Konoha's Mission Master

She's not dead now, but she harbors resentment.

"In a few days," Aoyama Reiko replied.

"I guess the Third Hokage's order for me to go to Kumogakure was probably at the suggestion of the Daimyo."

"why?"

Reiko Aoyama's pupils contracted slightly, and she asked in a very surprised tone.

"Because he knows my strength... As for his plans, I have no idea."

Yakumo always felt that beneath Shinichi's warm and cheerful exterior lay an extremely chaotic and twisted soul.

"Dong dong dong."

At that moment, the door opened slightly, and the shadow clone on guard immediately grew black hair, ready to pounce!

At the same time, four azure water bullets spun freely around her wrists, while Reiko Aoyama took out a senbon and pointed it directly at the door.

Yakumo's true form instinctively reached for the Fuma, which he carried with him, since the two of them were still on the run.

"It's me..."

With a bang, the shadow clone dissipated.

Chapter 81 The Arrival of White Fang

Upon hearing this, Yakumo immediately released the Demon-Subduing Sword in his hand, dispelled the Shadow Clone Technique, and stood up, speaking softly to Aoyama Reiko.

"Uncle Shuomao."

The man in black wore a wolf-head mask, revealing a head of silver hair, and carried the famous short blade White Fang on his shoulder.

"During work hours, please call me White Teeth."

Sakumo Hatake began speaking in a serious tone.

"Okay, Uncle Sakumo." During the time he practiced swordsmanship at the Hatake family, Yakumo had become very familiar with Hatake Sakumo, and it was harmless for them to be a little mischievous sometimes.

"Lord Hokage, did you send someone to pick us up?"

Reiko Aoyama spoke with a hint of respect, saying that although they were old classmates, their current status and position were worlds apart.

"Lord Hokage, I have been ordered to dispatch a small ANBU squad to the border of the Land of Fire to pick you two up."

Sakumo Hatake answered truthfully.

According to the normal plot, the two would never have been able to reach the border of the Land of Fire, and in the end, the ANBU squad could only return empty-handed.

Perhaps the Third Hokage will publicly condemn the Hidden Cloud Village's treacherous act, thus rallying the morale of the entire Hidden Leaf Village.

"What about the Dark Guard squad?" Yakumo asked.

"This mission is arduous and extremely difficult. After considering various factors, I have finally decided to send White Fang!"

Sakumo Hatake gave a very serious answer.

"Good heavens..." Yakumo exclaimed, but a warm feeling was quietly surging in his heart. In a sense, Sakumo's actions were equivalent to dereliction of duty. It seems that the past month of calling him Uncle Sakumo was not in vain.

Reiko Aoyama's expression turned somewhat grim. The Third Hokage's order meant that she had been completely abandoned... Could she really return to Konoha now and continue to serve as the vice-director of Konoha Hospital as if nothing had happened?

She admitted she couldn't do it...

"Aoyama Jonin, the Anbu is short of a medical Jonin to be in charge of logistical support. The salary and resources are the same as those of a squad leader. If you are interested, you can consider it."

Reiko Aoyama was slightly taken aback. The recruitment came unexpectedly. The official structure of the Dark Division consisted of one head and one deputy head, who were in charge of four squads, each squad consisting of four people.

Of course, this is only the official establishment of the Dark Division. As for how many people belong to the Dark Division outside of the official establishment, even the Dark Division leader, Hatake Sakumo, may not know.

The squad leader position promised by Sakumo Hatake is only below the head and deputy head of the Dark Side organization, which can be considered a high-level position.

"As an unstaff member, you have a high degree of freedom."

“I agree.” Reiko Aoyama readily accepted.

Just then, Aoyama Reiko began to feel some dissatisfaction with Konoha, and Hatake Sakumo made this reasonable request at the right time. How could she refuse such a timely and helpful request?

"Lord White Fang, why are you helping me?"

Reiko Aoyama asked casually, she would never be so narcissistic as to think that Sakuya was after her beauty.

“You are Yakumo’s older sister, and I am Yakumo’s uncle. We’re family, so what need is there for a reason?”

Sakumo Hatake calmly countered with a question.

The white fangs in his hand may be as cold as frost and iron, but his heart is absolutely burning. He has helped others, but he wants to make that help seem legitimate and doesn't want them to feel indebted.

Sakumo Hatake used 80 percent of his annual income to subsidize the families of his fallen comrades in his private capacity, which made him even more feared by others.

Other high-ranking officials in Konoha were easily compared to Sakumo Hatake, making him a moral benchmark in the eyes of the villagers.

"Haha, we're a family, helping each other out..."

Yakumo laughed, but perhaps because he laughed too loudly, a sharp pain came from his chest, and his expression gradually became uncontrollable, with pain mixed with laughter.

"Shall we go outside and talk?" Sakumo Hatake suddenly asked.

“Okay,” Yakumo replied.

With a few consecutive teleportations, Hatake Sakumo had already reached the roof of the inn, while Yakumo was crawling up little by little, looking rather pathetic, as he was injured.

