The morning sun was just rising over Konoha as Ishida-san made his way toward the Hokage's office, his pace steady but unhurried.
Due to the nature of the streets, the streets were already bustling with merchants setting up their stalls early in the morning.
By the time he arrived at the Hokage tower, he was met with the sights of shinobi moving in and out of the administration building, moving so briskly like their lives depended on it.
Which he strongly believed in, so he just went along his way, but despite his casual demeanor, Ishida's mind was focused.
The approval for his bodyguard request had taken longer than expected, and while he wasn't particularly impatient, he disliked uncertainty more.
His business in the capital was important, and although he firmly believed in the capabilities of his village's shinobi, Murakami has come to make him a more cautious individual over the years.
He was a man that had witnessed Hashirama and Madara in their prime and knew a ceiling of power many from the younger generation could never imagine in its fullness.
There was no way a village protected by the clans that birthed those individuals could be weak.
That is why he needed the best konoha had to offer despite the War.
It was a simple enough mission with a remarkably high pay, so recovering C-rank shinobi could go through with it and receive more for less tasking work.
That was the tactic Hina had suggested they made use of the war to their advantage and get on the good books of Konoha executives.
As he approached the administrative building, he was stopped at the entrance by a guard.
"State your name and reason for coming." The guard said deeply and without any pleasantries.
"Ishida Hideo." He replied calmly and tapped his ear and whispered something that Ishida, despite being so close could not hear.
He adjusted the sleeves of his robe slightly, despite the mystifying act. He was obviously used to it and had given up trying to understand how they did the things they did.
The guard stopped speaking and looked at him and moved away for him to enter.
As soon as he stepped into the room, he was met with the sight of a large hall with a very chaotic movement
Ishida's experienced eyes noted the controlled chaos of the administration offices as shinobi moved around in the same manner he had met them outside.
At certain areas of the room, he was met with the sight of stacks of scrolls he knew to be mission requests.
This was the administrative office, with the Hokage who was the Supreme Head of the village absent, this was the office that ensured that the village could still function while supporting the war front.
Rreports, and deployment orders covering several desks, and shinobi of various ranks moved efficiently, either receiving assignments or submitting completed mission reports.
The war had turned Konoha into a machine of logistics, and Ishida understood that his request, as a mere merchant, was likely considered a low priority.
Even so, he wasn't going to leave without answers, he didn't like the feeling of staying idle for so long.
After a short walk, he stopped before a wooden desk, where a middle-aged man with sharp eyes and a serious expression was sorting through documents.
"Ishida Hideo, here to inquire about his C-rank escort mission," he briefly stated his identity.
The man barely looked up. "You submitted this request a few days ago, correct?"
Ishida nodded. "That's right. I expected a response by now."
The man sighed and finally looked at Ishida, rubbing his temples. "You're lucky you even got a C-rank assignment processed this quickly."
"We're prioritizing wartime missions, Non-essential missions have been delayed."
Ishida smiled thinly. "With all due respect, I'd argue that ensuring merchants can safely conduct business, even during wartime, is essential."
"You may not think much of my trip, but every trade deal I make helps keep goods flowing into Konoha. If I end up dead on the road, that's one less connection for the village."
The mission coordinator exhaled heavily but didn't dismiss his words. He knew better than to exchange words with a merchant.
He picked up a scroll and handed it over to Ishida.
"Your request was approved this morning. You'll be assigned two Chūnin escorts. They'll report to you tomorrow morning at the main gate."
Ishida's brow lifted slightly as he put the scroll away in his sleeve. "Is there something I should know about them?"
The coordinator glanced paused and looked at him. "Takemichi Tanaka and Sumi Hayashi. Both experienced and competent escorts."
"They could make good use of this mission's reward." He added and Ishida gave a slight nod.
He wasn't familiar with the names, and that wasn't an issue, he was just asking for formality sakes.
"Thank you for your time," he said, bowing slightly before turning to leave.
…
…
Ishida returned to the Lotus Store just as the sun began to dip into the horizon.
Hina was in her office as usual when Ishida knocked briefly on the door and slid open the door before stepping in.
Hina looked up as he stepped inside, setting aside her brush.
"I take it you got what you wanted?" she asked, noting his relaxed demeanor.
Ishida sat down with a satisfied sigh. "The request was approved. Two Chūnin will meet me at the gate tomorrow morning."
Hina nodded. "Good. Then you can finally be on your way.
…
…
The next morning, Ishida arrived at Konoha's main gate just as the sun began its slow ascent over the village.
As he adjusted the strap of his travel pack, his eyes scanned the area. Two figures stood near the gate, clad in standard-issue shinobi attire.
They weren't immediately distinguishable from the other guards posted nearby, but Ishida could tell by their more relaxed postures that they were likely the escorts assigned to him.
The taller one was a young man leaning against the gate with his arms crossed with a casual expression
The shorter one, a young lady with a leaner frame, stood slightly apart, going through her travel pack.
Ishida took his time approaching them and when he got close enough, the man straightened first, pushing off the gate with an easy smirk.
"You must be Ishida Hideo," he said, his tone amiable as he pulled out a scroll and showed it to Ishida who brought out the scroll he received the day before.
"And you two must be my escorts,"
Ishida said as they exchanged the scroll. "Katsuro Tanaka and Sumi Hayashi, I presume?"
The woman turned her gaze to Ishida, giving him a slow once-over before nodding slightly in confirmation. She was clearly more reserved than her partner.
Katsuro also grinned. "Right on the mark. I'll take that as a sign that you actually pay attention to details."
They nodded to each other before breaking the seal and reading the content of the mission and request.
Sumi came over and gave it a once over and then gave a slight nod. "Pleased to meet you. Let's get a few things straight before we head out."
Ishida raised an eyebrow as he folded the scroll and put it away. "Go on."
Sumi took a step closer with an oppressive air around her. "Your request was approved as a C-rank mission. That means it's expected to be a relatively safe journey, but we're still responsible for your safety."
"In the event of an attack, you listen to our instructions. No heroics, no wandering off, and no trying to negotiate with bandits, understood?"
Ishida laughed slightly. "I assure you, I have no intention of getting myself killed. That would be quite bad for business."
Katsuro chuckled. "Glad to hear it. One of the merchants we escorted thought he could talk his way out of a bandit."
He suddenly took a serious expression. "Let's just say that didn't end well for him."
There was a moment of silence as the three stood in silence until Ishida hummed in amusement. He liked that they weren't stiff or overly formal, but still took their job seriously.
He appreciated that balance.
It reminded him of Murakami who already had a similar disposition despite his age.
"Now that we have that out of the way," Katsuro stretched his arms over his head, "let's move out. We've got a long road ahead of us."
Ishida gave a short nod and gestured ahead where a modest carriage waited just beyond the gate.
It had a wooden frame reinforced with iron bands and drawn by a pair of sturdy horses.
It wasn't exactly flashy, but it was well-maintained, the kind of transport used by someone with a lot of money.
Katsuro didn't care for this as he was already used to this and moved to the front without comment, taking position beside the driver who nodded at him in greeting to which he nodded in response as Sumi joined Ishida inside the carriage.
As soon as they were seated, Ishida signalled at the driver and the with a creak of wheels and the soft clop of hooves, the carriage rolled, leaving Konoha behind as the road stretched toward the Fire Capital.
…
…