56-60

*Chapter 56: Convincing Moonlight Gale*

"Touji did it!"

Sakura Haruno jumped up from the ground, looking at Touji in disbelief.

Her once empty gaze was now filled with light, her face brimming with excitement.

"Great! I knew Touji could do it!"

Sasuke Uchiha smiled slightly, growing even more determined in his heart.

As long as he followed Touji, he would definitely surpass Itachi Uchiha and avenge the Uchiha clan in the future!

Moonlight Gale furrowed his brow.

If anyone else had dared to underestimate the Dance of the Crescent Moon, Moonlight Gale would’ve cut them down right away to show them just how powerful that technique was.

But Touji had just blocked the Dance of the Crescent Moon, so he had earned the right to say such things.

Moonlight Gale quickly sheathed his blade and pulled back, creating some distance.

He glanced at his long sword and found that part of it had actually frozen over.

"Ice? Could it be Ice Release?!"

Moonlight Gale’s heart skipped a beat.

Ice Release was a powerful Kekkei Genkai from the Hidden Mist Village. Many Konoha shinobi had died at the hands of this technique during their conflict with the Mist.

However, with the Hidden Mist sealing itself off recently, many in Konoha had begun to forget about it.

Yet, here it was, showing up on Touji!

"Are you a shinobi from the Hidden Mist Village? How did you deceive Kakashi?!"

*Ding! Moonlight Gale! Affection Points: 30! Caution!*

*Affection Points 50 Unlock: Shuriken Jutsu!*

*Affection Points 60 Unlock: Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!*

*Affection Points 70 Unlock: Leaf-style Kenjutsu!*

*Affection Points 80 Unlock: Moonlight!*

*Affection Points 90 Unlock: Dance of the Crescent Moon!*

*Affection Points 100 Unlock: Perception Release! Gain 100% trust! Infinite sign-ins activated (sign-in interval: 7 days)!*

Touji gave a bitter smile.

Ice Release wasn’t easy to explain.

As a Special Jonin, Moonlight Gale would be incredibly difficult for Touji to kill at his current strength.

And if Moonlight Gale decided to leave, Touji couldn’t stop him.

For a moment, Touji furrowed his brow.

To turn this around, he’d have to use the most powerful jutsu in the ninja world: the Art of Persuasion!

"Did the Third Hokage send you?"

"Shut up! How dare you speak the Hokage’s name directly!" Moonlight Gale shouted, his killing intent growing.

Touji sneered, then spoke with more emphasis.

"Do you know how powerful Konoha was during the Second Ninja War?"

Moonlight Gale gave Touji a strange look, not understanding what he was getting at.

However, he had heard of Konoha's strength back then.

The Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade; the two men with the most potential to become Hokage, Sakumo Hatake and Dan Kato; plus the Senju, Uchiha, Hyuga, and many other clans.

Konoha at that time could truly be called the strongest village in the ninja world.

For a moment, Moonlight Gale lifted his head in pride.

"What are you trying to say?"

Seeing Moonlight Gale’s expression, Touji smiled slightly.

"Then look at Konoha now."

Moonlight Gale’s brow furrowed again.

Konoha’s current situation was quite awkward.

Dan Kato and Sakumo Hatake had both died under mysterious circumstances, the Sannin had all left the village, the Senju clan had hidden themselves, the Uchiha clan had been massacred overnight, and many smaller clans were weakening.

The older generation of shinobi had mostly died off, while the younger generation hadn’t yet matured.

They even killed the head of the Hyuga branch family for slaying a Cloud ninja kidnapper.

In short, Konoha’s situation was precarious.

"You’ve noticed, right? Since the Third Hokage took over, Konoha has been declining. If someone were to attack the village now, what could Konoha use to defend itself?"

Moonlight Gale wanted to argue, but he couldn’t find any reason to.

Because everything Touji said was true.

