To pay off the debt, become Hokage!

Uchiha Shigeka said modestly, and Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded and smiled, "I can't take it for granted. Shigeka, give yourself some time to relax after your busy work."

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the mission book in Uchiha's hand.

"I have arranged an outing for you, take a look."

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Shigeka opened the task book and looked at it.

After reading the contents, Uchiha Shigeka felt something in his heart, but his expression remained calm.

——That was a mission entrusted by the Daimyo of the Land of Hot Springs, which involved using the power of Konoha to eliminate the evil cult forces within the country.

Uchiha Shigeka looked at the list of cults attached to the mission book, and he immediately saw the name of the Evil God Cult on it.

After seeing the name of the Evil God Cult, Uchiha Shigeka understood everything.

The reason why Sarutobi Hiruzen stood aside for half of the celebration banquet that day must be because Orochimaru improved the Impure World Reincarnation and summoned Danzo Shimura, thus knowing the whole details of the incident.

The Daimyo of Yu Country was indeed troubled by the endless stream of evil cults in the territory, but he had never thought of using the power of Konoha before, but now he suddenly entrusted Konoha...

Uchiha Shigeka secretly glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen who was smiling, his eyes thoughtful.

......

Chapter 248: S-level mission, a country that has forgotten the war

"Thank you for your guidance, Chonghua-kun."

Orochimaru greeted Uchiha Shigeka with a smile.

"Senior Orochimaru." Uchiha Shigeka nodded and said curiously, "They are just some evil cult members, but even Senior Orochimaru has been dispatched."

"And...Minato, Shihui, you're here too."

Uchiha Shigeka looked at the two people standing next to Orochimaru.

Namikaze Minato smiled gently at Uchiha Shigeka, while the other man, Aburame Shige, who was wearing sunglasses, put his hands in his pockets and had a stern face, nodded.

The two were classmates at Uchiha Juuka Ninja School. Now, after their contributions in the Second Ninja World War, they have been promoted to Jonin.

Each of the four jonin has unique skills and outstanding strength, and can be called elite among the jonin.

Uchiha Shigeka's eyes flickered.

This kind of team configuration...it seems that Sarutobi Hiruzen attaches great importance to the Evil God Cult and dare not underestimate it.

Danzo Shimura was quite powerful, but even he had suffered at the hands of the evil cult's followers - Sarutobi Hiruzen was not sure how many followers in the evil cult could transform into monsters, so he did not dare to gamble.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was cautious and sent out a team that he believed was strong and prudent, to ensure that no matter what happened, the Cult of the Evil God would be destroyed without any mistakes and with all their might!

Orochimaru naturally would not say that the real mission hidden in the open was to destroy the Evil God Cult.

He casually found an excuse to explain: "A task entrusted by a daimyo must be taken seriously no matter how small the task is."

"The teacher chose us to solve each other's problems as a sign of respect."

As Orochimaru finished speaking, Minato Namikaze quickly said, "Shigeka, this mission is S-level!"

Namikaze Minato acted calm, but his blue eyes revealed excitement and thrill.

"This is my first time doing an S-rank mission. I'm pretty lucky."

Namikaze Minato smiled and said, "I have talked about this with my seniors. They are all very envious of me for being entrusted with an S-level mission by the Hokage right after I was promoted to Jonin."

"It's our honor." The cool guy and oil girl Zhihui spoke at the side in a flat voice.

"Minato, the Hokage-sama can entrust us to handle S-level missions, which also shows that our strength has been recognized."

Aburame Shihui had a blank expression on her face, but her heart was already burning with passion.

"We can't betray the Hokage's trust!"

Hearing this, Namikaze Minato agreed, "That's right, Shihui, you are right, we cannot let the Hokage down."

S-level mission...get a draw directly.

When Uchiha Shigeka heard about the S-level mission, the first thing that popped into his mind was the card drawing instructions that the system had once mentioned.

Uchiha Shigeka felt a little regretful, but unfortunately he was not Hokage yet, and the missions he completed would not give him any raw stones.

