Land of Waves Escort Mission Arrives

It seemed that as his synchronization with Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto increased, he was drawing ever closer to becoming a powerful ninja.

Su Bai looked up at the window, his gaze turning resolute.

He had to grow stronger if he wanted to survive in this cruel ninja world and protect the people important to him.

The first rays of morning sunlight fell over the Moonlight Clan compound, dispelling the chill of the night.

Su Bai strolled into the spacious training ground and took in the vibrant sight before him.

The training ground covered a vast area, surrounded by towering ancient trees with lush, spreading branches that provided a natural barrier for those practicing there.

At its center lay a flat, open stretch of sand, its fine, soft grains creating an ideal place to train.

Several wooden posts stood at the edge of the sand, covered in dense blade marks and kunai scratches that told of the clan members' diligent training.

Several platforms of varying heights had been built in one corner for practicing jumps and taijutsu.

A low stone wall encircled the training ground, its surface covered in vibrant green vines.

A thin morning mist shrouded the tranquil grounds. Sunlight filtered through the treetops and fog, casting mottled patches of light and shadow across the earth.

Birdsong occasionally drifted over from afar, complementing the crisp clang of metal striking metal.

This was the sacred training ground passed down through generations of the Moonlight Clan, where countless clan members had shed sweat and forged glory.

Su Bai took a deep breath. The fresh air carried the fragrance of soil, invigorating him.

He slowly walked to the center of the grounds. He wanted to test just how strong he had become.

Not far ahead, Su Bai spotted a familiar figure.

"Uncle, can you spar with me?"

Su Bai walked up to Hayate Gekko, who was training, and asked calmly.

Hayate looked at his exceptionally talented nephew. After coughing twice, he smiled faintly. "Of course. I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do."

The two took their positions and drew the swords at their waists.

A gust of wind swept through, stirring up the fallen leaves on the ground.

The next moment, blades flashed as Su Bai and Hayate clashed in the center of the field.

Clang! Clang! The sharp, crisp sounds of blades colliding rang out.

After only a few exchanges, Hayate was already astonished.

"Not bad, Su Bai. Your swordsmanship is even sharper than yesterday's. You've improved incredibly fast, cough cough..."

Su Bai gave a cold snort and did not lower his guard.

He knew that after his synchronization rate rose from 2% to 3%, he had not only gained a new skill, but had also improved in speed, strength, and every other aspect.

The system had not stated it outright, but the change was real.

The battle lasted for a quarter of an hour and ultimately ended with Su Bai's defeat.

Yet Hayate could not conceal the surprise on his face.

"Cough, kid, aren't you getting stronger a little too fast? Keep this up, and it won't be long before you surpass your uncle! Hahaha!"

Su Bai did not become proud because of Hayate's praise.

He quietly sheathed his sword, his eyes resolute.

To him, his current strength was still far from enough.

Su Bai stared at the Zanpakuto in his hand and fell into thought.

Although synchronization had increased his strength, his current ability was likely still insufficient to change certain tragic fates.

In the original story, during the Chunin Exams, Uncle Hayate would die at the hands of a jonin from the Hidden Sand Village.

Hayate had always treated him well, and Su Bai did not want to watch him leave this world like that.

I have to become stronger—strong enough to protect Hayate, to protect every member of the Moonlight Clan.

Su Bai silently swore this in his heart.

He knew that, according to the original plot, the next life-or-death trial he would face would be the mission to escort Dazna to the Land of Waves.

There, they would encounter Zabuza's attack.

But before that battle arrived, he still needed to train hard and improve his strength as much as possible.

Suddenly, an idea struck Su Bai.

If he wanted to gain enough combat experience in the shortest possible time, it would be best to have someone stronger than him spar with him whenever possible.

And Hayate was undoubtedly the best choice!

"Uncle, I'd like to ask you for a favor."

Su Bai walked up to Hayate, his tone earnest and firm. "From now on, can you train in swordsmanship with me every day? I want to grow stronger as quickly as possible. There's something I have to do."

Hayate looked at the serious expression on his nephew's face. Though somewhat puzzled, he coughed twice and readily agreed.

"Alright, your uncle will be your sparring partner. But don't think you can beat me that easily, haha!"

The corners of Su Bai's lips lifted slightly, and a trace of joy flashed in his eyes.

Time flew by, and several more days passed in the blink of an eye.

During those days, Su Bai's life was packed full.

During the day, he completed all sorts of missions alongside the members of Team 7.

As genin, they only received D-rank requests. The difficulty was low, though there were occasionally minor mishaps.

For example, while helping a villager weed their yard, Naruto accidentally cut up Lord Jiraiya's treasured copy of Icha Icha Paradise, earning Kakashi a vicious scolding.

Another time, while bathing a wealthy merchant's pet dog, Sasuke picked up its leash with a cold expression and nearly got swallowed whole by the vicious mutt. Only Su Bai's intervention saved him from disaster.

After completing their missions, Su Bai would head straight to the Moonlight family training ground.

There, Hayate, who had long been waiting for him, would engage him in an intense sparring session.

Their flashing blades constantly intertwined, their clashes echoing through the woods.

Day after day, under Hayate's guidance and through their sparring, Su Bai's swordsmanship advanced by leaps and bounds.

At the same time, his "Shinigami Synchronization Rate" steadily rose through battle and was about to break through to 4%.

Only by becoming stronger could he protect others.

Su Bai reminded himself of this over and over, his gaze growing ever firmer.

He knew that the Land of Waves escort mission was about to arrive.

It was another ordinary day. Team 7 had just completed a D-rank mission—helping the daimyo's wife recover her mischievous pet cat, Little Tiger.

"Ah! This kind of mission is boring to death!"

Holding Little Tiger, Naruto complained to Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, "When are we going to get a more exciting assignment, believe it!"

"Exactly! Catching cats and dogs every day—we're not employees at a pet shop!"

Sakura chimed in, her face full of dissatisfaction.

Kakashi shook his head helplessly. "You kids are still too young. D-rank missions may be simple, but they're just as important. Ninja should keep their feet on the ground..."

Sasuke gave a cold snort, folding his arms with a disdainful look on his face.

But he had long grown sick of such tedious missions as well.

Su Bai, meanwhile, said nothing and looked as calm as ever.

But he knew clearly that according to the original story, once they found the daimyo's wife's cat, the Land of Waves escort mission would arrive.

A huge amount of experience was about to be his for the taking.

Listening to Naruto's complaints, the Hokage sighed and turned to Su Bai beside him. "Look at Su Bai. He's so steady and sensible. He completes missions with you every day, then goes to train with Hayate afterward. Naruto, you really should learn from him!"

"What?! Su Bai, you were secretly training? No wonder you've gotten so much stronger lately!"

Naruto was stunned, then curled his lips. "Hmph, it's not like I care!"

Sasuke was also slightly taken aback. Then a trace of envy flashed through his eyes.

No wonder that guy had improved so quickly. He had been working so hard behind everyone's back.

Looks like I'll need to train extra tonight!

Kakashi looked at the silent Su Bai, approval in his eyes.

This kid truly had a boundless future.