Unlike typical ninja school graduates, Dosuke Okamoto didn't need to be assigned to a standard genin team. This was a boon for him. Partnering with experienced chunin and even a jonin was far better than teaming up with fresh graduates, allowing him to adapt to the battlefield more quickly.
Scouting missions carried high risks. Investigation and intelligence-gathering often required venturing into dangerous areas, such as enemy villages or their heartlands.
At 7:30 the next morning, Dosuke gathered all his ninja gear, particularly antidote reagents, and headed to Konoha's gate by 8:00. As the only newly graduated ninja, he knew making a good impression on his seniors could be a lifesaver in critical moments.
Soon, two men and one woman arrived at the rendezvous point.
Once everyone was present, a middle-aged man spoke. "I'm Soma Nakajima, your jonin leader for this mission. Please introduce yourselves briefly."
"Hello, I'm Dosuke Okamoto, Genin. Please look out for me," Dosuke said warmly.
Soma's eyes lit up as he regarded the group.
"I'm Tachie Hyuga, chunin. I've completed several scouting missions," said a girl with large, misty white eyes, her Hyuga clan bloodline limit unmistakable. Her fair skin and delicate features made her stand out. She appeared fifteen or sixteen, about half a head taller than Dosuke.
"I'm Takuto Aburame, chunin," a hooded man said curtly before falling silent.
"It's getting late. Let's talk on the move!" Soma checked the time and led the way toward the village gate.
At Konoha's gate, Soma threw a kunai with a pass attached, embedding it into the gate, and sprinted out. Dosuke, Tachie, and Takuto followed closely.
"Our mission is to investigate Sand Village's movements. Reports indicate they've attacked our ninjas," Soma said, glancing back at Dosuke, who leapt between tree trunks. To prevent leaks, scouting mission details were only revealed to the team leader at the Hokage Building just before departure, so only Soma knew the specifics.
"Since Dosuke is a genin and new to investigation, Tachie and Takuto, you'll need to watch out for him," Soma instructed.
"Captain Nakajima, I don't understand. Why assign an inexperienced genin to such a critical mission? Without a clear reason, I can't agree to risky actions," Takuto said calmly.
"I don't know the exact reason. As ninjas, you can question orders but not refuse them. The mission comes first. Dosuke is here as a medical ninja. Understood?" Soma replied firmly.
"Understood," the three responded together.
* Someone with connections * Takuto thought. * Maybe Tsunade asked Soma to protect Dosuke. *
Scouting teams faced high casualty rates, a fact they all knew.
No one spoke further. After Soma's mission briefing, the team focused on traveling. They darted through Konoha's forest, nearing the Land of Fire's border at breakneck speed. Dosuke's precise chakra control and water control pushed him forward, matching the others' pace without lagging.
At noon, Soma raised a hand. "Stop. Rest briefly, recover your chakra, and we'll continue this afternoon."
During the break, Tachie leaned close to Dosuke, her voice low. "Brother Dosuke, weren't you at the hospital? Why did you join a scouting team?"
Her closeness brought a faint, pleasant scent, like warm milk, tickling his ear.
"Sister Tachie, you know me?" Dosuke asked, his face flushing slightly.
"You're well-known among civilians. I heard you nearly beat Kakashi in the ninja school ranking battle. That guy graduated at five and became a chunin at six, a prodigy. If not for his low teamwork score, he might already be a jonin," Tachie explained. "Most importantly, they say you're Lady Tsunade's disciple!"
* So, being Tsunade's disciple has drawn attention from the great clans * Dosuke thought. * Even the future Fourth Hokage is a Sannin's disciple. *
They took Soldier Pills to restore energy and resumed their journey.
Land of Wind, Border
Soma and Dosuke stood on a hillside, overlooking a small town ahead.
"This town lies at the border of the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire. Trade attracts ninjas from various nations. We'll stay here tonight, gather intel, and plan our next move," Soma said, eyeing the bustling town.
"Tachie, use your Byakugan to check for ninjas in the town," Soma instructed.
"Byakugan, activate!"
Veins bulged around Tachie's eyes, her gaze intense and slightly unsettling compared to her usual delicate appearance.
"I detect four chakra signatures: one in the town center, two in the northwest, and one in the southeast," Tachie reported quietly.
Soma pulled a map from his pouch and handed it to her. "Mark their locations."
Tachie quickly marked the spots. "Captain, the two chakras in the northwest are very close, likely together."
"Noted. Takuto, you take the southeast. Dosuke, you and Tachie handle the town center. I'll cover the northwest. Identify which nations they're from and, if possible, try to find their purpose. If you can't, just return without raising suspicion. We'll regroup at the hotel in the town center tonight to discuss," Soma said, pointing to the hotel's location on the map.
"Yes," Dosuke, Tachie, and Takuto replied together.
The arrangement made sense. As a rookie, Dosuke wasn't skilled at gathering intel. Pairing him with Tachie ensured the mission's success.