Naruto: All My Targets Are Ninjutsu

Chapter 185 Farewell to Tsunade, Contract for Shikkotsu Forest Secured (Part 2)

"The main force to reinforce the southwestern battlefield has been led by Hiashi Hyuga and departed from Konoha this morning. Such a large-scale troop deployment could not be hidden from the eyes of Sunagakure and Kumogakure, so Orochimaru only needs to lead a small elite force to set off secretly."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took another drag of his cigarette and looked up at the direction where Yu Mikami and Shikaku Nara were: "Yu, Shikaku, your class is in this unit."

"Minato is currently on a mission in the northeastern battlefield and will not be able to return for a while. Therefore, Yu, you will temporarily assume the role of captain, with Kakashi assisting you as your deputy. Orochimaru will be responsible for the specific tactical arrangements."

"----Understood."

Yu Mikami and Shikaku Nara nodded in agreement.

After that, Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a few more instructions and then told the group to leave and go back to make preparations for their departure.

On the way, Orochimaru glanced at Mikami Yu and licked his lips: "Mikami-kun, I've only seen your performance in battle reports all this time. It's really exciting to finally have the chance to see it in person."

"—So you orchestrated this whole thing just for this?"

Yu Mikami countered with a question.

"No, that's not it. The plan against Sunagakure was not devised by me alone, but was the result of discussions among the higher-ups. I just happened to be there and took on the role of commander."

Orochimaru smiled and said.

Having spent several months together in the research institute, Yu Mikami and Orochimaru spoke to each other in a somewhat casual tone. Although they weren't yet "friends"—in fact, aside from Jiraiya and Tsunade, it was unlikely that anyone could become friends with Orochimaru; they could only use each other.

After noticing this.

Nara Shikaku, who was standing next to him, turned his head and looked over, a hint of doubt on his face: "Yu, you and Lord Orochimaru have known each other for a long time?"

"Well, Mikami-kun is my capable assistant. He has helped me complete a lot of experiments recently. Especially the research on the bloodline limit of Sunagakure."

Orochimaru said with a smile.

"I see—it seems I underestimated Yu-kun before."

Nara Shikaku chuckled.

As the prospective head of the Shika family in the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, he was aware of the nature of Orochimaru's "experiments".

Although many of Orochimaru's dark secrets had not been fully revealed during this period, they were not entirely without clues. In the eyes of some astute individuals, it was entirely possible to deduce parts of the truth from these subtle clues.

Moreover, even normal human experiments have a high mortality rate. For example, the infamous "Wood Release Experiment" resulted in the deaths and injuries of more than a dozen prisoners and volunteers, including three or four Senju clan members. As a result, the project was forcibly stopped by Konoha, and the relevant files were burned.

This was an experimental project personally endorsed by Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Therefore, compared to the more senior Orochimaru, at least on the Nara side, they tended to see the more cheerful Minato Namikaze rise to power. Otherwise, a sinister Orochimaru combined with Danzo, the "Darkness of the Ninja," would inevitably cause Konoha a major disaster sooner or later.

Mikami Yu was unaware of, and did not care about, these thoughts.

He parted ways with Orochimaru and Nara Shikaku at an intersection, and then returned to the residential area to inform Nohara Rin about the mission.

As for Obito, Kakashi was tasked with informing him, since the two hadn't seen each other for some time and this would be a good opportunity to strengthen their bond.

"Oh, right————"

"I'll try to see Tsunade tonight, about the Yin Seal." Whatever, I need to get the contract for Shikkotsu Forest first—

'

That evening.

After sunset, Mikami Yu once again entered the Senju clan's territory and found Tsunade in the central mansion.

The timing this time wasn't as perfect as it was last time.

Tsunade had finished bathing a while ago; her hair was already dry, and she was dressed neatly, sitting on a wooden chair—

While flipping through medical books in the hallway, she heard Mikami Yu knock on the door. She grabbed a dark green short coat from the side and put it on before opening the door and looking at him with a helpless expression.

"Hey, Mikami brat, are you doing this on purpose?"

"Why do you always come to see me at night? Is this the only time you can pick? If we were around the same age, people outside would probably think we were having some kind of secret rendezvous."

