"Ah… about that…"
Rin's gaze drifted toward the ground.
Her fingers fidgeted behind the fence, and a faint blush spread across her cheeks before reaching the tips of her ears.
"For now, there's only one," she admitted. "I haven't had enough time to make any for the others."
She hurriedly added, "But I might make more later."
Ren looked at her embarrassed yet expectant expression.
He was not oblivious.
The amulet in his palm had clearly required more than a few hurried minutes of work. Rin had embroidered his name carefully, and every leaf had been stitched with attention.
The fact that she had made his first—and given it to him privately—was enough to suggest what she was unwilling to say aloud.
Ren did not expose her.
He carefully placed the amulet inside his jacket, close to his chest, then offered her a gentle smile.
"It's beautiful," he said. "I'll keep it with me. Thank you, Rin."
Rin's tense shoulders relaxed.
"Mm!"
She looked up and met his eyes for barely a second before glancing away again. However, she could not suppress the smile spreading across her face.
"Then you should finish preparing your ninja tools," she said. "From the way Minato-sensei spoke, this mission might be dangerous."
"I will."
"We'll leave together tomorrow morning."
"Alright."
Rin returned to her house with noticeably lighter steps.
Ren watched her go, then touched the outline of the amulet through his jacket.
For someone about to enter a dangerous border region, carrying a good-luck charm did not seem like a bad idea.
The following morning arrived quickly.
Before sunrise, Ren inspected his equipment one final time.
Kunai.
Shuriken.
Wire.
Explosive tags.
Smoke bombs.
Field rations.
Basic medicine.
Everything was arranged inside his pouches according to how quickly he might need it.
Finally, he strapped the short sword Kakashi had lent him across his back. Ren gripped the hilt, drew the blade several inches, and smoothly returned it to its scabbard.
There was no resistance.
He placed Rin's amulet securely beneath his clothes and stepped out of his room.
Aoi was already waiting.
She had prepared breakfast, but barely touched her own food. Her eyes repeatedly moved toward Ren's packed equipment.
"This is only a C-rank mission?" she asked again.
"That's what the mission scroll says."
"And Minato Namikaze will be with you?"
"Yes."
Aoi remained worried, but the knowledge that Minato would lead the team provided some reassurance.
"Stay close to your teammates," she said. "Don't take unnecessary risks. If the situation becomes dangerous, listen to your instructor and come home."
Ren nodded.
"I will."
Aoi adjusted his collar even though it did not need adjusting. After a moment of hesitation, she pulled him into a brief embrace.
"Come back safely."
Ren returned the embrace.
"I'll be back before you have time to miss me."
"That isn't funny."
"It wasn't supposed to be."
Her grip tightened for another second before she finally released him.
Rin was already waiting outside.
The two walked through Konoha together beneath the pale light of dawn. Most shops remained closed, and only a few early workers moved along the quiet streets.
When they reached the village's main gate, Minato and Kakashi had already arrived.
A large wooden carriage stood nearby, loaded with boxes, medicine chests, wrapped bundles, and sealed containers. Several medical-nin wearing dark green flak jackets were checking the cargo and fastening the ropes.
Ren recognized one of them.
"Senior Haruka?"
The female medical-nin turned.
Surprise crossed her face before she smiled.
"Ren? Rin? I didn't expect to see the two of you on this escort assignment."
Haruka had previously taught several lessons during their introductory medical training. She was patient, highly skilled, and one of the instructors who had encouraged Rin's interest in medical ninjutsu.
"It's good to have familiar faces with us," Haruka continued.
Rin stepped closer.
"Are you leaving the village for this mission too?"
Haruka's smile weakened slightly.
"Yes. I've been assigned to Wildfire Outpost in the western border region."
She did not elaborate.
Neither Ren nor Rin pressed her.
Medical deployments were often connected to confidential information, especially when border tensions were rising. If Haruka could discuss the details, she would have done so voluntarily.
They waited.
The sky gradually brightened.
Minato checked the time.
Then he checked it again.
