Escort Mission

That afternoon, after completing their mission, Kakashi distributed the payment and dismissed the team.

Kakashi was a rather laid-back person, and Naruto's group of three were not particularly enthusiastic about missions either.

So for the following period, they only accepted one mission each day. After finishing it, they went off to train on their own.

Unlike the original story, they each had parents to guide them now, so they did not need Kakashi.

Naruto still spent every day researching all sorts of strange and unusual things.

Hinata had learned what Naruto had taught her. Now, she only needed to practice on her own, with Naruto occasionally training alongside her.

Inside the laboratory.

Naruto came here once again.

Several clones were busy with their own research.

Naruto walked over to a cultivation tank.

Inside lay a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan.

"With my chakra nourishing them, why can't they evolve into Rinnegan? What's missing? Do they really have to be placed in my own eyes?"

Naruto was somewhat puzzled.

His Three-Tomoe Sharingan carefully observed them.

Theoretically, with his chakra nourishing them, the Mangekyō Sharingan should have been able to evolve into Rinnegan.

Moreover, his bloodline could now rival that of his ancestors.

"Could there be some other restriction?"

Still unable to understand, he carefully sensed the Mangekyō Sharingan before him.

Naruto did not know just how powerful the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan was, but this pair of Eternal Mangekyo possessed astonishing ocular power.

At the same time, he did not know when his own Three-Tomoe Sharingan would evolve into Mangekyō Sharingan.

Naruto's Three-Tomoe Sharingan was already extremely powerful, containing immense ocular power.

In essence, his three tomoe could already rival Mangekyō Sharingan; they simply lacked special ocular techniques.

With so much ocular power, there truly was no way for them to evolve into Eternal Mangekyo.

"Do I really need some kind of stimulus?"

"Bullshit."

At that moment, one of Naruto's Shadow Clones behind him spoke up.

"What do you mean?"

"Emotional stimulation does not necessarily require hatred. What you lack is merely an opportunity. You can try stimulating yourself with other emotions."

The Shadow Clone explained. The Mangekyō Sharingan had been kept here, so any clone interested in researching them had naturally done so.

Naruto rubbed his chin.

Emotional stimulation.

To be honest, his emotions were quite stable right now. It would not be easy to provoke him.

Unless someone killed Hinata right in front of him.

Naturally, he would never let such a thing happen.

If killing Hinata could grant him great power, then he would rather not have those eyes at all. Besides, Naruto believed in persistence.

As long as his ocular power reached its limit after three months, he would naturally awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.

If his own ocular power was not enough, he could absorb someone else's.

Speaking of ocular power, the greatest source should be that thing on the moon.

That Tenseigan had been created by combining the eyes of so many people.

He did not know how many people that clan on the moon had possessed at its peak, but all their eyes had been gouged out and used to create that pair of Giant Tenseigan.

"I can leave it for Hinata. Once we can get up there, we can give it a try."

Naruto rubbed his chin. With Twin Hands and sealing techniques, he should be able to create a Tenseigan even stronger than the one in the original story.

There was no rush.

After thinking it over, he continued studying sealing techniques. In this world, Naruto thought little of ninjutsu and taijutsu; only sealing techniques were truly powerful.

The next day, the three gathered as usual.

"Kakashi-sensei, can't we take a more challenging mission?"

The moment they met, Sasuke could not help speaking up. Although his current life was quite good, he also wanted to accomplish something and show off to his brother.

Hinata, on the other hand, did not have any particular ambitions. Being able to train with Naruto was already something she greatly enjoyed.

Naruto did not mind either way.

"I'll look for one later."

Kakashi said it casually.

Just as the three entered the mission hall, a ninja walked up to Kakashi.

"Kakashi, the Hokage wants to see you."

Kakashi acknowledged him and followed the man upstairs.

The three exchanged glances and followed as well.

Inside the Hokage's office on the second floor.

Tsunade sat behind a massive desk, working. The room was exceptionally well-lit.

The moment Naruto entered, his eyes brightened. During the Third Hokage's time, this room had been dim and gloomy, always giving off a somewhat oppressive feeling.

"Lord Hokage."

"Tsunade-sis."

They greeted her.

"Mm, Kakashi, you're here."

"There's a mission whose employer specifically requested you."

Tsunade looked up. Though her eyes carried a trace of fatigue, her face remained exquisitely beautiful, and she exuded a bold, dashing presence.

Especially the cleavage before her chest—it was eye-catching no matter when one looked at it.

Naruto looked up, drawn in by her words.

"Specifically requested Kakashi? Could it be that mission?"

The first thing Naruto thought of was the Land of Waves mission. It had been the starting point of Naruto's changes, the mission that had solidified his convictions.

He had not expected that, despite such huge changes, they would still encounter this mission.

Kakashi was not surprised and simply agreed. As a renowned ninja, many people who came to assign missions would instinctively request Kakashi by name.

Of course, designated missions like this required additional payment.

So Kakashi was rather curious about who was wealthy enough to do this.

Tsunade handed over a mission form.

Kakashi took it and looked it over, seeming somewhat surprised.

"Kakashi-sensei, what kind of mission is it?" Sasuke asked curiously, craning his neck to look.

"It's an escort mission."

Hearing that it was an escort mission, Naruto immediately thought of that old drunkard. He looked around but did not see the old man with a bottle of alcohol.

While he was still wondering about it, Kakashi continued.

"We're escorting a celebrity back to the Land of Snow."

There were celebrities in this world as well—movies, too.

The technology in this world was strange. They had things like refrigerators and gas stoves, yet many other things were absent.

Naruto froze when he heard it was a celebrity.

"Not the Land of Waves? What the hell is this?"

Naruto nearly failed to react.

But the Land of Snow... it seemed like he had heard of it somewhere.

Koyuki Kazahana.

Naruto instantly remembered. Wasn't that from the movie?

What the hell? Why was it appearing at this time?

While Naruto was lost in thought.

Kakashi had already accepted the mission.

"Naruto, do you have any questions?"

Seeing Naruto's expression, Tsunade asked in confusion.

"Nothing. Tsunade-sis, when can we become chunin? Being genin is so boring."

After thinking for a moment, Naruto asked tentatively.

What he really wanted to know was whether the Chunin Exams would still take place.

"Well, next month, we'll be holding the Chunin Exams together with the Land of Wind. If you're confident, you can sign up then."

Tsunade thought for a moment before answering directly.

Naruto inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

What worried him was the main storyline going completely off course.

If Kaguya or something showed up early, that would be a real problem.

For now, it seemed that some events destined to happen had not gone off track.