Konoha Drunkard

"Although I am not good at taijutsu, I have been training for two years longer than you, so let's skip this kind of test. I heard that the Uchiha clan is best at fire release, and I happen to be good at water release and ice release, so let's have a contest using ninjutsu."

After Bai finished speaking, he placed his left hand in front of his chest and formed a hand seal, which shocked the second male lead. How could this guy's speed in forming a hand seal with one hand be faster than his two hands?

"Ice Release: Ice Pillar!"

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

"boom!!"

A giant icicle collided with a giant fireball, releasing a burst of steam. The area around the two people was also covered in steam, making them completely invisible.

You lost!

Just as the second male lead was about to search for Bai's figure, a gentle voice came from behind, and a chill ran down his throat. Bai was already holding an ice shochu to his neck.

635. As the protagonist, you need to maintain a stable mindset.

"How is that possible!"

As the steam dissipated, the second male lead looked at the surrounding ice mirrors and exclaimed in disbelief. It was only the time it took for one ninjutsu to clash, yet his opponent had already completed two ninjutsu. The difference in strength was too great. In less than a minute at the start, he was instantly killed in the time it took for one ninjutsu to collide. That man was even more of a genius than Haku. So how could he take revenge? Thinking of the scene that man had shown him, the second male lead was lost in thought.

"This is my bloodline limit. I can move freely and attack within this ice mirror, and you cannot break it."

After Bai finished speaking, the ice senbon in his hand melted into water, leaving the stunned second male lead standing there. He then turned and walked away with a flourish. Although the second male lead, who hadn't yet awakened his Sharingan, was considered a genius in his generation, it was only a higher starting point than others; it wasn't enough to make him take him seriously. Speaking of starting points, Bai's weren't bad either. Before awakening his Ice Release, he was already practicing with Tobirama Senju's Water Release manuscripts. Plus, Bai was indeed very talented. If it weren't for the relatively low ceiling of his Ice Release and his lack of superhuman chakra to easily turn the environment into an ocean with a single Water Release technique like Tobirama Senju, Shanks would be confident that this kid would be incredibly powerful later on…

"Sigh... still too weak..."

The two spectators of this battle, Kaden and Shisui, simultaneously sighed in their hearts from a distance.

Kakashi actually arrived quite early, but when he saw the second male lead challenge Haku, he wanted to see Haku's true strength, so he didn't intervene. Haku's name was already well-known in the village, not because of his strength, but because of his truly extraordinary looks—no, it's that the entire Mizuki clan is incredibly handsome. However, as a prospective ANBU member, Kakashi acknowledged Haku's strength. If the second male lead had activated two or three tomoe, he might have been able to put up a fight with Haku. Although Kakashi knew the second male lead was no match for Haku, he didn't expect him to lose so decisively. The battle was over in less than a minute. Although the Uchiha clan is known as a clan of geniuses, there are always one or two oddball underachievers, like his good friend Obito, who bravely covered the village flag. However, the second male lead was clearly not in the same category as Obito. The second male lead was number one in everything at school, but now it seemed the gap between him and Haku was indeed quite large.

Shisui looked helplessly at the dejected second male lead, then thought of Itachi, who had awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan at the age of twelve. The difference between them, born to the same father, was simply too great. Although this was related to his lack of proper education from a young age, he had received personal instruction from his father before the age of seven. In terms of foundation, the second male lead was quite good. With such a good foundation, self-taught prowess wouldn't be a problem. Just like him, before receiving instruction from the clan leader, he was already able to easily defeat his peers. But Sasuke, after all these years, even setting aside the question of whether he awakened the Sharingan (which requires an element of luck), even without the Sharingan, the Uchiha clan's ninjutsu was not bad. Yet, Sasuke seemed to have made no progress at all over the years, only using the same few ninjutsu, and his usage was terrible. In Shisui's opinion, the second male lead still had talent, although not as strong as him or Itachi, he was still among the top talents. How could he be so unsuccessful?

"Brother Bai, so fast?"

The Savior and his companions had only waited a few minutes when they saw Bai leisurely walk out. The Savior asked in surprise, "Isn't it obvious that Sasuke isn't up to par? It didn't even take the time it takes to smoke a cigarette!" Remembering how he himself hadn't been able to defeat Sasuke in all these years, the Savior felt a bit uneasy.

"No way! I absolutely have to learn Dad's Flying Thunder God Technique and the Dango technique next time!"

The savior secretly made up his mind. He was the Hokage's son, the future Fifth Hokage. If this history got out, how would he ever face anyone again?

