White Fang's Suicide

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

Next, Chiba Shun checked on Asano Yujin. Learning that he was doing well and had gradually adjusted to life with one less hand, Chiba Shun was relieved.

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

"Ayana's temperament has matured quickly. This change isn't merely an improvement in her willpower—her outlook and breadth of mind have also widened," Chiba Shun mused.

"Add her to the list of people requiring special attention. If necessary, I can nurture her further."

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

However, A-rank Jutsu consumed a tremendous amount of chakra. To sustain that expenditure, Chiba Shun had no choice but to increase his food budget.

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

Sakai Yushi's own income was insufficient and was quickly spent. After that, Chiba Shun funded his training.

Although A's guidance had greatly shortened Sakai Yushi's training time for 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 to advance to Jonin, Chiba Shun gave him another hundred thousand ryo.

Including the hundred thousand ryo he had rewarded the two children, Ayana and Shosuke, Chiba Shun had a little over four hundred thousand ryo left.

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

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

He now maintained the eating habits he had developed in Konoha, spending around one thousand ryo on every meal.

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

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

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

He truly missed Minato Namikaze. Back in Konoha, whenever he saw Minato Namikaze pay after a meal, Chiba Shun would feel delighted.

But now that he had to pull money from his own pocket, why did it hurt so much?!

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

Ninjas in their growth period were often like this. As long as their energy intake could keep up, their chakra reserves generally increased 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 this time.

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

First, following Sunagakure's lead, Kumogakure actually announced that its ninjas could abandon their missions if they encountered the White Fang of the Leaf.

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

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

Hiruzen Sarutobi had not expected the Kumogakure shinobi's so-called concession to be abandoning missions upon encountering White Fang. They took the money, then had the gall to disgust him as well!

This temporarily caused negotiations between the two sides to break down.

But not long after, news spread through Konoha that a Kumogakure shinobi had stolen dozens of Konoha's jutsu.

In truth, the intelligence ninja the Kumogakure shinobi had placed in Konoha personally met Danzo, received a blank scroll from him, and then left Konoha and the Land of Fire along the route Danzo had arranged.

Then, upon the recommendation of Advisor Danzo, the White Fang of the Leaf was assigned the S-rank Mission of recovering the stolen jutsu.

The Kumogakure shinobi tacitly cooperated with Danzo, placing White Fang's companions in danger.

Although Danzo had arranged things well and given White Fang an impossible choice—either complete the mission or save his companions—

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

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

White Fang was no fool. When he obtained that blank scroll from the intelligence ninja from the Kumogakure shinobi, he did not doubt that the man had already sent the intelligence back to Kumogakure.

He knew someone might have set him up.

Danzo truly was Danzo. 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 intelligence ninja from the Kumogakure shinobi the chance to transfer the information.

A few days later, Danzo produced evidence: people in Kumogakure were already practicing those jutsu!

The Kumogakure shinobi had even recalled a large number of ninjas carrying out missions abroad for the sake of those jutsu.

This was actually a coincidence. A large number of Kumogakure shinobi had returned to the village to prepare for a possible war, but in Danzo's eyes, they were returning to learn new jutsu.

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

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

He had failed the mission because he went to save a companion. Once the Kumogakure shinobi mastered those jutsu in the future, no one could say how many Konoha ninjas would die at their hands.

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

This was simply unforgivable!

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

In truth, at this point, the other ninja villages did not think this was such a serious matter.

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

Even after receiving a warning from the Kumogakure shinobi, they did not believe Konoha's higher-ups would truly get rid of White Fang.

They merely envied the Kumogakure shinobi for gaining dozens of jutsu for free.

Still, as the Kumogakure shinobi's higher-ups had expected, they assembled part of their forces.

Their thinking was simple: what if? What if Konoha really intended to use this as an excuse to eliminate 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 recklessly had White Fang's so-called companion come forward and condemn him as well—

White Fang finally committed suicide!

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

One had to know that during the Second Shinobi World War, not even a single Kage Level fighter had died in battle!

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

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

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

At the same time, he received recognition from the higher-ups and was granted the title of Special Jonin!

Chiba Shun was not particularly happy, however.

The title of Special Jonin was usually granted only after a ninja displayed exceptional talent in a certain area.

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

What did the village think his specialty was?

Scheming?

How was he supposed to face people in the future?

Still, no matter what, he had raised his standing among the Kumogakure shinobi!

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

What annoyed Chiba Shun even more was that he had wanted to immediately claim the reward for the S-rank Mission, only for the female ninja in charge of issuing mission rewards to tell him that the village had entered wartime status. 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, and its finances had always been tight. Although war had not yet begun, all the preparations were burning 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 had, one was not qualified to exchange mission rewards for an A-rank Jutsu.

B-rank jutsu and below could be purchased with money after completing a certain rank and number of missions, but A-rank Jutsu were absolutely confidential and could only be taught with the approval of the higher-ups.

Moreover, a Sealing Technique had to be placed in the recipient's mind to prevent the jutsu from leaking.

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

However, the Kumogakure shinobi currently did not have any jutsu he needed. He told the female Chunin at the mission office to keep this opportunity for him until the war ended.

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

Kumogakure did not currently have any jutsu Chiba Shun needed. Would there be one after the war? Could someone really develop jutsu in the middle of a war?

But since Chiba Shun had made his decision, she said nothing more.

Afterward, events developed just as Chiba Shun had planned. Sunagakure reacted the fastest. Even while Sunagakure was still celebrating, its army had reached the border and entered the Land of Rivers without hesitation.

Beyond the Land of Rivers lay the Land of Fire. Not long after the smoke of the Second Shinobi World War had cleared, it seemed ready to be reignited.

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

At that moment, the Kumogakure shinobi also deployed their forces. The Kumogakure shinobi sent out the largest army, nearly all the strength they could mobilize.

Only a small force remained behind to guard against invasion by the other ninja villages.

Seeing the Kumogakure shinobi deploy troops as well, and with all their strength, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, could no longer remain calm.

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

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

However, the Kirigakure shinobi'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 while they had the chance.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was now filled with regret. Had he 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.

After all, White Fang's reputation had already been damaged at the time. It was impossible for him to compete with Hiruzen's disciple for the position of Fourth Hokage.

Who could have expected White Fang to be so extreme? His wife had just borne him a son—couldn't he think about his family?

If he wanted to kill himself, why did he have to do it now?

He killed himself at such a crucial time in my negotiations with the Kumogakure shinobi. How much trouble did that bring Konoha?!