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

Chapter 85 Reaching Kage Level! (Seeking first subscription!)

"Nara, bend over, bow your head."

"Um?"

"Pop!"

Nara Rinka bowed slightly, politely closing her eyes to avoid sinking into the unknown abyss of fair skin.

But the next moment, he clearly felt two soft, full lips pressed against his forehead, the warm touch carrying a hint of sweetness that made him unconsciously want to be intoxicated by them.

Nara Ranka suddenly opened her eyes, then quickly took a few steps back, staring at Tsunade in surprise.

"Tsunade-nee, what's wrong...?"

"A blessing full of care."

Tsunade's slender white fingertips brushed against her rosy lips, her smile captivating.

"Although I'm reluctant to admit it, I really haven't had much luck."

"I initially wanted to offer my blessings verbally, but after careful consideration... I realize that taking direct action is more suitable for me!"

Nara Rinka raised her right hand and gently stroked her forehead, where the lingering sensation of Tsunade's kiss seemed to remain.

Upon seeing Nara Lan Gui's flirtatious actions, Tsunade suddenly felt a strange sensation.

"Tsunade-neechan."

Nara Rinka suddenly spoke up.

"The action just now ended too quickly, and I didn't have time to feel it properly, so... how about we do it again?"

"This request may be a bit presumptuous, but I think it would be even better if it were mouth-to-mouth."

After spending several months together, Nara Rankei and Tsunade completely overcame any sense of unfamiliarity between them.

Therefore, he could speak frivolously without any psychological burden at this time.

What's more, this time the other party struck first—they bit first.

"Don't get too cocky, Nara!"

Tsunade forcibly suppressed the strange emotions in her heart, but she still stuttered a little when she spoke.

"If anything really happens to you later... I won't let you off easily!"

"I'm sorry, I was too rash."

Nara Rinkazu pressed his hands tightly against the seams of his trousers and bowed deeply in apology.

Seeing his sincere attitude, Tsunade scratched her cheek a little embarrassedly, turned her head away and muttered a few words that were not very clear.

"Actually, there's no need to worry about it so much..."

"Well then, Tsunade-nee."

Nara Lan Gui straightened his back and began to discuss serious matters.

"The 'ninja team' you just mentioned, who exactly are its members?"

You'll find out about this tomorrow!

Tsunade deliberately kept everyone in suspense.

"I know your approximate skill level, and the teammates I've assigned won't be too far behind you in skill."

……

He bid farewell to Tsunade.

Nara Rinka finally had time to examine the newly acquired A-rank technique, [Super Strength].

After months of research, study, and experience accumulation, he clearly understood the extent of his own growth.

Although there was no direct breakthrough, he was only one step away from promotion.

As expected, after successfully learning [Super Strength], a series of message prompts popped up on the panel.

[Having learned an A-rank technique, "Monstrous Strength," your "Wisdom" attribute has been enhanced! Your "Ninjutsu" attribute has also been enhanced! Overall rating improved!]

[Ninjutsu: A-→A]

Overall rating: B+ → A- (Movie-level)

"He's surpassed the Jonin level and entered the Kage level!"

Nara Rinka raised his right hand, clenched his fist, and the chakra he had refined in an instant suddenly burst forth. The air vibrated slightly with his movement, spreading out in circles of visible white air waves.

This is precisely the derivative technique of the [Super Strength] burst – the impact airflow.

A swirling current of air swirled between his fingers, and Nara Rinka had an inexplicable feeling that he could smash an old tree root with a single punch.

The transformation in strength brought Nara Rinka immense joy.

Don't be fooled by the fact that during the Fourth Shinobi World War, all sorts of gods and immortals will emerge and wreak havoc on the human world.

The five villages, once powerful, are now like a bunch of toy dolls, at the mercy of the "gods," utterly powerless and ineffective.

However, at least in the current era, "movie-level" talent is still very rare and precious!

In Nara Rankei's personal opinion, during the Third Shinobi World War, there were only a handful of people who could be considered "Kage-level fighters".

With his current level of strength, even if he can't be said to be rampaging through the ninja world or running rampant without restraint, he can at least be described as "a lone figure roaming freely across the world."

However, Nara Rinkachi was also well aware of this.

The pursuit of improvement is endless.

Achieving Shadow rank is just a new starting point!

"Since several attributes reached grade B, their growth rate has slowed down significantly."

Nara Rinka's mind was very clear.

"And after being promoted to A-rank, the growth rate of attribute values ​​can only be described as 'snail's pace'."

"I don't need to worry too much about the main attributes that affect my melee combat ability for now, since melee is just my backup method."

"The key to everything is chakra!"

"That is, [precision] symbolizing physical energy and [wisdom] representing spiritual energy!"

The [Wisdom] attribute, Nara Rinka can increase by learning knowledge and skills, and its growth rate is much faster than other attributes.

However, for the [Precision] attribute, Nara Ragatsu has not yet found any other way to increase it besides "eating rice and taking drugs".

"Ultimately, it all comes down to one point—to increase [precision], you need to increase the energy you draw from the outside world..."

