Rin Nohara's Question

"Oh?" Yang Xing turned his head, his gaze lazy and his question just as casual: "What is it?"

"Those, those five people..." Rin Nohara really wanted to know—or rather, she really wanted to hear Yang Xing himself speak about those five ninja. The tense atmosphere made her clench her hands, and just as she was about to ask, she was interrupted halfway through by Yang Xing.

"Wait a moment. Actually, I have something to ask you as well." Yang Xing looked up at the sky, his tone calm: "As an exchange, if you answer my question, I can answer yours."

Rin Nohara blinked, then nodded with unusual vigor: "Mm! What is it?"

"Between Kakashi and me, who is stronger?"

"This..." Rin Nohara's face was full of hesitation. Just as she was struggling with how to phrase her answer, Yang Xing interrupted her thoughts once again.

"I already know the answer." Glancing at her confused expression, Yang Xing smiled, turned, and walked away without looking back. As he left, a faint remark drifted into Rin Nohara's ears: "When you can say that I am the stronger one, I will tell you the answer you want to know."

Watching his retreating figure, Rin Nohara's mood became even more complicated.

She still didn't quite understand Yang Xing's games or why he needed her to acknowledge such a thing.

Kakashi was certainly not weak—at least, she thought he was very strong.

Then what about this guy's strength?

Was he weak? That was impossible. If he really was the one who took out those five ninja, he had to be strong, very strong.

But was he stronger than Kakashi?

Rin Nohara suddenly realized she didn't know how to answer that question. Perhaps only time would tell.

A thick layer of cumulonimbus clouds hung in the sky, refusing to disperse, making the sunlight dim even though it was nearly noon.

The heavy, stifling air suggested rain could fall at any moment; it looked like the weather today would be exceptionally poor.

Despite the bad weather, a scheduled commitment could not be changed.

At the gates of Konoha, a group of people gathered. One of them was stomping her feet, glaring toward the village with growing dissatisfaction.

"What is that brat doing? What time is it, and he's still not here?" Given Anko's impatient nature, if she hadn't been unsure of where Yang Xing lived, she would have gone to drag him here herself.

The departure time was almost upon them, and the whole group was waiting on him alone. How could she not be angry?

"Well, that's just his personality."

Obito and Kakashi both offered bitter smiles, looking as if they had expected this all along.

It was clear that Yang Xing wouldn't show up until the very last second.

And right on cue, the guy finally arrived.

"Made it. I guess sleeping in is out of the question, then." Once Yang Xing caught up, he realized he was the last one again. Looking at the gloomy weather, he felt his spirits dampen: "We're really heading out in this weather?"

"Stop complaining! Do you have any idea how long we've been waiting for you?" Anko gritted her teeth, nearly throwing a punch at him: "You brat..."

"Anko." Fortunately, the female Jonin instructor intervened, speaking earnestly to the assembled group: "Alright, since everyone is here, let's move out."

"Yeah, yeah!"

He hadn't expected to be leaving again so soon after returning; Konoha was truly a troublesome place.

The group didn't waste time chatting. To make good time, they set off immediately, following a small path toward a nearby village.

This mission was different from the last; they would be passing through several villages along the way. Their task was to check the safety of these settlements while investigating the movements of the ninja who had infiltrated Konoha.

It was going to be a long journey, but since they would have villages to stay in, it was also a decent trip.

At the very least, Yang Xing was treating it like a vacation.

Besides, he didn't have to worry about anything on this trip; with a Jonin leading the way, it saved him a lot of trouble.

The Jonin instructor at the front checked her map while explaining to Yang Xing and the others behind her: "Our destination involves a dozen villages along the route. Of course, we are only responsible for three; other teams are handling the rest, so we don't need to concern ourselves with them. The first small village is not too far ahead, and intelligence suggests it is quite safe."

"The main concern is the second and third villages. The Anbu ninja there haven't sent back any reports. We have absolutely no information on the situation there, which is likely a bad sign." After saying this, the female Jonin looked troubled.

By the looks of it, those ninja from the Land of Earth were causing quite a stir, and destroying villages was indeed an effective tactic.

It created panic within Konoha and forced them to divert manpower, making it easier for the enemy to invade. They were being led by the nose.

Well, it was unavoidable. After all, Konoha was the "center" and "symbol" of the Land of Fire.

They spent most of the afternoon traveling. If there was one thing that didn't go smoothly, it was the weather forecast; by five in the afternoon, rain began to fall.

Looking at the thick clouds above, it seemed the rain wouldn't be stopping anytime soon.

"Pick up the pace. Don't linger here."

"Understood." Yang Xing and the others didn't hesitate to speed up. The village was only a few hundred meters away, already visible to the naked eye.

They broke into a run, hurrying toward their destination.

The rain poured down; the weather in the Warring States period was as temperamental as ever.

Once it started, it became a torrential downpour, drumming loudly as it hit the ground.

The feeling of clothes soaked through by rain was unpleasant, and it put Yang Xing in a foul mood. Just as he was feeling annoyed by the downpour, a voice—neither loud nor soft—sounded in his ear, causing him to falter in his stride.

Mission triggered. Available to claim. Claim? Repeating, claim? If not claimed, the notification will disappear in 1 hour and will no longer be available.

"Triggering at a time like this? This system is sick, and it even disappears if I don't claim it immediately. Fine, claim." Pressing the claim button on the phone, what followed was an utterly baffling mission.

B-rank mission: Run, run, and don't die! Survive for the next three days to complete the mission.

"Ha? What kind of bullshit mission is this? 'Don't die,' die your sister! And 'run'? I'll xx your oo, you sister-fucking..." As Yang Xing ranted at the system, he noticed someone in front of him had stopped in their tracks, failing to keep up with the group ahead.

For some reason, Anko, with her straw-colored ponytail, was staring blankly toward the woods in the distance, completely forgetting that the others had already moved on, looking utterly dazed.

"Hey, everyone's gone. What are you spacing out for?" Even though this girl had a lousy personality, Yang Xing still spoke up to remind her.