"No matter what, you're still a spy. I have a duty to eliminate you. But I’ll give you a chance now—leave and never return to Konoha!"

"A spy? Have I ever done anything a spy would do?"

Moonlight Gale paused, searching his memory.

But after thinking, Moonlight Gale realized that apart from offending the Third Hokage, Touji hadn’t done anything wrong.

Moreover, the Hokage’s orders were to secretly assassinate Touji without anyone knowing.

Clearly, something was fishy.

Seeing that Moonlight Gale was deep in thought, Touji felt a glimmer of hope and quickly continued, "You can monitor me at any time. If I do anything to betray the village, you can take my life then!"

*Ding! Moonlight Gale Affection Points +10! Current Affection Points: 40! Caution!*

"Fine, I’ll believe you for now. But if I catch you doing anything to harm Konoha, I’ll kill you without hesitation!"

Touji let out a long sigh of relief. At least for now, Moonlight Gale was willing to trust him.

This meant he wouldn’t rush back to Konoha to report, allowing Touji to continue building good relationships within the village.

Still, Touji knew it was only a matter of time before he had to leave Konoha.

The information he had leaked unintentionally would’ve already gotten others captured by the ANBU.

Once his level of goodwill fell behind the amount of information he revealed, ANBU would definitely come knocking.

Even if they didn’t, he’d still end up being taken for research.

That’s why Touji had to focus on increasing the goodwill of key figures to earn essential rewards.

As for the rest, he could come back and work on those after growing stronger.

Once he had enough strength, he wouldn’t fear anyone, and gaining favor would become much easier.

At that point, it wouldn’t just be jutsu he could aim for—he could start thinking about other things too.

"Fine! If Konoha becomes stronger because of me, I hope you’ll support me."

Moonlight Gale snorted and sheathed his sword.

"If you can bring Konoha back to its former glory, everyone will support you without question!"

"Wait! If you see any Sand ninjas in the village, make sure to run away!"

Moonlight Gale turned and gave Touji a mocking glance.

"As a Konoha shinobi, if I find Sand ninjas in the village, I won’t run. I’m a Konoha ninja!" Moonlight Gale said, then disappeared with the Body Flicker Technique.

Touji smiled indifferently.

Moonlight Gale had the name of a main character but not the fate of one.

He had died attacking the Sand ninja Baki, losing his life because of a bad matchup.

But Touji wasn’t particularly interested in Moonlight Gale’s rewards. If he really wanted to throw his life away, it didn’t matter.

One less threat would only make things easier.

*End of Chapter*

Chapter 57: A Beautiful Trouble

Watching Moonlight Hayate leave, Touji sighed helplessly.

Still not strong enough.

If he had the power, he could have killed Moonlight Hayate in one strike without wasting so many words.

After all, leaving a hidden danger is like having a thorn stuck in your throat—extremely uncomfortable.

But Naruto is not that simple.

Unlike other worlds where the power levels are clearly defined, once you reach the top, you can do as you please.

In Naruto, there’s no such thing as a "beginner’s village." You might run into a Kage-level ninja as soon as you step out the door.

Or world-ending disasters could hit you while you're sleeping.

So, sometimes, you just have to endure.

Fortunately, Touji knew a few key points to avoid danger and stay alive.

As Touji was deep in thought, suddenly, Sakura Haruno threw herself at him, hugging him tightly.

“I’m so glad! I thought I’d never see you again!”

Touji scratched his nose, a bit embarrassed.

Thankfully, Touji knew how Baki broke the Dance of the Crescent Moon. He used ice release to gather cold air at three vital spots, using compressed layers of ice to block the deadly blow.

Otherwise, he would’ve been done for.

Sasuke Uchiha, eyes gleaming as if he were looking at the most beautiful woman, excitedly turned to Touji.

“Touji, when are you going to teach me how to get stronger?”

Touji coughed awkwardly.

He hadn’t even figured out everything himself, so how could he teach Sasuke?