"Um?"

Mikami Yu scratched his head, then looked at Tsunade's fair face and smiled as usual: "If I could have a secret rendezvous with a beauty like Tsunade-sensei, I would gladly inherit the Senju clan's secret techniques and learn the Sage Mode of Shikkotsu Forest."

"—You even took some food and money, didn't you?"

Tsunade rolled her eyes at him, a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth.

However, the flattery in Mikami Yu's words still pleased her, and the corners of her mouth subtly turned up slightly before she regained her composure: "Alright, stop joking. So, what's the matter this time?"

Yuya Mikami's smile faded, and his tone became serious. "The organization has decided to send me to the southwestern battlefield to fight against Sunagakure, along with Lord Orochimaru. The departure time should be in the next few days."

"The southwestern battlefield? It's Sunagakure again?"

but----

Go with Orochimaru?

Tsunade paused slightly, her expression becoming complicated.

There is no other reason.

These two keywords reminded her of someone—

Back then, her beloved younger brother, Nawaki, was blown to pieces by an explosive tag while on a mission with Orochimaru. Nawaki was about the same age as Mikami Yu now, around ten years old.

Therefore, when Tsunade looked at Mikami Yu at that moment, she felt a slightly déjà vu. She even subconsciously uttered a sentence that, given her status, shouldn't have been spoken: "Is it absolutely necessary to go? Couldn't we—choose someone else?"

"That probably won't work."

Mikami Yu shook his head.

If he could, he'd like to stay in the village and do nothing until the Ninja War is over in a couple of years. But given the current situation, unless he suffers an injury like Mikami Tajima that renders him unable to serve as a ninja anymore, he'll definitely be sent away.

Tsunade was certainly aware of this.

Once the war machine is set in motion, individual will becomes insignificant in the face of the village's overall strategy.

Her past experiences made her instinctively resist the feeling of watching familiar people go to the battlefield. Especially since she had only recently acknowledged Mikami Yu's status as his disciple.

"Yu, remember this: the battlefield is not child's play. Although you have returned from there once and passed the Chunin Exams to become a Special Jonin, one careless mistake can still lead to utter ruin."

Tsunade took a deep breath: "I had a friend who was once an elite Jonin of Konoha, with outstanding battle achievements that made enemies tremble with fear, but in the end, he didn't even leave behind a complete corpse—"

Is your friend named Kato Dan?

Yu was a little surprised that Tsunade would bring this up with him.

""

Seeing the growing worry in her eyes, he grinned and said half-jokingly, "Is Lady Tsunade perhaps worried about my safety? How about we make another bet? I bet I'll return safely from the battlefield, how about that?"

Although Tsunade has a reputation in the gambling world for "always losing at gambling," that's only when she's gambling for real money.

When it comes to gambling with one's life, this person has a fairly high win rate.

If we're willing to make a bet, we might be able to plant a reverse flag in Mikami Yu's head, so no matter how he jumps, he won't die.

but----

Tsunade herself clearly lacked this awareness, and even strongly resisted the idea of ​​"gambling with one's life." Upon hearing Mikami Yu's suggestion, she shook her head violently, her voice trembling slightly: "What nonsense are you talking about? Gambling like this right before going to war—it's bad luck!"

"————Alright then."

Mikami Yu was a little disappointed that he couldn't get the buff.

However, his primary purpose in coming here was to establish a psychic contract.

"You want to sign a contract with Shikkotsu Forest? Have you thought it through? If you sign here, it'll be very difficult to sign contracts with Mount Myōboku or Ryūchi Cave later, you know?"

Tsunade stared into Mikami Yu's eyes and confirmed.

"I've made up my mind."

Yu Mikami nodded.

"Okay, then follow me."

present.

Tsunade led Mikami Yu into the courtyard, told him to sit in the corridor for a while, and then went back to the inner room. After rummaging through the drawers and cabinets for a while, she came back with a large, antique scroll and placed it on the low table between the two of them.

"Here is the contract for the Wet Bone Forest. Simply sign your name and leave your handprint with your blood to summon the Slug Sage."

