A good 50-75% of deaths out in the field for shinobi can be summed up in two words.
Bad Intel.
Most of the time, it's completely unavoidable and entirely unintentional. The reports given by spies in the area or from the client can often be inaccurate or even be wrong entirely.
However, there are times where it's both avoidable and intentional. Those times were infuriating, especially as bad intel on the client's part often could be spies from other villages pretending to be clients in order to snipe potential A or S-rank shinobi while they're still inexperienced.
The Demon Brothers were C-class chumps, barely even qualifying as low Chunin, but Kakashi Hatake wanted to get a measure of how his kids would handle unexpected encounters.
He was pleased to find Naruko had tapped into her mother's bloodline, the pathetic chain used by the Demon Brother's gauntlets shattering almost immediately as Naruko's Adamantine Chakra Chains easily moved through it like butter to wrap around the two of them.
Naruko was shaping up to be a monster in her own right, especially as Naruko looked bored during the whole thing.
Sayuri took one brother aside, still wrapped in Naruko's chains, to interrogate the man with her Sharingan.
Sakura did the same with the other one, only instead utilizing what Kakashi had taught her. The "Genjutsu: Nightmare Realm" he'd picked up from 'Accelerator', had proven to be an A-rank Genjutsu that worked by first recording traumatic memories and experiences and then forcing the target into experiencing them, and it was absolutely beautiful in that since it was based on memories, it would stick in the target's mind. The genjutsu never left, since all it did was create new patterns of memories based on old ones.
Since Sakura was relatively young, Kakashi helpfully taught her the jutsu and pointed her in the direction of the hospital and T for recording particularly useful memories.
Sayuri's interrogation led to the brother spilling his guts, but otherwise looked at them defiantly. Up until he saw his brother.
Sakura's interrogation target was still shaking violently, his vocal chords destroyed from screaming, his tongue gone as Sakura had to take it out from the Demon brother trying to choke on his tongue to die. His eyes looked glazed and filled with blood, his arms and legs broken in several places from moving so desperately that he broke his own limbs.
The remaining Demon brother looked horrified, screaming his brother's name, but Kakashi was pleased to see Sayuri gagged the man before he could say anything else.
His kids were growing up so fast.
Kakashi turned to Tazuna, the bridge builder's face pale as Kakashi placed a hand on the man's shoulders.
"That is not a bandit. Do you wanna come clean or do you wanna have the same experience they did?" Kakashi asked cheerfully.
Tazuna spilled his guts, and Kakashi Hatake was not amused nor sympathetic.
He gagged Tazuna, tied him up, and looked at his kids.
"Naruko, good job on subduing the brothers. Sayuri, Sakura, good job on the interrogations. Sakura, I'm putting a recommendation that you'd do great as T , but please keep your target somewhat sane, at least for Inoichi's sake as a Mind Interrogator."
The three girls beamed at him, with Sakura's face flushing as she looked proud. Kakashi smiled at them.
His kids were becoming monsters in their own right. He was proud.
"Alright, kids. We got two options. We go back to Konoha, explain the bad intel, and I can show you the process of how you file a claim of a client's misappropriation of a Mission Ranking."
Kakashi paused, watching his kids carefully. None of them spoke up, waiting for him to finish laying out the options. Good. It meant they weren't eager to jump into things without thinking things through.
"Or, we continue with the mission, with careful reporting and note taking to dictate how the mission will be filed at the end. I'll walk you through how missions like this can be the deaths of Konoha ninja, why these things happen, how you react to these kind of missions, and the opportunities/risks involved."
"How often does this happen?" Naruko asked seriously.
Kakashi raised a hand, making an iffy gesture. "Depends on the rank. D and C ranks, almost never. B, A, and S ranks, can depend on where the mission takes place, if there is a war going on, and so on. Misfiled mission reports like this one has killed many shinobi. What Tazuna here just did is exactly what a spy from another village would do in order to kill up and coming Genin like you three who show promise out in the field or on paper."
Naruko's face darkened, her blue eyes shifting red for a moment, until she took a deep breath to calm herself. Kakashi nodded. Good. Anger when directed can be useful, but it's a double edged sword.
Sayuri spoke up tersely. "I would like to do the second option."
Sakura and Naruko agreed.
Kakashi nodded. "Okay. First, when you suspect the client is a spy or a bad faith actor, you wait until concrete evidence or some factor reveals itself that can be documented. In this case, the presence of shinobi immediately acts as a flag. Once a factor is found, you gag and tie up the client if it's an escort mission such as this one."
