The Whole Story – Revised
Apart from anything else, just from the clothes the boy was wearing, even if one failed to recognize the Uchiha clan crest on his back, the fine fabric and confident bearing marked him as someone of notable lineage. It was clear the servant lacked discernment.
In other words, he was used to being arrogant and short-sighted.
Of course, it wasn't unusual for rural towns like Tieshi to be unfamiliar with the intricacies of shinobi affairs. But when even the household's servants treated outsiders with disdain, it spoke volumes about the character of the lord they served.
"But... the reply from Konoha said a full Jōnin team would be dispatched for this mission…" Tobita Yuichi said with hesitation.
"Do you really believe that the paltry silver you offered would be enough to mobilize elite Jōnin?" Ming Jing asked coldly.
"This…" Yuichi's expression faltered. He looked awkward, like a man caught between greed and necessity.
He had hoped to hire powerful shinobi, but he was reluctant to part with money. Tieshi Town was impoverished, and the little wealth he had accumulated came from years of scraping and exploiting his title. As a low-ranking noble without any standing in the capital or court, Yuichi had only just returned to his fief, clinging to power he barely deserved.
"But... shouldn't you send someone older? A teenager like this…"
"You don't have to question my capabilities," Ming Jing interrupted, voice calm and steady.
"Even if you doubt me, you can't doubt the crest on my back—much less the power of these eyes."
He slowly opened his eyes, revealing a pair of gleaming crimson Sharingan.
At this point in history—after the Third Shinobi World War and before the Uchiha Clan Massacre—the Uchiha name still commanded awe and fear throughout the Land of Fire.
Sure enough, Tobita Yuichi's expression shifted instantly, his earlier skepticism melting into a forced smile.
"I—I didn't realize he was from the Uchiha clan. I'm relieved!"
In the Land of Fire, no matter how remote the village, people might not know the name of the current Hokage, but the Uchiha clan's legacy was legendary. Their fame had been forged over generations through countless victories, their bloodline feared for their dōjutsu and combat prowess.
Of course, Tobita Yuichi had his own calculations.
He'd heard from other nobles during his youth in the capital: the Uchiha were prideful. They wouldn't tolerate failure—especially if a low-level mission was rumored to have bested one of their own. Even if he was cheated, if word spread that the Uchiha had failed a simple C-rank mission, they would surely intervene to protect their honor.
"Don't worry. Besides, I'm not the only one on this mission. The others are still gathering intel on the bandits. I came to see if you had any useful information to share."
"Of course, of course! If there's anything you need, just ask. Would you like a banquet first, perhaps?"
"There's no need to rush. Let's talk information first."
---
The Next Day
"This… this is insane…" Inuzuka Ryo muttered, staring at the banquet table filled with delicacies.
He glanced past the girl calmly shelling shrimp beside him and looked at Ming Jing.
"I was in a stuffy tavern with reeking drunks, using my sense of smell—which is thousands of times sharper than a normal person's—just to gather scraps of info. Nami was lying alone in the bushes outside the town, using her insects to scout the terrain."
"But you? You spent the entire day feasting like a daimyo in the Lord's Mansion..."
He looked around, words failing to capture the extravagance of the scene.
"Actually… I quite enjoy the company of bugs," Aburame Nami said softly, still picking tempura from her plate.
"Do you not like the food?" Ming Jing asked, lifting a crystal shrimp dumpling.
Inuzuka Ryo blinked, then quickly replied, "A ninja must be prepared to endure hardship, but we're under a lot of pressure too. A little comfort now and then is... understandable. I'm just worried about our sensei, Dan-sensei."
"It's fine. We can pack up some food and bring it back to him later," Ming Jing replied with a small wave of his hand.
"That… makes sense."
Ryo nodded, finally beginning to relax. But before he could fully enjoy the meal, he froze mid-bite.
"Master Shinobi, is the food not to your liking?" Tobita Yuichi approached, holding a cup of wine. "If you have any complaints, the kitchen can prepare something else. We're only a small town, of course—nothing like Kyoto or Konoha—but we've done our best to show our gratitude."
"It's not that," Ryo replied. "I just think we should complete the mission as soon as possible."
"There are still traces left from the bandits' last attack on the mansion. With your tracking ability, you should be able to find something useful," Ming Jing said, handing him a small box.
Ryo opened it to find a piece of cloth, stained with dried blood.
That was more than enough. Blood carried scent—the essential chakra signature of a person. As long as the bandits hadn't left the region more than a few weeks ago, he would be able to follow their trail.
---
Later, in the Forest
Inuzuka Ryo halted at the edge of a ridge, looking out toward the direction the scent trail led.
"What is it, Ryo?" Ming Jing asked.
"I was just thinking... Are we really doing the right thing?"
Ryo turned, his painted face serious.
"You've seen it too. Tieshi Town is poor. The people barely have enough to eat, and many children don't even have full clothing. But Yuichi Tobita had the wealth to entertain us with delicacies from across the country…"
"What's your point?"
Ryo sat down, gently petting his ninken, Tiewan.
"While I was scouting, I learned something. Four months ago, Sand shinobi destroyed the mines here. During that chaos, Yuichi had been using captured civilians as forced labor. When the mines were attacked, the laborers rose up and tried to storm the Lord's Mansion to escape."
"But they failed. Namikaze Minato, still a rising star back then, intercepted the escapees. The Sand-nin were driven off, but the truth is… the so-called 'bandits' we're chasing now? They're the same villagers who tried to flee. They didn't become criminals by choice. Tobita escaped first, abandoned his people, and now paints himself as the victim."