But Touji did know one technique that was perfect for Sasuke: Chidori!

Chidori was powerful, but without the Sharingan, it was hard for Touji to land a hit.

Teaching it to Sasuke, though, would be just right.

After all, many of Sasuke’s later techniques were built around Chidori.

Without it, Sasuke would be nothing more than an average ninja.

But if he taught it to Sasuke, Kakashi would become completely irrelevant.

The teacher with the least presence in the world.

Sasuke abandons the Leaf Village, Naruto has Jiraiya to teach him, and Sakura has Tsunade.

Kakashi, as Team 7's teacher, ends up doing almost nothing.

“Sasuke, I’ll teach you this jutsu, but you can’t use it recklessly or against your own comrades!”

Sasuke immediately got excited.

He didn’t fully understand Touji’s warning, but he nodded anyway.

After a few simple hand signs, blue electric arcs began to flash around Touji’s right hand.

Touji felt a surge of excitement too.

After all, in a way, this was the first time he had used Chidori.

But before he could celebrate, his smile faded.

Chidori was like a pump, draining his chakra completely in just a few seconds.

As the chakra left his body, Touji’s face turned pale.

“Wow! This jutsu is so powerful that it makes your face go white! Can I learn it too?” Naruto asked excitedly, pointing at Touji.

Touji twitched.

He confirmed it: Naruto was definitely an idiot.

If given the chance, he’d make Naruto try out the Chidori Thousand Years of Death to see if it made his face pale.

“Only Sasuke has lightning chakra. You two can’t learn it.”

Naruto’s face darkened, and he hung his head, silent.

After all, Naruto was just a twelve-year-old kid. Seeing Sasuke get something he couldn’t made him feel jealous and hurt.

Touji smiled wryly.

Naruto, the main character, needed some boosting to build favorability.

So, Touji walked over, patted Naruto on the shoulder, and said gently,

“Naruto, don’t worry. Once you’re strong enough, I’ll teach you some powerful jutsu too!”

Naruto lifted his head slowly, eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Really?”

Ding! Naruto’s favorability increased by five points! Current favorability: 58 points!  

Touji was startled, coughing non-stop.

One second ago, Naruto was down, and just with a few words, he was suddenly full of sunshine.

Naruto had grown up isolated and shunned by everyone around him.

No one wanted to play with him, and adults looked at him with eyes full of resentment.

Even though Danzo apologized publicly, the people’s hatred for Naruto was deeply rooted, and it wasn’t going to change overnight.

So now, Naruto was desperate for acceptance.

That’s why just a few comforting words made his favorability shoot up.

At that moment, Sakura Haruno also walked over, her big eyes staring intently at Touji.

“So, what jutsu are you going to teach me?”

“Sakura, your theoretical knowledge and chakra control are great, but in actual combat, it’s pretty much useless. So right now, you shouldn’t be learning new jutsu—you need real battle experience!”

In the last few fights, Sakura had barely contributed.

If she learned jutsu now, she’d just find a new way to collapse into tears.

Despite Touji’s refusal, Sakura wasn’t discouraged. Instead, she smiled mysteriously.

“Touji, why don’t you teach me in combat?”

As she spoke, she grabbed Touji’s hand and started shaking it.

Ding! Naruto’s favorability decreased by one point! Current favorability: 57 points!  

Touji’s eye twitched.

Sure enough, beauty brings trouble. One simple move, and Naruto’s favorability dropped.

Thankfully, the system could detect changes in favorability—otherwise, he wouldn’t even know how he’d die.

Just then, Haku appeared, a charming smile on his face.

Even though Touji knew Haku was a guy, he couldn’t help but feel a tremor in his heart.

Naruto also had a lovestruck look on his face.

Only Sasuke, the oblivious one, continued practicing his Chidori.

“If you want a sparring partner, I can help.”

Sakura’s face turned sour.

