Let's start this from the beginning

Kabasawa Mines

I

Watching his team train was satisfying in a way that watching Sasuke had never been. While Itachi wouldn't go as far as to say that he enjoyed this more, there was no doubt that it was something unique that gave him great pleasure unlike anything he had experienced before.

If he had to take a guess, he would say that this probably stemmed from the different approaches he took to these two situations. With Sasuke, training had been something fun. A way to spend time with his brother. While improving his skills had never been unimportant, Itachi's primary concern had always been for the two of them to have a good time and ultimately go home with a smile on their lips. Sasuke's progress made him proud, yes, but it wasn't the foremost thing on his mind.

With Team 8, on the other hand, things were different. Sharpening their skills, expanding their arsenal, and improving their mindsets was exactly what he set out to do, and observing them implement the things he tried to teach them was more than just a little gratifying. But it was more than just that; rather than him simply being pleased with himself for successfully teaching them, he was genuinely happy to see their growth for their sake.

Similarly, he was proud and even impressed by their development.

A lot of a Genin's improvements could be credited to the work of their sensei, but Itachi wasn't as arrogant as to believe that he was the only one whose efforts should be recognized. At the end of the day, they only got as far as they did because they worked hard every single day. If someone should be praised, it was Shino, Kiba, and Hinata.

Their progress was impossible to miss:

There was Shino who was currently sparring with one of Itachi's clones, spinning his weapon around himself with much more ease than when he got it a few weeks ago as he defended himself from the clone's attack, only waiting for an opportunity to attack himself.

Kiba was a bit further away, practising his techniques against several boulders Itachi had created for just this purpose together with Akamaru. At first glance, this sight wouldn't be much different from what one might had observed from the boy before he came under Itachi's care. However, those with keen eyes would be able to not only notice the increased speed and coordination with his ninken but also the other technique he was using in tandem with his Gatsūga.

And last but not least, there was Hinata. Unlike her teammates, she was currently not fighting or jumping around but sitting with her legs folded beneath her and looking for all the world as if she was merely relaxing. However, in truth, she was practising a rather advanced technique Itachi had begun teaching her about two weeks ago which required very precise chakra control to the point where even a Hyūga struggled with it.

It had been a little over one month since their joint training session with Team Guy, and so far, the fruits from that day were apparent to see. Truly, it was almost scary to see how easily they were absorbing his every lesson like sponges.

So this is what it means to be a teacher, then?

Yes, Itachi could confidentially say that it hadn't been a mistake to take a Genin team. Not at all.

Maybe it was time to finally take the logical next step in their training. They were as ready as they ever would be, and waiting any longer would be a waste of time at this point. Itachi had waited long enough already as it was. In truth, they had probably been ready for a while now, but he had wanted to make absolutely sure that this decision wouldn't be a mistake.

Missions had a tendency to get out of hand, after all, so a sensei needed to judge the time to take their team on their first mission outside the village wisely as to avoid things spiralling out of control.

Itachi judged that the right time was just about now.

"That's enough," he said, and although he hadn't even raised his voice, three heads immediately turned towards him. "Gather over here. There's something I have to tell you."

At last, it was time for Team 8 to embark on their first C-rank mission.

Hiashi Hyūga was a hard man. Hinata knew that, had always known that, and even though his stern face rarely revealed what he was thinking, she was confident to at least make a good guess most of the time.

Right now, for example, he seemed doubtful and even disapproving.

"And he is sure that your team is ready for that?"

Hinata gave a delicate nod, careful not to move too quickly so as not to appear desperate nor too slowly so as not to be seen as hesitant. It was an act she had rehearsed thousands of times until she could perform it in her sleep if necessary, just as it was expected from the Hyūga heiress. "Yes, Otou-sama. Itachi-sensei said that he made the decision in light of how much all of us have improved over the last few weeks."

Her father didn't immediately reply to that. Instead, he simply closed his eyes for several seconds while deep in thoughts. If Hinata weren't so nervous right now or if she weren't used to it already, she might have been impressed that he managed to look disapproving even with his eyes closed and his face a perfect mask of tranquillity.

