White Fang's Suicide

Chiba Shun merely felt that Ayana had a special relationship with him. If she had talent, she was worth cultivating.

Next, Chiba Shun asked after Asano Yujin. Learning that he was doing well and had gradually grown accustomed to life with one less hand, he was relieved.

Afterward, Chiba Shun watched the two of them teach for a while longer before leaving Asano Yujin's office.

"Ayana's temperament has matured quickly. This change isn't merely an improvement in willpower; her horizons have broadened, and so has her heart," Chiba Shun mused.

I'll list her as someone to keep a close eye on as well. If necessary, I can cultivate her further.

Aside from matters at the Ninja Academy, Chiba Shun spent all his spare time practicing A-rank Jutsu.

However, A-rank Jutsu consumed an enormous amount of chakra. To sustain that expenditure, Chiba Shun had no choice but to increase his spending on food.

He had originally earned one million ryo from the S-rank Mission, but Sakai Yushi's training in the Lightning Release Body Flicker Technique was far too costly.

Sakai Yushi's own income had not been enough, and he quickly spent it all. Chiba Shun had supported his training ever since.

Although Yozuki A's guidance had greatly shortened the time Sakai Yushi needed to train in the Lightning Release Body Flicker Technique, it had still cost Chiba Shun nearly four hundred thousand ryo.

Before Sakai Yushi left to carry out his mission for promotion to Jonin, Chiba Shun gave him another hundred thousand ryo.

After also rewarding the two children, Ayana and Shosuke, with a hundred thousand ryo, Chiba Shun had a little over four hundred thousand ryo left.

He had thought that with that sum, he would not have to worry about money for at least several years.

But who could have known that the immense chakra consumption of the A-rank Jutsu—Earth Release: Mountain Earth Technique—would rapidly drive up Chiba Shun's expenses?

His appetite at every meal remained at the level it had been in Konoha, with each meal costing around a thousand ryo.

In just one month, he spent nearly a hundred thousand ryo!

And his salary for the month had all gone toward replenishing his ninja tool supplies. He now had only around three hundred thousand ryo left.

Fortunately, his Earth Release: Mountain Earth Technique was not dangerous like the Lightning Release Stimulation Method. Otherwise, his expenses would have been even greater.

I really miss Minato Namikaze. Back in Konoha, every time we finished eating and I saw Minato Namikaze pay the bill, I felt so happy.

But now that I'm taking money out of my own pocket, why does it hurt so much?!

Fortunately, the money had been well spent. In a month, Chiba Shun's chakra reserves had increased somewhat.

Ninja in their growth period were often like this. As long as their energy intake could keep up, their chakra reserves generally grew quickly.

As his chakra reserves increased, Chiba Shun was able to practice A-rank Jutsu more times each day.

Naturally, his appetite increased as well!

Fortunately, good news reached Chiba Shun at that time.

Over the past month, a series of major events related to the White Fang of the Leaf had occurred in the Shinobi World.

First, following Sunagakure's example, Kumogakure also publicly announced that their shinobi could abandon missions whenever they encountered the White Fang of the Leaf.

What Chiba Shun did not know was that Kumogakure's higher-ups had also used this matter as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Konoha.

Chiba Shun had promised Hiruzen Sarutobi on the Third Raikage's behalf that Kumogakure would make concessions to Konoha on certain missions.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had never expected Kumogakure's so-called concession to be allowing their shinobi to abandon missions upon seeing White Fang. They took the money, then disgusted him for good measure!

This caused negotiations between the two sides to temporarily collapse.

Not long after, news spread through Konoha that a Kumogakure shinobi had stolen dozens of Konoha's Ninjutsu.

In truth, the Kumogakure intelligence shinobi stationed in Konoha had personally met Danzo. Danzo gave him a blank scroll, after which he left Konoha and the Land of Fire along the route Danzo had arranged.

Then, at Danzo's recommendation as an advisor, the White Fang of the Leaf was assigned an S-rank Mission to recover the stolen Ninjutsu.

Meanwhile, Kumogakure tacitly cooperated with Danzo and placed White Fang's companions in danger.

Although Danzo had arranged everything neatly and presented White Fang with an impossible choice—either complete the mission or save his companions—

White Fang did not actually abandon the mission for his companions as he had in the original story.

He saved his companions first, then caught up with and killed the Kumogakure intelligence shinobi, recovering a... fake scroll!

White Fang was not stupid. When he obtained that blank scroll from the Kumogakure intelligence shinobi, he suspected that the man had already sent the intelligence back to Kumogakure.

He knew someone might have set him up.

Danzo truly lived up to his reputation. He gave White Fang no chance to defend himself.

He acted furious, berating White Fang for wasting time to save his companions and giving the Kumogakure intelligence shinobi the opportunity to transfer the intelligence.

A few days later, Danzo produced evidence: people in Kumogakure had already begun practicing those Ninjutsu!

Kumogakure had even recalled a large number of ninja who had been carrying out missions elsewhere for the sake of that Ninjutsu.

This was actually a coincidence. The large number of Kumogakure shinobi returning to the village were preparing for the war that might come later, but in Danzo's eyes, they had returned to learn the new Ninjutsu.

Some of this evidence had originally been provided by the Third Raikage, so naturally, it could not be fake!

Thus, news spread throughout Konoha that White Fang had failed his mission and caused the village tremendous losses.

