I, who just wanted to be lazy, was forced to become the Hokage.

Chapter 117 The blind student discovers the key point!

If it weren't for the inappropriateness of their identity or status.

Orochimaru was now wishing Nara Rinka would translate for him what "sharing" meant!

"Hehe...hehe..."

Orochimaru let out a chilling laugh, and the expectant light in his eyes vanished instantly.

"Nara-kun, skipping steps and just enjoying the result often doesn't yield good results."

"Sometimes, even skipping a small step can make all the subsequent calculations and results incomprehensible."

"It's okay, I enjoy it."

Nara Lan Gui shrugged.

"Furthermore, if I cannot understand Lord Orochimaru's research results, I will naturally seek help from others."

"For example, the Third Hokage—well, the Hokage is very busy, I'd better ask Tsunade for help!"

"Lord Orochimaru, as you know, Lady Tsunade is an extremely excellent medical ninja."

"No matter what biological problem it is, it can't stump her."

"hehe……"

Orochimaru chuckled coldly twice more, deciding to ignore this lazy brat who had Tsunade backing him up.

Moreover, this Explosion Release ninja was indeed the enemy's spoils of war.

but……

Orochimaru's cold gaze suddenly shifted to the other two members of the team.

"So, you two think the same way? 'Sharing' your research findings from me?"

"Lord Orochimaru."

Uchiha Shisui wouldn't want to provoke Orochimaru at this time.

"I have no interest in Explosion Release."

In Uchiha Shisui's view, his Sharingan was thousands or even tens of thousands of times stronger than any "Explosion Release" technique.

He hadn't even figured out the Sharingan yet, so why would he care about "Explosion Release"?

"Same."

Hinata Rei maintained his concise and to-the-point attitude.

Her Byakugan is no weaker than any bloodline limit in the ninja world!

"That's good."

Orochimaru's response conveniently cut off the last member of the team from speaking.

Silently swallowed the words that were about to slip out and left.

She wanted to say that capturing the Explosion Release ninja was all the captain's doing, and that she, as an ordinary medic, had basically not played a role in the battle just now.

But that's no reason to silence others!

It's like everyone knows Lady Tsunade!

Silence fills my heart with regret.

Orochimaru gathered up all the remaining six corpses of the Gari and the Explosion Release squad.

"I recall in the previous intelligence report, another Iwagakure ninja escaped. Which direction did he flee in?"

Nara Rinka glanced at his own reconnaissance infantry and gave a pointed reminder.

"Hyuga, tell Lord Orochimaru the direction that Iwagakure ninja fled in."

With his large Byakugan eyes wide open, Hyuga stiffly pointed Orochimaru in a direction.

"Nara-kun."

Before parting, Orochimaru glanced at Nara Rinkazuki one last time, a chilling smile playing on his lips.

"Come back and ask me for that research result next time you're on the battlefield!"

"no problem."

Nara Lan Gui readily agreed.

"Also, Lord Orochimaru, that Iwagakure ninja is very good at escaping, so you must be careful and not miss any trace of him."

"hehe."

Orochimaru chuckled softly, and his figure vanished without a trace.

Nara Rinka sits back on the back of the shadow deer.

Seeing this, Hinata Rei silently moved to the side where Nara Rinka's head was facing.

"Captain, are you with Lord Orochimaru?"

"There was a tiny little conflict."

Nara Rinka said with her eyes closed, seemingly unconcerned.

"I suppose Lord Orochimaru won't hold it against you."

On the other side, Orochimaru sped forward following Hyuga Rei's directions.

Not long after, he arrived at the location where Nara Rinka's [Shadow Clone] and Nikko had just fought.

However, one could still feel the lingering smell of blood and gunpowder in the air, and the scattered fragments of fire on the ground.

Orochimaru licked his lips again and called out the name of that Nara boy with a heavy tone.

"Nara Langui!"

……

They experienced an attack by the Iwagakure Bomb Squad.

For the rest of the time, the Konoha ninja team was not disturbed by anything else.

After nearly a week, the Konoha team arrived at the village safely.

Nara Rinka and his squad first transported the wounded to Kikyo Castle—which remained Konoha's wartime medical center—before heading to the village to hand over their mission.

The Hokage Building, top-floor office.

Nara Rinka handed the quest scroll to Sarutobi Hiruzen, and a notification message quietly popped up on the panel.

[A-rank ninja quest scroll detected!]

[Level A Task [Resource Transfer] Completed!]

You have obtained an A-rank [Ninja Scroll]!

"Lan Gui, um..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi originally wanted to ask Nara Rankagi how he felt after completing this A-rank mission.

But then I suddenly remembered their previous comment: "Trivial and troublesome"...

Hiruzen Sarutobi shifted his gaze to Uchiha Shisui, who looked more honest.

"Shisui, how was your experience carrying out the A-level mission?"

"It feels great to be able to protect my comrades with my own strength."

Uchiha Shisui said honestly.

"But there is still a gap between my strength and the captain's."

