Yugito

After presenting a gift on behalf of the Ninja Academy, Chiba Shun glanced at the girl and found her somewhat familiar.

He thought carefully but still could not remember where he had seen her before.

Just then, the girl's mother said, "Yugito, thank Senior Shun."

Chiba Shun froze for a moment. Yu... Yugito?

The Two-Tails jinchuriki from the original story?

Chiba Shun quickly recovered. He had even met the Third Raikage, and he had seen the Fourth Raikage several times in his youth. Yugito's appearance surprised him, but it did not leave him stunned for long.

After thinking it over, Chiba Shun felt that Yugito probably was not yet a jinchuriki.

But whether she was or not, Yugito's talent was surely outstanding. Could he take her as his disciple?

If he could take Yugito as his disciple, and she still became the Two-Tails jinchuriki as in the original story, his standing in the village should rise considerably, right?

Unfortunately, he was only a Chunin. Yugito and her mother probably would not think much of him.

Just as Chiba Shun exchanged a few words with Yugito and her mother and prepared to leave, several more people entered through the door.

There were three of them. In the middle stood the Third Raikage, with two high-ranking advisors behind him. Chiba Shun had met one of them when exchanging for sensory ninjutsu: Advisor Yukio.

The other was a woman around the Third Raikage's age. Chiba Shun had heard of her as well. Her name was Sanada Masaki.

Chiba Shun hurriedly bowed to the three of them. "Greetings, Lord Raikage, honored advisors."

After bowing, Chiba Shun noticed that the Third Raikage and the two advisors all paused to look at Yugito.

Could Yugito already have been listed by the higher-ups as a reserve vessel for the Two-Tails? Chiba Shun began considering whether, now that Yugito had entered the higher-ups' sights, he still had a chance to take her as his disciple.

At that moment, Yugito ran before the Third Raikage, lifted her little head, and said with a serious expression, "Uncle Third, I want revenge on Konoha's White Fang!"

The Third Raikage halted at her words. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Yugito, you're still too young. With your current strength, it's impossible for you to defeat Konoha's White Fang."

Perhaps because Yugito would become a jinchuriki in the future, the Third Raikage did not brush off a child. He answered her very seriously.

Yugito bit her lip and said nothing, merely staring at the Third Raikage.

In this world of chakra, although Yugito was only three years old, she clearly had thoughts of her own.

An idea suddenly came to Chiba Shun. He looked around and saw that apart from Yugito and her mother, only the village's three higher-ups were present. Gathering his courage, he said, "Lord Raikage, I have an idea. Perhaps we can get rid of White Fang."

The Third Raikage frowned upon hearing this, but before he could speak, Advisor Yukio berated Chiba Shun harshly, "Shut up! You're just a Chunin. Do you know how strong White Fang is?"

"You dare babble about getting rid of him!"

"Do you know that with White Fang's strength, there are only a handful of people in the entire shinobi world who dare claim they could defeat him completely?"

"In Kumogakure, only the Third Raikage is confident of defeating him!"

"Sunagakure has even publicly declared that if their shinobi encounter Konoha's White Fang during a mission, they may directly abandon the mission!"

"You're merely a Chunin, yet you dare speak such arrogant nonsense? Do you think matters of the shinobi world are like those ninja games at your Ninja Academy?"

Chiba Shun fell silent. Their statuses were worlds apart, so he could not talk back.

However, the Third Raikage first looked at Yugito and saw that she was truly watching him with a hint of expectation.

He then looked at Chiba Shun and said, "Tell me your idea."

Chiba Shun let out a breath. Konoha's White Fang—he would commit suicide anyway. This was practically free credit.

He slowly said, "To kill White Fang, we don't need to do it ourselves. We can borrow Konoha's own strength."

After saying that, he cautiously looked at the Third Raikage and the other two, waiting for them to rebuke him again.

To his surprise, the Third Raikage did not refute him. Even Advisor Yukio, who had been displeased with him all along, remained silent.

So Chiba Shun continued, "Before the Second Shinobi World War, White Fang was Konoha's future, one of the leading candidates for Fourth Hokage."

"But now, the Third Hokage has produced three genius disciples, every one of them possessing strength at the Kage level."

"Under such circumstances, White Fang has become too accomplished for his master's comfort!"

"I believe Konoha's higher-ups are also troubled over how to deal with White Fang. I suspect they already intend to suppress him. We might as well give them a push."

The Third Raikage asked, "Be more specific."

It was clear that the Third Raikage had finally begun taking him somewhat seriously.

Chiba Shun said, "Just as Advisor Yukio said, Sunagakure has publicly declared that encountering Konoha's White Fang allows one to directly abandon the mission."

"If Kumogakure does the same, White Fang's prestige will rise another level."

"Then we send people into Konoha to secretly spread word of White Fang's achievements. Would Konoha's higher-ups think White Fang is taking credit for himself, perhaps even trying to force their hand?"

"And then, we contact one of Konoha's higher-ups, such as Danzo, the man who calls himself the Darkness of the Shinobi World."

