Konoha's Mission Master

The change came suddenly, but the outcome was already decided.

At the same time, the thick fog slowly dissipated, and a few hundred meters away, Aoyama Reiko was looking at the heart of the battlefield with a worried expression.

"I had no choice because of the mission."

"I bet you were thinking about how to take me down with you, but you don't understand that when it comes to killing, one fatal blow is enough; there's no need for all that fancy stuff..."

"That giant tornado was cool, but unfortunately it wasn't very useful."

"They say being handsome lasts a lifetime, but what's the use of being handsome if you're dead?"

"The Earth Needle technique is indeed very suitable for surprise attacks... Jiraiya-sama used it purely to show off. It's a pity he didn't learn the Earth Escape Technique, otherwise this technique could have been even more perfect."

As Yakumo muttered to himself, Night Raven's pupils gradually dilated, giving the impression of dying with his eyes wide open. As the effects of the forbidden drug wore off, Yakumo noticed that his body was so shriveled, as if all the blood had been drained, and even the wound on his chest was barely bleeding.

Yakumo looked surprised, crouched down to examine the Night Raven's corpse, and at the same time, he heard the notification sound that the mission was completed.

"What?! You're a night raven!"

"This is the effect of burning blood, which converts blood into chakra. Once this process begins, it will not stop until the blood runs out and one dies."

Suddenly, a strange man's voice came from beside Yakumo. Yakumo stiffly raised his head and saw the man's full head of silver hair.

"Lord White Fang, when did you arrive...?"

Yakumo asked very carefully, silently dispelling the shadow clones that were pretending to be dead in the distance.

"My mission includes ensuring your safe return to Konoha with Aoyama Reiko." Hatake Sakumo's voice was low and deep, his gaze calm, a calmness that sent a chill down Yakumo's spine…

In fact, Sakumo Hatake's mission only included Aoyama Reiko, a precious medical Jonin. As for Yakumo, he was someone who could be discarded if necessary. However, he did not tell the boy in front of him this cruel truth.

These past few days he has been using shadow clones recklessly, but little did he know that this great master had taken notice.

"He saw it... he must have seen everything..." Yakumo thought to himself. "How am I supposed to explain this..."

As for silencing them... he didn't even dare to think about it...

"You're quite good, even better than Kakashi described to me. You can come to my house for a visit tomorrow afternoon, and I'll teach you swordsmanship then... Oh, by the way, I'm taking his body with me; leave the rest to me."

In the blink of an eye, Hatake Sakumo's figure had disappeared, along with the withered corpse on the ground.

"He doesn't seem so cold-hearted after all!"

Chapter 53 Brief

As the fog dissipated, Aoyama Reiko came to Yakumo's side, her hands glowing green as she began to heal his wounds. Even though he had the upper hand in that battle, he was still hit by Night Raven several times.

"Was that Lord White Fang just now?"

Aoyama Reiko suddenly walked over and asked with some concern, "The more people who know about Yakumo's strength, the more likely he is to be exposed."

"It's okay, he promised to keep it a secret."

Yakumo waved his hand and resealed himself back to his normal appearance. In fact, with his strength, any place in the ninja world could be his safe haven.

However, Konoha Village has its own unique advantages. It has the most original members and is the easiest place to trigger bond quests. Even the limited-time seasonal quest rewards cannot compare to bond quests.

Most importantly, he has familiar friends in Konoha, seniors who genuinely care for him, and a small courtyard called home.

"Did you have a crush on Lord White Fang when you were little, Aoyama-neechan?" Yakumo asked teasingly, sheathing her ninja sword.

"Back when I was in school, I was really into this cool senior," Reiko Aoyama confessed.

"I just didn't like it anymore later."

"Why?" Yakumo asked.

"He is a man with the world in his heart. In his heart, personal feelings are not as important as Konoha. If sacrificing myself can save Konoha, he will be in pain, but he will never hesitate. Once he understands this, he no longer likes it."

Aoyama Reiko's expression held a hint of reminiscence. Upon hearing this, Yakumo gave Aoyama Reiko a thumbs-up, saying that people like Sakuya were worthy of respect, but definitely not worthy of love.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was reviewing documents, while White Fang stood beside him, reporting on his mission.

"Jonin Aoyama has safely returned to Konoha. On the way, the mastermind behind this incident, Night Raven, launched an attack on him."

"Where are the Night Ravens?" Hiruzen Sarutobi put down the documents in his hand and asked Sakumo Hatake with a gentle smile.

“He intended to kill Aoyama Jonin, so I killed him to protect her safety,” Hatake Sakumo replied expressionlessly.

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly. The Yamanaka clan could obtain information through the memories in the brains of corpses, which meant that... this matter might still involve his old comrade. He needed to find a way to clean up the mess for Danzo, not necessarily out of friendship, but more importantly, because he needed Danzo to balance the growing power of the White Fang.

"He used the Blood Burning Technique."

"I see."

"Sakumo, if you have nothing else to do, go home."

"As ordered."

Burning blood is inherently toxic. As the blood is burned away, it destroys brain tissue, making it impossible to retain memories.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the mountain of documents piled on his desk, his eyes dark. Most of these documents praised Sakumo Hatake.

