C-Rank Mission? I Turned It into a Nation-Destroying Disaster by Force

Facing Uchiha Xuan as he charged like a phantom, Hiruzen Sarutobi instinctively assumed a defensive stance.

As a battle-hardened jonin, he had thought dealing with a brat who had just graduated would be effortless.

However, the instant their fists and kicks truly collided, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression abruptly changed!

So heavy!

How could this kid's fists be so heavy?!

That was absolutely not strength a twelve-year-old should possess! Every punch carried a dull, mountain-like force that left his arms numb!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged more than a dozen hard-hitting blows.

The longer Hiruzen Sarutobi fought, the more alarmed he became.

This kid's speed, strength, reflexes... not a single one was at genin level! He had even faintly surpassed ordinary chunin!

Nearby, Tsunade, who had just climbed back to her feet, was completely dumbfounded.

The Monster Strength Fist she had always been so proud of seemed like a joke before Uchiha Xuan.

"Is this guy... a monster?" she murmured.

Orochimaru, concealed in the shadows of the trees, had an unprecedented gleam in his snake-like eyes. He stared intently at Xuan's every movement, as though he wanted to see through him completely.

Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet!

Seizing an opening, Hiruzen Sarutobi pulled back and rapidly formed hand seals. A roaring fire dragon lunged at Xuan with fangs bared and claws extended.

Facing this B-rank ninjutsu, enough to drive an ordinary genin into despair, Xuan's expression did not change in the slightest.

He could not even be bothered to dodge.

Just as the fire dragon was about to swallow him, he moved.

At an unbelievable angle, he slipped sideways into the fire dragon's blind spot. At the same time, a kunai had somehow appeared in his hand, which he hurled precisely at Hiruzen Sarutobi's real body!

The entire sequence flowed as smoothly as water, full of combat wisdom and a strange sort of beauty.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils contracted. He could only use the Substitution Jutsu in a flustered attempt to evade it.

The instant he appeared in another tree, he heard a crisp jingling sound behind him.

He abruptly looked down and discovered in horror that the two bells at his waist had somehow vanished!

"Sensei, thank you for letting me win."

Not far away, Uchiha Xuan stood where he was, casually playing with the two golden bells in his hand.

So that entire string of attacks had merely been a feint!

His true objective had been to use the confusion at the moment the Substitution Jutsu was activated, along with the extreme speed granted by his Sage Body, to silently take the bells!

It was a tactical trap executed to perfection!

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the boy before him in silence for a long time. At last, he slowly exhaled a ring of smoke.

"The test... all three of you passed."

Three days later, Team 7 officially received their first mission.

Mission rank: C.

Mission objective: escort a wealthy merchant named Kato to the neighboring Land of Hot Water.

"What the hell? It's just some boring escort mission!"

On the road to the Land of Hot Water, Tsunade kicked pebbles at her feet and complained nonstop.

Because Xuan had stolen all the spotlight during the bell-grabbing test, she had found him increasingly annoying these past few days. Now, she even blamed the mission's dullness on him.

"If it weren't for you, maybe we could've gotten a more impressive mission!" She made a face at Xuan's back.

Uchiha Xuan could not be bothered with her and simply continued walking at the front.

Orochimaru trailed behind at the rear, observing the snakes and insects by the roadside with great interest. Every now and then, he would catch one and toss it into his ninja tool pouch.

Because of Tsunade's complaints, the journey's atmosphere was somewhat dull.

However, when the team reached a narrow valley, Uchiha Xuan suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong? Can't walk anymore? Coward!" Tsunade immediately mocked.

Xuan did not turn around. He merely said flatly, "Killing intent."

"Killing intent? Where—"

Before Tsunade could finish, something changed abruptly!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Dozens of poisoned senbon needles shot down from the cliffs on both sides like a torrential downpour!

"Enemy attack! Protect the client!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression changed as he shouted.

Tsunade and Orochimaru instantly entered combat mode as well.

However, the enemies' numbers and strength far exceeded their expectations.

Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!

Hiruzen Sarutobi formed hand seals with both hands, raising an earthen wall that barely blocked the first wave of attacks.

But immediately afterward, seven or eight ninjas wearing Hidden Rock Village uniforms and forehead protectors descended from above, surrounding them completely.

The leader, a man with a vicious scar across his face, sneered. "Hiruzen Sarutobi, and the First Hokage's granddaughter... Heh, I didn't expect this mission to hook two big fish!"

Elite chunin!

And there were eight of them!

Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart sank instantly.

These were no bandits at all! This was a long-planned ambush targeting Konoha!

A C-rank mission had instantly escalated to A-rank!

"You three, protect Mr. Kato!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi made his decision at once and charged forward, single-handedly holding back four chunin, including their captain.

The remaining four grinned viciously as they pounced on Xuan and the other three genin.

"Brats, die obediently!"

Though Tsunade was usually loud and boisterous, she did not retreat in the slightest when it came to an actual battlefield.

Monster Strength Fist!

With a sharp cry, she sent a Hidden Rock ninja flying with one punch.

Orochimaru also struck like a venomous snake leaving its burrow, using the eerie Hidden Shadow Snake Hands to bind another enemy.

But they were, after all, genin who had only just graduated, with severely lacking combat experience.

Very quickly, Tsunade overextended herself and an enemy slashed a deep cut across her arm. Blood instantly soaked her sleeve red.

"Tsunade!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was locked in fierce combat, saw this and his eyes nearly split with fury.

He knew that if this continued, every one of them would die here!

Gritting his teeth, he made a difficult decision.

"Xuan! Orochimaru! Take Tsunade and the client, and retreat immediately! I'll cover your escape!"

He was prepared to use his own life to create an opportunity for his students to flee!

Yet at this critical moment of life and death, Uchiha Xuan, who had remained silent the entire time, shook his head.

He glanced at Tsunade, whose injured arm had left her little face pale with pain, then at Hiruzen Sarutobi in the distance, preparing to fight to the death, and sighed.

"Sensei, why retreat?"

His calm voice rang clearly in everyone's ears.

"They're just a bunch of worthless trash."

Before his words had even faded, his hands began forming seals at a dazzling speed.

Chakra several times greater than the amount Hiruzen Sarutobi had unleashed with his B-rank ninjutsu erupted from his slender body!

Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame!

"What did you say?" Tsunade clutched her arm and stared at him in disbelief. "That's Madara Uchiha's..."