Temptation

"Famous?" The Chunin was speechless. He might indeed become famous in the future. He had only ever heard of assigning Jonin to complete missions, but he had never seen a team of Genin specifically assigned to complete a mission.

Yohei then opened the scroll, and the three of them huddled together, heads close together, to read the mission details.

"Another escort mission, and to the Daimyo's Mansion no less? Wow! The mission has a time limit of twenty days?" Yohei asked, somewhat puzzled. He turned to Taiichi, wanting to hear Taiichi's opinion.

What could Taiichi possibly be thinking? He had just received his mission—to escort visiting officials from the Daimyo's Mansion back to Kyoto.

Seriously, shouldn't the same group of people escort him on both the way there and back for this kind of mission? How come all the ninjas who escorted him to Konoha have disappeared? And they specifically chose this Genin squad, who don't have Jonin leader at the moment, to carry out the mission.

This seemed rather strange, and thinking back to the mission he had carried out in the Daimyo's Mansion some time ago, Taiichi had a vague idea in his mind, but he couldn't quite grasp this fleeting thought.

"And, Taichi Matsushita." The Chunin hadn't finished speaking when the Hokage-sama ordered, "After reading the mission briefing, proceed to the Hokage's Office to await an audience."

Yohei and Saori immediately shifted their thoughts from the mission back to Taiichi. Their two pairs of curious eyes stared at Taiichi, each conveying the same message: "What good thing have you been up to behind our backs this time?"

Taiichi shook his head, indicating that he knew nothing about the situation and was equally unaware of what was going on.

The Chunin didn't wait for Taiichi to ask Taiichi further questions. After conveying the order, he left on his own. Judging from his hurried steps, he was clearly a very busy person.

"Then I'll head to the Hokage's Office. You two should go back and prepare your supplies. We'll meet up here again at noon." Taiichi didn't hesitate and, after agreeing with the two, went to report to the Hokage.

"Knock knock knock"

Taiichi knocked on the Hokage's Office door. A voice called out, "Come in!"

Taiichi deep breath and pushed open the door to the Hokage's Office. The morning sunlight streamed through the window and onto the desk, where Hiruzen Sarutobi was bent over, reviewing documents. Apart from the occasional rustling of pages turning and the clicking of his pipe, the only other sound in the room was the soft clatter of the paper.

With so many documents to review so early in the morning, how much time is left for cultivation? I wonder how much of the Third Hokage's strength is left.

Taiichi's mind raced with these thoughts, but what he said aloud was, "Hokage-sama, you should smoke less; it's bad for your health. Master Tsunade specifically told me to remind you."

"Puff"

"Cough cough"

"Tsunade?" Hiruzen Sarutobi dispersed the swirling smoke, looking at Taiichi with interest. "She's not that kind, you know~"

Taiichi, as if someone had read his mind, scratched his head sheepishly and said, "Teacher Tsunade still cares about you."

Taiichi himself didn't believe what he said, but Hiruzen Sarutobi still smiled.

"By the way, Hokage-sama, is there something you need from me?"

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi also withdrew his smile, his gaze sharp as he scrutinized the boy before him. Truly an outstanding child; both his strength and his Will of Fire were remarkable. This mission was indeed most suitable for him. "Taiichi, have you noticed anything amiss with this mission?"

Taiichi's heart skipped a beat as several important pieces of information clicked together in his mind: the Daimyo's subtle attempts to win him over during the last mission, the officials escorting the Daimyo's Mansion's residence this time, and the Hokage's special instructions.

He carefully considered his words before speaking, "The people we're escorting are officials from the Daimyo's Mansion's prefecture, but the mission specifically designated our squad, which doesn't have Jonin —this is highly illogical."

"Not bad." Hiruzen Sarutobi down his pipe and took out a confidential document from a drawer. "According to the Anbu's intelligence, this official is the confidant of the Finance Minister from your last banquet." He looked at Taiichi meaningfully. "The Daimyo is very interested in you; he specifically requested that you complete this mission."

