In Konoha, My Attributes Double Every Day!

Hankuang did not answer that question.

The night passed without incident.

As soon as the sky began to lighten, Team 9 set out.

Hankuang was in a bad mood.

Because today's random doubling landed on Spirit, not Agility.

Spirit: 4(*) [Primary Immunity]

To be honest, even with the Spirit stat doubled, Hankuang didn't feel any stronger.

The only difference was that his mind felt much clearer—his concentration seemed sharper, too.

He glanced at the words [Primary Immunity] and made a guess.

"Primary Immunity... does that mean immunity to basic genjutsu?"

Forget it. No use guessing.

After a brief preparation, the team departed.

Another calm, uneventful day.

As night fell, Kakashi gave the final mission summary for Team 9.

"Tomorrow we'll enter the Land of Hot Water. If everything goes smoothly, we should reach the Daimyo's mansion by evening."

"Once we escort Miss Minako to the Daimyo's residence, the mission is complete."

"So tomorrow will be an extremely important day."

That was true.

Tomorrow was the last leg of this mission.

"I hope my guess is wrong."

Hankuang sighed and muttered under his breath.

Then.

He opened the ninja tool pouch strapped to his thigh and felt the three hundred-plus Explosive Tags inside.

"Still brought too few."

The chirping of birds in the early morning broke the silence.

The first thing Hankuang did after waking up was check his Attribute Panel.

Name: Hankuang

Age: Years

Strength: [Genin-level]

Physique: [Chunin-level]

Agility: [Jonin-level]

Spirit: (4*) [Intermediate Immunity]

Chakra Amount:

Skills: None

Ninjutsu: None

Overall Strength Rating: Trainee Genin

He stared at the panel, silent for a long time.

"Hankuang, get ready to move out." Obito called out.

On the road, the ox cart still crawled slowly toward the border.

Team 9's nerves were taut, everyone on high alert.

Finally.

A river came faintly into view ahead—that was the border.

Cross the river, and they'd be in the Land of Hot Water.

"Wait!"

Hankuang suddenly spoke, his tone heavy.

"Hm? What's wrong?"

"Enemies?"

At Hankuang's shout, Obito and Rin snapped into alert formation.

Kakashi also leaped over, his face full of inquiry.

"We're almost at the border, so why isn't there a single border guard ninja?" Hankuang asked, his voice sharp.

"That's normal."

Kakashi let out a breath and replied.

He'd thought Hankuang had actually spotted an enemy, but it turned out to be this.

"You're saying this is normal?" Hankuang frowned.

Earlier, Kakashi had said jonin couldn't enter neutral countries—fine, he'd let that slide. But now there weren't even any Konoha ninja guarding the border? And that was supposed to be normal?

Next, Kakashi began to explain.

"Because the village signed the Integrity Treaty with Kumogakure."

"Integrity? Treaty?" Hankuang was dumbfounded.

"Yes! According to the Integrity Treaty, Konoha won't station troops at the Hot Water-Fire Border, and Kumogakure won't station troops at the Lightning-Moon Border."

Kakashi laid out the treaty's terms.

Hankuang was stunned speechless.

Konoha had actually signed such an absurd treaty?

If Kumogakure abided by it, fine—but if they didn't, wouldn't this border be completely undefended?

Which idiot in the village had signed this treaty?

"The Third Hokage drafted it himself, to show Konoha's sincerity toward Kumogakure and promote peace," Kakashi added.

Hankuang had no energy left to complain.

Peace—could it really be brought by sincerity?

It had to be brought by force.

Just from this alone, it wasn't hard to see that Konoha's leadership had already entered a stage of decay.

Outwardly, they were timid and submissive. Inwardly, they struck with full force.

Hatake Sakumo's fate was the best example.

Crossing the river, Team 9 entered the Land of Hot Water.

Of course, the oxcart had been tied up on the opposite bank and couldn't cross the river. So for the rest of the journey, Minako would have to travel on foot.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a red signal flare shot up from the forest.

Immediately after, a large group of ninjas leaped out from the trees, completely blocking Team 9's escape route.

Ten, twenty, thirty, forty—

Batch after batch of ninjas jumped out in succession.

Obito and Rin were stunned, both frozen in place.

How could they have imagined that a mere B-rank mission would suddenly have dozens of ninjas jumping out at them?

Was this a joke?

At that moment, Kakashi's eyes were more serious than ever before.

Over fifty ninjas—and they all seemed to be chunin?

"I knew it!"

Hankuang cursed inwardly and immediately pulled out over a hundred Explosive Tags.

Whoosh!!!

Without a second thought, he threw them all out.

"What are you standing there for? Run!"