The Little Fox Hiding Its Tail

The Military Ration Pill research base was a hive of activity.

Byakuya could not see any signs of damage, no matter how he looked at it.

He cautiously waited one more day, during which he practiced Storm Release ninjutsu over a dozen times.

The next day.

The base remained exactly the same.

However, Konoha logistics troops arrived, loaded with goods, and departed toward the battlefield.

"Could those two Anteater Bounty Group ninjas be setting their sights on the goods in transit?"

The more Byakuya thought about it, the more likely it seemed. He quietly tailed them until they passed through a valley exceptionally well-suited for an ambush, yet the targets still did not appear. He suddenly thought to himself, Could the enemy have discovered my tracks? Are they intentionally waiting for me to leave before carrying out their sabotage?

He immediately sped back to the Military Ration Pill research base.

It was still a scene of peace and industry.

There was nothing out of the ordinary.

"Does the target think there are too many people here, making it unsuitable for sabotage, so they moved elsewhere?"

He spread out a map.

The closest facility was the Combat Uniform Factory.

Byakuya rushed over there as well.

But the Combat Uniform Factory was just like the Military Ration Pill research base; workers were sweating profusely, and various raw materials for sewing Konoha ninja combat uniforms were being delivered in an orderly fashion. The situation was perfectly organized.

This left him completely stumped.

He decided to just finish his Fate Grid mission in the forest beside the factory.

Heaven Rewards Diligence, The Persistent Succeed

Time Limit: 3 days: Practice Storm Release ninjutsu (50/50)

Reward: Minor increase in ninjutsu talent

After obtaining the reward, Byakuya finally understood what "ninjutsu talent" meant.

It involved chakra advantages, efficiency in learning and comprehension, and creative breakthroughs in ninjutsu, among other things.

"The Storm Release: Torrential Lightning Flash I developed from Water Release: Water Wave has many flaws—unnecessary chakra waste, insufficient control, misjudgment of power... I could have done better, but I was limited by my ninjutsu talent. I could only reach this level before, but things will be different from now on..."

Returning to his mission for Root, Byakuya eventually put on a Konoha ninja headband and went to the Military Ration Pill research base to ask around.

Only then did he learn that someone had indeed attacked the base, causing several injuries, but they had been killed by Konoha ninjas who arrived in time.

With this intelligence, Byakuya could return to Konoha with peace of mind.

Wearing the Shuten-doji mask and a black trench coat, he showed his credentials and ignored the questions from the Konoha ninjas guarding the gate. He took a side path to reach the Ninja Academy and climbed over the wall to enter.

He opened the warehouse, took off his trench coat, gathered his weapons, and placed the Shuten-doji mask in a corner. Carrying the captured target identification tags and the Bounty Exchange mission scroll, he went to Hiroya's office.

He knocked on the door.

"Come in... Oh, it's Byakuya! You're finally back! Sit! Sit down!"

Hiroya, that old fox, flipped through the Anteater Bounty Group's identification tags and the Bounty Exchange mission scroll while listening to Byakuya report the details of the mission.

"You're saying you used a Shadow Clone to lure the enemy into an ambush, and then used the Explosive Tag Ninja Sword from the academy warehouse to kill them in one fell swoop?"

"Yes! That is exactly what happened."

"You didn't hide anything?"

"This subordinate would not dare to conceal anything."

Hiroya patted him on the shoulder. "Good lad, I didn't misjudge you. Your future is truly boundless! That Explosive Tag Ninja Sword has a connection with you; I'll give it to you."

"Many thanks for the Headmaster's cultivation."

"Hmm, you don't need to work today. Go home and rest."

"This... is that really okay?"

"I am the Headmaster; I say what goes."

"Understood!"

Back in the warehouse, after locking the triple-layered doors, Byakuya suddenly remembered the defensive ninjutsu Orochimaru used, the Triple Rashomon. He wondered if Konoha possessed this technique.

