Konoha's Mission Master

Yakumo is unaware.

However, this added another layer to the feud between the two.

After returning home, Yakumo slightly created a shadow clone to say goodbye to Mori Masako.

They immediately began packing their luggage, mainly consisting of dry rations for the journey, chakra-replenishing pills, and the two sets of ANBU supplies given by Kakashi, which included top-quality hemostatic medicine.

"Meow~" Perhaps sensing that Yakumo was about to leave again, Milkball looked somewhat downcast.

"When I get back... I'll grill the meat for you myself!"

Yakumo bent down, grabbed the milk ball, and solemnly promised while rubbing its soft belly.

"Meow!" Milkball jumped up excitedly and pointed to the intact wooden table, revealing a cute but fierce expression.

It roughly means... if you lie to me... this wooden table will fall apart like that sofa.

"Okay, okay, I promise I won't lie to you." Yakumo let go of Milkball and placed it on the sofa. Yakumo wasn't worried that Milkball would go hungry; if it was hungry, it would go find it itself...

…Meal ticket Mori Masako.

Yakumo carried Shiki on his back, and after taking one last look at Milk Ball... he closed the door.

"Sigh... all I really want is stability."

But things never go as planned.

Chapter 67 Earthen Platform (Thanks to Boss Xiaoye for the generous donation!)

The entrance to Konoha Village.

When Yakumo met Aoyama Reiko, the person standing next to her was someone who was both unexpected and yet perfectly reasonable to Yakumo.

...earth platform.

She wore a black mushroom-shaped hat that completely covered her hair, a black eye patch that covered her left eye, and a black coat covered with white leather soft armor.

He was the Third Raikage's right-hand man. Unlike the other hot-tempered Cloud Ninja, Tsuchida was a rare strategist and tactical master among the Cloud Ninja, and he commanded several large-scale battles.

At the same time, his strength is also extremely strong. His Lava Release technique is unparalleled in the ninja world. He is also the examiner of the unparalleled Lightning Release: Hot Blade. As the brain of the Cloud Ninja, he should not have personally gone to Konoha unless the person who needs Aoyama Reiko's treatment is extremely important!

He glanced at Yakumo briefly before turning back to continue his conversation with Aoyama Reiko. It must be said that Yakumo's age and appearance were incredibly deceptive.

“Once we reach the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Water, the Cloud Ninja Anbu will be there to meet us, so Jonin Aoyama doesn’t need to worry about safety.” Tsuchida’s tone was very calm, yet it carried a reassuring charm, making him a ninja as steadfast as a mountain.

Steady, wise, down-to-earth, and reliable.

“Let’s go,” said Reiko Aoyama.

“Little friend, if you can’t keep up, I can carry you on my back…” Tsuchida said, bending down to Yakumo.

"Don't worry, Uncle. My physique and stamina are still pretty good!" Yakumo patted his chest and assured him.

Yakumo could sense that Tsuchidai's willingness to carry him was not out of kindness, but out of anxiety... He would not allow any special circumstances to interfere with the progress of the mission.

"Okay... let's go then."

Tsuchida turned around and started running. Aoyama Reiko and Yakumo immediately followed, and the ANBU who were secretly protecting him also moved at this moment.

As evening fell, the three of them arrived at the border of the Land of Fire and encountered the Cloud Ninja Anbu who were waiting there. There was no verbal exchange between them, and the group began to travel through the territory of the Land of Hot Water.

At first, Yakumo thought they would rest in the Land of Hot Springs and experience its unique hot springs, but unexpectedly, Tsuchidai planned to rush there overnight.

Left with no other choice, Yakumo pretended to be exhausted and reluctantly lay on the back of the earthen platform, while the group increased their speed once again.

The sky was faintly red, dispelling the chill of the forest, but the damp mist lingered, growing stronger the closer they got to the Land of Lightning. By this time, the troops had left the Land of Hot Water and entered the territory of the Land of the Moon.

Yakumo saw that Tsuchidai had already eaten four ration pills, and the eyes of the Cloud Ninja Anbu around him also revealed fatigue, but their speed did not decrease at all.

He used the hour he rested in the middle of the night to finish his weekly diary entry, but he didn't have time to complete his daily tasks.

This was the first time in four months...

Mission failed!!

"Calm down...don't get angry..."

Yakumo closed his eyes, constantly reassuring himself that he had an almost obsessive passion for the mission.

This made him very unhappy!

As the sun rose higher, the group approached the territory of the Land of Lightning, and a hint of joy flashed in Tsuchida's eyes.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

With a series of loud explosions from the detonating tags, thick black smoke obscured the group's vision, and the whistling sound of kunai cutting through the air suddenly rang out.

In this location near the Land of Lightning, at the moment when everyone was most relaxed, an unknown force launched an attack.

"Melting Escape - Protective Jade".

Yakumo quickly formed hand seals on the earthen platform beneath him, his first instinct being to protect Aoyama Reiko beside him.

Yakumo then realized that Aoyama Reiko's location was the safest spot in the entire group.

At the moment of impact, the Cloud Ninja Anbu suffered varying degrees of damage, and blood splattered everywhere.