The three nodded in understanding.
"If it's an item retrieval or a intel gathering mission, it is on hold as you immediately inform Konoha of the misfiling. This can be done in several ways. Higher ranked Jonin such as myself who are Summoning Animal Contracts can send our Summons with messages to the Summoning Hall, a specific undisclosed area that can pick up messages from the animals in question. Chunin and recent Jonin often will use trained ravens that will fly high in the skies and head straight for Konoha."
Sayuri grimaced at the mention of ravens, which made sense since Itsuki was the holder of the Ravens Contract.
"Now, in an escort mission, like this one, we can still operate to protect the client but not without several changes. First, the client is going to pay a severe fine on top of the mission fee, with the fine easily reaching double or even quadruple the mission fee. Second, if the client cannot pay for the fine, then we Konoha ninja can simply choose to leave. After all, we aren't going to do work unpaid."
Kakashi chuckled coldly as Tazuna whimpered behind his gag.
"Of course, as incomplete missions don't look good, we can still do the mission. Konoha will often eat the cost of minor missions like C and B ranks for some of our more valuable clients who have value in other ways than simply currency."
Naruko looked confused. "Why?" She asked.
"Diplomacy and politics." Kakashi said simply.
"Diplomacy is because our neighbors also give us a buffer from the other Great Five Villages, so we often provide discounts or even take some missions pro bono in order to keep them around as 'neutral' territory, so to speak. Politics is because minor nobles or even some merchants will often buy missions in 'bulk'. Caravans for trading goods will buy out missions to protect their goods into or through Konoha and her allies months or even years in advance."
Sayuri frowned. "But our client is not a merchant nor a noble." She pointed out.
Kakashi nodded. "Correct. However, Gato Industries, according to Tazuna, is trying to bleed the Land of Waves dry by creating a monopoly. Not only does this hurt the Land of Waves, it hurts us as Konoha often uses the Land of Waves for transport of goods and services. And, as Gato has not filed a claim over the territory nor paid Konoha the tax fees required for owning a port, this is considered an attack on Konoha's interests."
Kakashi's voice took on a cheerful tone.
"So, Konoha will likely eat the fee, and we will complete the mission, even extending the mission until the bridge is complete, because in exchange, we will get our money and then some by taking Gato Industries to task. Most likely Tazuna here will be a puppet civilian in charge of Gato Industries on paper while Konoha takes control of both the Land of Waves port and the Gato Industries indirectly. Gato will fall ill, or have an accident, and his last will and testament will be to have Tazuna take all his assets, liquid and otherwise."
Tazuna shivered as Kakashi still kept his firm grip on the man, whimpering as Kakashi smiled at Tazuna as his grip tightened.
"I'm glad we found a way to compromise, Tazuna-san. Unfortunately, I think we need to keep you tied and gagged on the way there in case any other of Gato's hired ninja try to listen to any bumbling civilians. I'm sure you understand."
Kakashi nodded in approval as Naruko easily blindfolded and hog tied Tazuna up, having a Shadow Clone take Tazuna's place as she wrapped him up with some binding paper over her Adamantine Chakra Chains to ensure any stray attacks didn't kill Tazuna through the wrapping. The binding paper would allow Tazuna to breath and keep his blood flowing, but not see, hear, or move much otherwise.
"Good work, Team 7. Move out." He ordered.
He left the two Demon brothers with one of his ninja dogs to drag them to Konoha. They'd live, but it'd be a very unpleasant experience.
Ah, the joys of raising the next generation.
Kotetsu and Izumo trembled as they witnessed a group approaching them.
"I believe Hiruzen-sensei has pardoned me." Orochimaru purred as they smiled kindly at the two Chunin.
"Oh, I also brought some gifts to Shikamaru Nara. Aikemono, the Ichibi Jinchuriki. Karin Uzumaki. Tayuya Uzumaki, accompanied by the Sound Four along with my guard Kimimaro Kaguya. I've heard he likes to collect Uzumaki strays, and I wanted to help his collection. I'd love to meet him in person. Please don't keep me waiting too long. I get... impatient."
Kotetsu whimpered as Izumo flickered to get the Third Hokage as fast as possible.
"So... Kotetsu, I believe, tell me, is it true Shikamaru Nara can fly? How strong is he? Can he really teleport?" Orochimaru asked eagerly as their eyes flashed hungrily.
Kotetsu wanted to be anywhere else right now.