Two hours later, at the entrance of Konohagakure.
Dressed lightly for the mission outside the village, Veigar Koshima arrived at the meeting point on time. Shortly after, Kakashi Hatake also appeared, and finally, Minato Namikaze arrived at a leisurely pace with Ryouji Takeuchi in tow.
Looking at Veigar and Kakashi, Minato asked, "Veigar, Kakashi, are you both ready?"
The two immediately nodded and responded in unison, "Yes, we're ready!"
Minato nodded in approval and continued, "Alright then, Team Minato, move out!"
Again, the two replied in sync, "Yes, Minato-sensei!"
After handing over their departure authorization to the stationed shinobi at the village gate, the four of them stepped beyond the borders of Konohagakure.
For Veigar, this was the first time he had truly left the heart of the village in a long time. Stepping outside, he was greeted by the vast expanse of forests stretching into the distance. Inhaling the crisp air, free from the usual traces of urban smoke and dust, he felt a deep sense of freedom—like a bird soaring into the open sky.
Leading the group at the front, Minato kept an eye on Ryouji Takeuchi behind him, as well as Veigar and Kakashi walking side by side at the rear.
Observing their behavior, Minato was quite pleased.
Having accompanied Minato on missions before, Kakashi had already accumulated a fair amount of experience. His constant vigilance of their surroundings came as no surprise to Minato.
However, what truly impressed Minato was that Veigar displayed the same level of attentiveness.
It was rare for a genin on their first mission outside the village to maintain such keen awareness of their surroundings.
Moreover, Veigar's positioning was deliberate—alongside Kakashi, he flanked Ryouji Takeuchi, ensuring the client was well protected from any potential threats.
This demonstrated Veigar's thorough understanding of the shinobi code and its principles.
Because they had an ordinary civilian in their ranks, their pace was relatively slow. It would take them roughly two days to reach Yamago Village.
And that was with Ryouji deliberately pushing himself to move faster—otherwise, the journey would have taken at least three days.
As night gradually fell, Veigar experienced his first evening outside the village on a mission.
After selecting a defensible campsite, the team set up their temporary base and lit a small fire.
Once they finished a simple meal, Minato turned to Veigar and Kakashi. "To prevent any potential night attacks, I'll have you two take turns standing watch."
"Kakashi, you'll take the first half of the night. Veigar, you'll take the second half."
"Understood, Minato-sensei!" both responded promptly.
Just as Minato was imparting some key mission-related instructions—particularly to Veigar—Ryouji Takeuchi hesitantly approached, an uneasy expression on his face as though he had something to say.
Seeing this, the three shinobi exchanged puzzled glances before Minato was the first to speak. "Ryouji-san, is there something you'd like to say?"
Being the center of attention, Ryouji hesitated briefly before speaking in a slightly flustered tone. "Lord Minato, I… I…"
The three waited silently for him to continue.
Finally, Ryouji bowed deeply, his voice filled with urgency. "Lord Minato, I have a request to make!"
Minato observed the sincere desperation in Ryouji's posture and calmly responded, "Ryouji-san, there's no need for such formalities. Please, speak freely."
Hearing Minato's reassuring tone, Ryouji quickly said, "I know that my presence is slowing down our progress."
"That's why… I'd like to ask you all to go ahead and save my village first! Leave me behind—I can catch up on my own."
"Please, I beg you!"
Minato, Veigar, and Kakashi exchanged glances.
Ryouji's request put them in a difficult position.
This went against the standard protocol for missions outside the village.
After all, Ryouji was the client. If anything happened to him, even if they completed the mission, they wouldn't be able to obtain official proof of completion.
That would mean their mission would be recorded as a failure.
However, the selfless determination in Ryouji's plea—to sacrifice himself for the sake of his village—was deeply moving. Yet, it conflicted with their duty.
After a brief silence, Veigar and Kakashi shared a look before turning to Minato, their minds made up.
"Minato-sensei, please make the call!" they said in unison.
At this point, Kakashi had yet to experience the pain of losing his father. He was not yet the strict, by-the-book shinobi he would become in the future.
Presented with a choice between a single person and an entire village, he instinctively chose to prioritize the village.
For Veigar, this was also his first mission outside the village, and he too leaned toward prioritizing the greater good. However, he wasn't willing to act on Ryouji's request without some modifications.
Minato observed the determination in both of their expressions and smiled in satisfaction. "Have you two steeled yourselves for this?"
Minato's words carried a deeper meaning—he was referring to the principles of the shinobi code.
Kakashi immediately nodded. "Yes!"
However, Veigar shook his head. "Minato-sensei, I think we can take a different approach."
Minato raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Oh? Do you have an idea, Veigar?"
Veigar nodded. "Yes!"
"In response to Ryouji-san's request, we can find a middle ground. Sensei, you can go ahead to the village and complete the mission."
"In the meantime, Kakashi and I will stay behind and escort Ryouji-san safely."
As soon as Veigar finished speaking, Kakashi turned to him, his young face reflecting surprise.
At only six years old, with limited life experience, Kakashi hadn't thought beyond the simple choice presented to him.
Yet, Minato's eyes glowed with approval.
Not only was this the very solution he had intended to propose, but Veigar's reasoning showed flexibility—an understanding that strict adherence to rules wasn't always the best path.
More importantly, it showed that Veigar was compassionate, thoughtful, and adaptable.
-----------------------
Want to read ahead of schedule?
Join here for advance chapters: PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON