A New Mission

After leaving the Command Tent, Sen Chisato headed straight for the ninja unit.

The sky gradually brightened, and just like that, the night was over.

After several rounds of checks, he entered the ninja unit's camp. He asked a few passing ninja for directions and arrived in front of a tent.

He reached out and lifted the tent flap. Sunlight quietly streamed inside, and the people within turned to look at him.

"Kid, what brings you here? Got a mission?" Sarutobi Hakuba rose from his bed, while Hyuga Hihi looked equally surprised.

"Where's old man Kosuke?" Sen Chisato didn't explain. After glancing around, he tossed the mission scroll to Sarutobi Hakuba and lay down on an empty bed.

"The old man went to get some food," Sarutobi Hakuba explained as he opened the mission scroll.

"The ninja unit doesn't provide food? We have to make our own?" Sen Chisato rested his hands behind his head and casually grumbled.

"Of course they provide food, but we don't mind eating something better."

The food provided by the ninja unit wasn't a matter of whether it tasted good or not—it had nothing to do with deliciousness at all. With Maruboshi Kosuke around, and since he was happy to cook up something extra, naturally no one turned him down.

"By the way, why would Lord Orochimaru send you here?" After reading the mission scroll, Sarutobi Hakuba asked with a frown.

They all acknowledged Sen Chisato's strength. For someone his age to be this powerful, he was undoubtedly a genius.

And that was precisely why Sen Chisato shouldn't be sent onto the battlefield so casually. If they nurtured him properly, this kid would definitely become a formidable ninja.

Sarutobi Hakuba couldn't understand it.

Hyuga Hihi also looked up in surprise, but said nothing.

"Don't ask me. If you have a problem with it, sorry for the trouble, but take it up with Lord Orochimaru." Sen Chisato pursed his lips, then simply closed his eyes and said no more.

Sarutobi Hakuba and Hyuga Hihi could tell he wasn't in the best of moods, so they didn't bother him further. The tent fell quiet.

Lying on the bed, Sen Chisato closed his eyes and pondered.

He couldn't quite figure out how Orochimaru had discovered his little secret.

After their last experiment, Orochimaru hadn't examined his body.

As for the earlier battle, that wouldn't have been what gave him away. Orochimaru knew he was capable of fighting at that level.

Of course, how Orochimaru had found out didn't matter anymore.

What he needed to think about now was why Orochimaru hadn't taken the opportunity to secretly bring him under control... and how he should respond from here on.

As he went over his memories, Sen Chisato soon smiled, and some of his earlier worries gradually faded.

Orochimaru had revealed that he knew about the secret of Sen Chisato's body to put him in his place!

As for why he hadn't directly "taken him back," that was because he was confident.

Cold Lord Orochimaru was a powerful ninja with plenty of methods and considerable charisma. Many Konoha ninja admired him.

If Sen Chisato were an ordinary Konoha ninja, even a genius, he would never be able to resist Orochimaru's "enticements." Unfortunately, he wasn't.

He had a cheat!

Orochimaru cared more about something else right now: the Hokage Position.

Perhaps Orochimaru no longer yearned for the Hokage Position as much as he once had, but the power, funds, knowledge, and other things it represented were not things he could casually give up.

Besides, even if Orochimaru really did move against him, what did he have to fear now?

Even if he couldn't win, getting away would be a piece of cake.

As for what came next...

"Since he's sent me here, I might as well play along. I can kill people and collect their corpses while earning merit and a reputation. By then, it won't be so easy for Orochimaru to deal with me."

As a legitimate heir of the Hokage's legacy, he might even have a chance of taking the Hokage Position—and a good one.

If that day really came, he could find an excuse to start a war. Even if he didn't become Hokage, that wouldn't stop him from stirring up trouble behind the scenes.

"Looks like I need to take my position as a Konoha Ninja seriously."

With that thought, Sen Chisato completely relaxed, ready to get a good night's sleep.

Three days of pushing himself to the limit on the road had left him a little tired.

