After that, Yuu chatted with Kurenai for a while. Under the pretext of "asking for advice," she asked him a few things about training. Rin and Asuma soon joined the conversation as well.
Obito tried several times to cut in, but couldn't find an opening. In the end, he wandered around the hall by himself and somehow dug up a deck of playing cards. He ran back excitedly.
"Rin! Yuu! Asuma, Kurenai! Let's play a card game! Loser gets paper strips stuck to their face!"
"…At a time like this, you're still thinking about games?"
Asuma frowned.
Yuu didn't care either way. Seeing that he had no objection, Rin and Kurenai both joined in, so Asuma could only nod and agree. He even took the initiative to shuffle and deal the cards.
"…Haha! Asuma! The joker's with you! I saw it!"
Obito pointed at the card Asuma had just drawn and shouted.
"Shut up, Obito! Do you understand the rules or not? Stop yelling random things!"
"Rin, it's your turn. Be careful. These two might be the joker."
Yuu's lips curved slightly as he spread the cards in his hand in a fan.
Rin hesitated. Her pale fingers hovered over Yuu's cards, and she looked a little nervous.
"Yuu-kun, don't scare me…"
After several rounds, Obito and Asuma had a bunch of paper strips stuck to their faces. Rin and Kurenai also had three or four strips each. Only Yuu, relying on excellent expression control and a calm mind, never lost even once.
When the time reached late night, the third squad arrived at the tower.
"They're from Iwagakure."
Asuma said quietly.
Yuu also looked up and noticed that the newcomers all wore Iwagakure forehead protectors and earth-yellow ninja outfits. Their expressions were cold, and they showed no intention of speaking.
Yuu and the others were too lazy to speak either.
At this point in time, Konoha and Iwagakure had a rather delicate relationship.
They could barely be considered short-term allies, because after the Second Ninja War, the two sides had signed a Fire-Earth Non-Aggression Treaty. At this stage, compared with Sunagakure, which had broken its alliance, and Kumogakure, which was eyeing them hungrily, Iwagakure had behaved relatively quietly. Friction between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth was also comparatively limited.
In the original timeline, Konoha and Iwagakure even indirectly joined hands to deal with Kumogakure, killing the Third Raikage at the height of his power.
However,
the original story did not feature any powerful Iwa ninja in this age range. The well-known ones, such as Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, and Deidara, were either too old and belonged to Minato's generation, or too young and around Naruto's age. He didn't know whether this was because Iwagakure had a generational gap, or because their talents had all died during the Third War.
Yuu glanced at the three Iwa ninja, memorized their appearances, and prepared to ask around later to see whether they needed to be guarded against.
Since it was already very late, Yuu's group put away the playing cards, entered a side room, tidied up a little, arranged night watch shifts, and fell into deep sleep. The tower returned to silence, with only steady breathing and the occasional insect calls from the forest outside rising and falling.
Nothing happened overnight.
Early the next morning, Might Guy's team appeared.
Guy was still full of talk about youth, shouting that he wanted to have a passionate battle with Yuu, Asuma, and Obito, much to the suffering of Genma Shiranui and Ebisu beside him.
Then came Hyūga Homon's team, followed by another Amegakure squad.
These two teams looked much more battered. Their bodies were covered in obvious mud and wounds, as if they had gone through many battles. They simply sat quietly to the side to treat their injuries and replenish food and water.
At this point, all six teams that had passed the second round had gathered. After subtracting three members who had been seriously injured during the exam and had to withdraw midway, there were fifteen people total.
Yūhi Shinku, the chief examiner of this exam, also brought Kakashi and two other chūnin examiners into the hall, announcing the results of the "hostage rescue trial" and the rules for the next individual combat round.
"The final exam will take place three days from now. Everyone is dismissed for now. Remember to prepare well… Genin Mikami, come with me afterward. There are some things we need to confirm with you."
…
A moment later.
Hokage Building.
Inside Sarutobi Hiruzen's office.
Mikami Yuu bowed slightly to the people standing in front of him.
"Greetings, Lord Hokage, Lady Tsunade, Minato-sensei, and Senior Kushina."
"So it's Mikami Yuu. Long time no see."
Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled a smoke ring, his gaze falling on Yuu.
