Mission

After Yūhi Kurenai’s diligent training, her strength improved tremendously. With the help of her father, Yūhi Kurenai, she not only learned the hand signs for activating various Illusion Techniques, but also deepened her understanding of the principles behind them.

A Jonin of Yūhi Kurenai’s level should have been sent out on missions, but he was worried about his daughter. He specifically asked the Fourth Hokage for several months of leave and remained in the village to accompany Yuhi Kurenai in her training.

Such leave was rare. Many missions had piled up in Konoha, and even Genin had been sent to carry out C-rank Missions. An Elite Jonin like Yūhi Kurenai should have been assigned a stack of difficult missions.

But after Yūhi Kurenai repeatedly pleaded with him, Namikaze Minato still agreed to his request. He was about to become a father himself, so he could understand, to some extent, the desire to protect one’s children.

Besides training under her father, Yūhi Kurenai, Yuhi Kurenai also sought Might Guy’s advice on Taijutsu. Just as Yūhi Kurenai had said, if it came down purely to Taijutsu, Yuhi Kurenai was no match for Might Guy at all.

Although Yuhi Kurenai trained in Taijutsu with Might Guy for a while, she flatly rejected his clothing recommendations and declared that she would rather die than wear such bizarre clothes.

With a goal and the drive to keep moving forward, visible progress followed.

To achieve her objective, Yuhi Kurenai did not relax in the slightest. Although she listened to her father’s advice and did not push her training too hard, even when she was not training, Yuhi Kurenai continued studying theory.

The next day, the four members of the Kaminari Kaede Squad assembled at Konoha Gate. Once everyone had arrived, Kaminari Kaede called for the other three to set out.

"Captain, can’t you tell us the details of the mission yet?" Kinoshita Hikaru asked doubtfully. Even for an A-rank Mission, there was no need for such secrecy, was there?

"A protection mission, jointly issued by three noble merchant associations in the Land of Fire. Recently, someone attacked their managers in various locations and destroyed computer goods worth 30 million ryo."

Kaminari Kaede spoke calmly as they traveled.

"So they decided to set bait and hire us to lie in ambush, capturing or killing the enemy at the crucial moment. Hokage-sama only told me the details of this mission at the last minute, and we may be facing Jonin from an enemy country."

"They also hired quite a few people from the Underground Money Exchange. Our squad is only one of them."

30 million ryo…

Upon hearing that figure, both Sarutobi Asuma and Kinoshita Hikaru could not help clicking their tongues inwardly.

That much was enough to issue more than a dozen S-rank Missions. No wonder those noble merchants could not resist setting a trap. And for the Hokage to reveal the mission details only at the last minute, the level of secrecy was comparable to an S-rank Mission.

After learning the mission details, Sarutobi Asuma also focused himself. He had gone through considerable effort to get his father to transfer him into this squad. He could not afford to embarrass himself on his very first mission.

After the three traveled for a while, Kaminari Kaede suddenly stopped and said, "Change clothes. From now on, we are no longer Konoha Ninja. That is the employer’s requirement."

After hearing Kaminari Kaede’s words, Yuhi Kurenai and the others obediently found places to change their outer clothes and removed their forehead protectors.

However, after changing, Sarutobi Asuma complained somewhat, "What is this? This employer sure has a lot of demands…"

Carrying out missions as Konoha Ninja was a good opportunity to build a reputation and raise Konoha’s profile. But if the employer insisted, they could only comply.

Kinoshita Hikaru thought the same, but he knew that neither Kaminari Kaede nor Yuhi Kurenai was particularly talkative, so he quietly changed his clothes without a single complaint.

After changing, the four continued on their way. It took more than half a day before Kaminari Kaede arrived at a place east of the Capital of the Land of Fire called Kawaki Town.

This was the gathering place designated by the employer.

After signaling to the others, Kaminari Kaede walked ahead and arrived at a courtyard, where he showed the guarding Samurai the mission certificate issued by Konoha.

"Wait here."

After seeing the mission certificate, the gatekeeper took it from Kaminari Kaede and spoke to him. Then, one of the guards carried the certificate inside to report to his master.

After a while, the guard came back out with someone from the courtyard, who led Kaminari Kaede and the other three inside.

After leading Kaminari Kaede to the reception hall, the guide withdrew. Before long, a man dressed in noble attire entered.

"Welcome, Ninja of Konoha."

As soon as he arrived, someone immediately served tea to Kaminari Kaede and the other three. However, Ninja on missions would not consume food or water handed to them by others, so although the four accepted the tea, none of them touched it.

The noble who issued the mission did not mind. He said bluntly to the four, "I believe you all understand the mission details. Recently, Ninja of unknown identity have been targeting us. Not only have they abducted the managers of our merchant associations, they have also destroyed a considerable amount of our goods. If we do not get rid of them, our businesses will be unable to continue."

Kaminari Kaede said calmly, "Hokage-sama has already informed us of this matter, Lord Sakai. From here on, we will follow the mission instructions, lie in wait, and wait for the enemy to come to us."

"Good. Besides you, I have also hired other Ninja. This time, I have only one demand: that group of Ninja who abducted people and caused trouble must be left behind, dead or alive."

After the Uzumaki Company established the reputation of computers and Ninja Game, it gradually handed over its sales operations to other nobles, allowing them to profit alongside the Uzumaki Company.