This S-level mission is just as Sarutobi Hiruzen said, a relaxing journey.

Doesn’t he know whether there are monsters in the Evil God Cult?

Uchiha Shigeka sighed in his heart.

Unlike Orochimaru's eagerness to study the secret techniques of the Evil God Cult, Namikaze Minato and Aburame Shikai are excited and take it seriously.

Uchiha Shigeka understood the situation clearly, and was calm and contented about the trip.

But for the Evil God Cult, this was a devastating disaster.

Uchiha Shigeka lit a stick of incense for them in his heart.

Evil God Cult, goodbye.

......

The Kingdom of Soup is located in the northeast of the Kingdom of Fire, bordering the Kingdom of the Moon...The Kingdom of Yue is not important, what is important is the Kingdom of Thunder across the sea from it.

Before the Second Ninja World War, Konoha had a conflict with Kumogakure over the Uzumaki clan, and the battlefield was in the Land of Hot Springs.

It was basic practice for a big country to use a small country as a battleground, and it was nothing new in the ninja world.

Interestingly, the Land of Hot Springs claims to be a "country that has forgotten war", however, there is the Hot Spring Ninja Village in the country, and cults are constantly breeding and causing chaos all over the country.

Apart from the influence of the big countries, the Kingdom of Tang itself is not a very peaceful country.

After Uchiha Shigeka and his companions entered the Land of Hot Springs, they experienced several private fights among the villagers, the slaughter of the village by the evil cult, and the ninjas wearing the forehead protectors of the Hot Spring Village grinning as they killed and robbed their compatriots in their own country...

Minato Namikaze frowned and subdued the ninja from Yugen Village.

“This country…is such a mess.”

The Land of Hot Springs has a beautiful natural environment and tourist resources. It is a famous tourist destination in the Ninja World, and many celebrities and wealthy businessmen flock to it.

Thanks to this, the country of Tang was not poor but very rich.

Namikaze Minato had a good impression of the Land of Hot Springs, which came from the introductions in books and news.

But now it seems that it is inconsistent with the description in books and news, which is surprising.

Minato Namikaze's good impression of him was shattered in a short time after entering the Land of Hot Springs.

Uchiha Shigeka patted Minato Namikaze's shoulder and said, "Minato, you have just been promoted to Jonin not long ago, and you haven't had time to check the internal conditions of various countries disclosed by Konoha Intelligence Department. It is normal that you don't know the chaos in the Land of Hot Springs."

The ninjas who graduated from their ninja school were involved in the Second Ninja World War just a few years after becoming Genin.

Promotions to Chunin and Jonin are all within the army, and the scope of activities is limited to the area around the Rain Country.

The leading jonin was supposed to lead the team on a mission out of the village and get to know the customs and habits of the country where the mission was entrusted...but this process was interrupted by the outbreak of war.

Minato Namikaze's impressions of other countries came from the books he read and the newspaper news he read on a daily basis.

The contents are embellished, and it is difficult to distinguish between true and false.

It is normal for Minato Namikaze to have a one-sided understanding of the Land of Hot Springs.

Namikaze Minato also realized that his understanding was shallow, and when he heard Uchiha Shigeka's words, he nodded heavily.

Namikaze Minato decided in his heart that once he completed this mission and returned to the village, he would immediately visit the Konoha Intelligence Department to update his information... Of course, it would be best if he went there in person.

Orochimaru stared at the unconscious ninja from Yugen Village and sneered.

"The only people in the country of Yu are dignitaries, celebrities and wealthy businessmen. They have nothing to do with the ninjas of Yu-no-Ninja Village and the people living in this country."

"The Hot Spring Village is not a famous ninja village. Not many people would entrust them with tasks. The daimyo cut funding and stopped paying for tasks, which caused the Hot Spring Village to shrink further."

"This ninja is thin and haggard, and looks like he hasn't eaten in several days."

Orochimaru felt the warm breeze and looked at the beautiful natural environment around him.

"Minato-kun, situations like this ninja's are common in the Land of Hot Springs. People will do many extreme things that go against their conscience and morality in order to survive."

