Task Completed

The ninja remained expressionless, offering only a slight nod in response to Li Yi's thanks.

Li Yi didn't dwell on it, following the ninja into the main camp. Only then did the ninja dispel the green glow from his hands, bow to the few people inside the tent, and vanish using the Body Flicker Technique.

Inside the Konoha camp, the person seated at the head was a rather imposing ninja. Li Yi could vaguely discern the youthful features of the Third Hokage, and he surmised that this must be Sarutobi Hiruzen, the man who would eventually lead Konoha.

Beside him sat five others. One of them had cropped hair and two scar-like marks beneath his brow; his entire demeanor was stern, showing none of the gloominess he would later possess.

At this time, Shimura Danzo was not yet the "Root" buried beneath the great tree of Konoha.

The others were clearly the remaining members of the Konoha F4: Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.

The final two were the stout Akimichi Kufū and Uchiha Kagami.

Seeing all six pairs of eyes fixed on him, Li Yi said, "My Lords, my name is Li Yi. This is a scroll given to me by the Second Hokage, intended for Sarutobi Hiruzen of Konoha."

As he spoke, Li Yi retrieved a scroll from his robes and held it out.

The man in the center spoke up: "I am Sarutobi Hiruzen."

Li Yi's guess had been correct. He respectfully placed the scroll on the table before them. Sarutobi Hiruzen picked it up, nodded, and said, "It is indeed the Teacher's."

With that, he performed a series of hand seals, and the scroll opened.

Sarutobi Hiruzen began to read. After finishing, he looked at Li Yi and said, "The Teacher says he wants you to join Konoha. Are you willing?"

Li Yi hadn't expected the Second Hokage to include such a request in the scroll, so he nodded quickly. It was a joke to think otherwise; Konoha was the only safe place right now. As for the other small villages, who knew when they might be wiped out?

Sarutobi Hiruzen tossed the scroll back to Li Yi, who scrambled to catch it, looking at him in confusion. Why was he giving the scroll back?

Sarutobi Hiruzen explained, "There are two ninjutsu on this scroll—a gift from the Teacher to thank you! Li Yi, that is a strange name. Do you not have a surname?"

Li Yi smiled without answering. There were many people here without surnames; after all, not everyone came from a clan.

Sarutobi Hiruzen clearly didn't dwell on it, instead saying, "The Teacher rarely gifts ninjutsu scrolls. I hope you practice these two techniques well. In the future, you may yet become an outstanding ninja."

Li Yi was overjoyed. A ninjutsu scroll was a great boon; he hadn't expected the Second Hokage to be so generous.

Sarutobi Hiruzen clapped his hands, and a ninja entered. Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered, "Go tell Kosuke Maruboshi to escort this Li Yi back to Konoha. From now on, he is a member of our Konoha."

The ninja acknowledged the order and vanished.

Li Yi offered his thanks and followed him out. As for what Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others discussed next, it had nothing to do with him.

Sarutobi Hiruzen and his companions had been debating how to rendezvous with their teacher, and now, armed with the intelligence, they immediately began their deployment.

As for Li Yi, none of them gave him much thought. They could all see that he was merely an ordinary person—a lucky one, perhaps, to have encountered the Second Hokage, and more importantly, to have met Kosuke Maruboshi. Otherwise, Li Yi would never have made it to the Konoha camp.

Outside, Kosuke Maruboshi had clearly received the order from Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Li Yi, is it? Come with me, I'll see you back to Konoha!"

Li Yi smiled and said, "Thank you, Brother Kosuke."

Kosuke Maruboshi nodded, led Li Yi out of the camp, and began to sprint toward Konoha.

Throughout the journey, Kosuke didn't make idle chatter. Whenever Li Yi grew too tired to run, Kosuke would carry him on his back. During these times, Li Yi would take out the scroll to study it, curious about what ninjutsu the Second Hokage had bestowed upon him.

Opening the scroll, he saw the previous text had been erased—evidently by Sarutobi Hiruzen—but the rest remained. Li Yi scanned it and was surprised to find a sword technique: the famous Dance of the Crescent Moon.

Li Yi remembered that in the original series, this was used by Gekko Hayate. He hadn't realized it was a technique developed by the Second Hokage.

Flipping further, Li Yi saw the Multi Shadow Clone Technique.

Those were the only two techniques on the scroll. Li Yi sighed; it seemed he had been overthinking things. He had hoped for something like the Flying Thunder God, but it appeared he had been dreaming.

Still, having two was already quite good. In this era, acquiring ninjutsu was incredibly difficult.

Clan inheritances were not leaked easily. Unlike the decades to come, where certain ninjutsu would become common knowledge, at this time, even a Great Fireball Technique was likely a closely guarded clan secret.

On Kosuke's back, Li Yi memorized the scroll. He didn't know why, but he could remember everything after a single glance. However, he currently possessed not a shred of chakra, so attempting to perform them was nothing more than a pipe dream.

Tucking the scroll into his robes, Li Yi asked, "Brother Kosuke, could you teach me the method for refining chakra? The Second Hokage gave me ninjutsu, but he didn't teach me how to refine it."

Kosuke paused, then considered that Li Yi was now a member of Konoha, personally recruited by the Second Hokage. Moreover, since the Second Hokage had personally gifted him two techniques, it should be fine to pass on the chakra refinement method.

"Very well, I will teach you once we reach Konoha!" Kosuke agreed.

Li Yi was overjoyed. With this, he wouldn't have to rack his brain trying to figure out how to refine chakra.

After several days of travel, they didn't encounter any hostile ninjas or those from other villages on the way back, which allowed Li Yi to breathe a sigh of relief. He had finally arrived safely in Konoha.

At this moment, Konoha was not yet as prosperous as it would later become, but the streets were already filled with people hawking their wares, and the village seemed to be thriving.

Kosuke brought Li Yi to his home and said, "Until the Second Hokage returns, you may stay here. Here is some money; it should be enough for your living expenses for the time being. Also, this is the chakra refinement method. I must return to the battlefield, so I cannot stay to keep you company."

With that, Kosuke left the keys and hurried away.

Li Yi opened his mouth to speak, but ultimately said nothing. Since Kosuke had arranged everything so clearly, what else was there to say?