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"This... this tastes absolutely terrible!!"
Knowing his body was in no condition to be picky, Rong Lin reluctantly picked up the unidentifiable piece of jerky—well, at least it could technically be called jerky—and took a bite. Almost immediately, he gagged.
"Cough, cough!!"
Caught off guard by the horrendous taste, Rong Lin began choking violently, dropping the offending piece of meat to the ground.
The first sensation was an overwhelming sourness, followed by a burnt, charred flavor mixed with what could only be described as a faintly ammoniacal tang. Rong Lin couldn't even begin to describe the taste, but one thing was certain—he vowed never to touch it again, even if it meant eating rock-hard rations instead.
"What on earth is this? It tastes like it was washed in urine!" Grimacing, Rong Lin voiced his critique without hesitation.
"Pfft~~~"
Haru Ame Yoru burst out laughing, unable to contain herself. Rong Lin's description was spot-on and utterly hilarious.
Shimura Oto shot her a look of mild awkwardness, while Sakumo Hatake's face turned bright red. He shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact since he had both caught and roasted the animal himself.
"Ahem..."
Clearing his throat to mask his embarrassment, Sakumo quickly interjected, "If you don't want that, then eat some dry rations for now. Let's take this opportunity to review the mission."
At those words, Rong Lin, along with Shimura Oto and Haru Ame Yoru, straightened their expressions. The mood grew serious as they prepared to reflect on their performance. Despite their composed faces, however, the lingering disappointment in their eyes did not escape Rong Lin or Sakumo's notice.
Rather than teamwork and mutual support, this mission had largely been carried by Rong Lin alone, dragging two figurative deadweights behind him.
"You might find it strange why the difficulty level of this mission was so high."
Sakumo's statement cut straight to the heart of the matter.
Though none of them had asked aloud, Team Tsunade had harbored doubts throughout the mission. Based on their average skill level, they should never have been assigned such a task. Yet, the mission had come directly from Sakumo and Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi. Questioning its validity would imply distrust in both men—an uncomfortable position for anyone involved.
By all accounts, this mission should have been classified as an A-rank assignment, requiring a team led by Jonin-level ninja and supported by Special Jonin. But Team Tsunade?
As Shimura Oto and Haru Ame Yoru waited expectantly for Sakumo's explanation, Rong Lin quietly reached for the hardtack ration, nibbling on it slowly. Between bites, he assessed his physical condition. While the internal damage to his organs was somewhat severe, rest would eventually mend them. His waist wound had already begun scabbing over and would heal soon enough.
Sharingan...
Suddenly, something felt different. After a quick mental check, Rong Lin realized the truth—his Sharingan had evolved!
Closing his eyes briefly, then reopening them, Rong Lin gazed into the reflective surface of his water cup. Three tomoe now spun within each eye, arranged at distinct angles.
"..."
Sakumo froze mid-sentence, his mind reeling. He knew Rong Lin was a prodigy; activating the Sharingan at seven years old and advancing to two tomoe shortly after was extraordinary. But this? Achieving three tomoe at such a young age was unheard of—even among the Uchiha clan. Many members failed to reach this milestone well into their forties or fifties.
What kind of prodigy had the Hyuga and Uchiha clans abandoned?
A seven-year-old wielding a three-tomoe Sharingan—if word got out, it would send shockwaves through the shinobi world, especially within the Uchiha clan.
It seemed he wasn't the only one who had underestimated him. Even Third Hokage Hiruzen and Tsunade must have misjudged Rong Lin's potential!
Taking a deep breath, Sakumo maintained his composure and continued, "This mission was originally intended for a team of Jonin and Special Jonin."
The fleeting glimpse of the three-tomoe Sharingan hadn't gone unnoticed. Sakumo understood Rong Lin's desire to keep it hidden from Shimura Oto and Haru Ame Yoru, and he agreed it was best not to spread the news—it wouldn't benefit Rong Lin's growth.
"Wha... What?!"
Shimura Oto and Haru Ame Yoru were utterly stunned, their jaws dropping in disbelief. Even Rong Lin, who had suspected something unusual due to Sakumo personally handling the final enemies, was taken aback. After all, Sakumo had declared the mission complete.
"You heard me correctly. This was an A-rank mission."
Facing the trio's shocked expressions, Sakumo calmly elaborated, "You may wonder how your team ended up with such a task. Certain details remain classified, so I cannot elaborate further. Though risky, I'm relieved we managed to avoid any catastrophic outcomes."
As he spoke, Sakumo glanced meaningfully at Rong Lin. While Shimura Oto and Haru Ame Yoru interpreted this as criticism of Rong Lin's reckless actions, Rong Lin understood otherwise. Without him, Team Tsunade wouldn't have stood a chance against the suicidal nature of this mission.
Compared to the team's actual capabilities, accepting this mission was akin to signing their own death warrants.
"Regarding Haru Ame Yoru and Shimura Oto," Sakumo began sternly, shaking his head in disappointment, "I am deeply dissatisfied with your performances."
His tone softened slightly but remained cutting. "Ultimately, I can only rate your contributions as failing. You provided almost no assistance during the mission—not in combat, nor in any other capacity."
Both ninjas bowed their heads in shame, their faces flushed with embarrassment. Aside from helping locate the cave as a temporary resting spot, they'd offered no meaningful support to Rong Lin.
"I understand you might feel overwhelmed by the vast disparity in strength between yourselves and the enemy. But tell me—were you truly incapable of contributing in areas beyond direct combat? As members of Team Tsunade, shouldn't you have found ways to assist elsewhere?"
Sakumo spared no feelings, his words sharp and piercing, like daggers slicing through their hearts. In the past, he might have chosen to remain silent about these shortcomings. However, recent events had sensitized him to the importance of addressing such issues head-on. Rong Lin's earlier comments had struck a chord, prompting Sakumo to deliver a harsh critique.
And criticize he did—mercilessly tearing apart their lackluster performances during the mission.
"Uchiha Rong Lin!"
Having thoroughly lambasted the other two, Sakumo turned his attention to Rong Lin, whose expression shifted to one of mild surprise.
"At first, I was highly impressed with your performance—nearly awarding you full marks. From tracking the enemy to gathering intelligence, you executed every step flawlessly. Even I couldn't have done much better. However..." Sakumo's voice hardened, his expression darkening. "...your fatal mistake lies in deviating from the original plan."