By the third time, Kakashi's patience had visibly begun to disappear.
Finally, hurried footsteps sounded along the road.
Obito came sprinting toward the gate, breathing heavily and adjusting his crooked goggles as he ran.
"S-Sorry!" he gasped. "My grandmother insisted that I drink another bowl of soup before leaving!"
Minato stared at him.
Obito attempted an innocent smile.
The blond Jonin released a helpless sigh.
"Obito, punctuality is not optional on a mission. If you arrive late after the team has entered hostile territory, you could place everyone in danger."
Obito lowered his head.
"I understand, Minato-sensei."
"Make sure it doesn't happen again."
"I won't!"
Kakashi looked unconvinced.
Minato turned toward the others.
"Everyone is here. Let's move out."
The team divided the lighter bundles among themselves. Heavier crates remained secured to the carriage, while two members of the medical group took responsibility for guiding it.
Minato led the convoy through Konoha's gates.
Ren looked back once.
The village walls rose behind him, bathed in the morning sun. Guards watched from above, and the familiar rooftops of Konoha remained visible beyond the open gate.
Then the forest swallowed the road.
For the first time as a Genin, Ren had left Konoha on an official mission.
Minato refused to waste the journey.
As they traveled, he used every opportunity to teach the younger members of the squad practical tracking, evasion, and survival skills.
"Pay attention to the depth of footprints," he explained, kneeling beside a patch of damp soil. "A deeper impression may indicate a heavier person, additional equipment, or recent rainfall. Never rely on one clue alone."
Kakashi pointed toward a damaged patch of moss nearby.
"The direction of the tear shows which way they were moving. The color underneath tells you whether the damage is recent."
They continued deeper into the forest.
"When possible, travel across firm ground," Minato instructed. "Stone, exposed roots, and dry earth preserve fewer tracks than mud."
"Don't assume branches are safe," Kakashi added. "Broken bark and disturbed leaves can reveal movement from above."
Later, Minato taught them how to select a campsite.
"Water is important, but never camp directly beside a river. Flooding, wild animals, and enemy scouts all make riverbanks dangerous."
"A secure field of vision matters," Kakashi said. "Avoid depressions, unstable slopes, animal dens, and places where enemies can approach from higher ground."
The Ninja Academy had covered many of those subjects.
However, its lessons had been simplified and theoretical. Minato and Kakashi explained how those rules changed in real terrain and how careless assumptions could become fatal.
Even Ren benefited.
Rin wrote the most important points in a notebook whenever they paused. Obito listened attentively at first, although he occasionally became distracted by birds or strange plants.
By evening, the convoy reached a defensible clearing and stopped to camp.
After the medical-nin began preparing dinner, Ren found Kakashi resting beneath a tree with his visible eye closed.
"Kakashi," Ren called. "Do you want to spar?"
Kakashi opened his eye.
"Mm."
He stood immediately.
The two moved far enough from the camp to avoid endangering anyone. Ren drew the old Hatake short sword, while Kakashi unsheathed his own blade.
Their figures clashed beneath the darkening sky.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Metal rang continuously through the forest.
Kakashi deliberately repeated several fundamental sequences, forcing Ren to recognize the principles behind Hatake Swordsmanship rather than merely surviving its attacks.
Every time Ren adjusted, the sword style's personified voice echoed in his mind.
[Hatake Swordsmanship: Hmph. Several days of training, yet your movements remain immature. If this is the extent of your discipline, how do you intend to carry my name? Again!]
Kakashi attacked from the right.
Ren parried too widely.
[Hatake Swordsmanship: Your stance is scattered, and your intent is unfocused. A blade that does not obey the heart is no better than a dead branch in a child's hands.]
Ren narrowed his defense and countered.
Kakashi deflected the strike.
[Hatake Swordsmanship: Better. But do not become satisfied with mediocrity. A true blade should resemble thunder—one flash, one decision, and the battle is over.]
Ren's mouth twitched.
Wonderful. She's another chatterbox.
Still, Hatake Swordsmanship's criticism was useful.
