Konoha's Invitation

The next day, Yue went to meet Ryuga's father.

The latter didn't press Yue about what happened in the Land of Rain. Instead, he explained that the consensus among Grass Flower and Grass Seed members to eliminate Yue was out of consideration for village safety.

Although Ryuga's Father held a significant position in Grass Flower, he wasn't the ultimate authority. The only thing he could do was assist Yue from the shadows and buy him time.

There were some matters even he couldn't decide on his own.

Now, the faction within Grass Seed who wanted to harm Yue could no longer act against him because his father, Fuma Ryoma, had become a member of Grass Flower and was the biggest contributor to the recent border conflict, earning widespread acclaim within the village.

Furthermore, after so much time had passed, the higher-ups in Grass Village were still trembling with fear, but the Rain Village seemed to have long forgotten the child abducted by Akatsuki and didn't take it seriously at all.

Naturally, Grass Seed lost its pretext to make a move.

Ryuga's Father told Yue the truth because, in his eyes, Yue was different from ordinary children.

He figured Yue could probably guess some of these things himself.

Moreover, there was some trickery involved in Fuma Ryoma's commendation this time.

For example, the special jonin sent by the higher-ups to die on the border.

How exactly did Fuma Ryoma kill them?

Ryuga's Father didn't believe Fuma Ryoma could have done it alone.

He had pried some information from Takahashi beforehand; at the time of the mission, it was Ryoma and Yue, father and son, who were executing it.

Therefore... the only variable was Yue.

However, Ryuga's Father was also tactful enough not to press further, turning a blind eye to it.

Now that Fuma Ryoma had joined Grass Flower using his identity, he was considered one of their own.

"Although your father's contribution this time was significant and he won a lot of popular support, his strength is ultimately limited. So, even if we wanted to arrange a good position for him, we couldn't go too far to convince everyone," Ryuga's Father said with a smile.

"The Intelligence Department is the village's most crucial organization, one of the cornerstones of our survival in Grass Village. The situation inside is quite complex, so it's not very suitable for your father. As for the Barrier Department, it's not bad... but it's quite leisurely. Going there would just be a nominal title without any real power. For the Anbu, it would be difficult for him to get in with his strength... Therefore, after discussing with the elders, I could only choose one from the Education Department, Interrogation Department, Administration Department, or Police Department."

"Which one do you think he's more suited for?"

"Any of them."

Yue replied calmly.

Ryuga's Father asked him instead of his father.

Yue knew very well that the man was testing him.

It also indicated that Ryuga's Father had sensed his 'hidden' side.

While he might not have fully discovered it, he had at least grasped something.

It was likely related to Ryuga.

This man's composure and insight were not low.

"Hahahaha... Alright, then I'll make the decision myself."

Ryuga's Father smiled faintly.

"Mhm."

Yue nodded.

After a moment, without much further pleasantries, Yue politely prepared to take his leave.

However, as he stood up and before he left, he suddenly turned back to look at Ryuga's Father and abruptly asked, "Elder Ito is getting old, so the leader of Grass Flower will have to be replaced, right?"

"..."

Upon hearing this, the smile on Ryuga's Father's face froze for a moment but quickly returned to normal. "Hehehe... You're still young, these are not things you need to worry about or consider."

"That's true."

Yue echoed his words and nodded, saying no more.

At the entrance, he put on his shoes and left.

Watching the bowing youth walk away, the smile on Ryuga's Father's face gradually disappeared. His eyes flickered, lost in thought.

As for Yue, who had left Ryuga's house, the corners of his mouth curved into a faint, fleeting arc.

Even the gentlest person, once caught in the vortex of power, is destined to develop ambition.

Truly solitary individuals are too few.

Recalling the subtle changes in Ryuga's Father's expression just now, Yue already had a clear understanding.

A few days later, Fuma Ryoma received his transfer order from the village and was appointed to the Police Department.

He became a small captain in the Police Department, not the chief captain.

The Police Department was one of the village's key institutions controlling real power, and the position and responsibility were very important. To become the chief captain, one had to possess one of the village's top combat strengths.

That Fuma Ryoma could be directly assigned to the Police Department and promoted to captain as an exception was already considered quite good.

As for whether he could establish a foothold within the Police Department, that would depend on Fuma Ryoma's own abilities.

However, with Yue advising his father from behind the scenes, the problem wasn't significant.

What he needed to do now was to find a way to improve his father's strength.

Before, it was Fuma Ryoma who trained him, but now, in his spare time, Yue was guiding his father's cultivation.

Fuma Ryoma readily accepted this.

As for Yue himself, his life had finally returned to peace after a series of upheavals.

For the next period, he would follow Teacher Shishiro, continuing to take on some low-difficulty missions with Ryuga and Yoshitaka.

Fortunately, the subsequent missions were not too special, nor did any unexpected changes occur.