Since he followed the path of caution, the more defensive measures he had, the better.

In the few days he had been away from the village, the number of students at the Ninja Academy had decreased again.

Teacher Izumi Orange was walking downstairs holding her lesson plans, and the two bumped into each other.

"Teacher Izumi Orange, it isn't time for class to end yet, is it?"

"Oh, it's Byakuya. Didn't you know? Many students have already graduated, so teaching work has become quite relaxed. By the way, I went to the warehouse to look for you yesterday; why weren't you at work?"

"The weather has turned cold recently, and I accidentally caught a cold. I took a few days off to recover."

"Are you feeling better?" Izumi Orange touched his forehead, then checked her own.

"I'm fine after taking the medicine, thank you for your concern."

Izumi Orange's baby face broke into a smile, revealing dimples: "Since I'm free anyway, let me treat you to barbecue."

Byakuya shook his head: "If the teacher is paying again, I won't go."

"Fine, fine, fine. This time I'll invite you, and you can pick up the tab."

"Let's go. I've been eating bland food while sick, and I've been missing the taste of barbecue."

Izumi Orange suddenly asked in surprise: "I haven't seen you in a few days, but it feels like student Byakuya has changed."

"It must be because I was sick."

"I suppose so."

Izumi Orange returned to the office to drop off her lesson plans, then left the Ninja Academy with Byakuya.

Hiroya also left the Ninja Academy, heading straight for the Root base.

"I request to see Lord Danzō!"

"Lord Danzō has no time."

"I have an important matter to report!"

"Wait a moment."

Nearly half an hour passed.

"Please, follow me."

Danzō looked up at the calligraphy hanging on the wall, which read "Heaven Rewards Diligence," and spoke without turning around: "Hiroya, what business do you have with this old man?"

"Lord Danzō, Senkaku Byakuya has returned."

"Hmm." Shimura Danzō responded indifferently.

The main purpose of this trip was to clear his own name, even if he didn't know if he was actually guilty.

In any case, since Lord Danzō had personally inquired about Byakuya's mission, it was best to be cautious.

He recounted the mission details Byakuya had reported to Danzō exactly as they were.

"This subordinate only knew the mission involved rogue ninja; I truly could not have foreseen that it would involve the Anteater Bounty Group and the Bounty Exchange."

Danzō closed his eyes for a moment, then turned his head to glance at Hiroya, as this man was still useful to him: "Stop kneeling, get up."

"This subordinate dares not."

"Root's personnel are spread across other locations; it is inevitable that unimportant matters might be overlooked. The fault is not yours."

Hearing these words, Hiroya stood up as if walking on thin ice.

"Did you teach the Shadow Clone Technique to Senkaku Byakuya?"

Hiroya hurriedly explained the whole sequence of events, without concealing a single detail.

Danzō asked: "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

He knelt again: "This subordinate deserves to die."

"From now on, you will report matters concerning Senkaku Byakuya only to me."

"Ah?"

"Are you unwilling?"

"No, this subordinate is just too surprised."

Seven days, exactly one week, to learn the Shadow Clone Technique and kill two Chunin-level ninja with rich combat experience—it proved his strength.

Danzō took Byakuya's file from the drawer and muttered: "One mission doesn't mean much. I want to see whether you are a little fox hiding its tail, or just a piece of rotten wood that got lucky."

"This is Senkaku Byakuya's new mission. Give it to him in seven days. Also, ask Byakuya if there are any ninjutsu he wants to learn, as compensation for the accident during the last mission."

"This subordinate obeys."

"See that you carry out my instructions."

"Yes!"

Byakuya and Izumi Orange walked into the barbecue restaurant and happened to see Yuhi Kurenai there with some friends.

Izumi Orange greeted her warmly: "Student Yuhi Kurenai, congratulations on your graduation."

"Ah, it's Teacher Izumi Orange! Student Byakuya?"

He merely exchanged a few polite words before heading to another table with Izumi Orange.