable. His expression practically screamed, Be amazed already!
But something about it felt off to Tatsumi.
Sure, "Anbu" sounded prestigious—after all, its full name, Assassination Tactics Special Forces, carried an air of mystery and danger.
The idea of a covert unit specializing in stealth, ambush, and assassination was undeniably appealing. The recruitment standards were high, and its members were among the best in the village.
But in reality…
Tatsumi couldn't shake the feeling that Anbu was more like the so-called "Dragon Group"—essentially a team of disposable side characters.
Their job description?
1. Serve as background props for the real protagonists.
2. Get swiftly eliminated by the enemy.
3. Occasionally provide exposition with lines like, "This is Anbu business. Step aside."—before immediately being wiped out.
It was a thankless role. Just being able to survive was already an achievement, and expecting any extra rewards was wishful thinking.
Hidemoto paused, seemingly waiting for them to process this "shocking" revelation before continuing.
"Although you are Lord Orochimaru's disciples, I don't believe you should be sent out alone on intelligence-gathering missions just yet."
"But since Lord Orochimaru entrusted you to me, I won't leave you idle either. So, from now on, you will follow—"
Hidemoto's gaze swept across the room as he considered who would lead the team.
Tatsumi and Nawaki exchanged a glance, both raising an eyebrow.
Ryuji's face remained stone-cold, his expression full of disdain.
Yura was expressionless, neither agreeing nor objecting.
Meanwhile, the talkative young man eagerly leaned forward in his chair, practically vibrating with excitement.
"Yura, I'll leave them to you," Hidemoto finally decided.
Yura nodded silently, accepting the assignment without complaint.
The talkative man immediately deflated, disappointment etched on his face.
"Hmph. My dear sister, have fun being a babysitter for these three little ones," Ryuji sneered.
Hidemoto's gaze flickered toward him.
"Ryuji, I know you are grieving your brother's death, but that's no excuse to mock your comrades."
"I understand, Boss Hidemoto," Ryuji replied, though his tone was still cold.
"Alright, Yura, take them to familiarize themselves with the environment and explain our main operations," Hidemoto instructed.
"Understood," Yura responded lightly.
Tatsumi and the others followed her toward the passage ahead.
"There are three main areas here," Yura explained as they walked.
"One leads to the living quarters. Another holds our intelligence archives. And the last one… is the prison, where we keep captured enemy ninjas."
She glanced back at them.
"I mentioned before that while combat is part of our work, it's not our main focus. Our priority is intelligence collection. But for now, I'll show you the prison first."
Yura led the way, her pace steady.
Tatsumi and the others followed close behind.
As they walked, faint sounds began to drift toward them—hoarse voices pleading in agony.
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