Konoha’s Five-Element Ninja

Chapter 37: The Escort Mission

The Land of Wind's scheme wasn't particularly clever—it was easily seen through by Hiruzen Sarutobi—but it had one major advantage: it was hard to refuse. Wealthy and well-resourced, Konoha wasn't going to turn down free land, even if accepting it might fuel deeper resentment and a more devastating war.

In this day and age, even the wealthiest landowners were running short on grain. If it's offered freely, why not take it?

Thus, the preliminary terms of the peace treaty were smoothly agreed upon. The next step was choosing a location for the signing. For a variety of reasons, the Third Kazekage suggested holding the signing in Kikyo City, the largest metropolis in Akihabara. But the wily Hiruzen Sarutobi vetoed that proposal, unilaterally announcing that the ceremony would take place at the Fire Country border. Although displeased with Sarutobi's high-handed behavior, the Third Kazekage had no choice but to acquiesce. When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head.

With all preparations in place, Hiruzen Sarutobi began considering which ninjas to dispatch to escort the Fire Country Daimyo to the treaty signing.

Officially, the daimyo was the nation's sovereign, and the entire territory fell under their jurisdiction. But this was largely in name only. In reality, the daimyo held economic and administrative power over the land, while the military remained under the Hokage's control—a de facto relationship between employer and hired enforcer.

Each year, the Fire Country Daimyo provided a massive military budget, and Konoha Village ensured the land's security in return. The two entities were distinct yet intertwined, respecting each other's domain. While the daimyo technically had the authority to convene a council to replace the Hokage, no daimyo had dared attempt it in the past forty years. After all, the leader of a powerful military faction wasn't someone a mere civilian ruler could challenge lightly. Any daimyo bold enough to try might not live to see the next day.

When it came to choosing the escort team, Sarutobi naturally turned to his three pupils. There was no chance he would assign the task to the famously aloof Uchiha clan. Such a prized opportunity to strengthen bonds and build trust wouldn't go to them. Even if it didn't go to the Hyuuga clan, it certainly wouldn't fall into Uchiha hands.

Among the three Sannin, Tsunade was quickly ruled out. Her concerns over the Senju clan had placed her at odds with Sarutobi. Orochimaru, though powerful and composed, was deemed too cold and intimidating—his presence might frighten the daimyo. That left Jiraiya. Sure, he was a bit reckless and flirtatious, but he was also dependable in the end.

Sarutobi rubbed his temples in frustration. His hand-picked successors were proving to be quite the headache. Could there be anything worse than a trio of prodigies who constantly veered off course?

After much deliberation, Sarutobi settled on Jiraiya. Though he was often distracted by drink and beauty, he was still the most reliable of the three. Even if he made a detour or two, he'd get the job done.

"Bring Jiraiya to me," Sarutobi called into his seemingly empty office.

A moment later, a shadow emerged and disappeared again, the ANBU operative going to fetch the eccentric Sannin.

The entire ANBU force knew the drill: if you needed Tsunade, check the gambling dens—she'd be there losing money. If you needed Orochimaru, go to his hidden workshop, though entering was risky. And if you needed Jiraiya, head to the entertainment district or the hot springs. You were bound to find him.

Sure enough, a Jiraiya with a faint lipstick mark on his cheek strolled into the temporary Hokage office, flopped onto the couch like he owned the place, crossed one leg over the other, and stared blankly at the floor. It was his way of preparing for one of Sarutobi's inevitable lectures.

Sarutobi's eye twitched.

If it weren't for the need to groom a successor, he'd have smacked him twice by now.

"Jiraiya, you should spend less time in those… establishments. Lust is a bone-cutting knife. As a young man, you need to show restraint," Sarutobi began earnestly.

Jiraiya nodded absentmindedly, repeating the same dismissive line three times: "Yes, I understand. I'll do better next time."

Sarutobi's blood pressure spiked. Muttering under his breath about his own choices, he forced himself to remain calm.

"Jiraiya, you're to escort the daimyo to the treaty signing ceremony…"

Before Sarutobi could finish, Jiraiya was already halfway out the door. There was no way he was taking on a dull escort mission just when the war had ended. This was prime time to gather inspiration, seek out new sources of material, and enjoy life. Why waste it on ferrying some bureaucrat?

"I've recently developed a new Telescope Technique."

Those few words froze Jiraiya in his tracks. His face shifted from conflicted to determined in an instant.

"As a member of Konoha, it's my duty to serve the village. I accept this mission," he declared with newfound conviction.

No one could resist the allure of the "it's for the greater good" rationale, not even Jiraiya.

Sarutobi allowed himself a small, satisfied smirk. He had successfully reeled in his wayward student.

"However, this mission will be challenging."

"Only challenging tasks can truly showcase a Konoha ninja's resilience. Rest assured, I'll handle it," Jiraiya replied confidently.