"If it weren't for the captain's extraordinary abilities, we probably wouldn't have been able to protect all our comrades during this mission."

"Um……"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gray eyebrows twitched slightly.

The intelligence that Uchiha Shisui had previously sent back to Konoha Village did indeed mention that they had been attacked by the Iwagakure Explosives Unit.

However, since the opponent has been defeated, it can even be said that the opponent has been completely annihilated.

Uchiha Shisui didn't describe the events in detail on the information scroll, only mentioning them briefly.

Hiruzen Sarutobi knew perfectly well that the Nara Rinka Squad had almost wiped out two squads of the Iwagakure Explosives Unit, and those were even two squads led by elite Jonin.

However, he was unaware of the specific details of the battle.

Now it seems there's more to the story...

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Nara Rinka and saw that the other man had a blank expression on his face, as if he were lost in thought.

You dare to daydream in the Hokage's office?!

Hiruzen Sarutobi tugged at his beard.

"...Shisui, could you recount what happened during the battle?"

"it is good."

Uchiha Shisui began to recount the story frankly.

"Hyuga discovered it first... the captain summoned a dark space..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi listened attentively.

The key to victory in this attack and skirmish lay in the absolute darkness that suddenly appeared on the battlefield!

Using the darkness as a barrier, the Konoha ninjas inflicted significant damage on the Iwagakure Explosives Unit, causing substantial casualties among them.

But... this dark space sounds so much like an A-level forbidden technique that my village possesses?

"To embrace the laurel."

Hiruzen Sarutobi could no longer ignore Nara Rinkazuki, and he called out his name.

"The technique you used in the previous battle to create a dark environment... was it a self-developed ninjutsu?"

"Self-developed ninjutsu? Of course not."

Nara Rinkasa snapped out of his daze and looked at the Third Hokage.

"Lord Hokage, this is the [Dark Travel Technique] that you 'gifted' to our Nara clan before, um."

Darkness Travel Technique...

Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent for a moment.

He remembered telling Nara Rinka that the ninjutsu he used to appease the Ino-Shika-Cho trio was a forbidden A-rank technique he had developed himself: the Shuraken Shadow Clone Technique.

But where did this Dark Travel Technique come from?

A possible guess flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind.

Someone intervened in the Dark Division and replaced the appeasement scroll he had given to the Ino-Shika-Cho tribal group?

But the next moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi instinctively avoided the thought.

There are only a handful of people in the village who have the ability and courage to carry out such an operation.

It could even be said that Hiruzen Sarutobi had already locked onto his target.

However, given that we are currently in a period of war, it's best to avoid any further disruptions within the village...

"Lan Gui, this is the scroll of the technique for the [Handed Sword Shadow Clone Technique]. Consider it an extra reward for this A-rank mission."

Hiruzen Sarutobi pulled out two scrolls from the drawer next to him and handed one scroll to Nara Rinkei.

"This ninjutsu scroll can be used by everyone in your team."

"Also, I suggest you give this scroll to Kano so he can take a look."

"You need to understand one thing: the village belongs to everyone."

"I am well aware of that."

Nara Rinkei received the scroll containing the technique formula for the "Shadow Clone Technique".

"The union of the Senju and Uchiha clans attracted the participation of Sarutobi and Shimura, followed by the Ino-Shika-Cho, Aburame, Inuzuka, and other ninja clans..."

"Without everyone's joint efforts, the village could not have been built."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded slightly; few children in Konoha would be interested in old stories.

Nara Rinkachi's knowledge of such historical events and his understanding of them demonstrate that his magnanimity has begun to transcend the level of ordinary ninjas...

"One last thing."

Hiruzen Sarutobi handed another scroll to Nara Rangsuke.

"Your team has a few days off for now. During this time, I hope you'll take a good look at this map."

Nara Ranka held the grass-green map in her hand and asked with some doubt, "What is this map?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi replied, "The map of the Land of Grass, which the village has collected and organized to the best of its ability, basically records the terrain and passes of all sizes within the Land of Grass."

Nara understood perfectly.

Back when he accepted the A-rank mission [Resource Transfer], he had already considered which battlefield Hiruzen Sarutobi would send his squad to.

Now it seems, it really is the battlefield of Iwagakure!

Nara Rinka looked down at the scroll in his hand.

"Lord Hokage, may I take a look at this map first?"

"certainly."

Nara Rinka unfolded the scroll and examined the topographical map of the Land of Grass.

Only then did they discover that it recorded not only the general terrain of the Grass Country, but also the corresponding distribution of people and forces.

The Konoha base, the Iwagakure central command, the Kusagakure village wavering between two sides, and...

"Kannabi Bridge!"

Nara Rinka looked at a bridge highlighted on the map and was immediately taken aback.

"I knew I'd overlooked something before..."

"Kannabi Bridge is actually located within the Land of Grass!"

A huge thank you to "銏金寒夜" for the Qidian Coins donation!!

(End of this chapter)