"How is it? This mission is way more interesting than Kakashi's team's escort mission, right?"
After speaking, Uzumaki Kasui playfully winked at Aoba and the others.
"It is quite nice," Aoba nodded. The Land of Whirlpools wasn't far from the Land of Waves, so the journey would be relatively quick.
But he was curious about what kind of inheritance the Uzumaki Clan had left behind.
'Could it be those masks?'
"Does that mean in this mission, we'll get to fight ninja from other villages?", Yakumo looked eager to try.
Uzumaki Kasui nodded, but her eyes quickly dimmed, "Ever since the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools, it became a no-man's land between the major nations. Over the years, it's been a paradise for rogue ninja and criminals."
"So this time, there's a high chance we'll be attacked by rogue ninja, which is why it might become an A-rank mission."
Yakumo also noticed the change in Uzumaki Kasui's expression and realized her words had triggered unpleasant memories for the other party.
She quickly apologized, "Sorry, Aunt Kasui."
Uzumaki Kasui patted Yakumo's head and shook her head with a smile, "It's fine."
Seeing this, Kurenai clapped her hands, and after attracting everyone's attention to herself, she said, "Alright, this is our class's first official field mission, and it's not an easy one."
Logically, a mission that could become A-rank wouldn't normally be assigned to a Genin team like theirs.
But Tsunade had said the mission was actually to build Aoba's record, and when Kurenai saw Tsunade's confident expression, she accepted it.
Kurenai still underestimated Aoba's strength.
This was a Kage-level ninja disguised as a Genin.
However, Yakumo and Hinata weren't as outrageous as Aoba, so she still needed to give a reminder.
"Besides possibly being attacked by rogue ninja, there's also a high chance of encountering ninja from other villages. So you must take this seriously and be as careful as possible. Understood?"
"""Understood!"""
All three answered seriously.
Kurenai nodded in satisfaction, "Good. Then we'll dismiss for today. Go and make thorough preparations and restore yourselves to peak condition. We officially depart tomorrow morning."
"Okay!"
The three of them dispersed. This time, they didn't go out shopping together.
Just as Kurenai had said, they had to make thorough preparations.
Aoba walked together with Uzumaki Kasui.
"Aunt Kasui, what exactly is the inheritance left behind in the Land of Whirlpools?"
Uzumaki Kasui hadn't planned to hide it from the beginning and directly said, "It's actually the Shinigami masks that the Uzumaki Clan once worshipped in the Mask Hall. Besides that, there's also some money the clan had stored."
"The money isn't much, but the masks are quite precious and have some special uses. If possible, it's better to collect them. Leaving them outside is too dangerous."
"I see…"
"Then Aunt Kasui, are you going with us?"
Uzumaki Kasui nodded, "I'll go too. After all, the location of the Mask Hall is quite hidden within the Land of Whirlpools. Ordinary people wouldn't be able to find it."
Aoba recalled that the Mask Hall was only visited later on by Orochimaru when he wanted to restore his arms.
"Then what about Karin…"
"I've already asked Shizune to help take care of her."
"Well then…", After confirming the details, Aoba changed the subject and casually chatted with Uzumaki Kasui as they walked.
———
Very soon, they arrived at the Senju Clan's ancestral home.
"Aoba, do you want to come have dinner at Auntie's place tonight?"
Aoba originally wanted to decline, but suddenly remembered Tsunade's furious expression that morning.
He decided to avoid her wrath for now.
"Sure!"
———
[Evening Came]
Karin returned from outside and immediately spotted Aoba sitting on the sofa.
"Aoba-nii!", Karin's eyes lit up. After taking off her shoes, she couldn't even bother to change into indoor slippers. Her small feet wrapped in black thigh-high socks landed on the floor, making a dull sound.
It made Aoba glance over a couple more times.
She sat down right next to him and boldly hugged his arm with both hands.
Her red hair stuck to his face.
It literally stuck to his face. Probably because she had just finished a mission and was all sweaty, felt sticky.
"Karin, you're all sweaty. Don't cling to Aoba like that," Uzumaki Kasui said with a stern face.
Karin turned her head and made a silly face at her.
"Aoba-nii wouldn't mind, right, Aoba-nii?", As she spoke, Karin rubbed her slightly warm, black-socked little feet against Aoba's calf.
She was young, but sure knew all the tricks.
Aoba grabbed her somewhat naughty little foot.
At the same time, he pushed her face away.
"Go take a shower first!"
"Aoba-nii, are you saying you dislike me?", Karin looked hurt.
Aoba squeezed her little foot. The black thigh-high sock was slightly damp with sweat, and holding it felt strangely different.
Noticing something odd, Karin's cheeks immediately flushed red.
She let go of Aoba and stood up from the sofa.
She ran toward the bathroom, "I'll go wash up first."
Wet hair wasn't a problem, but nobody liked sweaty, slightly stinky feet, right?
"This girl!", Uzumaki Kasui showed a helpless expression.
"It's fine. Karin's pretty cute like this," Aoba also got up and walked toward the bathroom.
No other reason, he mainly just wanted to wash his hands.
"You've spoiled Karin too much."
Aoba didn't refute it. Karin only acted this way in front of him anyway. Even though she could be a little willful sometimes, she still listened to him.
She wouldn't do anything to make him angry.
When Karin came out of the bathroom, those soaked black thigh-high socks were already gone.
Her bare feet stepped on the floor, making crisper sounds.
"Aoba-nii, blow-dry my hair!"
———
After dinner—
Aoba left Karin's house.
He cautiously pushed open the door to Tsunade's house.
Just as his head poked in a little, a fair hand yanked him in.
'Crap! An ambush!'
He didn't expect Tsunade to be so dishonorable.
She directly used stealth to ambush him.
'Looks like I'll have to remember to use Kagura's Mind Eye next time.'
After being ruthlessly tormented by Tsunade, Aoba lay limp and disheveled on the sofa, looking like he had no will to live.
There was even some of Tsunade's red nail polish on his collar.
Shizune stood to the side with both hands covering her eyes, saying she couldn't bear to watch.
But what was with the gap in her fingers and that excited look in her eyes?
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