Konoha's Mission Master

At this moment... it is 6:40.

Stupid pigeon... got lost again.

"Bang." Yakumo created a shadow clone.

“With…” Yakumo began.

"You don't need to tell me, I already know. Just tell Mori Masako that she's going on a mission to the Fire City. Don't worry about her."

"That's right, go ahead."

Yakumo, not even bothering to eat, grabbed the ninja sword on the table and started running. Ten minutes later, panting heavily, he arrived at the entrance of Konoha Village.

"Sister Qingshan, the pigeon is lost..."

"I know... don't say anymore."

Unlike Tsunade, Aoyama Reiko wasn't addicted to gambling or alcohol. Yet, her illustrious reputation was ultimately ruined by this unreliable pigeon.

Because it was a mission, Aoyama Reiko deliberately chose a loose black long shirt to barely cover her curvaceous figure, while her cold and beautiful face was covered by a straw hat.

"I've already asked for leave for you, Jiraiya-sama..."

"Thank you, Sister Qingshan."

"So, what mission are we going to carry out?"

"Go to the City of Fire."

"The night before last, the lord suddenly woke up and then fell back down. He has not woken up since."

"The Land of Fire requested assistance from Konoha. Originally, it was planned that Elder Koharu Utatane would go to the Land of Fire to provide support, but she was bedridden due to an old injury... In the end, the Hokage decided to send me... and the Hokage agreed to teach you the Healing Palm Technique."

"Very good…"

Healing Palm Technique, Rank A. The strongest known medical ninjutsu. Only a handful of people in Konoha have mastered it and can use it in medicine, but they do not have the authority to teach it to others.

In the entire Hidden Leaf Village, only the Third Hokage and Tsunade have the authority to authorize the Healing Palm Technique. Currently, Tsunade is traveling throughout the ninja world, so only the Third Hokage is authorized to authorize it.

Perhaps... what he said at the ninja academy gate that day finally reached Hiruzen Sarutobi's ears and had the desired effect. As long as you master the skills, even a sycophant can have everything.

The two set off along the smooth road, facing the sun, the atmosphere somewhat silent.

If the daimyo's slumber was part of Danzo's conspiracy, then Koharu's bedridden state is easily understood... it was the result of Danzo's dissuasion.

After all, Koharu Utatane was his teammate who had gone through thick and thin with him since childhood, and a staunch supporter of opposing Hiruzen Sarutobi in the internal meeting. Naturally, he would not do something as foolish as cutting off his own arm.

Aoyama Reiko and Yakumo are different; if necessary, he could choose to silence them in order to ensure the plan goes as expected!

"It will take us about two days to travel from Konoha Village to the Fire Capital. We'll rest at Jihuo Castle tonight and arrive in the Fire Capital tomorrow afternoon..."

"What if we're already..."

"No, the medical ninjas from the Daimyo's residence diagnosed that the Daimyo has simply fallen into a strange slumber. With the supply of nutrient solution, he can survive for several months without any problem," Aoyama Reiko replied.

“It’s just… fallen into a deep sleep.” Yakumo was certain that the daimyo’s slumber must be related to the Root organization, but he had not yet figured out where the key to this connection was.

With the daimyo of the Land of Fire asleep, who benefits the most?

He didn't know, but Aoyama Reiko certainly did.

"Sister Aoyama, if the daimyo remains asleep, who will inherit the position?"

"Of course, Young Master..."

"What is the relationship between the eldest son and the Hokage?"

"I'm not entirely sure about that..."

There were still too few clues. After leaving Konoha Village, the roadsides gradually turned into forests.

Lush greenery, with swaying tree shadows.

The two did not run at full speed, but their travel speed was still much faster than that of ordinary people. By lunchtime, they had already traveled about 120 miles away from Konoha Village.

Because he left in a hurry, Yakumo did not prepare lunch. Fortunately, Aoyama Reiko shared some of her own dry food with Yakumo so that he would not go hungry.

…………

Konohagakure (Hidden Leaf Village)

Danzo appeared outside Orochimaru's research institute, leaning on a cane. He had suffered a severe leg injury when he was young, and recently, due to a recurrence of the old injury, he had to pick up the cane again.

After going through layers of testing, Danzo finally met Orochimaru, who had finished his seclusion. Orochimaru had a cold and sinister aura, while Danzo was icy cold. The two were similar yet different.

"Lord Danzo, I've said before that it's best if we don't meet in public," Orochimaru said, stirring the unidentified liquid in his cup with a porcelain stick.

"My ninjas disappeared after seeing you. I need an explanation!" Danzo demanded, his eyes filled with malice.

"Let me think... Is it Keisuke Shimizu? The one you sent to the Ninja Academy?"

"it's him."

"Has he disappeared?" Orochimaru asked again.

"Yes."

“Interesting, interesting, truly interesting…” Orochimaru poured the unidentified purple liquid into a larger glass bottle and continued stirring, his eyes growing brighter like a predator spotting its prey.

"So where did he go...?" Danzo pressed on, a chilling pressure bearing down on Orochimaru.

