Konoha's Mission Master

Yes, fearless hope can be very harmful, but when hope is shattered, then her world is left with only despair.

Reiko Aoyama raised her head, her eyes red-rimmed. She looked at Masako Mori, knowing in her heart that she had lost completely.

"Ah, I understand."

She let out a soft sigh, full of helplessness, but she had to be able to accept defeat. At the very least, she couldn't lose the last bit of dignity between them. Actually, being content with the role of the older sister wasn't so bad, she could only console herself with that thought.

"Mori Masako, comfort, comfort your sister."

Yakumo spoke softly to Mori Masako, then stood up and clasped his hands together.

Dark green vines were combined into wooden planks, many planks were spliced ​​together, and then resin was used to form transparent windows.

In less than twenty seconds, the dark green airship was completed.

Just as Masako Mori and Reiko Aoyama were about to get up and board the ship, they heard...

"I can go to the Free Federation alone."

Yakumo instantly teleported inside the dark green flying boat, and the next second, the flying boat rose into the clouds... and disappeared from their sight in a few breaths.

On the deserted island, only Mori Masako and Aoyama Reiko were left awkwardly staring at each other, while Yukotsu Chiyuki was completely bewildered, unable to understand why his master would leave him on this deserted island.

"What did I do wrong?" Yougu Qianxue murmured to herself.

"hehe."

Mori Masako sneered as she watched Yakumo flee in disarray. She had hurt Aoyama Reiko's feelings, yet she was the one who had to comfort her.

There's no such thing as a free lunch in the world.

Offering comfort is out of the question; at best, I won't kick someone when they're down.

"Sister Qingshan, this is all my fault, it's all my fault..."

On the other hand, Yakumo piloted the dark green flying boat and quickly broke through the sea of ​​clouds, arriving at the City of Freedom on the Red Line in just a few hours.

However, having watched the battle for several hours, it was pitch black outside when he arrived.

Several months have passed, and the expansion of Freedom City is nearing completion, transforming it from a territory originally belonging exclusively to the Celestial Dragons into the world's largest and most prosperous center.

Although it was night, the city of Liberty was still bustling with activity, and the taverns and upscale restaurants were packed with people. The people walking on the streets were all wealthy and powerful.

Even if the world's dominant forces change, class distinctions are not easily broken down.

At this moment, the hardworking dragon was still working overtime in the office.

Yakumo immediately dispelled the dark green flying boat and appeared out of thin air on the chair opposite the desk. When Ryu looked up and saw that it was Yakumo, he immediately put down the quill pen in his hand.

"Working overtime so late, haven't the Celestial Dragons already taken care of it?"

Yakumo casually took out some melon seeds from his storage scroll and handed half of them to Ryu on the other side of the table. Ryu instinctively took the melon seeds.

The two ate sunflower seeds, and the atmosphere gradually became relaxed.

Ryu was somewhat envious of Yakumo's freedom to adventure and fight in many worlds, while he could only shoulder responsibilities and be confined to this small office of a few dozen square meters for years.

"Are you envious of me?" Yakumo asked.

"It was just a momentary feeling; I understand my responsibilities."

Ryu, knowing that Yakumo could sense changes in emotion, replied without altering his expression.

"The Celestial Dragons have been dealt with. In two years, Sabo will be arranged to succeed you. All these years he's been by your side, he's been groomed as your successor."

While cracking sunflower seeds, Yakumo offered Ryu some sound advice.

“But he’s not strong enough.” Long shook his head, casually cracking sunflower seeds as if this were just a simple conversation between friends.

"So you were waiting for me here."

The laziness in Yakumo's posture disappeared, and his gaze toward the dragon became more scrutinizing and thoughtful. Sabo's strength was insufficient, but his Haki and physical skills were already at the top level. All he lacked was a suitable Devil Fruit.

"I fed Sabo a Devil Fruit, and I'd like to trouble you to help him develop it to the Super Awakening level," Dragon said rather honestly.

"If you want my help, you could have just said so."

Yakumo's demeanor became lazy again, and he started eating sunflower seeds once more. After their last conversation, Mori Masako had reminded him that Ryu was always playing the emotional card, trying to get Yakumo to help him achieve his goals.

This is also why he was able to instantly detect the trap in the dragon's words; his envy was genuine.

However, he used his powerful self-regulation ability to deliberately hide some of his thoughts. In fact, his real plan was to ask Yakumo to help Sabo improve the awakening level of his Devil Fruit.

"Hahaha..."

Ryu laughed somewhat awkwardly, realizing that he had anticipated being exposed one day when he started trying to influence Yakumo's judgment by playing the emotional card.

"Although most of the Celestial Dragons have been dealt with, Vegapunk has still not revealed his location."

"I suspect he is still in the hands of the remaining Celestial Dragons. The science he has created could very well overturn the existing power structure. He himself is an enormous treasure."

"Therefore, I need to cultivate true strongmen for the Free Federation."

Ryu's tone became sincere as he placed the melon seeds on the table and earnestly requested Yakumo's help.

"I understand, but don't worry."

After thinking for a moment, Yakumo took out two storage scrolls containing the Celestial Dragons' treasure and placed them on the table. Originally, he planned to give them all to the Free Federation, but now he decided to keep one for himself.

"Of course I'm worried. Although there is peace in the world now, it is very fragile. The Free Federation needs a top-level expert who can suppress everything."

Ryu's tone remained sincere, as if he were acting from a broader perspective, constantly putting pressure on Yakumo in various ways. Although he noticed the two scrolls on the table, Ryu didn't take them seriously.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

Yakumo shook his head. When he clearly sensed that Ryu was using their friendship as a bargaining chip, he withdrew his so-called brotherhood.

