11-15

Chapter 11: B-Rank Ninja Mission [Capture the Spy]! 

"No, no. Stopping the medication? Can't stop."

Nara Raku licked his lips, much like a starved man who had just seen food, a gleam of hunger flashing in his eyes.

"The technique I developed, [Lacquer Eye], only solves the problem of the extra energy consumption caused by the [Shadow Secret Technique].

"For now, I still need that Nara secret medicine to continue nourishing my body.

"And don’t think I don’t know that the secret medicine you prepared was mostly pre-cooked by the pharmacy and delivered to our home. It didn’t take up much of your time."

If not for appearances’ sake, Nara Raku would have asked Nara Shosuke to increase the dosage.

"No, it’s already getting in the way of my time with my wife."

Nara Shosuke stated confidently.

"Kakui, you’re an adult—well, I mean, you're a ninja now. You can’t rely on your parents for everything."

"Yes, Kakui," added Nara Chieko, joining the conversation.

"And about moving, Shosuke and I discussed it last night. We’ll move, but you don’t have to come with us. When we move into the new house, you can move out.

"Later, when you have time, you can buy your own place—anywhere you like.

"If you still want to stay at the Kikyō Orphanage, that’s fine too."

Nara Raku mechanically shoved a bite of fried rice into his mouth, his jaw muscles twitching, and the food tasted like wax.

[Precision +1]

[Precision: E+ → D-]

The feast at the orphanage, the luxurious ramen upon his return, the Nara secret medicine before training, and today’s breakfast… a mouthful of dog food.

All of this bumped his [Precision] attribute up a full rank.

But this improvement didn’t bring him much joy at the moment.

Scraping the last grain of rice from his plate, Nara Raku sighed, "Am I being kicked out?"

"Don’t make us sound like negligent parents who don’t care about their child’s growth."

Nara Shosuke took his wife’s hand, feeding her a spoonful of omelet rice as he casually said, "Kakui, this is called ‘becoming independent.’

"Kids grow up, and parents no longer need to worry so much… you get the idea."

Then I must be someone else’s kid!

Nara Raku placed his cleaned plate down.

As his parents continued feeding each other, breakfast finally came to an end.

"Oh, one more thing," Nara Shosuke held up his shiny spoon, looking at his son, who was resting his eyes (out of sight, out of mind).

"Since your 'Black Eye' jutsu is complete, when will you hand it over to Clan Leader Shikano?"

Nara Shikano, the current head of the Nara clan and father of Shikaku Nara.

"It’s [Lacquer Eye], not Black Eye," Nara Raku calmly corrected, opening his eyes.

"I’ll hand it in once I’ve organized the final usage data… at the latest, in three days."

Developing the [Lacquer Eye] technique wasn’t solely Nara Raku’s achievement.

If he had developed an A-rank jutsu entirely on his own, the position of "Ninjutsu Professor" would’ve gone to him instead of Sarutobi Hiruzen!

Aside from his efforts, the two biggest supporters of Nara Raku's research were Nara Shosuke and Nara Shikano.

As the head of the Nara Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Nara Shosuke had provided extensive data on the nervous system, especially the visual nervous system, during the research process.

Meanwhile, Nara Shikano had offered plenty of "senior experience," contributing greatly to the project.

These two were the "angel investors" of the [Lacquer Eye] jutsu research.

Naturally, Nara Raku was obligated to share the results with these two.

"So soon..." Nara Shosuke shrugged, lazily winning another kiss from his wife.

"Looks like I can’t keep up."

"Is your research almost finished?" Nara Raku’s eyes flickered.

He knew the general direction of his father’s research—combining the "nervous system" with the "Shadow Secret Technique."

It sounded profound, but Nara Raku had already formed some hypotheses.

The times were advancing, and even the [Shadow Binding Technique] was due for an upgrade.

"Still needs some work," Nara Shosuke said, returning his wife’s kiss, unfazed by the “third wheel” nearby.

"I hate to admit it, but Chieko’s medical-ninjutsu skills aren’t as advanced as I’d hoped.

"Of course, that’s not her fault, it’s mine. I should’ve chosen an easier topic."

Chieko’s eyes filled with adoration at his self-reflection.

"Honey..."

Nara Raku quickly stood up, hurrying away from the impending affection overload of his parents.

At the front door, he pulled out a special short whistle from his ninja pouch and blew.

*Whistle*

The ethereal sound echoed far into the forest outside Kikyō City, alerting countless deer.

Before long, a large, strong stag appeared in his line of sight, galloping toward him.

"Daikaku."

Nara Raku deftly leaped onto the stag’s back and squeezed his legs lightly.

"To the village."

With a spirited grunt, Daikaku swiftly turned and began making his way toward Konoha.

As Nara Raku rode on Daikaku, his hands gripping the sturdy antlers, thoughts flooded his mind.

His father’s research had stalled due to a lack of skilled medical ninjas.

While the Nara clan managed Konoha’s medical system, their approach was more akin to pharmacists prescribing remedies rather than the "healing magic" of true medical ninjas.

And few members of the Nara clan had mastered medical-ninjutsu, let alone advanced in it.

'To advance his research, he needs help from medical ninjas, especially those proficient in the human nervous system.'

Two elite medical-nin he knew came to mind.

"Good morning, Nara-kun!"

A cheerful voice called out, and a familiar blonde appeared in his line of sight.

