The Dawn of an S-Rank Mission!

"Balance exists within all things."

Nara Kaikei disposed of the Chakra Paper in his hand and fell into thought.

Could it be that I'll eventually leave the Order of Shadow and return to the Kinkou Order?

After making a joke only he could understand, Nara Kaikei gradually calmed down.

The Chakra Paper's test results had been unexpectedly good.

A ninja's Chakra nature was innate.

Being born with four natures meant that Nara Kaikei's talent in this regard far surpassed that of the vast majority of shinobi in the ninja world.

Although the Shadow Secret Technique passed down through generations of the Nara Clan was endlessly versatile, combining offense and control.

No one could deny the respective advantages of the five major nature transformations: water, fire, wind, earth, and lightning.

However...

Nara Kaikei summoned the Lazy Ghost System and scrolled back up to the notification that had left him unable to rest easy.

[Detected: afflicted with the [Six Paths Sage Art: Karma Binding Technique]!]

"This is most likely a Six Paths-level sage art cast by the Sage of Six Paths."

Nara Kaikei stared fixedly at the text on the virtual panel, his expression grave and silent.

"What exactly is its purpose and function?"

Ever since discovering that notification, Nara Kaikei had once believed that he was an "illegal stowaway whose account had been banned by the underworld administrator."

But his subsequent experiences had gradually led him to reject that guess.

Most importantly, aside from that message, the Six Paths Sage Art: Karma Binding Technique had shown no sign of its existence whatsoever.

"My Chakra natures are so unusual. Could this have been caused by that Six Paths sage art? It doesn't seem likely..."

With a thought, Nara Kaikei dismissed the virtual panel before him.

"If it were a Six Paths sage art, then I should possess a balance of all five natures—water, fire, wind, earth, and lightning! Add yin and yang, and that makes seven!

"So are these four balanced natures of water, fire, wind, and earth really innate?"

Nara Kaikei hesitated for a while before finally giving up on his wild speculation.

Even if his balanced four-nature situation had truly been caused by the Six Paths Sage Art: Karma Binding Technique.

There was currently nothing he could do to solve the matter.

Against a super final boss on the level of the Sage of Six Paths.

Nara Kaikei, who had not even left the "starter village," could only lie flat and rot.

He did not need to fight anymore.

Damn it!

"One day, there shall be no enemies before us!"

Nara Kaikei pulled out a Soldier Pill and shoved it into his mouth.

"Lazy Ghost, add points!"

[Precision +10]

"Super effective!"

After swallowing a "golden pill," he finally understood that fate was not dictated by Heaven.

That afternoon.

Carrying the newly organized Lacquer Eye Jutsu Scroll, Nara Kaikei set out from Konoha toward Kikyo Castle, thoroughly satisfied.

With the assistance of the newly acquired D-rank Body Flicker Technique, he had no idea how many times shorter his return journey had become. For the first time, he personally experienced the formidable mobility of a shinobi.

Though unless under special circumstances, most shinobi would not use such a luxurious method as the Body Flicker Technique for travel.

But who told Nara Kaikei that he had already replenished enough Chakra in advance?

After discovering that a single Soldier Pill could provide 10 points of the Precision attribute.

Nara Kaikei decisively began using the most extreme "pill-popping enhancement method" his body could withstand.

Still, the Soldier Pills produced by Manten Hall were indeed incredibly filling.

More than half a day passed.

Nara Kaikei had only consumed three Soldier Pills, barely raising his Precision from D- rank to D rank.

His Chakra was so full it was practically overflowing!

E-rank attribute values range from 1 to 10, while D-rank ranges from 11 to 100.

At this rate, by the day after tomorrow at the latest, I can raise my Precision to C- rank—the level of a Chunin.

It was not as though Nara Kaikei had failed to consider the consequences of doubling his Precision in a short period.

But the Lazy Ghost System's description of Precision was, more accurately, "vital constitution and cellular activity."

Unlike the Chakra amount that most sensory ninja could see at a glance.

An increase in Precision was extremely subtle and restrained.

Unless a medical ninja conducted an in-depth examination.

Who could observe the leap in Nara Kaikei's vital constitution and cellular activity with the naked eye?

One Soldier Pill gives 10 Precision. A hundred pills would give 1,000 points.

After arriving at Kikyo Castle, Nara Kaikei first headed toward home.

In about a month, I can raise Precision to match Wisdom and reach B rank!

The numerical threshold for a B-rank attribute was precisely 1,000 points.

Breaking through that number would not be difficult for Nara Kaikei.

The real difficulty lay beyond it.

If the numerical threshold for an A-rank attribute truly reached ten thousand points.

Then even if Nara Kaikei took three Soldier Pills a day, it would take nearly a year to raise Precision to A rank.

Once I improve my medical knowledge, I can develop higher-quality Soldier Pills myself.

Hmm, I should also keep exploring other methods that can raise Precision.

When he returned home.

Nara Shusuke was at the research institute, leaving only Nara Pingzi at home.