Orochimaru remained unmoved by this.

"I think Lord Danzo came to me not just for the life or death of an ant," Orochimaru asked calmly.

"So you've already taken that step. You're truly a force to be reckoned with..." Danzo exclaimed, abruptly withdrawing his oppressive aura.

"Actually, it's still a little short. Lord Danzo, we are very good partners. If you have something to say, please feel free to speak up."

"If the Hokage election ceremony is held again soon, I hope you will support me then." Danzo finally revealed the purpose of his trip.

"What will I get in return?"

"More research funding and the corpses of bloodline ninjas, as well as more freedom in research topics."

"Then I wish us a pleasant cooperation."

The two cunning old foxes revealed satisfied smiles at this moment.

Chapter 39 Mountain Bandits

In the forest, Yakumo and Aoyama Reiko stopped at the same time. Yakumo looked around warily, sensing hostility, though not pure, but numerous.

The surrounding bushes swayed, and a group of burly men wielding long knives emerged from them. Most of them wore coarse cloth short shirts, and their long knives were covered with many nicks and slits.

Their eyes were fierce, but the amount of chakra in their bodies was pitifully small, so they couldn't possibly be ninjas. In other words, these people posed no threat to the two of them.

"Robbery?" Yakumo asked tentatively, drawing his ninja sword.

"Young man, you're on the right track... that's right, it's a robbery!"

The middle-aged man leading the group tapped his shoulder with the back of his knife, a vicious smile on his face.

"Rob money... or kill me?" Yakumo continued to ask.

"I'm after money... but not my life."

"Alright then, in that case I'll hold back."

Yakumo was stretching his muscles and preparing to get some exercise; it was better for him to take on the dirty and tiring work.

With a whoosh, a senbon wrapped in lightning shot out from Reiko Aoyama's hand, leaving a thin purple line in the air. Yakumo heard a low rumble of lightning-attribute chakra exploding, like a viper spitting its tongue.

To the disbelief of the ringleader, a beam of bright white chakra struck his head.

The needle pierced the skull without any resistance, leaving only a bloody dot on the forehead, and the leader of the robbers fell backward.

Blood splattered from the back of his head…

"That woman is a ninja, run!" someone suddenly shouted, and the robbers scattered instantly, running in different directions.

Reiko Aoyama created two shadow clones by forming hand seals. One scream after another rang out, and blood splattered in the distance. It was nothing short of a massacre.

One life after another was easily taken away; at this moment, Aoyama Reiko completely shattered Yakumo's understanding of life.

The image of the cold-faced but warm-hearted doctor has been shattered...

Originally, Yakumo only wanted to beat these people up and steal their money, as a way of giving them a taste of their own medicine. He never expected that Aoyama Reiko would be so murderous.

"What... do you think I went too far?" Aoyama Reiko asked, noticing the change in Yakumo's emotions.

“Sister Aoyama made the right judgment…it’s just that I’m having trouble accepting it right now,” Yakumo replied.

When they choose to become bandits and make a living by robbing, they should be prepared to be killed at any time…

Yakumo gradually convinced himself that this was a world where life was as insignificant as grass, and he had to accept and adapt to it!

“Money is just an external thing to us, so giving it to them is no big deal. But what if a passerby needs that money to save their life and refuses to hand it over even at the cost of their life? They would kill without hesitation. So I killed them to rid the world of evil.”

"Evil should be eradicated completely." Yakumo was completely relieved.

“That’s right, my shadow clones will find their lair and wipe them out completely.” Reiko Aoyama turned and continued on her way.

“You are very smart… even smarter than I was back then. I had a huge fight with my teacher back then, until he took me to see their sins firsthand.”

Reiko Aoyama turned around and continued on her way. Yakumo quickly followed. Although she did not tell Yakumo what kind of sins she had witnessed, it must not have been a pleasant memory.

In the afternoon, the two gradually increased their speed and finally arrived at Jihuo City around four o'clock. The city walls, several meters high, were covered with the marks of time. The city gate was about four meters wide and was made of thick wooden planks wrapped with steel plates, which looked very sturdy.

The streets of the city were bustling with pedestrians, and the various shops were full of the lively atmosphere of everyday life.

Inside the hotel, Aoyama Reiko paid for two guest rooms and asked the innkeeper to prepare dry food for the next day and dinner for the evening.

"Your chakra nature is earth and water, right?"

The two sat at the clean wooden table, waiting for the hotel kitchen to prepare dinner.

“That’s right…” Yakumo replied after taking two large gulps of the free water on the table. Because he had left in such a hurry, the water he drank today was mainly gathered through the conjunction of the four stars.

"A natural-born medical ninja, but these two attributes are generally considered to be weak in combat. Are you planning to train in another chakra nature transformation in the future?"

"I plan to train in lightning and wind nature transformations after becoming a Jonin," Yakumo answered truthfully.

"Two attributes...?"

"After becoming a Jonin, I mastered Lightning Release Chakra Nature Transformation... I can give you my training experience."