A Demonstration

Facing Tsunade's eagerness to give it a try, Genma used an impending mission as an excuse and firmly refused to gamble or take drugs. Then he bolted.

But soon he appeared on the wall again and called out to Tsunade, "Lady Tsunade, you'd better keep training while I'm gone. Otherwise, even in the field you're best at, you'll lose to me."

"When I get back, let's compete in strength!"

After provoking her, he took off again—and this time, he really was gone.

Tsunade's roar shook the earth.

That little brat was way too arrogant!

How dare he claim he was stronger than her?

He had no idea how high the heavens were or how deep the earth!

Tsunade was furious, her fists clenched tight. If Shizune hadn't been holding her back, she would have punched a hole through the corridor pillar.

"Damn it! When he gets back, I'm going to teach him a proper lesson!"

Tsunade held a grudge, then said to Shizune, "Shizune, I have a mission for you. Keep a close eye on him and write down all his information for me!"

Shizune blinked innocently. "Lady Tsunade, isn't that a little inappropriate?"

Tsunade gave a soft snort. "It's a basic skill for a ninja."

"That's final!"

Genma had no idea he'd acquired a little spy.

Back home, he went into the bathroom and soaked in the tub, then turned his attention to the [Setting Collection].

Being assigned to this team hadn't earned him any Setting Value.

In the original timeline, Yamashiro Aoba and Shizune's Jonin instructor certainly hadn't been their teacher, Hatake Sakumo.

But thinking it over, having Hatake Sakumo as their team leader probably wouldn't change Yamashiro Aoba and Shizune's fates.

Shizune was a medical ninja.

Yamashiro Aoba belonged to a minor ninja clan and had his own unique inheritance.

Still, they'd graduated now, and the Third Shinobi World War was about to begin. Genma felt a huge wave of Setting Value galloping toward him.

First, there was the Third Kazekage's disappearance. Would he get a chance to interfere?

Probably not.

Thinking of the Kazekage, Genma immediately thought of someone from Sunagakure.

Pakura, the Scorch Release kunoichi known for having the most beautiful back.

"Such a beautiful back—it'd be a shame not to cup it..."

"No, it'd be a shame if she died."

Genma immediately corrected himself.

If he saved Pakura and sent her back to Sunagakure, would they kill her again, or would something interesting happen instead?

Could he get some more Setting Value out of it?

And the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—if he got the chance, he'd take them out first.

Genma made his plans in secret.

The next morning.

At nine, Team 9 gathered in front of the Hokage Building right on time.

Hatake Sakumo had already accepted a mission before Genma and the others arrived. As soon as they were all there, he ordered, "Let's go!"

They immediately set off using the Body Flicker Technique.

Genma looked different from the day before. He wore a sleeveless, vest-style steel cuirass, and a large scroll was strapped horizontally across his lower back.

Seeing him in armor, Yamashiro Aoba couldn't help asking, "Genma, isn't that a little over the top?"

Genma smiled faintly. "Too bad they don't make armor that covers your whole body."

Ninja were too fragile. He needed to protect himself properly.

Even though his medical skills were already very good, he was still afraid of pain!

"Wearing armor that heavy will affect your agility, though it might not slow you down as much as it would most people."

Yamashiro Aoba analyzed the matter seriously, then sighed. "As expected, stamina is the foundation of everything."

"Genma, I'm so jealous of your stamina."

"Is it because you eat so much?"

Genma thought for a moment, then answered seriously, "Eating more is only part of it. The most important thing is a balanced diet. Meat, vegetables, seafood, soy products... You need all of them, along with plenty of exercise."

Of course, genetics mattered most.

Genma didn't say that part.

He didn't have good genes, either. He was cheating.

While the two were chatting, Shizune watched Genma and thought to herself, He should have an upper-arm guard, too... Once we get the mission pay, I'll buy one and give it to him.

Genma was already wearing guards, but they only protected his forearms.

After leaving Konoha, Hatake Sakumo led the team into the woods before explaining the mission. "Our target is a samurai named Igata Kaito."

"He used to serve a noble under the Land of Fire's Daimyo. For some reason, he killed that noble and fled, so the Daimyo Estate has asked the village to hunt him down."

"So don't underestimate him. Some samurai have learned to use chakra, although the information from the Daimyo Estate says Igata Kaito hasn't."

"But according to the reports, he's currently active in the border area between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain."

Yamashiro Aoba immediately asked, "So, sensei, is there anything special about that place?"

Genma added, "Is it because the situation in the Land of Rain is so unstable right now?"

Hatake Sakumo nodded.

Shizune asked curiously, "Sensei, didn't the Ninja World War end a long time ago?"

"And the Land of Rain has Amegakure, whose leader is a powerful man known as the demigod."

Hatake Sakumo smiled. "Shizune's well-informed."

"But the situation in the Land of Rain is complicated."

His expression grew more serious as he explained, "Amegakure lost the last war, and Hanzo's power and prestige suffered. He can no longer control the situation across the entire Land of Rain."

"The effects of the war have been far-reaching. The Land of Rain still hasn't recovered."

"Then there's its geographical position. With various forces vying for power, the country has fallen into chaos. All sorts of ninja organizations have sprung up, and many wanted criminals and rogue ninja from other villages are active there."

Shizune and Yamashiro Aoba finally understood.

Genma, however, already knew all this.

As far as Konoha was concerned, the war had been over for good by the time the year 41 of Konoha came around.

But for the Land of Rain, the war had never really ended.

Hanzo had shown tremendous ambition during the last Ninja World War. Setting aside Kirigakure, which lay far overseas, the four great ninja villages surrounding the Land of Rain would never allow Amegakure to become the sixth great ninja village.

So after its expansionist ambitions failed, Amegakure could only watch as the Land of Rain descended into chaos.

That was the price of defeat.

Of course, Hatake Sakumo wasn't going to explain all this in detail to a few green recruits.

But Yamashiro Aoba already understood what he meant. "So this Igata Kaito may have joined an organization?"

"He may even have learned to use chakra."

"Anything is possible," Hatake Sakumo replied.

"We don't have much information right now, so we'll need to gather intel on the target. Be careful and take this seriously."

This was a mission that could become a B-rank mission at any moment, which was why Hatake Sakumo had accepted it.

There was some danger, but not much.

They spent the next two days traveling.

On the morning of the third day, Genma's team reached the western border of the Land of Fire.

Their pace had been average. Since this was their first time leaving the village, Hatake Sakumo had deliberately slowed them down.

Outside a small border town, Hatake Sakumo led Genma and the others to look toward the mountain in the direction of the Land of Rain. "According to the reports, the target was last seen in this town. He's probably hiding somewhere in the mountains."

Yamashiro Aoba said, "The search area is huge. Should we split up?"

Hatake Sakumo was about to nod when Genma spoke first. "There's no need to make things so complicated."

The other three looked at him in unison.

Yamashiro Aoba asked, "Are you going to use clones?"

Genma nodded, then shook his head, and formed hand seals.

Poof! Poof! Poof!

Four Shadow Clones appeared. The four clones immediately leaped into the air. Smoke burst around them, and four falcons tore through it, wings beating as they sent up a gust of wind.