The rest of the journey was uneventful.
They successfully reached the outpost, handed over the supplies and the enemy ninja corpses, received the mission completion receipt, and took a short break.
"Alright, before we rest, let's debrief the mission."
Ebisu gestured for Izumi Uchiha to start.
"Izumi, you go first. Explain the reasoning behind your deployment when we encountered the enemy."
"Yes, Teacher," Izumi began. "First, our team had a pre-arranged plan. Musashi, Daiki, and I each have distinct roles."
"In a many-versus-one combat scenario like today: Musashi is the rapid-response vanguard, I handle threat identification and main damage output, and Daiki provides support and containment. This was prepared in advance."
"More importantly, it was about judgment in the split second of encountering the enemy."
"Analyzing enemy strength based on tactical gear and team composition is crucial. Additionally, from your reaction, Teacher, I deduced the enemy's strength was within a manageable range."
"Meeting hostile ninjas on the battlefield usually leads to combat. The moment we made contact, I sensed hostility and they didn't retreat immediately, so I decided to initiate combat."
"That is all."
Ebisu nodded in affirmation.
"Although the execution wasn't perfect, considering this was the first real combat for the three of you, I can give you an excellent evaluation."
"On the battlefield, encountering enemy ninjas is often unavoidable, and initial strength assessments aren't always decisive. Unpredictability is the norm."
"Overall, Izumi, I am very satisfied with your performance. You will grow slowly, and I won't always be by your side. When that time comes, you must judge calmly; that will be when you make critical decisions."
"I will work hard, Teacher Ebisu," Izumi said seriously.
Ebisu turned to Musashi. "And you, Musashi."
"Your role as the vanguard was performed excellently. Fast speed, sufficient force—you helped Izumi quickly analyze the opponent. However, be mindful of your own defense. If the enemy prepares traps or explosive tags, you could be restricted or even severely injured. You need to strengthen your training in that aspect."
"I will, Teacher Ebisu."
"As for you, Daiki..." Ebisu looked at the somewhat awkward-looking Daiki.
"Your performance was also very good!" Ebisu flashed a thumbs-up.
"Huh? Me?" Daiki was surprised.
"Yes, you. I am satisfied with your performance too."
"In a team, having members of varying strength is normal. As long as you can properly exert your function, it is good."
"During the battle, you indeed helped Izumi complete the coordinated attack at the right moment. Your timing was not wrong."
"More importantly, being prepared against enemy ambushes to avoid becoming a burden to your teammates due to lack of combat power—this is a quality a mature ninja must possess!"
Daiki: "Teacher Ebisu, is that a compliment? It sounds weird."
"Hahaha," Ebisu laughed. "Daiki, don't be discouraged. A ninja doesn't necessarily need super-strong combat power. You just became a Genin; don't rush. Once your Ninjutsu training progresses, you will play a bigger role in the team."
"I understand, Teacher Ebisu."
"Alright, debrief over. Rest up; we return tomorrow."
Ebisu left, and Izumi stood up.
"Daiki, do your best. Master your new ninjutsu soon." She then looked at Musashi.
"Musashi, you're not bad either. Back in school, I thought you were a Dead Last, but I didn't expect your Taijutsu to be this outstanding. Your combat power helped me a lot." She tried to give him an encouraging smile.
"Ganbatte! Musashi, don't slack off. I won't wait for you."
Musashi: "..."
What a confident woman.
The Next Day.
The team began their return journey.
"Teacher Ebisu, when we get back, Lord Hokage will change the mission rank, right?" Izumi asked expectantly on the road.
"He will," Ebisu answered with a smile.
"C-rank missions generally don't involve combat between ninjas. Since we encountered enemies and eliminated two Chunin, Lord Hokage should upgrade the mission pay to B-rank."
"In that case, won't our team be the first to complete a B-rank mission?" Izumi said excitedly.
"That's right, Izumi. Barring any accidents, you will be the first team from this batch to complete a B-rank mission. Lord Hokage will surely not spare his praise."
Izumi was overjoyed, and even Daiki felt a little expectant.
Even if he wasn't interested in becoming a great ninja...
No one could refuse the chance to flex.
While they fantasized about their triumphant return, a sinister voice suddenly rang out.
"Hehehe. The first brats to complete a B-rank mission? I'm quite certain you'll be the first batch of brats to die in the line of duty."
"Who's there?!" The group stopped instantly and fell into formation.
Ebisu in front, Izumi in the back, Musashi and Daiki on the flanks.
Total defensive formation for dangerous enemies.
A figure appeared directly in front of them.
Iwagakure forehead protector. A scar running diagonally across his entire face. He looked at the four of them with eyes that saw only dead men walking.
Ebisu and the students looked grim.
At such a close distance, none of them had detected him in advance!
Jonin!
The word surfaced in everyone's mind.
"Did my two foolish subordinates die at your hands?" the Iwa man asked casually, standing still, clearly not taking them seriously.
Ebisu's face stiffened, and a drop of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
The man before him exuded immense pressure.
That feeling... definitely a Jonin!
"I didn't expect you'd dare to come back this way. Perfect. I can send you to hell to keep them company."
As the words fell, the man vanished. In the next instant, he appeared right in front of the charging Ebisu.
WHAM!
A muffled thud, and Ebisu was sent flying backward!
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Definitely a Jonin!
"Water Style: Wild Water Wave!" Mid-air, Ebisu endured the pain and formed seals, spewing a powerful stream of water forward.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" From the side, Izumi simultaneously launched multiple fireballs, attempting to seal off the man's movement. Compared to the Fireball Jutsu, the Phoenix Flower was harder to control but allowed multi-directional attacks and cost slightly less chakra.
