Mission Complete!

Within the Land of Fire, they clinked cups and drank, but none of them could truly get drunk. After all, they were all Special Jonin—ninjas of considerable skill. They would not make such a low-level mistake.

As Jiogan drank, he calculated the best opportunity to strike.

Finally, one of the Kirigakure shinobi draped an arm over Jiogan's shoulders. Jiogan took the opportunity to raise his cup for a toast, while another moved closer. The three raised their cups together, and just as they were about to drink deeply, Jiogan made his move!

He slit the throat of the Kirigakure shinobi with his arm around him, then kicked the other squarely in the chest, breaking several ribs and sending him flying several meters away while coughing up blood!

The rogue ninja Kimura Shichimaru was startled and immediately leaped back!

How could Jiogan let him get away with it? He brought his hands together, and countless Water Needles condensed around his body! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! They shot wildly toward Kimura Shichimaru and the heavily injured Kirigakure shinobi!

Kimura Shichimaru specialized in Fire Release and Earth Release. He immediately used Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall to defend himself, but the heavily injured Kirigakure shinobi was not so fortunate. He was pierced into a sieve!

"What are you doing?! Why are you attacking your companions?!" Kimura Shichimaru demanded.

By then, all three Kirigakure Special Jonin had met their end. Only Kimura Shichimaru remained.

"Hmph! Companions? A rogue ninja like you ceased to be anyone's companion long ago!" Jiogan said. With that, his body reverted to its original appearance.

Seeing Jiogan transform into a black-robed, masked figure, Kimura Shichimaru's face changed drastically. "You're Anbu!"

No longer caring about anything else, he turned and fled!

Jiogan brought his hands together and spat out several Water Release: Water Guns, sealing off Kimura Shichimaru's retreat. With nowhere to retreat, Kimura Shichimaru once again used Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall to defend himself, but the Water Release: Water Guns blasted it to pieces!

He could only dodge in a miserable scramble. At the same time, Jiogan's next wave of attacks arrived, giving Kimura Shichimaru no chance to catch his breath as countless Water Needles shot at him in a frenzy.

Kimura Shichimaru had no time to react before he was riddled through like a sieve! Regret filled his eyes. He wanted to say something, but he could no longer make a sound. His breath left him, and he died!

With that, the battle was over!

Using the advantage of striking first and his overwhelming firepower, Jiogan had prevented several Special Jonin from even using their abilities before they died on the spot! This was Jiogan's fighting style: strike where they were unprepared and fight when they least expected it!

As for their last words, Jiogan had no interest in hearing them. He only cut off their heads and sent them to the Interrogation Squad. Surely, the Interrogation Squad would be very interested in examining their experiences!

After cutting off their heads and sealing them inside a scroll, he looted their belongings, dissolved their bodies with Corpse Dissolving Water, and cleared away all traces of the hideout.

Jiogan used the Qi Sensing Technique once more. After sensing no suspicious people within a ten-kilometer radius, he set off for Konoha.

Another day and a half later, Jiogan returned to the Anbu through the Anbu Secret Passage.

"Captain, the rogue ninja has been eliminated. Kimura Shichimaru has been executed, and the mission was completed perfectly! I also discovered that Kimura Shichimaru had been colluding with three Kirigakure Special Jonin, who have likewise been executed! I have sealed their heads in a scroll. Please inspect them!"

In the Captain's Office, Jiogan completed the handover, reported the mission's details, and handed Hatake Sakumo the scroll containing the sealed heads.

After Hatake Sakumo finished inspecting it, he put away the scroll. "Ame, you worked hard. For your first Anbu mission, you completed it flawlessly! And there was even an unexpected gain. I'll transfer the heads to the Interrogation Division later. I'll record two A-rank missions in your mission history!"

"Yes, Captain!" Jiogan replied. He had not expected his first Anbu mission to earn him two additional A-rank mission records. Anbu missions were seriously worth it!

"Your mission is over. You have a week of rest ahead of you. If there is an emergency mission, you will be notified. Go rest." Hatake Sakumo dismissed him.

Jiogan nodded and left the Captain's Office.

He changed back into his usual clothes in the lounge, then exited the Hokage Building through the secret passage.

Walking along Konoha's streets, Jiogan considered how to arrange his pace in the days ahead as an Anbu.

As a Sensor Ninja—and the strongest Sensor Ninja at that—he held a natural initiative when carrying out missions. Many troublesome missions would become simple because of it.

Jiogan had now mastered seamlessly switching between forms of Water Release Ninjutsu. He only needed to change his hand seals to do so. What he needed to pursue next was control without hand seals. He could only manage a little of that on rainy days, and he was still far from mastering it, but at least he had established a direction!

If he could control water the way Gaara controlled sand, capable of both offense and defense, then his Water Release could be said to surpass even the Second Hokage's, because the Second Hokage could not do that!

The other direction was Nintaijutsu—integrating Water Release into Taijutsu, adding Water Release attacks to every move. Put simply, it was enchanted attacks! That was another path!

Jiogan was confident that, with Tai Chi and Heaven and Earth Qi, he could achieve it.

If he could accomplish either of those two paths, he would possess solid Elite Jonin strength! He might even glimpse the threshold of Kage-level!

Meanwhile, Hatake Sakumo was in the Hokage's Office, reporting Jiogan's first Anbu mission to the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi!

After listening, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "Not bad. Jiogan faced four ninjas with the strength of Special Jonin without suffering a scratch, and he completed the mission quickly as well. His talent as a ninja is truly outstanding! It was the right choice to place him in a directly subordinate Anbu squad!"

Unaware of Hiruzen Sarutobi's assessment, Jiogan had already returned to his family's Fruit Shop. "Mother, I've finished my mission and returned. I'll have a week of free time next, so I'll help you handle the miscellaneous work in the shop!"

Over the following week, Jiogan helped at his family's Fruit Shop every morning, trained at the practice grounds in the afternoons, and practiced Tai Chi at night. His days were fulfilling.

Inuzuka Yoru and Kurama Feiyun, on the other hand, had it far rougher than Jiogan! Inuzuka Yoru had been permanently stationed with the Border Defense Force and likely would not return within half a year. Kurama Feiyun was diligently training in Medical Ninjutsu and had little free time as well.

Ironically, Jiogan, who had joined the Anbu, was the most relaxed and carefree of them all!

During those seven days of rest, Jiogan mastered the Second Hokage's Water Release Ninjutsu, Water Release: Water Severing Wave. Though it was an A-rank Ninjutsu in terms of difficulty, Jiogan still mastered it quickly.

At last, Jiogan had gained a Water Release Ninjutsu with extremely powerful killing force, one he could use to deliver the decisive blow at a critical moment.

After a week had passed, Jiogan changed back into his Anbu attire and remained on standby in the Preparation Room twenty-four hours a day. At last, his second mission arrived!