Shikaku Nara had no doubts about Kei Yamanaka's political intelligence.
After exchanging a few simple words, he took out a pre-prepared D-rank mission scroll.
"Clean up garbage in the river basin?"
Looking at the mission details on the scroll, Kei considered for a moment but didn't refuse.
Compared to other D-rank missions like killing wild boars or driving away dangerous beasts, cleaning the river would take more time and effort. Naturally, the corresponding reward would be significantly higher as well.
Right now, he still needed some time to organize the useful information in his mind, making full use of his knowledge of future events.
A job where his subordinates did all the work while he got to loaf around? Perfect.
Leaving the Mission Assignment Office,
he reached the meeting spot he'd arranged the day before with the three young genin.
After distributing the rewards from yesterday's mission, Kei directly led the three clearly delighted youths toward the river basin downstream of the Naha River to continue their assignment.
Konoha's mission assignment system actually wasn't very friendly toward ordinary ninja.
From the fact that lower-ranked Genin participating in the Chunin Exams only needed eight mission experiences besides having a Jonin recommendation, it was clear enough.
For most Genin, their mission frequency was extremely low!
One part of this problem was certainly because the number of available requests couldn't adequately supply Konoha's large population of ninja.
But an even bigger reason lay in unbalanced resource distribution.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, had firmly grasped control over mission approval, allocation, and assignment rights to strengthen his rule and authority.
He described it as: letting ninja of different abilities accept missions of corresponding ranks, increasing success rates while reducing casualties.
Those aligned with the Hokage faction naturally got frequent access to high-quality missions.
As for those who weren't aligned with the Hokage faction, being unable to get missions was relatively fortunate; being assigned several high-difficulty, dangerous missions—that was truly life-threatening.
And then there were those Genin who had failed to promote to Chunin for years and other less noticeable peripheral ninja.
It wasn't uncommon for them to go a whole month without getting a single mission, making their livelihoods extremely difficult.
Like Kei Yamanaka,
who could take missions whenever he wanted, and even had some autonomy in choosing which ones—
this privilege was reserved solely for those in the Hokage's inner circle.
Since Kurenai Yuhi spent most of her ninja career working in logistics teams, she didn't feel particularly affected by these issues.
But Maito Gai and Genma Shiranami had personally felt the bitterness of idleness caused by a lack of missions.
So while Kurenai frowned, staring at the trash-littered surface of the water,
Maito Gai and Genma Shiranami had already rolled up their sleeves, ready to get to work.
"Before we begin the mission, I have some small gifts for you."
Kei quickly formed hand seals with both hands, then struck each of them in the abdomen three times with precise, rapid blows.
[Four Limbs Re-Seal!]
A swirling, pitch-black cursed seal quickly appeared on each of their abdomens, spreading chains of sealing energy toward all four limbs.
An invisible wave of pressure washed over the three youths.
Even the physically strongest among them, Maito Gai, staggered slightly, quickly supporting himself by bracing both hands on his knees.
Meanwhile, Genma Shiranami and Kurenai Yuhi had flatly collapsed onto the ground.
[Four Limbs Sealing Array], as the name suggests, is a seal that exerts intense physical pressure on the body. It requires both physical strength and coordinated chakra control to resist its effects.
Once you've fully adapted to the seal, your physical strength, mental fortitude, and chakra reserves will all see significant improvement.
So, good luck, kids.
Kei Yamanaka wore an amused, almost mischievous smile as he explained the nature of his so-called "gift."
A whole new kind of weight training? My youthful spirit is already burning! Whoaaa~!
Maito Gai could feel the gravity pressing through every limb and joint, yet instead of frustration, he looked energized beyond measure.
With a series of ear-splitting howls, he began throwing punches and kicking the air, trying to adjust to the seal's effects.
Genma Shiranami glanced at Maito Gai, who was already bouncing around energetically, then quietly pushed himself up off the ground, slowly moving his arms and legs.
Seriously, who even gives gifts like this anyway?! Come on!
Kurenai nearly face-planted into fresh soil, mentally screaming about her team leader's twisted sense of humor.
Just now, she had almost—
Really, just barely!
If it weren't for her quick reflexes, she would've bitten straight into that rotten earth laced with countless bits of trash!
This is just awful!
Her graceful, ladylike image was almost destroyed in an instant!
The tools for cleaning up the river are inside that wooden shed. Well then, let's begin the mission. Quick reminder: moving through water while sealed demands much finer chakra control.
After seeing the three gradually adapt to the seals, Kei Yamanaka immediately announced the start of the task.
He then activated the Body Flicker Technique, teleported to a large tree upwind, leaned back against the trunk, and resumed jotting down notes.
Due to the terrain, this section of the river basin had accumulated an enormous amount of garbage.
Judging by the work pace of regular genin, it would take at least four to five days to fully clear this area.
And with the added hindrance of the Four Limbs Seals slowing the three kids down, they wouldn't finish until the entire week had passed.
Splash! Splash!
Just as Kei settled down with his scroll and pen, two splashing sounds reached his ears.
Looking at Maito Gai and Genma Shiranami crawling out of the sewage, muddy and dripping wet, Kei gleefully resumed his own work.
——————————
Root Base, Konoha.
Seated within an iron-made cage, Danzo Shimura sat stiffly, wearing a full-metal samurai helmet and thick bandages covering his forehead. His face darkened as he glared at the subordinates lined before him.
Since early yesterday morning, his head had suffered three inexplicable blows.
A broken support beam from the Jonin Dispatch Office, a falling ceiling tile in Root's medical ward, and a plummeting stone slab in his personal office!
Had it not been for his hardened battle experience and lightning-fast reflexes,
His name might already have been carved into the Memorial Stone!
"Lord Danzo," one of his subordinates spoke, "Orochimaru-sama replied that he found absolutely no abnormalities in your body. The incidents you've experienced were either pure coincidence… or the effect of an unknown forbidden technique."
"The findings from Orochimaru's analysis," a Root ninja reported cautiously.
Danzō Shimura's already stormy expression grew darker, a few veins throbbing on his temple. He was thoroughly displeased with Orochimaru's vague, uninformative response. After a moment of silence, he continued questioning.
"—Has the jinchūriki's schedule from yesterday to today been fully investigated?"
"Please review it, Lord Danzō."
Another Root ninja presented a meticulously compiled surveillance report.
After skimming the scroll for a moment, Danzō remained silent, contemplating his next move.
Yesterday, he had provoked the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki using the pretext of demanding secret techniques from the Uzumaki clan.
His main purpose was to monitor how the various ninja clans—Ino–Shika–Cho, Kurama, Inuzuka, Aburame, and Hyūga—would respond to Root's presence.
Regardless of whether they saw through his intention or not, clans like Inuzuka, Aburame, and Hyūga responded appropriately.
But Ino–Shika–Cho and Kurama...
"—They stayed the night and left carrying a large sum of money. Why activate an Anti-Sensor Barrier? Could it mean..."
Thud~
A thousand possibilities raced through Danzō's mind.
Mid-thought,
a rock the size of a pigeon egg sliced effortlessly through the cage-like obstruction and struck his steel helmet.
The pain in his head, already unbearable, pierced through him like needles.
The several Root ninjas crouched before Danzō instantly lowered their heads.
And the last shreds of Danzō's patience were shattered by that single stone.
"Find out who did this! List everyone who interacted with me yesterday! Check them one by one! You must discover who dared strike this old man!"
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