Chapter 14: The B-Rank

Chapter 14: The B-Rank

'A D-rank [Shinobi Secret Scroll]... taking the minimum payout is still a bit of a loss.'

Nara Keisuke closed the panel and, at the same time, released the [Shadow Paralysis Jutsu] that was controlling Uchiha Inabi.

Uchiha Inabi immediately scrambled up from the ground, wanting to argue some more. But the older, brown-haired Uchiha who had arrived later just gave a cold reprimand.

"Shut up! Uchiha Inabi!"

"Yes! Vice-Captain Yashiro!"

One second, Uchiha Inabi was red-faced, arguing about winning and losing. The next, because of Uchiha Yashiro's cold reprimand using his full name, he nearly stuffed his head into his pants!

Seeing this, the corner of Nara Keisuke's mouth couldn't help but curl up.

The Uchiha clan, truly "experts at fighting outsiders, amateurs at fighting their own"...

"I am very sorry. My clansman was too reckless! He interfered with your mission!"

Uchiha Yashiro handed the B-rank mission scroll back to Nara Keisuke and bowed sincerely.

"If there's anything the Military Police Force can do to compensate, please don't hesitate to ask!"

As the second-in-command of the Military Police Force, Uchiha Yashiro was very rational. He knew very well what he should do at this time. In the process of their own village's ninja carrying out a mission, the Uchiha clan, as the Military Police Force, not only failed to help but actually obstructed their actions—and on a mission as confidential as "apprehending spies." With so many Konoha villagers watching, it was absolutely not enough to just punish Inabi... He had to show the public the responsibility and accountability that the Uchiha Military Police Force should have!

Seeing Uchiha Yashiro take such a low stance, Nara Keisuke was somewhat surprised. He had thought that all members of the Uchiha clan, especially those who had awakened their Sharingan, were all mentally unstable, red-eyed patients. Just as the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, had described them—the Uchiha, evil from birth!

But it seemed now that the Uchiha clan was not without reasonable ninja. At least, they were reasonable for now.

"There's no need for compensation."

Nara Keisuke shook his head. He really had no intention of using this opportunity to extort anything from the Military Police Force.

"But I still have other mission targets. This one here..." He pointed to the unconscious Iwagakure spy. "Could I trouble the Military Police Force to escort him to the Konoha Prison?"

"No problem!"

Uchiha Yashiro was instantly relieved. He had already mentally prepared himself to face difficult demands. After all, the reputation of the Uchiha clan in Konoha Village... everyone who knew, knew. But he hadn't expected the other party's request to be so surprisingly simple.

"The Military Police Force will fully assist... in your mission!"

Uchiha Yashiro looked Nara Keisuke up and down and, in the end, used the formal address "your excellency."

Nara Keisuke nodded slightly. "Mhm, there's one more thing."

Uchiha Yashiro's heart tightened.

Uchiha Inabi's eyes widened in anger.

"This guy."

Nara Keisuke pointed at Uchiha Inabi from a distance.

"I understand the important responsibility the Uchiha clan bears as the Konoha Military Police Force, maintaining the safety of the Konoha villagers..."

As soon as these words were spoken, Uchiha Yashiro instantly relaxed, and his impression of this young Nara rose by several levels. The young Uchiha Inabi also felt that this guy had become much more pleasant to the eye.

But in the next second...

"However, on the premise that I had already stated my identity and explained the reason, he still chose to attack me."

Nara Keisuke said with a half-smile.

"I feel that this Uchiha officer doesn't have a thorough enough understanding of the 'Will of Fire.' I suggest that this Uchiha officer needs to study the 'Will of Fire' of the First Hokage more."

"Your excellency's words are absolutely right!"

Uchiha Yashiro said with heartfelt admiration. First, he expressed his own forgiving attitude, directly reducing the surrounding villagers' negative feelings towards the Uchiha's rash actions. Then, he clarified the important responsibility of the Uchiha Military Police Force, indirectly stating that the Uchiha were indeed acting according to the rules. Finally, he brought up the First Hokage's "Will of Fire," directly minimizing the negative impact of this incident.

"Uchiha Inabi! Why haven't you thanked his excellency yet!"

Uchiha Inabi nearly ground his back teeth to dust.

"Th—ank—you—"

With the active assistance of the Military Police Force, Nara Keisuke very quickly apprehended all the mission targets. By the time he headed to the Hokage's Office, all the low-level Iwagakure spies were being escorted to the Konoha Prison by the Military Police Force.

'This B-rank mission that fell from the sky is finally complete!'

Nara Keisuke looked towards the Hokage's Office not far ahead.

'I hope that B-rank [Shinobi Secret Scroll] gives me something good when I report the mission!'

Through this B-rank mission and that C-rank encounter, Nara Keisuke had confirmed two pieces of information. First, his [Shadow Secret Arts] were indeed very suitable for sneak attacks. Second, opponents at the Chūnin level, even elites like an Uchiha Chūnin, absolutely could not break free from his restraints once touched by his "shadow"!

