Konoha's Mission Master

"He also said... there might be a third-party force involved, and we must be careful to ensure Kakashi Hatake's safety," Yakumo replied.

On the coffee table are the books that Sakumo Hatake has been reading lately. He has been enjoying reading more and more recently, as if he has found a treasure that he had previously overlooked.

What are your thoughts on the current daimyo?

Sakumo Hatake waved his hand, and a swirling storm gathered in his hand, eventually turning the letter into paper dust, which he casually dumped into the trash can next to the coffee table.

"An extremely intelligent madman?"

"Sigh..." Sakumo Hatake sighed softly.

"What I'm about to say will involve some sensitive information."

"Just a few days ago, the current magistrate's three uncles, along with their entire families, were murdered by unknown bandits."

"This matter should be investigated by the Anbu, but... the Third Hokage said there was no need to investigate and hastily closed the case. Just today, the Daimyo agreed to the Land of Lightning's condition of exporting 70% of last year's grain."

Sakumo Hatake's eyes grew brighter and brighter, burning with rage. In his view, the Third Hokage's actions had violated the Will of Fire set forth by the First Hokage.

"Shinichi and the Third Hokage made a deal?"

Yakumo's mind raced. Could this be part of Shinichi's plan to sow discord between Hatake Sakumo and Sarutobi Hiruzen?

“Not bad… Yakumo, you are even more perceptive and intelligent than I imagined… but…” Hatake Sakumo’s expression was somewhat gloomy, as if he was thinking of something unpleasant.

"Uncle Sakumo, could it be... could it be... that you used to think I wasn't smart?" Yakumo asked in an exaggerated tone.

"How could that be? Of course not..." Sakumo Hatake replied with a helpless smile.

"Hehe...let's lighten the mood."

"What exactly is Shinichi trying to do?" Yakumo asked.

"He wanted to make himself the last surviving member of the Daimyo clan. In other words, if he died, the Land of Fire would lose its only master, and the lords of the twenty-three main cities would inevitably vie for the supreme throne."

Through Sakumo Hatake's explanation, it becomes clear that when a daimyo is assassinated, a successor can be chosen from among the daimyo's descendants.

Even if the descendants are all incompetent, they can still be chosen from among the older and younger brothers... that way, the country will not experience turmoil if there is no dissident ruler.

Shinichi eliminated all potential candidates to inherit the position of Daimyo through his actions, meaning he took full responsibility for the safety and turmoil of the Land of Fire.

"This kind of person is both extremely intelligent and extremely crazy."

Sakumo Hatake, fiddling with his teacup, commented that all he said was in the hope that Yakumo would stay away from Shinichi, or at least be more wary of him.

"Do you think... he might hate the Daimyo clan?"

Yakumo suddenly spoke up and asked.

Chapter 100 The Thirteen Ninjas of Sumeru

The words were spoken.

Sakumo Hatake pondered for a moment. After considering the current daimyo's special background and his childhood experiences as recorded in intelligence documents, he realized that Yakumo's speculation was not unfounded.

"Never mind, he's not important..." Yakumo waved his hand.

If Shinichi were to actually cross Yakumo's bottom line in the future... he would simply kill him. Yakumo's bottom line has never been himself, but rather the bonds he considers family.

"I plan to go and discuss this with Nohara Rin today... I will represent her at school for the next few days."

Sakumo Hatake spoke first.

"If you're disguised as a little girl... Uncle Sakumo, you won't give yourself away, will you?"

"Don't worry, I'm very professional," Sakumo Hatake replied.

After more than twenty years of hard work in the secret service, Hatake Sakumo had long since honed his disguise skills to the point that he could impersonate anyone from a three-year-old child to an eighty-year-old woman.

"We still need to be careful... especially with Danzo's roots."

Yakumo felt that this matter was not so simple.

"Do you suspect that Danzo will take this opportunity to target Kakashi?" Sakumo Hatake asked in a low voice.

"We must be on guard, especially now that Uncle Sakumo and Danzo's relationship has become irreconcilable."

“That makes sense…I’ll keep that in mind.”

"Just in case... I will stay by Kakashi's side as much as possible in the next few days."

“Okay.” Sakumo Hatake did not refuse.

During this period, he frequently used the guise of friendly sparring to humiliate Danzo from the inside out.

This also caused Danzo's head to shine very brightly, but of course, it wasn't a big deal... it was just that after his last breakthrough in strength, he accidentally broke two of Danzo's ribs...

And a few days ago, he accidentally left a few wounds on Danzo... He really didn't mean to...

...It was just an accident.

At first, Hiruzen Sarutobi would give him a few words of admonishment, but now he has completely turned to letting him do as he pleases. After all, the worse the relationship between Sakumo Hatake and Danzo becomes, the more at ease he feels.

"...Uncle Sakumo, have you heard of the Thirteen Ninjas of Sumeru?"

“Of course I’ve heard of them. They’re the most famous wandering ninja group around the Land of Grass,” Sakumo Hatake replied immediately.

Most of the wandering ninja groups are composed of rogue ninjas who failed missions and wandering ninjas who accidentally stumbled into the world of ninja training. They are not governed by any country and are not recognized by any country... Most of them rely on black market bounties, robbing caravans, and kidnapping to obtain the money and supplies needed for living and training.

