Chapter 66: Code Name Uzumaki
It's the scent of a lie.
Higashino Yoshi wasn't telling the truth.
After listening, Naruto came to this conclusion.
He omitted the most important reason.
Thus, the Tianming Organization sounded like a band of looters and robbers.
But what kind of robbers specifically target nobles?
Naruto knew himself, and combined with the memories of the first Shadow Clone, he understood what the Tianming Organization was doing.
Everything they did was for justice.
Robbing the rich to help the poor.
Higashino Yoshi didn't dare mention that the Tianming Organization had come for them because of Oki Takeshi's inhumanity.
He understood the gravity of the matter and feared that Kakashi and the others would abandon the mission.
After all, Ninjas are human too; few are truly heartless.
Naruto didn't expose him.
Higashino Yoshi's fate had already been properly arranged by him.
His life was like a flickering candle in the wind.
The story finished, the night passed, and dawn broke.
Kakashi didn't take Higashino Yoshi's words too seriously either.
They were laced with too much personal emotion.
To put it simply, he was playing the victim.
"Do you three want to continue the mission?"
Kakashi asked, stepping away from Higashino Yoshi.
"An S-rank mission, of course we have to earn this money."
Naruto casually came up with an excuse.
"Continue."
Sasuke said coolly, offering no explanation.
In his heart, he felt the battle with Haku wasn't perfect and realized he lacked experience, so he wanted a few more rounds.
Sakura glanced at Sasuke and nodded, saying, "Me too."
Naruto couldn't help but smile.
Saying "Me too" didn't quite feel right; it should have been "Same here" instead.
Sakura didn't have much of an opinion; whatever Sasuke did, she would do too.
Perhaps this was the magic of love.
"Alright then, I'll go talk to Higashino Yoshi."
Seeing this, Kakashi didn't try to persuade them otherwise; after all, he felt it would be a waste not to earn this money.
The convoy continued toward the Metropolis of the Land of Fire.
At this pace, it would take about four or five days.
The group discussed and decided to take turns guarding Zabuza and Haku.
The first day was Naruto's turn.
"I've sent word to the Chamber of Commerce; they won't be sending anyone else to attack."
Seeing Naruto enter, Zabuza reported.
Haku sat quietly to the side, looking like an attendant.
He was actually quite shocked and surprised that Naruto was a member of the Tianming Organization.
Just like his jaw-dropping strength.
It was equally baffling to him.
Even if he had started training in the womb, he shouldn't be this powerful.
"Mhm."
Naruto found a place to sit and said, "The day after tomorrow, Kakashi-sensei will be on guard. Take that opportunity to escape."
It wasn't that he wanted to frame Kakashi, but rather to clear himself of suspicion.
As for the escape, it didn't matter; capturing two Jonin alive was already an unlikely feat.
If he really brought two back, Hiruzen Sarutobiwould instead suspect how they were caught.
Zabuza nodded.
Seeing the atmosphere grow silent, he asked, "Uzumaki-sama, what is your code name within the organization?"
He naturally addressed him as "sama."
It made sense; anyone stronger than him was a "sama."
Even if Naruto was just a brat.
He asked this with the intention of learning more.
Even though he had joined Tianming, the organization remained very mysterious to him.
"What is your code name?"
Naruto paused for a moment and asked back.
How the hell would he know the code names?
The Shadow Clone is The Fool... could it be tarot cards?
But he needed to confirm Zabuza's first.
"My code name is Shinigami."
"Shinigami? It certainly fits your 'Demon' moniker."
Naruto smiled. Death was also from the tarot cards, so he said, "My code name is The Hermit."
Zabuza was slightly stunned.
No matter how he looked at it, Naruto didn't seem to have much to do with a hermit.
But he didn't ask why.
Mostly because he was afraid of getting hit.
Naruto turned and asked, "What about Haku's?"
Suddenly addressed, Haku quickly replied, "It's The Chariot."
What, do you want to be Zabuza's vehicle?
Naruto couldn't help but complain internally.
Afterward, he asked a few more questions.
He basically confirmed that the Tianming Organization likely consisted of only the two of them.
The Shadow Clone really is a big fraud.
The third day.
It was Kakashi's turn for duty.
In the middle of the night, Zabuza and Haku vanished.
He pursued them to no avail and had to give up.
It gave Higashino Yoshi quite a scare.
He spent the rest of the journey trembling in fear, only relaxing once they reached the Metropolis of the Land of Fire.
They had actually left Yashiro City to seek refuge.
One very important reason was that the Tianming Organization had never been seen here.
After all, it was the most heavily guarded capital.
Not only were there over ten thousand regular troops, but there were also hundreds or even thousands of Ninjas.
"Thank you four for the escort."
Higashino Yoshi didn't break his word; he readily upgraded the mission to S-rank and paid a reward of one million Ryo.
Kakashi grinned from ear to ear.
It was the first time he had completed such an easy S-rank mission.
Most importantly, he would receive half of the reward.
Having Danzo's sponsorship of one billion, Narutodidn't think much of it.
Sakura was very happy to receive so much money.
Sasuke, however, didn't care.
He didn't like money, nor did he care for it.
In his heart, there was only his brother.
The four of them returned to Konoha.
Kakashi prepared to report on the mission.
But he had communicated with Naruto beforehand to hide some unnecessary details.
"You're saying the four of you encountered ZabuzaMomochi, the Demon of the Bloody Mist?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a surprised puff of his pipe.
He hadn't expected a C-rank mission to be upgraded to S-rank.
"Yes, after a life-and-death struggle, we barely managed to drive them away."
Kakashi lied through his teeth with his usual dead-fish eyes.
After all, he had taken the money.
"Fortunately, nothing happened."
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't doubt him.
Besides, the story sounded reasonable.
Kakashi and Zabuza's strengths were evenly matched; with Sasuke and Naruto added, winning seemed normal.
If he were told that Naruto had subdued Zabuzawithin ten seconds...
He would probably suspect Kakashi had been drinking fake sake.
"Although it was raised to S-rank this time, it's clearly too high. I'll lower it to B-rank to avoid attracting the attention of enemy villages."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said contemplatively.
Three Genin completing an S-rank mission was simply too shocking.
It would inevitably cause spies from various villages to investigate.
By then, Naruto's identity might be leaked.
"Understood, Hokage-sama."
"Kakashi, thank you for your hard work."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up and said, "I imagine defeating Zabuza wasn't easy."
"Yes, it was indeed very difficult."
Kakashi replied, stifling a laugh.
"Take a good rest for a while."
Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to recall something and said, "The Chunin Exams are in two months. I think your team can participate."
"The Chunin Exams again? I'll tell the three of them."
Kakashi suspected that Sasuke or Naruto could entirely clear it solo.
Let alone as a team.
Oh wait, there's also Sakura; she might actually make it a bit more challenging.
It seems I'll have to give her some special training.
After Kakashi left, Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up the documents on his desk and began reviewing them.
A moment later, an Anbu Ninja wearing a fox mask appeared before him.
"Hokage-sama, the matter you assigned has been investigated. Root has been mobilized frequently lately because they are short on funds."
"What did you say?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi was somewhat surprised. "How could Danzo be short on money?"
The funds Konoha allocates to Root are no less than those for Anbu.
"It's because Danzo-sama embezzled one billion, and it's unknown where it was used."
"One billion."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes narrowed.
Could he be conducting some kind of experiment again?
In his memory, only things like Wood Releasehuman experimentation would cost upwards of a billion.
"Investigate further and report back."