The nobles of the Land of Fire were essentially first-tier distributors. These three noble families had finally managed to secure the computer sales business in the Rain Country and the Land of Wind from the Uzumaki Company.

But because of the group of Ninja secretly causing trouble, they suffered enormous losses. Those people had already targeted them twice, costing them many men and goods, and even forcing their business to halt.

Every day of delay was a substantial loss to them, but if they continued, who knew whether those people lurking in the shadows would come after them again?

That was why they came up with the idea of hiring people to keep all the Ninja attacking them in secret from escaping. Hiring Konoha Ninja was also a suggestion from the Uzumaki Company.

After informing Kaminari Kaede of some details, the four were led away to rest.

They were taken to a room in a side courtyard. Upon arriving, they saw other Ninja.

After entering the room, Kaminari Kaede said in a low voice, "Kurenai."

At his words, Yuhi Kurenai used the Chakra Sensing Technique. Before long, she had determined the number of Ninja nearby.

"Captain, there are thirteen in total. One of them has a very large amount of Chakra."

"The employer does not fully trust Konoha. That person is probably a Ninja hired from the Underground Money Exchange."

Kaminari Kaede said calmly, "Get some rest. We move after sunset. Kinoshita, stay here. If the enemy’s target is this place, send a signal immediately."

Those Ninja had a history of abducting people, and Kaminari Kaede was worried that the employer might be taken away. If that happened, their mission would fail.

"Understood, Captain."

Several hours later, Kaminari Kaede and the other two used the excuse of going to eat to leave directly, heading toward the place where the fake goods were piled up. After Kaminari Kaede left, the other Ninja also departed one after another.

Kinoshita Hikaru, who remained in the room, watched through the window and memorized the characteristics of every Ninja who left, especially the one Yuhi Kurenai had specifically marked through her sensing.

"Blue hair, a black cloak with red clouds. Not from the Land of Fire…"

Kinoshita Hikaru silently recorded the information. None of the Ninja who came wore forehead protectors, likely due to the employer’s demands, so he could only remember their general features and submit them to the village after returning.

After nightfall.

The Sakai family began transporting the goods. Although the cargo was all fake, only the managers of the three families knew that. Everyone else believed this was a genuine transaction.

When half the goods had been loaded, Yuhi Kurenai, hiding in the shadows, suddenly warned Kaminari Kaede and Sarutobi Asuma, "Someone’s coming."

Several figures took advantage of the night’s cover and appeared directly on the surrounding rooftops. One of them quickly formed hand signs, and the dark night was dyed crimson by a fire dragon.

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Bullet Technique!"

A fire dragon shot directly toward several carriages being loaded. Then another person performed a Ninjutsu as well.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

The wind fed the flames, and the fire dragon immediately doubled in size, swallowing seven or eight people transporting goods and destroying the cargo on six or seven carriages. If the goods had been real, that strike alone would have cost the three merchant associations several million ryo.

"Captain!"

Yuhi Kurenai asked with a frown. At the sight of the people using Ninjutsu, Sarutobi Asuma also showed a startled expression.

Animal masks, Anbu uniforms—these people were clearly Konoha Anbu.

"Watch and wait. Kurenai, Asuma, follow my lead shortly."

Kaminari Kaede analyzed the situation calmly. He did not believe they were Anbu Ninja. If they were, Hokage-sama would definitely have told him before they departed.

But Kaminari Kaede was also an Elite Jonin of Konoha, so he naturally knew that besides the Anbu, there were some Ninja in Konoha who wore Anbu uniforms, yet carried out deeds far darker than the Anbu.

Konoha’s Root.

"Damn it, was it you?"

The hired Ninja lying in ambush leaped out the instant they saw the Root members and retaliated with Ninjutsu.

"Water Release: Water Shockwave!"

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

For a time, Ninjutsu flew across the area, shattering many buildings. Some hired Ninja even used Exploding Tags and swordsmanship against their enemies, rushing in groups of three or five toward the fewer Root Ninja.

"Kill them all!"

With a single glance, the Root Ninja’s leader could tell that these people were wandering ninja who only knew one or two Ninjutsu. Killing them would also greatly intimidate the Uzumaki Company.

Furthermore, Root Ninja were skilled at coordination and often carried out missions in teams. These Ninja who drifted through the Underground Money Exchange were not worth the Root Ninja’s attention.

After the battle continued for a while, the hired Ninja who had first jumped out were driven back step by step by the four Root members. In less than a moment, seven had died, leaving only four who wanted to flee but could not escape.

However, at that moment, countless fluttering sheets of paper suddenly appeared around the Root Ninja.

"Dance of the Shikigami."

Countless paper sheets instantly transformed into Shuriken, spears, chains, and other weapons, attacking the four Root Ninja.

At the same time, Kaminari Kaede gave the order, "Kurenai! Asuma!"

The moment his words fell, he rushed out, targeting one of the Root Ninja. Upon hearing Kaminari Kaede call his name, Asuma charged forward alongside him.

And as Kaminari Kaede spoke, Yuhi Kurenai’s body suddenly scattered into countless cherry blossoms.

At the same time, in Konan’s vision, numerous cherry blossom trees sprouted up. Their trunks instantly stretched out and tightly bound her body.

Sorry, everyone. I got back late.

But tomorrow is a holiday. This is the first update, and there will be two more later. If you’re sleepy, go to bed first, everyone. Don’t stay up.