"Armfights in the village, ninjas looting, bandits everywhere, and evil cults breeding..."

Orochimaru looked at the unsightly Namikaze Minato and said calmly: "This is the 'country that forgot the war', the Land of Hot Springs."

......

Chapter 249: Ninja Dog-eat-Dog

Uchiha Shigeka and others entered the capital of the Kingdom of Hot Springs.

The closer you get to the capital, the more prosperous and peaceful the area becomes, with no trace of the chaos that you see on the borders or outskirts.

Uchiha Shigeka looked at Namikaze Minato.

Ever since Orochimaru briefly introduced the situation in the Land of Hot Springs, Minato Namikaze has remained silent.

He was now receiving cruel, dark information that he had never known before.

"Minato, are you okay?"

Uchiha Shigeka came to Namikaze Minato and asked softly.

After hearing this, Minato Namikaze came back to his senses, and his pair of blue eyes reflected the figure of Uchiha Shigeka.

He shook his head, his smile as sunny and warm as ever, making people feel good about him at first sight.

"I'm fine, Chonghua."

It seemed that this was a bit simple and not enough, so Minato Namikaze put away his smile, sighed lightly, and looked at the bustling street in a trance.

"I'm afraid I'll never forget this trip to the Land of Hot Springs."

"Zhonghua, before I set out, I was excited about the S-rank mission, but now, that excitement is gone, and what's left is an indescribable emotion..."

Uchiha Shigeka looked deeply at Namikaze Minato and said calmly: "Minato, we are ninjas."

"Ninjas only need to complete the tasks assigned by their clients. After all, this is not our country. We have no right to interfere in matters other than the tasks assigned to us."

"I understand, Shigeka." Namikaze Minato smiled bitterly: "Teacher Jiraiya has always been pursuing peace, working hard for a future where people understand each other, and trying to resolve the chains of hatred in the ninja world today..."

Namikaze Minato looked at his hands and said, "I see suffering, but I don't have the ability to solve it."

"Don't think too much, Minato." Cool Aburame Shihui patted Minato Namikaze's shoulder and said, "We can solve some of the suffering this time. Don't forget the content of our mission."

Uchiha Shigeka's eyes flickered slightly and the corners of his mouth curled up.

"It is difficult to completely change the status quo of the Kingdom of Hot Springs. Ninjas do not have the ability or status to interfere with the upper class."

Uchiha Shigeka said: "The mission requires us to deal with cult members, but it does not say that we cannot mediate village fights or solve highway robberies."

"Minato, we can do multiple missions' work in one mission."

By dealing with the issues concerning the cult members, we can also resolve the chaos in other soup countries.

Doing things beyond the scope of the task is equivalent to having no task, and no one is qualified to judge their actions.

As a free person, it is only natural and reasonable for you to choose what to do, right?

Uchiha Shigeka looked along the wide avenue to the end. There was a luxurious palace, which was the residence of the Daimyo of the Land of Hot Springs.

"We can also ask the Daimyo to grant us the power to arrest the evil-doing ninjas from Yugen Village... I think this will allow the Daimyo to save more funds, right?"

"Shigeka-kun, this is overstepping the line." Orochimaru rejected this idea, but affirmed the previous one.

"Minato-kun, it seems that you agree with Jiraiya's naive ideas. Like him, you have useless kindness."

"You two are the same, far from the definition of a ninja according to the Ninja Code."

Orochimaru chuckled and said, "To that, I want to tell you that Jiraiya also did it."

"what?"

Minato Namikaze looked at Orochimaru in shock. Did Teacher Jiraiya do this too?

What this means is... that Teacher Jiraiya had also encountered the same situation as him, and then made the same choice as him?

After pondering for a moment, Minato Namikaze smiled happily. All the depression in his heart disappeared, and his blue eyes were bright.

"As expected of you, Master Jiraiya."

The master's ninja way is inherited by the disciple. Since teacher Jiraiya has set an example for him, Namikaze Minato naturally does not want to fall behind!

Minato Namikaze wants to do it too!

......