"How strong are they?" Yakumo continued to ask.

The Thirteen Ninjas of Sumeru are related to his quarterly mission, and he must have a 100% understanding of the target.

"Their strength is among the best in the wandering ninja group. The main force consists of two Jonin and eleven Chunin, with the remaining forty or so members responsible for intelligence gathering."

Sakumo Hatake patiently answered, without asking Yakumo why he wanted to know about the Thirteen Ninja of Sumeru, since everyone has their own secrets.

"Then... does Uncle Sakumo know where they are?"

Yakumo asked tentatively.

"Disappeared near the Land of Grass..."

Yakumo seemed thoughtful upon hearing this. "Disappeared" was a very peculiar word. In his opinion, it was highly likely that the higher-ups of the Grass Ninja had some connection with the Thirteen Ninja of Sumeru, facilitating their concealment.

Sakumo Hatake agreed to help Yakumo retrieve information about the Thirteen Ninja of Sumeru in the next few days. Since Yakumo handed over his sword technique without reservation last time, the two have become closer.

As the sun gradually rose, the outside was filled with golden sunlight. After talking for a while, Hatake Sakumo got up, intending to go and warn Danzo.

Yakumo walked home. Although it doesn't snow in the Land of Fire, Konoha in December had a chilly feel to it.

Along the way, Yakumo encountered many people, who were commoners who depended on Konoha for their livelihood. Some pushed wheelbarrows, while others relied on bicycles. Their faces were filled with happy smiles.

But what if... Shinichi dies?

All of this will be gone...

Although Yakumo didn't have the ambition to soar like a roc through the heavens, he also disliked the phrases "chaos reigns and the people suffer." When a person has too many concerns in their actions, they lose some of their carefree spirit.

Just then, Yakumo happened to pass by Ichiraku Ramen and ordered two bowls of ramen for himself as lunch. The oil floated on the surface of the clear broth, and the aroma was irresistible.

In the distance… two chakra surges shot into the sky…

"Please, Lord Danzo... enlighten me!"

Yakumo shook his head and chuckled softly.

"Uncle...two more bowls of ramen, please!"

The next day, Yakumo entered the classroom on time. Jiraiya still hadn't returned. As for Konoha Hospital, all that was needed was to say hello to Aoyama Reiko.

As Yakumo entered the classroom, Nohara Rin in the front row nodded slightly, indicating that Hatake Sakumo and Yakumo had successfully met up.

In the blink of an eye... December 15th... a full thirteen days have passed. For the past ten days or so, the work of Hatake Sakumo's Anbu has been handled by his shadow clones.

Sakumo Hatake's real body disguises himself as Rin Nohara every day to attend classes, and he is almost inseparable from Kakashi... Obito Uchiha... is extremely jealous.

A few days ago, Yakumo obtained the information about the Thirteen Ninjas of Sumeru as he wished, and read it carefully until he knew it by heart.

To their disappointment, the bounty hunter still hadn't appeared, and even Yakumo was starting to wonder if he'd been tricked by Shinichi again.

December 19th.

Shinichi sent a message... The assassin will make his move soon.

Tell Yakumo to calm down.

Before we knew it... it was December 25th.

Because of the final exams at the end of the month, the Ninja Academy started its holiday on the 25th, and the group went to Konoha Training Ground 16 to train.

Obito Uchiha was honing his taijutsu with Masako Mori. Their attacks were accompanied by a powerful gust of wind that cut through the air, clearly showing significant improvement in their strength compared to six months ago.

After a few glances, Yakumo realized that Masako Mori had been hiding her true strength, and that the strength she displayed was just slightly stronger than Obito Uchiha.

As for "Nohara Rin", she was squatting under the shade of a tree, practicing her chakra manipulation in a very professional manner, occasionally casting admiring glances at Hatake Kakashi as he wielded his sword.

Whether moving or sitting still, she exudes the grace of a young girl; every smile and gesture is exactly like Rin Nohara's… This is the professionalism of the head of the ANBU…

...A true movie star. If this level of acting were in the old world, it would be enough to crush 99% of the world's actors.

"Click".

Suddenly the sky darkened, and a fine drizzle began to fall.

"It's raining, let's call it a day." Yakumo said, slinging his ninja sword over his shoulder.

“Okay…” Kakashi sheathed his short sword.

"Let's go, Rin, Obito, Masako Mori!"

Yakumo called out.

"Okay!" "Coming!" "Coming...right away."

The three answered in unison. Yakumo and Hatake Sakumo exchanged a glance. The sky was dark and the rain was pouring down, making it the perfect time to kill!

The group quickly headed towards Konoha Village. Training Ground No. 16 was located in a remote area near the western barrier of the village. It was also a place that Yakumo and Hatake Sakumo had specially chosen as a burial ground for assassins. Unfortunately, they waited for more than ten days but the ambush never came.

Chapter 101 Ambush, Now!

The rain became increasingly dense, until it poured down.

The group ran quickly, splashing water with each step. Yakumo's clothes were completely soaked and clung tightly to his skin, and his vision became somewhat blurred due to the heavy rain.