After this incident, even the daimyo praised him highly, mentioning in a letter that he hoped Sakumo Hatake would inherit the position of Hokage in the future.

In order to stabilize the situation, he gave Hatake Sakumo the title of head of the Anbu (Anbu Headquarters). Recently, he has found that the Anbu is becoming a weapon that is slipping out of his control.

"If the Anbu members only know White Fang, then is the Anbu still the Hokage's Anbu!?" Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly recalled Danzo's question from a few months ago.

…………

As Yakumo pushed open the door, a dark figure leaped onto the wall and looked down at him, shouting.

"Meow~"

It was a fat black and white cat with a round body and black eyes like two obsidian stones. Except for its limbs and the left half of its head, it was all black. There was a scar about four centimeters long on its white eye socket, which somewhat ruined its overall cuteness and added a bit of ferocity.

"You're Tai Chi... how did you become like this?"

Yakumo asked in surprise, certain that the fat cat before him was the overlord of the Death Forest, the black and white giant bear whose strength rivaled that of a Chunin.

"Meow~"

The black cat jumped onto Yakumo's shoulder and affectionately rubbed its face against him. At this time, it weighed about eleven pounds, making it a truly fat cat.

Yakumo reached out and stroked Taichi's soft fur, revealing a long-lost smile. Petting a cat is such a comforting thing.

Yakumo forcefully raised the Tai Chi symbol above his head, observing it intently, and suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

"So you're a girl!"

"Meow!" Taiji immediately bristled and slashed at Yakumo's handsome face with its front paws, but luckily he dodged in time.

"Awoo!?" Tai Chi adjusted its body in mid-air, landed, and then bent over again to prepare to attack Yakumo.

"Alright, alright, don't be angry. How about I find a way to remove the scars on your face?" Yakumo said in a somewhat ingratiating tone.

"Meow?"

Two minutes later, Yakumo sat on the steps, stroking his soft, tai-chi belly with both hands, his face beaming with smiles.

"How about you call yourself Milk Ball from now on?"

"Meow~"

"Okay, okay, I'll get the scar removal cream as soon as possible..."

Unexpectedly, besides being greedy, it also values ​​its appearance very much. No wonder it chased after Kakashi Hatake from afar; the hatred for disfigurement is irreconcilable.

"Then you'll be called Milk Ball from now on..."

As the sun gradually set in the west, Yakumo's shadow clones were either tidying up the house or practicing ninjutsu, while his real body was happily petting a cat.

As darkness fell, Yakumo was reluctant to continue practicing his swordplay in the courtyard. The sword shadows whistled and overlapped until Mori Masako pushed open the courtyard gate.

"You're back?" the girl exclaimed in surprise.

"Tell me quickly, is the City of Fire fun?"

Yakumo was taken aback. Those memories that he had deliberately ignored deep in his heart surged up again, including the blood-red banquet that he hated the most.

That night, he discovered that the friendships and family ties he cherished could be so pale and powerless, and that the beautiful qualities of loyalty and kindness could seem so empty.

"It wasn't good... I wasn't happy in Konoha."

"Then let's not think about it anymore... let's have a spar."

Sensing Yakumo's low spirits, Masako quickly changed the subject. The two fought until they were exhausted, then lay down on the training ground, gazing at the sky in silence.

"This cat... I've been seeing it a lot after school lately, and I thought it was a stray cat from the neighborhood." Masako Mori asked with a smile, looking at the cat, Naiqiu, who was perched atop the wall, looking down at the two of them with an air of aloofness.

"It's the black and white giant bear we encountered in the Forest of Death, but now it's following me around for the sake of roasting meat." Yakumo didn't hide Milkball's identity. He and Mori Masako had gone through many hardships together and were already good friends who could share some secrets.

"No way... he sold himself for just one barbecue?"

After understanding the whole story, Masako Mori looked at Naiqiu with increasing disdain.

"Meow!!" Milkball immediately bristled.

"Alright, alright... good boy, Milkball... I think what it wants is a long-term meal ticket..."

Yakumo had no choice but to step in and act as a peacemaker. He couldn't let the two of them fight in the yard, since his small house, which wasn't very spacious, couldn't withstand their antics and might very well be demolished.

Chapter 54 Epiphyllum

Inside the training field, two people and a cat gazed at the sky.

Yakumo involuntarily began to fall into deep thought.

When he first transmigrated, in order to maintain the original owner's persona and prevent Mori Masako from discovering the truth that his soul had been replaced, he deliberately kept his distance and chose to endure the oppression of Hiratani Haruichi... At that time...

He now considers Masako Mori a very important partner. Although romance is still a bit lacking, their friendship is definitely top-notch... but the bloodline disease...

"Hey, hey, hey, what are you thinking about?" Masako Mori's disgruntled voice broke the silence of the training ground.

"I'm thinking."

"What are you thinking about?" asked Masako Mori.

Yakumo sat up, looking at Mori Masako's stunningly beautiful face with a slightly somber expression.

"All extraordinary talents in this world are both a blessing and a curse."