In Konoha: Three Choices at the Start

Transporting provisions? An enemy ambush would be perfectly normal!

If Senju Nawaki happened to be among the dead, Hiruzen Sarutobi could wash his hands of the whole thing.

He could put on an innocent face and say Nawaki had sneaked out on his own!

Liuyun's thoughts raced, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

In other words, whether Nawaki came or not, they had already been abandoned!

Their targets weren't just Nawaki. They were after... him, too!

Or rather, he was their primary target. Nawaki was secondary, an afterthought.

Liuyun pieced the clues together. He had a good idea who had devised this plan!

Shimura Danzō, the Pot King? That old bastard really was something!

Fine! Just fine! In three days, let's see what trump card you've got!

A day later, news that was both alarming and exhilarating swept through Konoha!

Led by the Third Kazekage, the Sand Ninja had formally declared war on Konoha!

White Fang had faced the Third Kazekage and narrowly won!

The Sand Ninja's morale had crumbled, and they had retreated to their border. Konoha had pursued them and taken the chance to kill many of the enemy!

The news sent a shock through Konoha's residents.

The tense atmosphere from before vanished at once.

Liuyun sneered. That old fox Hiruzen Sarutobi truly was Konoha's finest politician.

A narrow win? There's no report that the Kazekage died. They probably both came away badly hurt!

How many troops did Konoha have? Its forces had to be split four ways, always guarding against surprise attacks from the other Three Great Shinobi Villages.

The Sand Ninja? Their homeland was all desert. Even if you handed someone land there, they wouldn't take it! It was a godforsaken place.

The Sand Ninja could throw their entire nation's strength into the fight against Konoha.

In terms of military strength, the Sand Ninja undoubtedly had an overwhelming advantage.

Not to mention Hanzo of the Salamander, watching hungrily from nearby.

But none of that was Liuyun's concern. Right now, he needed to prepare for his departure in two days.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's orders arrived that afternoon!

Because of Kushina's special status, Liuyun and Mikoto were ordered to form a special squad and join the mission to deliver provisions to the front.

Once they had delivered the provisions, they were to follow the orders of the commanders at the front.

Liuyun accepted the orders without expression, sneering inwardly. So it's starting!

Just what I wanted!

Two days later, Liuyun and Mikoto met at the Konoha Gate, each carrying a simple backpack.

The packs held only ordinary items. He had put everything valuable in a sealing scroll, including Mikoto's seven-piece set.

Not far away, Uchiha Yunda and Uchiha Su'er hid in the shadows.

"Liuyun! Mikoto! You two have to be careful!"

Kushina's eyes were red, and tears streamed down her face.

"Don't worry, Kushina! We'll be careful! You're the one who needs to take care of yourself while we're gone!"

Mikoto held Kushina's hand, her own eyes red too.

"Come on, Kushina. We're just escorting provisions to the front, not marching off to die. You don't have to be like this!"

Liuyun stroked Kushina's head and smiled reassuringly.

"I'm just worried. If a fight breaks out, make sure you protect yourselves!"

"And if you can't, run! You have to stay alive!"

Kushina fretted like a wife seeing her husband off to war, her little mouth never stopping.

Neither Liuyun nor Mikoto grew impatient. If anything, they felt warmed by her concern.

As the sun crept upward, four figures appeared before them.

Liuyun knew it was time to leave!

He took out a sealing scroll and whispered in Kushina's ear.

"This is my gift to you. Remember, when I get back, you can only wear it for me!"

Kushina nodded firmly.

"I'm the commander of this provisions convoy. You can call me Jōnin Aoto Iseki!"

"These three are the squad leaders, Chunin Extras A, B, and C!"

"Enough talk! Let's go!"

Aoto Iseki waved his hand and stepped through the Konoha Gate first.

Liuyun and Mikoto waved goodbye to Kushina, then followed him.

Once outside, Liuyun took a closer look at the shinobi in the convoy.

He sneered inwardly, more certain than ever that something was wrong.

He didn't recognize all of them, but he knew seven or eight.

He couldn't recall their names, but they all had one thing in common: they were civilian shinobi.

With that in mind, Liuyun didn't need to guess what background the other Genin came from.

There were a few Genin from prominent families like the Hyuga Clan and Ino-Shika-Cho, but no more than five in total. They looked like they were there to make up the numbers.

As for the Uchiha Clan, there was only him and Mikoto!

"Heh-heh! Surprised? Didn't see that coming?" A goofy laugh sounded behind him.