"Shinku has already reported the exam situation to me. Yuu, you did very well. Excellent beyond my expectations. However, there is now a more important matter we need to confirm with you… Minato."
"Yes."
With permission, Minato stepped forward. His blue eyes looked at Yuu as he asked, "Yuu, don't be nervous. You just need to answer honestly… Is the blood pouch seized from that Kusa ninja still with you?"
"Yes."
Yuu nodded.
He wasn't surprised by this meeting. Although he didn't know how much of his exam process Hiruzen and the others had "seen," once the Kusa prisoner was handed over, Konoha would inevitably learn something about Kusagakure's actions, then call him in as the person involved to ask questions.
The reason Tsunade and Uzumaki Kushina were currently in this office was probably also because of that. One of them was a descendant of the Senju and Uzumaki, while the other was a pure-blooded Uzumaki. Matters related to the Uzumaki could not bypass them.
At once,
Yuu took out the water pouch from the inner side of his ninja pouch. It was wrapped in special oil paper and sealed properly. He handed it over.
Minato accepted it.
As the smell of blood spread through the office, Tsunade instinctively frowned. Kushina took the blood pouch from Minato, first leaning in to smell it carefully. Then, under everyone's gaze, she extended her index finger, dipped a little dark red blood, placed it in her mouth, and closed her eyes to sense it for a moment.
"…No mistake. This is blood from the Uzumaki clan! And the purity is very high. It was likely drawn within the past three to five days!"
"…"
Yuu thought, why did this feel like poison testing…
Still, having Kushina, also an Uzumaki, confirm the blood sample's source was indeed the most effective and quickest method.
The atmosphere in the office grew heavy.
Hiruzen took a deep puff from his pipe and slowly exhaled.
"It seems the clues have now connected. Kusagakure has indeed imprisoned a member of the Uzumaki clan, and has even treated them as a chakra recovery tool. Who knows how much blood they have drawn from them…
"The Uzumaki clan is Konoha's ally and Lady Mito's clan. We absolutely cannot sit by and ignore this matter!"
Strictly speaking, Konoha had already once sat by and ignored the Uzumaki clan.
However, that time had coincided with the Second Ninja War. Konoha had been under pressure from both front and rear, and the attackers against Uzushiogakure included Kumogakure and Kirigakure. In the end, Konoha had failed to intervene, resulting in the destruction of the Uzumaki. That could barely be excused due to circumstances.
But now…
Konoha's situation was much better than back then.
Besides, what was Kusagakure?
It wasn't even one of the Five Great Nations. A mere fence-sitting blade of grass dared to lay hands on the Uzumaki?
"…Logically, we should immediately launch a rescue operation and bring the person back."
"But although Kusagakure is a small ninja village, it is located in the gap between the Lands of Fire, Earth, and Rain. Its position is sensitive. If we directly pressure them with a large force, we may alert the enemy and trigger reactions from Iwagakure and Amegakure, causing Konoha to once again fall into a dangerous situation of being attacked from three sides… That would be very unfavorable for us."
Hiruzen paused, then said, "Minato, you will lead an elite squad and secretly infiltrate Kusagakure to execute the rescue. During the mission, try not to expose your identities as Konoha ninja, so as to avoid the outbreak of large-scale conflict. Can you do it?"
"No problem."
Minato stepped forward and nodded firmly. "However, regarding team selection, I need a certain degree of autonomy… I want to take Yuu. His qualities have been fully demonstrated in this exam, and he is meticulous. He is very suitable as a member of this operation."
"…Huh?"
Yuu froze. How did this involve him?
Shouldn't Minato be taking Kakashi for this kind of thing?
On the other side,
Hiruzen nodded.
"Very well. Then proceed as you said. Yuu is still participating in the Chūnin Exam, so you can first select the other two members and have them go ahead to investigate. Once the Chūnin Exam ends, use Flying Thunder God to bring Yuu and set off immediately."
"Yes."
Minato accepted the order.
After that,
Hiruzen turned his gaze to Yuu, examined him for a while, then nodded slightly with an approving smile.
"Mikami Yuu, your performance on the southwestern battlefield and in the Chūnin Exam has been outstanding. Both your strength and intelligence far surpass your peers. This is very good."