Taiichi's pupils contracted slightly as he finally grasped that fleeting thought—so this was creating an opportunity for the Daimyo to make contact! He subconsciously clenched his fist: "So this is—"

"An opportunity to turn the tables." Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice suddenly deepened. "We also need to know the Daimyo's true intentions towards Konoha." He rose and walked to Taiichi, placing his aged hand on Taiichi's shoulder. "Are you willing to accept this special mission?"

Taiichi's breath hitched slightly. Sure enough, it was a spy.

Espionage missions are far more dangerous than imagined. Take Nonō, for example. Since she left Root, she no longer hides her past from Taiichi, allowing Taiichi to truly understand the hardships of being a spy.

The scheming and intrigue with the enemy, the anxiety during the infiltration, the fear of being surrounded by enemies on all sides —Nonō had described all these experiences to her in detail.

But considering the recent soaring prices and the possibility of war, Taichi Taiichi understood Nonō's motivation for protecting the Orphanage. He took a deep breath and, with his most solemn attitude, said, "Please give your instructions Hokage-sama."

"Very good." Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled with satisfaction. "Remember, you just need to remain natural. If Daimyo extends an olive branch—" He tapped his pipe lightly on the table, "Let it land on the branch we've prepared."

As Taiichi walked out of the office, he squinted at the direction of the Mission Hall. The smiling faces of Yohei and Saori appeared before his eyes. His clenched fist slowly relaxed. Some burdens, in the end, he still had to bear them himself.

Back home, after preparing various Ninja Tool and Resupply, it was already close to noon. Taiichi didn't wait any longer, closed the door, and went straight to the Mission Hall to meet up with his teammates.

Taiichi was already mentally prepared. This mission might not involve much fighting, but for him, the danger would be no less than that of a fierce battle, and perhaps even greater.

In front of the Mission Hall, Yohei and Saori were already waiting. After Taiichi joined the two, they did not delay any longer and went directly to the Post House to find the official from the Daimyo's Mansion's residence, Noda So, according to the instructions in the Mission Scroll.

Konoha truly lives up to its reputation as the most powerful and prosperous ninja village; even its Post House is built in such a unique style.

Upon arriving at the building, Taiichi looked left and right, but couldn't find a single sign indicating that it was Post House. If it weren't for the same sign on the door frame that matched the one on the mission manual, Taiichi would have thought it was just a large hotel.

Indeed, Taiichi had passed through this place countless times during his training; if there was anything special about it, he should have discovered it long ago.

Therefore, even in such a large place as Konoha, there wasn't a single place to receive visiting envoys. Indeed, one shouldn't overestimate this political organization, which had only been established for a little over forty years; everything was so immature. But within this immaturity, a sense of decay was already evident.

Noda So was a man who looked very shrewd and capable. When Taiichi and the others arrived, he had already led his men to tidy up everything and wait for them in the house.

Upon meeting Taiichi and his two companions, Noda So was exceptionally warm and welcoming. He showed no disdain for their young age, nor any arrogance due to his status as an official of the Daimyo's Mansion.

He stepped forward and bowed to Taiichi and the other two, saying, "Please take good care of me for the rest of the journey, sirs."

The whole process seemed so natural and peaceful, as if he had always been this approachable.

At that moment, Taiichi realized that Noda So was no ordinary person, and that the journey ahead would likely not be peaceful.

The delegation from the Daimyo's Mansion that visited Konoha consisted of 10 people in total. In addition to Noda So, there were two scribes, four servants, and three guards.

Taiichi's gaze swept quickly over the crowd, assessing their combat strength. Apart from the three guards who had some skill, the others were only slightly better than weaklings. It seemed this was going to be a long escort journey.

The group followed Noda So out of the house, where an elegantly decorated carriage was already waiting. Noda So didn't stand on ceremony and got into the carriage, while the others had to follow on foot.

The group left Konoha and traveled leisurely along the official road through the forest towards the Kyoto City.

"Taiichi, at this pace, how long will it take us?" Yohei, unable to bear the slow pace any longer, came to complain to Taiichi after only half a day's journey.