He nodded instinctively. "Morning, Tsunade."

After all, Tsunade was Konoha’s top—

"We’re not that close," Tsunade said, poking his forehead.

"Call me Lady Tsunade!"

'Oh no!' Nara Raku motioned for Daikaku to step back.

'I really need to fix my daydreaming habit!'

He looked at “Lady Tsunade,” who seemed slightly more dressed up today.

Well, slightly.

She had simply added one more layer to her usual short-sleeved, shorts outfit—a black fishnet bodysuit!

The tight black mesh highlighted her pale, jade-like skin, with small patches of soft flesh peeking through the diamond-shaped holes, tempting anyone who dared look.

"Lady Tsunade!" This time, Nara Raku responded crisply.

But his sharp response seemed to irk her.

"We’re not that distant either," Tsunade said, yanking him off Daikaku's back.

"Just call me… big sister Tsunade!"

Now it was Nara Raku’s turn to question if they were that close.

“Woo!”

Daikaku let out a strong grunt, eyes fixated on Tsunade, head lowered as if ready to charge.

It looked like it was prepared to gore her if she didn’t let go!

"Your deer’s pretty amusing, Nara!" Tsunade grinned at Daikaku. "It’s bowing to me!"

No, it’s aiming for your lungs!

Nara Raku waved Daikaku off, sending him to find a doe to play with.

He wasn’t worried about Tsunade misreading the stag’s intentions, but rather the opposite—her one punch could send him to meet his ancestors!

"Sister Tsunade," Nara Raku quickly corrected himself under her intimidating gaze.

"Didn’t expect you’d really ride a deer to school, haha!" Tsunade laughed.

"I was going to find you, but we met on the way. Let’s head to the mission together!"

"Mission?" Nara Raku was puzzled.

"Yeah, a B-rank mission just issued by the Hokage’s office," Tsunade said, walking toward Konoha.

"Yesterday’s Iwagakure spy—they’ve extracted valuable intel from his mind, including the locations of more spies scattered throughout Konoha.

"Our mission today is to capture them!

"Don’t worry though, these spies aren’t as strong as yesterday’s. At best, they’re just Chūnin."

As Tsunade spoke, a mission prompt appeared on Nara Raku’s screen.

[B-rank Ninja Mission Triggered!]

[B-rank Mission: Capture the Spy]

[Mission Objective: Pursue, capture, or eliminate the low-level Iwagakure spies]

[Mission Reward: B-rank Ninja Scroll]

(End of Chapter)

**Chapter 12: Not All Missions and Their Difficulties Can Be Judged the Same!**

"Another spy?"  
Nara Raku followed closely behind Tsunade, quickly glancing at the mission details displayed on his panel.

But... another B-rank mission?  
"Yesterday’s B-rank ninja battle mission was rated B because the enemy was a Jonin."  

After reading the mission information, Nara Raku frowned slightly.  
"But today's B-rank mission... Tsunade clearly said those Iwagakure spies were at most Chunin level!"

"Is this an error in the Lazy Ghost System, or is there a difference in how battle and commission missions are rated?"

Nara Raku thoughtfully reviewed the panel's functions.  
"Based on the strength classification, E-rank is for Academy students, D-rank for Genin, C-rank for Chunin, and B-rank for Jonin."

"The difficulty of ninja battle missions is also based on the enemy's strength level."  
"But for missions issued by Konoha..."

Nara Raku's mind flashed back to the mission guidelines taught at the Academy.  
In Konoha, ninja missions are divided into five levels, from D-rank (the lowest) to S-rank (the highest).

C-rank and D-rank missions usually don’t involve combat.  
B-rank missions indicate the presence of enemies, but their strength is typically Chunin or lower.

Only A-rank and S-rank missions involve Jonin, ninja squads, or even Kage-level threats.  
"This means there’s a gap between the system’s battle missions and Konoha’s commission missions!"

Nara Raku's eyes gleamed, feeling a bit pleased.  
"For the same B-rank mission, a battle mission means facing a Jonin, while a commission mission only requires fighting a Chunin!"

"And the best part is... whether it's a battle or commission mission, both offer B-rank secret scroll rewards!"

Not all missions are equal in difficulty.  
Given a choice, Nara Raku would definitely opt for the easier commission missions.

"But on the flip side, commission missions are more tedious, while battle missions are straightforward..."  
"You’re clever, Lazy Ghost System!"

Closing the panel, Nara Raku had another thought.  
"If Konoha can issue commission missions, can others—or even I—create commission missions for myself?"

Nara Raku planned to test this "mission commission" function of the Lazy Ghost System at some point.  
For now, he needed to catch up to Tsunade.

"Tsunade-nee," Nara Raku called out. He wasn’t used to using honorifics when addressing others.  
"I have some questions."

"Go ahead."

Tsunade slowed her pace, walking side by side with him as they strolled through Konoha.  
Nara Raku kept his gaze straight ahead.  
"First, if I’m not mistaken, B-rank missions are for Chunin or higher, right? I’m just a Genin in reserve, so I shouldn’t be able to take this mission, right?"

"That’s correct. This B-rank mission is under my name. You’re just here to assist me," Tsunade said, smiling as she clasped her hands behind her back.  
"Actually, yesterday's mission could have been rated A-rank, but Konoha doesn’t have retroactive mission ratings. At most, you’d just get an A-rank entry in your mission record."

