Konoha's Mission Master

Reiko Aoyama was taken aback. She was caught off guard by Yakumo's question and fell silent for a moment.

A few dozen seconds later, Reiko Aoyama spoke.

"I want to become a qualified doctor, to treat the villagers of Konoha as much as possible, and to witness Yakumo's growth."

The sun rose, dispelling the thick fog in the forest, and sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, scattering into dappled patterns that fell upon the two of them.

"Actually... Sister Aoyama, all I want is to live a peaceful life in Konoha with my family and loved ones."

"If what you're seeking is... stability, why do you repeatedly put yourself in danger?" she asked, puzzled.

"The problem is simple: I can't just stand by and watch Sister Aoyama face the potential danger alone."

Yakumo exhaled, his body bathed in golden light, and spoke with absolute certainty, as if declaring some kind of fact.

The boy's face appeared incredibly pure in the sunlight, and his expression was so sincere.

"Because... Sister Aoyama is my family..."

Of course, it wasn't just for missions. From being filled with anxiety when he first arrived in the ninja world, to gradually becoming friends, and finally building a bond... his principles for action had long since gone beyond just missions.

"Ha ha…"

Reiko Aoyama smiled happily, feeling immense joy at that moment.

"Is it shameful for me to pursue stability?" Yakumo asked curiously.

"No... Everyone has their own ambitions. Some people chase after the admiration of others, some want to become heroes and fight for their ideals, some are driven by profit, and some want to live a better life... But what you are pursuing is a peaceful and ordinary life... It's just that it's difficult."

"Is it difficult...?" Yakumo asked, puzzled.

"Because... people are often powerless to control their own destiny, and the fate of ninjas is, nine times out of ten, to perish on the battlefield. With your current strength, it would be easy for you to live a peaceful life, but..."

Reiko Aoyama paused slightly before finally saying nothing more. Perhaps it wasn't necessary to so cruelly shatter the innocent and naive thoughts of a young boy.

Silence fell between them. After all, Aoyama Reiko was not a talkative person, and Yakumo really didn't know how to talk to a girl.

The two wandered through the territory of the Moon Kingdom, each lost in their own thoughts, until the sun began to set and they entered the territory of the Land of Hot Springs, where a light mist veiled the earth like a white gauze.

"Actually, after my sister gave up on liking Sakumo Hatake, she liked someone else. He was very handsome, had a very cheerful personality, and was as warm and gentle as the sun. He aimed to become Hokage."

Kato Dan… Yakumo instantly thought of this name. In his memory, the only person who could match those adjectives was the elite Jonin who had mastered the Spirit Transformation Technique… Kato Dan.

"But later he fell in love with Tsunade. At that time, Tsunade was like a tomboy, and you couldn't tell that Kato Dan liked her at all, but I could see it clearly."

"Later, perhaps driven by my competitive spirit, I always wanted to surpass Tsunade in medical ninjutsu, but what I got in return was a series of defeats and devastating blows. However, through this competition, I ended up becoming best friends with Tsunade..."

Reiko Aoyama paused for a moment before continuing.

“The three of us were very happy at that time, and it was the happiest time of my life. I really wish time could have stopped at that moment forever…”

"But then Dan died... Tsunade was devastated, and I even blamed her a little. Maybe if Dan had been with me, he wouldn't have died..."

Aoyama Reiko's tone suddenly changed, as if she were saying something like what one would say when facing life and death. She no longer hid her inner thoughts and past, and her naked and honest narration was very real.

She used her own experience to prove to Yakumo how luxurious it was to live a stable life with family and friends in such a turbulent era.

After a brief pause, Aoyama Reiko continued speaking.

"I'm serious... Yakumo... If the person who catches up next is very strong, so strong that you're not confident you can defeat them, then I'll try my best to beg them to let you go, or... I'll desperately hold them off while you escape..."

"After all... you have a bright future ahead of you..."

Yakumo's eyes darkened, and he remained silent.

Chapter 76 Death Battle

Yakumo did not respond, and Aoyama Reiko did not dwell on this heavy topic, but the two of them tacitly began to speed up and head towards the Land of Fire.

The next day, early in the morning.

After a quick breakfast, the two left the Hot Springs Inn and hurried home.

The Yu Lake Plain is the only way for the Land of Hot Water to travel to the Land of Fire. Although it is a plain, it is covered by a large area of ​​forest.

When I passed by last time, Yakumo was lying on the back of the earthen platform, and because it was night, I didn't get to appreciate the beautiful scenery here.

The shadows of the trees sway gently, the flowers are fragrant, and the birds sing…

A thin mist, like a veil, shrouded the bushes at the bottom of the forest, while birds, unafraid of people, chirped from the branches...

"Let's hurry up and go," Reiko Aoyama reminded him.

Yakumo was startled, suddenly realizing that they seemed to be on the run for their lives and had no time to appreciate the beautiful scenery around them.

Some things are unavoidable… Yakumo thought to himself. Even if the two of them tried their best to take detours and go in circles, they would still encounter the enemy on their way home.

Yakumo called this kind of irresistible chance...

For...fate!

Finally, in the heart of the Tanghu Plain forest, there stood an incredibly tall tree, its branches and leaves so thick that its canopy blocked out all the sunlight, making it seem like the king of trees.