"Very well," he finally said, making Hinata almost sigh in relief before she caught herself. "I don't necessarily approve of you already venturing outside the village, but ultimately, the decision lies with your sensei. Furthermore, your forms did improve since you came under his tutelage. From what I have heard, he seems to be less headstrong and impulsive than most Uchiha, so I dare to presume he wouldn't have made this decision without thinking about it in depth beforehand." His eyes narrowed slightly, and an emotion she couldn't read but ultimately decided must be admonition crossed his expression before it returned to one of serenity. "I don't think I need to tell you that I expect you to behave appropriately and return in good health?"

She gave a textbook bow from where she sat in front of him. "Of course not, Otou-sama."

"Then you're dismissed. I had planned to show you this week what administrative tasks fall to you as my heir, but we will postpone that until after your return. Rest for today as to be at your best when you depart tomorrow."

With one last affirmative bow, Hinata raised gracefully to her feet before turning around and leaving the room, all the while mindful of not only her pace but also her posture. Her father had been in a comparable good mood today and the last thing she wanted was to deteriorate that because she acted inappropriately.

She kept her head high and her back straight even when she walked through the gardens after she had gently slid the door shut behind her, well-aware of the possibility that her father might be watching her with his Byakugan right now just in case she slacked off. That was a mistake she didn't intend to make a second time. It was only when she finally reached the privacy of her family's residential area that she allowed herself to relax, letting herself fall with her back against the wall for support.

This was the only place in the entire Hyūga Compound where she didn't need to keep up the façade of the clan's heiress- unless they had guests, that was. For one thing, nobody would enter this area uninvited regardless of whether they were Hyūga or not. For another, even her father agreed that everyone needed a place where they could focus solely on recuperating and relaxing.

It was also only here in their home that he occasionally showed his gentler side, rare as that might be.

Consequently, it was only now that she was here that Hinata could allow herself to feel the tension and nervousness at both the news that she would go on a C-Rank mission tomorrow as well as the recent conversation with her father.

"Nee-san!"

Hanabi was a prodigy not unlike Neji, and she was particularly gifted in keeping her presence hidden. Her favourite way to practise that skill was by trying to sneak up on her. Hinata wasn't surprised by the two arms that suddenly wrapped around her in the slightest, however. No matter how talented her sister might be, Itachi-sensei's awareness training had been more than just a little bit effective. After barely two months of going through it, Hinata couldn't not stay alert of what was going on around her at all times. She didn't even have to do it intentionally anymore, even in the safety of her home.

Or maybe it would be more accurate to say especially in the supposed safety of her home.

The memory of waking up in the middle of the night drenched in water because Itachi-sensei somehow got her father's permission to enter the compound at night for her training still made shivers run down her spine.

"Hanabi," she greeted her sister with a warm smile, feeling her exhaustion fade away at the sight of her just like it always did. "What have I done to deserve such a welcome?"

Hinata didn't mind, of course, but as affectionate as her sister might be, she rarely if ever jumped on her like this since she was old enough to understand the expectations that were placed on them.

"I heard you're going on a mission. Is that true?"

She narrowed her eyes. The only person she had told that so far was her father whom Hanabi couldn't know it from yet, so how did she know that? "And where did you hear that?"

Hanabi's eyes widened a bit before she averted her gaze while a blush crept up her cheeks. "Well, I-"

"Did you use your Byakugan to spy on Otou-sama and me?"

"Maybe…?"

Hinata sighed, but the twitch of her lips probably gave away that she was more amused than annoyed.

"Come on," she said, gently pulling her sister with her as she moved to sit on the edge of the porch from where they had a perfect view of the flowerbed that Natsu, a kunoichi from the branch family that served as Hanabi's caretaker, had planted. "It's more comfortable to sit while we talk, isn't it?"

Needless to say, she had barely sat down when Hanabi was already latching onto her side. "So is it true, then? You're leaving tomorrow?"

"Don't think that I forget your spying," she scolded her sister with an amused smile, looking right through her attempt to distract her from that topic. "You know that you will need to confess to Otou-sama before he addresses the topic himself, right? He won't be mad if you approach him of your own accord, but if he has to confront you about it, you will go through katas all day."