Nara Raku nodded, accepting her explanation before continuing.  
"Second question: why me?"

"What do you mean 'why'?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow, bending down and poking Nara Raku’s cheek with her finger.  
"Who else could handle this mission but the person who dealt with that Iwagakure Jonin?"

Well, there were others.  
Konoha rarely had mission backlogs, and there were plenty of ninja waiting for missions to earn money.  
Tsunade had simply taken the mission before anyone else noticed it.

She had first seen the mission scroll while reporting to the Hokage the previous night.  
And she’d found something else too—a jutsu scroll...

Nara Raku discreetly shifted away from her finger.  
He was especially weak to blonde, big-breasted women, and Tsunade’s affectionate gestures made him a bit uncomfortable.  
If they were truly close, Nara Raku could probably keep up a month-long stream of teasing remarks without repeating himself.

But this was only their second meeting, even counting today.

Nara Raku wasn’t trying to be a lone wolf.  
Being in a foreign world, it was natural to feel lonely and want companionship.  
But he also wasn’t so self-absorbed as to act rashly.

Tsunade withdrew her hand and straightened up, smiling slightly.  
She loved shy, introverted boys like him!  
"I'll accept that explanation... barely."

Nara Raku took a deep breath.  
"Third question: do you have a plan to deal with the enemies?"

"Why bother planning when I have you?" Tsunade beamed.  
"You’re the one who dealt with a Jonin! Plus, the Nara clan's secret techniques are so... sneaky. I mean, they’re perfect for ambushes and binding..."

Graduated from the Academy just yesterday, and now I’m being thrown against Chunin?  
Nara Raku twitched, but Tsunade had a point.

The Nara clan’s Shadow Secret Techniques were indeed hard to defend against.  
And when combined with his own "Lacquer Eye" technique, which bypassed the need for hand seals, even Jonin could be caught off guard.

Fine, I’ll deal with these Chunin then!  
It’ll be a good test of my current strength.

"Last question—"

"Why so many questions today? Alright, go ahead."

"Today’s Academy graduation includes team assignments. Even though I don’t need to join a team, I still need to report to the beast therapy class."

"No need."

"Huh?"

"You haven’t been to the medical department yet, have you? The head of the department is none other than me!"  
Tsunade lifted her chin proudly, pointing at herself with her thumb.  
"Got it, little medical intern? So now, come with your department head and let's do this mission!"

...

In Konoha,  
With the information Tsunade provided, they soon arrived near the district where the first Iwagakure spy was located.

"My presence is too noticeable. If we walk together in the village, it’ll interfere with the mission," Tsunade said, patting Nara Raku on the shoulder.  
"So I’ll just—"

"Transformation Jutsu."

"Huh?"

"You could use the Transformation Jutsu to look like someone my age."  
Nara Raku suggested calmly.  
"Two kids together wouldn’t draw any attention."

No way I’m letting this golden opportunity for a B-rank mission slip by!  
Nara Raku wasn’t expecting to coast through the mission, but he certainly wasn’t going to let Tsunade slack off.

Tsunade stared at him before reluctantly giving in to his unwavering gaze.  
"Sigh..."

Life was hard, and even harder for a generous "golden sheep" like her.  
"Transformation Jutsu!"

A puff of smoke swirled around, and the wealthy, busty blonde turned into a poor, flat-chested little girl.  
Faced with this flat-chested version of Tsunade, Nara Raku instantly felt his heart become calm and still.

"Move out!"  
Nara Raku gave a tactical hand signal to the mini-Tsunade, indicating she should follow.  
Mini-Tsunade pouted, wanting to cross her arms in protest, but her "authority" had vanished along with her bust.

For some reason, she felt like Nara's attitude had changed since she transformed.  
"So cold, Nara! I should have just run away earlier!"  

Mini-Tsunade puffed out her cheeks, begrudgingly following him with her short legs.

Minutes later,  
Following the profile sketch they had, Nara Raku and mini-Tsunade found the Iwagakure spy in the district.

Pretending to be children out shopping, they quietly approached the spy.  
As they passed by, their shadows overlapped.

**Shadow Imitation Technique!**  
Nara Raku's eyes darkened as he swiftly used his shadow technique, immobilizing the Iwagakure spy.

The spy, still disguised as a civilian, quickly realized he was paralyzed and his eyes filled with shock.  
"Why can’t I move? Has my cover been blown?"

Despite the shock, the spy remained calm, as expected of someone trained in espionage.  
He soon realized that although he couldn’t move, he wasn’t being attacked either.  
"Cause a scene and escape!"

He immediately started shouting.  
"Help! Help! A Konoha ninja is attacking a civilian!"

The **Shadow Imitation Technique** could restrain movements but couldn’t silence someone.  
Nara Raku hadn’t anticipated the spy’s quick-thinking, loud cries.

"He’s still just a kid... lacks mission experience,"  
Tsunade sighed, pinching her brow.

In a flash, she appeared next to the spy and lightly tapped his neck with her palm.  
A concentrated burst of chakra surged through his nerves, knocking him out instantly.

One moment he was shouting; the next, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.  
But the commotion had already drawn attention.

Green vests, black hair, red eyes.  
The Uchiha Police Force!

