As he spoke, Azora couldn't help but direct a gaze full of complexity at Gen.
His reaction upon learning about the situation was not very different from Momo's.
The difference between a Chūnin and a Jōnin was abysmal, much greater than the gap between a Genin and a Chūnin.
Even someone with Kakashi's talent had needed six years of training to go from Chūnin to Jōnin.
Azora didn't know that detail precisely, but even so, the idea of someone becoming a Jōnin in just one year seemed unthinkable to him.
Moreover, even among Jōnin, there were vastly different levels of power.
Baishi was not just any ninja. He hadn't developed his skills self-taught, nor did he belong to an untrained mercenary group. He came from Kirigakure, one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, which meant that his strength as a Jōnin was beyond question.
Gen had already proven to be an exceptional talent, someone who even made Azora feel inferior in comparison. But finding out that he had defeated Baishi, a Jōnin from Kirigakure, still left him stunned.
Meanwhile, Gen finished swallowing his dry ration, unhurried. At first, his expression showed surprise, but he quickly seemed to understand the situation.
"So that guy was a Jōnin…" he murmured, "No wonder he was so strong."
However, inside, he let out a sigh.
He had already suspected it during the fight, and now that it was confirmed, he knew what it meant.
When they returned to the village, it would be impossible to avoid the commotion.
Defeating a Jōnin from Kirigakure at his age was such a shocking achievement that it even surpassed the moment Kakashi became a Jōnin at twelve.
"I didn't expect there to actually be a Jōnin among the enemies…" Hayato exhaled with a mix of disbelief and frustration before looking at Gen seriously. "In that case, I want to apologize to you. If I had known earlier, I should have taken care of him myself."
His face reflected astonishment, but also a clear sense of guilt.
Besides being the team leader, he was also their guide, the one responsible for ensuring that everyone returned alive. Although his main duty was to train the newly graduated, that didn't mean he could stay on the sidelines in a real battle.
When the enemies were relatively manageable, letting them fight to gain experience made sense. But if there was an opponent of a completely different level, it was his responsibility to take the lead.
Just like in the previous battle.
Not only had they faced a large number of enemies, but among them, there had also been a Jōnin. And if the proper procedure had been followed, he should have taken the initiative against Baishi.
Instead, he ended up in a supporting role, helping Momo, and that had been a misjudgment.
"..."
Gen turned his head toward him and, upon noticing his remorseful expression, his eyes flickered slightly before he laughed carefreely.
"Don't worry about it, Captain. No one could have imagined that there would be a Jōnin among the enemies."
It wasn't worth overthinking it. It didn't matter whether the captain truly hadn't detected Shibai's strength or if he had intentionally allowed him to fight. There was no point in dwelling on the matter any further.
"Exactly, Sensei Hayato, don't blame yourself so much. Besides, if it weren't for you, I would be in a much worse situation than just being injured."
Momo also spoke, trying to ease the tension.
She was the weakest in the group, and despite Hayato's support, she had still ended up with several wounds. Her right arm was completely bandaged after emergency treatment.
For her, the fact that her teacher felt guilty was unnecessary. She simply wanted to reassure him.
Her words seemed to have an effect. Little by little, Hayato's expression left remorse behind, and instead, his gaze focused on Gen with a glimmer of recognition.
"Gen, what you did this time really surprised me. Not only did you defeat a large number of enemies, but you even defeated a Jōnin.
We must remember that Kirigakure's training system is brutal. The ninjas from that village are not ordinary—they are the elite among the elite. To be honest, even if I had fought against that rogue from Kirigakure, I'm not sure I would have won."
"Captain, you overestimate me. I was just lucky," Gen replied with a modest smile, waving his hands as if it really wasn't a big deal.
But no one bought that excuse. Defeating a Jōnin was not something that could be attributed solely to luck.
For the rest of the journey, not only Hayato but also Momo and Azora continued talking about Gen's incredible feat, still amazed by what he had accomplished.
Time passed quickly.
After the battle against the "Night Owl," they encountered no further threats along the way, only a few wandering bandits who were eliminated effortlessly.
On the third day after entering the Land of Tea, the caravan finally reached its destination without any problems.
Once Hayato completed the mission delivery, the team spent the night in a small town before setting off on their return journey to Konoha.
The curious thing was that, although the trip there had taken nearly ten days, the return, even without rushing too much, took only one.
When they finally crossed the village gates, Hayato looked at his team and casually announced:
"For today, the team is dismissed."
"See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow, Gen."
"Goodbye."
With that, Hayato headed straight to submit the mission report, while Gen and the other two said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.
…
Inside the Hokage's office.
"In short, that's the situation," Hayato said in an extremely serious tone. "Gen Uchiha not only hid his strength but did so extremely well."
"If I have to estimate, his level is not only that of a Jōnin… but also, he is not exactly an easy opponent to face."
Hiruzen, sitting behind his desk, silently smoked his pipe.
His brow furrowed slightly from time to time as he listened to the information.
Although he had secretly asked Hayato to keep a close watch on Gen, he clearly did not expect to receive such a report.
The fact that he had defeated that Jōnin was an achievement as shocking as when he surpassed Orochimaru's test and defeated an elite Chūnin.
________
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