Chapter 112: B-Rank Mission

Shikamaru didn't have that many friends, but most of them were too noisy. This time, even several former classmates came to his birthday: Naruto, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, Sakura. Ino did a good job. Not that Shikamaru was particularly angry, but rather that he didn't care about the day at all. In the past, he did not celebrate birthdays and even over the years he lived here he was not used to this day. After a difficult childhood, the holidays seemed not so bright and happy. Although the smiling faces of Ino and Sakura, their eternal skirmishes with each other, and sometimes with Chоji, involuntarily made the reflecting Shikamaru smile.

Sipping Sake and sitting comfortably on the edge of the stone head, the guy looked around Konoha with pleasure. Autumn has come, the most beautiful and romantic time of the year ...

Taking a sip of his sake, Shikamaru gazed into the sunset with a rather smiling smile.

- Yes, what a wonderful day ... First I destroyed one of the seals and created such a strong Jutsu, and now I also drink good Sake while admiring the sunset ... Ok ...

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out from behind Shikamaru.

- I am glad that you are living well, I hope you have already prepared?

Shikamaru lifted the bottle of sake without turning around and asked:

"Master, isn't Konoha beautiful?

Hiruzen chuckled, took off his hat and sat down near Shikamaru, also peering into the crimson sunset.

- You can't argue here, every year it is more beautiful ...

Shikamaru glanced at the old man out of the corner of his eyes, then took a sip of sake and nodded.

- You have grown old.

- Ha ... - Hiruzen sighed and shook his head: - All people get old, but I myself have already begun to forget my years. It would be a great replacement to wait and you can peacefully retire.

- All your predecessors did not live to see retirement. Although, you're lucky ...

- Lucky? - Hiruzen smiled sadly: - If you call it luck ...

Shikamaru paused, then asked, not taking his eyes off the setting sun:

- But what about your students, or Kakashi Hatake, they are quite worthy to take on the title.

The old man's wrinkled face broke into a bitter grin.

"My students, everyone but you is far from here. Plus, they would never agree to take my place. As for Kakashi ... He's not ready yet, his soul is still a mess.

Shikamaru did not answer, he just shook the liquid at the bottom of the bottle, looked inside, then asked:

- And Danz?

Hiruzen threw a scowl at the student.

- You understand everything, why ask?

"Yes ..." After taking a few more sips, Shikamaru closed his eyes contentedly, and then asked, "So why did you come?" Congratulate me? If yes, then I received your gift ... - stretching out his left hand, Shikamaru quickly folded several seals and said quietly: - Open up.

At the same moment, a blue glow escaped from the ring on his finger and a long, carved staff appeared in the guy's hands. It was almost all red, with golden tops shaped like monkey heads. The staff itself was painted with green foliage, and in the very center there was a golden bandage, especially for the owner's hand.

- Very nice! Thank you teacher!

- Come on, - Hiruzen waved his hand: - It's just a gift. You gave me a good printing technique, how could I not come up with something special?

Shikamaru smiled and folded the seals again with one hand with a crisp clap, sealed the staff in a ring.

Observing everything, Hiruzen asked in surprise:

- This is a ring, this is ... A hidden chakra weapon?

Shikamaru nodded.

- Partly, I could not repeat it completely, my abilities are not enough. That's why I have to fold so many stamps. Usually the ring needs to be tied to the owner, but I did not succeed in that either. Knowing the correct seals, my ring can still be cracked. It's a pity, but I can only seal my personal belongings there, no special techniques for a covert attack are provided. The true description of the power of this ring is astounding.

Hiruzen looked thoughtfully at the ring and said:

"I haven't seen them for a long time ... Only a few of the Uzumaki Jonin wore these rings, it was a truly dangerous hidden weapon. In World War I, the Uzumaki used a variety of gruesome methods of assassination. They sealed regions, filling them with invisible traps, using weapons like these rings. It looks like a trinket and only the owner is able to activate its power, even from a distance. They turned harmless things into deadly weapons. Sometimes the enemy's kunai could turn out to be an explosive trap prepared in advance, and these rings ... Ordinary genins or ordinary people, entering the enemy's camp, could simply be carriers, and the shinobi activated a seal on the ring from a distance, and then a technique sealed inside that killed most opponents on the spot - these were the times of the most terrible sabotage. It was from then that the Uzumaki clan began to truly fear. Their presence in the war could change everything. The current Fuinjutsu cannot be compared. All because we are simply not able to repeat them. Even explosive seals are just paper tricks, and true explosive seals were almost impossible to identify from a piece of rock or twig on the road. It's just a pity ... But all this is in the past, at least it was, before you appeared. Now I don't even know what else you'll do.

"Wow," Shikamaru breathed out in surprise, "I didn't know about that." So ... if the Uzumaki were so dangerous, I can understand the desire to get rid of them, but ... - Shikamaru narrowed his eyes and asked a question that had been of interest to him for a long time: - Then how did the enemies manage to destroy them? If they were not ready to attack, why did they lose so easily with all their capabilities?

Hiruzen looked thoughtfully at the already almost completely hidden sun, after which he sighed sadly:

"I don't know ... At that time, I sent a platoon of elite Anbu under the command of three Uchiha masters to help our ally in the Maelstrom. Their strength was very great, even if they could not save the Uzumaki, they at least had to do something or return with a message. But in the end ... - the old man sighed and shook his head: - Everyone disappeared. Among the remains of the killed Uzumaki, they were not found. The clan itself was almost completely exterminated. It's hard to say why - because of fear, envy or greed, but they were attacked suddenly, joining forces. A minority survived, probably only those who were not present in the village at that time. The Uzumaki forces were terrifying, so the much outnumbered enemy left most of his people in those ruins. Plus, they didn't get anything from that trip. In the main temple, the Uzumaki destroyed everything they ever possessed with them.

Shikamaru took a sip of his sake and sighed.

- It's still hard to believe. They were able to seal the bija and I doubt the story is that simple.

"Maybe you're right," Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully. "I also noticed some oddities. The arrival of Kushina can be attributed to fate, but the disappearance of the people I sent is not so simple, - with a sigh, the old man stood up: - Okay, Shikamaru ... Now it doesn't matter, if you are so interested - I will explore everything in the future, with your skills in Fuyin it is should be more successful. Most of the seals I found at the site of the ruins were completely incomprehensible to me. In any case ... - putting on his hat, Hiruzen coughed and looked at his student: - I picked up an assignment for you, just two days ago an interesting case came in. It will suit you perfectly. B-rank assignment, and maybe higher. This is the complexity of the issue, usually intelligence brings a lot of news, but this time our Chūnin did not return. The shinobi that you have to face is very secretive and ruthless. I would send Anbu, but this time it will definitely be you! You have already sat up here, recall the clones and go on a mission, you are already ready, I know that for sure.

Shikamaru nodded curtly.

- Yeah, I'll try ...

"Try," with a satisfied grin, Hiruzen disappeared into a cloud of smoke, leaving behind a small scroll.