I don't know how the second male lead managed to adjust his mindset. He came out shortly after Haku, his face cold, no longer looking as dejected as before. Instead, he clenched his fists, looking at Haku with high spirits. Losing is terrible, but the fear of losing and being unable to face it is. In this respect, as a protagonist during the Fourth Shinobi World War, the second male lead is just like the savior. If the savior hadn't had a stable mindset, he would have been traumatized by the second male lead's beatings all those years ago. Kishimoto's formula for choosing protagonists has always been like this; how can a protagonist not have a stable mindset? There are plenty of people in the ninja world who can talk their way out of anything; if you're not careful, you'll be seen as a traitor.

"Hello everyone, good morning! I didn't keep you waiting!"

Not long after, Kadian also appeared, still looking like that颓废 (颓废 is a difficult word to translate directly, but it implies a state of being listless, dispirited, or decadent) middle-aged man, staring intently at a small notebook, and said to the three of them.

"It's rare for Kakashi-sensei to be so punctual. It's a shame I missed the scene of someone getting beaten up..."

The savior glanced at the second male lead, who was pretending to be in his pants again, and said gloatingly.

"...They're such a handful. Let's go, the employer is already waiting for us up ahead."

Kadian waved to the Savior, saying, "The mission is important; there will be plenty of time for you two to be together later."

"Brother Bai, we're leaving now...!"

The savior shouldered the large bag and followed them out of the village. As someone leaving the village for the first time, everything outside was new and exciting to him. Even the flowers and plants that were in the village seemed more beautiful to him.

Because the second male lead got beaten up, the savior was in a particularly good mood. After leaving the village, he looked left and right, meowing and circling around.

"Naruto, make sure you form a line. The three of you form a triangle and protect the employer in the middle."

Kakashi sighed to his savior, "Luckily, our teacher was reliable enough to let Shisui come along. Otherwise, if something really happened, he might not be able to handle Naruto alone. After all, the Hokage's son is a prime target, and he's so disobedient. Once he leaves the village, he forgets everything, let alone protecting his employer."

"Jonin, couldn't you find someone more reliable to protect me? I'm a friend of your Shanks."

The drunken old man pointed arrogantly at the savior jumping around and said to Kakashi, "It's not that I don't trust Kakashi, but Kakashi is just one person after all. That Gato is not someone to be trifled with. He has a whole bunch of ninjas under his command. This Jonin is lucky to even protect himself, let alone the three underage brats. Especially this blond kid who looks just like the Hokage, he seems unreliable no matter how you look at him."

636. I just haven't failed enough.

"You old geezer! What did you say? Do you even know I'm the future Fifth Hokage? How dare you look down on me!"

No sooner had the old drunkard finished speaking than the Savior appeared beside him, stood on tiptoe, grabbed his collar, and roared at him. In this world, being a ninja was a prestigious profession, far superior to this old man's bridge architect title. No matter how good the name sounded, in the dangerous ninja world, he was just a weakling. Now, he was being looked down upon by a weakling. How could the Savior, with his short temper, tolerate this?

"Alright, alright, Naruto, stop fooling around and let's get going. Mr. Tazuna, you can rest assured. Since the Hokage has entrusted us with the task of protecting you, there's naturally no problem. Our Konoha's mission completion rate has always been 100% over the years. If we really encounter a powerful ninja, we'll protect you back to the Land of Waves even if it costs us our lives. As for the matter in your Land of Waves, the Hokage has already arranged for another team to handle it, so you don't need to worry about that. Our team's mission is simply to protect you back to the Land of Waves."

Kadian pulled the savior aside and explained to the drunkard old man.

"Oh! I see, that puts my mind at ease!"

When the old drunkard heard that a team had already gone to help them deal with Gato, he stopped talking. After all, for someone like him who didn't have much money, being able to hire a Jonin to protect him was already incredibly lucky. Those who could hire a Jonin to protect them were either daimyo or ministers from various countries.

After this commotion, the Saviors calmed down and obediently continued on their way in battle formation. Mainly, after several days of travel, the outside world seemed no different from the village, and the Saviors' anxiety subsided. A week passed relatively peacefully; they encountered no enemies. Bandits and mountain brigands, upon seeing four of the five wearing Konoha ninja headbands, would flee far away. Konoha ninjas had a notorious reputation; over the past few decades, countless of their seniors had been used as experience points by those Konoha ninjas, and they didn't want to become experience points themselves.

