Whirlpool Ruins and Kurenai's Assets: Digging Up More Than Just Treasure

"You want us to investigate Kirigakure in the Land of Water?"

Kakashi looked at the Third Hokage with some confusion.

"Shouldn't our current enemy be Sunagakure in the Land of Wind?"

"I've arranged for others to handle the Land of Wind."

As long as he could contact Orochimaru and make his former disciple appreciate his teacher's painstaking efforts, drawing him back into the embrace of the Will of Fire.

Plus, with the information from the *Future Note*, Sunagakure in the Land of Wind was as good as in his pocket, requiring little effort at all.

What Land of Wind? Sarutobi Hiruzen was already setting his sights on the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water.

"Moreover, once a war begins, it won't just be a matter between Konoha and Sunagakure. Other nations will be forced or will actively choose to join in. Therefore, I want you to contact Kirigakure secretly. Ideally, you should scout out their strengths and weaknesses, and if possible, bring them over to our side."

According to the *Future Note*, Kirigakure was apparently in considerable disarray. The Fourth Mizukage was allegedly being controlled by a mysterious figure using an Illusionary Technique.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, not much different from Sunagakure.

With the right moves, Kirigakure could be his for the taking.

Of course, all of this depended on whether that *Future Note* was a genuine *Future Note*.

Otherwise, all his plans and arrangements would be a joke.

However, the intelligence recently received from the Land of Wind did indicate that Sunagakure was secretly building up its strength, ready to make a move.

Once Orochimaru confirmed it, it would prove that the notebook was the real deal.

Then, unifying the Ninja World would no longer be a distant dream.

"I see. Hokage-sama, you've truly thought this through."

Kakashi acknowledged Sarutobi Hiruzen's arrangements.

But thinking of Uchiha Kage standing beside him, he frowned slightly.

"However, Hokage-sama, with Uchiha Kage's strength, isn't it too risky to have him accompany me on this kind of infiltration mission right now?"

Although many brats like Uchiha Kage died during previous wars, Kakashi still wanted to try to argue against it.

After all, not counting the rogue ninja outside the Village, there were only two Uchiha left now.

"Kage, are you willing to accept this mission?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen pretended to ponder for a moment, then looked at Uchiha Kage standing behind Kakashi.

He'd recruited quite a few young ninja into the Anbu recently. Uchiha Kage was no longer the most special one.

"I obey Hokage-sama's orders."

Sending a Genin to carry out such a clearly S-ranked mission, and afraid of the mission being rejected, deliberately provoking the other party's competitive spirit, that's just like you, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

While Uchiha Kage mentally braced himself for another day of this crap, he put on a passionate expression on his face.

"It's good that you're confident. Later, I'll send Hayate and Yuhi Kurenai to support you. The mission is primarily focused on infiltration and investigation. Try not to engage Kirigakure Ninja head-on, understand?"

"Yes!"

Kakashi glanced at Uchiha Kage with some regret, then silently accepted the mission scroll from Sarutobi Hiruzen's hand.

----

"Kage! You guys are here to take on a mission from Hokage-sama too!"

Bringing his thoughts back to the present, Uchiha Kage and the rest of Team 8 had just pushed open the door to the Hokage Office when they heard Naruto's loud voice.

"Let me tell you, Team 7 is taking on a C-ranked mission right now, isn't that awesome?"

Along with his signature six-lined whisker smile.

"A C-ranked mission?"

Uchiha Kage looked at Team 7 in front of him, then at the drunken old man who had just walked out of the Hokage Office.

So, it's already at the Land of Waves mission storyline?

"That's pretty awesome."

Hopefully, Naruto and Sasuke won't get beaten too badly by Zabuza.

"By the way, Kage, that mission last night…"

After excitedly showing off his newly acquired C-ranked mission, Naruto couldn't help but wonder about the sequel to last night's Instance mission.

Last night, he'd made quite a sacrifice, not just using the energy-consuming Harem Jutsu, but he'd also personally experienced what it felt like to be sealed in stone.

