https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-379-Disciple-s-Strength-Changes-and-Flying-Thunder-God/12558503/
Chapter 378: Ninja Assassin
Chapter 378: Ninja Assassin
Mu Yue's words brought a look of surprise to Itachi's face.
While Itachi didn't consider himself infallible, he was confident in his abilities. After all, he had rarely lost in his life, with his only recent defeat being at the hands of Kakashi.
Yet, Mu Yue claimed that there were individuals in the ninja organization who could effortlessly defeat him. This prompted Itachi to realize that there was always someone stronger out there, as even Yahiko and his team seemed formidable.
"There's no need to be too concerned," Mu Yue said, gazing into the distance. "Just focus on your training. Everyone has their own path to growth, and you never know what the outcome will be until the very end."
While Nagato's Rinnegan ability certainly seemed impressive, it was originally Madara Uchiha's, not his own.
Without his own Rinnegan, Nagato was limited to using only the basic abilities of the dojutsu, such as the Heavenly Canopy of Truth and the Human Path, rather than the unique techniques associated with it.
If one were to awaken the Rinnegan themselves, they would gain access to powerful techniques like Madara Uchiha and Hagoromo Otsutsuki. Madara's ability, Limbo: Border Jail, and Sasuke's, Rinnegan Sharingan, were far superior to the basic abilities of the dojutsu.
Of course, when it came to battles between powerful figures like Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju, or even among the Six Paths, the basic abilities of the Rinnegan could still be considered formidable. However, compared to the unique techniques, they were not as impressive.
Itachi nodded, quickly regaining his composure. He had never considered himself the greatest genius in the ninja world, and he didn't feel discouraged by Mu Yue's words. Instead, he marveled at the sheer number of talented individuals out there, knowing that he could encounter such formidable ninjas at any time.
With the mountain bandits already dealt with by Yahiko and his team, Mu Yue and her squad finished off the remaining two bandits before reporting back to their client.
The speed at which Mu Yue's team completed the mission left the middle-aged client astonished. He couldn't help but praise the renowned Konoha Hidden Leaf Village for their exceptional efficiency.
On their way back to Konoha, Anko couldn't help but sigh.
"I was actually nervous for a bit, and all we faced were two measly mountain bandits," Anko complained.
After all, they had been prepared for a life-or-death battle, and even someone as carefree as Anko couldn't help but feel a bit on edge.
"Isn't that a good thing?" Shizune said with a smile. "It's like we just got paid for a C-rank mission for taking care of a couple of bandits."
She was quite pleased with the turn of events. Earning such a substantial sum of money for a simple walk in the woods was a welcome bonus.
"Let's use the money from this mission to buy some liver-nourishing supplements for Tsunade-sama," Shizune said, already planning how to spend the money. "And we should also save up to get something nice for Teacher Mu Yue."
"Hehe, you're right," Anko agreed, her eyes sparkling. "We can buy so many dumplings with the mission reward!"
In her mind, it was like having a friend over to help clean your room, only to have your parents walk in and praise you for being so tidy, rewarding you with some extra pocket money. Even if the amount wasn't huge, it still brought a sense of satisfaction, especially since it was essentially free.
Their journey back to Konoha remained uneventful, without any encounters with other ninjas.
"Let's call it a day. We'll resume our usual training tomorrow," Mu Yue said after they returned to Konoha.
Even though they hadn't engaged in much combat during this mission, the long journey had still taken a toll on their minds and bodies. Thus, Mu Yue decided to give her disciples a well-deserved day of rest.
"Mmhmm," Anko nodded eagerly, like a chick pecking at rice. With the money Mu Yue had given her in advance, she dashed off toward the dumpling shop.
Shizune bid farewell to her teammates and headed toward Tsunade's residence. With a rare day off, she intended to make the most of it and get some much-needed rest.
Itachi, on the other hand, wasted no time and headed straight for the Southern Border Forest. He was still determined to defeat Kakashi and reclaim his title as Mu Yue's strongest disciple. Every moment he could spend training was an opportunity to improve.
Mu Yue, meanwhile, made her way to the mission registration hall in the Hokage Building to submit their mission report. Afterward, she paid a visit to Tsunade's home.
While this mission had also taken an unexpected turn, it didn't warrant a special report.
Normally, when a C-rank mission encountered unforeseen circumstances, ninjas had two choices: they could either request the client to increase the reward to match the new level of difficulty, or they could simply walk away from the mission altogether.
In this case, Mu Yue's team had encountered a ninja among the mountain bandits, but Yahiko and his team had taken care of him. As a result, Mu Yue treated this mission as a standard C-rank mission and submitted it as such.
Seeing Mu Yue approach, Tsunade felt a mix of delight and annoyance. She was glad for the delicious food that was sure to come, but she also knew that it meant another round of mental exertion.
Tsunade had been content with her laid-back lifestyle, but her bet with Mu Yue had forced her to abandon her slacker ways and start studying ninjutsu again.
Tsunade found herself regretting that bet more and more. She had even tried to quit gambling, but her willpower wasn't strong enough, and she soon found herself back at square one.
"I should introduce you to Orochimaru sometime," Tsunade said, rubbing her temples. "That guy loves researching ninjutsu."
However, she quickly shook her head and added, "Never mind, it's better if you don't know him. His obsession with ninjutsu research has made him a bit eccentric, and now he's even seeking immortality."
Orochimaru had always been a bit odd and calm as a child, but Tsunade felt that he had become truly unusual as an adult.
During their reunion after the Second Great Ninja War, the Sannin had discussed their future plans. Tsunade had expressed her desire to do nothing, Jiraiya had talked about his intention to continue his travels in search of a disciple who could change the world, and Orochimaru had shared his goal of researching ninjutsu to achieve immortality.
"This is a tabletop game I invented in my free time," Mu Yue explained with a gentle smile. "Constantly studying can be dull, so playing this can be a nice break."
Although Tsunade wouldn't go back on their bet, Mu Yue still wanted their collaboration to be a pleasant one. So, he created a Ninja World version of a game he knew from his past life.
"A game?" Tsunade's curiosity was piqued as she picked up a few cards from the table and examined them.
"Uchiha Tajima," she read aloud, "with the Genjutsu skill, forcing the opponent to guess the suit of the card. If they guess wrong, they lose one stamina point. The Fire Style jutsu can be converted into a Fire Kill."
"That's interesting," Tsunade said, now intrigued. "But aren't you worried about causing trouble by making a game out of the Uchiha clan's ancestor?"
"Senju Fokan, with the Senju Clan skill, increases the stamina limit by one. The Nin'ai skill restores one stamina point after gifting enough hand cards to reach two points."
"Wow, even the Senju clan is included," Tsunade said, her expression turning serious.
"Did you know that he was my..."
"What would you like to eat tonight?" Mu Yue interrupted, changing the subject.
"It's been a while since I've had poached chicken. Let's have that tonight, along with stir-fried meat and chili, and also..." Tsunade eagerly listed the dishes she wanted for dinner.
Not only had Mu Yue made a game out of the Uchiha ancestor, but he had also included Tsunade's grandfather, Senju Fokan, and she didn't mind at all.
In fact, Tsunade even thought that if her grandfather, Senju Hashirama, were to know about this, he might be quite pleased.
Of course, by "game," she meant a normal, respectful game, free from any insults or degradation; otherwise, she would have to resort to her signature heavy-handed tactics.
"Hyuga Tenin, with the Gentle Fist style, can treat kills as flashes and flashes as kills. The Byakugan skill allows the player to view all hand cards of a chosen character at the start of each turn."
As Tsunade examined the cards, Mu Yue explained the rules, and her interest in this game, which he called "Ninja Killer," grew.
However, Mu Yue didn't play the game with Tsunade right away. Instead, he steered the conversation back to their research on the supplementary ninjutsu for the Yang Seal.
"The cards for this game aren't complete yet, so we won't play it today," Mu Yue explained.
While creating a few cards would be simple for him, sometimes taking things slow had its benefits.
Tsunade flipped through the cards and noticed that many were indeed missing, including some that Mu Yue had mentioned.
"Then let's play tomorrow. In the meantime, let me share some of my findings from these past few days," Tsunade suggested, nodding.
She wasn't a child who couldn't wait a day; she didn't mind the delay.
Mu Yue added an "enlightenment" status to himself and listened intently to Tsunade's explanations.
"Since your Rock Breathing can be maintained uninterrupted for twenty-four hours, we can modify the sealing technique like this..." Tsunade began her detailed explanation.
After listening, Mu Yue was glad he had come to Tsunade for help. As the strongest medical ninja in the Ninja World, her research capabilities, especially regarding the body, were exceptional.
If he had attempted this research alone, it would have taken him at least twice as long, if not three or four times as much.
The next day, after training, Mu Yue brought the missing cards he had mentioned and played several rounds with Shizune and Tsunade.
"Can we have more character cards?" Tsunade asked after playing for a few days. "With only five ninja, it gets a bit repetitive and less interesting."
With so few ninja cards, it was possible to draw the same ninja in multiple rounds, which reduced the variety of gameplay.
"How about making a card for my grandfather? I'll even help you think of a skill—Wood Style jutsu, dealing four points of damage to a chosen character." Tsunade tried to persuade him.
"I'll take a look at the history books in the next few days," Mu Yue smiled, politely declining her suggestion.
The reason he had included Senju Fokan was that he had only intended to play this game privately with Tsunade, and Senju Hashirama was too close to their time, so it didn't feel appropriate.
"Or you can make a card for me. I don't mind. Skill: Superhuman Strength, increasing the damage of kills and duels by one. Skill: Medical Ninjutsu, restoring one stamina point for every point of damage taken," Tsunade suggested with a broad smile.
Mu Yue indicated that he would consider it.
If Tsunade wanted a character card, he could certainly make one for her, but the skills would have to be different from what she suggested, as those were a bit too overpowered.
This was also why he hesitated to make a card for Senju Hashirama—if the skills were too strong, it would be unbalanced, but if they weren't, it wouldn't feel right for such a legendary figure.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
