Naruto: I'm Not a Pokémon

Chapter 96 S-rank mission

Kaito simply nodded to the two jōnin, without even saying hello to his teammates, and immediately sat down obediently.

"Don't be too reserved. I asked your two teams to come here this time because I want your help."

"Elder Genji, you can just give the order directly."

"Elder Genji, you are too polite."

The two jōnin spoke quickly, they didn't dare to refuse it.

Elder Genji didn't take it seriously and continued talking with a smile.

"You also know about this, Kaito boy, who discovered a large force led by the AB team from the Kumogakure Village at sea."

"Yes, Elder Genji, I saw it at that time too."

Elder Genji just nodded and didn't continue talking. Instead, he took out a map and motioned for everyone to gather around.

"Currently, the battle sites between Konohagakure and Kumogakure are basically concentrated in the northwest of the Land of Hot Water. According to the investigation by the intelligence personnel of the Anbu, the landing point of the sea forces you discovered earlier is on the southeast coastline of the Land of Hot Water."

Following the guidance of Elder Genji, everyone also focused their attention on two locations on the map.

The Land of Hot Water is located northeast of the Land of Fire, and there is the Land of Frost between the Land of Lightning. The Land of Frost is weak and close to the Land of Lightning, so it is naturally unable to stop the Kumogakure Village from passing through.

Therefore, the main battlefield between Konohagakure and Kumogakure has always been in the northwest of the Land of Hot Water, near the Land of Frost.

However, due to the long and narrow terrain of the Land of Hot Water, only about one-third of its land is adjacent to the Land of Frost. The other two-thirds, that is, the southeastern territory of the Land of Hot Water, is a long and narrow coastline.

When the top leaders of Kirigakure learned that the Kumogakure had troops departing from the sea and heading towards the Land of Hot Water, they once thought that Kumogakure was plotting something bad, thinking of landing from the coastline to attack the rear of the Land of Fire.

"However, subsequent investigations by ANBU personnel found that after landing in the Land of Hot Water, the Kumogakure Village not only did not directly attack the Konoha troops to the west, but also consciously avoided Konoha's troops and supply lines."

"For nearly twenty days, this 200-man army from the Kumogakure Village has been scattered in the southeastern part of the Land of Hot Water, seemingly searching for something."

Having said that, Elder Genji drew a circle on the lower half of the Land of Hot Water on the map and tapped it twice gently.

"The village really wants to know what it is now? What is so important that the Kumogakure Village would ignore the fierce battle on the front line and instead send an elite force to search the periphery of the battlefield for such a long time?"

The other eight people present looked at each other, not knowing how to respond.

In the end, Ao was the first to ask.

"So Elder Genji wants our two teams to investigate this matter?"

"That's right." Elder Genji nodded towards Ao.

"Ao, you are the best perception ninja the village can currently muster, and Ken..."

Ken raised his thick eyebrows and looked at the Genji Elder with anticipation.

"Ken is the most suitable person to protect you, so I hope that you two will lead the team into the territory of the Land of Hot Water to find out what those barbarians from the Kumogakure Village are doing."

Kaito looked at Ken's still somewhat confused eyes and couldn't help but hold his forehead.

'It seems that the village really can't spare anyone else recently.'

"Ao will be in charge of commanding this operation, and Ken will assist. Your two teams do not need to approach the battlefields of the two countries. You only need to operate in the southeast of the Land of Hot Water and investigate the target of the two hundred people in Kumogakure."

"Also, although most of the village's intelligence personnel in the Land of Hot Water are operating near the main battlefields of the two countries, I will also dispatch some personnel to help you understand the general situation over there."

"Is there anything else you don't understand?"

Elder Genji withdrew his hand and looked at Ao.

Ao thought about it for a moment, then spoke hesitantly to Elder Genji.

"We and the Land of Lightning are currently at war with the Land of Fire. If a conflict with the Land of Lightning occurs during the investigation..."

Elder Genji replied without even thinking.

"If the situation is urgent, I allow you to attack the Kumogakure ninja, or if you think it is necessary, you can directly disrupt their actions."

"Just try to make your movements as covert as possible. Of course, even if you are discovered, it won't matter much as long as you are not caught by the other party."

Everyone nodded in understanding, which meant 'As long as there is no clear evidence, you, Kumogakure, come and fight if you have the guts.'

"Okay, there are some other mission details recorded on this scroll. You can look at it on the way."

"This time the village will directly issue an S-rank mission, but I believe that you are capable of completing the mission successfully."

"Understood."

Ao took the scroll solemnly.

As for what Elder Genji said about the road, it was obvious that he wanted the two teams to set off as soon as possible.

Without much hesitation, they went back to make preparations after leaving the Mizukage Building.

An hour later, at the gate of Kirigakure Village.

Looking at the seven fully armed men, Ao spoke to emphasize.

"Although this mission is an investigation, unless we wait for the Kumogakure Troops to achieve their goal and withdraw before conducting the investigation, there is a high probability that we will clash with the Kumogakure Ninja."

"I believe there is no need for me to emphasize to you how dangerous S-rank missions are."

"So there are only two requirements during the mission! Follow instructions! Act carefully!"

"Yes!"

Seven people, including Ken, answered without hesitation.

After all, even if they are both Jōnin, the village has already clearly designated the commander, so there is a hierarchy between the superiors and the subordinates.

Besides, Ken is a relatively easy-going person and he won't compete with Ao for the right to speak during the mission.

Along the way, the few of them got to know each other, mainly introducing Ao.

After all, when they were on the front line before, Kaito and the other two were already familiar with the members of Ken's team.

In Ken's team, except for himself who is a taijutsu jōnin, Hozuki Shingetsu is a standard Hozuki clan ninja who has mastered the Hydrification Jutsu and he is good at Kenjutsu.

The other two were also promoted to Chūnin after returning to the village this time.

The one who had been treated by Kaito during the raid on the Konoha camp was called Azusa, also a Taijutsu ninja. He had black hair and a crew cut, and carried a huge iron rod on his back. Although he was young, he had a muscular body and looked like a Shaolin monk, which made him very reliable.

The last one is a somewhat feminine boy named Yuka Tamura, who is taciturn and doesn't like to talk much. He is a very good genjutsu, good at setting traps and using hidden weapons with illusions. In the Kirigakure Village, he is also a ninja with a relatively alternative fighting style.

Due to the urgency of the mission, the two teams had little time to get used to each other, which made Captain Ao the one who had the least cooperation with the members of Ken's team.

Fortunately, as a senior ninja, Ao has no shortage of similar experience, and his main task is to be responsible for perception and exploration, so it does not have much impact.

Several people marched quickly and arrived at the territory of The Land of Hot Water without stopping.