Konoha: Who's the good guy?

Nara Shikaku had no doubt about Yamanaka Kei's political acumen.

After exchanging a few words, he took out a D-level mission scroll that he had prepared beforehand.

"Cleaning up the trash in the river depressions?"

Looking at the mission details on the scroll, Yamanaka Kei thought for a moment and then did not refuse.

Compared to D-level missions such as killing wild boars or driving away wild beasts, clearing river channels is time-consuming and labor-intensive, but the corresponding rewards are much higher.

He still needs some time to organize the useful information in his mind.

To maximize the advantage of being familiar with the plot.

This kind of task, where you can watch your subordinates work while slacking off yourself, is perfect.

Leave the mission posting area.

We arrived at the meeting place we had agreed upon with the three little ones yesterday.

After distributing yesterday's mission rewards, the three of them, beaming with joy, headed straight to the river depression downstream of the Namka River to continue their mission.

Konoha's assigned mission system is actually not very friendly to ordinary ninjas.

The fact that genin only need eight missions to participate in the Chunin Exams, aside from requiring a jonin's recommendation, demonstrates this.

Most genin actually have a very low mission frequency!

One reason for this is that the number of commissions could not fully support Konoha's huge ninja population.

But the bigger reason is the imbalance in resource allocation.

To strengthen his rule and authority, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, firmly controlled the power to review, distribute, and assign missions.

The stated purpose was to allow ninjas of different abilities to accept missions of corresponding levels, thereby increasing the mission success rate and reducing casualties.

Those who are close to the Hokage faction will naturally receive high-quality missions, and the frequency of missions will be extremely high.

Those who are at odds with the Hokage's faction are lucky if they don't get any missions; being assigned several high-difficulty and dangerous missions is truly deadly.

And then there are the genin who can't be promoted to chunin for years, and the marginal ninjas who have little presence.

There are often times when they can't get a single assignment for a whole month, making it difficult to make a living.

Like a mountain scene.

You can accept tasks whenever you want, and to some extent you can even choose the tasks yourself.

That's the kind of treatment only the most loyal members of the Hokage's faction receive.

Kurenai Yuhi didn't have much of a feeling about this because she had spent most of her ninja career working in the logistics team.

But Might Guy and Genma Shiranui truly experienced the agony of having no missions to do.

So when Kurenai Yuhi was distressed by the garbage scattered all over the water.

Might Guy and Genma Shiranui have already rolled up their sleeves and are ready to go all out.

"Before the mission begins, here's a little gift for you."

Yamanaka Kei quickly formed hand seals and then struck out three times in succession, accurately hitting the abdomens of the three men.

Sealing Technique: Heavy Sealing of Limbs!

A black, vortex-shaped curse mark quickly appeared on the abdomens of the three people, and several sealing chains extended to their limbs.

An invisible pressure swept over the three of them.

Might Guy, who had the best physical abilities, stumbled and quickly braced his knees with his hands.

Genma Shiranui and Kurenai Yuhi simply lay down on the ground.

"The Four Limbs Heavy Seal, as the name suggests, is a seal that can exert heavy pressure on the body and restrict its movement. It requires the body's strength and chakra to work together to resist it."

"Once you have fully adapted to the seal, your physical strength, mental power, and chakra reserves will all improve significantly."

"So, keep going, young people."

With a wicked smile on his face, Yamanaka Kei explained the purpose of the so-called small gift.

"A completely new way to carry weights? My youthful passion is burning! Woohoo~"

Might Guy felt the gravity spreading throughout his limbs and bones, but instead of being bothered, he seemed to be full of energy.

Amidst a series of howls and screams, it began to try punching and kicking, adapting to the seal on its body.

Genma Shiranui glanced at Might Guy, who was now jumping around, and silently forced himself to get up from the ground, slowly starting to move his limbs.

"Who gives gifts like that?!"

Kurenai Yuhi almost took a bite of fresh soil, inwardly cursing her team leader Jonin's perverse sense of humor.

We were so close!

It's really just a tiny bit!

If she hadn't reacted quickly, she would have bitten into that rotten soil mixed with who knows how much garbage!

That's awful!

Her image as a beautiful young woman was almost ruined!

"The tools for clearing the river are in that wooden hut over there. So, let's begin the mission! A friendly reminder: treading water while in a sealed state requires even greater control over your chakra."

Seeing that the three of them had gradually adapted to the sealed state, Yamanaka Kei announced the start of the mission.

He then used his teleportation technique to find a large tree upwind, where he half-reclined on the trunk to continue organizing plot information.

Due to the terrain, a large amount of household waste has accumulated in the river depressions in this area.

Based on the working speed of an average genin.

It will take at least four to five days to completely clean this area.

In addition, the heavy sealing of the three little ones' limbs severely slowed down their work speed.

It won't be clean in less than a week.

Thump~ Thump~

Just as Shan Zhongjing had picked up the scroll and pen, two splashes of water reached his ears.

Looking at Might Guy and Genma Shiranui, who were crawling out of the sewage in a disheveled state.

He began to focus on his own things in a cheerful mood.

----------

Wood Leaf Root Base.

Wearing a full metal samurai helmet and with thick bandages wrapped around his forehead, Shimura Danzo sat upright in a steel cage, looking at his subordinates with a gloomy expression.

Since yesterday morning, his head has been inexplicably attacked three times.

The broken beam in the Jonin waiting area, the fallen ceiling in the Root medical room, and the fallen bricks in the office!

If it weren't for his extensive combat experience and quick reflexes...

I'm afraid there could be one more name engraved on the memorial tablet by now!

"Lord Danzo, Lord Orochimaru replied that there is nothing wrong with your body. If the accident you encountered was not due to probability, then it must be some kind of unknown secret technique."

The Root ninjas cautiously reported Orochimaru's analysis results.

Danzo Shimura's already gloomy face bulged with veins, and he was extremely dissatisfied with Orochimaru's answer, which was essentially meaningless. After a moment of silence, he continued to ask.

"...Has the Jinchūriki's schedule from yesterday to today been investigated?"

"Please take a look, Lord Danzo."

Another Root ninja presented a compiled surveillance log.

Danzo opened the scroll and looked at it for a moment, then silently pondered how to proceed with his next plan.

Yesterday, he provoked the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki by demanding the Uzumaki clan's secret techniques.

The main purpose was to see the attitudes of the Ino-Shika-Cho, Kurama, Inuzuka, Aburame, and Hyuga ninja clans towards Root.

Regardless of whether they saw through his intentions, the Inuzuka, Aburame, and Hyuga families all behaved very tactfully.

But the pig-deer-butterfly, the saddle horse...

"Why did they activate the anti-sensory barrier after staying overnight and leaving with a large sum of money the next day...?"

thump~

Countless thoughts flashed through Danzo's mind.

I've only thought of half of it.

A rock the size of a pigeon's egg precisely avoided the cage's obstruction and struck his steel helmet.

My head, which was already aching terribly, was now being pierced by a sharp, stabbing pain.

The Root ninjas crouching in front of Danzo all lowered their heads.

Danzo's remaining patience was completely extinguished by this stone.

"Investigate! List everyone who had contact with me yesterday! Investigate them one by one! You must find out exactly who did this to me!"

"yes!"