"I believe Danzo would be more than willing to suppress White Fang."

At that point, Chiba Shun said no more. It was already good enough that the higher-ups listened to one suggestion from him. How to carry it out was not something he had any place interfering with.

The Third Raikage turned to exchange looks with Advisor Yukio and the other advisor. All of them saw interest in one another's eyes.

What truly made the three of them believe it might work was Chiba Shun's mention of Danzo!

In the minds of the Third Raikage and the others, Danzo was the sort of man capable of doing anything.

When Konoha had previously eliminated the advisors left behind by the Second Hokage, Danzo seemed to have had a hand in it.

However, the three did not make a decision on the spot. They merely spoke briefly with Yugito and her mother, gave them compensation money, and then left.

Chiba Shun also departed beneath Yugito's curious gaze.

Yugito had not actually understood Chiba Shun's words just now. She still did not understand why he said Konoha's higher-ups would eliminate Konoha's hero.

Several days later, an Anbu found Chiba Shun and directly brought him to the Raikage's office.

This was Chiba Shun's first time entering the spacious office. He first glanced at the Third Raikage's desk, then quickly withdrew his gaze and bowed to the Third Raikage and the other higher-ups who had already gathered there.

Kumogakure had four higher-ups in total. Judging by their ages, two had been left over from the Second Raikage's era, while only Sanada Masaki belonged to the same generation as the Third Raikage.

Could the village, like Konoha, also have factions among its higher-ups? Chiba Shun wondered.

The Third Raikage got straight to the point. "Chiba Shun, if the village sends you to Konoha to make contact with Danzo, are you confident you can persuade him?"

Chiba Shun's body stiffened, and he nearly blurted out a curse.

He had brought this upon himself!

What kind of place was Konoha?

In the eyes of countless people reincarnated into Konoha, it was home, a safe harbor.

But in Chiba Shun's eyes, it was a dragon's den and tiger's lair, the highest floor of a demon tower, the most, most, most dangerous place in this entire shinobi world!

And not long ago, he had even offended Danzo!

What kind of man was Danzo? He would have no scruples in his actions!

But under these circumstances, Chiba Shun had no way out.

He calmly swept a glance at Advisor Yukio.

He did not know whether it was merely his imagination, but Chiba Shun felt that Yukio's expression was subtly strange.

Chiba Shun took a deep breath, then said firmly, "Lord Raikage, if the village can cooperate, I am at least seventy percent confident!"

The Third Raikage nodded and asked, "How do you want the village to cooperate?"

Chiba Shun organized his thoughts, then said, "There are three things. First, begin corresponding with the Third Hokage and express Kumogakure's goodwill."

"We need to send Konoha the signal that we wish to form an alliance."

"Then propose an exchange between both villages' Ninja Academies. I can select twenty or thirty children from the academy to visit Konoha as representatives."

"Finally, I ask Lord Raikage to write a secret letter expressing willingness to ally with Konoha, which I will secretly deliver to the Third Hokage."

The Third Raikage did not hesitate. "Very well. Make your preparations. You will depart in half a month!"

Advisor Yukio added, "This is an S-rank Mission!"

Chiba Shun swallowed. "Yes!"

Advisor Yukio calling it an S-rank Mission was not to secure benefits for Chiba Shun, but to remind him that he had to complete the mission by every possible means!

An S-rank Mission was an important mission that affected the village. Failure would cause major losses to the village.

Advisor Yukio was emphasizing that, if necessary, Chiba Shun would have to sacrifice his life for the mission!

But Chiba Shun had no ability to refuse!

He merely added Advisor Yukio's name to his little notebook.

After leaving the Raikage's office, Chiba Shun was in a terrible mood.

But he had no choice. After returning home, he took stock of his belongings.

Aside from four ninja blades and some auxiliary ninja tools, he had around two hundred thousand ryo in cash.

After considering it, Chiba Shun decided to buy some explosive tags from the ninja tool shop.

Common ninja tools could be collected from the village regularly, but the amount was small and often could not support a ninja's normal mission consumption.

Moreover, the village would not distribute expensive ninja tools such as explosive tags.

Chiba Shun hesitated in the ninja tool shop for quite a while before buying only twenty tags.

Each one cost three thousand ryo. They were too expensive!

Chiba Shun also bought five long swords.

He could now barely use the Four-Sword Style, but the Five-Sword Style had not yet reached the entry level.

Under normal circumstances, four swords were enough.

However, after that battle with Konoha's intelligence ninja, Chiba Shun knew that long swords could also be destroyed during battle, so it was necessary to keep several spares.

In any case, his ninja tool pouch possessed spatial properties and could store long swords.

The five long swords forged from refined iron cost him another fifteen thousand ryo.

Chiba Shun glanced once more at the long sword displayed in the most conspicuous spot by the ninja tool shop owner, said to be capable of channeling chakra to a certain degree.

But he quickly looked away, because that long sword carried the astonishing price of three hundred thousand ryo!

Until he became a Jonin, he should stop entertaining such unrealistic ambitions.