Knowing her father, he had probably checked whether Hanabi spied on them the moment Hinata had turned her back to him. The girl had a cheeky strike a mile long and a tendency to break rules much more often than she adhered to them. Their father gave Hanabi much more leeway than he gave Hinata, most likely because she wasn't the heir, but even that had its limits.

In Hinata's opinion, however, one couldn't really fault her sister for spying like that. Hyūga children were taught to read lips from an early age, so she thought it was only natural that they would exploit that advantage. She certainly would have done so herself if she didn't have to live up to the expectations placed on her.

"I know…"

Hinata considered chiding her some more before deciding that her act of playing remorseful and apologetic was convincing enough for now. Thus, she instead addressed the topic Hanabi had wanted to talk about with her to begin with.

"Well, you already seem to know about it, but yes, I will leave for a mission tomorrow."

Hanabi's expression immediately changed into one of excitement. "Really?"

"Yes," she replied with a soft chuckle at the sight of her sister's sparkling eyes, "really."

"Do you already know what kind of mission it will be? Will you fight bandits, or maybe protect a princess? How long will you be gone? What will you- hey!"

Her excited babbling ended with an indignant squeal when Hinata poked a finger into her side where she knew her sister to be particularly ticklish. And as if that reaction wasn't already adorable enough, the pout she shot her afterwards would have been enough to make her heart melt.

"Calm down," she told her with a soft chuckle. "I don't know what the mission will be about yet myself. My team isn't meeting until tomorrow morning to find that out."

Hanabi seemed to briefly fight with herself about whether she should rather continue to pout or continue asking questions before she decided for the latter. "But don't you need to know how long you'll be gone to pack appropriately?"

"Itachi-sensei told us to account for ten days. If that's enough, everything will be fine. If it isn't, he wants to use that opportunity to train how to get by in the wild without resources."

Leave it to him to squeeze some more training even during a mission, she thought fondly.

"I wish I could come with you…"

Hinata blinked at Hanabi's downtrodden voice before putting an arm around her shoulder and pulling her closer. "Don't be too disappointed," she told her gently. "You know that first missions are never interesting, right? I'm only a Genin, after all. We will surely get something that's safe and boring. You won't miss anything."

Hanabi merely grimaced. "It's still better than the Academy. We were studying the transformation technique today, you know. It's so boring!"

She suppressed a chuckle at that. Hanabi found everything that wasn't Taijutsu training boring, and she even complained about that all the time because there was no one in her class she thought was a challenge.

"Did you at least pay attention?"

"Of course!"

She was convincing, Hinata would give it to her, but she knew her sister better than she knew herself, so she could easily spot it when she was lying.

"How about this," she then continued. "If you can not only answer all my questions about it but also perform the transformation technique by the time I return, I will tell you every yet so boring detail about my mission. What do you say?"

Hanabi shot her a bright grin. "Deal!"

Making her pay attention at the Academy like this was probably not very wise, but Hinata had long since learned that it was the approach that got the best results. She was a quick learner in both theory and practice, but because she was also always bored in class, she tended to daydream a lot during them and consequently missed details that might become relevant later. If underhand tactics were what she needed to make her pay attention, Hinata wouldn't hesitate in using them.

Besides, she thought, it's not like there will be much to tell her about anyway.

"It's high time that he finally takes you on a mission. If he hadn't done so soon, I would have been forced to go and talk to him myself!"

Kiba groaned while Akamaru tried to hide his head beneath his paws with a low whimper. "Please don't even joke about that, Kaa-san."

"What? You have been a Genin for over two months already! You can't paint fences and babysit brats for the rest of your life if you want to become stronger."

"We were doing barely any of that," he argued even while he inwardly agreed with her. "We were training most of the time, and I became a lot stronger. Even you admitted that yesterday!"

While he was still far away from actually beating her - not that it mattered, of course - in a fight, his performance in their last spar had earned him genuine words of praise from his mother. No matter how bad he was, she had always taken care to add some compliments after berating him about all the mistakes he had made in their spar, but yesterday, she had nothing but nice words for him. It had almost been creepy.

"And I won't take that back," she replied with a half-hearted glare. "However, training doesn't replace real experience."

