Sending the Summoning Technique a Thousand Miles! The Gift Is Light, but the Mission Is Heavy!

After the mist formed by fire and water was blown away, the two Hidden Sand ninja were just about to mock the Konoha kid across from them, only to discover that at some point, another person had appeared behind him.

Not only that, two more people were watching them like tigers eyeing prey from the tree trunks on either side.

"Not good! It's a trap!" one of the Hidden Sand ninja roared, his hands trying to form seals and unleash ninjutsu, but someone beat him to it...

Minato activated Flying Thunder God from behind Jin, and in the next second, two kunai were pressed against the throats of the two Hidden Sand ninja.

"When did..." The Hidden Sand ninja stared at Minato in disbelief, just in time to catch sight of a differently shaped kunai by his feet...

"You did well, Jin," Minato praised, carrying the utterly drained Jin on his back. "Just the fact that you used Fire Release and Water Release to create mist is enough to prove that your chakra control and combat thinking are both extraordinary."

"I can hardly believe this happened with a ninja who just graduated from the Ninja Academy," Morikawa Hotaru also praised him.

Furuno Tetsuji, who was in charge of escorting them, countered, "Jin graduated as an exception. You can't treat him like an ordinary student."

"Ha... thank you, everyone, for the praise." Jin replied weakly to them. It was really because... at the last moment, he had sensed Minato arriving, so he decided to use two ninjutsu in a row to stall for a little time.

It was not until noon the next day that the sleeping Jin finally woke up and staggered out of the tent.

The first thing he saw was Uchiha Fugaku hurrying over.

"Are you all right?" Fugaku asked with concern, then circled Jin twice to make sure he was not missing any arms or legs before finally letting out a breath. "I heard from Minato that you stopped two Hidden Sand chunin by yourself last night. You nearly scared me to death."

"Ah... I almost died there." Jin stretched in place. "Good thing Brother Minato and the others arrived in time."

"Protect yourself," Fugaku warned. "If it really won't work, I'll transfer you to my side."

"Forget it. This is fine. It's pretty exciting, actually," Jin said lazily.

After hearing that, Fugaku was too lazy to say anything else. He merely rolled his eyes at him and left.

"You're awake, Jin."

Morikawa Hotaru's sweet voice came from behind him, asking with concern, "Do you want to rest a little longer? Or go to the medical station for a checkup?"

"No need, Sister Hotaru." Jin smiled politely. Seeing this, Morikawa Hotaru could only nod. "All right. The captain said once you woke up, you should go to headquarters."

"Oh, okay."

After thanking Morikawa Hotaru, Jin ran toward headquarters.

Konoha headquarters.

Sakumo seemed to be in a good mood, sitting beside the sand table, drinking coffee and chatting with Jiraiya.

Minato, meanwhile, was handling documents off to the side... though it should have been Jiraiya handling them, Jiraiya had grandly called it, "Minato, this is a training opportunity your teacher is giving you. You have to cherish it."

"Senior Sakumo, you really picked up a treasure this time," Jiraiya sighed. "I think Uchiha Jin has a good chance of surpassing you in the future."

"Hahahahaha." Sakumo laughed. "Looks like Lord Jiraiya has a very high opinion of Jin."

Seeing the two of them talking so animatedly, Minato Namikaze could not help but cut in. "Senior Sakumo, Teacher Jiraiya, Jin really is excellent. As a newcomer on the battlefield for the first time, he had no combat experience at all, yet he actually managed to stop two chunin."

"Lord Sakumo, Genin Uchiha Jin requests an audience."

The guard lifted the curtain and announced loudly.

"In the future, if Jin comes to see me, just let him in directly," Sakumo instructed, then stood and personally walked outside the command tent.

"Lord Sakumo?" Jin looked at the person who had come in surprise. Sakumo frowned slightly and deliberately showed displeasure. "Lord Sakumo? Shouldn't you be calling me Master? Or... do you look down on me as your master?"

"Ah... ah, no, no." Jin quickly changed his words. "Hello, Master."

"All right, come in." Sakumo stroked Jin's head. Seeing this, Jin could not help feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the favor... He had taken a master just like that? And one who stood at the top of the combat-power pyramid? Then didn't that mean he was about to soar?

"Our little hero is here." Jiraiya stood up cheerfully, and Minato also put down the documents in his hands and walked to Jin's side. "Jin, are you all right now? Do you want to rest a little longer?"

"I'm fine, Brother Minato." Jin smiled and shook his head, then greeted Jiraiya. "Hello, Lord Jiraiya."

"Ah, looking at this little guy Jin, I can't help thinking of those three little disciples of mine in the Land of Rain," Jiraiya said with emotion.

Sakumo led Jin to sit beside the sand table and comforted him. "It's fine. Once the war is over, can't you go see them?"

"How could it be that easy..."

Jin sat obediently to the side, but inside, he could not help pondering: Three little disciples? So that means Jiraiya has already met Konan and the others... hiss~

"Jin, this is our mission tonight." Minato Namikaze's voice interrupted Jin's thoughts.

Minato handed over a scroll, and as Jin read it, he listened to Minato's explanation. "For this mission, Lord Sakumo and Teacher Jiraiya are having the two of us go. Mainly, we're to rendezvous with Kato Dan, who has infiltrated back from the enemy side."

"Kato Dan?" Jin muttered softly. He had an impression of that name... Wasn't that Lady Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage's, first love?

"You two have to head out this afternoon. This mission will take a long time. The mission difficulty is... S-rank." Sakumo's voice came over.

Jin, who was drinking water, heard that and immediately spat all the water in his mouth onto Minato's face...

"Sorry, Brother Minato... Master, you... I'm only a genin." Jin looked in disbelief at Sakumo, who was sitting beside him.

"Once you complete this mission, you can return to the village to rest and reorganize. The war is just about almost over too." Sakumo patted Jin's shoulder. "I believe in you."

"Uh... I don't really believe in myself..." Jin muttered, and for an instant, he felt the urge to flee this place...

"Although the mission difficulty is S-rank, in reality, it's only around B-rank. It'll be fine. Besides, I'll be there," Minato comforted him. "How about after the mission ends, I teach you my Flying Thunder God?"

"Ha... Brother Minato, you're weirdly nice..." Jin said with a mournful face. Forget Flying Thunder God. Even if the entire Scroll of Seals were in front of him right now, he would not have the heart to take another look.

And "in reality, it's only B-rank"? Usually, people who said things like that were just coaxing children, right... Jin's face darkened with black lines.

"All right, all right." Jiraiya stood from his seat and proudly spread his arms, hopping back and forth on the ground. "Allow me, the Mount Myoboku toad spirit sage path cultivator, commonly known as Jiraiya the Toad Sage, to teach you the Summoning Technique!"

"???" Jin looked at Minato, who was gazing at Jiraiya with a worshipful expression, and issued a question from the depths of his soul. "Summoning Technique? Can that thing be learned quickly?"

"Mm... no," Minato answered with certainty.

"...No wonder you're teacher and student..."

Jiraiya lightly bit his thumb, swiftly formed seals with both hands, and pressed them to the ground. "Ninja Art: Summoning Technique!"

"Bang!"