47. You Are My Pride And The Direction I Strive For

Orochimaru and Sora walked out of the Hokage Building together.

At the entrance, Orochimaru turned to Sora and said, "You'll be joining me on the battlefield next. Go and make your preparations—replenish your ninja tools, stock up on supplies, and get a good night's rest. Meet me at the base tomorrow morning."

Sora nodded respectfully. "Yes, Sensei Orochimaru."

The two went their separate ways. Sora headed toward the ninja shop to prepare for the upcoming mission. Once there, he purchased kunai, shuriken, and several detonating tags, knowing they would be essential for setting traps and turning the tide in critical moments.

As Sora exited the shop, a faint grimace crossed his face.

Although Sora hadn't undertaken many missions—mainly C-rank tasks—his savings had remained untouched since Orochimaru didn't take a cut of his commissions and covered his basic living expenses. Despite that, a single trip to the ninja shop had drained his wallet.

While kunai and shuriken were reasonably priced, the detonating tags were a different story. Each one cost around 300 ryo, and Sora knew they were indispensable for traps and battle tactics, so he begrudgingly bought as many as he could afford.

Touching his now-empty wallet, Sora let out a heavy sigh. Fortunately, he didn't need to worry about food, housing, or other necessities, thanks to Orochimaru's support.

After leaving the shop, Sora returned home, deciding to check on something that always brought him excitement—his witness points.

The recent incident involving the kidnapping of Uzumaki Kushina by Kumogakure ninjas earned him a significant reward:

[Witnessing the abduction of important figure Uzumaki Kushina by the Kumogakure ninjas, you will be rewarded with 500 witness points. As the Host directly participated in this event, you will be rewarded with an additional 800 witness points.]

Looking at the total, Sora took a deep breath. A grin tugged at the corners of his lips.

The 1,300 witness points he had earned from this event were leagues beyond the small rewards he'd received before—like the 50 points he gained for witnessing Uzumaki Kushina's enrollment or another 50 points for witnessing the birth of Might Guy. This was a massive haul in comparison!

Curious, Chiba opened his character panel to review his progress.

[Character Panel]

Name: Chiba

Bloodline: Uchiha clan, Senju clan

Kekkei Genkai: Two Tomoe Sharingan

Chakra: Comparable to an Open Sharingan Kakashi

Ninjutsu: E-Rank: Three Body Technique (Clone, Transformation, and Substitution) C-Rank: Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique …

Genjutsu: Illusion: Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique Sharingan-based Illusion Techniques

Taijutsu: Shuriken Throwing: Grandmaster Level C-Rank Taijutsu Techniques

Extra Ability: Thunder Breathing: Full Sword Style

Looking at his stats, Sora couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. Years of relentless training had paid off.

His strength had grown exponentially since his time in the Academy. The gap between his current abilities and his younger self felt like night and day.

'With these abilities, I can finally make an impact on the battlefield,' Sorathought, his Sharingan flashing momentarily as determination filled his heart.

Sora stood in his small home, contemplating his current situation. Despite having 1310 witness points, he found little he could currently afford that would significantly boost his abilities. Thanks to Orochimaru's tutelage, he already had access to plenty of high-level ninjutsu. To obtain a more advanced ability, like the Three Tomoe Sharingan, he'd need far more points than he currently had.

With a wry smile, Sora muttered, "No matter how rich you feel, it's never enough." He closed the panel and reached into his ninja bag, pulling out a scroll.

Breaking the seal on the scroll, a ninja sword appeared—a weapon he had taken from Oyuro during a previous battle.

Sora had noticed during the fight that the sword's chakra conductivity was exceptional, likely due to being infused with a small amount of chakra metal. His suspicions had been confirmed when he checked at the ninja tool shop. While it wasn't as pure as a weapon forged entirely from chakra metal, it was still a significant improvement over the standard tachi he had been using.

He had spent 10 witness points to redeem the sword from the shop, but its condition wasn't ideal. The blade had been worn down and damaged from repeated use, and Sora had sharpened it so often that the edges were uneven. Still, it was a worthy upgrade, and his old tachi could finally be retired.

Sora stood and glanced around his house. Dust covered the furniture and the bed—evidence of how little time he had spent here. He had planned to stay the night before leaving for the battlefield, but the sight of the unkempt room made him reconsider.

Sighing, he left and made his way to Uzumaki Mito's mansion. He wanted to inform Uzumaki Kushina about his upcoming mission.

When he arrived, Kushina herself opened the door.

"Kushina, you're awake already?" Chiba asked, surprised.

Kushina's cheeks turned red as memories of their previous kiss flashed through her mind. She shyly lowered her head and murmured, "Mm-hmm."

Sora smiled and said, "Kushina, I'll be heading to the Land of Rain with Teacher Orochimaru for a long-term mission. I may be gone for quite a while."

"What?" Kushina's head snapped up, her expression filled with disappointment.

Sorareached out and gently ruffled her hair. "Even if I'm gone for a long time, I'll find a way to come back and visit you, I promise."

Kushina pursed her lips, clearly upset. She had been looking forward to spending time with Chiba after everything that had happened. She had even dressed up after waking up that morning, hoping to meet him. She hadn't expected him to leave so soon.

Noticing her mood, Sora smiled softly and said, "I'm leaving tomorrow morning. I still have some time. Do you want to go for a walk?"

Kushina's face lit up with excitement, and she nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Let's go right now!"

After quickly notifying Uzumaki Mito, the two left the mansion and wandered through Konoha.

They visited the bustling streets, stopped by food stalls, and enjoyed each other's company. As the day wore on, they eventually found themselves in one of Konoha's quiet woods. Neither of them spoke, simply savouring the peaceful moment together.

When night fell, Sora escorted Kushina back to Uzumaki Mito's mansion.

At the door, he said, "Kushina, things in Konoha aren't safe right now. Please stay with Mito-sama and don't wander off alone. If anything happens, ring the emergency bell. I'll come running, no matter what."

He gave her a list of precautions, but Kushina didn't seem to be paying attention. Instead, she gazed at his face, listening silently.

As he finished, Kushina suddenly grabbed his right hand. Her eyes focused on the bandage wrapped around it.

"It's just a small injury," Sora reassured her with a smile. "It'll heal in a couple of days. You don't need to worry."

Kushina looked up at him with a determined expression. Her voice was firm as she said, "Sora, I'll work hard too! I'll train harder, so I won't be a burden to you anymore!"

Sora's expression softened. He gently pulled her into a warm embrace and whispered, "Kushina, you've never been a burden to me. You're my pride… and the reason I strive to be stronger."

Kushina's cheeks turned red again, but she leaned into his embrace, cherishing the moment.

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