Konoha's Hextech Ninja

Since becoming Tsunade's student in name only, she hasn't seen Tsunade even once, except for the first time the team assembled!

Unexpectedly, I now have the opportunity to ask Tsunade for medical ninjutsu.

This is something that countless medical ninjas dream of but can't even dream of!

Rin Nohara was stunned for a moment by the good news. When she came to her senses, she quickly thanked him, "Ah? Okay, thank you Yoruichi-kun, and thank you Tsunade-sensei too!"

"I'll be gone for quite a while this time, so please don't leave the village. If you need money, do some D-rank missions within the village," Yagami Yoruichi reminded them, then looked at Kurenai Yuhi and emphasized, "Especially you, Kurenai, don't be reckless, understand?"

"How could I be willful! I always listen to Yoruichi the most!"

Kurenai turned her face away unhappily, adopting a posture that said, "I'm not happy, hurry up and coax me."

"Alright, Kurenai is the best girl." Yagami Yoruichi took Kurenai's little hand and said with a smile, "I'm leaving tomorrow, so let's end today's training here. How about we go out for dinner later? How about sukiyaki? Or conveyor belt sushi? I saw an ad when I came over. Our usual restaurant has a new limited edition octopus sushi."

Upon hearing about her favorite octopus, Kurenai Yuhi's mouth was practically watering, and her expression gradually began to tense up.

After a few seconds of stalemate, Kurenai Yuhi yelled "Awooo!" and jumped onto Yoruichi Yagami's back, shouting, "Octopus! Hurry up, I want to eat octopus!"

"Alright, alright." Yagami Yoruichi reached out and supported Kurenai Yuhi's slender legs, then turned to Nohara Rin and invited, "Let's go, let's have a meal together as a team."

Just as Nohara Rin was about to refuse, Yuhi Kurenai urged impatiently, "Let's go, Rin, hurry up! We won't see this annoying guy again tomorrow. We have to make him treat us today and rip him off!"

"okay."

A strange light flashed in Nohara Rin's eyes. She paused for a moment, then quickly followed the two.

Chapter 139: Was this mission the trigger for Konoha's White Fang's suicide?

The next morning, before dawn, Yagami Yoruichi left the village with Hatake Sakumo's team.

Within the Land of Fire, it is relatively safe.

In addition, the team members were all very strong, so the group did not appear too nervous. Instead, they had a kind of 'picnic' mentality.

Sakumo Hatake, who was leading the way, deliberately controlled his speed.

Although their progress wasn't slow, it was about the normal speed of a Chunin traveling.

Considering the team's overall strength, this speed is a bit too slow.

Yagami Yoruichi asked with some confusion, "Sakumo-senpai, shouldn't we be hurrying to meet the intelligence personnel? Why are you traveling so slowly? Aren't you afraid that the intelligence personnel will be captured by Iwagakure before we arrive?"

"We don't know the identity of the intelligence officer, nor do we know where he is hiding."

Sakumo Hatake explained, "The only clue is that they will meet us at a designated location on the 16th of next month. So all we need to do is make sure we arrive a few days in advance to scout the location, prepare for our evacuation, and so on. If we arrive too early, there is a risk of being exposed during the infiltration phase, which would be even more disadvantageous."

"They don't even know the identities or hiding places of the intelligence personnel, and there's only a fixed rendezvous time?"

Yoruichi Yagami had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

Yoruichi Yagami is unaware of Konoha's intelligence organization, especially its external spy system.

But isn't this kind of connection way too prone to accidents?

Apart from the designated time and place, nothing is known. If either party has a problem, or even just a small accident, the mission will fail.

Logically speaking, a mature and reliable spy system should not have no room for error in key areas.

Yagami Yoruichi voiced her doubts.

Sakumo Hatake said, "I don't know the specific details either. That's the mission requirement. We just need to do our job. If the mission fails because of the intelligence personnel we're supposed to meet, it's not our problem."

"The village's spy network has always been managed by Root. Although the Hokage ordered Root to be disbanded, the spy network is still in Danzo's hands," Maruboshi Kosuke suddenly interjected, saying, "Even the Hokage doesn't know how many spies Konoha has lurking outside, or what their identities are."

Is it related to the Danzo of Shimura?

As Yagami Yoruichi watched Hatake Sakumo's retreating figure, a conjecture suddenly surfaced in her mind.

Could this be the mission that led to Sakumo Hatake's suicide?!

With the combined strength of Hatake Sakumo and Maruboshi Kosuke, they should be able to complete almost any normal mission, unless it's an extreme mission like assassinating a high-ranking member of an enemy ninja village.

However, if Danzo Shimura was involved, then it would be a different story.

Yagami Yoruichi glanced at the three of them out of the corner of her eye.

Sakumo Hatake would never betray himself.

Kosuke Maruboshi is not that kind of person.