Kiba opened his mouth to reply, but before he could even say something, a third voice spoke up.

"Oh, let her be, Kiba. She's only acting like this to hide how worried she is, y'know."

He suppressed a chuckle when his mother turned towards Hana with a displeased look on her face. "Don't talk nonsense. Much more importantly, didn't I tell you to not show your face in front of me until you came to your senses and quit being a medic?"

Even Kiba could tell that there was no heat behind her words, not like there had been the first few days after that particular reveal had come to light, and evidently, so could Hana as she ignored their mother with a roll of her eyes before turning to him. "She hasn't brought that up in almost a week. A little longer and I would almost have been convinced she forgot all about it."

"How could I forget about my own daughter becoming part of the most useless corps in the village?"

Hana kept ignoring her as she continued to address him, now with an amused smirk on her face. "You see what I mean? Now she's trying to distract from how worried she is by focusing on me!"

"Pah," their mother scoffed. "That's utterly ridiculous. There's nothing to worry about on a mere C-Rank mission. Not with his skill and that team of his. He even knows that technique!"

His sister snorted before taking a step forward, and the only reason Kiba could stop her from ruffling his hair was that he had expected it and consequently was prepared to block her arm. Rather than being put off by it, however, she just laughed. "Now, don't be like this. Unlike Kaa-san, I don't try to hide how worried I am. Let me have at least this little joy."

"Why should I?" he asked without letting her hands out of his sight. "I technically haven't forgiven you yet, y'know."

Considering he didn't even try to sound convincing, she obviously knew he was only kidding.

"Oh, don't tell me you're still angry about that."

"Of course I am! Do you have any idea how annoying all that crap was?"

For weeks, Hana had intentionally tried to rile him up just so that she could punish him for losing his cool afterwards. He knew that he had a short fuse and that he needed to work on that, but not at home during his free time dammit!

"Don't blame me for that," she said with a shrug while not even bothering to try and hide the teasing grin on her face. "I only did what your sensei asked me to do. It was all for the sake of your training."

Kiba didn't know how that was supposed to make it any better, but that wasn't what he cared about at the moment. Much more important was that she had just dug her own grave. "Oh?" he said while playfully wriggling his eyebrows. "And all it takes for you to do something is Itachi-sensei asking you to? How interesting."

Hana's teasing grin vanished in an instant, replaced by an exasperated expression, but she couldn't fool him. She might be used to his teasing by now, but he clearly remembered her blush when he teased her a month ago about inviting his sensei for tea. Now, if she could just admit that she liked him, they might actually plan how to go on the offensive!

"Are you still going on about that? Really?"

Kiba chuckled, but before he had the chance to reply, their mother joined the conversation once more, her previous 'annoyance' all but forgotten. "She's right, Kiba. Hana can do much better than that."

"What?"

"What?"

"Don't look at me like that," she complained at both their reactions. "You know that I'm right. Aside from the fact that all the Uchiha are for some ungodly reason cat people, there are much better catches out there. Kakashi Hatake, for example. He at least understands the value of ninken."

Hana groaned. "I have no idea how this turned into a conversation about my love life, but it's definitively not something I want to talk about." Then, she shot their mother a dry look. "Besides, Hatake is way too old for me. Seriously, what even gave you that idea?"

"Older men have a certain appeal, you see."

Kiba cringed. I really didn't need to hear that.

"Just because you like-"

"Alright!" he interrupted Hana before the conversation could get more out of control than it already was. "That's enough of that! And I really need to go anyway, so stop it already, okay?"

Maybe he could actually delete all the memories about this cursed topic if they stopped right now before he could hear even more stuff he never wanted to know. Why would they even talk about this with him in the room to begin with? Had they no-

Kiba was jerked out from his thoughts by a hand roughly ruffling his hair, making him jump away to escape whoever was responsible for that attack. But I didn't let Hana out of my sight! If it isn't her, who could possibly…

His eyes widened in realization.

"Kaa-san!"

She ignored his shout in favour of giving him a smile that - for once - lacked her usual fierceness. "Take care of yourself, Kiba," she told him, speaking much more quietly than before. He wouldn't describe it as soft, but it was as close as she would ever get. "Don't get yourself in trouble unnecessarily, yes?"

