Konoha's Mission Master

Yakumo and Mori Masako tried several local specialties. The smoky flavor was quite pronounced, and the texture was slightly lacking, but the taste was really good. The portions were generous, and the price was reasonable enough to fill their stomachs.

This kind of local specialty aims to fill people up rather than make them feel delicious, which is quite down-to-earth.

In the commercial district, the clothes sold in the clothing stores are quite in line with the characteristics of the Land of Earth, such as large windproof cloaks and dark dust hats with netting.

Masako Mori glanced at the list briefly and immediately lost any desire to buy anything.

After buying two exorbitantly priced cold drinks, Masako Mori lost interest in continuing her stroll due to the heatwave and walked towards the resettlement area with her right arm linked with Yakumo's.

The settlement for the Konoha people was located on a distant mountainside.

At this point, the two would need to temporarily descend the mountain and then climb it again to reach their destination, or reveal their ninja identities and run across a steel cable approximately four meters high.

The downhill road was easy.

Occasionally, Masako would stop and look at the withered grass on the ground, which was dying from lack of water. A sadness that Yakumo could not understand would inexplicably appear on her face, but she would soon take Yakumo's hand again and set off.

"Life is so fragile, it can be gone in an instant."

Masako Mori said with some emotion, reflecting on her fate from the withered weed, and silently pondered to herself.

"I'm so unwilling to accept this. I want to stay with Yakumo forever."

On the way back, Yakumo saw the boy lying on the stone slab again. His dehydration had worsened, and he was extremely weak, but not fatal.

Yakumo withdrew his gaze.

He gently touched Masako Mori's nose and asked.

Are you sad because of that withered blade of grass?

"Uh-huh."

"Then let it rain."

"what?"

Masako Mori stared at Yakumo in surprise.

It's rare that he actually believed she was grieving over a few withered grasses, when she clearly associated the withered grasses with herself.

That's fine too, at least I won't have to share her sadness.

"I was just saying... how about we just have some rain?"

Yakumo extended his palm toward the sky, rapidly mobilizing the surging chakra within him, transforming it... and converging it toward his right hand.

The next second, a golden dragon soared into the sky, breaking through the gray dust in the blink of an eye, and the world was split in two by this pillar of light.

The beam of light was extremely dazzling, and soon the Third Tsuchikage arrived from afar.

Immediately afterwards, a huge beam of light exploded between the clouds.

The deafening roar spread and echoed, as if the sky itself was furious.

Golden electric currents roamed and exploded wildly, gathering the surrounding moisture. At the core of the golden pillar of light, a blue water sphere continuously absorbed the surrounding moisture, eventually coalescing into dark clouds.

The golden currents continued to surge wildly, churning and roaring wildly in the leaden-gray clouds. Gradually, the golden currents faded, transforming into thousands of silver snakes that roamed in mid-air.

But the golden pillar of light did not weaken at all, and still pierced through the heavens and earth. The dark clouds in the sky became huge, and countless water vapors gathered from all directions.

"Click."

A bright white arc of electricity descended from the sky, exploding in mid-air.

The dark clouds stretched for thousands of miles.

The Third Tsuchikage had already guessed Yakumo's plan, but he couldn't understand his reasons for doing so.

Why did he want it to rain?

Regardless, this action did help Iwagakure.

After all, Iwagakure had not received rainfall for more than half a year since June of last year, and it was currently the dry season with a shortage of water.

Yakumo withdrew his right hand, dispersing the golden pillar of light that connected heaven and earth.

Just then, a raindrop fell from the sky and landed on the bluestone road, scattering into a transparent water droplet.

Although the ordinary residents of Iwagakure were unaware of what was happening, the entire village began to celebrate as the raindrops fell.

In their understanding, this rainfall must be a miracle created by the Tsuchikage. Countless people shouted loudly... the roaring sound waves called out to the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki.

In mid-air, Onoki blushed.

Countless raindrops splashed down from the sky, hitting the road and turning into water droplets that scattered in all directions. But even more raindrops fell from the sky and broke apart, and the long-awaited dampness enveloped the entire Iwagakure village.

The originally clear environment became hazy and murky due to the moisture, as if seen through a layer of fog.

The sudden rain washed away the heat, and the air became quite refreshing, even much clearer.

The dust, drifting like smoke, was washed away by the rain and vanished.

Yakumo took out an umbrella from a storage scroll to shield Masako from the raindrops falling from the sky.

Ignoring the stares of those around them, Yakumo helped Masako Mori into the rain until the two completely disappeared around the street corner.

No one dared to stop them from beginning to end.

The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, finally looked away.

He vanished in an instant, his clothes soaked through as he left.

"That way... those withered grasses won't die."

"Yes."

"You certainly won't. I told you I would heal you."

Masako Mori immediately showed a look of surprise.

Her heart felt as sweet as honey; Yakumo knew exactly why she was sad.

They did this just to make me happy.

PS: Thanks to Flying Carrot Rabbit for the donation.

Chapter 249 Meeting the Tsuchikage, Passing the Test Easily

That sudden downpour salvaged the image of Iwagakure in the hearts of the Land of Earth's inhabitants, while the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, was elevated to godhood by the unsuspecting commoners.

The night was deep, and the wind was still biting.

The rain had stopped, but Iwagakure Village looked brand new, as if it had been washed and purified. Wild grasses on the parched land gradually regained their vitality.

Inside the Tsuchikage's office.

Onoki was in a great mood as he dealt with matters related to the Chunin Exams.

Finally, everything was finished.

He looked up and saw a boy lounging lazily on the sofa in front of him, a face he had seen countless times and found extremely familiar.

Onoki did not panic or call for backup, because he knew it would be pointless. If Yakumo was filled with murderous intent, the Iwagakure ninjas would not be able to stop him and would only lose their lives for nothing.

"Hoo..." Onoki quickly regained his composure and asked seriously.

"Are you here to kill me?"

"Of course not..."

Yakumo sat up straight on the sofa, stretched, and looked at Onoki. It was almost midnight, but he was still working hard. Clearly, the village kage looked glamorous on the surface, but in reality, he was just a hard worker.

"That's good." Onoki breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back in his recliner. As long as they weren't there to kill him, there wasn't much of a problem.

"I want to learn the art of moving through the earth."

“That’s impossible!” Onoki refused outright.

What did you just ask me?

"Forehead…"

Onoki tentatively asked.

"Are you here to kill me?"

"That's right, I came here to kill you."

"...?"

This person is so unreasonable, he's absolutely insane!

"The technique of moving through the earth... that's a secret technique of Iwagakure!"

Onoki sat up straight and emphasized that the underground raiding force and the underground assassination group derived from the technique of earth-penetrating stealth are the trump cards of Iwagakure that have been invincible on the battlefield. How can they be easily taught to outsiders?

"I can guarantee... that I will be the only one studying."

Yakumo said that he was well aware of the value of the technique of infiltrating the earth, and that he had come with sincerity.

Onoki remained expressionless, but he had already decided to make the deal.

If Yakumo were to learn it on his own, it would only be icing on the cake. But if Konoha were to acquire it, he could replicate Konoha's underground raiding force within a few years.

What if I say no?

As the Kage of Iwagakure, Onoki naturally had his own pride, so how could he submit to the enemy because of a threat?

"First, I will not pass on the technique of infiltrating the earth."

"Secondly, I will exchange it for the simplified hand seals of the Earth Flow Wall."

Yakumo's expression remained unchanged as he calmly spoke.

Originally, he planned to offer the enhanced Hardening Technique as an exchange, but considering the different stances of Iwagakure and Konoha, and the possibility of renewed conflict in the future, he ultimately only offered the simplified Earth Flow Wall.

"Not enough! We need to raise the price!"

"Impossible. I was just training on my own, while the Earth Release: Earth Wall was strengthening the entire Iwagakure village. Plus, today's heavy rain helped you salvage the image of Iwagakure in the eyes of the Land of Earth's inhabitants."

Yakumo stood up... staring at Onoki and speaking slowly, in a somewhat threatening tone.

One should not be too greedy.

Under Yakumo's gaze, Onoki felt somewhat guilty. Whether it was killing Orochimaru back then or this heavy rain today, Yakumo had unknowingly helped Iwagakure in many ways...