B-Rank [Ninja Scroll] Acquired! (Please Bookmark, Please Recommend)

Using the guaranteed drop on a D-Rank [Ninja Scroll] still felt like a bit of a waste.

Nara Kaikei closed the panel and simultaneously dispelled the [Shadow Binding Technique] restraining Uchiha Inaho.

Uchiha Inaho immediately rolled to his feet, still wanting to argue.

But the brown-haired Uchiha man who had arrived later merely barked a cold rebuke.

"Shut up! Uchiha Inaho!"

"Yes, Deputy Captain Yashiro!"

One second ago, Uchiha Inaho had been arguing himself red in the face over who had won and lost.

The next, Uchiha Yashiro's cold reprimand, name and all, nearly made him shove his head between his legs!

Seeing this, the corners of Nara Kaikei's mouth curled upward.

The Uchiha Clan really was good at fighting outsiders and hopeless at fighting among themselves...

"My deepest apologies. My clansman acted too rashly and disrupted your mission!"

Uchiha Yashiro handed the B-Rank Mission scroll back to Nara Kaikei and bowed sincerely.

"If there is anything the Police Force can do to make amends, please say the word!"

As the second-in-command of the Police Force, Uchiha Yashiro was highly rational. He knew exactly what he needed to do at a time like this.

While a fellow ninja of their own village had been carrying out a mission, the Uchiha Clan of the Police Force had not only failed to help, but had even obstructed him—and on a classified mission like [Apprehend Spy], no less.

With so many Konoha villagers watching, simply punishing Inaho would not be enough...

They had to promptly demonstrate to the other party—and especially to the public—the responsibility and accountability the Uchiha Police Force should possess!

Seeing Uchiha Yashiro lower himself so much, Nara Kaikei was somewhat surprised.

He had thought that every member of the Uchiha Clan, especially those who had awakened their eyes, was a mentally unstable Red Eye.

Just as the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, had described them—

Uchiha, evil by nature!

But from the looks of it, the Uchiha Clan did have ninjas who understood reason.

At the very least, they understood it for now.

"There's no need to talk about making amends."

Nara Kaikei shook his head. He truly had no intention of taking this chance to extort anything from the Police Force.

"But I still have several other mission targets. This one..."

He pointed at the unconscious Iwagakure Spy nearby.

"Could I trouble the Police Force to send him to Konoha Prison?"

"No problem!"

Uchiha Yashiro immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

He had already prepared himself to be put through the wringer.

After all, the Uchiha Clan's reputation in Konoha... those who knew, knew.

Yet he had not expected the other party's request to be so unexpectedly easy.

"The Police Force will fully assist... your mission, sir!"

Uchiha Yashiro looked Nara Kaikei up and down before ultimately using the formal address "sir."

Nara Kaikei nodded slightly. "Mm. There's one more thing."

Uchiha Yashiro's heart tightened.

Uchiha Inaho's eyes widened furiously.

"This guy."

Nara Kaikei pointed at Uchiha Inaho from afar.

"I understand that the Uchiha Clan bears the important responsibility of the Konoha Military Police Force and of protecting Konoha's citizens..."

The moment he said this, Uchiha Yashiro completely relaxed, and his impression of the Nara youth rose by several levels.

The young Uchiha Inaho also found the guy a little more pleasing to the eye.

But the next second...

"Even after I had identified myself and explained the situation, he still chose to attack me."

Nara Kaikei said with a faint smile.

"I believe this Uchiha officer's understanding of the 'Will of Fire' is still rather shallow.

"I suggest that this Uchiha officer spend more time studying the First Hokage's 'Will of Fire.'"

"What you say makes perfect sense, sir!"

Uchiha Yashiro said in heartfelt agreement.

First, he expressed forgiveness, directly reducing the surrounding public's ill will toward the Uchiha's rash conduct;

Then, he clarified the important responsibilities of the Uchiha Clan's Police Force, indirectly showing that the Uchiha had indeed acted according to procedure;

Finally, he invoked the First Hokage's "Will of Fire," directly minimizing the negative impact of this incident.

"Uchiha Inaho! Why aren't you thanking him?"

Uchiha Inaho nearly crushed his back teeth.

"Th—thank—you—"

With the Police Force's active assistance, Nara Kaikei swiftly captured all of his mission targets.

As he headed toward the Hokage Building, the low-ranking Iwagakure spies were all escorted to Konoha Prison by the Police Force.

That B-Rank Mission that fell out of the sky is finally complete!

Nara Kaikei looked toward the Hokage Building not far ahead.

Hopefully, when the mission is settled later, that B-Rank [Ninja Scroll] will yield something good!

Through this B-Rank Mission and that C-Rank Mission that had felt like an unexpected encounter battle, Nara Kaikei had confirmed two things.

First, [Shadow Secret Technique] was indeed extremely suited for sneak attacks.

Second, opponents at the chunin level—even elite ones like an Uchiha Chunin—would absolutely be unable to break free once touched by a "shadow"!

As long as I raise my [Strength] and [Speed] later and solve my lopsided attributes, my overall rating might rise again!

