"No, this mission involves other ninjas too. First, come with me to training ground sixteen, and I'll explain the specifics of the mission later," Mokgetsu denied.
Instead of explaining twice, it was better to wait until all team members were present for a collective explanation.
Hearing Mokgetsu's words, Obito swallowed a flurry of questions and quickly headed towards training ground sixteen with Mokgetsu.
When Mokgetsu and his disciples arrived at the training ground, they saw three ninjas standing there.
Although there had been no previous interaction with the three, due to their somewhat distinctive attire, Mokgetsu immediately recognized their identities.
The middle-aged man carrying an iron pot was undoubtedly Maruboshi Kosuke; as for the one dressed in black with sunglasses, it was highly likely to be Aburame Shikuro of the Aburame Clan, and the remaining person needed no guessing, it was Nara Suzaku.
[Name: Maruboshi Kosuke]
[Chakra: 32000]
[Skills: Water Attribute Chakra Nature Changes (Master Level), Yin Attribute Chakra Nature Changes (Master Level), Water Dragon Bomb Jutsu (Master Level)...]
[Name: Aburame Shikuro]
[Chakra: 28000]
[Skills: Insect Secret Technique (Master Level), Secret Technique: Parasitic Worm (Master Level)...]
[Name: Nara Suzaku]
[Chakra: 15000]
[Skills: Shadow Secret Techniques (Master Level)...]
Mokgetsu used appraisal to observe each one's details, finding Maruboshi Kosuke and Aburame Shikuro's stats qualified them as elite Jonin, while Nara Suzaku's stats weren't outstanding, but the Nara Clan's secret techniques could be quite effective at crucial moments.
"Captain Mokgetsu, I am Nara Suzaku, the one to carry out the mission with you," Nara Suzaku greeted first.
For a renowned powerhouse like Mokgetsu, Nara Suzaku, a Konoha Jonin, certainly recognized him.
Even if he didn't know Mokgetsu personally, it would be easy to guess his identity from the five people present, especially since apart from Mokgetsu, all others were young like Kakashi and Obito.
"Aburame Shikuro." Aburame Shikuro, seemingly a traditional Aburame Clan ninja, spoke tersely.
Maruboshi Kosuke chuckled warmly, "Hello, Captain Mokgetsu, I am Genin Maruboshi Kosuke."
Despite being the most senior in experience among the present, Maruboshi Kosuke did not act superior, showing respect to Mokgetsu.
"Why are you still a Genin at such an old age, Uncle Iron-Pot?" Obito asked, surprised by Maruboshi Kosuke's words.
Although Might Duy also became a Chunin late, Maruboshi Kosuke seemed considerably older than Might Duy.
Obito rarely saw such situations; ninjas over twenty usually got promoted to Chunin at least.
"Haha, just couldn't help it; my skills are lacking compared to you promising young talents," Maruboshi Kosuke waved it off with a smile.
Even though he didn't recognize the speaker, he was familiar with Kakashi beside Obito, who was now showing prospects of surpassing the White Fang of Konoha.
"But shouldn't there be some reason? Or is there an issue?" Obito scratched his head, puzzled.
"There's no issue; after completing this mission, I'm sure to get promoted. After all, this is an S-level war mission. As long as you follow Teacher Mokgetsu's instructions, you'll complete it successfully,"
Obito patted his chest, ensuring that with Sage Mokgetsu leading, the mission would go smoothly.
Maruboshi Kosuke smiled silently. If he wanted to be promoted, he could have been a Jonin long ago; he had just declined Sarutobi Hiruzen's promotion offer recently.
"It doesn't matter how a ninja like me, with no future, ends up; you should focus on your own development," Maruboshi Kosuke kindly reminded Obito.
Despite not wanting a promotion for himself, he didn't want helpful juniors to fall into the same situation as him.
Obito puffed out his chest proudly, "I am already a Konoha Jonin..."
"He's Uchiha Obito, and I'm Hatake Kakashi." As Obito was about to continue, Kakashi interrupted, completing Obito's self-introduction for him.
Then Shisui and Nohara Rin quickly introduced themselves as well.
Obito glared at Kakashi; couldn't he let him finish his sentence?
However, as Mokgetsu began to speak, Obito could only note Kakashi's actions mentally, planning to settle it later.
"The first investigation we need to conduct is..." Mokgetsu repeated the mission details Sarutobi Hiruzen had conveyed to him for the team and then distributed the mission scroll for sharing.
The mission, in fact, wasn't complex; it essentially aimed to weaken the Hidden Rock's power on the Land of Grass battlefield.
If the Grass Village was indeed aiding the Hidden Rock, their task was to strike at the Grass Ninjas, making them incapable of assisting the Hidden Rock.
The ideal scenario would be Mokgetsu's team defeating a batch of Grass Ninjas, capturing the Grass Village leadership, compelling them to sign a treaty and compensate losses, shifting their support from the Hidden Rock to Konoha.
Despite potential reluctance from the Grass Ninjas due to hatred, it would be better than their support for the Hidden Rock.
If the Grass Village was truly neutral and falsely accused, Mokgetsu's team would act as surprise forces in the battlefield, waiting for the right moment to create advantages for the Konoha Ninja Squad.
The perfect situation would be catching both forces in battle, where Mokgetsu's team could strike from the side, eliminating some Hidden Rock's Jonin and Chunin.
Though the mission seemed to focus on the Grass Village, the real target was the Hidden Rock, ultimately to help Konoha gain a war advantage.