"Where did you learn this jutsu, Shikamaru?" The Spiral Sphere that appeared in Shikamaru's hand likely meant that Jiraiya had returned to the Hidden Leaf Village without the high-level officials' knowledge and had interacted with the Leaf ninjas. Therefore, the Third Hokage solemnly questioned Shikamaru.
However, even in the face of the so-called "Ninja King," the Third Hokage, Shikamaru remained unfazed and confidently denied, "This jutsu wasn't learned from anyone. I created it myself."
"I see... Kakashi!" After some thought, the Third Hokage called out Kakashi's name and then turned to Shikamaru with an inquisitive expression. "Shikamaru, would you be willing to demonstrate this jutsu again?"
Kakashi, understanding Sarutobi Hiruzen's intent, moved to reveal his Sharingan by pushing his forehead protector up.
Shikamaru knew what the Third Hokage was trying to confirm, but he continued to play along. He hesitated slightly when Sarutobi Hiruzen gave the command. After all, this self-created jutsu was one of his trump cards for the future and could eventually be passed down as a clan technique. Even the Hokage had no right to force a Leaf ninja to reveal their techniques unless it was for the greater good.
Seeing Shikamaru's hesitation, Sarutobi Hiruzen explained, "The jutsu you just used might be the A-rank technique created by the Fourth Hokage—the Rasengan. Kakashi knows it as well. We're just confirming that."
"The jutsu created by the Fourth Hokage!?" Shikamaru feigned surprise, glancing at Kakashi. At that moment, Kakashi opened his right hand, and a pale blue sphere, swirling with countless rotating chakra threads, formed before him, demonstrating the Rasengan.
Shikamaru, seeing this, showed genuine surprise. He also extended his right hand, and a chakra sphere identical to Kakashi's Rasengan formed.
Kakashi, having observed this, quietly dispelled the chakra in his hand, muttering, "It really is the Rasengan."
"Impressive!" Sarutobi Hiruzen exclaimed with a smile. "Shikamaru, you actually created an A-rank jutsu by yourself!" Despite his outward praise, he was still internally contemplating. Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to accept Shikamaru's story, but Shikamaru would still be under investigation by the Anbu in the coming days. At this point, there was no need to press further. Even if Jiraiya had taught Shikamaru the Rasengan, Shikamaru's reluctance to reveal Jiraiya's whereabouts clearly indicated Jiraiya's intentions.
Shikamaru smiled modestly, pretending to be humble, though a hint of pride showed through at being praised by the Hokage.
After Shikamaru successfully demonstrated the Rasengan again, Kakashi remained silent and covered his Sharingan with his forehead protector. As the members of Team 10 and Dazna departed, Kakashi quietly extended his hand and ruffled Naruto's hair, who was muttering something under his breath. Kakashi's face momentarily showed sadness as he whispered, "You'll get stronger, Naruto."
...
Having been on escort missions before, Shikamaru and the others had gained some experience. After preparing, they quickly gathered their belongings and headed to the village gates to meet Asuma and Dazna.
The events at the mission center had shaken even Ino and Choji, who knew Shikamaru well. Although they had never met the Fourth Hokage, they had heard stories about him from their parents. The fact that Shikamaru had independently created the A-rank Rasengan made them both skeptical and unsure of what to say to him.
Ino and Choji were unsure how to speak, but Shikamaru, unlike Naruto, didn't like making a fuss. His quiet nature made the atmosphere a bit awkward, with Asuma lost in thought and Dazna appearing more like a drunkard than an engineer.
The five of them silently walked down the path through the forest, with Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino forming a triangular formation around Dazna. Asuma walked two steps behind, and Choji, the strongest of the trio, led the group. Shikamaru walked on Dazna's right side.
After some time, the group seemed to be at ease, but Ino and Choji, who were keenly observant, noticed that Shikamaru, although calm on the surface, was subtly tightening the protective circle around Dazna.
Shikamaru understood that the Hidden Leaf Village was known for its ninjas' exceptional individual strength. However, he hadn't expected that the ninjas from other villages would be so much less skilled compared to Leaf ninjas. This might have been a result of the policies implemented when Uchiha Madara, disguised as the Mizukage, was in power, which emphasized "practical combat" rather than a comprehensive education in ninjutsu.
This dirt road was nothing like the concrete streets Shikamaru was familiar with from his past life. It had been worn down by repeated foot traffic, and the lack of rain had left a small puddle at the center of the road, which even Dazna noticed.
Shikamaru didn't need to communicate with the others to know that Asuma, being a Jōnin, must have already noticed something was off. Such a crude trap would be obvious to even an ordinary person with some common sense, let alone a Jōnin.
