Chapter 244: Chapter 244

Kitazawa didn’t destroy all the bodies—he deliberately left two behind.

There was a reason for that.

His squad had a mission system tied to their fame and reputation, and Ameyuri Ringo was a name that carried weight in the Hidden Mist Village. She held a position similar to Uchiha Itachi’s status among Konoha’s younger generation—a prodigy, a symbol of promise.

Her death would make waves.

If the Mist didn’t find any remains, they wouldn’t know who had killed her or her team—and the mission’s fame reward would go to waste.

That night, Kitazawa and his team finally returned to the Leaf’s main camp, exhausted but triumphant.

The entire operation had taken nearly a full day, most of it spent evading Mist patrols deep behind enemy lines.

“You all go get some rest,” Kitazawa said, waving them off. “I’ll report to Lady Tsunade.”

“Yes, Sensei.”

Kabuto and the others replied in unison.

“I’ll wait for you back at the tent,” said Kurenai, smiling faintly before heading off.

Kitazawa made his way to the main tent at the center of the camp. When he entered, he paused—besides Tsunade and Shizune, Shikaku and the ANBU captain Haru were also present.

“How did the mission go?” Tsunade asked casually, though her tone carried quiet authority.

“The mission was a success,” Kitazawa reported. “Both of the Mist’s supply ships were completely destroyed.”

“Well done,” Tsunade said, satisfaction in her eyes. “You’ve worked hard. Collect your mission reward, then rest.”

She was proud—Kitazawa was her student, and his achievements reflected directly on her command.

“Understood,” Kitazawa nodded.

Like in peacetime, wartime missions still came with monetary rewards. Ninjas were, after all, professional soldiers—and money, just like ideology, fueled their will to fight.

The Will of Fire burned brightest when one’s stomach wasn’t empty.

“This time we encountered three Jonin,” Kitazawa continued, pulling out a summoning scroll. “One of them was Ameyuri Ringo.”

Shikaku’s eyes widened slightly. “The Hidden Mist’s Lightning Release prodigy?”

“That’s her,” Kitazawa confirmed.

Shikaku let out a low whistle. “The Mist took another serious hit, then.”

Tsunade raised a brow but didn’t look shocked. Kitazawa had already defeated Kurosuki Raiga—so killing Ringo wasn’t beyond expectation. Still, it was a shame. A genius extinguished before reaching her prime.

“Haru,” Tsunade ordered, “spread the word through the ANBU. Make sure the enemy knows Ameyuri Ringo is dead.”

Her tone was calm but firm.

Not only would it shatter the Mist’s morale, it would also bolster Konoha’s—and raise Kitazawa’s reputation even higher.

“Your merits will be recorded,” Tsunade added, accepting the scroll. “Once the war ends, see the Third for your official commendation.”

“Understood. I’ll take my leave.”

Kitazawa exited the tent and stopped by the mission office to claim his reward.

For an S-rank mission, the payout was generous—1.2 million ryō.

He divided the earnings among Kabuto, Kurenai, Izumi, and Torune before heading back to his tent.

“Combat really makes you grow faster,” Kurenai said with a grin, tightening her fist. “I feel like I’m getting closer to mastering the Strength of a Hundred Seal.”

“The danger matches the reward,” Kitazawa replied, lying back on the carpet. “If that wasn’t true, Root wouldn’t train its agents the way it does.”

“Root’s training is too cruel,” Kurenai murmured, nestling against his arm. “It strips people of their humanity.”

As they spoke softly, the atmosphere in the Hidden Mist’s main camp grew tense.

“Kitazawa again?”

Ao frowned deeply.

“So he’s not only skilled in Water Release… but also Lightning Release?” Kisame muttered, intrigued.

Mei’s expression darkened. “From what I’ve analyzed, his Lightning Release surpasses even Ameyuri’s.”

Zabuza snorted. “So what? Are we supposed to be afraid of him?”

The arrogance in his voice matched the confidence of a true Mist prodigy. In his mind, he could’ve killed both Raiga and Ringo himself.

“It’s not about fear,” Mei said coolly. “It’s about awareness. Underestimating him would be foolish.”

Ao nodded. “You might not need to fear him, Zabuza—but most Mist shinobi wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“Kitazawa killing Ameyuri will hurt morale,” said Fuguki, voice heavy. “We must strike back.”

Ao frowned. He preferred drawn-out, strategic warfare to buy time for the Mist, as the elders had ordered.

Fuguki, on the other hand, followed Fourth Mizukage Yagura’s aggressive doctrine—constant offense, unrelenting raids.

“I agree with Fuguki,” Zabuza said, a confident grin on his face. “Let me lead a squad into the Land of Fire. I’ll bring back Kitazawa’s head myself.”

Ao hesitated. Fuguki’s reasoning was sound this time, and rejecting him outright might cause friction. But letting Zabuza go was risky—his ambition was too volatile.

Fuguki, though reckless, was still a vice-commander. Letting him take a small strike force into enemy territory would keep him busy—and limit the damage he could do elsewhere.

“Fuguki,” Ao finally said, “you’ll lead this mission. It’s dangerous, but your experience suits it.”

“What? My experience isn’t bad either!” Zabuza barked.

“I’m the commander,” Ao replied calmly. “My decision stands.”

“Fine,” Fuguki said with a grin. “If I meet this Kitazawa, his corpse will be the one boosting our morale.”

“Don’t get dragged into a prolonged fight,” Ao warned. “Your goal is to inflict as many Konoha casualties as possible—then retreat.”

“I know,” Fuguki said, his tone indifferent.

The next morning dawned quietly.

After breakfast, Kitazawa entered Tsunade’s tent once more.

“Good morning,” she mumbled around a rice ball.

“Good morning, Lady Tsunade.”

Seeing she was alone, Kitazawa strolled in without formality, glancing at the stack of mission scrolls on her table.

“This one,” Tsunade said, tossing a scroll his way.

Kitazawa caught it, unrolled it—and understood immediately.

An urgent mission.

Barely half an hour ago, one of Konoha’s coastal outposts had been overrun by a Mist squad.

“Then I’ll depart at once,” he said, rolling the scroll up.

Tsunade nodded, already reaching for her second rice ball. As the front-line commander overseeing more than eight thousand shinobi, she barely had time to breathe, much less eat properly.

Kitazawa turned to leave—then paused.

“Lady Tsunade.”

She blinked. “Hm? What is it?”

He stepped closer.

“There’s a grain of rice,” he said softly, brushing a stray bit from the corner of her lips.

Tsunade froze for a second. “Ah… thank you.”

“See you next time, Lady Tsunade,” Kitazawa said with a faint, teasing smile before heading out.

Tsunade exhaled, watching him go.

“This guy…” she muttered, touching her lips, “…always so bold.”

Outside, Kitazawa found Kurenai and Kabuto waiting.

“What’s the mission today?” Kurenai asked.

“A-rank,” Kitazawa replied. “We’re taking back a lost outpost. Two Special Jonin and two Chunin are stationed there.”

Kurenai grinned. “Then it’s easy. We’ve got this.”

“Good,” Kitazawa said. “Kabuto, you take command this time. If things go south, I’ll step in.”

A good leader, he believed, should let his students grow through real combat—not just hover over them.

“We’ll handle it,” said Izumi confidently.

Torune said nothing, but nodded once—his silence saying everything.

The group soon reached the forest by the sea.

“There are explosive tag traps three hundred meters ahead,” Torune suddenly warned, his tone calm as ever.

Kabuto adjusted his glasses and thought for a moment. “Yuhi-senpai, Izumi—circle around and approach from the rear. Once I disable the traps, you two will strike.”

“Understood.”

Kurenai and Izumi exchanged a glance, then vanished into the trees.

“They’re in position,” Torune murmured moments later.

“Wind Release: Shuriken!”

Kabuto drew a shuriken, infusing it with Wind Chakra before hurling it. It hit dead center—detonating the explosive tags in a roaring blast.

The explosion echoed across the shoreline. Four Mist ninja instantly appeared atop the outpost, scanning for intruders.

“There! Two Konoha shinobi straight ahead!” the captain barked, forming hand signs in a blur.

Water Chakra surged to his throat—then burst out as a roaring Water Dragon Bullet.

“Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet!”

Kabuto took a deep breath, unleashing compressed blasts of air that shredded through the water dragon, scattering its body into mist.

“There are two more Konoha ninja behind us!” another Mist jonin shouted.

“Leave them to us!” two Chunin roared, rushing toward Kurenai and Izumi.

One formed hand signs—thick fog instantly billowed across the battlefield.

“Careful! That’s the Hidden Mist Technique!” Kurenai warned.

Izumi’s Sharingan flared to life, the red tomoe spinning sharply. Although the mist obscured vision, her eyes tracked every subtle movement and killing intent.

“Sharingan…” The young female Mist ninja narrowed her eyes. She knew then—her two Chunin allies were outmatched.

She leapt into the haze, aiming straight for Izumi.

“Super Strength!”

Acting on instinct, Kurenai clenched her fist and struck. The force of her punch whipped the air into a gale, scattering a huge portion of the mist.

In that fleeting moment, three silhouettes became visible.

“Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson!”

Izumi’s hands blurred through seals. A storm of flaming shuriken tore through the air, lighting up the clearing.

The Mist kunoichi cursed and hastily raised a Water Wall, blocking the flames. Her two allies reacted instantly, jumping high to toss their own shuriken over the defense.

Kurenai’s hands rose—petals burst into the air, swirling like a crimson storm. Each petal carried Chakra, deflecting the shuriken with soft, ringing impacts.

“Where did she go?” one of the Mist Chunin gasped—only to find Kurenai had vanished.

“It’s genjutsu!” the Mist kunoichi realized too late.

She moved to break the illusion—but a rush of wind sliced through the mist.

Kurenai appeared at her flank, eyes cold, fist raised.

The kunoichi hastily gathered Chakra into her arms, meeting the attack head-on.

Bang!

The collision sent her skidding backward, shock etched across her face. Even braced, she couldn’t withstand Kurenai’s raw power.

Meanwhile, Izumi was already in motion—appearing in front of the two disoriented Chunin.

“Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!”

A torrent of flames roared from her mouth, engulfing them both. Their screams were brief—then silence. Two shuriken followed, ending them cleanly.

“Damn it!” the Mist kunoichi shouted in fury.

She gathered all her Chakra, forming rapid seals before spewing a massive water sphere like a falling meteor—Water Release: Water Formation Wall!

Kitazawa’s eyes narrowed as he watched from afar. ’So that’s the technique Mei Terumī used against Uchiha Madara…’

His Sharingan spun to life, memorizing every detail.

“Fire Release: Great Fireball!” Izumi countered, sending a blazing orb hurtling forward.

Kurenai retreated swiftly—but both underestimated the sheer force of the Mist kunoichi’s Water Release.

The water sphere exploded upon impact, scattering into a tidal wave that crashed over them.

“Rasengan!”

Kurenai’s hands formed a spiraling sphere of Chakra, slamming it into the surging water. The wave split apart violently, spraying in every direction.

The Mist kunoichi froze in disbelief—then darkness swallowed her vision.

“Bringer of Darkness!”

Kurenai’s eyes met hers, trapping her in pitch-black nothingness.

“What—?!” The kunoichi flailed, unable to see, panic rising.

In that instant, Kurenai flickered, appearing before her.

“Super Strength!”

Her fist connected cleanly—sending the kunoichi flying like a broken doll.

Izumi stared, wide-eyed. “What kind of ninjutsu was that? Even the Sharingan couldn’t see through it…”

The thought sent a chill through her. Only an Uchiha could truly understand how terrifying it was to be blinded.

Kurenai calmly released the genjutsu, walked over to the unconscious kunoichi, and struck once more—ending it.

By then, Kabuto’s battle was nearly over.

His Wind Release clashed violently with the Mist captain’s Water Release, producing gusts that tore across the outpost.

But Kabuto wasn’t fighting alone.

Torune’s bugs forced the captain to move defensively, creating an opening.

Kabuto vanished in a flicker, reappearing atop the outpost. His kunai gleamed with Wind Chakra.

The Mist jonin formed a Water Wall in desperation—only for Kabuto’s blade to slice through it like paper.

From below, Torune’s insects surged up, binding the man’s legs.

Kabuto’s strike was clean and merciless. One cut—then silence.

“Clear the battlefield,” Kitazawa ordered. He formed a quick seal—puff—a Shadow Clone appeared beside him.

“You, return to the main camp. Tell them to send a relief squad.”

Their mission was to reclaim the outpost, not guard it.

Once the site was secured, the relief team arrived, led by a Special Jonin who saluted Kitazawa respectfully.

After giving his final instructions, Kitazawa led Kurenai, Kabuto, and the others back to camp.

Another A-rank mission—complete.

Days passed.

Kitazawa’s squad maintained a near-perfect record: one mission every day. Their efficiency and ferocity soon became legendary on the battlefield.

Both Konoha and the Hidden Mist knew the name Kitazawa Squad.

And when word spread that Kitazawa was Tsunade’s disciple—their fame soared even higher.

[Current Mission: Lead your squad to complete ten A-rank or S-rank missions.]

[Mission Reward: Compound Ninjutsu – Blazing Wind Riot.]

[Mission complete. Reward granted.]

Kitazawa felt the surge of new knowledge fill his mind—a pair of jutsu, and one devastating fusion between them.

Compound Ninjutsu: Blazing Wind Riot—a combination of Fire Release: Intelligent Hardwork and Wind Release: Pressure Damage.

He hadn’t known either jutsu before—but as usual, the system provided both.

A buy-one-get-two deal.

——————

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