Her goal was to fight with Touji, not to fight.

But now that Haku had offered, she couldn’t refuse.

“Alright, let’s do it then.”

“I think I need some battle practice too!” Naruto said, excited.

Touji glanced at him, annoyed.

Do you want to fight, or are you just trying to impress Sakura? Or maybe you’re interested in Haku?

Anyway, Touji was glad to be rid of the hassle.

“Touji, Zabuza wants to see you,” Haku said.

Touji froze for a moment, spotting Zabuza standing on a distant tree, observing him.

Ding! Zabuza’s favorability increased by five points! Current favorability: 61 points! You can now sign in!  

*End of Chapter*

---

*Chapter 58: The List of Infiltrators*

As Touji approached, Zabuza Momochi immediately grew serious. His eyes kept sizing up Touji for a while before clasping his hands in a respectful salute.

"Should I call you Touji-kun, or should I address you as Haku of the Yuki Clan?"

Touji twitched slightly.

Here it is—the misunderstanding.

If even Zabuza from the Hidden Mist Village could misunderstand, it was no surprise the schemers in Konoha would as well.

At this moment, Touji felt very fortunate that he had bribed Hayate Gekkō.

If Hayate had gotten away, the foundation of Konoha would have been completely destroyed!

It was true that Ice Release was a bloodline limit of the Yuki Clan from the Hidden Mist Village. Unlike the Byakugan, which many could awaken, Ice Release could only be awakened by a select few members of the Yuki Clan.

Some even went generations without anyone awakening it.

Since the Fourth Mizukage came to power, various clans had been suppressed, with the Yuki Clan being a primary target.

Eventually, the Yuki Clan was wiped out, and only a few were sent away, going into hiding and changing their names.

Haku was one of them.

Now that Touji had obtained Ice Release through his system, it was easy for people to associate him with the Yuki Clan.

So, from now on, he would have to use Ice Release as sparingly as possible.

"What do you want from me?" Touji asked.

"Here, take this," Zabuza replied with a slight smile, handing Touji a booklet.

Touji took the booklet, puzzled, but as he saw its contents, he couldn't help but tremble.

A list of undercover agents!

This was absolutely classified information. Each name on the list represented a living, breathing person.

The list detailed their names, what they did, and their roles.

To Touji’s surprise, in addition to members of the major clans, several had infiltrated the Anbu as well.

If this list were handed over to Konoha's Anbu, all of the spies from the Hidden Mist Village would be rooted out.

In the next battle with Konoha, the Hidden Mist Village would be left blind.

"Aren't you afraid I’ll give this to the Konoha Anbu?" Touji asked.

Zabuza shook his head slightly, chuckling, "As a member of the Yuki Clan, why would you betray your own people? Plus, this list is from before I left, so some of these people might not even be around anymore."

Touji stared at the list seriously.

Even if it was from before Zabuza left, it was still valuable.

By following the network of these people, Konoha could track down more spies.

The names on the list were written in two different colors: red and blue.

"What do these colors mean?" Touji asked.

"Red names are loyal to the Fourth Mizukage. If necessary, you can sell them out. Blue names are trustworthy. If you ever need help, you can go to them."

After finishing, Zabuza tossed a metal token to Touji.

Touji was ecstatic inside.

Although he had Hyūga Hiashi's protection in Konoha, there were times when the Hyūga Clan might not be able to help.

Now, with this list, there were things he could handle on his own.

The first thing Touji planned to do was have someone kill Hayate Gekkō.

Even though Hayate wouldn’t expose his secret for now, having such a threat lingered like a thorn.

Touji didn’t want his life to be in someone else’s hands.

As for turning in the list? That was out of the question.

The most he would get for it was a medal and a small monetary reward—nothing significant.

In fact, people might even start to suspect where he got the list from.

"I'll take the list, and I’ll find a way to deal with the Fourth Mizukage, but it won’t be something that can be accomplished overnight."

