Ruichi slung his luggage over his shoulder, dressed in brand-new camouflage gear, and walked along the village's main road toward the assembly point.
The streets were empty and quiet in the early morning. Then, from behind him, a familiar, teasing female voice rang out.
"Yo, kid, looking pretty sharp today. What is it—heading to a masquerade ball?"
Anko Mitarashi leaned lazily against the roadside, clearly having waited there on purpose.
"Can't help it," Ruichi replied with a grin. "Being this handsome, I have to keep a low profile—wouldn't want the enemy getting jealous on the battlefield."
Amused, Anko stepped forward and, without the slightest hesitation, pinched his head—bandanna and all—then looked him up and down.
"Tch. The brat's already learned how to be narcissistic."
A faint, fragrant breeze brushed past his face. Ruichi didn't dodge, letting her do as she pleased.
"Here," Anko said. "A farewell gift from your big sister."
A trace of guilt flashed through her eyes as she stuffed a ninja tool pouch into Ruichi's arms. Inside was a high-grade ninja tool set.
Leaning close to his ear, Anko lowered her voice.
"Once you get there, keep your guard up. Don't always act like nothing bothers you. The border… hasn't been very peaceful lately."
"This…" Ruichi looked at her, his expression complicated.
Anko patted his shoulder and smiled lightly.
"Alright, hurry up and report in. Don't miss the assembly. When you get back, big sis will treat you to a proper feast!"
Ruichi watched Anko walk away, then stored the tools and headed toward the meeting point.
The squad leader, Shirakumo Hayama—a stern-looking, middle-aged jōnin—stood with his arms crossed, his sharp eyes sweeping over everyone present.
The two chūnin beside him were old acquaintances of Ruichi's: Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane, the legendary duo who guarded Konoha's gates year-round.
There were also several genin dressed in standard combat gear. They looked experienced, their eyes carrying a hint of numbness—clearly veterans of routine missions.
The last teammate's appearance caught Ruichi slightly off guard.
"Inuzuka Hana?"
A young girl with a high ponytail and the distinctive facial markings of the Inuzuka clan walked over, leading three ninja hounds—the Gray-Maru brothers.
Hana noticed Ruichi as well—or rather, she noticed the man in camouflage and goggles.
She froze for a moment, then her nose twitched subtly, as if confirming a scent.
"Ruichi? You're going too?" she asked in surprise. "And why are you dressed like that?"
"…It's a long story." Ruichi shrugged.
Once everyone had gathered, Shirakumo Hayama counted the personnel and supplies, then gave the order to depart.
Their mission was to escort a supply shipment to the Third Outpost on the eastern border. After arriving, their squad would be integrated directly into the outpost's forces, remaining there until the next rotation arrived a month later.
As they traveled, Ruichi discreetly observed his teammates.
Izumo and Kotetsu, the longtime partners, worked in perfect sync and looked completely relaxed. The four older genin seemed somewhat numb, clearly accustomed to missions like this.
Only Inuzuka Hana, though doing her best to stay calm, betrayed her nervousness by occasionally stroking her ninja hounds.
That was understandable. For a rookie who had only recently graduated from the Academy, being sent straight to the tense atmosphere of the border was a lot of pressure—but such was the fate of the Inuzuka clan.
In contrast, Ruichi looked almost too relaxed.
He even had the leisure to plan how he might come up with excuses to slack off once they reached the outpost.
His attitude drew a few sideways glances from the others—was this guy genuinely confident, or just plain reckless?
…
After traveling for half a day, Shirakumo Hayama called for a rest.
Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane were sitting on a rock, drinking water, when Ruichi walked over.
"Seniors," Ruichi asked casually, "is there anything special I should watch out for on this border mission?"
Izumo wiped his mouth.
"The border, huh? Mostly patrols and standing guard. Sometimes you run into petty thieves or wild animals. But the Land of Water's been a bit restless lately, so the higher-ups sent reinforcements."
Kotetsu added, "Just don't let your guard down. And… don't wander too far from the patrol routes. Getting isolated is the worst thing you can do."
Ruichi nodded, then suddenly smiled at Izumo.
"By the way, senior—I recently used your Water Release: Sticky Syrup Trap as inspiration to create a new jutsu."
"Oh?" Izumo raised an eyebrow. "What kind of jutsu?"
"Water Release: Hair Gel Hand."
A clump of viscous water instantly condensed in Ruichi's palm. Before Kotetsu could react, Ruichi swiped it straight through his spiky hair, neatly smoothing the middle part down.
"Hey! Why are you testing it on me?!"
"Well, I'm wearing a bandanna," Ruichi replied calmly. "This technique's based on the properties of Sticky Syrup Trap. It's moldable and stays sticky—great for styling hair or fixing things in place."
Izumo stared at Kotetsu's new hairstyle, momentarily speechless.
"…Pfft."
"This is your 'new jutsu'? Using it to do hair?" he finally said.
"Hey, Izumo! You laughed just now, didn't you?!"
"It's very practical!" Ruichi said with a serious face. "In the morning, no need to waste time grooming—one Hair Gel Hand and you've got any hairstyle you want."
Izumo's mouth twitched, but curiosity got the better of him.
"Let me try."
He copied Ruichi's movements, condensing syrup-like water in his hand—then slapped it onto Kotetsu's head.
"Ow—damn it!"
Kotetsu cried out as an excessive amount of sticky syrup poured out, instantly turning his hair into a messy lump firmly glued to his scalp.
"YOU TWO!" Kotetsu's face turned beet red. "Ruichi! Fix my hair right now!"
"Ahem. Senior Izumo, you might've used a bit too much chakra," Ruichi said while cleaning it up with Water Release. "This technique's all about fine control."
The farce sent everyone into laughter. Even the usually stern Shirakumo Hayama couldn't help but curl the corner of his mouth.
At the same time, a hint of surprise flashed through his eyes—Ruichi's chakra control seemed even more refined than that of a veteran chūnin like Izumo.
At dusk, when the team set up camp, Ruichi once again demonstrated his "lifestyle" ninjutsu.
"Earth Release: Earth House."
With a low rumble, the ground rose, forming a simple earthen house just large enough to fit the entire squad.
"Earth Release: Rock Furniture."
Tables and chairs took shape, and he even fashioned a stone cooking pot.
"Fire Release: Intense Fire Stir-Fry."
Dried meat from their rations and wild vegetables gathered along the road went into the pot, followed by oil and seasonings Ruichi casually pulled out.
The smooth, flowing sequence of actions left everyone around him dumbfounded.
They had seen ninjutsu used for combat and travel—but never for cooking, eating, and living so extravagantly on a mission.
"Ahem," Shirakumo Hayama cleared his throat, walking over with clear curiosity.
"Ruichi-kun, your chakra control is… exceptionally refined."
"It's nothing special," Ruichi replied modestly. "Just practice."
Before long, everyone was served two dishes and a soup.
"To think we'd eat this well on a mission…"
"That earth house beats a tent by a mile—and it just popped up like that."
"Ruichi-kun is absolutely essential for long trips."
A relaxed atmosphere spread through the camp, and the exhaustion from the journey melted away.
After a night of rest, the squad continued onward.
Several days later, they finally arrived at the Fire Country's border outpost.