Nara, lost in thought, returned to the Kikyo Orphanage.

The Kikyo Orphanage has changed quite a bit in recent times.

The substantial profits from opening the fried chicken shop, aside from the operating capital that needed to be retained, were mostly invested in the construction and maintenance of the Kikyō Orphanage.

The orphanage, nestled in a corner of Kikyo Castle, lived a life of joy and peace, much like a paradise, thanks to the meticulous care of Yakushi Nonou and others.

Everyone at the Kikyo Orphanage knew who had brought about the tremendous changes.

Therefore, as soon as Nara Rinka returned to the Kikyō Orphanage, he received welcomes and greetings from all directions.

He smiled and responded to the children's greetings one by one, and then went directly to find Yakushi Nonou.

At that moment, Pharmacist Nonou was gently and meticulously teaching Chino to babble in the newly opened nursery at the orphanage.

"Mother……"

"Mmm!"

Nara Ranka gently knocked on the door, and Yakushi Nonou put Chino down from her arms, letting her crawl and play in the room filled with soft cushions.

"Lan Gui, why are you back so early today?"

Sweat beaded on Pharmacist Nonou's forehead; taking care of an energetic infant is no easy task.

"Because the study task that Tsunade assigned before has already been completed."

Nara Rinka handed over the warm water that had been prepared in advance and said softly.

"Starting tomorrow, I won't need to go to the drug research institute anymore."

Yakushi Nonou took the water glass, drank it all in one gulp, and said with a smile, "It seems that your taijutsu skills have finally met Lady Tsunade's requirements, Lan Gui."

"Yes, but there's something else."

Nara Rinka continued.

"Tsunade said she would assign me to a ninja squad, and then I would go to the front lines with my teammates."

Upon hearing this, the faint smile on Yakushi Nonou's face suddenly froze.

Since leaving Root, she has been dutifully serving as a Jonin in the medical emergency team, and her main daily work is to take care of and heal the wounded soldiers sent back from the front lines in Kikyo Castle.

Yakushi Nonou never expected that she wouldn't need to go to the front lines to fight, but Nara Rankei would be the one to go to the front lines...

"As a Konoha ninja, protecting the village and fighting are unavoidable responsibilities."

Yakushi Nonou gave a dry reply, then her tone suddenly changed, revealing her anxiety and unease.

"So, Lan Gui, when are you going to the front lines? Are you leaving tomorrow?"

"It's not certain yet."

Nara embraced Yakushi Nonou, gently patting her back to soothe her emotions.

"I need to get to know and work with the team members for a while to increase our synergy. We might carry out a few missions together before heading to the battlefield."

Yakushi Nono gently bit her lip. She had a thousand, ten thousand things she wanted to say, but when the words reached her lips, she didn't know how to begin.

"To pluck the laurel..."

"Don't worry, Nono-nee."

Nara Langui laughed and boasted to himself.

"I'm very strong."

Time passed slowly, and night quietly fell.

The moon hid behind the clouds, and the quiet, deep night enveloped Kikyo Castle, making it impossible to see what was happening outside the castle.

It was under the cover of this naturally dark environment.

A ninja force of extremely small size set out from the border of the Land of Wind and, after three days of forced march, silently approached the eight mountains surrounding Konoha.

"This is the outermost edge of Konoha."

Gazing at the mountains ahead, the elderly female ninja leading the ninja unit, wearing a Sand Village headband on her forehead, spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Next, we need to eliminate the sentry posts hidden in the mountains... We must be quick!"

"Our target is the medical center that Konoha has set up outside the village—that small town called Kikyo!"

Without any response, the small group of Sand Village ninja took out scrolls from their pockets and opened them using their own methods.

Bang! Bang! Bang! —

With a series of continuous explosions of smoke, one after another, ferocious figures of various shapes quietly emerged from the darkness, blending into the group of Sand Village ninjas.

Almost in the blink of an eye, this small ninja team swelled to hundreds of people!

This is the most elite force in Sunagakure—the Puppet Force.

Using chakra threads, the Sand Village ninjas manipulated their puppets, stormed into the mountains, and broke through the sentry posts at top speed.

Looking ahead, at the Kikyo Castle standing at the foot of the mountain not far away.

The leader of the puppet army, a ninja, took out a scroll from her ninja tool bag, opened it instantly, and summoned her signature puppet.

"The White Secret Technique: The Ten Ninja of Chikamatsu!"

The "Sunagakure raid on Kikyo Castle" is a secondary setting in this book based on the content of the original manga.

There were specific hints and foreshadowing in the previous text.

There are two reference points for the "Battle of Kikyo Castle".

First, according to the setting of "The Book of War", a "great battle" once took place in Kikyo Castle;

Secondly, in chapter 272 of the manga, Sasori of the Red Sand's evaluation of the "White Secret Technique" is that Chiyo once used it to conquer a castle on her own.

This combines the two elements to create a new setting: "The puppet army of Sunagakure attacks Kikyo Castle".

(End of this chapter)