The two of them saw the man lying quietly under the tree trunk. His eyes were closed, and his expression remained peaceful.

“Hoo…” Aoyama Reiko took a deep breath.

"I'll stall you...you prepare to escape."

That bear-like man, he certainly wasn't there to see someone off, so he must have been there for a funeral.

"Whoosh." The burly man who had been lying quietly on the grass suddenly burst into action, arriving in front of the two men in an instant.

His face was expressionless, devoid of sadness, joy, anger, or resentment. He opened his eyes and gazed at the two of them with utter tranquility.

“I am grateful to you for saving my father, but killing you would benefit the Yunren. Most importantly, I promised my mother that I would take care of my younger brother.” The bear-like man spoke, his voice deep and powerful.

What does this have to do with taking care of my younger brother...? Yakumo stood there puzzled, his left hand unconsciously reaching for the purple flame on his back.

"You are Yotsuki Tenshin... right?"

"Yes."

Reiko Aoyama understood, and a look of despair gradually appeared in her eyes.

Yotsuki Tenshin's only recorded action was a sparring match with the current Third Raikage, where he narrowly lost to Hell Thrust: One-Hit Punch. Importantly, he managed to withstand the first three attacks without sustaining any damage.

"Can you spare my brother?" Aoyama Reiko asked humbly. At this moment, she no longer cared about her own life or death; she had already said what she needed to say yesterday.

“No,” Ye Yuetianxin refused.

“I’ll hold you back as you run…” Aoyama Reiko whispered.

She knew that Yakumo was very strong, strong enough to suppress elite Jonin, strong enough to suddenly burst out and kill two Jonin, but he was definitely no match for Yotsuki Tenshin.

"Sister, you can't hold him off..."

Yakumo took a half step forward. He could feel the enemy locking onto him, like an impenetrable net. If Aoyama Reiko made any unusual move, Yozuki Tenshin would definitely kill her without hesitation. Even if he said thank you, his killing intent was pure.

Regardless of good or evil, it was simply because he wanted to kill…

“You can’t beat him…” Aoyama Reiko whispered.

“It is indeed possible that we cannot win…” Yakumo answered honestly. Yotsuki Tenshin gave him an unprecedented sense of oppression, a feeling that was even stronger than Tsunade’s!

“Then you run away… I’ll hold you off.” Reiko Aoyama put away her glasses and took out a silver baseball bat from her storage scroll.

Throughout the conversation between the two, Yoruichi Tenshin's expression remained calm, like a hunter who had the victory in his grasp, enjoying the prey's dying moments.

"Sister Aoyama, do you remember? Before we set off... at the Konoha Hospital, I said... as long as I'm alive, I won't let you get hurt!"

Yakumo drew a purple flame from his back and stood in front of Aoyama Reiko, continuing with a solemn expression.

"No matter who lies ahead, I will charge forward with my sword drawn..."

Only then can one have a clear conscience.

Yakumo's principle is actually very simple: if you are good to me, I will be good to you; if you are willing to risk everything to save me, I will naturally be willing to gamble everything for you.

If he abandons Aoyama Reiko and runs away today, he will live with regret for the rest of his life.

As for the possibility of dying?

A true man, born between heaven and earth, what is there to fear about death?

If we're going to gamble everything, then let's go all in!

The last 3800 gold coins were quickly disappearing; Yakumo would click thirty-eight times in a single second.

Passive: Chakra Refining Technique 'Acceleration'

'Accelerate' x38!

Chakra surged and spread within his body, and the amount of chakra that had been stagnant for a long time was now increasing at an extremely rapid rate!

Ten seconds later... everything returned to calm.

Chakra: 303 (650 points to advance to Kage level)

At first, Ye Yuetianxin was very puzzled. Did that boy really think that courage could bridge the gap that was as vast as a chasm?

However… the young man swung his sword like a raging dragon breaking through the sky, and before he even landed, Ye Yuetianxin’s skin was already stinging from the sword’s wind.

He truly borrowed the power to kill gods through sheer courage!

"No, you are the one who is hiding the deepest secret!"

Yoruichi Tenshin suddenly felt refreshed. There was no way in this world that a child who wasn't even a genin could instantly possess such power, unless that power was originally possessed by that boy, a power that was in no way inferior to his own.

He's only seven years old... how could he possess such power? Did he start cultivating in the womb?

"This is unreasonable!"

Yoruzuki Tenshin took a half step forward, his body clad in bright white armor, which was materialized lightning chakra.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Armor!"

At that moment, he seemed to be possessed by Thor, and the tiger tattoo on his head seemed to come alive, emitting a deafening roar. He looked just like an angry Arhat.

Faced with the oncoming blades, Ye Yue Tianxin threw a punch with all his might. At his level, his fists and feet had become extremely well-honed weapons.

Reiko Aoyama wanted to say something, but her voice was drowned out by the sound of thunder. The shockwave from where the two collided carried small stones, pushing Reiko Aoyama backward step by step.

In a battle of this caliber, she had absolutely no room to intervene. Like a little fox, she couldn't participate in a fight between a lion and a tiger.

"Run!"