He casually tossed the sunflower seed shells into a nearby trash can.

“But there are always things you can’t take care of…” Long persisted. If their relationship was destined to break down tonight, he hoped to use their last bit of friendship to exchange for an opportunity.

"I refuse." Yakumo put away the remaining sunflower seeds.

"These two scrolls have been here for a while now. Can you guess what's inside them?" Yakumo changed the subject.

"Information about the Celestial Dragons' exclusive world?" Dragon asked.

"Or... the metal or Devil Fruit you need?"

"No, no, no, you're wrong. This is a treasure accumulated by the Celestial Dragons over eight hundred years. These two scrolls contain about seventy percent of gold, which should weigh a thousand tons, as well as all sorts of books."

Yakumo pushed the two storage scrolls in front of Ryu. He could clearly sense the astonishment and disbelief in Ryu's eyes.

He truly hadn't expected that what Yakumo brought would be so valuable. In fact, he suspected that Yakumo had obtained the Celestial Dragons' treasure, but he had no reason to ask for it. After all, it was a fortune that everyone would covet, yet Yakumo had simply handed it over to him.

"This... should be the last time we meet."

"How this world will develop depends on your choices or efforts. If there are no unforeseen circumstances, I probably won't come back to this world. My arrival today is just to say goodbye."

After saying this, Yakumo left immediately, his body disappearing rapidly like specks of light, and reappearing high in the sky.

Inside the heart of the city's offices.

Long stared silently at the two scrolls on the table. Yakumo's arrival was silent, and his departure caused no ripples, as if he had never come. Yet the scrolls on the table proved that Yakumo had kept his distance from the Free Federation from the very beginning.

The two cooperated because of a common goal, but were also destined to break up because of differences.

"Hey."

Long casually put the scroll into the drawer and continued cracking sunflower seeds, his expression gradually calming down until he returned to a calm state before throwing the sunflower seed shells into the trash can next to him.

He picked up the quill pen again and began working on the documents on the desk.

"Perhaps, not seeing each other is a good thing."

Soft murmurs drifted from the empty office.

Inside the dark green flying boat, Yakumo's expression had returned to calm, devoid of any other emotions. A true strongman is not swayed by emotions; the moment he left the office, it signified that the matter was completely over.

Also... he retaliated against Long in a small way.

That is to conceal Vegapunk's location and the news that Luffy plans to have Vegapunk build a ship that can explore the universe.

When Luffy heard that there were many worlds beyond the pirate world, his goal expanded from exploring the globe to the stars and the sea.

His goal is not just to become the Pirate King, but to become the Space Pirate King!

Dragon never dreamed that although he had tricked Yakumo into extending Luffy's lifespan, he would still lose his son within a year.

Yakumo originally intended to inform Ryu, but he changed his mind at the last minute.

Amidst the gaps in the clouds, Yakumo piloted his dark green flying boat, heading towards his final destination: the first dungeon mission he had undertaken in the One Piece world, where he defeated Hawkeye, the strongest swordsman in the world at the time.

That was the starting point of his adventures in the pirate world.

Now that he plans to officially leave the One Piece world, he intends to visit his original starting point, Hawkeye Mihawk, before leaving completely.

As dawn broke, Yakumo found Hawkeye's secluded dwelling.

Hawkeye was practicing his swordplay in the courtyard, but he was using a very simple bamboo sword. During the Marineford War, he lost his title as the strongest swordsman, and his sword, Yoru, was also cut in half by the enemy.

After a brief period of confusion, Hawkeye rallied and vowed to defeat his enemy.

But before Hawkeye could even return to seek revenge, news spread across the seas that Yakumo was fighting a Yonko head-on, so he could only continue to work a thousand times harder.

After countless days and nights of hard work, he finally became strong enough to attempt to hunt down the Four Emperors. However, news began to circulate on the high seas that Yakumo had once again wreaked havoc in Mary Geoise.

Hawkeye didn't give up this time. He left his secluded place and searched almost the entire world and the New World, but he still couldn't find any trace of Yakumo.

In the following years, Hawkeye heard news of the enemy again. He grew stronger at a comet-like speed until he could easily hunt down the Four Emperors. He became so strong that many powerful people paid the price with their lives. He became so strong that Hawkeye finally chose to give up.

Hawkeye returned to the island and chose to live in seclusion, finding immense peace of mind in the process.

Hearing Yakumo slay countless powerful opponents, a sense of pride quietly grew within him. After all, he was the only person on the vast ocean to shatter Yakumo's weapon, and the only one to have cornered Yakumo in a one-on-one duel...

In a sense, he was stronger than Garp, Sengoku, and Akainu combined. After all, he had once exhausted Yakumo, and occasionally, when he touched the scar on his chest, he felt it was an honor.

This scar comes from the world's strongest, an enemy of Yakumo, who is also the only legend still alive. When Hawkeye's rise is linked to Yakumo's, then a thousand years later, when someone mentions the world's strongest person, Hawkeye will inevitably be mentioned.

He witnessed the rise of an era.

From that moment on, Hawkeye knew he could not defeat Yakumo, because his indomitable will had dissipated. But it didn't matter, since the two of them would never cross paths again in this lifetime.

But unexpectedly... as Hawkeye sheathed his wooden sword, he suddenly saw the greatest nightmare of his life slowly descending from the sky.

Hawkeye rubbed his eyes instinctively, wondering if he was hallucinating.

........