As for Kōdō, after learning about the lineup for this mission, Yōichi Yagami specifically asked Tsunade about her former teammate, who was her teacher.

I learned that although he was of commoner origin, he was very close to the Uchiha clan.

Yagami Yoruichi also confirmed the news with Uchiha Inahisa.

Kōdō and Uchiha Inahi's elder, Uchiha Yatsuho, were close, and Kōdō had also received 'investment' from the Uchiha clan.

The Eighth Hokage of Uchiha was one of the representatives of the radical faction within the Uchiha clan.

The possibility that someone from the Miyazaki faction would have any connection with Shimura Danzo is so low as to be negligible.

If all three of them are fine...

After thinking for a moment, Yagami Yoruichi asked Hatake Sakumo, "Uncle Sakumo, if I don't join, who do you plan to find to fill the vacancy?"

“Ninjas I know who are skilled in ninjutsu are not in the village,” Hatake Sakumo said. “Since I don’t know anyone, I can only blame the village for assigning them. It’s common for the village to temporarily assign members when the team is short of people.”

The village's temporary assignment means there's a possibility that Danzo Shimura might have interfered and infiltrated the mission team.

Even now, Sakumo Hatake once said that his squad was just an advance force, and that at least two more squads would follow as reinforcements.

Among these reinforcements, there may also be people from Shimura Danzo.

It's not easy to deal with a strong opponent like Hatake Sakumo.

But if it's just about causing trouble and preventing Sakumo Hatake from completing his mission, that would be much easier.

However...

Having been dismissed from his post and left idle at home, Shimura Danzo is not thinking about how to regain his power, but is still studying how to deal with Hatake Sakumo.

Yoruichi Yagami felt that something was not quite right, but she couldn't figure it out for the time being. She could only keep it in mind and keep an eye out for anything that might be wrong.

As for speaking up and reminding Sakumo Hatake, Yoruichi Yagami did not choose to do so.

Making baseless accusations against a village leader like Shimura Danzo without any evidence can easily lead to trouble.

Yoruichi Yagami is not powerful enough to ignore the rules.

"Let me tell you about the cooperation plan."

Sakumo Hatake spoke up, "The three of us are quite familiar with each other. As for Yoruichi, you should know me and Kosuke-senpai, but you're probably not very familiar with Mokume's sword, are you?"

Yoruichi Yagami had received guidance from Kosuke Maruboshi on several occasions and had also carried out missions together, so she was naturally very familiar with his abilities.

I just sparred with Sakumo Hatake yesterday, and his meticulous movements and swift, sharp swordsmanship left a very deep impression on Yoruichi Yagami.

That wasn't pure taijutsu or swordsmanship, but a special kind of 'ninjutsu' that incorporated lightning chakra.

Unlike the Lightning Release Chakra Mode of Kumogakure, Sakumo Hatake's Lightning Release Sword Technique pursues extreme sharpness, capable of severing everything with a single strike.

In terms of offense, Sakumo Hatake is definitely the strongest in the squad.

"I am skilled in Konoha-style swordsmanship and am very confident in close combat. In addition, I have mastered three fire-style ninjutsu: Great Fireball, Phoenix Sage Fire, and Great Fire Dragon. However, I don't have much chakra. I can only use three or four fire-style techniques before I run out of chakra."

Mokumu Kōdō proactively revealed his ability configuration: "In battle, I am accustomed to using the Body Flicker Technique in conjunction with swordsmanship to defeat enemies through close combat. In special circumstances, I will use Fire Release to create opportunities."

"I am skilled in Water Release, Fire Release, and medical ninjutsu. I also know a little Wind Release." Yagami Yoruichi also mentioned his strengths: "In addition, I have a large amount of chakra. If necessary, I can unleash massive ninjutsu to change the terrain, or use multiple shadow clones to cover the rear. However, once my chakra is depleted, the recovery time I need will be longer than that of an ordinary ninja."

"Yoruichi-kun's chakra is indeed the most I've ever seen among all the ninjas, comparable to a Jinchuriki," Sakumo Hatake commented.

"A chakra level comparable to a Jinchuriki?" Kōdō's eyes widened.

He had to abandon the ninjutsu taught by the Uchiha clan and instead focus on Konoha-style swordsmanship because he had too little chakra.

He knew all too well the terrifying power a ninja with no shortage of chakra could unleash in battle.

Within seconds, many ways to fight alongside Yagami Yoruichi flashed through Kōdō's mind, and his confidence in the mission increased considerably: "With Yoruichi-kun here, the last weakness of our team has been filled, so we don't have to worry anymore."

“Yoruichi-kun’s fighting style is too disruptive,” Hatake Sakumo said. “During the infiltration, if we encounter a situation where we have to take action, we should go first. Unless we are surrounded by a large enemy force and have no other choice, Yoruichi-kun, please do not act recklessly. Just use sensory ninjutsu and medical ninjutsu to assist us.”