"Little Ka, why are you back again?"

Hearing that familiar tone full of disdain, Nara Kaikei pressed his lips together.

"I came back to deliver the Lacquer Eye Jutsu Scroll to Clan Head Shikano—"

Seeing Nara Pingzi stand up and prepare to enter the kitchen to cook, Nara Kaikei interrupted her.

"No need to make food. I'm not hungry yet."

"That saves me some trouble."

Nara Pingzi leisurely sat back down on the sofa.

"By the way, didn't you say you would submit the scroll in three days?

"Knowing your temperament, I thought you'd push that date back by another few days."

The Nara Clan was full of lazybones. Who didn't know that? Proudly.

"Something unexpected happened."

Nara Kaikei glossed over the subject.

The reason he had organized the Lacquer Eye Jutsu Scroll so quickly.

Was partly because he had experienced an actual battle against an Uchiha that morning, gaining more experience in using Lacquer Eye.

And partly because he had found a clear path to increasing his strength. He was no longer as leisurely and content to drift through life as before.

One principle of energy conservation: simplify everything that must be done.

Nara Kaikei was putting his ninja way into practice!

"There are two things I came back to tell you."

Nara Kaikei cut straight to the point. His swift and decisive manner left Nara Pingzi staring blankly.

"The first concerns Shusuke's research... That can wait until he returns from the institute tonight.

"The second is more important. It's intelligence I just heard at the Hokage's Office this morning—"

"If it's truly important intelligence, then you don't need to tell me."

Nara Pingzi interrupted Nara Kaikei, looking at her child with some satisfaction.

"A shinobi must take responsibility for the intelligence they possess.

"Little Ka, you seem to have grown quite a bit compared to before... I feel more at ease letting you live alone now."

Hearing the stark contrast in Nara Pingzi's words, Nara Kaikei nearly glared at her in anger.

But after all these years, he had gotten used to it.

"It really is very weighty intelligence."

Nara Kaikei took a deep breath.

"But its confidentiality level isn't high. It seems the higher-ups deliberately released the news... In any case, by the time I came back, quite a few people in the village were already discussing it.

"The Third Kazekage of Sunagakure has disappeared."

"Who is this 'Third Kazekage'?"

"The Third Kazekage! The leader of Sunagakure..."

"Pfft!"

Nara Pingzi suddenly laughed.

"Sorry, I thought of something happy...

"Anyway, thank you for cheering me up, Little Ka."

Nara Kaikei was deeply puzzled by Nara Pingzi's reaction.

"What?"

"The Third Kazekage, you mean the one with blue hair and white robes, who could wave a hand and make a whole mass of iron sand fall like a rainstorm?"

Nara Pingzi waved her hand, displaying the normal reaction most shinobi from other nations would have upon hearing such absurd intelligence.

"How could a shinobi that powerful suddenly disappear?"

As she spoke, Nara Pingzi could not help pointing at her right leg.

"If he were really that weak, how could my leg have ended up like this?"

Nara Kaikei did not know the exact reason for Nara Pingzi's retirement. He only knew that during the Second Shinobi World War, the meridian system in her right leg had been severely injured, forcing her to retire because of her injury.

But now, hearing this...

Nara Kaikei looked Nara Pingzi up and down. In her casual clothes, she was no different from an ordinary housewife.

He was filled with solemn respect.

"Pingzi, you once fought the Third Kazekage?"

Nara Pingzi really wanted to nod and say yes, but her honesty...

Well, actually, her strength could not support such an outrageous lie.

"Not exactly."

Nara Pingzi turned her face aside and spoke quietly.

"Back then, I was only caught in the Third Kazekage's ninjutsu. I couldn't escape his attack range..."

"...In any case, the Third Kazekage has been missing for quite some time. Perhaps he has already died somewhere in the Land of Wind."

Nara Kaikei let out a breath and said with a stern face.

"If nothing unexpected happens, war is truly coming soon!"

After bidding farewell to Nara Pingzi, Nara Kaikei took the scroll and headed toward the clan head's house.

Nara Shikano had been born near the end of the Warring States Period and could almost be said to have grown up alongside Konoha.

Besides serving as the head of the Nara Clan, Nara Shikano also held the position of captain of Konoha's Jonin Corps.

Just as Nara Kaikei arrived at the clan head's house, Nara Shikano appeared almost at the same time.

Except he was behind him.

"Kaikei? Why are you here?"

"Clan Head."

Nara Kaikei looked toward the clan head, who resembled an "elderly version of Nara Shikaku," and took out a scroll from his ninja tool pouch.

"The Lacquer Eye jutsu is complete."

"Really?"

Nara Shikano froze for a moment, his travel-worn face filled with surprise.

"Don't joke around...

"You should know what these eyes mean to our clan. To you, they're like an S-Rank Mission."

Nara Kaikei's thoughts stirred.

S-rank... commissioned mission?

Starting today, it's on the first round of recommendations!

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Important things must be said three times.