As the five entered the Land of Waves, Kakashi stared at the sun in the sky, then at a small puddle ahead, speechless. Peace had lasted too long; even his experience-boosting abilities were showing signs of cognitive decline. This weather was over 30 degrees Celsius, and it hadn't rained for days. Where did this puddle come from? Was it trying to kill us...?

However, the card master doesn't care about this little bit of experience; it's better to leave it for the three elementary school students to level up. After all, the three elementary school students haven't seen any blood since they graduated.

"Kakashi-sensei, watch out!"

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Just as Kadian casually walked to the puddle, two men dressed like members of the Beggars' Sect suddenly emerged from the water and launched a fatal attack on him!

The girl with the broad forehead and the savior were still in shock when they saw the usually颓废 (颓废 is a difficult word to translate directly, but it implies a state of being listless, dispirited, or decadent) uncle suddenly die. Only the second male lead, who was filled with hatred, was the first to react and engaged in a fierce battle with the two experienced players.

"Naruto, protect Mr. Tazuna!"

After a brief moment of lapse, the girl with the broad forehead came to her senses and reminded the still-stunned savior.

"........."

Kadian, crouching in the distance, watched the two's reactions speechlessly. Thankfully, these "experience babies" weren't too bright; if it were an elite monster, given the Savior and the wide-foreheaded girl's reaction speed, this employer would have been meeting his maker long ago.

Kadian was quite satisfied with the second male lead's performance. The moment he was taken down by the two experience-boosting babies, the second male lead attacked without hesitation. Although it was a bit ruthless, it wouldn't have been good if the second male lead had also been stunned like the two.

"As expected of an Uchiha! He grew stronger after just one defeat."

Watching the second male lead fight back and forth with two barely experienced Chunin-level players, Kakashi couldn't help but sigh. Ever since this disciple was instantly defeated by Haku, he had been diligently training during his travels and rest periods these past few days. Now it seems that failure really is the mother of success; those who have experienced failure do indeed grow very quickly.

"No wonder Kai has improved so much over the years; it seems I haven't failed enough..."

Recalling how quickly Katarina's strength had increased over the past few years, the green-skinned Katarina, who used to camp out at his doorstep looking for a duel, had indeed improved.

It was said to be as long as a bolt of cloth, but in reality, the fight between the second male lead and the two "experienced" characters didn't last long. Technically, for someone his age, the second male lead's skills were impeccable. Fresh out of school, he could fight two barely-passive Chunin for ten minutes. However, as time went on, the second male lead's younger age put him at a disadvantage in terms of stamina. Although the two adult "experienced" characters weren't very skilled, they had a huge advantage in terms of numbers, stamina, and combat experience. Gradually, the second male lead started to break out in a cold sweat, and before he knew it, one of the "experienced" characters kicked him away.

After kicking the second male lead away, the two rushed towards the three saviors. They were especially excited when they saw the savior's blond hair. There weren't many blond-haired people in the ninja world, and even fewer in Konoha.

The Fourth Hokage of Konoha is known as the "Yellow Flash" because of his bright yellow hair. Although we don't know who this blond kid is, his ninja headband and bright yellow hair definitely indicate that he's not an ordinary person!

We've struck it rich!

The time to make a name for yourself has arrived!

Charge!

The two charged toward the savior with a speed disproportionate to their strength, as if they had been injected with adrenaline. Who this Tazuna was was no longer important. The important thing was to kill this blond kid. If they were lucky, this blond kid might be the son of the "Yellow Flash"!

By then, their reputation would surpass even that of their boss. Their boss was merely a rogue ninja who failed to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage, while they had replaced "Yellow Flash's" son, "Little Yellow Flash." "Yellow Flash's" fame needs no introduction; he was far more powerful than the Fourth Mizukage. Just imagining their reputation surpassing their boss's might lead Gato to offer them an even higher price, propelling them to the pinnacle of success...

The scene was breathtaking; at that moment, they were the darlings of heaven and earth, ordained by destiny, and favored by the gods...

However, it seemed as if fate was playing a little joke on them. Just when they were 0.01 centimeters away from the blond kid, the white-haired guy they had killed before they could even see him clearly appeared behind them.

"Holy shit!"

"Konoha technician! Kakashi!"

637. That must mean they have very advanced technology.

"Technician my ass! Your whole family are technicians!"

Kakashi, enraged, grabbed the two men's heads and slammed them against the ground. He had two titles, "Copy Ninja" and "Konoha Technician," but these two bastards insisted on calling him "Konoha Technician," the title he disliked the most. Kakashi, who had originally planned to leave his experience points to the three elementary school kids, was now furious. Didn't they know he hated that title the most?

"Konoha Technician? Kakashi-sensei, why do they call you Konoha Technician?"

The bewildered savior snapped out of his daze and heard the two experience-gaining babies call him "Kardian." This title was incredibly prestigious!

"........"

Ka-Dian tossed the two aside, turning away to show he didn't want to deal with this brat. If he weren't the teacher's son, he'd beat the crap out of him. Didn't he see what happened to these two?

"You don't know this, do you? Although I'm not a ninja, even I know that only the most powerful ninjas can have titles in the ninja world. For example, your village's Shanks, White Fang, the Legendary Sannin, and the Fourth Hokage's 'Yellow Flash' represent the recognition they receive from everyone in the ninja world. As for this Konoha Technician... well, it should be said that this Jonin is very skilled in terms of technique, which is why he has this title!"

At this moment, seeing that there was no danger, the old drunkard explained to the two kids with a slightly obsequious tone, completely different from his previous arrogant demeanor.

There are very few titled ninjas in the ninja world. He was worried that if Gato sent his underlings to hunt him down, this Jonin wouldn't be able to protect him. He didn't expect Konoha to be so helpful, actually sending a titled Jonin to protect him. Don't let his previous arrogance fool you; he only knows his place. He dared to be arrogant in front of other Konoha ninjas because of his status as a friend of Shanks, but he wouldn't dare be arrogant in front of these equally titled ninjas. These titled ninjas are all formidable, and one of them is even called "Konoha Technician," which likely indicates his exceptional killing skills...

"........."

The more the drunkard explained, the more Kakashi wanted to kill him. "What amazing skills? Your whole family's skills are amazing..."

"The Four Kingdoms! Konoha Technician!"

The savior looked at Kakashi with golden eyes, thinking that the title of "Konoha Technician" was much more prestigious than his father's "Yellow Flash"!

His father's title sounds like it describes someone who's fast, but the Perverted Sage always told him that a man shouldn't be fast... Hmm. "Konoha Technician" sounds better; his technique is really sharp...

The second male lead, wearing trousers, walked over, dusted himself off, and glanced at Kakashi with surprise. He hadn't expected that this disheveled old man was actually a very skilled ninja.

"...Ahem! To be honest, I'm very disappointed with your performance just now. Being a ninja is a high-risk profession, requiring you to remain calm under any circumstances. Sasuke, while you did alright, we are ninjas, and the mission must come first. You rushed in to fight two enemies without a second thought, abandoning your comrades. If I hadn't intervened, your two comrades and employer would have been killed. Of the three of you, only Sakura did the right thing. Although she was stunned at first, she quickly recovered and reminded Naruto to protect the employer. The worst performer was naturally Naruto. To be honest, from the beginning until now, I have no idea what you've been doing. Besides standing there in a daze, you've been completely useless, not befitting a ninja at all. And when you saw me being killed, you actually looked scared... Holy crap!"

Before Kadian could finish commenting on the topic of the savior's forced transfer, he saw the savior grab a handful of kunai and stab it into his own hand, which startled him. Could it be that he had been abused by Lady Shinna too much and developed some self-harm tendencies?

"Who...who said I was scared? I...I'm going to become Hokage, how could I be scared? I was just not prepared!"

Everyone was dumbfounded, staring blankly at the savior who was still bragging with a kunai stuck in his hand. What kind of crazy move was this? Now you have to poke your hand to brag? That's too cruel.

"Naruto... Naruto, doesn't it hurt? It looks like you've lost a lot of blood..."

The girl with the broad forehead pointed curiously at the savior's blood-soaked hands and asked, "I didn't realize this idiot had a self-harming habit. Luckily, I don't like him; he's such a moron."

"Huh?...Ah! It hurts, it hurts so much! Sakura, come quick and bandage me up, I'm dying!"

The savior, reminded by the broad-browed girl, looked at his hand again. A sharp pain shot through the back of his hand, causing him to scream like a pig being slaughtered. He had only acted impulsively; he hadn't expected it to hurt so much. If he had known, he wouldn't have stabbed himself; he would have stabbed that bastard Sasuke instead...

"boom!"

"...Idiot! Why are you stabbing yourself for no reason!"

Seeing their savior return to normal, everyone felt relieved. Bragging is fine, that's your right and obligation, but you can't hurt yourself, can you? Your body and hair are a gift from your parents... The girl with the broad forehead punched him on the head.