Assault Shell

At the very beginning, Hanyu believed that the ninja squad for this mission included two dead weights: one was himself, and the other was the child who was even younger than he was. As for Sanshao, she was not a combat-type ninja—anyone could tell that at a glance—so naturally, no one had any expectations or requirements for her regarding combat.

Previously, when Sanshao had pushed Hanyu to the front of the formation, it was certainly not for him to take down the enemy. It wasn't just a novice facing veterans; it was one against many. How could such a thing even be possible?

Clearly, Sanshao's goal was to see if Hanyu could successfully execute that technique. As for the result—perhaps it was talent, perhaps it was dumb luck, or perhaps the Second Hokage's spirit was watching over him—the moment Hanyu actually unleashed the Water Dragon Bullet Technique, it meant his trial was over. The spectators no longer had any reason to let him fight alone, or even die at the hands of the enemy.

Having learned the technique in an incredibly rushed manner, Hanyu had successfully performed a high-level B-rank Water Release ninjutsu. Regardless of the cause or effect, he had proven something quite significant at that moment.

At this point, the Konoha ninjas should have stepped in, yet to Hanyu's surprise, before Kagami Uchiha or Mitokado Homura could move, the most unassuming little ninja had already blocked the enemy's offensive single-handedly.

The child was currently taking on two opponents and clearly held the upper hand. His small frame moved with agile, nimble shifts, and the short blade in his hands flashed up and down. Under his high-speed assault, the enemies had no room to perform any ninjutsu, turning the intense battle into something that felt more like he was simply chopping vegetables.

In just this brief moment, the kid's performance was far superior to Hanyu, who had collapsed after using only a single ninjutsu. Someone capable of displaying such astonishing combat talent surely couldn't be a nobody.

However, no matter how excellent a ninja of that age might be, it is difficult to deliver a decisive blow on the battlefield. Therefore, the main combat power of this team still needed to intervene; the practice time for the newcomers had been sufficient, and they could not allow the battle to drag on indefinitely.

Kagami Uchiha stepped forward, opened his eyes, and the intense battlefield instantly fell silent.

Not every member of the Uchiha clan possesses the Sharingan, nor can every Sharingan perform powerful genjutsu. But as luck would have it, at a level like Kagami Uchiha's, the Mangekyo Sharingan and powerful genjutsu were practically standard equipment. The enemies caught in the genjutsu of the Sharingan were already fish on the chopping block.

However, Kagami Uchiha was in no rush to execute the enemies; instead, he prepared to drag them behind the woods. What awaited them next was professional interrogation. Everyone needed to figure out the origins of this group and their purpose for infiltrating the Land of Fire. He believed these matters would be cleared up quickly; there were very few secrets that could remain hidden under the gaze of the Sharingan.

Hanyu splashed around in the puddle a few times before struggling to stand back up. He looked left and right, noticing that the little ninja was helping Kagami Uchiha move the enemies, while Mitokado Homura remained in place, keeping watch. He shook the mud and water off his body and walked slowly, step by step, back to Sanshao's side.

"How do you feel?" Sanshao asked Hanyu as he walked off the actual battlefield.

Judging by her expression, she was quite satisfied with Hanyu's performance, but it was definitely more than just satisfaction. It was a complex emotion that only she could truly understand.

"A bit... thrilling," Hanyu said. Although the feeling of facing death could hardly be summarized by the word "thrilling," it was, indeed, very thrilling.

"Remember, the ninjutsu you just used is called the Water Dragon Bullet Technique. Hold out your hands," Sanshao instructed.

Hanyu thought to himself that he already knew it was the Water Dragon Bullet, but he extended his hands as told. Sanshao then reached out, grasped his palms, and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"If I'm not mistaken, you are the type who is naturally ambidextrous. As expected, you are well-suited to be a ninja."

Her observational skills were truly excellent.

Hanyu was indeed that way; he was neither left-handed nor right-handed, as both were dominant. For an ordinary person, this was a convenience, but for a ninja, it could be called a talent.

Just when that enemy had charged at him, his three sets of hand seals had become faster with each attempt, and not just by a small margin. This was directly related to the reaction speed and coordination of his hands.

Sanshao released Hanyu's hands and said, "Our mission this time is to head to the Land of Lightning to re-establish an alliance with the Cloud Village. You must be very curious why someone would bring you along on such an important mission, especially since you aren't even a ninja yet, and more importantly, you are still an outsider who hasn't integrated into Konoha."

Hanyu nodded; he was indeed confused as to why he was included in such a mission.

"The ninjutsu of the Second Hokage that you were struck by earlier—if I'm not mistaken, it should be an ultimate-level Water Release technique called 'Water Severing Wave.' Under normal circumstances, let alone an ordinary person like you, even an elite-level ninja would not be able to survive being hit head-on by such a move. Yet, you survived. This can no longer be described by the word 'luck.' It is a form of destiny," Sanshao continued.

Hanyu thought to himself, what kind of destiny is that? It was just that I happened to have a suitable "shield" in my hand at the time.

Sanshao saw Hanyu's expression and knew he didn't take such talk seriously, but she didn't mind and continued, "It is precisely because of this ninjutsu that you suffer from chakra erosion, which was the catalyst for you becoming a ninja. Looking at it now, it has become more than just a simple catalyst."

"?" Hanyu was puzzled.

"You will understand in the future," Sanshao said, not explaining the meaning of her words in detail.

"Regardless, since you were able to use that Water Release ninjutsu just now, you have proven a tangible connection between yourself and the Second Hokage. And now, it can also be counted as a connection between you and me," Sanshao added.

In this way, her willingness to teach Hanyu ninja knowledge was explained—she viewed what happened between Hanyu and the Second Hokage as a form of inheritance.

She hoped Hanyu was a person of talent; otherwise, why would she value him? And based on the results, her expectations were correct.

Hanyu had already sensed that Sanshao seemed to have a close relationship with the Second Hokage or the Senju clan, and her words now were equivalent to admitting it. Although Hanyu felt that Sanshao's understanding of his relationship with the Second Hokage was somewhat biased—the two were merely strangers who had met once—this explanation was easier for him to accept than groundless kindness.

"The 'thrilling' feeling you mentioned earlier—if you can, you must always remember it. The young people in the village have praised your performance, believing you to be a mature person, but I don't think so. Although you may have experienced many things, a maturity that transcends one's age never truly exists. So-called maturity is merely a form of numbness. And a person cannot remain numb forever."

Hanyu opened his mouth, but could find no words to refute her.

Was he mature? Certainly. But was he numb?

He was far more numb than Sanshao accused him of being.

In such a strange world, Hanyu could only protect himself with a thick shell. His worldview, values, and methods of dealing with things were, if not completely incompatible with the people of this world, at least distinct.

Only then did he realize that the "young people" Sanshao spoke of seemed to refer to the Third Hokage and his peers.