(End of Chapter)

**Chapter 13: Nara vs. Uchiha! (Please Favorite and Recommend)**

*Whoosh—*

Sharp metal pieces sliced through the air, creating a piercing, shrill sound as they cut through.

Nara Raku turned his head toward the noise and saw three razor-sharp black shuriken spinning in a triangle formation, shooting toward him.

"Who's attacking?"

Nara Raku furrowed his brow slightly, but his body remained motionless.

*Thunk!*

The three shuriken struck the ground in front of him almost simultaneously, their sharp points burying deep into the soil. The nearest one landed just half a palm's width from his toes.

Just from this one move, it was clear how skilled the ninja who threw the shuriken was.

The first person to arrive on the scene was a member of the Uchiha police force, looking no older than twelve or thirteen.

But his bright green vest clearly indicated that he was at least a Chūnin!

A twelve or thirteen-year-old Chūnin might be considered a prodigy in some smaller ninja clans.

But in the Uchiha clan, a Chūnin at this age was nothing unusual.

As soon as this red-eyed Uchiha appeared, a new task prompt popped up on Nara Raku's screen.

**[C-Rank Ninja Battle Task Detected!]**

**[C-Rank Task: Police Force Member]**

**[Task Objective: Defeat/kill the Uchiha Chūnin]**

**[Task Reward: C-Rank Ninja Scroll]**

**[Task Hint: You can complete a C-Rank Ninja Battle Task against the same target once every ten days.]**

"A ninja battle task, huh?"

Nara Raku’s gaze sharpened.

"This Uchiha... really was trying to attack me!"

Uchiha Inoka held a small blade in his hand, his crimson eyes scanning the scene.

Looking at the "unconscious" civilian and the black-haired boy standing nearby, Uchiha Inoka made no effort to hide his wariness.

The two black tomoe in his Sharingan spun continuously, the pressure from his Uchiha eyes silencing the entire area.

"What happened here?"

Had the black-haired boy not remained still, neither dodging nor blocking the shuriken...

Uchiha Inoka would likely have already initiated a fire-style jutsu instead of asking questions.

"On a mission," Nara Raku responded briefly, glancing around to find Tsunade's figure.

At this point, shouldn't the boss step in to clean up?

But after a quick look, Nara Raku couldn’t spot the flat-chested loli anywhere.

Tsunade was gone!

"That unreliable fat sheep!"

Nara Raku grumbled inwardly as he reluctantly reached for the mission scroll in his pocket.

"What are you doing?!"

Seeing Nara Raku’s movement, the tomoe in Uchiha Inoka’s eyes spun even faster, his voice tense.

Nara Raku stopped, rolling his eyes at the Uchiha Chūnin.

"Getting my mission scroll."

In truth, Nara Raku had no intention of fighting the Uchiha Chūnin openly.

Defeating a member of the Uchiha police force in front of everyone...

Even without thinking, he knew it would lead to a storm of unnecessary trouble.

Let alone killing the guy!

Nara Raku longed for a peaceful life. For minor conflicts, if words could solve it, he'd never resort to violence.

He thought he was perfectly reasonable.

They weren't mortal enemies—if explaining things could resolve the issue, why fight?

But he had clearly overlooked something.

The Uchiha clan's approach to solving problems was completely different from normal people.

"Stop, hands up, and squat down!"

Uchiha Inoka unsheathed his short sword, pointing its gleaming tip directly at Nara Raku as he commanded sternly.

"Injuring a civilian during a mission!

"That alone is enough to throw you into the police force's prison!"

Was it normal to be threatened with a sword?

"He's not just a civilian."

Nara Raku’s brow furrowed, his expression cooling.

"He was my mission target."

"Stop! Hands up! Squat down!"

The red glow in Uchiha Inoka’s eyes intensified as his two-tomoe Sharingan spun even faster.

"Don’t make me repeat myself a third time!"

"I also hate having to repeat myself."

A dark gleam flickered in Nara Raku's eyes.

"If I have to say something twice, it means the other person's brain isn't working. So please don’t make me repeat myself."

"Resisting arrest will only make your punishment worse!"

Anger flashed across Uchiha Inoka’s face.

When the police force enforced the law, they didn’t need a suspect’s opinion!

*Body Flicker Technique!*

The moment Uchiha Inoka vanished, the nearby Konoha civilians gasped in unison and instinctively stepped back.

Ninja battles weren’t something they could get involved in.

Nara Raku had been closely observing Uchiha Inoka’s movements. When he saw the ninja use the Body Flicker, he immediately activated his own **[Pitch Black Eyes]** technique.

**[Pitch Black Eyes]!**

A dark haze covered Nara Raku’s eyes, while his shadow rippled and expanded outward in a circular web.

**[Shadow Gathering Technique]!**

This "shadow net" wasn’t a flat shape but was formed by intersecting, thin shadow strands. The largest gaps in the web were no bigger than his palm.

Although the **[Lazy Ghost System]** rated him as C-Rank overall...

Nara Raku knew well the difference between his abilities and those of a normal Chūnin, especially in terms of strength and speed.

To defeat a Chūnin, he had to rely on **[Pitch Black Eyes]** and his **[Shadow Secret Techniques]!**

As Uchiha Inoka dashed forward with the Body Flicker, his Sharingan’s high-level perception allowed him to notice the abnormal movements on the ground, even while moving at high speed.

"A shadow?! One of those lazy Nara clan members!"

