The First Mission

For the next period, Yue had 'settled down' in District 77.

Settled down, of course, meant constant brawls that could break out at any moment.

Just as he had learned, those who entered the lawless zone were all 'scumbags' who couldn't find a place to live in other areas of the Soul Society Outskirts.

They were people abandoned by the Soul Society Outskirts.

There were naturally various reasons for this, but the most common… were those considered scum and villains in the eyes of the world, people who disliked being bound by rules.

Yue considered himself one of those scumbags.

Therefore, in such a situation, it was almost impossible for him to seek a moment of peace by establishing his authority through killing.

Someone would always jump out to cause trouble, either hearing some rumors or simply judging by appearance… believing they were the victor before the fight even began.

This, however, provided Yue with a good training ground.

For nearly half a month, he had been honing himself through frequent practical combat.

He stimulated his physical body and mental will by pushing himself to the brink time and time again.

Until… he completely adapted to this rhythm.

And… his opponents gradually disappeared.

Although the effect of establishing his authority wasn't as smooth as he initially hoped, once he killed a certain number of people, his infamy naturally spread… more and more people became convinced, and witnessed his strength firsthand, no longer daring to doubt the young boy. Even if they were to die, there had to be some reason or obsession.

No one wanted to become a dead soul under the blade for no reason.

Therefore, when one day, more than half a month later, Yue looked at the sparse streets and waited for a long time without the familiar 'challengers' appearing, he knew it was time for him to leave.

To head to the next block, into more dangerous territory.

The changes in Yue over these ten-plus days were astonishing.

The most obvious was his gaze… a sharpness hidden within his deep eyes; even a simple glance seemed to carry a fierce intent, as if he could pounce at any moment. His clothes were already tattered, hanging in shreds, but still wearable, having been mended multiple times by Harukana and her mother, barely covering him.

However, his physique had become leaner by a circle, and his cheeks had sunken slightly.

He looked a bit like a child from a 'poor family'…

But his seemingly slender limbs and muscles had become more robust.

The palms of his small hands were covered in calluses from constantly gripping the hilt of his sword.

These were the results of his skin repeatedly breaking open and then healing.

He hadn't let go of this sword since he got it.

It was hard to imagine that Yue had changed so much in such a short time… it was clear what he had been through.

People on the street privately called him the 'Blood Blade Child,' which was also the origin of his infamy.

Mainly… after revealing his name to the leader and others he had killed at the beginning, Yue never disclosed his name to anyone else, appearing very mysterious.

Even now, no one knew his origin or background.

Judging only by his appearance and clothing when he first appeared in the district, it seemed his living conditions before were decent.

Without any lingering attachment, Yue prepared to leave.

This place… was no longer suitable for him to stay.

"Wait a moment."

Just as he was about to leave, Harukana gently tugged at the corner of his clothes.

She was currently the only person on the entire street who could approach Yue safely.

"Are you leaving?"

Harukana's eyes showed reluctance.

Yue glanced at her, then looked away, saying indifferently, "For a short while, people on this street won't bother you and your mother again… they should know what I'm doing."

"Consider it repayment for eating one of your taro roots."

Saying this, Yue took another step, but the girl's hand holding him didn't let go.

Yue frowned slightly.

"Can… can you take me with you?"

"I won't be a burden to you…"

Harukana bit her lip, "I can take care of you."

"Will you take care of me, or will I take care of you?"

Yue sneered.

"…"

The girl fell silent.

"Stop bothering me, I don't like dead weight."

With a snap, Yue slapped the girl's arm away and walked forward.

However, after thinking it over, he paused his steps slightly. With his back to Harukana, he said coldly, "The protection I've provided you is limited. This place is a mix of all sorts, and new desperados or factions will appear soon. When that happens, you'll just return to your old life."

"Your mother can't protect you for much longer, and her own time is running out... You have some talent. If you don't want to die, you should leave this place quickly."

"Just find a safe block and scrape by."

"Didn't you want to get stronger? Then find any way to survive, no matter what happens... until you're qualified and capable of going to the True Cultivation Academy. With your conditions, if you work hard, you should have a chance... assuming you don't die."

After speaking, Yue walked away briskly under Harukana's watchful gaze.

"True Cultivation Academy?"

Harukana murmured to herself.

Snapping back to reality, she realized something and shouted towards Yue's retreating back, "Are you going there?"

"..."

Yue offered no reply.

Leaving the residential area, he didn't immediately rush to the next street.

In the Soul Society Outskirts, the closer one got to the center, the Seireitei, the more orderly the streets and buildings became, with roads between blocks connecting tightly. But as the block numbers increased, distinct 'isolation zones' appeared between territories. One would have to walk a long distance without any regular roads, just perfunctory 'urban construction.' Many wilderness areas would have small villages where people gathered to live.

These places were also prone to attacks by Hollows because they lacked systematic defense capabilities and personnel, their response was not timely, and there were no so-called administrators.

In fact, it wasn't just within the Soul Society Outskirts; the outermost fringes also housed scattered populations.