He had failed the mission because he went to save a companion. No one could say how many Konoha ninja would die at Kumogakure's hands after they learned that Ninjutsu.

One companion versus countless ninja—which was more important? Everyone quickly made their judgment.

This was simply unforgivable!

A torrent of slander and abuse was directed at White Fang!

In truth, at this point, the people in the other Shinobi Villages did not think the matter was such a big deal.

Wasn't it just one failed mission? Who had never failed before?

Even after receiving Kumogakure's warning, they did not believe Konoha's higher-ups would truly eliminate White Fang.

They merely envied Kumogakure for acquiring dozens of Ninjutsu for free.

Still, just as Kumogakure's higher-ups had expected, they gathered part of their forces.

Their thinking was simple: what if? What if Konoha really intended to use this as an excuse to get rid of White Fang?

The development of events differed from what most people expected.

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo had not expected White Fang to be such an extreme ninja!

After Danzo, apparently bent on courting death, had White Fang's so-called companion step forward and condemn White Fang as well—

White Fang finally committed suicide!

When the news spread, everyone other than Kumogakure's higher-ups was stunned!

After all, not even a single Kage Level fighter had died in battle during the Second Shinobi World War!

Yet in peacetime, Konoha had driven one of its own Kage Level powerhouses to death!

It was said that Sunagakure celebrated boisterously for three days after hearing of White Fang's death!

And as Chiba Shun had hoped, he obtained another S-rank Mission Record!

At the same time, he was recognized by the higher-ups and received the title of Special Jonin!

Chiba Shun was not very happy, however.

The title of Special Jonin was usually awarded only after a ninja demonstrated exceptional talent in a particular area.

What did it mean for him to receive the title of Special Jonin at this time?

What kind of specialty did the village think he possessed?

Conspiracy?

How was he supposed to face anyone in the future?

Still, no matter what, he had raised his standing within Kumogakure!

If Kumogakure held a Jonin vote, he would also possess one sacred vote.

What annoyed Chiba Shun even more was that he had originally wanted to collect his S-rank Mission reward immediately, only for the female ninja responsible for distributing mission rewards to tell him that the village had entered wartime conditions. At such a time, all rewards would not be issued in cash.

Chiba Shun had two choices: either learn an A-rank Jutsu or wait until the war ended to receive the reward.

There was nothing to be done about it. Kumogakure was not Konoha; its finances had never been abundant. Although the war had not yet begun, every kind of preparation was burning through money.

In fact, exchanging the reward for an A-rank Jutsu did not necessarily mean the village was exploiting Chiba Shun.

Under normal circumstances, no matter how much money one offered, one would not be qualified to exchange mission rewards for A-rank Jutsu.

B-rank and lower Ninjutsu could be bought with money after completing a certain number of missions of a certain rank, but A-rank Jutsu were strictly confidential. They could only be taught with the approval of the higher-ups.

Furthermore, a Sealing Technique had to be applied within the mind to prevent the Ninjutsu from being leaked.

Chiba Shun considered it. He was not short on money right now, so he directly exchanged his S-rank Mission reward for the right to redeem an A-rank Jutsu.

However, Kumogakure did not currently possess any Ninjutsu he needed. He told the female Chunin at the mission office to reserve the opportunity for him until after the war.

The female Chunin wore a strange expression, unable to understand what Chiba Shun was thinking.

Kumogakure did not have any jutsu Chiba Shun needed now, so would it have one after the war? Did someone intend to develop jutsu during the war?

But since Chiba Shun had made up his mind, she said nothing further.

Afterward, events unfolded exactly as Chiba Shun had planned. The Suna Shinobi reacted the fastest. Although Sunagakure was still celebrating, its army had already reached the border and entered the Land of Rivers without hesitation.

Beyond the Land of Rivers lay the Land of Fire. The smoke of the Second Shinobi World War had barely cleared, yet it seemed about to be reignited.

Konoha had no time to stabilize its internal unrest. The moment it received news of Sunagakure's movements, it hurriedly mobilized a large army for the border.

At that moment, Kumogakure also deployed troops. Kumogakure fielded the largest army, practically mobilizing every force it could use.

Only a small force remained behind to guard against invasions from the other Shinobi Villages.

When the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki saw that Kumogakure had also deployed troops and had committed its full strength, he could no longer remain calm.

However, the Third Tsuchikage was still more conservative than the Third Kazekage. Iwagakure's army only advanced to the Land of Earth's border and did not enter the smaller countries between it and the Land of Fire.

After learning that the other three great Shinobi Villages had made their moves, Kirigakure did not hesitate either. They chose to follow suit.

However, Kirigakure's target this time was rather strange. Rather than entering the Land of Hot Water, they chose the Land of Whirlpools, seemingly intending to seize it in the chaos.

Hiruzen Sarutobi now regretted it beyond measure. If he had known White Fang was so fragile, he should have stopped Danzo back then. He should have stepped forward as Hokage and spoken for White Fang.

In any case, White Fang's reputation had already been damaged at the time, so he could no longer compete with Hiruzen's disciple for the position of Fourth Hokage.

Who would have thought White Fang would be so extreme? His wife had just given birth to his son. Couldn't he have thought about his family?

If he wanted to commit suicide, why did it have to be then?

He committed suicide at the crucial moment of my negotiations with Kumogakure. How much trouble did that bring Konoha?!