"That's a lost cause," Hana added from his other side, and although there was some amusement in her voice, she too sounded much more reserved. "Rather, try to have your team with you when you inevitably get into trouble, alright?"

Kiba resolutely ignored the heat he could feel creeping up his neck. "Jeez, don't make such a fuss," he said without looking at either of them while moving to grab his backpack that was already waiting for him fully packed next to the door. "I will be just fine."

"Isn't it normal for a parent to worry about their child?" his mother said, openly admitting for the first time to actually being worried. "Whether or not it's necessary doesn't matter. A mother doesn't need a reason to worry, y'know."

"Nor does a sister," Hana added, moving to step next to their mother. "Especially not an older sister. It's basically my job to worry about you."

This… was new. It wasn't as if he didn't know that they cared about him, but for them to say stuff like that so openly was super weird. Sure, it was the first time he went on a mission outside the village, but still.

However, he could say that he disliked it.

Not that he would ever admit that out loud, of course. He had a reputation to uphold.

Kiba had honestly no idea how to appropriately reply to that. What would be the best thing to say? The best thing to do? Maybe…

"Well then," he exclaimed before suddenly jumping around, ripping open the door, and starting to run. "See you when I'm back, I guess. Come on, Akamaru!"

Dealing with emotions like that was totally not one of his fortes, so it was much better to simply not deal with them whatsoever. Besides, he planned to come back safe and sound anyway, so it wasn't like they needed some big goodbye in the first place. This was only a simple C-Rank mission, and while he had no idea what exactly they would set out to do, he doubted it would take much longer than a week. It was their first mission outside the village, after all. It would be stupid to expect something super exciting.

You really don't need to worry. I will be back before you even know it, Hana, Kaa-san.

"Stay safe, Shino. Even an otherwise easy mission can quickly turn dangerous if one lets their guard down. Don't let yourself get caught off-guard."

Shino nodded at his father's word, accepting that warning with grace. He already knew all of that, of course, but there was no harm in hearing it one more time before he left. Seeing that he had understood, his father then squeezed his shoulders one last time before letting go of him.

"Go now," he said, and although his mouth was hidden behind his collar, Shino could hear the smile in his voice. "You don't want to be too late for your first mission, now do you?"

He tilted his head in agreement, for once not trying to hide his own smile. "Of course not."

With one last goodbye, he turned around and began making his way towards the Hokage building.

It was finally time for Team 8 to go on their first real mission. Shino appreciated what Itachi-sensei had done for all of them so far, how much he had helped them improve themselves, and he was the last one to criticise his approach to things, but a small part of him had been dying for the logical next step in their training. He hadn't dared to openly ask for it, but for weeks now, Shino had silently begged him to ask the Hokage for a C-Rank mission. To have his wish come true now felt almost like a dream.

They were ready, Shino knew they were. Even if this mission in particular would probably be not all that exciting, it would be the proof they needed to show both their sensei as well as their leader that they could go on more C-Rank missions, ultimately allowing them to gain the experience they so desperately needed.

Just thinking about gave him goosebumps. It had been a long, long time since he had been so excited. Not that this was very surprising, mind you.

After all, this was the first step towards his dream.

"Yo, Shino," a voice called out to him. "Where have you been? We have been waiting here for you for ages already!"

He had noticed Kiba long before he had called his name, of course. The other boy had stood out from the crowd even from afar with his nervous energy as he paced from right to left and back again.

"Don't lie, Kiba," Hinata rebuked their teammate gently from where she stood to his left, a hint of amusement in her voice. Then, she turned towards him. "Don't worry, Shino. We have only been here for a few minutes. You aren't late."

While she seemed at first glance much calmer than their teammate, the way she played with the straps of her backpack showed that she too was nervous.

"Thank you," he told her as he came to a stop in front of them. "Why? Because it's nice that at least one of you is honest."

The second part was accompanied by a pointed look at Kiba.

"You're not looking for a fight again, are you? Don't you remember what happened during our last spar?"

He said that, but judging from the slight twitch of his lips, Kiba understood that he was only kidding and replied in kind.

