At six in the evening, deep within the Senju Compound, outside Uzumaki Mito's residence.
The air was thick with stifling heat that made people restless, and even the cicadas chirping atop the trees sounded especially grating.
Several Ninja dressed in Uzumaki Clan attire paced back and forth outside the broad gates like ants on a hot pan.
"Why isn't he here yet?"
A middle-aged man abruptly stopped, turned around, and fixed his bloodshot eyes on a young clansman behind him.
"Xiuren, you brat! Did that Uchiha Ao even receive the message? Didn't you say you'd already delivered the letter?"
"I did deliver it."
The young Ninja who had delivered the letter shrank back. "I gave it to the gatekeeper... That Uchiha gatekeeper looked arrogant, but after taking the money, he should get it done... probably."
"Probably?!"
The other Uzumaki Ninja were so furious their beards nearly stood on end. "That ten thousand ryo was supposed to be our travel money back home. Fine, you said you needed it to get things done, so we gave it to the gatekeeper.
But Uchiha Ao still hasn't come. If this delays the mission, can you bear the responsibility?"
"Th-this isn't my fault either."
Xiuren's face flushed red from the scolding, and he couldn't help muttering quietly, "The Uchiha Clan Compound has strict security. I couldn't get in, so I could only ask someone to pass it along..."
"You still dare talk back?!"
"If you can't get him here, then once we return to the village, just wait to be assigned to an infiltration mission!"
"I-I..."
The young man went pale with fright. He knew better than anyone what infiltration missions meant. He had heard that few who went on them ever returned alive.
"Enough! What do you all think you're doing, making such a racket here?!"
At that moment, Longya suddenly bellowed, cutting off their argument.
"Can blaming each other solve the problem? Why don't you think of a solution instead?!"
The other Uzumaki Ninja lowered their heads in shame at his words, staring blankly at their shadows on the ground. Even after a long while, none of them could squeeze out a single idea.
Heh, I actually believed these useless fools would come up with a solution... A glint of resolve flashed through Longya's eyes as he gritted his teeth.
"No, we can't wait any longer. This mission concerns the safety of thousands of Uzushiogakure clansmen. There can't be the slightest mistake.
Since he won't come, I'll personally go to the Uchiha Clan Compound and invite him! Even if I have to kneel at their gates, I'll bring him back!"
With that, he straightened his rumpled collar and prepared to leave.
Just then, the gate creaked open a crack, and Little Tsunade poked out her little golden head, her hair tied into two buns. "Grandpa Longya, I'm coming too."
"Little Tsunade?"
Longya froze, then said gently, "Don't be silly. Grandpa is going to handle serious business and invite someone over, and besides..."
"Grandpa Longya, did you forget?"
Tsunade skipped out with her hands behind her back, raising her little face confidently. "Teacher Sou knows me, and he has a good impression of me. If I go, we'll definitely have a better chance."
Longya looked at Tsunade, his thoughts racing.
He had heard that Uchiha Ao was generally strange-tempered. If Tsunade really knew him well, their chances of inviting him over should indeed be higher.
"Alright, then sorry for the trouble, Little Tsunade." Longya immediately nodded.
"Yay!"
Tsunade jumped happily, secretly delighted.
Hehe, perfect!
This way, she could spend a little more time with Teacher Sou.
"Little Tsunade, what are you standing around for? Let's go."
"Okay, Grandpa Longya."
Just as the two were about to set off, the unhurried sound of footsteps came from the distance.
A tall, slender figure approached leisurely from an alleyway, both hands tucked into his pockets.
"Teacher Sou!"
Tsunade's eyes lit up. She shook off Longya's old hand and skipped over to him. "I knew you'd come!"
"With Tsunade-chan here, how could your teacher dare be late?"
Uchiha Ao stopped with a smile on his lips and casually rubbed Tsunade's little head. "It's only been a few days, but have you gotten taller again?"
While rubbing her head, he took the chance to glance around. This time, there was no warning from the Anbu.
Hmph, those assholes are pretty well-informed.
Perhaps because he had been rubbing her head for too long, Tsunade's little face turned red. She lowered her head shyly, but inwardly she was delighted.
Teacher Sou's hand is so soft, and it smells so nice!
It feels so good...
At that moment, Longya and the others hurried forward, their faces piled with almost fawning smiles. "Lord Sou! You're finally here! We were just about to go pick you up!"
That young man named Xiuren in particular looked at Sou as though he were looking at his own father. His fervent gaze made Sou uncomfortable all over.
What the hell is with this young Uzumaki guy? Is he that desperate?... Though he mocked them inwardly, Sou maintained a proper smile and greeted them.
"You're too polite. Since I accepted the village's commission, I naturally came."