'As long as I can increase my [Strength] and [Speed] later and solve my lopsided stat problem, my overall evaluation might even go up!'

Before entering the Hokage's Office, Nara Keisuke took a deep breath, called up the panel, and silently opened the freshly obtained D-rank [Shinobi Secret Scroll].

[Opening...]

[The content recorded in this D-Rank Shinobi Secret Scroll is: Jutsu]

[D-Rank Jutsu: Body Flicker Technique]

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

Jutsu Effect: Releases chakra from the leg's pathway system to achieve high-speed movement. The distance and height of movement vary depending on the amount of chakra invested.

Jutsu Evaluation: The road to ruin is shorter than you can ever imagine.

'Are there any powerful D-rank ninjutsu?'

Nara Keisuke stared at the scroll on the panel, his mind momentarily blank.

'Whatever, [Body Flicker Technique] it is! I don't know it anyway, saves me the trouble of learning it from Keiko...'

Someone lightly patted his shoulder.

"Nara, what are you spacing out for! What's so good to look at about this crappy Hokage's Office!"

Nara Keisuke came back to his senses, closed the panel, and glanced to the side.

"Huh? Isn't this Lady Tsunade? What a coincidence."

"Don't be so cold, Nara!"

Princess Tsunade, who had just so cheerfully slipped away to slack off, now put on a smiling face.

"Let's hurry up and submit the mission!"

...

[You have submitted the B-Rank Ninja Commissioned Mission scroll!]

[[B-Rank Mission: Apprehend the Spies] is complete!]

[You have obtained one B-Rank [Shinobi Secret Scroll]!]

Three messages popped up in sequence on the panel, showing that the B-rank mission he had just accepted was complete.

'The only pity is that the targets of a commissioned mission don't trigger additional combat missions.'

'But that's to be expected...'

Nara Keisuke didn't claim the mission reward immediately. Instead, he first closed the virtual panel and looked ahead with bated breath.

The Hokage's Office, located at the top of the Hokage's Office building, had huge windows on all four walls, providing a view wide enough to see the entire Konoha Village. But its interior decoration was not as luxurious as one might imagine. In the small, circular room, there was only a simple desk, with a stack of books and scrolls on each side.

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

Nara Keisuke observed him secretly.

Once called the "God of Shinobi" (by Orochimaru); had thoroughly studied all of Konoha's ninjutsu (Databook: Jin no Sho); could use any ninjutsu (Databook: Sha no Sho); also held the title of "Strongest Hokage in History" (Databook: Rin no Sho). All these descriptions were enough to illustrate the powerful strength of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi!

'What a pity. A new version, a new god. The Third Hokage was nerfed again and again... in the end, all that's left is his age and his titles.'

"Tsunade, it's been a long time since I've seen you submit a B-rank mission."

Hiruzen Sarutobi put away the mission scroll and took out two ninja data forms, adding a B-rank to both "Tsunade" and "Nara Keisuke's" mission completion records.

"Could it be... you've finally gambled away all your savings?"

Tsunade had already explained the exact situation of her encounter with the Iwagakure spy last night. Hiruzen also knew that Tsunade had not recovered from her "hemophobia" and that someone else had actually killed the spy. His words now were just an old man teasing his student.

In response to her teacher's teasing, Tsunade just snapped back fiercely.

"You're noisy!"

She turned her head to look at Nara Keisuke beside her.

"Nara, you didn't hear anything just now, did you?"

"Mhm!"

Nara Keisuke was as quiet as a chicken, nodding his head like he was pecking at rice. But he knew in his heart, as the legendary super sucker, how could Tsunade have only gambled away her savings?

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze shifted with Tsunade's to Nara Keisuke. Looking at the Nara clan child before him, information about him couldn't help but flash through Hiruzen's mind. To be precise, it was the student evaluations compiled by several academy teachers over many years.

"Nara Keisuke, exceptionally intelligent, extremely lazy personality, self-proclaimed 'energy conservationist'."

"Extremely weak physical constitution, severely insufficient chakra reserves, very poor basic taijutsu and Three Academy Techniques."

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

"Not recommended for graduation from the academy."

"Not recommended to become a ninja."

"Recommend withdrawal."

"Recommend retirement."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook the ninja data form in his hand.

'A child who was recommended for withdrawal, and even retirement, by several academy teachers has actually completed an A-rank mission and a B-rank mission so quickly... This is truly an abnormal matter.'

'He has trained the Nara clan's secret arts to a very impressive level!'

However, Hiruzen also knew Nara Keisuke's shortcomings. Looking only at his actual combat record, Nara Keisuke was undoubtedly a gifted ninja. But considering his pitifully weak conventional chakra reserves... Hiruzen was not optimistic about this Nara child's future development.

Unless...

Hiruzen's gaze shifted back to Tsunade.

Tsunade could...

(End of Chapter)