"If my memory serves me right, you lost control of your technique and crashed into a tree."

Kiba immediately flushed red. "That's not what I meant! I was speaking about what happened after that!"

"My apologies, then. I seem to have forgotten after all."

Kiba responded to the teasing just as Shino had expected, his embarrassment clouding his judgment, but before he had the chance to reply, Hinata began to chuckle. "I think he's talking about how you knocked yourself out when you tried to dodge his attack, Shino."

Behind his glasses, his eyes widened. Hinata barely ever participated in his and Kiba's little play fights, so why…

Oh, he realized. I see. She wanted to even the odds a bit.

Their arguments had become much more equal since Kiba began to get a better grip on his emotions, but with how nervous all of them were right now, he had fallen victim to Shino's taunt in an instant. If things continued, they could potentially have started to fight for real, so Hinata interfered.

It's really easy to forget just how attentive she can be.

"You three do know that you are too early, don't you?"

As always when Itachi-sensei unexpectedly plopped up next to them, all three of them flinched and instinctively fell into a combat stance before they realized that there was no actual threat.

Being the first one to relax, Kiba shot their sensei a smug grin. "But you were the one who told us to make sure we're on time today, Sensei."

Itachi-sensei raised an eyebrow at that. "Being here almost an hour before the appointed time is taking it a little bit too far, wouldn't you agree?"

"Well, ehm, maybe….?"

Taking pity on his teammate, Shino took a step forward. "All three of us are nervous about today, Sensei. While I can't say for sure whether Kiba and Hinata had the same idea, I for my part wanted to be here particularly early to have some time to calm myself down."

"Shino is right," Hinata added, stepping up beside him. "I was thinking the same."

Kiba, seeing the opportunity for what it was, nodded as well. "And so was I."

Itachi-sensei observed the entire spiel with a highly amused expression on his face before sighing exaggeratedly. "Well, aren't you all very excited?" Then, he turned around and started to walk ahead. "Come on, then. We shouldn't keep Hokage-sama waiting."

The three of them gave each other confused looks as they hurried after him.

"But we are still too early," Kiba said. "Won't he be busy?"

"You're hardly the first Genin team that arrives early for their first C-Rank mission. It's a standard policy by now for the Sandaime to keep his timetable free for about an hour before such an appointment exactly for that reason. That's also why issuing these kinds of missions is usually one of the earliest appointments of the day as his schedule tends to become more crowded the later it becomes."

Shino didn't even have time to be embarrassed about acting so predictable as the realization sat in that he wouldn't need to wait much longer to find out what their mission would be about.

With all the possibilities running through his mind, all he could do was to follow after his team in silent anticipation for what was about to happen.

"So it's finally time for your first mission outside the village, huh? I'm sure you're already looking forward to it."

It was amusing for Itachi to watch his students try to act calm and attentive when he knew exactly how excited they were for this, and judging from the subtle signs he saw from the man on the other side of the desk, the Hokage felt the same way.

"Fortunately for you," the Hokage continued, "your sensei notified me well ahead of time, so I had plenty of time to find something suitable. You wouldn't believe how many teams come and want a mission on short notice." He shook his head in amusement. "Naturally, they usually end with whatever I have close to hand, meaning they leave my office disappointed more often than not. For you, on the other hand, I found something that might be a bit more interesting than merely delivering a message or acting as bodyguards for some traders that only want to travel to a nearby town."

The anticipation in his students was impossible to miss, and Itachi found it in himself to regret that classroom teacher from the Academy wasn't currently on duty as well. He knew that the Hokage generally tried to have them here when their former students took their first C-Rank mission, so the man must be otherwise occupied at the moment.

Their leader took out a scroll and handed it to Itachi.

"The mission is rather simple," the older man continued as soon as Itachi took the scroll, ignoring him as he opened it and began to scan its content in favour of addressing the three Genin directly. "You will travel south to the Kabasawa Mines at the coast not too far away from our border with the Land of Rivers. The noble in charge of the mines, Hirate Akihito, reported trouble with some giant boars that bother his caravans and now is worried about the effect it will have on trade. Furthermore, he fears that the boars might cause trouble to the town where all his workers live. Thus, your mission will be to find these boars and take care of them before they can cause any more problems."