The overall process was 'normal.'

This kind of life was also what most students who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy experienced.

Accumulating mission experience was very necessary for newcomers.

It was the most direct path to enriching one's qualifications.

However, Yue and the others still heard some devastating news.

Several students from their batch had died on missions.

It was unknown if they had died at the hands of Grass Flower or Grass Seed.

It was the same as what their team had encountered at the beginning, just with different conspiracies.

The village had tampered with the mission content and danger levels, causing these genin, who had only graduated a few months ago but already had some foundation, to engage in actions that seemed not dangerous but were actually fraught with hidden dangers. For example, stealing some information or gathering clues sounded easy and didn't require much from the person taking the mission, nor did it involve direct confrontation. However, in the current ninja world environment, as long as one left the Land of Grass, even within its borders, as long as certain powers were involved, there would be danger.

Even if the fatal factor was unrelated to the mission, and they simply encountered bad people, it was still perfectly normal.

Just look at the situation in the Land of Rain; although the national conditions there were relatively special, it was also a microcosm of the current turmoil in the ninja world.

Information... was one of the cornerstones that allowed Grass Village to remain safe and sound until now!

Besides being sold to earn high prices and other benefits for the village, it also allowed Grass Village to make timely responses and adjustments to the 'external' winds and grass.

Grass Village completely treated these newly graduated brats as 'livestock' that could make money.

The premonition Yue had as graduation approached had already begun to come true.

The three of them had not escaped harm, but they had survived. The reason they could grow up normally now was also due to the protection of Grass Flower.

Others were not so lucky.

"Yue... When did you start reading books?"

One day, during a mission in the wilderness.

In his spare time, Ryuga saw Yue skillfully take out a book from his backpack, lean against a tree, and read carefully, asking in surprise.

During this time, whenever they were on a mission together, if they had free time, he and Yoshitaka found Yue holding a book and studying.

His diligent and hardworking appearance had 'opened their eyes.'

Ryuga, unable to suppress his curiosity, spoke up.

"Life itself is a process of continuous learning."

Yue looked at Ryuga and Yoshitaka and lectured them in an adult tone.

"Give it a rest. I know you well enough. If it were related to ninjutsu or cultivation, you'd be training like crazy... Books? I don't believe you can get into them!" Ryuga pouted.

"..."

Yue fell silent.

Indeed, he had been looking at these books related to Medical Ninjutsu for a long time.

To be honest, even now... he hadn't quite understood them, only vaguely grasping some conceptual points.

The main reason was the vast amount of knowledge covered.

The small print on the pages was dense, and there were extremely complex diagrams of human anatomy and so on.

It made him want to vomit.

He had to admit that even if he wanted to learn, he wasn't omnipotent.

Heaven could open a window for him, but it couldn't open every window.

The main reason was that he had nothing else to do in his free time, so... he read books to pass the time, although... he couldn't understand them very well.

"Go away, don't disturb my studies."

Yue put on a cold face and insisted.

"Hahahaha, alright, alright... Come on, Yoshitaka, let's lie down and rest for a while, and let our great genius immerse himself in the ocean of knowledge." Ryuga said sarcastically.

Yue pretended not to hear.

Just as the two finished bickering, Teacher Shishiro, who had gone to scout the surrounding area, suddenly returned, flashing to their vicinity with a letter in his hand.

"The mission is terminated early. We received a message from the village; we need to return immediately."

Shishiro said with a smile.

"Huh?"

The three of them were startled, and Yue also put down the book in his hand.

"What happened?"

"You even abandoned the mission?"

Normally, a village wouldn't send a special person to contact a small team like theirs.

"Don't be nervous."

Shishiro waved his hand.

"I have good news for the three of you."

"Good news?"

"The village received an invitation from Konoha, hoping we could send a few rookies to Konoha for an exchange study tour... They specifically requested you, Yue."

Ryuga and Yoshitaka also turned to look at Yue.

Yue's brow furrowed slightly.

Minato Namikaze's face immediately surfaced in his mind.

"The village's intention is to send the three of you, which can be considered a direct order from the village... Konoha in the Land of Fire, it's a place full of talents. You three must not embarrass our village." Shishiro's tone was a bit emotional.

Going to Konoha for a study tour... it was mainly an invitation proactively sent by Konoha.

What kind of treatment was this?

Their Grass Village had never been so honored.

As for Yue, who was specifically requested by Konoha... Shishiro's gaze was very complicated.

Yue was considered a genius in the Ninja Academy.

But that was only within the Ninja Academy, and he had a small reputation in the village... Now, it seemed, had the name of genius spread all the way to Konoha?

How did it spread?

"..."

Yue pondered for a moment and had already guessed the situation.

"Don't look at me... I'm not familiar with them."

Yue's expression was blank.