The wind was strong on the rooftop, which gave Yakumo a jolt. Looking down, he saw the bustling city of Sakaigawa. Even though it was night, the streets were still crowded with pedestrians, and the neon lights of the billboards and the scantily clad men and women showcased a unique and vibrant human life.

Neither of them spoke; it seemed as if Sakumo Hatake had simply called Yakumo up to get some fresh air.

"How long will it take for your injuries to heal? You know I can't leave Konoha for too long," Hatake Sakumo suddenly asked, his tone very casual.

"In about three days, he should be able to move around without any problems."

Yakumo was seriously injured; even now, his chest still aches. Fortunately, his physical attributes are high enough.

"You also found your own path, much faster than I expected."

"Just lucky," Yakumo replied modestly, and a brief silence fell between them.

"Wait a minute..." Yakumo realized the problem.

"Uncle Shuo Mao, how long have you been with us?"

"From the moment you left the Land of Thunder..."

A snap, the sound of a heart breaking… Yakumo’s expression changed repeatedly, and finally he spoke in a somewhat unfriendly tone.

"So...you just watched me get beaten half to death by Yoru Tenshin...and didn't lift a finger!?"

"This is your battle..."

Sakumo Hatake succinctly stated that although it is now a world where ninjas are revered, the Hatake clan was originally a prominent samurai family during the Warring States period, and to some extent they have inherited the samurai creed.

For example, a fair and square duel between two people does not allow outsiders to intervene rashly, otherwise it would be a violation of the samurai spirit. The loyalty to one's lord, willing to sacrifice oneself at any time, requires virtues such as tolerance, love, compassion, and mercy.

“No… I hope the two of us can work together to kill him quickly.” Yakumo shook his head vigorously.

"Haha." Hatake Sakumo chuckled.

"In fact, if I make a move... he will retreat without hesitation, and then the two of us together will have no chance of stopping him."

"That seems to make sense..."

Yakumo briefly recalled the major events that had occurred in the ninja world over the years. Apart from the deadly battle between the Second Mizukage and the Second Tsuchikage, there had been no Kage-level deaths in the ninja world for quite some time.

Each Kage-level fighter is a pillar of the ninja village. In peacetime, Kage-level fighters represent the ninja village's voice in the ninja world, so they naturally won't easily engage in a death match.

At the same time, Kage-level combat power is a very vague concept. For example, Tsunade clearly has several times more chakra than a Kage, but she still cannot be considered a Kage-level fighter.

After analysis, Yakumo concluded that to reach the Kage level, one needs to possess several qualities, including Kage-level chakra reserves, master-level ninjutsu attack techniques, and over 40 points in physical attributes.

In other words, he wasn't a true Kage-level fighter, which is why he was so badly suppressed by Yoru Tenshin. Although he managed to turn the tables and kill Yoru Tenshin, he was also seriously injured.

Yakumo isn't even a Kage-level!

"How could someone reach Kage level at the age of seven?" Yakumo thought to himself as he gazed at the night sky.

"Yakumo..."

"You should cherish those who are willing to die!"

Sakumo Hatake's voice became extremely serious, like the admonition and instructions of an elder.

"I see."

Chapter 82 Weapon Essence

Around midnight, Yakumo returned to his room from the rooftop, while Hatake Sakumo rested downstairs from the two of them, leaving the security to his shadow clones.

The two chatted on the rooftop for a long time, from trivial matters to secrets of the ninja world that Yakumo was unaware of. It was clear that Hatake Sakumo was truly mentoring Yakumo as a junior.

The two decided that Yozuki Tenshin's body would remain with Yakumo, but to maintain a low profile and protect themselves, they would stick to a unified narrative...

The one who killed Yotsuki Tenshin was... White Fang!

Yakumo had no ambition to conquer the world; he only wanted to remain invisible in Konoha and strive for success in the future…

He killed Momoshiki Otsutsuki with a single stroke.

Incidentally, he also met the person who helped Sakumo Hatake find the two of them so accurately—his summoning beast…

—Silver Wolf.

It was a large husky, about two meters long, with an incredibly strong sense of smell and stamina, as well as thick fur that felt amazing to the touch... It never destroyed anything in the house.

The only downside is that it will go berserk and bite when called a husky.

Of course, it's easy to appease it at this time; just promise it a big bone stick to calm its irritable mood.

Yakumo sat on the edge of the bed, holding a dark stone in his hand. Occasionally, a few colorful glints flashed within it, proving its extraordinary nature, but upon closer inspection, it seemed not much different from coal.

This is a refined stone that Yakumo just bought on credit. Although it is an unremarkable black mineral, it has an unparalleled hardness and is very easy to use.

Pick up the Essence Stone and press it against the blade of the Demon-Subduing Blade. The hard black stone melts into a black liquid, occasionally reflecting a rainbow of colors.

The black liquid swirled and circulated around the Demon-Subduing Blade, then gradually seeped into the blade, causing the edge to emit a faint glow.

A few minutes later, the essence was ready.