"Alright, you can come out now. Tie them up… we need to interrogate them later to find out who's behind this."
Hearing the voice, Kurenai finally snapped out of her daze from the immense power Takumi had displayed.
"Okay."
Only then did she and Rin emerge from their hiding spot.
"I'll leave this to you. I'm going inside to rescue people."
Takui, followed by Hayate, walked into the cave.
"Okay, don't worry."
Kurenai nodded in agreement.
Simultaneously, she and Rin swiftly tied up the unconscious individuals.
"Hayate, go find those people."
Entering the cave, Takumi instructed Hayate.
"Woof!"
'Leave it to me.'
Hayate sniffed the ground intently, quickly identifying the direction of the scent.
He turned back and barked at Takumi once.
Then he quickly ran forward, and Takumi immediately followed.
This was, after all, one of Orochimaru's experimental bases. The internal routes were intricate and complex, seemingly designed to prevent invasion.
Hayate scouted ahead, helping Takumi avoid traps.
They eventually successfully found the imprisoned, weak-looking group of people.
"Well done."
Receiving Takumi's praise, Hayate's tail wagged even more happily.
"Don't worry, I'm a Shinobi from Konoha. I'm here to rescue you."
Hearing this, the dull eyes of these people gradually regained their brightness.
"Really?"
"Please, let us out quickly!"
"Save me!"
"We're starving!"
"Water, give us water!"
Takumi quickly broke open the cages, freeing them.
Soon, the group of test subjects, led by Takumi, escaped the cave.
"Huh?"
However, when they ran outside, Takumi was startled.
Because Kurenai and Rin were lying on the ground, unconscious.
And the Sound Four he had just tied up had disappeared from the spot.
He hurried forward, first giving both mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to confirm that Kurenai and Rin were only knocked out and not seriously injured, then he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Wake up, wake up."
He gently shook them, waking the unconscious duo.
But he was puzzled inwardly.
'Was there someone else here?'
'Did Kimimaro come back?'
"What happened?"
Seeing Kurenai awake, Takumi quickly asked.
"I don't know."
Kurenai looked bewildered.
"I just felt a pain in the back of my neck, and everything went black."
"Me too."
Rin looked guilty.
"It's our fault. The enemies you worked so hard to defeat all escaped."
"It's fine."
Takumi quickly comforted them.
"Escaped is escaped. They're just a bunch of small fries, not worth mentioning."
To him, they truly weren't worth mentioning.
Even if they used Cursed Seal Stage 2, they wouldn't be a match for him.
"As long as you two are okay."
Hearing his words, the eyes of both Kurenai and Rin filled with tenderness.
After some reorganization, the situation was under control.
Kurenai launched a signal flare to notify the other two teams.
Then she distributed food and water to the captured people so they could regain their strength.
Soon…
The Inuzuka mother and daughter arrived.
But because the distance was too far, by the time Asuma and the others arrived, two hours had already passed.
"What? The mission is already over? Everyone's been rescued?"
Asuma, hearing Rin's report, was utterly shocked.
'What the hell...'
'Me and Guy were running around like headless chickens searching everywhere, and this guy Takumi had already finished the mission?!'
'What the hell is this!'
'Did I just come here for a run?'
"Not a single person missing, and zero casualties."
Kurenai said with a teasing smile.
"Doesn't that make some people feel awkward?"
Hearing Kurenai's sarcastic tone directed at him, Asuma's face turned green!
This is agonizing!
'She's my goddess, so why is she mocking me now?'
'Is it just because Takumi is a bit handsomer than me?'
"It's just a pity the enemies were rescued. We still don't know who's behind it."
"Sigh... what a shame. Those were four skilled individuals. If we could have brought them back, we definitely could have gotten a good bonus."
Rin looked helpless.
"It's alright, you've already done very well."
Guy comforted her with a complex expression.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
'Youngsters these days are just too impressive.'
'Four people, and he took care of them alone?'
'His strength is too terrifying!'
"This should be some kind of illegal experimental facility, right?"
Tsume said.
"Maybe there are some clues left behind."
"I'll go in and search."
"Be very careful."
Takumi quickly spoke up to warn her.
"The cave routes are intricate and complex, and there are many traps."
"I'd actually advise against it. Setting up a research facility here means they're definitely researching some unknown Forbidden Techniques. They would naturally have methods for destruction."
"If a trap is triggered and the entire cave collapses, you could be in danger."
Hearing Takumi say this, Tsume thought it over and found it indeed true.
"As expected of you, so thoughtful."
Kurenai smiled and held Takumi's hand.
Seeing this scene, Asuma's already mood became even more heart-wrenching.
