Distress Signal

The next day was the final day of the time limit Yugao Gekko and Higashino Makoto's group of three had agreed upon.

Once today was over, their D-Rank Mission Quota would exceed twenty. Though that was nothing compared to some D-Rank mission fanatics, it at least met the requirement of completing eight missions to participate in the Chunin Exam.

Konoha's low-level missions had never been intended for gifted squads like theirs in the first place.

When they arrived at the Mission Hall, Yugao Gekko changed the original plan and asked the staff. Sure enough, there was a mission posted by a livestock farm to eliminate Fierce Beasts.

Because the area involved was too vast, and the highly dangerous large beasts appeared unpredictably, the mission had a one-month deadline—a pattern established over many years.

The payment was also variable. For every dangerous target eliminated, they would receive the maximum payment for a D-Rank mission.

This would eliminate danger sources as thoroughly as possible and ensure the safety of the livestock and workers at the farms.

Higashino Makoto's group did not see Ritsu Senior's squad in the Mission Hall that day, but no one cared. Once they confirmed the mission, they set off immediately.

This mission's location was southwest of Konoha, where a vast stretch of land had been developed into pastureland, with several sizable livestock farms built there.

They raised cattle, sheep, pigs, and other animals, using both free-range and enclosed methods to ensure Konoha had fresh, high-quality meat at different price points, meeting the consumption needs of Ninja and civilians alike.

Ninja gained their strength through arduous training. Having obtained power beyond ordinary people, their appetites naturally surpassed those of Commoners as well.

Without enough high-quality food to replenish their nutrition, how could they withstand extracting Chakra from their cells every day? If Dai could afford good food every meal, there would never have been the Lucky Three joke.

The amount most Ninja could eat in one sitting was enough to burst an ordinary person's stomach.

If you didn't believe it, try making an ordinary strongman weighing over two hundred pounds eat twenty bowls of ramen in one go. Big sea bowls, not the little bowls used in those buckwheat noodle eating contests.

Classmate Hinata stated, "I can eat forty-six bowls."

After handing over the mission with the client, Yugao Gekko brought the three of them to a high point and said, "Because there are so many cattle and sheep here, predators are constantly drawn in—Black Bears, Tigers, wolves, and so on.

"The farms here are often harassed, so they regularly post missions with Konoha to clear out these hidden dangers.

"Your mission today is to find and eliminate the dangerous threats in this area as thoroughly as possible. At the very least, ensure that the area within two hundred kilometers of these farms is safe."

"No problem, Teacher!" x3.

This time, even someone as innocent as Uzuki Yugao did not ask what they would do if Fierce Beasts from beyond two hundred kilometers came over later. Yesterday's reality had already given her the answer: let the farm managers post another mission.

What kind of world offered lifelong warranty service for a one-time payment?

After Yugao Gekko finished speaking, he vanished somewhere as usual.

Still, this mission was genuinely an easy one for the Higashino Makoto Squad. They had a Teammate with powerful Perception Ability, so it made little difference whether their esteemed Jonin was present or not.

Because of the Divine Tree's invasion, all living things in the Shinobi World contained Chakra, more or less. Naturally, the beasts of the wild were no exception.

However, very few species possessed intelligence. Most had simply become violent, fierce, tall, and robust because of Chakra. They lacked the strength and value to serve as Summon Beasts, yet still posed lethal threats to Commoners.

At the same time, Chakra was like Ginkora—it made these beasts reproduce more and grow faster than their counterparts in Higashino Makoto's Previous Life. Unless Ninja specifically hunted them across the entire Shinobi World, they would be difficult to eradicate.

With Chakra, naturally, they could not escape Higashino Makoto's perception. At least, that was what Yugao Gekko and the others believed.

Higashino Makoto closed his eyes. A few seconds later, he opened them and said, "We've run into some newly acquainted friends."

Hayate Gekko was not surprised. "Did they take the same mission as us?"

Uzuki Yugao looked utterly confused. "Who are you talking about?"

Hayate Gekko said, "Ritsu Senior's squad."

Fortunately, the girl only disliked using her brain when she was around Higashino Makoto; she was not actually an Idiot. "From what you're saying, why do I feel like something isn't right? Did you discover there was something wrong with them yesterday?"

Higashino Makoto said, "No. It just feels like some things don't make sense. Don't worry about them for now. Let's do the mission. Watch for my warnings, and don't let the beasts Sneak Attack you."

Within the complex Mountain Forest, three figures flashed between tree trunks like arrows released from a bow, making almost no sound.

A colorful Tiger lay dozing in a clearing within the woods, basking lazily in the sun.

It had finally managed to steal a calf from the two-legged sheep's pasture last night and enjoyed a satisfying meal. Now was the perfect time to sleep and put on some weight.

This creature was much larger than the Tigers from Higashino Makoto's Previous Life, and it had Chakra inside it. Even Wu Song would not be able to handle it. If seven or eight ordinary people tried to fight it, they would merely be delivering themselves as food.

But when they encountered Ninja with even a bit of strength, they themselves became food.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Sharp Weapons tore through the air. From the dense woods, two Kunai suddenly shot out and accurately buried themselves in the Tiger's eyes before it could react.

"Roar—!"

Sudden agony in both eyes and the loss of its vision made the Tiger leap up violently, releasing a roar that tore through the Mountain Forest. Yet the sound held none of the majesty of the king of the forest. Instead, it was utterly miserable.

Hayate Gekko charged out like lightning and kicked the Tiger heavily in the head, throwing its body off balance. Uzuki Yugao followed closely behind, driving her blade up through its lower jaw. She then pulled it free and retreated like lightning, guarding against its desperate death throes.

The Tiger's body twitched a few times before it died completely, without spilling even a drop of blood onto its killers.

However, Uzuki Yugao's body was still stained with quite a bit of blood, left over from the beginning. After learning her lesson, she had never made the same mistake again.

Higashino Makoto stepped forward to inspect it. After confirming that the target was dead, he marked the location on the map.

This was the third beast they had eliminated that morning.

These apex Predators were not everywhere; they were scattered far apart. If not for Higashino Makoto's Perception Ability, finding them would have been quite troublesome.

No wonder so many Genin squads were unwilling to touch this troublesome mission. It was both dangerous and hard to search for.

At that moment, a faint explosion sound came from the due south. The three leaped onto the treetops and saw a signal flare slowly rising into the sky.

It was a Konoha Ninja distress signal. Someone was in danger.

Uzuki Yugao asked, "Should we go take a look?"

Hayate Gekko cautioned his teammates, "Be careful. This is a little too much of a coincidence. It could be a trap."

Higashino Makoto sensed the situation to the south, then smiled faintly. "Let's go take a look. They're Konoha Comrades—helping each other is only right."