"Uncle Shigeru, please help me just this once!"
"No. How could I possibly agree to such an outrageous request?"
"Uncle Shigeru, I'm about to head to the battlefield. The road ahead is dangerous, and whether I live or die depends on that one thing. Can you really bear to watch me die on the battlefield?"
In Konoha, at Hatake Sakumo's home, a scoundrel named Zhou Duan clung to Hatake Sakumo's leg, wailing and pleading with snot and tears streaming down his face. But Hatake Sakumo had seen through Zhou Duan's little tricks long ago and wasn't moved in the slightest. Instead, he asked:
"Zhou Duan, if this thing is so important, why not ask Lord Hokage for it directly? Why resort to such sneaky behavior? Given how desperate you are and how good your reason is, Lord Hokage might agree to your proposal. Even if it costs something, I'll help you!"
"Uncle Shigeru, you know that's impossible..."
Zhou Duan looked at Hatake Sakumo's unmoved expression and continued to argue:
"Uncle Shigeru, I know you believe me, but other people might not! The Hokage will think I'm fooling around. If that guy's owner finds out, he'll tear me to pieces!"
"No. I can indulge you in other matters, but this one is far too serious. I absolutely won't agree!"
Seeing how firm the other man was, Zhou Duan understood that Hatake Sakumo was dead set against granting his request. But after years of struggling to get by in the Shinobi World, Zhou Duan wasn't an easy mark. With that thought, Zhou Duan pointed at Hatake Sakumo and shouted:
"Hatake Sakumo, since you're pushing me this far, don't blame me for forgetting all the years you took me in!"
"Heh!"
Hatake Sakumo couldn't help but laugh.
"Zhou Duan, you've made rapid progress over the years, but I really don't know what gives you the confidence to challenge an Elite Jonin. Come on, let's see what you're going to try!"
Seeing that things had gotten this serious, Zhou Duan sighed and looked at Hatake Sakumo with a hint of pity. But a moment later, he buried that feeling beneath his resolve. This place had become a battlefield. For the sake of his goal, he had to do whatever it took!
With that thought, Zhou Duan tore open his clothes. His expression swiftly shifted from indignation to terror, anger, disbelief, and pleading. He even forced out a few tears.
"Hatake Sakumo, I never thought you were this kind of person!"
"?"
Hatake Sakumo was baffled, while a faint sense of foreboding coiled in his heart.
"What kind of person am I, exactly? And why are you ripping open your clothes, kid?"
"Don't you know what kind of person you are?"
Zhou Duan was still in full method-actor mode. Clutching his chest with both hands, he angrily berated Hatake Sakumo through his tears:
"Hatake Sakumo, the Elite Jonin of Konoha, praised by everyone—you rescued me from the middle of a battlefield, only because you wanted my body! Luckily, I found out in time. I'm going to tell the whole village about your wicked deeds and make sure everyone despises you!"
"There's a move like that?"
Hatake Sakumo's eyes widened. He'd never imagined that his adopted son, whose personality could be a bit of a headache but who had always shown him great respect, would pull a stunt like this. If he hadn't known Zhou Duan so well, Hatake Sakumo might even have wondered whether the person in front of him was an impostor!
As an Elite Jonin, Hatake Sakumo had made a habit of instantly sorting through unexpected and complicated information.
First, the village would never believe Zhou Duan's accusations. Second, although Zhou Duan didn't care about his reputation and had gone this far, the incident could still have serious consequences. Zhou Duan was a genius and would certainly rise to a high position in Konoha one day. If someone used this incident to stir up trouble, it could hurt him!
All right, after thinking it over, Hatake Sakumo really was considering Zhou Duan's future. He definitely wasn't worried someone might believe Zhou Duan and look at him strangely. Although he cared most about his reputation, he really wasn't afraid. Hatake Sakumo silently reassured himself. After a long while, he looked at Zhou Duan and slowly spoke:
"Zhou Duan, since you're so determined, as your guardian, I have a duty to keep an eye on you at all times and prevent you from doing anything detrimental to Konoha. But as your guardian, I'll also find a way to clear every obstacle in your path!"
As the strongest fighting Ninja Dog of the Inuzuka Clan in Konoha, White Wolf Maru not only enjoyed the respect of all the Ninja Dogs, but also received the Inuzuka Clan's finest care. He got to mate with the strongest and most beautiful Ninja Dogs, ate dog food painstakingly prepared by the clan, and had two Inuzuka Clan members assigned exclusively to look after him. Although the war had reduced his attendants from Chunin to Genin, it didn't change the fact that he was the most respected Ninja Dog around!
The clan head had told him that his turn to go to the battlefield was coming soon. White Wolf Maru wasn't upset, though. He was fired up. His formidable strength had been honed on the battlefield, and only the battlefield could keep anyone from surpassing his status!
As the thought excited him, White Wolf Maru began to feel a little thirsty. Having attendants was great, he thought. As usual, he turned his head to the right. But instead of the two Genin standing beside him, eager to please, he found them sprawled on the ground, unconscious!
White Wolf Maru's pupils shrank to pinpoints. He had the strength of an Elite Jonin, but whoever had knocked out the people beside him without being detected must be terrifyingly strong!
He didn't get up to look around, nor did he rush to prepare for battle. White Wolf Maru made the best possible decision at once—he opened his jaws wide and prepared to howl for help!
But his enemy not only had terrifying strength; his combat instincts were so fearsome they would make any dog despair. White Wolf Maru had barely parted his lips when a flying Steel Wire Rope bound them tightly shut. Before he could put up any meaningful resistance, a sharp pain struck the back of his head, and he immediately lost consciousness!
Night had fallen. A cool breeze stirred the hems of the two figures who had appeared beside White Wolf Maru. Hatake Sakumo held the Steel Wire Rope binding White Wolf Maru's mouth in one hand as he kept watch all around them.
"Zhou Duan, hurry. The Inuzuka Clan treasures White Wolf Maru, and he'll be heading to the battlefield soon. We don't have much time!"
"Don't worry, Uncle Shigeru..."
Zhou Duan held a scalpel. His hands flew so fast they left a blur, and in the blink of an eye, he had shaved off every bit of White Wolf Maru's thick, snowy-white fur!
"Even among senior Medical Ninja, my hand speed is ranked in the hospital's top ten!"
Seeing how smoothly Zhou Duan worked, Hatake Sakumo breathed a sigh of relief. But just as he was about to leave, he noticed Zhou Duan smearing a green ointment between White Wolf Maru's hind legs.
"Zhou Duan, what are you doing?"
"Oh, this?"
Zhou Duan pinched an edge of the ointment, which had quickly hardened, and gave an "innocent" smile.
"It's just an ointment that makes the skin smooth!"
The night was still. As the two figures, one tall and one short, sped into the distance, a piercing, utterly miserable dog howl rang throughout all of Konoha.
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