Aside from the reward Tobirama had promised, Sou had also set his sights on the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Technique. If he could pick up a few sealing techniques along the way, then this mission would not have been wasted.
After all, in the Shinobi World, Sealing Technique was practically a bug-level existence.
The two chatted for a while afterward. With his high emotional intelligence and smooth words, Sou quickly coaxed the old man Longya into beaming with delight.
Their brief interaction also made Longya secretly relax. Sou was far easier to get along with than the Uchiha he had known.
Creak!
The residence gates swung open, and Uzumaki Mito emerged slowly, dressed in an opulent kimono.
Though she was past fifty, time had left few traces on her face. She looked only a little over thirty, at the most alluring age for a woman. Her red hair was pinned up, and her full figure was faintly visible beneath her loose robes, radiating the unique charm of a mature woman.
"Lord Mito." Longya and the others hurriedly bowed.
Mito gave a slight nod. Her gaze fell on Sou, and a trace of appreciation flashed through her beautiful eyes. "So you must be Sou-kun. You are indeed a fine young man. No wonder Tobirama praises you so highly."
Sou composed himself and responded with perfect manners. "Lord Mito, you flatter me. I don't deserve such praise."
"Too much modesty becomes hypocrisy."
Mito covered her mouth and chuckled, then turned slightly and gestured for him to enter. "Come in and have some tea."
Tsunade moved to follow them inside, but Mito stopped her.
"Little Tsunade, wait outside."
"Huh? Why?" Tsunade's little mouth immediately pouted. "I want to listen too!"
"Be good."
Mito said softly, "After this war is over, Grandma will take you to Uzushiogakure to see the sea. How does that sound?"
Faced with the temptation of the seaside, Tsunade could only nod reluctantly.
Inside the room, the fragrance of tea lingered in the air.
"There are no outsiders here, so I'll be direct."
Mito invited Sou to sit down, took a sip of tea, then got straight to the point. "You must have received Tobirama's commission already. Against that Cloud Village outpost, how confident are you?"
"Hmm..."
Sou set down his teacup and pondered for a moment before answering.
"To be honest... only forty percent.
If the intelligence is correct, that Cloud Village outpost has at least three Jonin, with even more Chunin.
With my strength, at most I could risk my life to kill one Jonin."
Those words were half true and half false. If he relied solely on taijutsu, he really only had a thirty percent chance.
But if he used the Sharingan and Wood Release, he had at least a sixty percent chance of wiping out those Cloud Ninja.
In truth, Tobirama had not demanded that he hold out to the death in the mission scroll. He had even tacitly allowed Sou to retreat if things went badly. But if he did that, the Wood Release reward would be gone.
Sou was only "showing weakness" to see whether he could squeeze something good out of this wealthy woman.
"Forty percent?"
Even so, Mito was somewhat surprised.
After all, there were three Jonin. Even Elite Jonin she knew well, such as Hiruzen and Danzo, would probably have only around a fifty percent chance of completing such a difficult mission.
No wonder Tobirama had recommended him. This person truly had some ability.
With that thought, Mito no longer hesitated. She took an exquisite wooden box from her sleeve and gently pushed it in front of Sou.
"This is a Secret Medicine I refined by combining the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Technique and Medical Ninjutsu with extracted Nine-Tails Chakra."
Mito opened the box. A blood-red pill lay quietly inside, giving off an astonishing fluctuation of energy.
"For two days after taking it, the user's chakra will be unimaginably abundant, and it will automatically recover every morning.
If my homeland were not in trouble, I had originally intended to give this to my own child. As long as you accept this mission and help my clansmen wholeheartedly, this pill will be yours."
Looking at the blue medicine in the wooden box, Sou's heart surged with excitement.
He had only been trying his luck, wondering whether he could get some Nine-Tails Chakra from this current Nine-Tails Jinchuriki for research.
He hadn't expected her to open with an outright trump card!
At that moment, a sentence suddenly surfaced in his mind.
My stomach isn't doing well. I want to live off a woman.
If he took one of these pills every few days, the speed at which all his Ninjutsu progressed would be unimaginable!
He had just opened his mouth to agree when Mito saw his flickering gaze and assumed he was still hesitating because the offer was insufficient.
The still-charming Uzumaki Princess suddenly smiled with pursed lips and leaned forward slightly. Her cleavage was faintly visible, and the fragrance of a mature woman washed over him.
"It seems Sou-kun still doesn't find that enough reassurance."
Mito's red lips curved as she dropped another bombshell.
"I heard you're interested in my late husband's Wood Release? As long as you accept the mission and eliminate the Cloud Village outpost, in addition to the pill, I can decide to teach you one of Hashirama's Wood Release Sage Art Ninjutsu."
"!!!"
Sou abruptly raised his head, his eyes blazing.
Holy shit, there's another surprise after the surprise!
Before you continue