Though puzzled why Lord Tobirama assigned seven-year-old Kazuku to patrol duties, Masagawa gave him a task.
Kazuku was to station at an outpost on the forest's edge.
He'd oversee patrols within a 35-mile radius, reporting to Masagawa periodically.
In emergencies, he could abandon the outpost.
Masagawa also shared survival tips and precautions for the environment.
This clarified for Kazuku…
Though Masagawa was the lead jonin, outposts were spread out.
Squad leaders like Kazuku had to make snap decisions.
Understanding this, Kazuku began a simple, monotonous patrol life in the forest.
Time flew, days blurring.
A week passed.
Kazuku felt cut off, receiving no village news.
He delegated reporting to Masagawa to Kosuke.
After all…
As squad leader, Kazuku needed to oversee the outpost.
Since the mission started, he hadn't even seen Masagawa.
Days cycled through patrolling, guarding, training, and resting.
How long would this last?
"This isn't the border mission I expected."
Finishing daily training, Kazuku grumbled. This wasn't the life he wanted.
He thought Tobirama sent him to stir trouble, suppressing Kumogakure ninja.
Forget suppressing…
He didn't even know where they were.
No…
Not just them.
Besides Kagami, Sakumo, and Kosuke, Kazuku hadn't seen a soul.
Conditions were harsh. The "outpost" was a crude wooden shack.
Four people crammed together.
No spices for decent meals.
Worst of all, only Kagami could cook.
And his skills… Kazuku couldn't compliment.
As Kazuku vented about his grievances, Kagami's voice came from behind. "Captain Kazuku."
"Kagami." Seeing him, Kazuku's mood sank.
Lately, Kagami sought him for one reason.
Mealtime.
Thinking of Kagami's barely edible food, Kazuku's head ached.
Especially compared to Muki's carefully prepared breakfasts, bentos, and dinners.
In cooking, Kazuku felt Kagami shamed the Uchiha name.
But this time, Kagami wasn't about food.
His expression was grave.
"Captain Kazuku, Kosuke just returned from Masagawa."
"And?" Kazuku perked up.
He'd assigned Kosuke to handle Masagawa communications.
Kagami was indispensable for cooking and boiling water.
Sakumo, at eight, was a kid.
For humanitarian reasons, Kazuku gave the task to Kosuke.
It proved wise.
Kosuke never faltered.
But that was the issue.
Kosuke reported patrol updates, only needing to check in with Kazuku at night.
Yet Kagami sought him out.
Kazuku guessed Masagawa assigned Kosuke a task.
Whatever it was, it beat monotony.
"Come with me."
Kagami didn't elaborate, motioning Kazuku to follow.
Twenty minutes later…
They returned to the outpost.
Seeing Kazuku, Kosuke hurried over, bowing slightly. "Captain Kazuku."
Though Kazuku was younger, he was the leader.
Ninja hierarchy was strict.
Kazuku nodded. "What's up?"
Kosuke exhaled deeply. "There's a mission tonight."
"Mission? What kind?"
Hearing "mission," Kazuku's spirits lifted.
He'd suspected this, but Kosuke's confirmation excited him.
Sakumo leaned in.
"Here's the deal."
Kosuke relayed Masagawa's words verbatim.
To gather Kumogakure intel, Tobirama planted a spy among Cloud ninja.
This yielded news of their border buildup and Chikusho's attempt to kidnap Yuna.
It wasn't that Tobirama's methods were dirty.
In the ninja world, spies were commonplace.
Other Kages learned of Hashirama's illness via spies.
Though villages sought to root out enemy spies, finding them was tough.
Masagawa's task for Kazuku's team…
Retrieve intel from that spy.
"But…" Kosuke finished, shaking his head. "Is it wise to assign this to us?"
When Masagawa gave the task, Kosuke questioned it.
No matter how you looked…
Their team was the weakest patrol squad.
Kosuke aside…
Kazuku and Sakumo were seven or eight.
Kagami, the only reliable one, was Uchiha.
A spy handoff could be simple or tricky.
If the spy was flawless, they'd meet, exchange scrolls, and done.
But if…
The spy's cover was blown.
They could walk into a trap.
Ninja shouldn't assume the best.
They must plan for the worst.
Especially for Kosuke.
Ignoring this cost him dearly once.
His comrades died because of him.
He hoped seven-year-old Kazuku wouldn't treat the mission lightly.
Even a "safe" intel exchange could be dangerous.
"Don't worry, Kosuke. Despite our team's setup…"
Kazuku's lips curled into a smile. He wanted to pat Kosuke's shoulder for confidence but couldn't reach, so he gave up.
"We're actually strong."
(End of Chapter)