This C-rank mission had originally been accepted by Yuji's three-man squad.
It had nothing to do with Sasori.
Sasori had taken on a separate assignment, and by coincidence, the two missions were merged.
It was a special period. With manpower stretched thin, the village had begun pushing younger shinobi into real combat scenarios earlier than usual.
No one had anticipated that Amegakure would suddenly escalate into open war against the Land of Wind.
"You two will return to the village with us."
The Kazekage's guard stepped forward as he spoke.
Whether it was Sasori or Yuji, both represented part of Sunagakure's future. Losing them prematurely on the battlefield would be an unacceptable waste.
"My mission hasn't been completed yet," Yuji said.
"Extraordinary circumstances require flexibility," the guard replied with a faint smile. "Your performance will be evaluated based on the mission record. The merit you've earned will be added to your file."
He looked directly at Yuji.
"It'll also benefit you during your future Chunin Exams."
Eight-year-old Sasori was already a chūnin.
Yuji was still a genin.
Yuji had graduated from the Academy just over six months ago. So far, he had completed five D-rank missions and, including this one, two C-rank missions.
Sasori, by contrast, had independently completed numerous C- and B-rank missions, and had even participated in an A-rank mission.
Compared to him, Yuji's record looked modest.
Since the death of his parents, Sasori had rarely remained in the village for long. He moved from mission to mission, never lingering, never idle.
That was how their paths had crossed this time.
"I don't need it," Sasori said flatly.
The words sounded almost like a quiet jab.
"Yuji," the Third Kazekage said, "is this your first mission of this intensity?"
"Yes," Yuji answered honestly.
"Arai," the Kazekage said to his guard, "you will personally escort the two of them back."
The guard blinked in surprise, but quickly bowed. "Yes, Kazekage-sama."
Sasori required no protection. Despite his age, he was fiercely independent, and the Kazekage knew his capabilities well.
This arrangement was clearly meant for Yuji.
"Yuji," the Third Kazekage continued, his tone casual but his gaze sharp, "who taught you medical ninjutsu?"
"When I was interning at the hospital, I saw it performed once," Yuji replied evenly. "I asked a senior for some pointers. They didn't teach me much, but I practiced privately afterward."
"You developed it on your own?" the Kazekage asked.
"I suppose you could say that."
A brief silence settled inside the tent.
Medical ninjutsu demanded extraordinary chakra control, far beyond what most newly graduated genin could manage. Even experienced chūnin struggled to master it without long training.
And Yuji had no scrolls, no formal instruction, only observation and scattered guidance.
Such comprehension bordered on the unbelievable.
Sasori glanced at Yuji's profile but said nothing.
However, he wasn't convinced.
As Lady Chiyo's grandson, Sasori had been exposed to medical knowledge since childhood. His own interest in creating Human Puppets required a deep understanding of anatomy and chakra pathways.
He understood perfectly well that the Mystical Palm Technique was only the beginning.
But the Chakra Scalpel?
Maintaining sharp, precise chakra along one's fingertips, keeping it stable, concentrated, and lethal without dispersing, was not something learned simply by watching.
At minimum, it required guidance, repetition, and refinement over time.
Yuji's explanation was… convenient.
And likely unconvincing.
But geniuses were, by definition, those who defied conventional expectations.
By attributing everything to "talent," Yuji left little room for further questioning.
That left the Third Kazekage and Guard Arai with little room to press further.
Sasori, for his part, chose not to expose Yuji. Most people still didn't know that Yuji could also use another A-rank technique, Chakra Scalpel.
"At the Academy, his performance was average," Arai thought, studying Yuji carefully. "But he showed aptitude in medicine early on. If he really developed it during his hospital internship…"
The shock in his heart hadn't quite settled.
True or not, Yuji's background was beyond suspicion.
Both of his parents had been shinobi. They had died in this very war years ago.
He was an orphan of the battlefield.
Arai even knew his former instructor personally. Before this meeting, the Third Kazekage had specifically reviewed the boy's file.
"The younger generation is indeed formidable," the Kazekage said at last, letting the matter rest. "You appear to possess exceptional insight into medical ninjutsu. The village doesn't have many medical scrolls, but if you're interested, you may borrow them."
"Thank you, Kazekage-sama," Yuji replied, putting on a grateful expression at just the right moment.
In truth, he wasn't particularly moved.
With the system at his disposal, even S-rank medical techniques from Konohagakure were within reach as long as he had the necessary exchange points. He didn't need scrolls to master anything.
But appearances mattered.
Too much indifference would only invite suspicion.
With no further discussion, Arai led the two of them out. The meeting had been brief, commendation, acknowledgment, and a small reward.
On the way back through the desert, Yuji quietly replayed every detail of the conversation.
The Third Kazekage's decisiveness reminded him of Rasa in later years, efficient, pragmatic, resolute.
On the surface, dispatching a Kage Guard to escort them seemed protective. But beneath the courtesy was something colder.
To the village leadership, even the most gifted youths were ultimately assets.
Tools.
There was no warmth in it.
It wasn't hard to imagine that Rasa's later choices had been shaped by this same philosophy. For the sake of Sunagakure, he would one day turn his own son, Gaara, into a weapon.
Perhaps that same cold logic would one day contribute to Sasori's decision to assassinate the Third Kazekage.
This village did not inspire loyalty through compassion.
At least, not yet.
In the eyes of the higher-ups, everyone was expendable.
Even Pakura would one day be abandoned.
Yuji's eyes narrowed slightly.
This couldn't continue.
The leadership's way of thinking had already begun to rot.
Konohagakure had its own darkness, figures like Danzō, but there was still some semblance of humanity woven into its system.
For Yuji, becoming recognized as a "genius" was only the first step.
If he wanted to change Sunagakure, he first needed to enter the vision of its leaders. Only then would he gain the standing required to influence the village's future.
Lying low and developing quietly?
In this era, that strategy would only leave him forgotten.
Fortunately, this meeting meant he had officially stepped into the Third Kazekage's sight.
Now, he needed to deepen that impression.
Increase his presence. Add weight to his name.