Sure enough, after Asuma passed, two rogue ninjas from the Mist Village revealed themselves and quickly surrounded him. Their coordination wasn't bad, but they whispered arrogantly to each other, "The first prey is in the bag!"
Although Shikamaru was surprised that Asuma had made the same choice as Kakashi in the original story, he immediately used the Shadow Mimicry Jutsu. As soon as Asuma was bound, Shikamaru had already formed the necessary hand seals, and the two rogue ninjas rushed toward Shikamaru. The Shadow Mimicry Jutsu was executed perfectly.
Shikamaru didn't pay any attention to the rogue ninjas' terrified expressions. After successfully executing the technique, he moved his hands, his left hand gripping his own throat and his right hand forming a claw at his chest. The two rogue ninjas, held by his shadows, watched helplessly as their own hands moved to choke themselves or stab their hearts. Their deaths were swift and clean.
Dazna, who had just realized what was happening, stood stunned. This was the essence of ninja techniques: quick, efficient, and effective. In the ninja world, it wasn't about long, drawn-out battles. Whether it was a low-level technique or an S-rank jutsu, if it couldn't guarantee an instant kill, it would be discarded. Low-level jutsu that could achieve this outcome would be passed down and learned by others. Killing was the true art of ninjutsu.
...
Asuma stood silently, looking at the bodies of the rogue ninjas. Since they had died so quickly, Asuma hadn't had the chance to identify their targets—whether they were after the ninjas from the Hidden Leaf Village or Dazna himself.
"Dazna," Asuma asked calmly, "Is there anyone specific after you? If so, who are they, and do they have the means to hire ninjas?"
With only three Genin under his charge, Asuma was more concerned about their safety. Even if it was an A-rank or S-rank mission, with the three Genin along, it was too dangerous.
Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino fell silent, watching Dazna's pale face. Shikamaru had killed the two rogue ninjas as quickly as possible to prevent them from revealing any information. Now, if Dazna denied knowing about the ninjas, Asuma would have no reason to end the mission.
However, Shikamaru seemed to have overestimated Dazna's mental resilience. In this world, deceiving ninjas wasn't just a matter of verbal condemnation—it could lead to merciless retaliation. Ordinary people, powerless against ninjas, always carried an inherent fear of them.
Dazna, his face ashen, finally stammered, "In fact, there's someone who wants me dead. His name is Kado."
Hearing the name Kado, Asuma frowned and pointed at the bodies of the rogue ninjas, asking, "So these ninjas were hired by Kado?"
"They might have been sent by Kado... but..." Dazna quickly shook his head. "I didn't know Kado would hire ninjas."
"I see..." Asuma lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Dazna, it's not that we want to terminate the mission, but given the appearance of ninjas in this mission, it's no longer a C-rank mission suitable for Genin. We need to reassess the mission's difficulty and take it back to the village for a reclassification."
...
Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino were all silent. Shikamaru, as always, didn't want to break the rules and continue protecting Dazna. If anything happened to Choji or Ino on this mission, he, as the one who had suggested taking the mission, would bear the responsibility. If someone like the White Fang of the Leaf Village could be discredited and lose their reputation, then it was even more important for him to be careful.
Seeing that Asuma had made his decision, Dazna suddenly fell to his knees. Asuma was startled and quickly helped him up. Dazna, unable to break free, pleaded with a pale face, "The Land of Waves is completely controlled by Kado! Even the Daimyo has no money left. I couldn't even afford a B-rank mission!"
Asuma looked down at the old man groveling before him with a resigned expression. He glanced at Shikamaru, silently asking for advice.
Dazna, seeing that Asuma remained silent, continued, "The only hope for the Land of Waves is that bridge. If I die, all hope will be lost."
"Teacher Asuma," Shikamaru spoke up. "Dazna didn't know about the ninjas beforehand. It's reasonable to reclassify the mission, but continuing with the mission as it stands would cause problems. Also..." Shikamaru pointed to the rogue ninjas' headbands, "These two are likely rogue ninjas. They don't seem to belong to any major organization, so it shouldn't be too dangerous."
"In this day and age, what kind of rogue ninja is hardest to deal with? It's the type that is strong but not important enough for the villages to target. They don't have many secrets, but they possess just enough to be a threat. Those with major secrets are pursued relentlessly by the villages. The weakest rogue ninjas are those with moderate abilities, just enough to survive without attracting too much attention."
These two rogue ninjas, judging by their headbands and abilities, were not likely part of an organization powerful enough to threaten a village. After all, rogue ninjas like Kakuzu and Hidan were the kind of rogue ninjas that were truly dangerous, while Kado was still far from their level.
"Alright! We'll continue escorting you to the Land of Waves," Asuma finally agreed after hearing Shikamaru's explanation. Although Asuma wasn't as strong as Kakashi, he still had confidence in his own abilities and in the teamwork between Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino.