Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 375 Naruto's Ninja Way

The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder and scorched earth.

Menma walked to the large tree under which many of the bark had been scraped off by the shockwave, and where two unconscious rogue ninja from Kirigakure were currently bound. He squatted down and skillfully searched the bodies of the head of the karmic sect and the head of the demon sect.

He rummaged through the inner layers of their clothes and the hidden compartments of their ninja tool bags and found some poisoned senbon needles and shuriken, a small amount of common currency, and several letters that were carefully wrapped in waterproof oil paper but had been charred and curled at the edges by the high temperature of the explosion.

Menma quickly glanced at the token and letter fragments. The text and markings on them pointed to a vague organization, but more specific information, such as the exact identity of the employer and subsequent plans, was clearly beyond the knowledge of the two Chunin who were carrying out the assassination mission.

These two were just low-level scouts.

It will be difficult to extract valuable information from them in a short period of time, especially since both of them are seriously injured and unconscious.

Kakashi shifted his gaze from Menma's search and returned it to Tazuna, who was slumped on the muddy ground, his face ashen and his body trembling.

“Mr. Tazuna.” Kakashi’s voice was not loud, and even had a lazy tone, but the content of his words made Tazuna tremble.

"During the mission, you were attacked by enemy ninjas whose strength exceeded the scope of a C-rank mission. This means that there was a major omission or concealment in the mission information you initially submitted." He paused, looking at Tazuna's suddenly raised, panicked eyes, and continued.

"According to the Konoha Ninja Mission Regulations, when the actual situation of a mission is seriously inconsistent with the content of the mission, the risk level exceeds expectations, and the client deliberately conceals information, the mission team leader, which is me, has the right to unilaterally terminate the mission and immediately report the situation back to the village."

"Going forward, the Konoha Mission Department will reassess the situation and may even hold you accountable for making false requests and putting our village's ninjas at unnecessary risk."

"Abort the mission?!" Tazna sprang to his feet as if pricked by a needle, ignoring the dust and wine stains covering his body, and the last trace of color drained from his face.

"No! We absolutely cannot abandon the mission! If you give up now and turn back, the Land of Waves will be truly finished! I... I'll be killed by that bastard Matsuo too! He will never let me go!"

His excitement and despair seemed genuine. Naruto stopped glaring at the two rogue ninja from Kirigakure and turned to look at the drunken old man who had been arguing with him not long ago, with a puzzled expression.

Hinata also subconsciously moved closer to Menma, her white eyes looking at Tazuna with a hint of reluctance.

Menma stopped searching, stood up, handed the found letter fragments to Kakashi, and then quietly looked at Tazuna with an indifferent expression, revealing no emotion.

Stared at by several young ninjas and Kakashi, Tazuna seemed to have all his strength drained away. He staggered, slapping his forehead hard, trying to clear his mind, which was clouded by alcohol and fear.

He slumped down, his voice hoarse, filled with exhaustion and helplessness: "I...I didn't mean to lie to you. I really didn't."

Tazuna raised his head, his cloudy eyes bloodshot: "It's because... everyone in our Land of Waves scraped together money, sold everything they could, just to raise enough to buy the materials most urgently needed for building the bridge. The remaining money is only enough to pay the commission for a C-rank mission... We simply can't afford a B-rank mission!"

He clutched his disheveled hair in anguish: "I know, I know the rules of ninja missions, I know it's wrong to conceal information... but what can I do? Watch the bridge construction stop halfway? Watch that vampire Matsuo continue to drain the blood of everyone in the Land of Waves?"

"This bridge... is our only hope!"

Naruto, who initially had a somewhat angry expression, slowly changed when he heard "everyone pieced together the money" and "the only hope".

He recalled his childhood when he was all alone and longed to be accepted by others.

The "everyone" that Tazuna mentioned, the people of the Land of Waves who raised funds to build the bridge, seemed to touch a soft spot in his heart.

He couldn't help but look at Menma, then at Kakashi-sensei. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't know how to start.

Hinata was kind and gentle by nature. When she heard Tazuna's tearful account and thought about how the people of a country were being oppressed and exploited, and how difficult it was for them to even build a bridge to seek a way to survive, she felt even more heartbroken.

She gripped Menma's sleeve, looked up at Menma's profile, her eyes filled with questioning and a hint of pleading.

Kakashi scratched his unruly silver hair, sighed, and sounded somewhat troubled: "Mr. Tazuna, I sympathize with your situation. However, the mission rules are mission rules; their purpose is to protect the safety and rights of both the client and the ninja."

"Concealing risks and causing misjudgments of mission levels could lead to irreparable consequences. For example, my men almost met with misfortune just now due to insufficient intelligence."

He glanced meaningfully at the ghost brothers who were tied up like dumplings.

Next, Kakashi turned his gaze to his three subordinates: Menma, Naruto, and Hinata.

"However, consider this a lesson in advance," Kakashi's tone softened slightly. "During a mission, if unexpected situations arise, the risks far exceed expectations, or even if the client conceals information, what would you, as the actual executors of the mission, choose? Would you strictly follow the regulations, suspend the mission, return safely, report the situation, and let the village's higher-ups decide? Or..."

He didn't finish speaking, but his meaning was already clear.

"Of course we keep going! Is there even a question, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto shouted almost without thinking, waving his fists, his face full of fearless passion.

“If we run away in fear just because we encounter a decent enemy, what kind of ninja are we! What’s the difference between us and cowards! We’re going to be Hokage! Right, Menma-nii?” He habitually sought Menma’s approval, his blue eyes burning with a determined flame.

"My ninja way won't allow me to give up so easily!"

Hinata seemed to be infected by Naruto's loud voice.

She took a deep breath, released her grip on the hempen sleeve, and took a small step forward. Though her voice was still soft, it carried an unprecedented firmness: "I...I want to continue too. Mr. Tazuna and the people of the Land of Waves...they need this bridge, they need hope. And..."

She glanced at Menma beside her, a blush rising on her fair cheeks, but her tone became more resolute: "I believe in Kakashi-sensei, and I believe in Menma-kun and Naruto-kun. We... can definitely complete the mission."

Menma looked at Naruto's spirited eyes and Hinata's shy yet determined face, and felt indifferent.

Of course, he chose to continue.

It wasn't just for the mission, nor was it just out of sympathy for Tazna.

He wanted to see for himself whether the fate of the Land of Waves would continue along its predetermined trajectory in this world that had become different because of his intervention.
Did that businessman named Matsuo hire that "demon" behind the scenes?
Menma met Kakashi's probing gaze and slowly said, "Ninjas must abide by the rules, but above the rules, there are also beliefs that must be upheld. To stand up for what is right is cowardice; to retreat in the face of danger is not the way of the ninja."

"Now that I've accepted the commission, understood the client's predicament, and assessed the potential risks... Kakashi-sensei, my choice is—to continue."

The "ninja way" he refers to is not the straightforward declaration of "speaking the truth and doing what you say" like Naruto, but rather a code of conduct based on his own beliefs.

Kakashi looked at the three equally determined young men and women before him, and a gentle smile finally appeared in his usually half-closed, dead-fish eyes.

They all possess the most precious quality of ninjas: the tenacity to never give up in adversity.

This reminded him of Minato-sensei, Obito, and Rin...

And then there's that guy who always has a cold expression, but when Naruto and Menma are mentioned, he cares more than anyone else.

"Is that so..." Kakashi drawled out his words, then sighed as if troubled.

“Since my subordinates are so motivated, it seems I have no reason to back down as their teacher.” He turned to Tazna, who looked relieved and was almost crying with joy, and his tone became businesslike again.

“However, Mr. Tazuna, the mission level must be upgraded to B-rank, and the corresponding commission will also need to be adjusted. If you are unable to pay the difference now, you can sign a deferred payment agreement and gradually repay Konoha after the bridge is completed and the economy of the Land of Waves improves. This is the bottom line.”

"Th-thank you! Thank you so much!" Tazna was so excited that he was incoherent, bowing repeatedly, tears welling up in his cloudy eyes.

He thought the mission would fall through and he might be held accountable by Konoha, but things took an unexpected turn for the better.

Kakashi said no more, took out a blank mission scroll and a small brush from his ninja tool pouch at his waist, and quickly wrote on it with his knees. He briefly explained the situation, including the attack by the Hidden Mist Village rogue ninja, the client's admission of withholding information, and the team's decision to continue the mission and temporarily upgrade its level to B after comprehensive assessment.

After finishing writing, he bit his thumb and pressed his bloody fingerprint at the end of the scroll.

"Summoning Jutsu!" Kakashi formed hand seals and pressed his palm to the ground.

A small puff of white smoke exploded, and as the smoke dissipated, a pug wearing a blue vest and with an expression that always carried a hint of dejection and dissatisfaction appeared before everyone.

"Yo, Kakashi, long time no see. What trouble are you in this time?" Pakku drooped his eyelids, scratched his ear with his paw, and spoke in a lazy tone.

"Please send this scroll back to the village as soon as possible and give it to the Third Hokage." Kakashi handed the scroll to Puck.

Parker held the scroll in his mouth and mumbled a complaint: "I'm always the one who gets errands... Next time, remember to prepare more top-quality braised pork ribs."

After saying that, with a "bang," it turned into a small wisp of white smoke and disappeared.

"Alright, that's the end of the little episode." Kakashi patted imaginary dust off his hands and glanced at Menma, Naruto, and Hinata.

"The mission continues. Stay alert; there may be more than one wave of enemies. Mr. Tazna, please lead the way. We need to reach the ferry crossing as soon as possible."

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei!" the three replied in unison, their concentration noticeably greater than before.

Naruto pointed to the Demon Brothers, who were still tied to the tree and unconscious, and asked curiously, "Eh? Kakashi-sensei, what should we do with these two? Just leave them here?"

Kakashi glanced at the two rogue ninja from Kirigakure, then seemingly casually glanced at the silent depths of the forest behind him, and said in a calm tone, "Someone will deal with them. This is not something we need to worry about right now. Let's go."

Naruto gave a vague "Oh" and, without thinking much of it, turned around and followed Tazuna, who had already started moving forward.

Menma's eyes flickered slightly, as if he understood something, but he didn't say anything and followed the group with Hinata.

Having just experienced the attack and the confrontation, Tazuna seemed to have aged several years in an instant. The arrogance he had displayed while arguing with Naruto under the influence of alcohol had vanished without a trace, replaced by a somber silence. He simply led the way with his head down, his pace much faster than before. The group walked along the coastline for another hour or so until a small town shrouded in a light sea mist came into view.

The town is small, and the houses are mostly low-lying wooden and stone structures, exuding the salty and dilapidated feel unique to seaside fishing villages.

Several small fishing boats were moored on the pier, gently rocking with the waves.

Dazner was clearly familiar with the area; he walked straight to a dark-skinned old fisherman on the dock who was mending a fishing net.

The two exchanged a few words in the local dialect. The old fisherman looked up and eyed Kakashi and the others warily, his eyes flickering, especially when he saw the Konoha headbands on their heads.

He paused for a moment, looked at Tazna's anxious and earnest eyes, and finally nodded slowly, saying, "You... get on the ship. The sea has been turbulent lately, and there's a lot of fog, so be careful."

After saying that, he said no more and turned to push a small boat into the sea.

Kakashi and his group boarded the somewhat dilapidated fishing boat and slowly sailed into the sea shrouded in thick fog.

On the open ground where the battle had taken place, shortly after Kakashi and the others left, three figures silently landed in front of the Oni Brothers, who were still firmly tied to the tree and unconscious.

All the newcomers wore animal masks, the standard uniforms of the Konoha Anbu, and carried a ninja sword.

The leader was tall with long purple hair cascading down her back; she was none other than Uzuki Yugao, the squad leader of the Anbu.

The two people beside her were naturally young Sasuke and Sai.

Xi Yan was the first to remove her mask, revealing a beautiful face.

Sasuke and Sai also took off their masks one after another.

Xi Yan crouched down and carefully examined the Ghost Brothers' injuries, especially the charred wounds caused by the explosive tags and the deep cuts that exposed bone from the steel shuriken.

Her brow furrowed slightly: "The injuries are severe, but the vital points were avoided, so he won't die for the time being. The person who attacked him was ruthless, and... quite 'extravagant'."

Yugao stood up and instructed Sai, "Sai, immediately send the information back to the village. The mission level is incorrect; we request further instructions and possible support."

Her judgment was clear: the mastermind behind the operation, who could command two Chunin rogue ninjas as vanguards, must be at least a Special Jonin, or even possibly a Jonin.

This even goes beyond the scope of a B-rank mission. Although Kakashi is powerful, he is facing an unknown number of Jonin and other enemies in an unfamiliar environment with three Genin and a civilian who needs protection. The risk is extremely high.

"Understood." Sai replied succinctly, immediately taking out a blank scroll and pen from his personal scroll and quickly starting to write.

His handwriting was neat and clear, and he quickly explained the situation.

After finishing writing, he used the Super Beast Imitation Painting technique, and a black pigeon "came to life" from the scroll, picked up the scroll, and flapped its wings to fly towards Konoha.

Sasuke squatted on the other side, examining more closely the traces left by the explosion and the kunai scattered on the ground.

His Sharingan activated, and with his dynamic vision and meticulous observation, he clearly reconstructed part of the scene that had just occurred in his mind.

Shuriken, each bound with an explosive tag, flew through the air in a precise, overwhelming barrage...

'The Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique... and a variant combined with explosive tags.' A hint of seriousness flashed in Sasuke's eyes.

Menma has actually mastered this level of ninjutsu?
Chakra control, throwing techniques, tactical application...

Every single one of them displayed a level far exceeding that of a Genin, and even surpassing that of a Chunin.

A strong competitive spirit rose within Sasuke.

He must become stronger!
Just then, a slight whooshing sound came from the woods behind them.

"Who?!" Yugao and Sasuke reacted extremely quickly, drawing their ninja swords from their backs almost simultaneously, slightly shifting their bodies, and instantly assuming a fighting stance.

Sai also stopped what he was doing, his fingers already holding the ink brush.

"Hey, hey, don't be nervous, it's me, it's me." A somewhat frivolous voice rang out.

A tall, white-haired figure stood on the main road behind the three, carrying a huge scroll on his back, with a cynical smile on his face.

"Lord Jiraiya?" Yugao breathed a sigh of relief, but did not immediately put down her ninja sword, her eyes scanning warily behind Jiraiya.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as well, because he sensed two more presences in the woods behind Jiraiya.

Jiraiya waved his hand, signaling them to relax, and then stepped aside a little.

Two people were standing under a large tree not far away.

It was the one-armed, black-haired youth who called himself "Zokumo" whom they had met once before in Konoha, and the lively, blond-haired boy Boruto.

At this moment, young Sasuke was leaning against a tree, his gaze calmly sweeping across the scene. His eyes flickered slightly when he saw the two rogue Kirigakure ninjas on the ground and the crater created by the explosion.

Boruto curiously peeked out, sizing up the three Anbu members, before finally fixing his gaze on young Sasuke and blinking.

"Lord Jiraiya, what are you doing here?" Yugao slowly sheathed her ninja sword, but her tone still carried a hint of doubt.

The whereabouts of the Dark Division are kept secret, so how could Jiraiya-sama find them so accurately?

And he was accompanied by two unidentified strangers?
"Ah, well..." Jiraiya stroked his chin and chuckled, "We also have a little 'mission' here, and we happen to be heading towards the Land of Waves. We sensed chakra fluctuations here, so we came to check it out, and we didn't expect it to be you guys."

He glanced at the Demon Brothers, then at the direction Kakashi and the others had left, and said meaningfully, "Looks like Naruto's first C-rank mission has run into a 'surprise.' But with Kakashi around, it shouldn't be a big problem."

Xi Yan understood instantly.

As one of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya obviously knew that these Anbu members were secretly protecting the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Their appearance at this moment, and their mention of "going to the Land of Waves," makes their meaning all too clear.

He will take over, or at least share some of the work of secretly protecting the Jinchūriki.

"With Jiraiya-sama here, we can rest assured." Yugao wisely refrained from asking further about the specific identities of "Sakumo" and Boruto.

Jiraiya-sama was the disciple of the Third Hokage, the teacher of the Fourth Hokage, and one of Konoha's top fighters; his position is beyond question.

With this powerful figure secretly watching over them, their team's pressure was indeed much less, allowing them to focus more on dealing with the two prisoners in front of them and any potential intelligence gathering.

“Those two rogue ninja from Kirigakure…” She looked at the unconscious Oni brothers.

“Leave it to us.” Jiraiya patted his chest, as if to say, “I’ll take care of it. Perfect timing, I have a few ‘minor questions’ I want to ask them.”

"Yes, Jiraiya-sama. I'll leave this to you then." Yugao no longer hesitated and gave Sasuke and Sai a wink.

The three put their masks back on, nodded slightly to Jiraiya, and then vanished in a flash.

After the three members of the Anbu left, Jiraiya's relaxed smile faded slightly.

He walked up to the ghost brothers, squatted down, and skillfully examined their injuries. He clicked his tongue and said, "Tsk, that kid was ruthless and rich. But he did leave them alive."

Jiraiya turned around and waved to the young Sasuke and Boruto not far away.

Boruto immediately jogged over, looking curiously at the two charred figures on the ground: "Uncle, are they the bad guys who attacked Naruto? They don't look like much."

In his mind, an enemy capable of attacking the Sixth Hokage and the Seventh Hokage when he was a child must have been very powerful.

Young Sasuke also approached slowly, his gaze not lingering on the Demon Brothers, but looking towards the direction of the sea fog.

Land of Waves, Zabuza Momochi, Haku...

That memory resurfaced.

This time, with Jiraiya by his side and me in the shadows, Naruto should be safe.

But how did the Gato Group, which hired Zabuza and the Oni Brothers in my memory, become the Matsuo Group, which I've never even heard of?
Just how far has this timeline deviated from its original trajectory?

"Lord Jiraiya, what do you plan to do with them?" the young Sasuke asked.

Jiraiya grinned: "Of course we'll interrogate them to see if we can dig out any information about the Matsuo Group, or the rogue ninja leader behind them."

(End of this chapter)