You Really Understand Me

Unlike Senba, who could maintain a calm mindset when facing defective Wood Release, Hiruzen Sarutobi, having just met the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire, couldn't hide his excitement.

Knowing his old friend's style, he had deliberately tampered with travel times when departing. He had Kakashi Hatake disguise himself as Hiruzen, while Hiruzen himself went all out, arriving at the Daimyo's mansion ahead of schedule.

Just when he thought Kakashi Hatake would bring him the expected news, the result was that the other party directly threw him a curveball. He didn't even get to meet Senju Yunhua and instead rushed back to Konoha that very night.

Wood Release, a jutsu that had disappeared since the death of the First Hokage Hashirama Senju, had actually reappeared!

Hiruzen Sarutobi, en route, was deeply shaken. He hadn't expected Shimura Danzo to get there first.

However, there was still time. When he learned from Kakashi that the child named "Kou" hadn't been completely brainwashed, Hiruzen Sarutobi abandoned his plan to forcibly take him.

He decided to use gentler means to influence the child, with Kakashi, who was friends with Kou, assisting in persuasion.

Most importantly, contrasted with Shimura Danzo's dark intentions, Hiruzen Sarutobi was confident he could add another elite Jonin to the village, not just a soulless war weapon.

"Danzō, you truly understand me. You know what I need!"

With a sense of urgency, Hiruzen Sarutobi's speed increased again, making it difficult for the Hokage's personal guards beside him to keep up.

As for Hiruzen Sarutobi's sudden departure, Senju Yunhua was the happiest. He had been worried about Hiruzen Sarutobi's early arrival, but now he was greatly relieved.

Once he brought Kana and her mother back to Konoha and handed them over to his sister, his mission would be complete. As for the matters in Kusagakure, they were far from over, and he would definitely visit them again sooner or later.

Senju Yunhua looked in the direction of Kusagakure and couldn't help but let out a cold snort. He then turned to prepare for the return journey to Konohagakure.

What Senju Yunhua didn't know was that Kusagakure was currently being ravaged for a second time, with the new Kusakage being stepped on.

The new Kusakage, who had achieved his position through underhanded tactics and an "underling overthrowing superior" situation, had his head pinned to the ground by Mei Terumi's toe as he struggled. His subordinates were kneeling on the ground, beaten black and blue by the Mist ninja.

"Now, can you tell me what exactly happened back then? You insisted it was Mist ninja who attacked you."

Before Mei Terumi finished speaking, Haku obediently took out a recording scroll and waited to the side to take notes.

Senba, naturally, was unaware of Kusagakure's tragic fate of being ravaged again. Exhausted both mentally and in terms of Chakra, he was sound asleep.

Beside him, Genma Shiranui was by the tea table, his head aching over how to write the mission report. He believed the Third Generation would inquire in detail about Senba and the Wood Release experimental subject, and he wondered how to write a reasonable report.

He pondered this all night, and soon it was time for breakfast.

With a gentle flick and twist of the bamboo chopsticks in his hand, the handmade alkaline ramen noodles wound around them, perfectly cooked and looking springy.

Bringing the chewy ramen to his mouth, savoring the broth and the firm texture, Senba's mood was extremely pleasant.

Then, he took a sip of the fragrant soup, silently comparing it to Ichiraku's ramen. Yes, it was on par, each with its own unique characteristics.

The next second, he entered a state of ravenous consumption. The ramen bowls beside him piled up to seven or eight in a short time. The ramen master in the distance felt his fingers cramping.

"In one more day, we'll reach our destination," Genma Shiranui said, slurping a mouthful of ramen. "Then this mission will be complete."

"Because there was an unexpected turn of events during this mission, your mission level should be raised slightly, but it probably won't be an A-rank."

Senba deeply understood Genma's words. Although Wood Release appeared this time, it was ultimately a defective product. The village had failed countless times in the early years.

Moreover, according to Senba's memory, if no accidents had occurred this time, the Third Generation should have obtained the only successful Wood Release experimental subject in the Shinobi World at present, Yamato.

The person who conducted the experiments on them should have been Hiruko, the well-known contemporary graduate student of the Sannin, the creator of the Chimera Technique.

Senba remembered being quite fascinated by this ninjutsu back then, fusing various powerful bloodlines into oneself. Just thinking about it was exciting.

Looking back now, how could such a forbidden jutsu not have a backlash? However, it also showed Hiruko's talent, which was absolutely no less than Orochimaru's, let alone the other two slackers.

As Senba recalled the general information about Hiruko in his mind, the twelfth bowl of ramen in his hand was also finished. It wasn't that he was full, but rather that the ramen master's speed could no longer keep up with his consumption.

Taking advantage of the break, Genma Shiranui began to arrange the next steps, as they still had an auxiliary mission.

"Senba, you and I will make some arrangements at the rendezvous point," Genma Shiranui said, taking out a map and spreading it on the table, pointing to the rendezvous location.

After seeing Senba nod in acknowledgment, he looked at Uchiha Yue and Iruka. "You two will wait here to receive us. Remember, you must see the signal before coming to find us."

"If the reception time is exceeded, you must leave here immediately, return to the Land of Fire, and report the situation truthfully. Do you understand?"

Although the two felt somewhat unwilling, they understood the vast difference in their strength. Uchiha Yue was fine, but Iruka would likely be instantly killed if he encountered an enemy from the Anbu.

Seeing their attitude, Genma Shiranui showed a look of relief. After the war, what he feared most were people who didn't have a clear understanding of themselves.

If such a person was also a hot-blooded brute, it would be a disaster, often bringing about utter destruction to everyone.

Since the general mission had been assigned, the remaining task was detailed division of labor, but this would be discussed on the way.

At this moment, four steaming bowls of ramen were served. The four teachers and students immediately put down everything they were doing and began slurping the noodles heartily. Delicious!

"This attack method is a bit like Tsunade. She's been decadent for so long, and she actually has students?" Hiruko leaned back in his chair, flipping through the intelligence in his hands.

Thinking of Tsunade, he couldn't help but think of the other two. After years of intelligence gathering, Tsunade had fallen into despair due to the death of her loved ones.

Jiraiya was engrossed in traveling the Shinobi World, behaving licentiously, and indifferent to Konoha's affairs.

Orochimaru, after failing to seize the position of Hokage, also lived in seclusion, no longer concerning himself with external matters.

Thinking of this, Hiruko felt a sense of regret. Those he had once looked up to had fallen so quickly, which made him feel a lack of accomplishment.

Indeed, geniuses who had not experienced hardship, what right did they have to be called geniuses?