As he spoke,
Hiruzen opened the drawer of his desk, took out a scroll that seemed to have been prepared in advance, and pushed it across the desk.
"I have a Water Release scroll here. It should suit you well, so consider it a small reward. This is the Water Dragon Bullet Technique improved by the Second Hokage. It only requires three hand seals to use. It should supplement you nicely."
[Ding!]
[Ding! Giftable limited skin detected — Wild Water Wave: Water Dragon Bullet, Senju Tobirama Version!]
"…"
Good, good, good.
He hadn't expected it to be Senju Tobirama's improved version of the Water Dragon Bullet. For Yuu, this was an unexpected surprise. After all, at his current level, Wild Water Wave was indeed a little weak and had almost no chance to be used normally. Now that it had received an upgrade, its practicality had increased quite a bit.
"Thank you, Lord Hokage."
Yuu accepted the scroll and nodded in thanks.
Hiruzen thought for a moment, then added, "In addition, after this Chūnin Exam ends, you may come to me and learn one advanced ninjutsu of your choosing. As long as it falls within what the village allows, I will personally teach you."
"Yes!"
Yuu's heart stirred slightly.
Mm… according to the galgame system, this should be the second time the "old grandpa" had introduced him to a partner.
The last time he had received such an opportunity, Yuu had just graduated from the Ninja Academy. He could only choose based on his age and strength at the time, so he requested a C-rank ninjutsu. Of course, Phoenix Flower Fire Technique had turned out well too. Now that it had unlocked the Light Flame Bullet trait, its practicality had increased substantially.
But since he had received a second chance…
Yuu figured he might be able to ask for a stronger ninjutsu this time.
As for which one, he would have to think carefully.
With the main business concluded, Yuu prepared to take his leave.
At this moment, Tsunade suddenly coughed, drawing everyone's attention.
"Ahem, old man… Hiruzen-sensei, there's one more matter."
Tsunade spoke carelessly.
"It's about Konoha Raw Cola."
"This drink was something I worked out together with this white-haired brat. Teacher, you've tasted it too. It's been selling extremely well in the village recently. Now this brat and I plan to expand the market outside the village…"
"Recently, due to friction between Suna, Kumo, and Konoha, many people have been reassigned, which has lowered the village's mission completion rate and reduced commission income. If Raw Cola can open up the Land of Fire beverage market, it should bring the village a good amount of tax revenue and ease some financial pressure."
"…"
Listening to Tsunade's explanation, Hiruzen held his pipe in his mouth and pondered for a moment.
It was true that Konoha was currently short on manpower and that the mission completion rate had dropped.
Although he didn't think a drink could fill such a large funding gap, Hiruzen still nodded.
Ever since the end of the Second War, Tsunade had suffered from hemophobia and become dispirited. She spent eight months out of the year in gambling houses and taverns. That was a huge loss to both Konoha and herself.
Now that she had rarely taken the initiative to "help" the village, even if it was only small-scale, it was better than being addicted to gambling.
Perhaps shifting her attention might even help her recover from hemophobia?
"Tsunade, since you have this idea, go ahead and do it. If you need any support or encounter any trouble, you can come directly to me."
Hiruzen said.
"Good. With those words from you, I'm relieved."
Tsunade nodded in satisfaction, then quickly winked at Yuu beside her, the corner of her mouth curving into a sly smile.
Yuu returned a smile as well.
With this, Raw Cola's commercial map had received backing from Konoha's highest authority. They could now borrow the tiger's skin as a banner.
After the matter was settled, the group left the Hokage's office together.
Minato patted Yuu on the shoulder and gently reminded him, "Yuu, go back and prepare properly. The Kusagakure mission is very dangerous. Don't be careless. Kushina and I still have something to do, so we'll leave first."
"Alright."
After Minato and Kushina left,
only Tsunade and Yuu remained in the corridor.
At this moment, Tsunade very unceremoniously wrapped an arm around Yuu's shoulders. The heavy weight of her upper body pressed against his back, and she exhaled a warm breath.
"Hey, little white-hair! Today, I put in a lot of effort and helped you secure official recognition for Raw Cola in front of the old man. Tell me, how do you plan to thank me?"
~~~
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