Descendant of the Chinoike Clan! (Please Follow, Please Vote)

Twelve Guardian Shinobi?

Nara Kaikei frowned slightly.

He seemed to have heard the name of this shinobi organization somewhere before.

Right, wasn't this the organization that the future Asuma Sarutobi joined after leaving Konoha?

There also seemed to be a big monk in it who could summon a "Little Gundam"...

Seeing Nara Kaikei frown in silence, Nara Shikano assumed that he had never heard of the organization.

"For a newly graduated genin like you, this organization is indeed very far removed from your world. It's not strange that you haven't heard of it."

Nara Shikano took the initiative to explain.

"The Twelve Guardian Shinobi are a shinobi organization jointly established by Konoha, the Temple of Fire, and the Land of Fire authorities. Their purpose is to protect the Daimyo of the Land of Fire."

Hearing Nara Shikano's explanation, Nara Kaikei nodded slightly.

It was not too different from the information he knew.

Although the Daimyo of the Land of Fire was the ruler of a nation and held great authority,

not every shinobi respected or admired him.

Especially to shinobi from other countries, the "Daimyo of the Land of Fire" was, at most, an ordinary person with somewhat higher status.

If their country or shinobi village specifically assigned them a mission to "assassinate the Daimyo of the Land of Fire,"

then without anyone specifically protecting him, completing that mission would not be much harder for foreign shinobi than strangling a chicken.

Of course, unless under exceptionally special circumstances, foreign shinobi villages would never put something like "assassinating a daimyo" out in the open.

The act of "assassinating an ordinary civilian leader" was simply too destructive to the normal rules governing international society in the shinobi world!

Once discovered, it could very likely invite a joint attack from multiple nations...

In short, it was perfectly normal for the Daimyo of the Land of Fire to possess a dedicated shinobi force for his protection.

What Nara Kaikei found curious was something else.

If Konoha and the Land of Fire authorities jointly formed an organization called the "Twelve Guardian Shinobi," he could fully understand that.

But why could the Temple of Fire be mentioned alongside those two powers?

That shinobi temple's strength... did not seem particularly impressive.

Nara Kaikei simply voiced the doubt in his heart directly.

"Clan Head, I've read about the Temple of Fire in Ninja Academy textbooks, but isn't it merely a shinobi temple?"

"To be precise, it is one of the very few shinobi temples in the present day that still inherits the Shinobi Sect ideals of the Sage of Six Paths."

Nara Shikano was not surprised by Nara Kaikei's reaction. Hardly any shinobi took the power of shinobi temples seriously.

"The Temple of Fire is also connected to the second special reward I mentioned before... We'll discuss that once we arrive at the Temple of Fire!"

Even at the end, Nara Shikano still kept him in suspense.

Nara Kaikei pursed his lips. "Then does the Twelve Guardian Shinobi have anything to do with the special reward you mentioned, Clan Head?"

"Yes."

Nara Shikano nodded.

"As a shinobi organization dedicated to protecting the daimyo, the Twelve Guardian Shinobi are stationed year-round at the Daimyo's Mansion in Kyoto.

"Though their daily duties are somewhat tedious, they are directly removed from the threat of war.

"So, Kaikei, do you want to become one of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi?

"If you do, then with the strength and foundation of the Nara Clan, we can absolutely make you one of them."

Nara Shikano looked at this younger clansman in whom he had placed great hopes and waited for his response.

A position as one of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi.

This was the first special reward Nara Shikano had prepared for that S-rank Clan Mission, [Eye of Shadow].

Nara Shikano considered himself fairly familiar with Nara Kaikei's strengths and weaknesses. In summary, there were three: abundant Mental Energy, Physical energy deficiency, and insufficient Ninja Aptitude.

Under such circumstances, creating a sufficiently stable training environment for Nara Kaikei so that he could improve his Physical Energy and overall strength as much as possible was very necessary.

The greatest advantage of "a position among the Twelve Guardian Shinobi" was safety!

At the very least, at this critical juncture when the Third Shinobi World War was about to begin,

a "Guardian Shinobi" was far safer than a "Konoha shinobi"!

Nara Kaikei also caught the deeper meaning in Nara Shikano's words and could not help falling into thought.

Were the Twelve Guardian Shinobi appealing to him?

The answer was certainly yes.

To Nara Kaikei, the difference between "Guardian Shinobi" and "Konoha shinobi" was like the difference between "an office job" and "not having an office job."

Konoha shinobi had to travel everywhere to carry out missions, braving the stars and moon, sleeping in the open, and enduring countless hardships.

By comparison,

"Guardian Shinobi" only needed to work within a fixed area, and that area was the Capital of the Land of Fire, one of the most prosperous places in the shinobi world.

Easy, stable, safe, peaceful.

If he had not awakened the [Lazy Ghost System], Nara Kaikei would definitely have been deeply tempted by the Clan Head's suggestion.

Working seriously was trading labor for pay.

Slacking off at work was real money-making.

Damn it, but...

Nara Kaikei had already gotten a taste of the [Lazy Ghost System]'s "sweetness."

The work of a "Guardian Shinobi" was indeed easier and safer.

But that also meant being far removed from high-difficulty missions and high-level [Ninja Scrolls], which would further affect the speed at which his strength improved.

