New Mission (Seeking Collection and Recommendations for the New Book)

The morning light was faint at the edge of Konoha Training Ground 3.

Yusuke closed his eyes to focus, and threads of chakra quickly manifested upon the custom kunai in his hand.

Unlike the "three-pronged" kunai of Minato Namikaze, the ones he had specifically forged were lighter, designed for rapid projection.

He carefully etched a complex jutsu formula onto the hilt of the blade.

Sweat trickled down his temple, but his gaze remained focused and his breathing steady.

Before long, the characters for "I was here" slowly appeared on the kunai.

"Yusuke!"

A sharp, urgent voice shattered the morning silence.

Yusuke's fingertips trembled, causing his chakra output to destabilize instantly; the formula on the kunai flickered a few times before vanishing into a wisp of smoke.

He sighed and turned to see Tsunade approaching in a rush, dressed today in light armor suited for long-distance travel.

Her golden ponytail swayed in the morning breeze, and though her face remained exquisite and spirited, it was currently clouded with a layer of gloom.

"Are we heading out on a mission?" For some reason, seeing Tsunade dressed this way stirred a strong sense of alarm in Yusuke's heart.

Tsunade stopped before him and, without any preamble, handed him a scroll.

Her voice was low but grave: "Emergency orders. The western border reconnaissance unit has detected signs of abnormal, large-scale movements from Sunagakure; they appear to be preparing to cross the border."

"The Hokage has specifically named me to lead a support team immediately to reinforce the defenses."

She then produced a second scroll: "This one is for you. Your mission is to head to the Land of Whirlpools."

Tsunade's brows were tightly knit, her amber eyes flashing with a mix of anger and helplessness.

"The Land of Whirlpools has requested aid, and the village is currently mobilizing personnel; the main force departs tomorrow."

"It just so happens that Sunagakure pulls this stunt now, and they specifically requested that I be the one to go."

Yusuke silently accepted his mission scroll.

A coincidence? He didn't believe it for a second.

Rather than believing in coincidence, he was more inclined to believe this was the handiwork of Shimura Danzō.

That old man, in order to eliminate him, had not hesitated to use his influence to pull Tsunade away from his side.

He could almost imagine the scene without the "eyesore" Princess of Senju present.

On the perilous battlefield of the Land of Whirlpools, the "accidental" death of a single chunin would hardly cause a ripple.

Danzō had utilized the Hokage's orders and the "potential threat" facing the village to ensure Tsunade could not refuse and Yusuke could not intervene.

"Damn it, I didn't expect Danzō to stay quiet for a few months only to start stirring up trouble the moment he got the chance."

Tsunade cursed under her breath; she, too, suspected Danzō's involvement.

However, with things having reached this point, Yusuke could only feign indifference to put her mind at ease.

"Don't overthink it; after all, your medical ninjutsu is perfect for dealing with the poisons of Sunagakure."

"But you must be careful. The methods of Sunagakure are devious; don't fall into any traps."

Tsunade looked at Yusuke with a complex expression. Having spent so much time with this guy, she could tell that his words were insincere.

Suddenly, she stepped forward, reached out, and firmly cupped Yusuke's cheeks.

The movement was abrupt, carrying her characteristic assertiveness.

"Listen to me, Yusuke."

Tsunade's gaze locked onto his, her tone earnest.

"The situation in the Land of Whirlpools is a complete mess right now. With several major powers tangled together, it's even more dangerous than our last time in the Land of Rain."

"And the commander this time is that old man Shimura Danzō."

"He definitely doesn't have good intentions. You make sure you come back safely, do you hear me?"

Her voice trembled slightly; it was less of a command and more of a plea.

Tsunade stared into his eyes for a few seconds before suddenly rising on her tiptoes and quickly pressing a kiss to Yusuke's forehead.

The sudden kiss left Yusuke stunned.

Yusuke: Huh? Was I just forcibly kissed? Well, I suppose that doesn't quite count.

After the kiss, Tsunade quickly pulled back, two blushes rising on her cheeks.

She felt a bit embarrassed, but she quickly forced herself to remain composed.

"Th-this is a reward paid in advance."

"Once you finish your mission and return to Konoha in one piece, we... we can try being together."

"Huh? Try being together?" Yusuke repeated subconsciously. "Hasn't that already started?"

"Who says? When have you ever confessed to me!"

Tsunade practically roared the words, turning her face away the moment she finished.

"In any case, you remember this: come back alive."

Watching this rare display of shyness mixed with overbearing force from Tsunade, Yusuke should have felt sweet joy.

Yet, a chill far more intense than the one he felt when deducing Danzo's conspiracy instantly swept through him.

This standard "wait until I return..." phrasing was a classic "Death Flag."

The trope where a sweet promise is made one second only for the parties to be separated by death the next was something he had seen countless times in his memories.

Not to mention the added weight of Tsunade's "Kiss of Death."

Buhao, this is bad.

"Tsunade..." He opened his mouth, wanting to tell her how dangerous this flag was and asking if she could retract it.

But seeing the clarity and sincerity in Tsunade's eyes, all his words choked in his throat.

He could only nod heavily, struggling to pull off a smile that would put her at ease: "Alright, I promise you."

"I will definitely come back alive to claim my 'reward'."

Tsunade looked at Yusuke's somewhat awkward smile, seemingly about to snap.

I've already encouraged you this much, what more could you want? she thought.

But considering the situation Yusuke was about to face, her short temper gradually subsided.

Tsunade continued to instruct Yusuke on various matters to watch out for on the battlefield, from wilderness survival techniques to the characteristics of ninjutsu from different nations, leaving no detail untouched.

Yusuke carefully noted every single one.

Finally, Tsunade checked the time; it was almost time for her own assembly.

She bit her lower lip and took a deep look at Yusuke. "I have to go."

Yusuke handed Tsunade a kunai and smiled: "Don't be so down. This is my custom kunai, inscribed with a chakra-triggering formula I created myself."

"That way, if you are in any danger, I can sense it immediately and come to your side."

Tsunade pursed her lips and carefully tucked the kunai into her ninja tool pouch.

"I'm leaving. This is a secret medicine to stimulate potential, but don't use it unless you absolutely have to."

After shoving a vial of medicine into his hand, she turned and left.

Standing in place, Yusuke watched that figure until she completely vanished from sight.

The surroundings fell silent instantly, save for the rustling of leaves in the morning breeze.

He took a deep breath of the cool air, but the unease lingering in his heart did not dissipate with Tsunade's departure.

Instead, it continued to spread, growing heavier and heavier.

All fear stems from a lack of firepower.

If he had six hundred billion explosive tags, he didn't believe there would be any obstacle he couldn't overcome.

Yusuke silently packed up his scattered ninja tools and headed straight for the Konoha weapon shop.

He went on a massive shopping spree, purchasing a large quantity of explosive tags, military rations, antidotes, and medical bandages.

As a representative of stability and a master of the "stay-low" path, he carefully inspected the quality of every single item.

He properly sorted the explosive tags and labeled the antidotes according to their efficacy and toxicity.

By the time he finished, it was already evening.

Yusuke took out his greatsword and wiped the blade meticulously with an oilcloth; the cold sensation finally calmed his chaotic thoughts.

"Survive..." he whispered to himself.