Mission Continues

A long, long time ago, the concept of hidden villages did not yet exist.

Ninjas lived solely for their own interests; it was an era of chaos.

Legend has it that the Sage of Six Paths founded the Shinobi Sect, discovered how to utilize chakra, and spread ninjutsu throughout the world through his teachings.

Following that, the ninja was born.

The Sage of Six Paths pacified the chaotic world, but chaos never truly vanishes; one turbulent era after another continues to emerge.

Even now, with the Five Great Shinobi Villages, two Great Ninja Wars have already occurred.

War happens frequently, and it cannot be stopped.

"The Land of Waterfalls was once just a small village, a village isolated from the rest of the world. It was meant to remain that way forever, but stability does not last."

"The Land of Waterfalls possesses two treasures that incite greed in the hearts of men."

The Jiraiya Squad listened quietly as Kuchiki Kei spoke. The carriage had come to a stop, and they intended to gather some information.

"Two treasures?"

Kushina and Mikoto repeated the words, completely drawn into the story.

"Yes."

Kei nodded, while Heili stood to the side, looking somewhat conflicted.

"They are powers that even the Kage desire, comparable to the Tailed Beasts."

As Kei's voice faded, Jiraiya's eyes brightened significantly.

Yueshu glanced at Jiraiya, and Minato Namikaze, standing nearby, also looked surprised.

Power comparable to the Tailed Beasts?

It happened again.

Yueshu took a deep breath. He had encountered another event that deviated from the original story—something that had never appeared in the source material.

It was yet another unpredictable and highly dangerous situation.

"One is the Hero Water, which can increase a person's chakra tenfold, and the other is the Chakra Fruit hidden beneath the Hero Water."

Yueshu gasped sharply.

He remembered now.

Hero Water.

That was a treasure of Takigakure in the original story.

But what was different was the existence of the Chakra Fruit.

"It can increase a person's chakra tenfold?"

Jiraiya was stunned, and Kushina and the others were equally surprised.

"Yes."

Kei nodded.

"But the Hero Water has side effects. As the price for such an increase, it consumes one's life."

"That seems reasonable."

Jiraiya said softly.

It was only right that there be a price; an increase of tenfold chakra without any cost would be truly terrifying.

If the person being enhanced already possessed chakra comparable to a Tailed Beast, or was a Jinchuriki, the effect would be monstrous.

"And what about the Chakra Fruit?"

It was Yueshu who spoke. He had some impression of the Hero Water, but he was curious about the Chakra Fruit, which had never appeared in the original story.

If he wasn't mistaken—

"Is that group targeting the Chakra Fruit?"

Yueshu probed. Both Kei and Heili fell silent, and the others turned their gaze toward Kei.

"Yes. Likely."

Kei gave a bitter smile.

Heili sighed as well.

"The Chakra Fruit? Is its effect even stronger than the Hero Water? In terms of enhancement, I mean."

Minato Namikaze pondered for a moment before offering his own answer.

"No, in truth, we don't even know what the Chakra Fruit is like."

Kei shook her head.

"The Chakra Fruit is beneath the Hero Water, and we are unclear about the situation."

"Then why are you certain that the Chakra Fruit exists down there?"

"We saw it."

"---"

"Saw what?"

Yueshu and Kei stared at each other, anxiety mounting, while the others watched their exchange.

"Takino Village--"

"It's Takigakure, not just some ordinary village, but a small hidden ninja village."

Yueshu looked at Kei.

Kei's lips moved a few times before she began to speak again.

"There is a stone tablet in Takigakure that records a legend."

"The legend says that chakra was born from the fruit of a tree, not discovered by the Sage of Six Paths, and neither was ninjutsu. Everything about ninjas was born from that fruit. That fruit is called the God Tree Fruit, and the Chakra Fruit--"

"Is just a smaller version of the God Tree Fruit."

As Kei's voice faded, the entire room fell silent.

Yueshu's eyes flickered incessantly.

He, of course, knew the truth behind the legend of the Sage of Six Paths.

The origin of everything was the Otsutsuki Clan. Kaguya Otsutsuki had brought the seed of the God Tree to this planet, planted it, and consumed its fruit to gain chakra. But this history was known to no one; in the entire world, only Black Zetsu and Yueshu were aware of it.

Yet, at this very moment, a mysterious stone tablet was vaguely hinting at all of this.

And there was the existence of the Chakra Fruit, too--

To be honest, Yueshu didn't know what to do now.

"God Tree Fruit---"

Jiraiya whispered, resting his hand on his chin in thought.

"Is the legend of the Sage of Six Paths a lie?"

Kushina asked, looking confused.

Minato Namikaze and Mikoto also had eyes filled with doubt.

"I'm not sure either, but the Chakra Fruit and the stone tablet are real."

"If."

Yueshu's voice rang out, and everyone turned to look at him.

"If that Chakra Fruit really exists, and if that group's goal was indeed this, then why did they attack you?"

Yueshu looked at Kei.

Just as mentioned before, Heili, a merchant, had a daughter as gentle and simple as Kei, yet their behavior and dialogue lacked the feel of a father and daughter.

Judging by the way Heili looked at Kei just now, that was not the gaze of a father.

It was the gaze of a subordinate looking at a superior, much like how the ninjas of Konoha looked when they encountered Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Heili opened his mouth, about to speak, but was stopped by Kei raising her hand.

"Princess."

Heili said softly, and everyone was stunned by that single word.

"Princess?!"

Kei responded to their shock with a smile.

"Let me reintroduce myself."

"My name is Kuchiki Kei, and I am the guardian of the Chakra Fruit."

Yueshu watched Kei without speaking, and she continued.

"The Chakra Fruit is a small-scale God Tree Fruit. Whoever eats it gains power that transcends the Kage, and I am the one who guards it."

"As the guardian, my blood is what allows the Chakra Fruit to manifest; otherwise, it is impossible to find."

"So, those guys were after you to obtain this fruit, because it possesses power that transcends the Kage."

Yueshu slowly sorted out the cause and effect of the situation.

The enemy coveted the power transcending the Kage contained within the Chakra Fruit—the small-scale God Tree Fruit—and Kuchiki Kei was the key to obtaining it. Therefore, to get the Chakra Fruit, one first had to obtain Kuchiki Kei's blood.

Yueshu was speechless.

He really wanted to complain about Konoha's C-rank missions.

Could it be that all of Konoha's C-rank missions were just A-rank missions wearing the skin of a C-rank?

"Sigh, things are getting troublesome. This is why I hate C-rank missions; my first C-rank mission was like this too."

Jiraiya complained from the side, and Yueshu twitched his mouth.

--So you're a victim of Konoha's C-rank missions too!

"According to Konoha's regulations, we have reason to abandon this mission."

Yueshu said to Hui.

"But what about Princess Hui's safety—"

Hui did not speak; it was Heili who spoke.

"However, we will not stand by and watch someone die. I am taking this mission."

Yueshu's words left everyone present stunned.

"I really can't do anything with you. Well, a teacher has to take responsibility for their student's impulsiveness."

Jiraiya smiled.

"Who says we're a squad for nothing?"

"Indeed."

"That's really not like you, Yueshu."

Kushina, Mikoto, and Minato Namikaze each spoke up, all expressing their agreement.

With the entire Jiraiya Squad in favor, Yueshu's proposal was passed.

"Thank you."

"Well, it was just a whim."

Yueshu was not good at this sort of thing and brushed it off with a casual remark.

Hui's smile was very gentle, blooming in Yueshu's eyes.

Author's note: Original plot and setting.