novelhk Chapter 28: Carrying out the mission, leaving the village
Chapter 28: Carrying out the mission, leaving the village
Qingwu breathed a sigh of relief: "How are you feeling, Senior?"
Kakashi was speechless for a long time.
In fact, he possesses all chakra attributes.
Just now……
He even tried to copy Qingwu's "medical ninjutsu" with his Sharingan, attempting to figure out how this brat's technique worked.
result……
Without chakra fluctuations or techniques, he naturally couldn't find any trace that could be copied.
"You brat..." Kakashi said in a complicated tone, "You've gotten stronger again."
He now understood more and more why the Hokage valued the brat in front of him so much.
This can no longer be described as "genius".
He's making huge strides in improvement almost every day; he's practically a "prodigy"!
Qingwu scratched his head, his eyes displaying the clarity and naiveté of a young boy. "Haha, I really am a genius!"
Kakashi focused his attention on the newly appeared "summoned creature," noting its "ranged attack capabilities and exceptional sensory abilities..."
He glanced at the short blade at the wood elf's waist. "So you can also fight in close combat?"
Qingwu nodded and said, "I also want to thank you, senior. Last time when you were testing the dwarves and centaurs, you mentioned the combination of ranged and melee attacks."
Kakashi: "..."
So I'm just mentioning it, can this kid apply it in the development of new techniques?
Konoha... indeed, it has no shortage of geniuses.
At this moment, Kakashi's pride once again faltered.
"Senior, could you do me a favor?" Qingwu asked.
Kakashi snapped out of his daze. "If you're asking to borrow money, then don't ask."
A dark line appeared on Qingwu's forehead. "I need to go out and earn money to pay you back. Could you please keep an eye on... the house for me?"
He said it on purpose, as a verbal test.
He wanted to test whether Kakashi would secretly follow him when he went out, and also to test Konoha's attitude towards his "territory-claiming" behavior.
Kakashi readily agreed: "Okay!"
Qingwu was completely baffled, unsure whether Kakashi was keeping watch himself or would delegate it to another ANBU member.
However, it can be concluded that Konoha does not seem to care much about his current situation of "taking root" in the Forest of Death.
Kakashi went to check if there were any long-term effects from his injuries.
Qingwu leaped onto the wooden house and sat cross-legged on the roof, pondering his preparations for leaving the village the next day.
His territory is now vastly different from what it once was.
As the number of buildings increased, he worried that those with ulterior motives would shift their attention from him to his territory.
Moreover, the Third Hokage was right; the Hidden Cloud Village lost three squads here, and they might continue to send people to investigate.
If he's not around and the Tree of Life is damaged, who knows what the consequences will be?
With this in mind, Qingwu decided to keep his trump card, the Deadwood Guardian, as a protector.
Before tonight, he would definitely have taken a fifth-tier withered tree guard with him wherever he went.
But now he has five level 3 wood elves.
Judging from Kakashi's previous evaluation of Tier 1 and Tier 2 units as Genin and Chunin, the Tier 3 Wood Elf should at least be at the Special Jonin level, even if it doesn't reach Jonin level.
With their cooperation and coordinated operations, they should be able to handle a short-distance mission.
With the plan finalized, Qingwu dispatched all the centaurs and dwarves to work overtime overnight to gather materials.
Tomorrow, he will bring all the junior troops.
……
The next morning, at the entrance of Konoha Village.
The person who commissioned the task was a herbal medicine merchant in his fifties named Fujita.
He had two carriages, loaded with various herbs, and his destination was the herbal medicine shop on Shortbook Street.
"This shipment is a bit rushed," Fujita said, rubbing his hands together.
"Medicinal herbs are in short supply recently, and prices have risen by 30%. The sooner they are delivered, the more I can earn. I'm counting on you ninja masters."
Iruka stepped forward to inspect the goods and nodded to Qingwu.
They are indeed all common medicinal herbs.
The mission route was also very simple. They could reach Tanabata Street within three days by following the main road. On the return trip, the three ninjas would be even faster.
The round trip takes about five days, and the reward is 5 taels of silver, a standard C-level mission.
"Let's go!" Qingwu gave the order while simultaneously demonstrating his skills.
"Ninja Art: Summoning Technique!" He summoned two centaurs.
Chino's heart skipped a beat. "Captain Seigo, is this your summoning beast?"
"Disperse!" Qingwu gave the order.
The two centaurs, one on the left and one on the right, disappeared rapidly on the horizon.
This is a new use he has been researching these past few days: he can attach a small amount of natural energy to the summoned creature, and then the centaur's patrol range will be transmitted back in real time.
After all, it's quite tiring to maintain perception using natural energy if it's just oneself.
Using fast centaurs to scout ahead was Qingwu's "lazy" solution.
"Yes!" Iruka answered quickly, "Qingwu's summoned beasts are very powerful."
This kid seems quite willing to chat with "pretty older sisters".
Chino smiled and said, "Let's go."
She turned and walked forward, only to bump into the carriage with a 'bang'.
Qingwu: "..."
"I'm sorry," Chino said softly.
Seeing this, Iruka volunteered, "Senior, you and Captain Qingwu follow the carriage. I'll go ahead and scout."
Iruka was very excited to be able to go on another mission.
He seems eager to demonstrate his value.
Qingwu did not object.
Although the centaurs' reconnaissance range is already large enough, it's only a C-rank mission, and it's not necessary for everyone to stand guard in front of the employer.
The group moved forward steadily. The road was wide, with farmland and woods on both sides, and occasionally villages could be seen in the distance.
The journey was peaceful.
Iruka was very diligent, sending a signal every now and then to confirm that everything was safe.
Chino walked quietly, occasionally chatting with her employer Fujita about medicinal herbs, behaving just like an ordinary medical ninja.
But Qingwu's attention was mostly focused on her.
He was absolutely certain of the familiar feeling he had yesterday. The more he looked at the woman, the more familiar she seemed, especially her squinty eyes.
On the evening of the first day, the team set up camp by a river.
Iruka was in charge of guarding the area, while Qingwu sent out dwarves to collect firewood.
Chino then offered to help her employer check the medicinal herbs—she explained that some herbs require specific temperatures and humidity levels, and as a medical ninja, she knew some pharmacology and could help.
A perfectly reasonable excuse.
Late at night.
The group agreed that Iruka would guard the first half of the night, Seigo the second half, and Chino's tent would be next to the employer's, providing close protection.
When it was Qingwu's turn, he sent out two centaurs.
Four centaurs roamed tirelessly all around.
Everything seemed normal: the chirping of insects, the sound of the wind, and the distant sound of a river.
Until 3 a.m., the time when humans should be most exhausted.
Several figures appeared in the line of sight of the centaurs on the west side, rapidly approaching from the southwest.
They were very fast, unlike ordinary bandits.
"They're here!"
Qingwu remained calm and continued adding firewood to the fire, but his senses had already connected with his troops.
Three wood elves drew their bows and aimed at the approaching figures...