"Don't you remember the duration of this mission?" Taiichi at Yohei: "You didn't think that long period of time was just for you to play around, did you?"

Only then did Yohei remember that he had indeed been surprised by the time limit when he accepted the mission. It turned out that it was because the mission group was moving too slowly.

At this moment, Saori, who had heard the Saori, came over and comforted Yohei, who was frowning, saying, "Judging from their speed, I estimate they'll reach Kyoto City in seven or eight days at most. It shouldn't take this long."

"I hope so!" Yohei thought dejectedly. He had originally planned to come out on a mission to gain some combat experience, but he had been assigned such a boring task. He might as well stay home and cultivate. Yohei could only complain to himself at this moment.

"You two have already learned Shadow Clone, right? Create a Shadow Clone and your main body, one for cultivation and one for guard duty. That way, you won't waste time," Taiichi suggested. "But you can only create one at a time; you won't be able to handle more than that."

"That's right, how could I forget!" Yohei said, quickly Hand Seals to create a Shadow Clone. Then, pointing at the Shadow Clone triumphantly, he instructed, "You go and keep watch, I'll cultivate!"

To everyone's surprise, the Shadow Clone ignored Yohei, running straight into the nearby woods, only managing to drift back with the words, "Only an idiot would go on guard duty. I'm off to train. Go ahead and dismiss me if you dare!"

Not only was Yohei stunned, but Taiichi and Saori were also somewhat taken aback.

"Taiichi, can Shadow Clone be used like this?" Saori asked Taiichi, puzzled. After all, Taiichi among the three who had learned Shadow Clone the earliest and often used them for training and other tasks, so he should know more about this technique.

"Well..." Taiichi scratched his head, he had never seen anything like this before. "Shadow Clone naturally have the same thought patterns as the original body. I guess Yohei himself really hates being on guard, that's why the Shadow Clone are reacting like this!"

Taiichi could only explain it this way: his own Shadow Clone were very obedient. It was probably only someone with Yohei's personality who would have such unreliable Shadow Clone.

Yohei watched the Shadow Clone run away, his forehead throbbing wildly. Several times he saw him try to Hand Seals to dispel the Ninjutsu, but he always managed to hold back.

After all, he did Taiichi have Chakra Control, which allowed him to manage the amount of Chakra contained in his Shadow Clones. This Shadow Clone had used half of his Chakra, so dissolving it like this would be a huge loss.

The commotion attracted the attention of the delegation. They saw the ninja conjure up a person and rush into the forest, then conjure up another person and walk around reading a book. They were all amazed and their eyes revealed a look of envy.

"Taiichi, why don't you create Shadow Clone to cultivate?" Saori asked, noticing Taiichi's prolonged silence.

"Haha, I already created a clone to cultivate, but none of you noticed." Taiichi Saori strangely at Saori: "Guess, am I the real body or Shadow Clone?"

The minor incident did not affect the mission's progress. After all, it was only C-Rank Mission, and it took them two days to travel safely along the main road between Kyoto City and Konoha, the heart of the Land of Fire.

These past two days, Noda So has been intentionally or unintentionally getting close to Taiichi, sometimes chatting about everyday things, sometimes about the current situation in the Land of Fire. Just like now.

That night, when the group was encamped, Noda So came to Taiichi and casually asked, "Taiichi- kun, how are you doing in Konoha? I heard you were an orphan?"

Taiichi poked at the fire without turning his head, but his Chakra Perception was fully unleashed. In his mind, Noda So was staring intently at his face, as if trying to see every single expression on his face.

"Konoha is great. Everyone is like family. My teachers, Captain, Companions all take good care of me." Taiichi deliberately put on a sincere smile, but inwardly he was on guard. This was the third time in the past two days that Noda So had mentioned his orphan status.

I'm an orphan, I didn't eat your rice, and Tenten ever do is use that same excuse, it's so unoriginal.

Taiichi thought to himself with disdain.

As the journey continued, Noda So's probing became increasingly obvious.

