Gekkō Hayate didn't quite understand his father's sudden decision.
Clearly, at such a short distance and given a Ninja's speed, they could return very quickly. Why choose to walk back slowly?
Was the scenery on the road that good? It was all forest, no different from those large training grounds within Konoha Village.
However, a Jonin had his own reasons for doing things. Gekkō Hayate was merely curious and didn't speak up to question it. Higashino Shin likewise didn't ask much, but he quietly sensed the surrounding situation.
Due to his own Fusion with White Natural Energy, his sensing was special, divided into an active mode and a passive mode.
Normally, if he didn't concentrate to activate it, it remained in passive mode, possessing only the most basic warning capability. The range wasn't large, but it was enough to ensure no one could approach him silently.
Ninja are skilled at sneak attacks; for someone wanting to use sneaky tactics to take him out, this was truly a terrible ability to deal with.
If he activated his sensing search, it would be in active mode, and both the range and precision would increase significantly.
Unsurprisingly, he sensed someone rapidly approaching from behind. It was the three-man Genin team from the same Village they had encountered this morning; Higashino Shin remembered their Chakra signatures.
In his perception, the other party was just traveling normally, not appearing to be tailing them. Since everyone's missions were similar, it was normal to run into each other on the way back.
What was abnormal was their teacher's decision to lead them back slowly, as if intentionally waiting for them. But from the situation this morning, this Genin team didn't seem to be acquaintances of his.
Soon, the three who were traveling at full speed encountered the Yun Jian Team returning slowly to the Village.
They jumped down from the trees and respectfully bowed to Gekko Yun Jian.
This was the basic etiquette for a Genin when encountering a high-level Ninja from the same Village while out in the field.
Meeting twice in one day could be considered fate. Both sides exchanged names and got to know each other. They were all companions from Konoha, and Higashino Shin's group didn't show any contempt just because the others were older Genin.
That would be very impolite. What if they provoked someone into shouting, 'Thirty years East of the river, thirty years West of the river, do not bully a youth for being poor'?
What? Higashino Shin's team were even younger youths? Then never mind.
As for why such Genin were still in the Village during wartime? Because sending them to the front lines was useless; aside from wasting Kunai and shuriken, it was no different from sending them to their deaths.
Perhaps the three had already been to the front lines and were simply scared out of their wits.
A Ninja who has lost their courage will only provide the enemy with more military achievements on the front lines, and might even drag their own side down. It was better to keep them in the Village as workers; at least they could create some economic value for Konoha.
How does the saying go? One shouldn't fear a god-like opponent, but rather a pig-like teammate.
Wasn't Might Duy also staying in the Village doing low-Rank missions during the war? However, his situation was different; because no one understood his true strength, they naturally wouldn't take him to the battlefield.
When he learned from Ninja returning to the Village for rest that the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist from the Hidden Mist were frantically hunting Konoha Ninja on the front lines, he immediately fought his way to the scene. While achieving a shocking military feat, he luckily saved his son's life.
But not all Ninja are Duy.
---
The captain of the Genin team, a young man who looked to be in his early 20s, was named Ritsu. The two team members were named Yuta and Yuto; they were biological brothers with similar talent and very close personalities.
They followed weakly behind their captain, not daring to look at the Jonin Gekko Yun Jian the entire time, seemingly lacking courage.
All three were common civilians without surnames, just like the Higashino Clan used to be.
However, the ancestors of the Higashino Clan had become Ninja during the establishment of the hidden Villages and achieved meaningful success, so they had specifically taken a surname.
Such a surname might be a place name, an item name, or something else related to their achievements.
That is how many civilian surnames in the Ninja World originated.
Clearly, no accomplished ancestors had appeared in these three families; perhaps they were the first generation of Ninja in their respective households.
As for what had happened to them, everyone tacitly avoided asking too many questions to avoid embarrassment.
Ritsu seemed very interested in Higashino Shin and the others: "Senior Yun Jian, judging by your Disciples' ages, are they this year's graduates?"
"Ah, yes, they just graduated and don't know anything yet."
"I see. Then they indeed need to do more d-rank missions to accumulate experience. But since they can receive guidance from a powerful Jonin like you, they must be very excellent juniors."
"Ahahaha!" Gekko Yun Jian seemed very happy to hear others praise his Disciples. "Their strength is indeed quite good, but the biggest problem is that they haven't seen blood. So, I plan to do one more day of d-rank missions tomorrow before using higher Rank missions to let them see what real combat is like."
"Oh, I'm truly envious that they're starting to touch Advanced missions so soon. Unlike us, whose talent and strength are very limited, we can only do insignificant things in the Village."
"Don't say that. Everyone is contributing to the Village; there's no difference between high and low."
"Thank you for the comfort, Senior," Ritsu sincerely expressed his gratitude to Gekko Yun Jian, as the other's words helped him maintain some Face in front of his juniors.
So he thought for a moment and said, "As a Senior to these juniors, I am undoubtedly a failure, but I can still offer some advice based on my own experiences.
For example, facing a bloody and cruel scene for the first time might cause serious psychological issues. Perhaps we can use other methods to transition first."
Gekko Yun Jian gained some interest: "Oh? Like what?"
"The Breeding Farm Outside the Village releases missions to clear fierce beasts every year during spring and autumn. The spring mission should be available in these few days. Although it's a d-rank mission, there is some risk, so not many Genin are willing to do it. Perhaps they can try it to adapt to the feeling of bloody killing in advance."
"That is indeed a good idea. Your suggestion has really helped a lot."
"Not at all, as long as Senior finds it useful."
Higashino Shin and Gekkō Hayate exchanged a look, understanding where the problem lay.
It was fine for Ritsu to ask a few more questions upon seeing excellent juniors, but he was being a bit too enthusiastic.
And their own teacher was talking a bit much today; he had even accidentally leaked quite a bit of the team's information.
This wasn't to say the fellow Village Ninja before them definitely had ulterior motives, but doing so violated the Ninja Code.
A Ninja, regarding their own mission planning, regardless of Rank, should theoretically only discuss it with team members or superiors. They shouldn't go around telling others, even if the other party is an insignificant Genin.
At the same time, one must strictly adhere to the principle of confidentiality and not inquire about the details of others' missions.
Unless two people have a very good relationship, they might occasionally mention unimportant matters as conversation fodder, but clearly, the relationship between Gekko Yun Jian and Ritsu was not at that level.
Yūgao Uzuki and the other two brothers only thought their captain was having a pleasant chat.
Higashino Shin and Hayate temporarily kept their suspicions in their hearts.
Gekko Yun Jian was a mature Jonin and wouldn't speak carelessly; he must have his own reasons for doing this.
The two teams returned to Konoha together in this harmonious yet strange atmosphere.