Naruto still very much wanted to take part in this mission.
This mission had mobilized Neji, and even included three Jonin teams.
That showed just how important this mission was.
As long as he joined the mission and performed well, he would definitely be promoted directly to Jonin.
Naruto now placed great importance on ninja ranks.
After all, although he had already become a Chunin, he was still one rank behind Sasuke and Sakura.
Not to mention that the two of them were not only Jonin now, but also held high-ranking positions in Konoha.
If he could not even catch up to them in ninja rank, there was no point talking about status.
However, Yeyu gave him no such opportunity at all.
Everything had already been arranged. Now that Naruto had come asking, Yeyu had no interest in arranging it all over again.
Although Yeyu wanted Naruto to advance to Jonin, that did not mean he had to send him on every mission.
There would be plenty of missions like this in the future.
Assigning him to any one of them would be enough.
Mount Sumeru was located within the Land of Fire.
However, this place was sparsely populated, with few human settlements and a relatively harsh environment.
Its terrain and natural conditions were even more brutal than the Gobi landscape of the Land of Earth.
Though this terrain was unsuitable for human habitation, it was well suited as a location for certain research projects or ninja organizations.
That was Hiruko's plan. He had established his headquarters here.
Atop Mount Sumeru stood a castle.
For ninja, constructing such a castle was not particularly difficult.
What was more, he had several subordinates, and all of them possessed formidable ninjutsu.
Inside the castle's great hall,
five wooden stakes had been erected, with