Before entering the Hokage Building, Nara Kaikei took a deep breath, called up the panel, and silently opened the freshly acquired D-Rank [Ninja Scroll].

[Opening...]

[Contents recorded in this D-Rank Ninja Scroll: Jutsu]

[D-Rank Jutsu: Body Flicker Technique]

[Jutsu Description: A high-speed movement technique like a gust of wind]

[Jutsu Effect: Releases Chakra through the leg meridian system to achieve high-speed movement. Movement distance and height vary according to the amount of Chakra invested.]

[Jutsu Evaluation: The road to ruin is shorter than you can imagine.]

Are there any particularly powerful D-Rank ninjutsu?

Nara Kaikei stared at the scroll on the panel, his mind going blank for a moment.

Forget it. The [Body Flicker Technique] it is! I don't know it anyway, so this saves me from having to learn it from Pingzi...

Someone lightly patted his shoulder.

"Nara, what are you spacing out for? What's so interesting about this lousy Hokage Building?"

Nara Kaikei snapped back to his senses, closed the panel, and glanced sideways.

"Huh? Isn't this Lady Tsunade? What a coincidence."

"Don't be so cold, Nara!"

Princess Tsunade, who had just happily slipped away to slack off, now put on a smile of her own accord.

"Let's hurry up and submit the mission!"

[You have submitted the B-Rank Ninja Commissioned Mission scroll!]

[[B-Rank Mission: Apprehend Spy] has been completed!]

[You have obtained a B-Rank [Ninja Scroll]!]

Three messages appeared on the panel in sequence, showing that the B-Rank Mission they had just accepted was complete.

The only pity is that the targets of commissioned missions don't trigger additional combat missions.

But that makes sense...

Nara Kaikei did not claim the mission reward immediately. Instead, he first closed the virtual panel, held his breath, and focused on the scene before him.

The Hokage's Office, located on the top floor of the Hokage Building, had enormous windows embedded in all four walls. Its broad view was enough to take in the entirety of Konoha, yet its interior decor was far from as luxurious as one might imagine.

The modestly sized circular room contained only an ordinary desk, with a stack of books and scrolls placed on either side.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the current Third Hokage, was seated behind the desk, stamping and recording the mission scroll Tsunade had submitted.

Nara Kaikei observed him in secret.

Once called the "God of Shinobi" (Orochimaru's words); thoroughly versed in every ninjutsu of Konoha (Formation Book); capable of using any ninjutsu (Book of the Deceased); also bearing the title of "the strongest Hokage of all generations" (Confrontation Book).

All of these descriptions were enough to illustrate the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's formidable strength!

Unfortunately, every generation has its own god. After getting nerfed again and again, the Third Hokage was left with nothing but his age and title...

"Tsunade, it's been a long time since I last saw you submit a B-Rank Mission."

Hiruzen Sarutobi put away the mission scroll, then took out two ninja record forms and added a B-Rank completion to the records of both "Tsunade" and "Nara Kaikei."

"Could it be... you've finally gambled away all your savings?"

Tsunade had already explained the exact circumstances of her clash with the Iwagakure Spy the night before.

Hiruzen Sarutobi also knew that Tsunade had not recovered from her hemophobia, and that someone else had been the one to kill the Iwagakure Spy.

His words were merely an old man teasing his disciple.

In response to her teacher's jab, Tsunade simply snapped back fiercely.

"Shut it!"

She turned to look at Nara Kaikei beside her.

"Nara, you didn't hear anything just now, right?"

"Mm!"

Nara Kaikei stayed quiet as a mouse and nodded like a pecking chicken.

But he knew full well that, as the legendary Big Fat Sheep, how could Tsunade have merely lost all her savings?

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze followed Tsunade's to Nara Kaikei.

As he looked at this child of the Nara Clan, information about him involuntarily flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind.

More precisely, they were student evaluations compiled over years of teaching by several Ninja Academy instructors.

"Nara Kaikei possesses outstanding intelligence, an extremely lazy personality, and calls himself an 'energy conservationist.'"

"His Physical Prowess is exceedingly weak, his Chakra amount severely insufficient, and his basic taijutsu and Three Body Techniques are quite poor."

"It is doubtful whether he possesses the determination and endurance necessary to become a ninja."

"Graduation from the Ninja Academy is not recommended."

"Becoming a ninja is not recommended."

"Withdrawal from school is recommended."

"Retirement is recommended."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook the ninja record form in his hand.

A child whom multiple Ninja Academy teachers had recommended withdraw from school—or even retire—had completed an A-Rank Mission and a B-Rank Mission so quickly... That was truly quite abnormal.

He has trained the Nara Clan's secret techniques to a fairly impressive level!

Yet Hiruzen Sarutobi also understood Nara Kaikei's shortcomings.

Judging solely by his actual battle record, Nara Kaikei was undoubtedly a ninja of outstanding talent;

But considering his pitifully weak normal Chakra amount...

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not think highly of this Nara child's future development.

Unless...

Hiruzen Sarutobi shifted his gaze to Tsunade once more.

Tsunade could...