Just then, the tent flap was lifted again.

"Food's ready." An old, kindly voice rang out. Maruboshi Kosuke had returned.

Sen Chisato's eyes flew open. He sprang out of bed and stared expectantly at the pot in the old man's hands. "Is it time to eat?"

"Uh, yes. It's ready." Maruboshi Kosuke lifted the lid, and a rush of steam billowed out, spreading an enticing aroma through the tent.

"Wow, that smells amazing!" Sen Chisato rubbed his stomach and grinned. "Just smelling it has my stomach growling."

He hadn't gone hungry over the years, but living with Orochimaru meant that delicacies were out of the question.

After all, he was an experimental subject. Nutrition mattered most; taste didn't need to be considered at all.

Maruboshi Kosuke's cooking was better than what ordinary people could make. At that moment, to Sen Chisato, it was more tempting than the corpse of a Jonin.

More importantly, he needed to start shaping the image he had in the minds of the Konoha ninja.

"Haha, we're on the battlefield, after all, and there isn't much to eat around here. I only managed to find some mushrooms and the like. I hope you don't mind."

Maruboshi Kosuke scratched his head and chuckled. Then he asked in confusion, "By the way, Senri, what brings you here?"

"I've been assigned to Hakuba's squad. I'll be counting on you to look after me from now on, old man... especially when it comes to food." Sen Chisato had already started eating and paid no attention to anyone else.

"Hey, hey, I'm your squad leader now, after all. At least call me 'uncle.'" Sarutobi Hakuba accepted the bowl Maruboshi Kosuke handed him and said helplessly.

"Don't worry. When you die, I'll personally bury you." Sen Chisato's response was perfunctory. He had no respect for his squad leader at all.

If the penalty for killing a teammate weren't so severe, he wouldn't have minded personally sending Sarutobi Hakuba and Hyuga Hihi to the afterlife. Given the choice, he'd rather be teamed up with Maruboshi Kosuke alone.

The old man had been willing to risk his life to protect him earlier, and he could cook for him too. Their bond was maxed out, and so was his usefulness.

What use were Sarutobi Hakuba and Hyuga Hihi to him?

Oh, no. He shouldn't think like that now. Sen Chisato silently reminded himself.

"Are kids these days all this rude?" Sarutobi Hakuba said helplessly.

If it had been any other kid, he would have taught him a lesson.

But this kid was Lord Orochimaru's student, and a genius who would surely become one of Konoha's pillars. Sarutobi Hakuba couldn't even bring himself to scold him.

Besides, even if he wanted to teach him a lesson, he might not be able to... Remembering the strength Sen Chisato had shown earlier, Sarutobi Hakuba felt a little glum.

"Squad leader, you'd better eat more," Hyuga Hihi suddenly said.

"Hm?"

Sarutobi Hakuba glanced at him in confusion, then looked at the black pot. It was nearly empty, and Sen Chisato was to blame.

Watching Sen Chisato devour the food, Sarutobi Hakuba's eye twitched. "That's ridiculous! You brat, leave some for me!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a ninja suddenly rushed in.

"Hakuba-sama, Sand Ninja have been spotted near the camp. The Command Tent has ordered your squad to search for them and cut them off. The other squads have already set out."

Sarutobi Hakuba furrowed his brow.

They had only arrived at the camp today. Normally, they wouldn't be deployed unless there was a large-scale battle.

But a ninja only needed to follow orders, especially during wartime. He wasn't qualified to question the Command Tent's orders.

"Understood."

He quickly finished the food in his bowl. The moment he stood up, he was already in the role of a squad leader.

He glanced over the squad and said, "Check your gear."

Hyuga Hihi quietly opened his ninja tool pouch. Maruboshi Kosuke quickly cleaned out the black pot and strapped it to his back along with his Ninja Blade. Sen Chisato also drew his Ninja Blade and gave it a look.

A minute later, Sarutobi Hakuba gave the order. "The mission is clear. We're moving out."

"Yes!"

The four of them swiftly rushed out of the tent.