Yue stepped into a dense forest, found a hidden tree trunk, and jumped onto it, lying down.

After observing, he found the area sparsely populated, a safe zone.

A 'certain nerve' in his brain kept twitching, reminding him that it was time to return to Naruto.

This time, his stay in the Bleach world was longer than the previous one.

The last time, he had just arrived in Bleach, mainly to understand the customs and conditions of the Soul Society and his predecessor's situation.

This time, however, was a genuine start to his progress.

"It seems that as my strength increases, the duration I can stay in both worlds will extend," Yue slowly closed his eyes, with a hint of enlightenment. "If that's the case, then I'll just have to wait until next time."

"However... the harvest was still significant."

"With my current level, I should be able to guard against those nauseating tactics within the village."

"I absolutely cannot become a piece of meat on a chopping block for them to manipulate!"

"Otherwise, what awaits me next... could very well be death."

As he thought this, his vision turned black, and everything in the world fell silent.

When he opened his eyes again, Yue was lying on his bedding at home, having returned to Naruto.

It was the time he was preparing to sleep before entering Bleach.

Only then did Yue, whose heartstrings had been taut, finally relax completely and exhale a breath of relief.

This was his home in Grass Village. There were no enemies around; it was safe.

He extended his hand from the bedding, clenched it, felt the changes in his body, and smiled faintly.

Then, he immediately fell asleep.

He was exhausted.

The next morning, his biological clock woke him up on time.

He had to admit, after experiencing everything in Bleach, having a good night's sleep made him feel truly refreshed.

After a simple tidy-up, he put on casual clothes and headed to a training ground in the village.

On the way, he passed a breakfast shop and bought a few rice balls to take with him.

Although Grass Village wasn't as prosperous as Konoha, it had everything needed for daily life.

For example, ramen shops.

It's just that the taste wasn't great, so he didn't like eating it much.

The training ground was on the edge of the village. Today was the group promotion exam. Chunin teacher Masada had informed him beforehand to gather here on time.

When he arrived, he saw Masada sitting on a rock on the grass with two classmates, chatting and laughing.

Seeing him approach, Masada waved enthusiastically, "Yue, over here."

Yue seemed to be the last to arrive.

The other two students looked eager, likely having slept poorly last night.

Yue stepped forward and stood still, his expression blank, almost expressionless. He ignored the other two classmates and just nodded at Masada.

However, these two classmates were clearly used to this and just pouted, looking a bit displeased.

"Huh?"

"Yue... are you sick?"

With all four present, Masada clapped his hands, about to explain the assessment items he had prepared for the three students, when his gaze suddenly fell on Yue, and he called out softly.

It had only been one night, but for some reason, the boy before him seemed a little 'different'.

Perhaps it was his gaze, or maybe his aura... or had he gotten thinner?

Masada wasn't sure.

Looking closely, it was clearly still that same Yue.

"I'm just a little unwell," Yue offered as an excuse.

"Take good care of yourself," Masada said, concerned.

He didn't dwell on it, too busy with the main business.

"You three have the best results this year... so I believe the upcoming exam will be no challenge for you."

"And so... I declare the Fifth Squad officially formed!"

Masada deliberately spoke with great enthusiasm, stirring their emotions.

As expected, the two boys, Yoshitaka and Ryuga, couldn't contain their excitement, their faces flushed.

Only Yue maintained his usual poker face.

"Teacher Masada, why are all three of us in our squad boys... I thought there would be a girl," Yoshitaka couldn't help but complain.

He even glanced at Yue deliberately.

"Haha... don't worry about it. It's because you three are the most outstanding. Since you're outstanding ninjas, you should naturally grow together."

Masada soothed them.

"Teacher, let's begin," Yue prompted at an inopportune moment.

"Alright," Masada replied.

He was taken aback for a moment, then nodded.

As a Chunin, his test for their abilities was simple... tie a sandbag to each of them, and hide within a designated area and time limit. If he found them and destroyed the sandbag, causing the sand to leak out, they would fail.

The task sounded easy, but its purpose was also very clear.

It tested the trio's ability to conceal themselves, as well as their perception and observation skills.

It leaned towards reconnaissance and stealth, considered fundamental ninja skills, and also required a certain level of basic aptitude.

After the three tied on their sandbags, Masada blew his whistle, and they instantly vanished.

They disappeared from their original positions.

Masada stood in place for a moment before beginning his mock 'search'.

Yue stood behind a tree trunk, his eyes scanning, and had already pinpointed the hiding spots of his two classmates.

One was hidden in a bush, and the other, using his physique to his advantage, had squeezed into the gap between two large rocks.

The latter, in Yue's opinion, was simply laughable.

If this were a battlefield, although it seemed like good concealment, it also restricted his freedom. If an enemy approached, he wouldn't be able to escape, as his exit would be completely blocked. Good concealment meant being able to move freely and shift positions at any time, using continuous disguises... it required adaptability, because the enemy's position was also changing; they weren't wooden targets.