Zabuza nodded slightly.

Although the Fourth Mizukage was unpopular and had turned the Hidden Mist Village into a "Bloody Mist," there were still plenty of people following him.

Especially since the Fourth Mizukage was a perfect jinchūriki with incredible strength.

Zabuza had fled the village because he couldn’t defeat him in their last encounter.

"I’ll be waiting near Konoha. If you ever need me, even my life is yours," Zabuza said.

Touji felt a mix of emotions.

Although Hayate Gekkō discovering his Ice Release had become a huge risk, it had also earned him Zabuza's complete trust.

A blessing in disguise.

Without Zabuza and the local thugs causing trouble, the bridge in the Land of Waves was completed quickly.

However, instead of being named the "Great Naruto Bridge," it had been renamed the "Great Touji Bridge," leaving Touji speechless.

But with the mission completed, Touji and his team could finally return to Konoha.

"Kid, you're back! While you were gone, Tenten has been completely out of it, like she lost her soul!" Might Guy slapped Touji on the shoulder, laughing heartily.

Tenten’s face instantly turned red as she looked at Might Guy in embarrassment.

"Guy-sensei! What are you talking about? Who’s out of it? Who looks like they’ve lost their soul?!"

"Funny thing—Hinata's been the same way on our side. Could it be that they’re both sick?" Kurenai Yuhi smiled slightly as she wrapped her arm around Touji’s neck.

"So, what do you say? Join Team 8. I’ll spoil you just like I spoil Hinata."

"No! Join Team 3!"

"Team 8!"

"Team 3!"

"Our Hyūga Clan!"

As Might Guy and Kurenai argued, a stern voice interrupted.

It was Hyūga Hiashi.

Hiashi, now holding significant power, was far more influential than before.

However, he also looked more worn out.

Following Hiashi was Kakashi Hatake, the teacher of Team 7.

"Yo! Gamarimasho, Touji!" Kakashi greeted with his usual nonchalant tone.

Touji almost stumbled.

From Kakashi’s familiarity with this greeting, it was clear he'd been using it a lot.

For a moment, Touji was afraid to step foot into Konoha.

He feared that every time someone saw him, they’d greet him with a "Gamarimasho."

It would’ve been fine if Touji didn’t understand, but he did.

Being greeted like this constantly? Who could stand it?

"Kakashi-sensei is saying hello to you, Touji-kun," Naruto Uzumaki nudged Touji, whispering.

Touji twitched. He had hoped to brush it off, but now it seemed impossible.

"Gamarimasho, Kakashi-sensei..."

Kakashi nodded in satisfaction.

The more he looked at Touji, the more pleased he was. Not only was his strength and intuition remarkable, but he had also turned a simple phrase into the latest trend in Konoha.

"How did the mission go? Any unexpected events?"

Touji was about to mention the Hayate Gekkō situation, but then he saw Hayate, sword in hand, not far away.

The words stuck in his throat.

Though he couldn’t speak about Hayate, he could freely talk about Zabuza.

When the others heard that Touji had encountered a ninja from the Hidden Mist Village, and that it was none other than Zabuza, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, they were all alarmed.

But when they heard that Touji had repelled Zabuza, everyone smiled in relief.

Might Guy and Kurenai Yuhi glanced at Kakashi with envy.

"This must be one of the Third Hokage's schemes. It looks like I can’t stay silent anymore!"

---

*Chapter 59: The Meeting*

Hyuga Hizashi's eyes grew serious.

Touji, being the future hope of the Hyuga clan, was continuously being targeted, and Hizashi couldn't tolerate it any longer.

If before he had no leverage or way to act, now that someone was in his hands, he could finally take action.

“From today, Touji, you're staying with the Hyuga clan. No one will dare touch you while you're in my house!”

Hearing this, Hyuga Hinata's eyes lit up, and she shyly fiddled with her thumbs in front of her chest.