Uchiha Inoka’s eyelids twitched.

According to clan records, the best way to fight the Nara clan's secret techniques was to maintain distance and wear them down from afar.

But he had already closed the distance with the Body Flicker...

"Have the Nara clan's ninja gotten so lazy they don’t even wear their family crest anymore?!"

Uchiha Inoka focused on the shadow web on the ground, carefully avoiding any contact.

"As long as I don’t touch those shadows, I won’t be caught by their shadow techniques!"

Normally, that would be true.

But while Uchiha Inoka could precisely control where he stepped, he couldn’t control his shadow.

Who said the Nara clan's shadow techniques required direct physical contact to work?

Rushing forward with the Body Flicker was Uchiha Inoka’s biggest mistake!

The moment his shadow overlapped with Nara Raku’s shadow web...

**[Shadow Bind]!**

The shadow net instantly sprang to life, capturing Uchiha Inoka like a moth trapped by a web.

Uchiha Inoka’s limbs went limp as he crashed to the ground like a heavy stone.

"Not good! I've been caught by the Nara clan's secret technique!"

Uchiha Inoka's frustration grew.

Though the Uchiha clan had records on how to break free from the Nara's shadow techniques, no matter how hard he tried, he didn’t have the strength to escape.

But even then, Uchiha Inoka didn’t lose hope.

"I still have one last option—genjutsu... huh?"

Noticing that Nara Raku had closed his eyes after binding him, Uchiha Inoka finally felt despair.

There was a rumor in the ninja world:

When facing the Uchiha, if it's one-on-one, flee. If it's two-on-one, strike from behind.

All to avoid direct eye contact with their Sharingan!

Even the ninja of Sunagakure knew about the Uchiha clan's powerful visual genjutsu.

How could Nara Raku not be prepared for that?

At this point, Uchiha Inoka had two options left:

Surrender and wait for a chance to strike back, or call for backup!

Realizing this, Uchiha Inoka’s face flushed red with anger, his two-tomoe Sharingan spinning furiously.

"Still holding out, huh?"

Nara Raku, eyes closed, spoke lazily.

"Alright then, let's see who has more patience.

"We’ll wait here together for someone higher up to settle this."

By "someone higher up," Nara Raku, of course, meant Tsunade.

But to Uchiha Inoka, it sounded like he was talking about the deputy or even the captain of the police force!

How could he let the captain see him lose to a lazy Nara?

Uchiha Inoka grew more frustrated.

Give me one more chance, and I’ll definitely win—

"What happened here?"

A familiar voice cut through the tension.

Nara Raku turned, opening his eyes to see who it was.

A green vest, brown hair, red eyes.

Another member of the Uchiha police force!

Seeing that no task prompt appeared, Nara Raku relaxed and calmly explained the situation.

"That’s it... This Uchiha wouldn’t listen and attacked me."

Nara Raku then showed the newcomer his B-Rank mission scroll.

"So, I had no choice but to defeat him."

"I didn’t lose!"

Uchiha *Red Hot* Inoka blurted out angrily.

"You caught me off guard!"

Nara Raku rolled his eyes.

What was supposed to be an easy, sure-win combat mission ended up encountering such a stubborn "red-eye illness," so it seems I'll just get a small consolation reward...

[You speed-ran the C-level mission: Police Force Member!]

[You obtained a D-level Ninja Secret Scroll!]

(End of chapter)

**Chapter 14: Acquired a B-Rank [Ninja Secret Scroll]!

‘A D-rank [Ninja Secret Scroll]? Feels like I got the bare minimum reward.’

Nara Raku closed his panel, simultaneously releasing the [Shadow Binding Jutsu] that held Uchiha Inoka captive.

Uchiha Inoka immediately jumped up, ready to argue again.

But the brown-haired Uchiha senior beside him coldly scolded him.

“Shut up, Uchiha Inoka!”

“Yes, Deputy Captain Yashiro!”

Just a second ago, Uchiha Inoka had been red in the face, arguing about victory or defeat.

And now, thanks to Uchiha Yashiro's stern rebuke, he nearly buried his head in shame!

Seeing this, Nara Raku couldn’t help but smile a little.

The Uchiha clan—truly experts at “internal conflict” but clumsy in “external battles”...

“My deepest apologies, my clanmate was too reckless! He interfered with your mission!” 

Uchiha Yashiro returned the B-Rank mission scroll to Nara Raku and bowed sincerely.

“If there’s any way the police force can make amends, please don’t hesitate to ask!”

As the second-in-command of the police force, Uchiha Yashiro knew well what needed to be done in this situation.

The fact that, during a covert mission like “apprehending spies,” the Uchiha police force had not only failed to assist but had also hindered a fellow village ninja, was something that couldn’t be overlooked. Especially with so many Konoha villagers watching—they needed to demonstrate the responsibility and commitment expected of the Uchiha-led police force.

Surprised by how humble Yashiro was acting, Nara Raku was taken aback.

He had expected the Uchiha members, especially those who had awakened their Sharingan, to all be mentally unstable, like the Second Hokage Tobirama had described them: “The inherently evil Uchiha.”

But it seemed that not all Uchiha were unreasonable.

At least for now, some were rational.

“No need to talk about compensation,” Nara Raku shook his head, having no intention of extorting the police force for this incident.

“However, I do still have other mission targets, and this guy...” He pointed at the unconscious Iwagakure spy. 