On the third day, during the afternoon break, while Yohei and Saori were out on patrol, Noda So came to Taiichi's side again. Pointing to the wildflowers by the roadside, he sighed, "These flowers are beautiful, but they can only grow and die in the wild. If they were in the garden of the Daimyo's Mansion, they would definitely receive better care."

Taiichi pretended not to understand the implication and simply echoed, "Taking care of us is good, but it comes at the cost of our freedom!"

On the fifth day, the delegation was to stay in a small town for rest, so Noda So arranged for a guard to go to the town ahead of time to inform them of the preparations.

When the City Lord the small town learned that it was Daimyo who had come to visit, the entire town was immediately alarmed. This place was already close to the Kyoto City, and it was the place where the Daimyo's prestige radiated the most.

The city City Lord led all the city officials out of the city to greet the delegation. When the delegation slowly arrived at the city gate, they had been waiting there for a long time.

Surrounded by the City Lord and his entourage, Noda So, unlike his usual amiable self, became smug and confident. He enjoyed the flattery from the City Lord and his entourage, and even accepted the gifts that the City Lord secretly sent him without making a sound. All of this happened right before Taiichi's eyes.

As the group entered the city, the City Lord led the way, with Noda So sitting on the edge of the carriage, flanked by Taiichi and two other guards. Suddenly, he said to them, "I'm only borrowing the prestige of Daimyo, yet the City Lord of this small city is so attentive to me. When I truly possess such power, won't they be fawning over me Tenten?"

Yohei and Saori, not understanding what Noda So was up to, simply smiled awkwardly upon hearing this.

Taiichi, however, understood perfectly that this was a demonstration of the subtle uses of power, so he deliberately adopted a thoughtful expression.

Noda So, who was watching Taiichi's expression closely, was delighted: This kid has finally started to understand things; it wasn't for nothing that he played the villain for a while.

City Lord's Mansion, the lights shone brightly, the sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air, and all sorts of delicious food were served continuously. Graceful maids moved among the tables, serving everyone their meals.

This time, Taiichi other two were also able to sit to the left of Noda So and personally experience this "thoughtful" service.

After several rounds of drinks, the banquet reached its climax, and the guests became even more unrestrained. Taiichi others clearly saw that Noda So had revealed his ugly side, and even his hands and feet became unrestrained, constantly taking advantage of the maids beside him. The maid in his arms was also teased by him until her face turned as red as a peach blossom, and she kept panting softly.

All of this was clearly too much for Yohei and Saori, not to mention Taiichi. All three of them blushed, unsure whether to leave or stay. Yohei kept stealing glances at the maid beside him, feeling a little deer pounding in his heart.

"Haha, it seems we three ninja masters are still children after all, not used to our colorful world!" Noda So teased, seeing the awkwardness of Taiichi and the others. His words caused everyone present to burst into unrestrained laughter.

The laughter was like sharp knives, particularly jarring, leaving Taiichi companions completely bewildered, as they had never encountered such a situation in their ninja careers.

"What are you laughing at? These three are Konoha ninja masters! How dare you mock them like this!" Noda So suddenly interrupted the laughter with a loud shout.

The scene was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Even the girl in his arms, whose face had been flushed, was now trembling and pale, clearly terrified by the sudden turn of events.

Looking at the crowd who had fallen silent because of his imposing presence, Noda So smiled smugly, then suddenly became polite and bowed to Taiichi two to apologize.

Seeing his behavior, everyone present stood up and solemnly apologized to Taiichi and his companions. This made Taiichi and his companions feel embarrassed, and they quickly stood up and returned the apology. "It's all because of our ignorance; we've disturbed everyone's enjoyment—"

After some polite exchanges, the banquet returned to its original lively atmosphere. Some people drank, while others flirted with the beautiful maids. However, everyone centered their attention around Noda So, making him appear exceptionally powerful.

Taiichi sat quietly at the table, picked up his cup and sipped his drink, using the cup to conceal his interest.

Power, beauty, money— Noda So, or even Daimyo, would stop at nothing to win him over.

Only----

Looking at the increasingly uneasy Yohei and Saori beside him, Taiichi secretly shook his head. He would have to remind them later not to let these temptations affect their mindset.