So, for me, the most suitable approach is actually to find a job in Konoha where I can slack off and loaf around?

Nara Kaikei's thoughts drifted somewhat.

I seem to have had a job like that once, but before I even started work, I was fired by my immediate superior...

After a while, Nara Kaikei came back to his senses.

"Sorry, Clan Head, but I can't give you a definite answer on this matter for the time being."

He apologized to the Clan Head, but did not shut the matter down completely.

"I'd like to first see what kind of shinobi organization the Twelve Guardian Shinobi actually are before considering whether to join them."

"It's all right. This matter is indeed of great importance."

Nara Shikano did not think that Nara Kaikei immediately accepting this special reward would necessarily be the best choice.

"Besides, even if you want to become a Guardian Shinobi, it isn't something that can be settled overnight.

"After this mission ends and we return safely to the village, you can also discuss the matter with Shusuke and Pingzi."

Shusuke and Pingzi probably would not object. They would likely be delighted by it instead.

Nara Kaikei had never been troubled by the issue of "communicating with his parents."

What concerned him now was the Clan Head instead.

Since accepting the mission, how many death flags had the Clan Head planted along the way?

Planting flags could attract death!

As it was his first time carrying out a mission outside the village, Nara Kaikei was feeling rather uneasy about it.

Just then, Inoichi Yamanaka flashed over to the deer cart.

"Lord Shikano."

During the mission, Inoichi Yamanaka had switched to a more formal form of address.

"I used the Mind Reading Technique to probe the memories of the few shinobi who attacked the merchant caravan just now. I have basically determined the situation."

Mind Reading Technique?

Sitting in the back, Nara Kaikei quietly pricked up his ears.

He was actually rather interested in the Yamanaka Clan's mental secret techniques.

Nara Shikano spoke unhurriedly. "Were they those Bounty Hunters from the Bounty Exchange?"

"Yes."

Inoichi Yamanaka nodded.

"Those Bounty Hunters had indeed accepted a mission before attacking the caravan.

"But their mission was not to loot the caravan's supplies and property. It was to hunt down a descendant of the Chinoike Clan."

What shinobi clan?

Nara Kaikei found the name completely unfamiliar.

"The Chinoike Clan?"

Nara Shikano also frowned.

"I remember that the Land of Lightning hired the Uchiha Clan to drive them into the Valley of Hell in the Land of Hot Water back then, didn't they?"

Good heavens.

Nara Kaikei could only marvel.

The Land of Lightning hired the Uchiha Clan?

What kind of new story was that?

Or had this happened... before Konoha was founded?

"The attacking Bounty Hunters didn't know the complete details."

Inoichi Yamanaka shook his head.

"Apparently, a Chinoike Clan shinobi slaughtered every member of their clan, escaped from the Land of Hot Water, and fled into the Land of Fire."

"Slaughtered the entire clan..."

Nara Shikano's brow furrowed tightly.

He had never heard of such a horrifying incident.

"Was this attack merely an accident? Or have the people from the Bounty Exchange already confirmed that the Chinoike Clan shinobi is among our caravan?"

"It should have been just an accident."

Inoichi Yamanaka said.

"There was no concrete evidence in those Bounty Hunters' minds. They merely saw us as a small merchant caravan passing by and wanted to use the excuse of hunting down a suspect to extort some money from us."

"Strengthen the guard, expand the sensory range, and continue forward at the current speed."

Nara Shikano gave orders in an orderly manner.

"Notify the leaders of the smaller merchant caravans behind us about the Bounty Hunter attack, and push back the noon break by one hour."

"Yes, Lord Shikano."

Inoichi Yamanaka accepted the order and vanished in a flash.

The deer cart continued onward.

For the remainder of the journey, no more Bounty Hunter attacks occurred.

When they made camp that evening,

perhaps noticing that Nara Kaikei was somewhat unaccustomed to spending the night outdoors, Nara Shikano casually reassured him, "Once we get through tonight, everything will be fine."

Clan Head, if you keep saying things like that, I'm really going to worry that something will happen!

Nara Kaikei grumbled inwardly.

"Clan Head, get some rest first. I want to practice my secret technique a little longer."

Because of his status as the mission's client, Nara Kaikei did not need to carry out night watch duty like the other shinobi during this mission outside the village.

And since he had not yet used up today's quota for "taking medicine,"

Nara Kaikei decided to continue maintaining his normal daily routine.

After bidding farewell to the Clan Head, who was deeply gratified,

Nara Kaikei found a nearby large tree, leaped onto one of its branches, and sat cross-legged in meditation.

A Soldier Pill went down his throat.

[Precision +10]

[Precision: D+]

Tomorrow morning, my [Precision] will break through to C-rank!

Nara Kaikei carefully sensed the continuous replenishment of his Physical Energy. He then opened his [Lacquer Eye] and looked toward the shinobi and merchants setting up camp.

One, two... eight.

Nine? Ten??

The Chinoike Clan.

A shinobi clan mentioned in the official side story, Sasuke Shinden: Star Reader Arc.

One of the dojutsu clans.

They possessed the unique Kekkei Genkai known as the "Ketsuryūgan."

This side-story novel had already been adapted into animation. It was a story set after episode 700.