“Could I trouble the police force to take him to the Konoha prison?”

“No problem at all!”

Uchiha Yashiro let out a sigh of relief.

He had been fully prepared for some sort of unreasonable demand.

After all, everyone knew the Uchiha clan’s reputation within Konoha…

But to his surprise, the other party’s request was unexpectedly simple.

“The police force will fully assist with your mission, sir!”

Uchiha Yashiro sized up Nara Raku again and ultimately decided to address him more formally with “sir.”

Nara Raku nodded slightly. “One more thing.”

Yashiro tensed up.

Uchiha Inoka glared.

“This guy.” 

Nara Raku pointed in the air at Uchiha Inoka.

“I understand the important responsibility the Uchiha clan bears in leading the Konoha Police Force and protecting the safety of the villagers...”

Hearing this, Uchiha Yashiro immediately relaxed, and his opinion of this young Nara improved significantly.

Even Inoka found him less irritating.

But the next second...

“However, even after I identified myself and explained the situation, he still chose to attack me.”

Nara Raku said with a half-smile.

“I think this Uchiha officer hasn’t fully grasped the ‘Will of Fire’ yet.”

“I suggest he study the First Hokage’s ‘Will of Fire’ more deeply.”

“You're absolutely right!” Uchiha Yashiro responded, fully convinced.

First, Nara expressed forgiveness, which lessened the villagers’ negative impression of the Uchiha's rash actions. Then, he acknowledged the Uchiha's important role in law enforcement, showing that they were just doing their duty. Finally, by invoking the First Hokage’s ‘Will of Fire,’ he defused the situation entirely.

“Inoka! Thank the man!”

Inoka nearly ground his teeth to dust.

“Th—Thank you...”

With the police force's active assistance, Nara Raku quickly apprehended all the remaining targets.

As he made his way toward the Hokage building, the Iwagakure spies were escorted to Konoha prison by the police.

‘This B-rank mission that fell into my lap is finally complete!’

Nara Raku glanced at the Hokage building ahead.

‘I hope when I claim my reward, that B-rank [Ninja Secret Scroll] gives me something good!’

Through this B-rank mission, as well as the C-rank skirmish earlier, Nara Raku had confirmed two things.

First, the [Shadow Secret Technique] is indeed perfect for sneak attacks.

Second, even against a chunin-level opponent, like an elite Uchiha chunin, once they’re caught in the shadow, they’re absolutely unable to break free!

‘As long as I keep improving my [Strength] and [Speed] stats, I might even rise in rank!’

Before entering the Hokage building, Nara Raku took a deep breath and called up his panel, silently opening the freshly acquired D-rank [Ninja Secret Scroll].

[Opening…]

[Contents of D-rank Ninja Secret Scroll: Jutsu]

[D-rank Jutsu: Body Flicker Technique]

[Jutsu Description: A high-speed movement technique like a gust of wind.]

[Jutsu Effect: Chakra is released through the leg meridians, enabling high-speed movement. Distance and height depend on the amount of chakra used.]

[Jutsu Evaluation: The path to destruction is shorter than you think.]

‘Is there even anything worthwhile in D-rank jutsu?’

Nara Raku stared at the scroll on his panel, momentarily lost in thought.

‘Oh well, Body Flicker Technique it is! At least I don’t have to go bother Pingzi to teach me...’

Someone lightly tapped his shoulder.

“Nara, what are you daydreaming about? There’s nothing that interesting about the Hokage building!”

Nara Raku snapped out of it, glancing to his side.

“Huh? Isn’t this Lady Tsunade? What a coincidence.”

“Don’t be so cold, Nara!”

The same Tsunade who had just sneakily skipped work was now offering him a friendly smile.

“Let’s go submit the mission together!”

...

[You have submitted the B-rank ninja mission scroll!]

[B-rank Mission: Apprehending Spies has been completed!]

[You’ve obtained a B-rank [Ninja Secret Scroll]!]

The panel displayed three messages in succession, showing the B-rank mission had been completed.

‘The only regret is that there were no additional battle rewards from the mission targets themselves...’

‘But that’s understandable…’

Instead of claiming his reward immediately, Nara Raku closed his panel and focused on the Hokage office ahead.

Located on the top floor of the Hokage building, the office had large windows on all sides, offering a view of the entire Konoha village. However, the interior wasn’t as grand as one might expect.

The small, circular room contained only a simple desk with piles of books and scrolls on either side.

The current Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat behind the desk, stamping and filing the mission scroll Tsunade had just submitted.

Nara Raku observed in secret.

Once known as the “God of Shinobi” (according to Orochimaru); someone who had mastered all of Konoha’s jutsu (Book of Formation); able to use any jutsu (Book of Comprehension); and often called “the strongest Hokage in history” (Book of Command).

All these descriptions illustrated the incredible strength of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage.

‘Unfortunately, each new era weakens the old one. The Third Hokage has been nerfed so much that now he’s just left with age and titles.’

“Tsunade, it’s been a while since you last submitted a B-rank mission.”

Hiruzen stamped the mission scroll, then pulled out two ninja profile sheets, adding a B-rank completion record to both Tsunade’s and Nara Raku’s files.

“Does this mean... you’ve finally gambled away all your savings?”

Tsunade had already briefed Hiruzen the previous night about the encounter with the Iwagakure spy.