The System allowed Ren to receive guidance from the sword style itself while Kakashi demonstrated those principles in reality. It was equivalent to having two instructors correcting him at the same time.
Ren forced himself to ignore the arrogance in her tone and focus on the meaning behind each observation.
His stance gradually stabilized.
His grip loosened.
His strikes became cleaner.
Elsewhere in the camp, Rin reached inside her jacket and removed two handmade amulets.
Both resembled the one she had given Ren, though their stitching was simpler and slightly rougher. She had clearly made them in a hurry after returning home.
Rin approached Minato and Obito.
"Minato-sensei, Obito… these are protective charms," she said. "Please accept them as a token of my appreciation."
Minato appeared surprised.
Then he accepted the amulet with both hands.
"Thank you, Rin. You must have worked hard to make this. I'll keep it safe."
Obito's reaction was far more dramatic.
His eyes widened until they seemed in danger of falling from their sockets. He looked at Rin, then at the small amulet resting in her palm.
"You made this for me?"
Rin nodded.
Obito shot to his feet.
"That's amazing! Rin, you really do care about me!"
He accepted the charm and closed both hands around it, holding it as though a sudden gust of wind might carry it away.
"I'll protect it forever!"
Rin opened her mouth.
She appeared ready to explain something, but Obito had already turned toward the clearing where Ren was sparring with Kakashi.
A triumphant smile appeared on his face.
See that, Ren?
Rin personally made an amulet for me!
Other than Minato, who else received such special treatment?
Can Ren do this?
Rin watched his smug expression and quietly decided not to correct him.
That night, the group slept in tents beneath the forest canopy.
They resumed their journey at dawn.
The convoy traveled southwest through the Land of Fire for the next several days. No hostile shinobi or organized bandits appeared.
They encountered several wild animals, but none presented a serious threat. Obito and Ren drove off a pack of aggressive wolves, while Kakashi killed a large boar that charged the carriage.
The boar became dinner.
The medical team's meals improved considerably after that.
Whenever the convoy stopped, Ren practiced Hatake Swordsmanship with Kakashi. Their sparring sessions became a regular part of the journey.
Kakashi continued "feeding" him specific sequences, demonstrating how each movement connected to the next. Hatake Swordsmanship continued criticizing him with all the gentleness of a blade pressed against his throat.
The combined instruction produced rapid results.
Ren's stance became steadier. His sword no longer moved through unnecessary arcs, and his attacks began to carry a faint trace of the Hatake style's sharp, decisive character.
Then, while the convoy was passing through an unusually dense forest, Kakashi suddenly vanished from the front of the formation.
Several minutes later, he returned.
His relaxed posture was gone.
"Minato-sensei," Kakashi said quietly, "we have company."
Minato's expression sharpened.
"How many?"
"I couldn't get an exact count. Several groups are closing in from the front and both sides."
Kakashi glanced toward the undergrowth.
"They appear to be local bandits, but there are too many for a random robbery."
Minato raised one hand.
The entire convoy stopped.
"Defensive formation," he ordered. "Obito, Rin—protect the medical personnel and supplies. Kakashi, take the right flank. Ren, take the left."
"Yes!"
The team moved immediately.
Obito and Rin positioned themselves near the carriage, placing the medical-nin and cargo behind them. Kakashi disappeared toward the right side of the road, while Ren drew the borrowed Hatake blade and moved left.
Minato remained at the center.
For several seconds, the forest was silent.
Then came the footsteps.
Many footsteps.
Leaves shook. Branches snapped. Shadows moved between the trees.
The bushes on both sides of the road burst apart, and a large group of fierce-looking men rushed into view. Some carried swords and axes, while others held bows already drawn.
They spread across the road with unsettling coordination, sealing every obvious escape route.
Ren's hand tightened around his sword.
Inside the System, crimson flames stirred.
[Great Fireball Technique: Ren… you haven't forgotten your promise to me, have you?]
The bandits raised their weapons.
At last, Great Fireball's chance to reclaim her honor had arrived.