Naruto: Chronicles of a Fire Ninja-Chapter 393 - 388: Start of Mission

Since every member of the team assigned to protect the Daimyo was an elite shinobi of Konoha—with even the weakest among them being at elite Jonin level—they reached the Fire Capital in record time.

By the time they arrived, it was only 12:30 PM, and they were immediately escorted to the Daimyo's palace.

Even though most of them had been here before, the sheer grandeur of the palace once again left them in awe. The sprawling golden rooftops, intricate carvings, and shimmering silk banners stood as a testament to the unmatched wealth of the Fire Daimyo.

Just like before, the Daimyo himself came out to greet them—a rare gesture that spoke volumes about his respect for Jiraiya and his team.

"Jiraiya! It's been far too long!" The Daimyo greeted with a broad smile, his hand gently waving a folding fan in front of his face, partially concealing his expression as if to appear refined yet warm.

Jiraiya returned the greeting with a casual grin. "Thank you, Lord Daimyo. It's always a pleasure to be in your company."

The Daimyo chuckled lightly, but deep down, a wry thought crossed his mind:

'Then why do you charge me millions of Ryo every time?'

Of course, his expression remained unchanged, maintaining the air of a gracious host.

"I trust your journey was smooth?" The Daimyo continued, his tone light yet formal. "I've already arranged guest rooms for you all. Get some rest—for now. We'll be departing in two hours."

Jiraiya nodded appreciatively, knowing that while the Daimyo was friendly, he also valued efficiency. "Thank you, Lord Daimyo. We'll make sure to be ready."

With that, he led the team toward their quarters, where the team was alone. There was no need to check for any seals for surveillance, since the Daimyo would not do something so foolish in any case.

...

"We'll both leave as soon as the caravan is ready," Jiraiya stated, his tone firm yet measured. "I'll leave behind a clone that should remain active for at least a day. Shisui, yours needs to hold out for about half a day longer since your location is farther from our meeting point."

"Understood, Jiraiya-sama," Shisui nodded. "Though I'll try to return at the same time as you."

Jiraiya crossed his arms, considering the possibility. "If we manage that, then there'll be no need for any extra measures. But if not, stick to the plan Shikaku laid out." He then turned to Kakashi.

"Got it, Jiraiya-sama," Kakashi responded, noticeably more serious than his usual laid-back demeanor.

With their assignments clear, they went over the strategy once more. The final route details of the Daimyo's journey had just been handed to them, requiring a few adjustments to their original plan. After ensuring every detail was accounted for, the group eased into a more relaxed state. The ANBU operatives were already well-versed in their roles, so no further instructions were necessary.

After a short wait, they were summoned to the front of the palace, where the caravan was preparing to depart.

Just like before, the sight was breathtaking—a true display of wealth and power.

The caravan consisted of multiple small, lavish carriages, each worth more than an average home in the capital, surrounding a larger, more ornate central carriage—the very image of nobility and excess.

'No wonder the Daimyo needs this much protection...' thought one of the younger ANBU.

Even seasoned shinobi had once shared similar thoughts. A display like this was an irresistible target—every bandit, rogue ninja, and mercenary in the region would be tempted to test their luck.

Beyond the carriages meant for the nobles, there was one set aside specifically for the shinobi escort—a rare luxury. Given that this mission would last much longer than usual, the carriage was large enough to accommodate all eleven of them.

Of course, they wouldn't be riding in it—their priority was to protect the caravan, not relax. However, it would serve as a space to rest in shifts when necessary.

As final preparations were made, the Daimyo himself stepped toward Jiraiya, his expression composed yet amiable.

"Well then, Jiraiya, I'll be in your care for this journey," he said, a subtle yet unmistakable expectation in his voice.

Jiraiya gave a respectful nod, "Rest assured, Lord Daimyo. We'll do everything in our power to ensure your safety."

The Daimyo gave a small nod of approval before stepping into his carriage, and with that, the grand procession was ready to set off.

As the Daimyo was the last person to enter his carriage, with all others entering their own before, the caravan began to move as soon as he was settled.

In no time, they were out of the capital and on their way toward their destination—a town on their path where they would be staying for the night.

Since it was not far from the capital, the caravan left at 3 PM, as they would reach the town by 8 PM at the latest. After staying there for the night, they would leave in the morning, reaching the port town by the night of the next day, after which the ship journey would start on the following day.

At least that was what the Fire Daimyo and the party had planned.

As soon as they left the Fire Capital, all of the ninja took their positions at one direction each. The rear was protected by 4 ANBU Jonin, while left and right by two each. At the front, Kakashi took his position, and 'Jiraiya' and 'Shisui' took seats at the top of the caravan, with the excuse of there being no need to move this early.

While the caravan moved toward the port town in the Land of Hot Water, Jiraiya and Shisui made their way toward the location where their secondary team was waiting for them.

...

In a land full of mountains and barren land, a few shinobi slowly made their way toward one of the outposts of the strongest village in that land. Though there was not a shred of doubt or fear in their eyes, just strong resolve. freёweɓnovel.com

They had made a stop at the base of a mountain a few kilometers away from the outpost. With the presence of a Fuinjutsu grandmaster, hiding their presence was child's play. It was so good that even when a scouting squad from the same outpost which was their target reached near their base, they didn't give it a second look.

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Suddenly, the sound of a bird native to those mountains sounded near the area. Normally it would have been normal, but the shinobi hiding there became alert when they heard that voice.

"Commander is here. Oni1, go and bring him here," the Fuinjutsu grandmaster, the second in command of the operation, said, giving orders to one of the ninja specialized in sensing. They all were given code names for the mission according to the squad they would be in.

The ninja who was given the order nodded and went out, using Earth Release: Hiding in the Mole Jutsu to come out of their underground cave which had no entry at all. When he went out, he found Shisui looking toward his direction. As soon as he left the safe area of the seal the Fuinjutsu grandmaster had created, Shisui was able to point out his location with ease.

The ninja, who was an elite Jonin himself, specializing in sensing and tracking, was perplexed by this. He was quite proud of himself for being one of the best ninja in Konoha at hiding himself, but a 13-year-old easily finding him was breaking his confidence.

'There is a reason he is commander of this mission. Also, he has the Sharingan—there is no problem in technique, it's just him who is an anomaly,' the ninja gave himself moral support while Shisui made his way toward him.

"Is everyone here?" Shisui asked.

"Yes, we are all ready. Two Oni have gone out to get a better idea of our target. They should come back soon. Hokuto (Fuinjutsu grandmaster) is waiting for you in here," the ninja said.

Shisui nodded his head and followed him inside, after he gave him a seal to apply on his hand, which prevented the array created by Renjiro.