However, both Tenten and Haruno Sakura became visibly anxious.

Especially Tenten, who had little interaction with Touji to begin with. Now that he was moving in with the Hyuga family, she realized that proximity brings opportunities!

If she didn't do something soon, she feared she might miss her chance entirely.

Taking a deep breath, Tenten ran toward Touji.

“Touji-kun~”

As she reached his side, she pretended to trip and fell directly into his arms.

Though it was part of her plan, Tenten’s face still turned bright red.

“Touji-kun, sorry, I’m so clumsy,” she said, twisting slightly in his embrace.

Hinata and Sakura both twitched at the corner of their mouths, silently cursing, “What a b****!”

The two quickly ran over and "helpfully" lifted Tenten off of Touji.

“Tenten, you need to be more careful.”

“Yeah, yeah, are you hurt?”

Tenten’s face showed regret, but in her heart, she cursed them both.

She had hoped to enjoy a few more minutes in Touji’s arms, but now her plan was ruined.

Touji awkwardly coughed and hurried to catch up with Hizashi.

But as they approached Konoha, Touji couldn't help but frown.

Upon entering the village gates, he immediately felt several hostile glares, some even filled with killing intent.

For most Konoha ninjas, returning to the village was like coming home, where they could lower their guard.

But Touji had to remain vigilant, ready to defend against any sudden attacks.

Oddly enough, it was in the Land of Waves where he could relax.

Noticing Touji’s unease, Hizashi quickly formed hand seals, veins bulging around his eyes.

“Get lost! Go back and tell Sarutobi Hiruzen that Touji is my future son-in-law! Touch him, and you’re against the Hyuga clan!”

With Hizashi’s furious shout, the trees nearby rustled, and the killing intent vanished.

“It seems the Third Hokage still holds a grudge over what happened last time,” Touji said with a casual smile.

The Chunin Exams were approaching, and that would be the time for Sarutobi’s death.

Touji wouldn’t even have to lift a finger.

As for Hayate Gekkou, Touji would have to kill him personally.

Even though Gekkou would die during the exams, he was still more dangerous than the Third Hokage.

If Gekkou made a move, Touji would be in mortal danger!

First, Touji needed to contact the people on the list and have them act. Only then would he be safe.

“Tenten, I need to buy some ninja tools. Care to give me some advice?”

Tenten paused for a moment before a smug smile spread across her face.

Pushing away the "helpful" Hinata and Sakura, she straightened her clothes and her bun.

“You've come to the right person, Touji-kun! In all of Konoha, no one knows ninja tools better than me!”

Her smile grew more confident as she glanced challengingly at the other two girls, even standing up straighter with pride.

“Do you need protection?” Hizashi asked, seeing the pleading look in his daughter's eyes, coughing lightly.

“No need, it's broad daylight in the village. They wouldn't dare try anything.”

The fewer people for this secret meeting, the better. If they were discovered, Konoha’s plans would fall apart.

“Yeah, exactly! What could possibly happen in the village?” Tenten added, grabbing Touji’s hand and dragging him into the village.

There was no way she was letting anyone else intrude on her time alone with him.

Sakura kept up her cheerful facade, but inside, she imagined pounding Tenten into the ground.

Meanwhile, Hinata looked heartbroken and continued to plead silently with her father.

Hizashi could only shake his head in defeat, gently patting Hinata on the head.

“Why are you in such a rush? Touji will be living with us from now on. I'll make sure he stays in your room!”

Hinata’s face turned bright red as she lowered her head, wishing she could disappear into her chest.

“Okay…”

With that, she ran off, her head still down, heading toward the Hyuga compound.

Touji and Tenten wandered aimlessly through the village, with Tenten enthusiastically explaining which shops sold the sharpest shuriken and the most painful kunai.

She was the epitome of a tech enthusiast.

Suddenly, Touji stopped in his tracks.

