System Mission: Defeat the Third Mizukage Without Taking Damage!

[Ding, it has been detected that the Third Mizukage is determined to obtain the host's blood. A mission is now being issued: Defeat the Third Mizukage Without Taking Damage!]

[Mission Reward: 3000 points]

[Mission Penalty: Deduct 1000 points]

"???"

"!!!"

Uchiha Makoto, who had just washed his face and was about to sleep, stared blankly for a moment before exclaiming in delight, "A system mission?"

He wasn't afraid of the system giving him missions now. He was afraid of it not giving him any!

No one could stop him from earning points! No one!

Even the pitch-black night outside could not dampen the fire in his heart!

That was 3000 points—enough to buy three S-rank deduction cards, or 1.5 "Dan"!

Not to mention that his entire fortune was only 11,000 points.

Uchiha Makoto grabbed his sword and was about to head out of the tent, but what remained of his rationality barely stopped him.

Uchiha Makoto panted heavily and, under the effects of Fearful Reverence, forcibly calmed his hopelessly restless emotions.

"This is tomorrow's business. If I sleep well tonight and restore my energy, I'll have the strength to take him down!"

Uchiha Makoto consoled himself like this, repeating it over and over as he walked step by step to his bed, pulled the covers over himself bit by bit, and adjusted his breathing again and again.

Finally, half an hour later, he was completely unable to sleep.

Uchiha Makoto lay on his back, his dry, lifeless eyes fixed on the tent ceiling. In the end, he could only let out a long sigh.

"You're evil by nature, Third Mizukage!"

The weather in the Land of Water was always gloomy. The air seemed perpetually shrouded in mist, carrying a moldy smell that clung even inside one's nostrils.

Mist Ninja who had grown up in the Land of Water were fine with it. They had long since become accustomed to it.

But the Rock Ninja and Cloud Ninja who had been deployed here could barely stand it—the humidity was simply too high!

Especially in the morning, before the fog had dispersed.

Aoshi Shinomori mechanically blew his nose. He felt like he had probably developed rhinitis.

His eyes gleamed as he scanned everything among the surrounding troops, hoping to find what he needed—a piece of unused toilet paper.

As a chunin of the Stone Village who had grown up steeped in the Will of Stone, he had always firmly believed that before the Will of Stone, which symbolized unyielding perseverance and immovability, nothing was impossible!

But now, the Land of Water was telling him: Hey, your Land of Earth's will is useless here!

Your body will feel miserable no matter what!

And it wasn't just him. None of the colleagues who had come with him felt physically comfortable.

Still, they were in far better spirits than yesterday.

Just yesterday, one hotheaded Cloud Ninja had nearly cut off his own nose because he couldn't breathe properly!

Compared to that, they were feeling much better.

As Aoshi Shinomori listened to the people around him discussing yesterday's Cloud Ninja, his gaze fell upon a child who was listening intently.

He was certain that this little fellow probably had unused toilet paper on him—he was a child of the Hozuki Clan.

As everyone knew, the Hozuki Clan was perhaps the clan that loved water most in the ninja world, so...

"So you set your sights on me?"

Hozuki Mangetsu asked in mild surprise. Heaven knew how excited he had been when he saw this guy reaching toward him!

He had thought there would be a fierce fight, but there was one—only the one suffering was the other side.

Looking at Aoshi Shinomori, whose tears and snot were streaming down his face, Hozuki Mangetsu looked utterly disgusted. This Stone Village chunin could not even beat a twelve-year-old genin like him. He was way too weak!

Even his two-year-old younger brother, Hozuki Suigetsu, was stronger than him!

He truly had no idea how this man had become a ninja.

"Young master, please, have mercy! Just give me a little, just a little!"

Aoshi Shinomori gasped with his mouth open. He felt awful right now!

Hozuki Mangetsu shot him a disgusted glance, tore off a small piece, and tossed it to him.

Aoshi Shinomori accepted it with profuse thanks. After blowing his nose, he let out a relieved sound like a survivor who had escaped death.

"Hey, Rock Ninja!"

Watching this, Hozuki Mangetsu raised his brow and called out to Aoshi Shinomori.

Only after Aoshi Shinomori turned his gaze and focused his attention on him did Hozuki Mangetsu quietly ask, "Do you know what we're here to do?"

Aoshi Shinomori looked up and glanced around. Only after confirming that no one was paying attention did he answer in a low voice.

"I heard we're going to attack Konoha. Our Rock Ninja didn't just come to your Land of Water—some of us went to the Land of Wind too."

Hozuki Mangetsu was surprised by this.

"Really? There are already two thousand of you in our Land of Water. If another two thousand went to the Land of Wind, that makes four thousand altogether."

At the thought, Hozuki Mangetsu could not help clicking his tongue.

He knew that the Mist Village had mobilized nearly half its ninja for this force, yet that was only five thousand elite ninja.

"But that doesn't make sense. If we're attacking Konoha, wouldn't it be fine for everyone to fight their own battles, like in the last ninja war?"

"There's absolutely no need to split up troops among each other right at the start of the war!"

Hozuki Mangetsu frowned and asked in confusion.

"Hehe, young master, about that..."

Without answering Hozuki Mangetsu's question, Aoshi Shinomori pointed at the nostril that was leaking snot again and smiled sheepishly.

Hozuki Mangetsu's eye twitched at the sight, but in the end, he still tore off another piece of toilet paper and tossed it over.

Aoshi Shinomori did not use it immediately after receiving it. Instead, he solemnly tucked it into his pocket.

Only after putting it away did Aoshi Shinomori slowly answer.

"I heard—just heard, mind you—that this ninja war was started to wipe out the Uchiha Clan."

"It's also a popular rumor in our Stone Village right now."

Aoshi Shinomori explained with great seriousness.

"Wipe out the Uchiha Clan?"

Hozuki Mangetsu muttered with a frown, then suddenly had a flash of realization.

"You mean that Uchiha Clan from Konoha, the one known as the strongest clan in the ninja world?"

"Yes, that's right, them!"

Aoshi Shinomori nodded rapidly at his words.

"Gasp—"

Hozuki Mangetsu sucked in a breath. Yesterday, he seemed to have heard an elder of his clan say, "The Uchiha Clan has brought Konoha's reinforcements to this battlefield," and now they...

"Is the Uchiha Clan really that strong? There are nearly eight thousand ninja deployed here right now!"

Hozuki Mangetsu's little face was full of gravity. As the "Mist's Prodigy," he instantly grasped the key point.

"Hey, young master, I think we're here!"

Aoshi Shinomori quietly reminded him.

Hearing that, Hozuki Mangetsu looked into the distance. All he could see ahead was a vast black mass, as though all the ninja at the front had been crammed together.

And before them stood only one person!

There was no doubt about it. That was Uchiha!

Looking at the thousands of ninja before him, their forehead protectors all bearing different designs, Uchiha Makoto—who had not slept a wink all night—gave them a friendly wave and offered what would be the final morning greeting of most of their lives.

"Yo! Good morning, everyone!"