Uchiha Akaishi Tour

Chapter 39, Rank B Mission?

Although it was just a formality, it was already quite late, and by the time Akaishi and Minato left the Anbu headquarters, it was already dawn.

Neither of them went home, but went straight to the Hokage Building—today is May 1st, the day Team 5 regroups for a mission after three days of rest.

"By the way, how is Kushina's injury?" Akaishi asked with concern.

"There's nothing wrong, I just need to rest for a while," Minato said, now that he seemed to relax.

As the two were talking, Lan Wu arrived.

"Good morning, how have you been resting these past three days?" Lan Wu greeted Akaishi and Minato.

"Hahaha... I've made a tiny bit of progress." Akaishi couldn't help but laugh when he thought about her reaction when she saw his "2+1".

Lanwu: ...

Didn't I ask for "rest"?

"You really are... never resting at all." Lan Wu looked at the seventh class's top student in front of her and felt helpless.

Lan Wu wrinkled her nose and asked, puzzled, "You two... didn't come from home, did you?"

Although she couldn't quite put her finger on it, Lan Wu could still sense from their mental state and neat attire that the two seemed to be "travel-worn."

"Of course we...we trained hard!" Akaishi, of course, wouldn't tell the truth; he and Minato had been instructed to keep this a secret. He immediately asked arrogantly, "Have you had a good rest these past three days?"

"Why do you look like you're the only one who's cultivating..." Lan Wu rolled her eyes at him.

"Oh? How about a spar?" Akashi asked immediately.

"I hope your stamina has improved, and you don't finish in just a few minutes," Lan Wu retorted.

Of course, Akaishi and Ranmai also sparred.

In terms of pure physical combat, Lan Wu is no match for Chi Shi, but...

If they were to engage in open sparring, Akashi would often be able to fiercely suppress Lanwu during the time he had his eyes open. However, most of the time, he would be unable to turn his advantage into a complete victory. Once the time his eyes were open was over, Lanwu would immediately turn the tables and suppress Akashi.

Just as Akaishi and Ranma were locked in a tense standoff, Jiraiya's voice rang out: "Looks like you've had a good rest these past three days, you're both so energetic!"

"Jiraiya-sensei, let's take on a simpler mission today! I'm going to teach this guy a lesson afterward!" Lanwu suggested.

"It doesn't need to be too simple. Teaching this little girl a lesson won't take long!" Akaishi added.

"Is it because you can't keep going for too long?" Lan Wu retorted sarcastically.

Seeing the two locked in a tense standoff, Jiraiya feigned difficulty and said, "Eh? I see... I was planning to take you guys on a B-rank mission today, but it seems neither of you are very interested..."

Upon hearing this, Akaishi and Ranmai immediately stopped arguing and looked at Jiraiya with shining eyes, saying, "A B-rank mission? Jiraiya-sensei, can we really do B-rank missions now?"

Generally speaking, Rank B missions involve confrontations with enemy village ninjas and wandering ninjas...

Typically, a team is led by a Jonin, with Chunin as the main force, and Genin at most assisting.

Although the 13th graduating Team 7 had Jiraiya as their instructor, according to the past practice of "instructing Jonin only providing guidance," Akaishi and his two companions had no chance to get involved in B-rank missions.

"Well, don't get too excited yet. You guys are just going to play support roles, so just think of it as getting a feel for the atmosphere... Of course, if you don't want to, I can take on a D-rank first..." Jiraiya said, playing hard to get.

"Yes!" Akashi and Ranma shouted at the same time.

"Huh? I saw you guys were going to have a duel?" Jiraiya said, looking troubled.

"No, no..." Lan Wu quickly denied.

Akashi hooked his arm around Lanwu's neck and said, "We're all brothers! What's there to fight about!"

Minato simply smiled to himself.

"I see... then come upstairs with me." Jiraiya said with satisfaction.

Rank B and Rank A missions aren't just revealed on the notice board; you have to go to the window on the second floor to pick them up... Hmm? Jiraiya continued up to the third floor?

"Jiraiya-sensei, what's going on here...?" Akaishi asked in confusion.

"It was a mission personally issued by the Third Hokage," Jiraiya explained.

Upon hearing this, Akashi and Lanwu became even more excited—the mission given by the Hokage must be extraordinary!

Jiraiya knocked on the door and entered the Hokage's office, followed by Akaishi and the other two. As soon as they entered, Akaishi saw another Jonin there, and he recognized him—Akimichi Torifu.

Akimichi Torifu not only possesses the Akimichi family's unique layer of fat, but also has an exceptionally round face...

This also demonstrates Akimichi Tokifu's profound mastery of the Akimichi family's secret techniques!

Akaishi knew Akimichi Torifu not only because of his striking physique, but also because Akimichi Torifu and Uchiha Kagami of the Uchiha clan were teammates and very close friends.

Of the six members of the Second Hokage's personal guard when he was attacked, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane were all elderly, while Kagami Uchiha and Torifu Akimichi were young people in their early twenties, and were also part of the younger generation that the Second Hokage was focusing on cultivating!

Unfortunately, the second generation's death was too sudden...

If they had lived another three to five years, Uchiha Kagami and Akimichi Torifu would at least have become "Hokage's assistants".

Akaishi's gaze shifted to Akimichi Torifu's side, and then he saw three young men who were about his age, only slightly more mature...

Of course, Akaishi knew them all—although he was a year older than him, he had seen them countless times in the ninja academy over the past five years.

It was Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Akimichi Choza, the "Ino-Shika-Cho" trio.

Remembering what Jiraiya had said earlier about "playing support," Akaishi and the other two realized that the fact that these four were here was no coincidence...

In addition to the Third Hokage, there was also Danzo Shimura, a guy who looked rather unpleasant, sitting in the assistant seat next to him.

"Jiraiya, you guys are here too." Sarutobi looked at Jiraiya and smiled.

"Hokage-sama, Shimura's assistant, Akimichi Jonin." Jiraiya knew to use titles when working and greeted Akimichi Torifu.

"Jiraiya, a Jonin." Akimichi simply nodded seriously, not in a distant manner, but he appeared unsmiling.

This is different from what Akaishi remembered about Akimichi Tokifu...

Previously, Akashi had little presence in the Uchiha clan, and Akimichi Torifu had no impression of him. However, Akashi had seen him a few times when Akimichi Torifu came to see Uchiha Kagami. In Akashi's memory, Akimichi Torifu should have been more amiable.

But that's understandable...

After all, it had only been less than half a year since they were ambushed in the Land of Lightning and the Second Hokage died.

"Tori, Jiraiya, I've already told you about this mission before. Now that you've decided to go, let's go over it in more detail..." Hiruzen Sarutobi said leisurely.