No matter how resourceful Shikamaru might be in the future, he was still a novice now. It was the same for Ino; the equipment in her backpack had all been prepared by her mother. Why was the magnesium rod in the left pocket of her backpack? Why was the Fūma Shuriken in the inner compartment? Why were there two Kunai in her Ninja pouch and four Kunai in her backpack? They had learned about these things in class, but this was their first time actually using them.
Ino and Shikamaru were like children on their first spring outing, discussing and meticulously examining the contents of their backpacks. Afterward, they even took Choji's bag and studied it from all angles, connecting theory with practice, using their classroom knowledge to verify the actual situation before them. For a while, they both felt they had learned a lot.
"We didn't forget anything, did we?" Ino checked repeatedly, "I've got three days' worth of food here."
Shikamaru scratched his head, "I have about three days' worth too, but..."
They both looked at Choji, who was sitting in the shade. With that glutton around, their meager food supply would definitely not be enough.
"Three days' worth of food is already enough. Carrying too much food will increase your burden and affect your mobility. You must be good at searching and finding enough food in the wild," an old voice sounded from behind the three.
Ino whirled around. She had no idea when the person had entered her sensory range.
The old man was truly old, his face covered in age spots, his hair and eyebrows completely white. He wore somewhat tattered shorts and a brown sleeveless vest.
What caught Ino's eye most was the large pot the old man was carrying on his back.
"Grandpa Kosuke!" Choji was the most cheerful. His grandfather, Akimichi Torifu, had been a comrade-in-arms with Kosuke during his lifetime, making him the closest among the Ino–Shika–Choji families to the old man.
"Hello, Grandpa Kosuke."
"Hello, Grandpa Kosuke."
Ino and Shikamaru greeted the old man. He was seventy, and they were twelve, so calling him grandpa was perfectly fine.
In the distance, Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane, who were registering travelers entering the Village, knew the old man's true identity and didn't treat him as an ordinary Genin. At this moment, they also nodded slightly towards him, acknowledging his presence.
The old man waved his hand, smiling kindly, "Good, good, you are all good children."
He paused, "I just finished a patrol mission, sorry to keep you waiting."
Choji and Shikamaru both said they didn't mind.
Only Ino secretly grumbled, Konoha really was heartless. This worker had been working until he was seventy and was still on active patrol. Couldn't they assign him a less demanding position? It was true that old man Kosuke wished to die on the battlefield, but couldn't they at least show some consideration? What would the younger generation of Ninja think when they saw this white-haired old man, over seventy, still patrolling? Would they think Konoha Village was great? They would only think such a Village had no future, right?
Old man Kosuke's back was a bit hunched. "Your parents asked me to teach you some knowledge for this week. Since you are all ready, let's set off."
They left immediately. The Ino–Shika–Choji families had asked the old man to teach the three of them for a week, so there was no time to waste.
Choji knew this was a rare opportunity and became unusually serious. Shikamaru also shed his usual laziness. The three carried their backpacks, registered their identity information with Izumo Kamizuki, noted their departure time, and signed, then walked out of Konoha Village's gate.
After walking about ten meters, Ino looked back. In her line of sight, she could clearly see the Village gate, the main road, and the Hokage Rock in the distance.
This was her first time leaving Konoha Village since she had transmigrated over four months ago.
She hadn't felt it while in the Village, but now, stepping out, a sense of indescribable fear arose in her heart.
Her gaze involuntarily fell upon a puddle by the roadside. Could the Demon Brothers, whom countless transmigrator seniors had killed, be hiding there?
The Demon Brothers were definitely not there. Kosuke noticed her tension and asked with a smile, "First time leaving the Village?"
Ino nodded.
Shikamaru and Choji nearby were proud. Shikamaru looked up at the sky, "We've been out before."
What was there to brag about? Ino was speechless.
The four needed to increase their wilderness survival knowledge, so they soon left the main road and turned onto a small path.
They moved with Ninja Run, arms naturally behind them, center of gravity lowered. All four concentrated Chakra in their feet, moving swiftly through the forest.
As they got further and further from the Village, Kosuke prompted them, "When we are on missions in unfamiliar territory or enemy-occupied areas, what formation should we adopt?"
Choji looked utterly bewildered, eyes wide. A formation was needed?
Ino and Shikamaru exchanged glances. Both knew the answer to this question. After a silent exchange, Ino gestured for Shikamaru to answer.
"We should advance in a single file formation."
Kosuke nodded, signaling him to continue.
Shikamaru thought for a moment, "Hmm, in our squad, Ino, who has sensory abilities, should walk at the very front to handle the squad's reconnaissance. Choji follows, and you need to provide timely support to Ino in front. If we encounter an enemy, you should immediately charge forward so Ino can retreat to a safe place to use Ninjutsu. Grandpa Kosuke's position is in the middle; you are responsible for supporting the two of them, and I will cover the rear."
The old man was noncommittal, and the four proceeded through the forest in a single file as Shikamaru had arranged.
Ino felt a sense of "When there is no great general in Shu, Liao Hua acts as vanguard." Good heavens, was she considered a sensory Ninja now?
For old man Kosuke, this mission was simply taking children out on patrol, completely without any difficulty.
The Ino–Shika–Choji families had already thoroughly scoured their activity area twice, so there was basically no danger.
Ino in front, Choji close behind, the old man in the middle, and Shikamaru covering the rear. The four moved through the forest in this formation. By evening, the only danger they encountered came from a wild boar.
Upon seeing the wild boar, Ino did not retreat but advanced. She darted forward more than ten meters, her wrist flicked, and a Kunai appeared in her hand.
She aimed at the direction of the wild boar's charge, holding the Kunai in a reverse grip. As they brushed past each other, she slashed hard at the side of the wild boar's face!
Before the blood could fully gush out, she took the opportunity to stab the Kunai into the wild boar's left eye and twisted it clockwise.
The wild boar screamed in pain. Ino felt the Kunai was a bit short, and the wild boar's skull was longer than expected. Unless she inserted her entire hand, the Kunai couldn't penetrate the wild boar's brain. She stepped aside and waved to the back, signaling, "Choji, it's your turn."
"Watch me, Human Bullet Tank!!" Choji yelled, first mixing the Chakra within his body with his fat, undergoing a Yang Release nature transformation. His body rapidly expanded, finally becoming a giant meatball. Relying on high-speed rotation and his body weight, he slammed hard into the wild boar.
The poor wild boar was completely unaware of what was happening. It was hit by the falling meatball, breaking all its bones, and after two groans, it died.
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