…
"You've done well."
In the Hokage's office, Sandaime looked at Takumi with satisfaction after hearing the report.
"Especially you, Takumi-kun."
"The qualities you've displayed have exceeded my expectations of you. You are already a qualified pillar of Konoha."
"Konoha's future development will need young people like you to lead."
"Later, I will send people to investigate that cave, but I estimate we won't find many clues."
Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe and continued.
"Rest well now. You have a long future ahead of you, so don't be too impatient."
"Continuously accumulate experience… it will surely benefit you greatly in the future."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Takumi showed a righteous smile, as if motivated by Sandaime's words.
Hiruzen nodded contentedly.
Then he looked somewhat mockingly at his disappointing son beside him: "Asuma, thanks to Takumi being there this time, the mission was completed without any casualties. You should treat everyone to a meal as a thank you."
Hearing this, the cigarette in Asuma's mouth nearly fell off!
'What the hell? What's going on?'
'I've been taking Ls the whole time, my goddess favors someone else, my face has been slapped repeatedly, and after it's all over, I still have to treat them to a meal?'
'Is there such a thing as a sucker?'
Of course, Asuma was also perceptive and knew his father's intentions weren't purely about the meal.
He had previously thought Takumi wasn't up to the task, couldn't complete the mission, but now Takumi had completed it flawlessly, even without help from others.
He should treat them to a meal to make amends.
'Sigh...'
Asuma sighed silently in his heart. What could he do?
He had no choice but to accept it, right?
He was destined to be the sucker this time.
"Alright then, I'll treat everyone to a meal."
Asuma said somewhat helplessly.
Takumi chuckled inwardly and also agreed to the gathering.
Since Takumi agreed, Kurenai and Rin naturally had no objections.
The others had even less reason to object.
Led by Asuma, the group arrived at a seemingly nice barbecue restaurant.
"Order whatever you want, don't be shy."
Asuma waved his hand grandly, full of generosity.
"Oh? So generous?"
Kakashi's voice came from behind.
He happened to be passing by, heard Asuma was treating, and immediately walked in.
"I heard you went on an S-Rank mission earlier. It seems the mission was completed smoothly?"
"Of course! It's all thanks to Takumi-kun. Takumi-kun is just too amazing!"
Rin, seeing Kakashi, immediately excitedly told him all about Takumi's earlier feats.
"That really is remarkable."
Kakashi looked at Takumi in surprise, then very naturally sat down.
Asuma's mouth twitched. He wanted to say, 'Kakashi, how can you be so thick-skinned?'
But then, a noisy sound suddenly came from outside.
"Takumi! You're back already? Why didn't you tell us? We were just coming to find you to eat!"
Naruto's loud voice could be heard clearly even through the private room door.
Immediately after, he opened the door.
Behind him, the Konoha's rookies filed in.
Ino and Sakura immediately crowded around Takumi.
Each grabbed one of Takumi's arms and held it against themselves.
"Tell us about it, Takumi-kun! We heard you took down four enemies alone! No one else even had to fight!"
"Yeah! What exactly happened? It was supposedly an S-Rank mission too!"
"This..."
Takumi was about to speak.
But Sakura and Ino glared at each other competitively.
"I came first, you should tell me first!"
"I came first!"
"Me first!"
"Me!"
Seeing the two arguing relentlessly, Hana smiled and remarked, "Takumi is really popular, huh."
Kakashi's eye also showed a satisfied smile:
"Good resolve. Takumi-kun is becoming more and more reliable."
"It seems it won't be long before us old folks can step back and watch these kids take the stage."
"Hey, hey, hey."
Kurenai said with a frown.
"We're not even married yet. I'm not old."
"Hahaha."
Guy laughed heartily.
"For the sake of eternal Youth, we must strive forward with all our might."
"Even when we're forty, fifty, or even sixty!"
"We must burn our passion to ignite the Will of Fire."
"That's right, Guy-sensei!"
Guy's ardent disciple, Lee, also had a gleam in his eyes, excitedly echoing loudly.
"Lee!"
"Guy-sensei!"
Under the slightly awkward smiles of everyone else, the teacher and student passionately embraced, shedding tears of youthful fervor.
Watching the group chatting and laughing happily, Asuma on the side felt like he had gone stupid.
'What the hell is this situation?'
'Why did so many people suddenly show up!?'
'All uninvited!'
'And why are you all praising Takumi so happily?'
'I'm the one treating for this meal!'
'So I'm here spending money, working hard, and you're all praising someone else?'
'This is agonizing, truly agonizing!'
---
FOR EVERY 50 POWER STONES, I'LL UPLOAD ONE CHAPTER