"Naruto!"

Sasuke, standing next to Naruto, reminded him not to mention the night's events in front of everyone.

Although he was also a little curious about what happened last night, he didn't want others to know about their nighttime escapades.

Especially after discovering that the amount of Chakra in his body had almost doubled today.

Sasuke now regarded the 'Dream' last night as his greatest secret.

He just wondered if there would be new 'Dream Instances' in the future.

"Sasuke said that his Chakra increased a lot after last night, but I don't feel anything."

Under Sasuke's warning, Naruto immediately lowered his voice and whispered in Uchiha Kage's ear.

"Is that so?"

Uchiha Kage slightly probed Sasuke's Chakra and found that his previous Chakra level of around 0.5 *ka* had now reached about 1.5 *ka*.

As for Naruto, it was normal for a numerical monster like him not to feel this increase in Chakra.

It seemed that after completing missions in the Instance, Naruto and Sasuke would also receive certain enhancements.

"But it doesn't matter. What matters most is… what happened to that Big Sister last night?"

He had put in so much effort but didn't get to see the ending. Naruto's curiosity was like a cat scratching at him.

"She went to a very safe place and doesn't have to worry about being sealed by 'bad guys' anymore."

Except that she would be harassed by this bad guy every day from now on.

Moreover, the real sequel from last night wasn't something he could tell these kids.

"That's good. We're leaving first!"

After satisfying his curiosity, Naruto contentedly followed Kakashi and the others out of the Hokage Office.

Sakura was a little curious about what Naruto and Uchiha Kage were whispering about, but she was more focused on Hinata, who was standing next to Uchiha Kage with a flushed face, and the implications thereof.

Anyone could see Hinata's feelings for Uchiha Kage, and these two were in the same Genin team…

At this rate, would Ino really be able to win against Hinata in the end?

----

"Don't envy Kakashi's Team 7. We also have a C-ranked mission this time."

After Team 7 left, Yuhi Kurenai patted her disciple's shoulder and then took out the Hokage scroll she had received from the Third Hokage.

"Searching for the treasure buried in the Whirlpool Country Ruins?"

Uchiha Kage felt the pleasant fragrance emanating from his Female Teacher as he read the words on the mission scroll.

"Yeah, how is it? This mission is much more interesting than any escort mission, right?"

Yuhi Kurenai blinked at her adorable disciples as if seeking praise.

"It's pretty good."

The Land of Waves and the Whirlpool Country were both next to the Land of Water. After completing these superficial missions, they could immediately gather and set off on the mission to scout out Kirigakure.

From these two missions, Uchiha Kage could see Sarutobi Hiruzen's good intentions and the Village's current lack of manpower.

However, Sarutobi Hiruzen probably didn't yet realize that the C-ranked mission that Kakashi's Team 7 had received was actually an A-ranked mission that involved fighting Jonin.

Moreover, if the original storyline didn't change, Kakashi would be bedridden for at least a week after this mission due to overuse of the Sharingan.

So, perhaps Kakashi, as the main force, might not even be able to make it to the mission to scout out Kirigakure.

If that were the case…

Then this mission to scout out Kirigakure would be interesting.

Unless they abandoned the mission, Uchiha Kage felt that the only way two Special Jonin and one Genin could complete such an S-ranked mission was to pray that all the Kirigakure Ninja were peace-loving good Samaritans, so they would have a slight chance of survival.

"Hopefully, I won't have to compensate for their shortcomings again this time…"

Aburame Shino, trailing behind Team 8, sighed silently as he watched Uchiha Kage walk away, with Hinata shyly following behind him.

"Cheer up, Shino. Don't always fall behind. No slacking off."

"No, Teacher, the one slacking off is clearly…"

Aburame Shino had just wanted to refute this clueless Female Teacher when he saw that she had already walked far away, chatting and laughing with Uchiha Kage at the front.

Damn it, another day of being ignored…