Hiruzen knew Tsunade hadn’t yet overcome her hemophobia and that someone else had dealt the final blow to the spy.

His remark was just an old man teasing his student.

Tsunade, however, just snapped back at her teacher.

“Mind your own business!”

She turned to Nara Raku.

“Nara, you didn’t hear anything just now, right?”

“Right!”

Nara Raku nodded obediently, like a chicken pecking at grain.

But he knew that as Konoha’s most notorious gambler, there was no way Tsunade had only gambled away her savings.

Hiruzen’s gaze followed Tsunade’s and landed on Nara Raku.

As he looked at this young member of the Nara clan, Hiruzen’s mind flashed back to the evaluations teachers had written after years of observing him in the academy.

“Nara Raku, extremely intelligent but incredibly lazy, self-proclaimed ‘energy conservationist.’

"Physically very weak, severely lacking in chakra reserves, with very poor basic taijutsu and skill in the Three Basic Jutsu."

"Doubtful whether he has the determination and endurance to become a ninja."

"Not recommended to graduate from the Ninja Academy."

"Not recommended to become a ninja."

"Recommended to drop out."

"Recommended for retirement."

Sarutobi Hiruzen shook the ninja profile document in his hand.

'A child who multiple academy teachers recommended to drop out, even retire, completed an A-rank mission and a B-rank mission so quickly... this is quite an anomaly.'

'The Nara clan's secret techniques, he's trained them to a fairly impressive level!'

But Sarutobi Hiruzen was also aware of Nara Raku's weaknesses.

Judging solely by his actual combat achievements, Nara Raku was undoubtedly a gifted ninja; but considering his pitifully low regular chakra reserves...

Sarutobi Hiruzen didn’t hold high hopes for this Nara clan child's future development.

Unless...

Sarutobi Hiruzen’s gaze shifted to Tsunade.

Tsunade could...

(End of chapter)

**Chapter 15: Momentary Guarantee, Momentary Joy; Constant Guarantee, Constant Joy! **

"A mere B-rank mission is a piece of cake for me!" 

Tsunade was very pleased with Nara Raku's "obedience and sensibility" and confidently turned back to the old man, speaking without hesitation.

"Even if you give me a few more B-rank missions, it won't be a problem!"

A few more B-rank missions?

That would mean a few more B-rank ninja scrolls, wouldn't it?

Nara Raku quickly did the mental math and his eyes lit up, looking expectantly at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

After completing the [Spy Capture] and [Police Force Member] tasks, Nara Raku had a pretty good grasp of his strength. He was quite confident in handling the B-rank missions assigned by the village.

After all, the strongest enemies in B-rank missions are usually Chūnin-level at best.

And even in the worst-case scenario, if things went wrong and the enemy turned out to be a Jōnin...

Wasn't Tsunade there to back him up?

Nara Raku glanced at the "big fat sheep" beside him and made up his mind.

This time, he would make sure to play the role of a diligent shepherd and not let the sheep run away!

"You two really are something else..."

Seeing the tacit understanding between them, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but laugh.

Who said Tsunade was irresponsible?

Who said all the Nara clan were lazy?

You can't trust everything on paper!

Hiruzen Sarutobi stroked his graying goatee.

For an elite ninja like Tsunade, a B-rank mission was indeed no big deal.

In fact, A-rank and even S-rank missions were where she could really showcase her abilities.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi was well aware of the special situation between Tsunade and Nara Raku.

A B-rank mission was basically the limit of what their duo could handle for now.

Anything more difficult would increase the combat risks significantly.

And with the looming threat of war, Tsunade had been away from high-level missions for too long.

Assigning her some relatively simple B-rank missions to help her regain her professional ninja skills wasn't a bad idea.

After thinking it through, Hiruzen Sarutobi opened his desk drawer and pulled out a scroll.

"This is a list of most of the B-rank missions the village has received recently."

He handed the scroll to Tsunade, who accepted it without hesitation.

"If you're interested, you can choose a few more to complete."

Tsunade didn't plan to be picky about B-rank missions.

She unrolled the scroll, scanned it briefly, and randomly picked a mission that caught her eye.

"This one will do!"

"Clearing out bounty hunters, huh?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at the mission and nodded slightly, familiar with most of the high-level tasks in the village.

"Recently, there's been an increase in bounty hunter activity in the Land of Fire, affecting several caravans traveling to Konoha.

"This B-rank mission was commissioned by several small caravans, and the reward is 150,000 ryo, the maximum for a B-rank mission."

"Seems like I have a good eye!"

Tsunade grinned.

"Picked the highest-paying mission without even trying!"

Her bright brown eyes sparkled mischievously. 

It seemed like her luck was good today... should she perhaps...

The "big fat sheep" pondered whether she should go donate some money to the gambling hall.

Meanwhile, Nara Raku was surprised by the mission information that popped up on his interface.

[Detected: B-rank ninja mission triggered]

[B-rank mission: Bounty Hunters]

[Mission objective: Eliminate the bounty hunters loitering around the highway between Konoha and the capital of the Land of Fire]

[Mission reward: One B-rank ninja scroll]

‘An out-of-village mission?’

As someone who had mostly grown up in Konoha, the farthest Nara Raku had ever traveled was the forest outside Kikyo Castle.

Honestly, he was curious about the outside world.