“Found it!”

They had finally found the shuriken shop they were searching for.

Luckily, it hadn’t closed down due to the turmoil in the Mist Village.

Touji walked in without hesitation. Inside, several ninjas were browsing the wares, and business seemed to be booming.

“Touji-kun, you’ve got a good eye. This shop is really popular for its high-quality gear! And I have a top-level diamond VIP card here, so we can get a discount!”

Touji couldn’t help but twitch at the mention of her VIP status.

Just how much had Tenten spent here to reach that level?

Touji was also impressed by the shop owner, who had grown the business this big. If he wasn’t a ninja, he could’ve become a ruthless businessman.

The owner, recognizing Tenten, smiled warmly and greeted her.

“Ah, Tenten, we just got a new batch of tools from the Land of Lightning. I’ve set aside a special set for you!”

As he spoke, he noticed Touji, particularly the iron token hanging around his neck— the signal for the secret meeting.

“Tenten, brought your boyfriend to buy tools today? I’ve got a few items used by the First Hokage in the back. Want to check them out?”

Tenten's face lit up with excitement, her eyes practically glowing.

“Of course! I definitely need to see those!”

The owner led Touji and Tenten into a small room. Tenten was immediately engrossed in the tools, holding them lovingly.

Meanwhile, the shopkeeper, after a brief reaction to the iron token, now acted as if he didn’t notice it, continuing to smile at Tenten.

Was there supposed to be a password?

Touji hesitated.

In shows, secret meetings always had some code to confirm identities.

But Touji had no clue what the code was!

After a long pause, he tentatively said, “The King covers the Tiger?”

---

*Chapter 60: Daily Confessions*

The boss froze for a moment, looking at Touji with confusion.

"Am I supposed to respond to something?"

Touji instantly felt embarrassed.

Come to think of it, it wasn’t possible. If the boss had responded with "Pagoda Town suppresses river demons" or "Teemo is 4’11"," things would have escalated fast.

That would mean the boss wasn’t just a spy from the Hidden Mist Village but that there might also be time travelers within it.

Touji awkwardly coughed twice and quickly explained, "Just talking nonsense."

The boss rolled his eyes and noticed that Tenten had completely fallen silent. He waved at Touji.

Touji's eyes lit up, and he hurried to follow.

Once they entered another secret room, the boss's signature smile disappeared, replaced by a serious expression as he looked at Touji.

"Who exactly are you, and where did you get this token?"

Touji understood immediately.

The boss was indeed a spy from the Hidden Mist Village, but he still couldn’t fully trust him.

Luckily, Touji had something that could truly prove his identity.

In that instant, Touji’s aura turned icy, and in the small room, the temperature quickly dropped, causing the boss to shiver.

"The Hozuki clan!"

The boss's face twisted in pain as he spoke. If Touji weren’t there, tears might have flowed down his face.

"What happened? Why has no one come to contact me in so long?" the boss growled softly, as though trying to vent years of frustration.

Touji smiled wryly.

Since the Fourth Mizukage took office, he’d been unpopular and sealed off the entire Hidden Mist Village.

This caused all the spies outside the village to lose contact.

Fortunately, the boss hadn’t fully defected to the Leaf Village; otherwise, Touji would be walking into his death.

"So, what’s the mission this time?"

"Hayate Gekko. I need him to disappear without a trace. No time limit."

The boss immediately frowned.

Hayate Gekko wasn’t some no-name figure. He was one of the few special Jonin of the Leaf Village.

Moreover, Hayate had unique insights into assassination, and naturally, he had a deep understanding of counter-assassination too.

Killing him wouldn’t be easy!

But at least there was no time limit, so there would be ample time to plan.

"I’ll take the mission!" The boss's expression flickered, and after hesitating for a long time, he mustered the courage to ask, "I want to know, why hasn’t the village contacted us for so long? Even the intelligence handlers haven’t shown up."