With this thought, Yue slowly crouched down. Just as he was about to peek slightly from the side of the tree trunk to survey the situation with his peripheral vision.

Suddenly, a shadow and a rushing gust of wind appeared above his head.

Masada, appearing as if from nowhere, leaped down from the tree and reached out to grab his sandbag.

Yue's reaction was equally swift. He immediately leaped back, and while airborne, exchanged a few blows with Masada's arm with his fist.

"This guy..." Yue narrowed his eyes.

Yoshitaka and Ryuga had revealed more clues about their locations. Their methods of erasing their tracks were quite crude. With Masada's Chunin level, he should have easily found them... yet he deliberately ignored them.

Instead, he came looking for him.

"As expected, there's something fishy." Yue's heart sank.

His heel had barely touched the ground when a kunai shot out, aimed directly at the sandbag on his waist.

Yue, in turn, threw a kunai of his own, precisely intercepting the projectile in mid-air.

Then, he leaped up abruptly, diving into the tall grass beside him that barely reached his head.

As the grass branches swayed slightly, he disappeared without a trace.

Masada didn't pursue further. If he had wanted to chase, he definitely could have caught up... he was merely testing Yue intentionally.

"Very good," Masada commented, his words carrying a double meaning.

This was just a small task for a temporary assessment, but Yue's alertness was as if he were on a battlefield.

At least in terms of mindset, he was already far more mature than the children in his cohort.

Twenty minutes later, Yue heard a loud whistle from a distance, signaling the end of the time limit.

He had passed the assessment.

Not just him, but the other two as well.

Yue looked down at the sandbag in his hand, his eyes lowered... Even he, a genin, could see through it easily and thought Ryuga and Yoshitaka had failed. Yet, when it came to Masada, they had passed.

During the assessment, he had also heard the sounds of combat.

He guessed Masada had deliberately pretended to find their locations, made a small show of 'troubling' them up close, and then stopped.

It was an exam that was utterly perfunctory.

After a while, he returned to the assembly area.

"Congratulations, Yue."

As Masada watched him approach, he tossed him something that had been prepared beforehand.

A forehead protector.

Yoshitaka and Ryuga were already jumping for joy, eagerly putting on their forehead protectors.

Yue took the forehead protector but didn't put it on his head. Instead, he tied it around his left upper arm.

"Aren't you going to wear it?"

Ryuga, with his white hair, looked somewhat surprised.

"I don't like wearing things on my head; it's uncomfortable... Anyway, there's no mandatory rule that you have to wear it strictly by the book. It's just an item to prove one's identity," Yue replied casually.

"Indeed."

Masada chuckled and nodded, "As expected of Yue, you always do things in such a unique way."

"Tch!"

Ryuga said dismissively, "All you know is how to show off."

"..."

Yue couldn't be bothered with such a brat.

He seemed to have forgotten that, at this moment, he himself was also a 'greenhorn' kid.

"Now that we've got our forehead protectors, it means we can start taking village-assigned missions, right..."

Yoshitaka clenched his fist, full of ambition.

Hadn't they all trained hard in the Ninja Academy for this very day... to officially start growing into ninjas who could stand on their own in the village?

"That's right."

Masada replied.

"However, the three of you are special. Under normal circumstances, newly graduated ninjas have to start with the lowest-level missions, mainly focusing on helping villagers with their daily tasks to familiarize yourselves with the entire process and system, and to accumulate some experience along the way."

"But as the students with the best results this year, I have great confidence in you. Therefore, I specifically applied to the village... to allow you to skip those unnecessary stages and take on some decent missions, so you can receive practical training."

"Moreover... with me here, I can also ensure your safety."

Masada said cheerfully.

"Wow!"

Upon hearing this, Ryuga and the other immediately exclaimed with great joy and anticipation.

"Are we... going out of the village?"

Yue asked intentionally.

"Mm... Don't worry, it's just to quell a group of bandits within the territory, and it's not far from the village. If all goes well, we'll be back within a day."

Masada said.

"When?"

"Tomorrow morning, gather at the village entrance."

"Don't we need to pick up the mission first?" Yue's heart sank.

"It's fine, I've already made all the arrangements."

Yue stopped asking questions.

As expected, it couldn't compare to Konoha. The operational departments of Grass Village were riddled with corruption due to power, and even important matters like picking up missions could be changed at will. It was just like a makeshift operation.

Don't underestimate the missions of village ninjas. The content, process, and everything else are meticulously recorded and archived by the village... for future investigations or when dealing with intelligence data, making them extremely important.

At least in the Five Great Shinobi Villages, let alone a Chunin, even a Jonin might not have the authority to do something like this.

Everyone had to follow the rules.

Getting their forehead protectors and heading out of the village the very next day... Yue could already smell a hint of conspiracy.

"Instead of doing their best to protect the village's future fresh blood, they can't wait to throw them onto the battlefield..."

Yue mused to itself, "It seems this mission... will be interesting."

As a member of Grass Village, and just a tender Genin who had recently graduated.

It naturally had no right to refuse.

It could only accept.