“I understand.” Yagami Yoruichi nodded.

That's my fighting style.

Both ninjutsu and superhuman strength punches are types that generate a great deal of noise and impact.

Even the Rasengan causes considerable damage.

The only technique suitable for 'assassination' is probably 'rushing into chaos', but even that requires additional follow-up attacks.

In terms of the ability to silently eliminate enemies during infiltration, it is certainly not as good as that of a ninja like Hatake Sakumo who is skilled in swordsmanship.

"If something unexpected happens, we'll need your shadow clones to cover our retreat. If we're surrounded by a large enemy force, we'll also need your clearing ability to fight our way out."

Sakumo Hatake took out a small box and handed it to Yoruichi Yagami: "This is a special soldier pill made by the Akimichi clan. After taking it, the amount and speed of chakra recovery are more than ten times that of ordinary soldier pills. The drawback is that after the effects wear off, you will experience severe pain all over your body, and the fatigue will also be several times more severe. If you encounter an unavoidable situation, you can decide for yourself whether you need to use it."

The chakra recovery speed of the soldier pills is already very fast, but it still requires a process.

Given Yagami Yoruichi's chakra reserves, if she were to expend a significant amount of chakra, she would need at least one or two hours of rest using ordinary soldier pills to regain sufficient fighting power.

However, if the Akimichi clan uses their special military rations, this time can be compressed into a few minutes.

Despite its side effects, it is absolutely a game-changer in life-or-death situations.

Yoruichi Yagami took the soldier's rations, opened the box, and counted them; there were eight in total.

“Your chakra reserves are too high. Even the Akimichi clan’s ration pills wouldn’t be enough for you to fully recover with just one, so I specifically asked for a few more,” Sakumo Hatake explained, adding a reminder: “But taking multiple ration pills at the same time will double the side effects. No matter how critical the situation, do not take more than five at once.”

"I understand." Yagami Yoruichi nodded and carefully put away the special rations and regular rations separately.

This thing is not among the Akimichi clan's special elixirs, but it is still a very dangerous thing.

It should never be used lightly unless it is a matter of life and death.

Chapter 140 Entering the Land of Grass, an Encounter with the Orphan of the Whirlpool

The pace of the journey was not fast.

According to Sakumo Hatake's plan, he was to arrive in the Land of Earth a week before the rendezvous time, and then try to infiltrate Iwagakure Village under the guise of a caravan or a mission commissioner to conduct reconnaissance and other work in advance, while waiting for the rendezvous time to arrive.

With over a month to spare, the journey was quite leisurely. At the team's pace, they even had enough time to find a suitable place to take a vacation along the way.

Of course, the vacation was just a joke.

But the journey wasn't too rushed.

Yagami Yoruichi even had time to study books on sealing techniques while traveling.

When she left the Land of Fire, Yoruichi Yagami had already read three books on sealing techniques, and her understanding of sealing techniques had improved considerably.

However, because she was in a hurry, Yagami Yoruichi didn't have time to practice the sealing techniques recorded in the book. She just memorized them all at once, intending to study them slowly after the mission was over or when she had some free time along the way.

After leaving the Land of Fire and entering the territory of the Land of Grass, the four members of the team seemed to have no change in their behavior, but the atmosphere had become subtly more tense.

In other countries and ninja villages, one can never be as relaxed as in the Land of Fire.

However, it wasn't much, just a tiny bit.

The Land of Grass is weak, and the Grass Village can only barely make ends meet by playing both sides and getting benefits from both.

The limited national strength of small countries prevents them from providing too much support to their own ninja villages.

Without money, it's naturally difficult to train powerful ninjas.

The appearance of Hanzo the Salamander in Amegakure is already a rare 'miracle' in the ninja world.

The leader of a small ninja village like Kusagakure is only at the level of an ordinary Jonin in Konoha.

However, upon entering the Land of Grass, Yagami Yoruichi became somewhat curious about the country.

In the original work, the Grass Ninja Village has a significant role.

Karin Uzumaki, and the legendary treasure of the Sage of Six Paths, the 'Box of Paradise', both originated from Kusagakure.

The main battlefield of the Third Shinobi World War, between Konoha and Iwagakure, was also within the territory of the Land of Grass.

This is also the tragedy of small countries: while serving as strategic buffer zones between major powers, they also have to bear the damage caused by conflicts between them.

"The vast majority of the Grass Country is grassland, with a small amount of forest and very little arable land. It mainly relies on animal husbandry." Hatake Sakumo noticed Yagami Yoruichi's curious expression and took the initiative to introduce, "Most of the beef in our Konoha is imported from the Grass Country. Only a small portion of high-end beef is imported from the Lightning Country."

Speaking of beef, the taste of charcoal-grilled beef from the Akimichi Ichizoku yakiniku restaurant immediately comes to mind when Yagami Yoruichi thinks of it.