Touji smiled helplessly.

If he hadn’t shown up, this group of leftover spies in the Leaf Village would likely have disappeared forever.

"I won’t say much. I can only tell you that the village is facing an unprecedented crisis, and I really need your help!"

Upon hearing Touji's words, the boss trembled.

As one of the Five Great Nations, the only forces capable of threatening the Land of Water were the other great nations.

The Land of Water's geographical position was advantageous, making it difficult for other nations to invade.

There hadn’t been any major wars between the great nations recently, so there was only one possibility left.

Civil unrest.

The boss shook his head helplessly.

If it had been an invasion from another nation, he would have risked his life to help.

But if it was civil unrest, there was little he could do.

"Alright, let's head back. That girl might get suspicious," the boss said, shaking his head again before sighing and walking out wearily.

However, as soon as he stepped outside, his signature smile reappeared, as if nothing had happened.

"Touji-kun, where did you two go? I’ve been looking for you!" Tenten complained, glancing at Touji as she rushed over to grab his hand, as if afraid he’d disappear again.

The boss smiled slightly and pulled out a set of ninja tools from who knows where, placing them in front of Tenten.

"Your boyfriend has good taste. He picked this set of ninja tools right away."

Tenten curiously took the tools, but when she saw what they really were, her eyes widened.

"This, this! I want it! I want it!"

Tenten suddenly felt that the tools the First Hokage had used were nothing compared to this. She couldn’t stop rubbing the tools against her face, not even worried about scratching her cheek.

Touji shrugged helplessly.

No wonder Tenten stayed single for so long. Spending every day with ninja tools, what guy could handle that?

Plus, Tenten was a diamond VIP big shot. What guy could possibly be worthy of her?

"Wait, these tools are for Touji-kun."

Tenten said, handing the tools to Touji, her eyes pitifully gazing at him, like a child whose favorite lollipop had been taken away.

"These tools were meant for you. If you don’t like them, I’ll return them," Touji teased.

Tenten instantly flared up.

There was no way she’d return such excellent tools.

She quickly hugged them tightly, afraid Touji would take them away.

*[Ding! Tenten’s affection has increased by four points! Current affection: 89 points!]*

Seeing Tenten’s expression, Touji couldn’t help but laugh.

However, the day's goal had already been achieved, so there was no need for Touji to stay any longer.

As Touji walked down the street, Tenten, who usually had so much to say, was unusually quiet.

She clutched the tools in her arms, looking as if she were holding some priceless treasure instead.

Just as they reached a quiet corner, Tenten suddenly stopped.

"Wait, Touji-kun!"

Touji turned around in confusion and saw that Tenten’s face was as red as an apple. She seemed to be struggling to say something.

"Touji-kun, do you think a girl like me, who spends every day with ninja tools, would ever be liked by anyone?"

Touji froze.

Was this... a confession?

His heart began racing wildly at the thought.

"Of course, your parents love you the most, don’t they?"

Touji wasn’t planning on saying yes.

If he did, the affection points from the other girls would probably drop significantly, and they might never reach a hundred.

"No, that’s not what I meant!" Tenten's face turned even redder, and her voice became quieter and quieter until it was barely a whisper.

"What I mean is... would any guy like me? Someone like... Touji-kun~"

The two of them fell silent.

Touji had no idea how to respond without hurting Tenten’s feelings.

He wished he had read more of the "playboy’s handbook" back in the day.

How do you juggle multiple relationships?

Or maybe he should have sought out Master Luo for some time management tips.

But now it was too late. Tenten had cornered him, leaving Touji no room to escape.

Just when Touji was stammering and unsure how to reply, a green figure suddenly jumped out and grabbed his hand, eyes shining brightly.

"Touji-kun, Touji-kun, when will you teach me sword techniques or the Gentle Fist?"

*Dear readers, please give me your recommendation votes! Pretty please!*

(End of Chapter)