Chapter 24: Deception

Location: Konoha

Kaitan stood on the roof, watching his team of three Genin—Iruka, Mibu, and Thorny Iron Wire—search for a missing cat below.

"This energy won't last long," Kaitan muttered to himself. "Soon, they'll realize that the Will of Fire isn't as grand as they think."

For now, the trio was motivated by the ideals of the Will of Fire, but Kaitan was certain that a few more days of mundane D-rank missions would crush their enthusiasm, just like it had for countless Genin before them.

It wasn't that he didn't want to take on more challenging missions. The truth was, since the death of the Fourth Hokage, mission assignments had dwindled. The village's economy and trust from allied nations were only beginning to recover under the leadership of the Third Hokage.

"Still, I can't let them get bored. If they lose interest, the missions will stall—and as the captain, I get 30% of the team's reward. That's a pretty easy income," Kaitan mused with a sly smile. "Definitely not just about the money, though."

Below, the trio struggled with their task.

"Damn it, where is that cat?" Mibu muttered, flipping open a wooden barrel only to find it empty.

"You seriously thought it'd be hiding in there?" Iruka groaned, exasperated. "Be serious for once!"

Their mission involved finding a noble family's prized pet, a cat said to have been with them for decades. Despite hours of searching, they had only come across occasional signs of the feline, like stray tufts of fur and droppings on rooftops.

"Captain!" Iruka shouted up at Kaitan, who was lounging on the roof. "Are you sure this cat even exists?"

Kaitan looked down at them with a smirk. "Use your brains for once. What happened to all the tracking techniques you learned in school? Did you forget them the moment you graduated?"

The mocking tone hit a nerve. The trio, who prided themselves on being top students, couldn't let such a challenge slide.

"We'll show you, Captain!" Mibu declared, his competitive spirit ignited.

Determined to prove themselves, the trio began racking their brains, applying every tracking technique they had learned.

From the roof, Kaitan observed them with a mix of amusement and critique. "Their teamwork in combat isn't bad, but their overall ninja skills need serious work. Guess I've got my hands full."

He pulled out a notebook and began jotting down observations about their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Unlike Kakashi, who had been infamously lax in training his team, Kaitan was determined to take his role as captain seriously.

---

Afternoon

After hours of effort, the team finally found the cat hiding in a secluded alley. Using Iruka's knack for analysis, Mibu's keen perception, and Thorny Iron Wire's physical agility, they managed to corner and capture the elusive feline.

Exhausted and covered in dirt, the three Genin presented the cat to Kaitan with triumphant smiles.

"Well done," Kaitan said with a small sigh.

He had planned to shower them with praise, but he held back. In his experience, true growth came from struggle, not from compliments.

Iruka, noticing the captain's restrained expression, hesitated. "Captain… did we do poorly?"

Mibu and Thorny Iron Wire shared the same apprehension. They had expected a more enthusiastic reaction.

Kaitan shook his head. "Not at all. You did well."

"Really?"

The three didn't seem convinced. As top students, they were well aware of their own flaws during the mission.

"Of course," Kaitan said. "At first, you struggled. But as the mission progressed, you applied the skills you learned in school. That's what matters.

Mibu's sharp senses, Iruka's intelligence, and Thorny Iron Wire's action-oriented approach all played key roles in completing the mission. You worked together, and that's the most important thing."

Despite his words, the trio still looked dejected.

"What's wrong now?" Kaitan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It took us so long to find a cat," Iruka admitted. "If it was a ninja from an enemy village, we'd have failed."

Kaitan let out an exaggerated sigh and smacked each of them lightly on the head.

"You brats," he said. "Do you think you'll become elite ninjas overnight? This is your first day on the job! Take it one step at a time."

The trio looked at him, unsure.

"Do you know about Kakashi, the famous Copy Ninja?" Kaitan asked.

Their eyes widened. "You mean Kakashi-senpai? The prodigy who graduated at six?"

"That's right," Kaitan said with a grin. "When he first graduated, he was doing the same kind of missions as you—chasing cats and picking up garbage."

Their jaws dropped.

"He spent an entire day looking for a cat once," Kaitan added casually. "You know what that means? It means you're just as good as he was back then."

The trio's spirits soared.

"But there's one thing you have that he didn't," Kaitan said, pausing for effect.

"What's that?" Iruka asked eagerly.

"The Will of Fire," Kaitan declared. "Back then, Kakashi didn't believe in teamwork. He thought he could handle everything on his own. That's why it took him so long to find that cat.

But you? You worked together, and that's what makes you better than him in this regard."

The three Genin beamed with pride.

"Captain," Thorny Iron Wire said, "how do you know so much about Kakashi-senpai?"

Kaitan smirked. "Because we were classmates. I know all about him."

The trio stared at him in amazement.

"Wait," Mibu said suddenly. "How old are you, Captain?"

The other two looked at Kaitan curiously. Until now, they had assumed he was much older, given his height and confident demeanor.

"Haha, I'm only two and a half years older than you," Kaitan said, brushing off their surprise.

"Wait, then shouldn't we call you 'brother' instead of 'captain'?" Iruka joked.

"Be serious," Kaitan replied, shaking his head. "Call me Captain."

"Captain, did you do these kinds of missions when you first graduated?" Mibu asked.

"Of course not," Kaitan said with a laugh. "I went straight to the battlefield during the Third Shinobi War. Within six months, I made contributions that earned me recognition."

"Wow…" The trio looked at him in awe.

---

As the sun set, Kaitan watched his team with a mix of pride and amusement. They still had a long way to go, but they were learning.

One day, they might surpass even him. Until then, he would keep guiding them with a mix of wisdom, deception, and just a hint of humor.

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