Given her current reserves, she couldn't spam C-rank jutsu. Facing a powerful enemy, she instinctively prepared for a drawn-out fight.
However, in the face of absolute power, everything was futile.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
BOOM!~ A massive gale erupted. Ebisu's water stream shattered instantly upon impact.
Izumi's fire was blown out directly, and the backlash of the wind slammed into her.
Bang! Like a kite with a cut string, Izumi was blasted backward by the wind.
Her chest felt like it was being cut by knives. Just one hit, and Izumi's consciousness began to blur.
Is this a powerful ninja? Resistance really is laughable.
She didn't hit the ground as expected.
Suddenly, she felt a solid impact against her back, followed by being caught in a pair of arms.
Turning her head slightly, she saw Musashi's serious profile.
"Musashi... run... run away! We can't win."
It's so sad. I haven't even become a strong ninja yet.
An enemy that even makes me despair... can Musashi and Daiki really escape?
It turns out that when death comes, the ending for a genius and a Dead Last is no different.
Her consciousness faded into darkness.
"Run! All three of you!~" Ebisu's urgent voice shouted.
Daiki looked at Musashi.
Although his combat power was low, he was relatively calm. In the first month of knowing Musashi, he had seen plenty of life-and-death situations.
The only difference was that this enemy was a powerful ninja.
"Take her and retreat!" Musashi passed the unconscious Izumi to Daiki.
"What about you?" Daiki asked.
"Don't worry about me, I have a plan. Just leave now! Against a Jonin, if you're slow, you're dead!"
Musashi narrowed his eyes, staring ahead.
His heart beat violently. It was a sense of danger he hadn't felt in a long time.
An Iwa Jonin. The strongest enemy he had encountered since arriving in this world.
The moment the enemy appeared, he felt death breathing down his neck.
If the opponent had attacked him directly or ambushed him, he might have actually died.
Fortunately, the guy didn't take him seriously.
Ahead, Ebisu clashed with the enemy again.
Musashi had long suspected that compared to his absolute confidence in teaching, Ebisu's combat ability was average.
Although he was a Special Jonin, he wasn't much stronger than a Chunin in combat.
Seeing him now, falling into a disadvantage the moment he engaged the Jonin, confirmed it.
This was the gap in strength, and the gap in combat instinct. Some people just aren't built for fighting, like Ebisu.
What surprised Musashi was that this usually arrogant and pompous teacher immediately chose to face the enemy alone and ordered his students to run.
As expected, the "bonds" that old man Hiruzen talks about are troublesome things.
Ebisu was marching to his death. Could Musashi just slip away?
The answer was the only one possible.
Although the enemy was dangerous, it wasn't an impossible fight.
He just hadn't expected to meet such a strong enemy on a "normal" mission. Transmigrators really are magnets for trouble.
Ahead, Ebisu was fighting for his life. He created several Shadow Clones, not hoping to win, but just to buy time.
The clones were popped one by one. He had to extract more chakra to cast them again.
His chakra was running low, and his face was getting uglier by the second.
Am I going to die here?
I hope Izumi and the others escape.
What a pity. I haven't even raised a powerhouse like the Hokage yet.
Musashi and Daiki... although their talent isn't great, dying here would be such a waste.
As thoughts raced through his mind, the enemy realized his intent.
"Pathetic bug." Cold amusement flashed in the Iwa ninja's eyes. "Trying to stall for time?"
The next moment, he formed seals, and massive chakra erupted.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow River!"
The ground instantly softened into a river of mud, restricting Ebisu's movement. But the enemy wasn't done.
"Water Style: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"
ROAR!~
A massive volume of water swept over everything.
Despair flashed in Ebisu's eyes.
Such a powerful jutsu... it's over!
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
Using the last of his chakra to release his strongest jutsu, and in the final moment before the wave hit, he threw every explosive kunai in his pouch.
The kunai whistled through the air, heading straight for the Iwa Jonin.
The next second, the monstrous wave swallowed him.
All Shadow Clones popped instantly.
Mud, broken trees, and water churned together, dragging Ebisu into the depths.
Ebisu's consciousness began to fade.
I knew it... I should have just been a home tutor. Leading a genin squad... really doesn't suit me.
The water surged, drowning a large section of the forest before finally settling.
Musashi fished the unconscious Ebisu out of the water. Confirming he was just knocked out from heavy injuries, he handed him to a Shadow Clone to carry away rapidly.
"Heh. There's still one brat left who didn't run? What, are you too scared to move?"
The Iwa ninja walked over the water's surface, radiating an immense aura, seemingly wanting to savor the despair on the kid's face.
Musashi looked up, staring directly at the man.
Under his control, his heartbeat began to accelerate.
Unavoidable. Then I have to fight.
I don't know how much power my current body can draw from this technique.
The Eight Gates is a jutsu based on the ninja's own physical stats. The stronger the user's body, the greater the power unleashed.
For example, late-series Rock Lee, even opening the Fifth Gate, might not be stronger than base-form Might Guy.
And after forcing the Fifth Gate open, Lee's spine would be filled with bone fragments because his body wasn't tough enough.
Musashi didn't know how much power he could exert right now.
Eight Gates Released Technique... First Gate: Gate of Opening, OPEN! Second Gate: Gate of Healing, OPEN!
Silently, the two limiters in the brain were released.
The body's shackles fell away. Instantly, every ounce of chakra in his body seemed to sing with joy.
The Iwa Jonin was still approaching.
"Konoha brat. Since you didn't run, be the first to welcome death."
"Dying at my hands might be a point of pride for your short ninja career. Remember the name of the man who killed you: Iwagakure Jonin, Iwaku Suma."