Naruto: Starting with Creating a Genius Persona

Chapter 98 You Need a Background to Get By (1/16)

The door to the Konoha Mission Reception Office was pushed open, and the afternoon sunlight streamed into the slightly noisy hall along with the figures of people.

Konoha actually has a dedicated mission reception office. After all, there are tens of thousands of official ninjas, and the Hokage cannot personally take charge of every mission. For ordinary missions, the Hokage will only personally handle some newly graduated classes and newcomers in the early stages.

"Oh, it's Shinichi!"

"Shinichi came to accept the mission? Is he alone this time? Isn't he with Tsunade-sama, Shizune, and Kurenai?"

"Hey, great manga artist! When are you going to update the next chapter? When will the legendary kitchenware arc finally begin?"

I'm so eager to try it!

"Shinichi-kun, that newly opened dango shop you recommended last time was really good!"

As soon as Shinichi appeared at the door, enthusiastic greetings rang out from all over the hall, from familiar Chunin and Jonin seniors to staff members stationed at the reception desk.

There were even a few genin boys who were resting and were clearly fans of his manga.

Shinichi wore his signature gentle smile as he walked inside, calmly responding to the voices coming from all directions.

He was friendly and handled things appropriately, neither neglecting anyone nor lingering in one place, walking steadily toward the task posting window.

Along the way, almost everyone was willing to greet him or make a harmless joke. The atmosphere at the reception area seemed to become more lively and relaxed because of his arrival, which shows that he was indeed very popular in the village.

As he approached the empty window, a kind-looking middle-aged receptionist was already smiling at him.

"Here you go, this is the latest mission list." The receptionist handed a thick mission scroll out the window, his tone familiar.

"Thank you for your trouble, senior." Shinichi smiled modestly, took the scroll, leaned against the counter, and began to browse through it quickly.

Although he is a member of Team 10, as a Chunin and a backbone of the Konoha ninja system, he is qualified to independently accept C-rank and B-rank missions, as long as they do not conflict with Team 10's group mission schedule.

Over the past few months, he has occasionally taken on short, independent tasks during breaks from team missions, and the people at the reception desk have gotten used to this approach.

As for whether there will be any accidents when going on a mission alone, or whether it will arouse the bad intentions of some people?

Go tell my senior, the Ape Demon King, and Sister Slug.

In this world, connections matter!

Shinichi glanced at the mission descriptions and casually asked, "Senior, are there any missions near the village today? Preferably ones that can be completed within the same day."

"Hey, there really is one." The receptionist smiled smugly, pulled out a task sheet that had been placed separately beforehand, and handed it over: "Take a look at this, Tsukimi Village, northeast of the village, the old problem, brown bears harassing villagers, rating C."

"It's a short distance, you can get there in half a day at your pace. It shouldn't be too difficult to handle. If all goes well, you might even be able to make it back for breakfast tomorrow, hahaha."

Shinichi took the form, looked at the familiar village name and the mission description "Brown Bear Hazard," and couldn't help but laugh: "Tsukimi Village? It's them again. It seems like it was a similar request last year. Those big guys in the mountains, haven't they calmed down after all this time?"

"Who knows?" The receptionist shrugged, his tone tinged with a helpless sarcasm. "Anyway, their village reports it every year, so we just send it out every year."

"Okay, this one will do. Could you please register me?"

"Alright!" The receptionist quickly began processing the paperwork, stamping the documents as she said, "Shinichi, even though it's just a brown bear, be careful. Wild animals shouldn't be underestimated when they go berserk."

"Understood, thank you for the reminder, senior." Zhen nodded, took the stamped and valid mission scroll, and carefully put it away.

As we left the reception area, there was another round of farewells and playful banter.

"Shinichi, be careful on missions!"

"Come back early, I'm looking forward to reading the new comic!"

"Get this done quickly, I'll treat you to barbecue when we get back!"

Shinichi smiled and waved, his figure quickly blending into the crowd on Konoha Street, steadily heading towards the village entrance.

The night was as dark as ink, bathing the dense forest near Tsukimi Village in a deep gloom. Deep in the mountains, far from the village lights, a campfire crackled, becoming the only flickering light source in the darkness.

Above the flames, on a makeshift grill made of thick branches, skewered large, thick pieces of bear meat, sizzling and dripping with oil, exuding a wonderful aroma.

Beside the campfire sat an exceptionally tall and robust young man, who looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. He had a rugged face with distinct features, and the temperament he had honed in the snow and swordsmanship of the Land of Iron made him appear more mature and aloof than his actual age.

At this moment, he was sitting cross-legged without any regard for appearances, holding a large piece of freshly cut, roasted bear leg meat that was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. He was tearing into it with gusto, his mouth dripping with oil, displaying a bold and unrestrained spirit.

In a small pot nearby, a thick soup made with wild vegetables and bear bones was simmering, steaming hot.

His signature samurai sword and his imposing long-handled halberd leaned casually against a tree trunk, their blades occasionally reflecting a cold glint in the firelight.

Just then, a very faint sound of branches rustling came from the edge of the woods, almost blending into the night breeze.

The boy by the fire was completely focused, chewing without pausing for a moment, not even lifting his eyelids, as if the sound was just the mountain wind making noise. He remained focused on the roasted meat in his hands and the hot soup in front of him.

A moment later, Shinichi Higashino's figure emerged silently from the shadows of the woods.

His face bore a resemblance to the boy by the campfire, but he appeared more youthful and handsome, possessing the refined and capable qualities of a Konoha ninja after systematic training. This was distinctly different from Isshin's rugged features, which carried an exotic and wild quality.

Zhenyi glanced at his clone, who was feasting by the fire, and then at the two lifeless brown bear carcasses beside him.

He walked straight up behind Yixin and naturally reached out to gently pat his broad, sturdy shoulder.

The instant their palms touched, an invisible connection was triggered. Deep within Shinichi's consciousness, the term representing "clone (blue)" shimmered, and an interactive interface for assigning terms clearly appeared in his mind.

With a slight thought, as if operating a precise instrument, he quickly and skillfully adjusted the proportions and activation status of several talent attributes on this clone of his mind.

The first thing I removed was the "Diligence Can Make Up for Lack of Talent" skill, which supposedly "improves focus and guarantees slight progress." However, for Shinichi now, it has become somewhat useless.

That slight improvement is almost negligible compared to the leaps in progress brought about by terms like "genius" and "enlightened understanding."

But it is not without value. Shinichi is well aware that the real application of this "inevitable progress" characteristic will be in the future, when he is stuck in a bottleneck and can hardly make any progress no matter how hard he tries.

At that time, the power of "diligence can make up for lack of talent"—a gradual and cumulative force—may become the key to breaking the deadlock.

However, for the clone of Isshin who has fused with the characteristics of the Ape Demon King's bloodline, and whose strength will naturally increase even if he sleeps all day and does nothing, it is not useful for the time being. It is better to make room for a more suitable entry to play a role.

The process of adjusting entries is brief and silent, happening only in an instant.

After finishing, Shinichi withdrew his hand, walked around the flickering campfire, and casually sat down opposite his clone.

After sitting down, he reached out and tore off another perfectly grilled bear steak from the grill, then ladled half a bowl of piping hot soup from the pot and began to enjoy it by himself.

For a moment, only the crackling of the campfire, the soft sounds of two people chewing food, and the occasional whistling of the night wind blowing through the treetops remained in the clearing in the woods.

There was no verbal communication.

Because it's not necessary in the first place.

The flickering light of the campfire illuminated two young faces that were subtly connected yet strikingly different.