"I'm not so sure. Perhaps Orochimaru would be better suited for this…"

"It was offered to me first!" Jiraiya exclaimed, desperate not to lose out.

Sarutobi pressed him further: "Can you promise not to visit the entertainment district?"

"I can!" Jiraiya nodded resolutely.

"And no drinking or 'research' along the way?"

Clenching his fists, Jiraiya gritted his teeth. "I promise!"

Satisfied, Sarutobi instructed, "You'll be taking Minato's team with you. I'll also assign two ANBU squads for additional protection. Oh, and what's your opinion of Hayama, Minato's new teammate?"

Jiraiya scratched his head in confusion. "Minato's team has always been Inuzuka E, Akimichi Tangdong, and Shimura Shinji. Who's this Hayama?"

Sarutobi sighed deeply. "Just go start your mission already."

With Sarutobi's frustrated shout echoing behind him, Jiraiya hurried out. Once outside, he straightened up and adopted a more serious demeanor, greeting his fellow ninjas politely as he made his way out of sight.

After shooing away his unpredictable student, Sarutobi returned to his desk and pulled out a report from the drawer. As he read through the document, his furrowed brow and occasional grimace betrayed his dissatisfaction.

This was the second report on Hayama. The influence of Sakumo Hatake had clouded the findings of the first investigation. But as Hayama's strength continued to grow, and as he remained in Konoha's prominent "star team," Sarutobi ordered a second inquiry.

This new report contained troubling notes. Its author, Sarutobi Hoko, had written that Hayama lacked a firm grasp of the Will of Fire. Sarutobi found this assessment alarming. He began to wonder if he should remove Hayama from Minato's team altogether. However, lacking a solid excuse to do so—and wary of disheartening a valuable contributor—he hesitated.

To Sarutobi, a ninja who didn't fully embrace the Will of Fire was a liability, not an asset.

Although Konoha wasn't large, it was rife with factions. Meritocracy wasn't always the guiding principle. Otherwise, the powerful Uchiha clan wouldn't have been marginalized within the village's leadership.

While Hayama's record showed no instances of disobedience, it was said that where there's smoke, there's fire. Sometimes, one's worth wasn't determined by their abilities. If the powers that be said you were fit, you were fit—even if you weren't. If they said you were unfit, then no amount of effort could change that.

...

The next day, under Jiraiya's leadership, Minato's team quietly set out on their escort mission.

As Hayama followed behind the imposing figure of Jiraiya, he considered the potential dangers of the task ahead.

Clearly, the Third Hokage hadn't chosen one of the Sannin to lead the mission just to mentor a successor. He wanted to ensure there would be no mishaps. With that in mind, it was obvious where the potential threat lay: Kirigakure, currently clashing with the Uchiha clan on the border, had every reason to interfere.

The Land of Wind and the Land of Fire's truce posed a significant risk to the Land of Water. If Konoha could concentrate its forces against Kirigakure, the consequences would be dire. From both a strategic and logical standpoint, Kirigakure might send assassins to target the daimyo and disrupt the treaty.

However, the daimyo's special status meant Kirigakure wouldn't dare strike within the capital. Even with all the nerve in the world, they wouldn't dare risk such a blatant provocation. Assassinating the Fire Country Daimyo in the heart of the capital would draw universal condemnation—first and foremost from the Land of Water's own daimyo.

After all, a daimyo was ultimately just a civilian with power, wholly dependent on ninja for protection. If Kirigakure broke the unspoken rule by targeting a daimyo in the capital, they would become a pariah among the hidden villages. Even the Land of Water's daimyo might disown them, declaring a complete reorganization of the village's leadership.

So Kirigakure's assassins would only strike once the daimyo left the safety of the capital. And of course, the possibility of other villages staging false-flag attacks couldn't be entirely dismissed.

In other words, from the moment they left the capital, the escort mission would be fraught with peril.

Two days later, the Fire Country's capital appeared on the horizon. Situated at the heart of the continent, the capital benefited from flat terrain and excellent transportation links. These advantages had allowed it to flourish into the largest city in the ninja world.

To be honest, Hayama—who had spent years skulking in shadows—was seeing the ordinary world for the first time. He once discussed with Yamakawa Tatsu how to identify a ninja in a bustling street. Their conclusion: any individual who stuck to the shadows, keeping their hands still and close to their sides, was almost certainly a ninja.

At the city gates, Jiraiya presented a formal letter from the Hokage addressed to the daimyo. With the guards bowing and scraping, he led the team to Konoha's designated quarters, where they would wait to meet the daimyo.

But no sooner had they arrived than Jiraiya clapped Minato on the shoulder, muttered something about "looking around," and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Minato sighed. He knew exactly what his teacher was up to, but there was nothing he could do. Everyone has their quirks, after all.