Posting a Mission

The weather was clear, and the sun shone brightly.

Even in the cold winter, Konoha's streets remained bustling with prosperity.

Inside the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, who should have been comfortably seated in his office chair, was now standing, looking at the small figure before him with a headache.

Early that morning, this little fellow, who had just been discharged from the hospital, had come to the Hokage Building with a stack of banknotes, crying and clamoring to post a mission.

If he merely wanted to post a mission, it would not have given the Hokage such a headache. This brat had previously posted missions through others to collect strange and unusual items, but this time was different.

"You want to go to the Capital of the Land of Fire? Why?"

The Third looked at the small figure before him and could not help asking.

If anyone else in the village wanted to leave, the Third would not bother with it. Konoha had too many daily matters to handle, and subordinates could approve such trivial things directly.

But this brat was different. As the link between Naruto and the others, if anything happened to him, it might lead to things the Third truly did not want to see.

Samu Kokaze, standing in the Hokage's office, suddenly sighed. He raised his head to look at the Third Hokage before him. "Lord Hokage, you should know who wants to kill me, right? Since he wants to get rid of me, I naturally do not want to let him off easy either. I hold grudges very strongly."

As he spoke, he clenched his little fist.

The Third Hokage's eyelid twitched, and his expression turned slightly awkward. Claiming he did not know who it was would obviously not fool this clever brat. But if he let him leave... Thinking of Naruto, the Third rubbed his brow with a headache.

After considering it, the Third put on an intimidating expression. "You are a smart brat, so I will not beat around the bush. You know your current situation. If you stay in Konoha, it is manageable. I can guarantee that what happened last time will never happen again. But if you leave..."

As he spoke, the Third lowered his head and glanced at Samu Kokaze, who was clearly treating his words as a passing breeze and not taking the matter to heart, then sighed.

"Even if you want revenge, I recall that the Tanaka Clan's contact in Konoha already gave you the materials, right? Wouldn't it be enough to carve it in Konoha and send it to him? Why take the risk of going out?"

Listening to the Third Hokage trying to persuade him, Samu Kokaze looked at him strangely. "Lord Hokage, are you sure the item I carve can be safely delivered to the Capital of the Land of Fire?"

The Third's old face reddened. He had only been focused on stopping Samu Kokaze from leaving the village and had clearly overlooked that point. Yet his expression did not change in the slightest as he said, "As long as you hire Konoha ninja, there will absolutely be no problem."

Samu Kokaze raised his head and eyed him suspiciously a few times. In the end, he put on a conflicted expression and shook his head. "Forget it. Brother Yoshikado helped me greatly when my shop had just opened. Now that he is in trouble, I cannot just stand by when I am able to help."

"This is two hundred thousand ryo! Please, Lord Hokage, post an escort mission." As he spoke, he placed the banknotes clenched in his hand on the table. Looking seriously at the deeply troubled Third Hokage, he added, "It would be best if Mr. Guy takes the mission."

The Third Hokage lowered his head to look at the money on the table, then watched Samu Kokaze walk out on his two short legs. His face was filled with conflict. He slammed his fist against the desk in frustration. "Not a single one of them knows how to put my mind at ease."

"Someone!"

Whoosh...

A figure abruptly appeared in the Hokage's office.

"Go summon Guy."

The Anbu nodded, and his figure instantly vanished.

"Fresh, free air."

After walking out of the Hokage Building, Samu Kokaze took a deep breath, his eyes full of enjoyment. After enduring examinations from the nurse sisters at the hospital, who had not stopped taking advantage of him, his body had finally recovered enough for him to be discharged today.

After bidding farewell to those nurse sisters, whose favorability he had maxed out in just two days through his sweet talk and handsome, adorable face, Samu Kokaze, who had been lying in the hospital for two days, felt itchy all over.

After running wildly through Konoha's streets for a while, he used the Nanobugs to thoroughly repair his body.

Other than still lacking even a trace of chakra, Samu Kokaze was completely healthy—healthier than healthy.

Today was the third day since Tanaka Keishi had come looking for him. Two days ago, after seeing that the intelligence Shikamaru had given him matched Tanaka Keishi's, he had decided to help the Tanaka Clan this once.

Samu Kokaze was not doing this solely to vent his anger. There were benefits in it for him as well.

Tanaka Yoshikado, the current head of the Tanaka Clan, had a good relationship with Samu Kokaze. They exchanged letters every month. Given Tanaka Yoshikado's temperament, if Samu Kokaze risked his "life" to help him overcome this crisis, he would definitely treat Samu Kokaze as a true brother in the future.

Of course, with the extraordinary perception granted by the Nano Core, and with the mighty Guy protecting him—a man who could beat Madara senseless after opening the Eight Gates—danger to his life was nothing more than a joke.

Once the Sato Clan was crushed and the Tanaka Clan was raised to power, the Tanaka Clan's influence would ensure that even Konoha could no longer completely disregard Samu Kokaze. At the very least, even if he did some outrageous things, as long as they were not excessive, Konoha would simply turn a blind eye.

Besides, the attempt on his life had left Samu Kokaze with a fire burning in his chest. Since coming to this ninja world, ever since obtaining the Nano Core, he had never been forced into such a situation by anyone. Never!

If he did not retaliate, Samu Kokaze felt that he would not even be able to eat two fewer bowls of food in the future.

"Kokaze! You are seriously no friend!"

As Samu Kokaze walked through Konoha's streets, a familiar voice rang out beside him. His thoughts interrupted, he looked ahead and saw Naruto, dressed in earth-yellow clothes, running over with shining eyes.

Most of the surrounding pedestrians frowned when they saw Naruto and moved away to avoid him. Seeing Samu Kokaze walking beside Naruto without a care, they began whispering among themselves.

Naruto, who had run over, looked somewhat dejected, but Samu Kokaze did not care in the slightest. Compared to those worthless passersby, Naruto before him was far more valuable. The more they mocked him, the more Naruto would feel indebted to him. No matter how much they said things that caused him no harm whatsoever, Samu Kokaze would not take them to heart. Well, he swore it on the Nano Core—he would only write them down in his little black book.

"Yo, Naruto!" Samu Kokaze greeted him calmly.

Seeing that Samu Kokaze had not been affected by the others in the slightest, Naruto grinned. He complained happily, "Why didn't you wait for me to come pick you up this morning? When I got there, they actually told me you had already left the hospital."

"Well, it could not be helped. My time is tight right now. After leaving the hospital this morning, I first sorted through the things Shikamaru sent me, then went to Lord Hokage to post a mission. Sorry! I made you come all that way for nothing again."

"Why are you apologizing?" Naruto waved a hand as he shook his head. Remembering what Samu Kokaze had just said, he reacted and asked, "Did you just say you went to Grandpa Hokage to post a mission?"