It was a good choice for their team. All three of his students were well-suited for tracking, and Kiba in particular would be essential for this mission. After all, while Hinata's Byakugan was a powerful tool, it was not only limited by her chakra reserves but also had a certain range she couldn't go beyond, and Shino's insects were only suitably for long-distance tracking if he had the opportunity to mark their target in advance. Kiba and Akamaru, on the other hand, would be able to find the boars' scents and then lead their team to them. However, there was one thing that surprised him about this.

"Forgive me, Hokage-sama," he said, "but I thought Sudou-san is usually responsible for all missions concerning the Kabasawa Mines unless their difficulty is above his skill level." The person he was talking about was a first-generation shinobi coming from a family of great standing in Konoha's Merchant Guild that traditionally organized the village's dealings with the mines. Because of the good relationship between them and the family in charge of the mines that held for generations already, Sudou was the logical choice whenever a shinobi was required there. "Did something happen?"

The Sandaime nodded. "Unfortunately, Sudou-san was injured during his last mission. It isn't anything serious, but he won't be able to go on any missions for a while yet, leaving this to someone else."

I see, he thought. In that case, it makes even more sense to send our team. His control over the mines gives Hirate Akihito a lot of political clout and influence, meaning offending him could quickly result in him becoming a nuisance. There's nothing he can complain about when it's three heirs as well as the younger brother of a fourth heir from some of Konoha's major clans who answer his call, however.

Acknowledging the explanation with a nod, Itachi handed the mission scroll to Hinata. "Here," he said, addressing all three of them. "Read it and tell me if you notice anything out of place."

They were evidently surprised by that, but as used as they were already to his seemingly strange commands, they only needed a second or so before they caught themselves and put their heads together to do as they were told.

The Sandaime and he meanwhile shared an amused glance, both of them curious to see if they would notice anything.

It was Hinata who spoke up first, her voice tentative but confident. "Sensei, isn't the payment a bit too high? We learned at the Academy that C-Rank usually missions pay between 30.000 and 100.000 ryō, but the payment for this mission is almost twice that much!"

Itachi nodded, pleased that this detail was noticed this quickly. "And why do you think this is the case?"

Hinata had no immediate answer to that, but Kiba did. "I'm sure I heard my mother mentioning once that nobles tend to pay more than they need to in general," he said. "It's some kind of powerplay, I think. They also do that sometimes to indicate that they want a particular skilled or renowned shinobi to accept their mission without having to actually ask for it directly, but considering there seems to be a regular for this client, I guess it could mean in this case that it's some kind of friendship bonus?"

"Very well-argued," the Hokage praised, and Itachi had to agree. Usually, it was the Inuzuka's teammates who answered questions first, making one easily - and mistakenly - underestimate his intelligence, but it was moments like this that proved that Kiba too could think things through when he really tried to. "However, while you're correct in that a friendship bonus is included in the payment, that alone doesn't explain its high amount. There's one more thing to it."

Silence hung over the room for a few seconds until Shino gave it a try as well. "If I remember correctly, the Kabasawa Mines alone are responsible for almost thirty percent of Konoha's iron supply. We depend mainly on trade with the Land of Iron to meet our needs as there are no other big iron mines within our borders, so these ones are of high importance to the village." He looked back and forth between Itachi and the Hokage. "Would it be correct to assume that this importance is reflected in the payment, Hokage-sama, Sensei?"

"It would be, yes," Itachi said, very much satisfied with the answers of all three of his students. The fact that they had done so well in front of the Sandaime had nothing to do with that, of course. "Very well analysed, you three. There's nothing I have to add."

"I quite agree," the Hokage added before turning towards him. "You have trained them well, Itachi."

He gave the man a slight bow. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

The five of them exchanged a few more pleasantries before Itachi and his team were dismissed and went on their way, his students barely refraining themselves from skipping ahead while he watched them with good humour. The journey would take several days and consequently give them more than enough time to calm down, after all. There was no reason to ruin their good mood quite yet.

And just like that, they set off towards their first real mission.