If it were a time of peace, he might have thrown a "The world is big, I want to see it" resignation letter at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

But the current situation was tense, with war on the horizon.

Besides, "traveling" and "completing a mission" were two entirely different experiences.

The thought of running up and down the highway on foot made Nara Raku shiver.

‘Am I a ninja or a pack animal?’

Just as Nara Raku was hesitating about whether to take this mission with Tsunade, a sudden croak broke the solemn atmosphere of the Hokage’s office.

"A toad?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Tsunade exchanged glances, both with a hint of excitement in their eyes.

"Has Jiraiya returned to the village?"

Ninja Art: Toad Mouth Binding!

A deep green toad that had somehow jumped onto the office windowsill opened its mouth, and out emerged a rough, broad hand, followed by a complete human figure.

From Mount Myoboku, the toad sage himself, Jiraiya, had arrived!

"Yo, sensei, Tsunade!"

Jiraiya greeted his long-lost teacher and his "goddess" with a wide grin, not forgetting to acknowledge the other kid in the room.

"Hey there, little girl."

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Tsunade’s expressions turned odd.

Nara Raku, meanwhile, had a vein pop on his forehead.

"I’m not a little girl..."

Jiraiya blinked and gave Nara Raku a once-over.

There were some peculiar ninjas in the world who, even after reaching adulthood, maintained a small stature.

Take, for instance, the "elder toad couple" who had trained for over 800 years at Mount Myoboku—they were tiny.

"Alright, how old are you?"

"12."

"The Great Toad Sage is 35."

Jiraiya flashed a confident smile again.

"Calling you a little girl isn’t wrong, is it?"

"First, 'the Great Toad Sage' is a respectful term used for the deceased."

Nara Raku calmly corrected him, deciding there was no point arguing with an idiot.

"Second, I’m a boy."

"Nani?!"

Jiraiya’s eyes widened.

"A little boy-girl?"

BAM!

Tsunade, who had been restraining herself, finally snapped and delivered a powerful "friendship-breaking punch" to her clueless teammate.

After all these years, Jiraiya was still Jiraiya.

If he kept talking, Tsunade feared her strong, heroic image would crumble in front of Nara Raku.

Jiraiya’s body twisted mid-air as he spun 720 degrees, crashing into the office wall with a difficult-to-achieve triple backflip.

Whether it was Tsunade holding back or some special ninjutsu reinforcing the wall, Jiraiya ended up plastered against it like a human-shaped poster, his mysterious aura from earlier completely shattered.

"No way..."

Sliding down from the wall, Jiraiya mumbled to himself.

"How could such a cute kid be a boy..."

Tsunade stepped back in disgust, pulling Nara Raku with her.

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn’t help but sigh and hold his head.

What had he been thinking when he chose Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade as his disciples?

"If there's nothing else, old man, I’m leaving!" 

Tsunade waved at Hiruzen Sarutobi, completely ignoring Jiraiya.

"I’ve got a mission to do."

"Go ahead..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved her off, not daring to meet Nara Raku's gaze.

Everyone in Konoha knew the three Sannin were his students, but now, having raised such a "brilliant" genius like Jiraiya, who made such a fool of himself in front of Nara Raku...

Hiruzen Sarutobi was sorry for existing.

"Wait, Tsunade, you can’t leave yet. We need to discuss something important."

Finally, no longer able to be ignored, Jiraiya spoke up.

"I’ve got urgent intel from Sunagakure.

"About a week ago, the Third Kazekage disappeared!"

"Stop spouting nonsense, Jiraiya!"

Tsunade was mildly intrigued, but after hearing the so-called "intel," she scoffed.

"The Third Kazekage has a unique magnetic release and is hailed as the 'strongest Kazekage in history.'

"How could someone like that just vanish?"

This "urgent intel" sounded as ridiculous as the news of White Fang’s suicide three years ago.

"Jiraiya, stop joking around!"

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, tapping his desk with his knuckles.

"The Third Kazekage is in his prime. How could he just..."

Creak!

At that moment, the door to the Hokage’s office opened.

"Hiruzen, Jiraiya’s intel is accurate."

The leader of the Root division, Shimura Danzo, entered the room, his gaze briefly sweeping over the young Nara.

"There have been similar reports from Iwagakure. My subordinates brought this information to me earlier, and I’ve sent people to confirm it.

“The Third Kazekage has indeed disappeared!”

Nara Raku glanced at Tsunade, who also looked back at him at the same time.

“Come with me!”

Tsunade grabbed Nara Raku’s arm and quickly pulled him out of the Hokage's office. The others acted as if they didn’t notice.

With the disappearance of the Third Kazekage, the higher-ups of Konoha urgently needed to come up with a response strategy.

As a Genin, Nara Raku didn’t even have the right to stand guard outside the door, let alone sit in on the discussion.

“Sorry about that, Raku.”

Outside the Hokage’s office, Tsunade forced a smile. She didn’t like war.

“I originally planned to take you on more B-rank missions, but it seems there won’t be a chance.”

Nara Raku shook his head and silently settled the B-rank mission he had just triggered, Bounty Hunter, and once again claimed a small C-rank guarantee.

“I was planning to give you this scroll a little later.”

Tsunade pulled out a pitch-black scroll from somewhere and handed it to Nara Raku.

“But now...

“You’re already a mature ninja. It’s time you learned to study jutsu on your own!”

(End of Chapter)