That familiar face, those familiar clothes. Liuyun's mouth twitched. The kid had gotten out after all!

"How did you get out?"

"I used the Transformation Technique to turn into a backpack. My classmate carried me out!"

Nawaki proudly pointed at a boy nearby!

The boy gave an awkward smile.

"What's that boy's name? You two must be close." Liuyun narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, he's Shimura Youzheng. I begged him for ages before he agreed!" Nawaki chuckled.

(Got any flowers? How about I introduce you to Asuna, an anime girl, next?)

Naive Nawaki, First Signs of the Enemy! (Third Update!)

Shimura? Liuyun's face darkened. Danzo had gone so far as to involve a younger member of his clan just to lure Nawaki out.

And as for Nawaki's Transformation Technique, he refused to believe the Jōnin and Chunin nearby hadn't noticed it.

It looked as though all four of those shinobi worked for Danzo!

But Liuyun narrowed his eyes, an odd smile curling his lips.

He walked up to Aoto Iseki and called out.

"Jonin Iseki, I have something to report! Someone not on the roster has joined us. It's Senju Nawaki!"

As Liuyun spoke, he pointed straight at Nawaki. I'll put it out in the open. Let's see if you send him back.

Liuyun's words immediately drew everyone's attention!

Senju Nawaki's name was famous among these Genin!

He was unlike Minato Namikaze and Liuyun, who were known for their strength and talent.

Nawaki was famous for his birth: he was the First Hokage's grandson and the young heir of the Senju Clan.

Aoto Iseki narrowed his eyes, his expression unreadable.

"Senju Nawaki? That can't be right. I checked everyone carefully before we left!"

He looked where Liuyun was pointing and saw Senju Nawaki standing there awkwardly, scratching his head, unsure what to do.

"Senju Nawaki! You're not on the transport roster. We've only just passed through the Konoha Gate, so you can still turn back!"

Aoto Iseki walked over to Nawaki and spoke in a low voice.

His tone, though, was neither stern nor resolute. It sounded as if he was merely going through the motions because Liuyun had reported it.

"No, Jōnin Iseki. I want to go to the front with everyone! I want to fight alongside them!"

Senju Nawaki clenched his fists, his face burning with enthusiasm.

"Senju Nawaki, I'll ask you again. Do you really want to go to the front? You know who you are!"

"The front is dangerous. Even I can't guarantee my own safety! There's still time to go back!"

"No! I have to go to the front! I want to fight alongside my sister!"

Senju Nawaki spoke again, determination filling his eyes.

"Very well. For now, you'll be with Uchiha Liuyun's group. Once we reach the front, the commander can assign you elsewhere!"

Aoto Iseki spoke after a moment's thought.

"Keep moving!" Back at the head of the convoy, Aoto Iseki barked the order.

They were all shinobi, so they moved quickly.

The provisions and other supplies were stored in sealing scrolls, leaving them with little weight to carry.

And thanks to Aoto Iseki, Nawaki no longer had to sneak around. He walked openly beside Liuyun.

"Heh-heh! Liuyun, that wasn't very nice of you! You actually reported me!"

"Good thing Jōnin Aoto Iseki was decent enough to let me go to the front!"

Senju Nawaki couldn't hide his delight.

Liuyun shook his head slightly. The kid was hopeless. He was as oblivious as the prince.

Aoto Iseki is a good man? Liuyun didn't believe it for a second.

Would the man dare let Nawaki go to the front after learning he was the Senju Clan's sole heir?

Either he had lost his mind, or someone was backing him.

If he really delivered Nawaki to the front, Tsunade would beat Aoto Iseki half to death before anyone else got a chance.

Or perhaps Aoto Iseki had set out knowing he would die on this mission.

"Ah."

Liuyun sighed. He had barely glimpsed Konoha's dark side, and already his head hurt.

"Ding! Host, make your choice!"

1. Protect your future brother-in-law Nawaki and ensure he reaches the front-line camp safely. Reward: Chakra increased by 10%!

2. Kill every enemy who attacks, regardless of whether your future brother-in-law lives or dies. Reward: physique increased by 10%!

3. Kill every enemy who attacks, find the mastermind, and protect your future brother-in-law until he safely reaches the front. Reward: Mental Energy increased by 20%!

Well, until now, Liuyun had only been guessing.

But with the system's mission, his suspicions were all but confirmed.

Liuyun chose the third option without hesitation. Mental Energy was exactly what he needed right now.

[Uchiha Liuyun]

Physique: Kage Level