Unlike the toads of Mount Myōboku, the contract in Shikkotsu Forest has only one partner: the Slug Sage.

However, the latter possesses the ability to split at will, creating clones of varying sizes to assist in battle based on the chakra level of the summoner. Furthermore, these clones possess relatively independent consciousness and the ability to share vision, allowing them to transmit information in real time.

Following Tsunade's instructions, Mikami Yu signed his name, bit his thumb, and pressed his bloody fingerprint into a blank space at the end of the scroll. As he did this, he had a vague feeling that he had formed a connection with some unseen entity.

[Summoning spell: Hmm—is this a slug this time? It's a bit better than that lizard from last time.]

[Spirit Spell Affection +4, Current Affection: 13/100 (Stranger)]

really.

"Summoning Contract" is essentially a gift in disguise for "Summoning Technique". Whenever Yu Mikami obtains a new summoning beast, the latter's affection level increases, which can be considered a shortcut to increasing affection.

However, Yu Mikami was a little unsure whether there was an upper limit to this number.

After all, every time he signs a summoning beast, it takes up one chain in the hands of "Summoning Technique". Although the latter's image in the Gag System is that of an ethereal girl with chains tied to her wrists and ankles, these chains should not be infinite.

Otherwise, he could just go and capture a bunch of random ninja beasts, regardless of their strength, and forcibly sign summoning contracts with them all; that should earn him some goodwill.

With the contract completed.

Yu Mikami tried out the summoning technique on the spot.

boom!

As a puff of white smoke dissipated, a round, translucent slug, about the size of a basketball, appeared on the table. It wriggled softly and made a weak sound: "Eh, Lady Tsunade? And—a new contractor? Nice to meet you."

"Cough cough."

Tsunade pointed at Mikami Yu: "This is Mikami Yu, my recently accepted disciple. He's going to the battlefield, and he might need your help then. If there's any emergency, please contact me."

"Understood, Lady Tsunade."

The little slug responded obediently, then turned to Yu Mikami, "Master Yu, nice to meet you. I will do my best to help you."

"—Thank you for your help, slug."

Mikami Yu nodded slightly and said.

To be fair, when it comes to manners, the slugs are truly miles ahead of the other two holy lands.

Especially Ryuchi Cave. Even someone as arrogant as Orochimaru was easily mocked by summoned beasts like Manda; only Sasuke could handle that.

present.

Yu Mikami cautiously extended his finger and poked the small slug on the table a few times. It felt quite nice, soft, cool, and slippery, like playing with a silicone toy.

As for the healing ability, we can try it out at another time.

However, Mikami Yu's own "healing skills" are already quite advanced, so he probably won't need to use them often. He could find some time to talk to the other person about "divine arts" and see if he can get some benefits from Shikkotsu Forest.

after that.

Yu Mikami then subtly suggested to Tsunade that he wanted to learn Tobirama Senju's Water Release techniques. After all, Tobirama already had two versions of "Water Chaos Wave," but he didn't have a single "Water Wall" yet, and Tobirama had improved upon this technique.

"—Hmph, what a pushover! I bet you came here to say goodbye just to try and get something from me, didn't you?"

"I'll let you off easy this time, but don't let it happen again."

Tsunade snorted coldly, uttering displeased words, but her body still honestly walked into the room, quickly carrying out several other scrolls with slightly worn edges and throwing them into Mikami Yu's arms.

"Here, these scrolls were left behind by my second grandfather when he was researching water esoteric arts. I haven't seen them much myself, so you can take them and study them yourself. But remember to return them to me after you're done, don't lose them, I still need to preserve them for the Senju clan."

Yu Mikami quickly took the pile of scrolls, and before he could even examine them closely, a text box from the Corner System appeared:

[Ding! Gift detected - Limited Skin: Water Wall - Tobirama Edition]

Sure enough, it had the skin he had expected!

Yu Mikami was in high spirits, a joyful smile spreading across his face: "Thank you so much, Tsunade-sensei! I'll definitely study hard!"

"----Oh."

Tsunade looked at the white-haired boy in front of her, opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something more, but in the end, she only uttered a complicated admonition: "Kid, remember—don't die where I can't see you."