The thick black smoke dissipated under the effect of the Wind Release ninjutsu, and the Cloud Ninja Anbu drew their long swords from behind.

Tsuchida quickly regained his composure and, after instructing the Anbu to delay, immediately led Aoyama Reiko to break through the encirclement.

The Cloud Ninja's secret forces cooperated to begin eliminating the attackers. It was clear that both sides were highly trained elites, fighting each other in silence, with sparks flying everywhere the moment their weapons clashed.

Yakumo looked back at the battlefield and saw that the Cloud Ninja Anbu seemed to be occupying the top. He keenly realized that the masked attackers' goal was to entangle the Cloud Ninja Anbu, which meant that this attack would not be limited to this wave.

Sure enough, the three of them were ambushed a second time when they left the battlefield. Konoha Dark was forced to join the fight, and Yakumo clearly felt that Tsuchida's expression had become somewhat unpleasant.

There are only two possibilities for this situation... Someone from either Kumogakure or Konoha leaked information about the mission. Yakumo is more inclined to believe it's Danzo, since "Aoyama Reiko" ruined Danzo's plan to assassinate the daimyo.

With Yakumo on his back and Aoyama Reiko looking slightly nervous beside him, Tsuchidae quickly traversed the forest... The Land of Lightning was just a few kilometers away.

Suddenly, a new enemy appeared in front of the three. He crouched down, quickly formed hand seals, and finally slammed his right hand onto the ground.

Earth Release: Earth Splitting Palm!

The ground around the four people cracked open, and Yakumo was placed on the earthen platform. His hands quickly formed hand seals.

"Melting Escape - Protective Barrier!"

The earthen platform opened its mouth and spat out a large amount of viscous rubber, filling the cracks in the earth and successfully stopping the enemy's spell.

"Aoyama Jonin, take your apprentice and leave quickly."

After giving his orders, Tu Tai stared warily at the enemy, an opponent who was in no way inferior to him.

Reiko Aoyama and Yakumo exchanged a glance and immediately rushed towards the Land of Lightning. The enemy who suddenly appeared did not stop them, but instead began to form hand seals and fight with Tsuchida.

"That was really dangerous," Yakumo murmured.

"I've dragged you down again..." Aoyama Reiko said with a hint of guilt.

She had said this countless times. Whenever Yakumo was in danger because of her, the guilt and remorse in her heart burned like a raging fire.

"Why is she so weak...!"

“You are family to me… As long as I live, I will not allow anyone to hurt you,” Yakumo comforted him.

He quickly drew the purple flame from his back, simultaneously releasing the seal within his body, and ran swiftly behind Aoyama Reiko.

"I reckon... there are still enemies waiting for us ahead."

“Be careful…” Reiko Aoyama said, pulling the silver baseball bat from her storage scroll.

"Shh! Shh! Shh! Shh!"

This is the sound of a kunai piercing the air, and it also marks the beginning of the enemy's attack.

An enemy was rapidly approaching from ten meters in front of them, skimming along the ground. After knocking away a kunai, Aoyama Reiko gripped her baseball bat and assumed a defensive stance.

In that moment of distraction, a second figure emerged from the ground, wielding a gleaming short blade, and swiftly thrust it toward Aoyama Reiko's heart.

"A decisive blow."

Yakumo finally confirmed the attacker's identity...

…Iwagakure!

Chapter 68 Swift Kill (Thanks to Boss Xiaoye for the generous reward)

"Earth Release: Rock Concealment Technique!"

They can move freely through soil and rocks, and can also use the earth to hide their presence and traces.

This ninjutsu is highly suitable for assassination. When combined with a secret technique to conceal one's presence, the success rate of an assassination can be increased to 90%.

During the First Shinobi World War, Iwagakure used this technique to assassinate high-ranking members of the Konoha Allied Forces and even gained the initiative in the war by relying on it, until Mito Uzumaki improved the sealing technique and created a super-large sensing barrier that could cover ten meters underground.

The mirror-like blade reflected the sunlight into Aoyama Reiko's eyes, and she had no time to react.

The two Iwa ninjas were overjoyed at their successful plan, while the little brat who looked terrified was completely ignored.

Suddenly… the Iwa ninja saw the burning purple threads, felt the howling wind, and a terrifying pressure burst outward from the boy's body, radiating outward in all directions.

In that instant, he heard the roar of the weapon rapidly cutting through the air and saw a purple blade of light, like a raging dragon breaking through the sky, slashing out in a near-perfect arc.

That was a world-shattering strike!

Before the blade even touched his body, a terrifying sense of sharpness enveloped every inch of the Iwa ninja's skin, but he had no time to react.

It was as if death had locked onto them.

"Shh..."

The body and head were separated.

Yakumo did not stop. He exerted force with both legs, and the ground beneath his feet cracked like a spider web. His body flew like an arrow and arrived in front of the second enemy in a second.

"Monster! Monster!"

The enemy let out a wail, his eyes filled with terror... His body involuntarily retreated, Yakumo's outburst completely shattering his resilient heart as a ninja.

In the thousand years of the ninja world, has there ever been such a monstrous youth?

Perhaps only in the early days of the Ninja Cult, when the Otsutsuki bloodline had not yet been diluted, could such a genius have been born.