Kakashi: I Want to Improve So Badly!

"If you refuse to cooperate, I will have no choice but to drag you back to Konoha and negotiate with Kirigakure directly."

Jiraiya crouched down as he spoke.

Kisame Hoshigaki remained silent.

He dared not pay the price of "cooperation."

Jiraiya stopped being polite, binding him completely with rope and knocking Kisame Hoshigaki unconscious for good measure.

As for the other two, it was best to let them sleep—

Oh, one of them might never wake up again.

"Kurenai, don't bother saving him. Just tie up the one who's still alive and bring him along."

"Understood."

Kurenai Yuhi stood up and immediately glanced at Kyohiko.

In truth, even if she wanted to save him, she was powerless; she had only been observing the situation to accumulate medical experience.

The injured ninja was at least fourteen or fifteen years old, likely a Chunin from Kirigakure.

The situation had been critical at the time, and Kyohiko had used Body Flicker to arrive instantly, sending the man attacking her flying with a single punch.

The result.

It was just that simple of a punch.

The man's heart had been nearly shattered by the shock, and he was likely suffering from massive internal hemorrhaging.

She lacked the ability to heal him.

What truly formidable power!

Has he already fully mastered Lady Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred?

Kurenai Yuhi observed Kyohiko in secret, a flicker of envy and admiration crossing her heart.

Not long ago, Kyohiko hadn't mastered it, yet now he could use it freely without injuring himself...

What a terrifying rate of progress!

If this were two or three months ago, she would have attributed it to raw talent.

But now.

Her perspective had changed.

Behind this rapid progress, Kyohiko and Kakashi had undoubtedly put in efforts beyond what others could imagine.

Over the past few days, he must have been training day and night.

"Lord Jiraiya, is it over?"

"Yes, Mr. Matsuyama. We can continue our journey and head toward Gato's side."

"Good, good, good. Thank you. If it weren't for you... and your three subordinates, I surely would have met my end this time."

Ichiro Matsuyama was filled with relief.

At the same time, deep hatred burned in his eyes.

"That detestable Gato! The Matsuyama Clan has been doing business with him in good faith, yet he wants to devour us. I must make him pay the price!"

Following this, Ichiro Matsuyama's gaze turned vicious.

"Mr. Jiraiya, would you be willing to accept another commission from me?"

"If it's to kill Gato..."

Jiraiya hesitated for a moment before finally shaking his head. "I'm afraid I cannot give you an answer right away."

"Why?"

Ichiro Matsuyama was puzzled.

Jiraiya explained.

"By your own account, Gato is currently a significant power in the Land of Waves, and the situation here is complex. Any move I make could send an unusual signal to the outside world."

"Sigh! I understand. Let's go; at the very least, we must finish this business trip."

Ichiro Matsuyama sighed.

They traveled northeast.

As they neared the street, Kakashi finally woke up.

He opened his eyes, still looking dazed, but upon seeing the situation around him, he immediately snapped to full alertness.

I lost consciousness?

And then—

Wait?

Kakashi's face turned pale, and he immediately jumped off the toad's back.

He saw the two people tied up and bound behind the carriage.

Mist Ninja?

He seemed to have missed something important!

Jiraiya sensed Kakashi waking up and immediately slowed down, moving from the front to the middle position.

"Jiraiya, your subordinate is awake. If there's nothing else, I'll be going back."

"Alright, thank you."

Jiraiya thanked him politely.

The Iron Arm Toad nodded gently and then disappeared from the spot.

Kakashi immediately bowed.

"I'm sorry, Teacher. I fainted at a critical moment of the mission. I don't deserve to be a ninja!"

Both his eyes and tone revealed that what he said was truly what he felt.

Jiraiya was helpless.

This kid's thinking was too extreme!

Mission first?

This wasn't even a very important mission.

He scanned his surroundings, an idea forming in his mind. He immediately said with a serious expression, "Kakashi, you shouldn't apologize to me. You should apologize to your teammates, because they are the ones who need you the most."

Kakashi looked at Kyohiko and Kurenai Yuhi behind him.

He immediately understood Jiraiya's meaning.

To Jiraiya, his strength was insignificant. The ones who needed him most were Kyohiko and Kurenai Yuhi, but he wasn't present during the battle.

Of course.

The situation wasn't as dangerous as Kakashi imagined.

Although Kurenai Yuhi was almost attacked at close range, Jiraiya had been paying attention to Kyohiko and Kurenai Yuhi's fight, and the Iron Arm Toad was also nearby.

If they were truly in danger, the Iron Arm Toad would have intervened to protect them.

After speaking, Jiraiya returned to the front.

Kakashi retreated to the rear.

Upon meeting, before he could say anything, Kurenai Yuhi said gently, "Kakashi, I'm glad you're alright. You must never train yourself to the point of fainting next time, understand?"

He looked at Kyohiko and Kurenai Yuhi, his mask twitching a few times, but he didn't know what to say.

Kakashi had imagined many scenarios.

For example--

Kyohiko might have been sarcastic, saying he didn't follow the rules and didn't contribute to the mission.

Perhaps he would have called him useless.

Kurenai Yuhi...

Although gentle in nature, she might not have given him a pleasant look either, as he had become a burden.

However.

Kyohiko said nothing, and Kurenai Yuhi was gently comforting him, not seeing him as a burden or a hindrance.

Kakashi was stunned.

"But I couldn't help at all."

"You don't need to feel sorry. Everyone has shortcomings and imperfections, which is why we need each other's help, rely on each other, and band together as a team. Besides, the mission wasn't that important. As long as everyone was safe, it's fine."

Kyohiko's face was young, but his tone was mature.

But then.

He changed his tune: "However, you do deserve an apology."

"Huh?"

Kurenai Yuhi was bewildered.

She thought Kyohiko would comfort him, but his words took a turn, and it didn't seem like it.

Kakashi was a bit confused, not understanding what Kyohiko meant.

"As a ninja, you should be responsible for your teammates and comrades. I understood this principle even when I first graduated. You knew you had a mission today, yet you trained all night yesterday? Even if you hadn't fainted, how much better would your performance have been? You might have even endangered your teammates."

Kyohiko said earnestly.

"I'm sorry, I really wanted to master this jutsu. I won't do this again next time!"

Kakashi stated seriously.

For the past day or two, he had been too desperate to catch up to Kyohiko.

Although Kyohiko claimed to have been practicing similar techniques all along, Kakashi knew very well that Kyohiko had not possessed such superb chakra control before.

Even if he had, it would have only started when he began training in Water Release.

At most, it had been about a month.

In one month, Kyohiko's progress had been lightning-fast.

And him?

He had practically been standing still!

It was precisely because Kakashi clearly realized this, and equally recognized the inadequacy of his own abilities, that he was so frantically thirsting to become stronger.

However.

This was truly irrational.

Whether regarding the mission or his teammates, Kakashi felt immense self-reproach.

Kyohiko stood to the side, secretly pleased in his heart.

Although the process and the circumstances were somewhat different, the result seemed to have met his expectations.

In the next step, he hoped to make Kakashi truly grasp the meaning of a team and of comrades.

Furthermore—

According to the reward mechanism, if the influence exerted on the target was significant, the rewards obtained were often related to the other party's greatest strength.

Kakashi, you had better improve quickly!