Early morning in Konoha.
"Good morning, Yuichi!"
"Oh! Good morning!"
"My family, Rentaro, said that thanks to your guidance, he finally understood how his ninja path should go. Thank you, Yuichi-kun!"
"Nothing! All I did were trivial things."
"Anyway, thank you very much, Yuichi-kun."
Walking through the streets, Yuichi was greeted by many villagers. Several even invited him to visit later.
Soon, he arrived at the meeting point for his mission team. From a distance, Futa and Jidou waved energetically. The guide Jōnin, Kazuya, had also arrived early.
"Today we've received a mission. This one is different—it's a C-level mission," Kazuya announced.
"Your task: escort two businessmen from Konoha to the Land of Iron. Along the way, they may be attacked by wandering ninjas, so stay alert. I'll need you all at your best today."
Upon hearing "C-level mission," Futa and Jidou perked up. Finally, they weren't just cleaning the village streets.
Yuichi smiled faintly, a dim light flickering in his calm eyes.
"You have ten minutes to prepare. Pack dry food, ninja tools, and medical supplies. Gather at the village gate in ten minutes. Disband!"
Ten minutes later, Yuichi carried the Jōnin's bag and arrived at the village gate. The two businessmen were already waiting, each with their luggage.
As the team departed Konoha, Yuichi casually dangled his backpack in one hand while throwing kunai with the other, scanning the surroundings.
"This is my first mission outside the village. Feels great, don't you think, Yuichi?"
Yuichi smiled. "Me too!"
"This is the first step in our ninja journey. We'll become very powerful ninjas someday," Jidou said, hooking Yuichi's shoulder.
Heya, leading the group, called out: "Don't relax too much. Remember, we're on a mission now."
Yuichi walked in the middle of the team, Futa at the front, Jidou and Heya behind. The businessmen mostly kept their heads down, ignoring the Konoha shinobi.
Yuichi checked his character panel as he walked. Thanks to the evening daily selection, his Chakra volume had doubled. He could now feel the Chakra fluctuations of Kazuya, Jidou, and Futa more clearly—a perception he hadn't noticed before.
He decided to ask a question. "Teacher Kazuya, if we encounter an illusion attack, how can we quickly break free from it?"
Kazuya glanced at him. "Illusions usually disrupt your Chakra through sight, hearing, or touch, interfering with your actions. There are two ways to counter it: one, inject another's Chakra into your body; two, regain control of your disrupted Chakra. But why this question now?"
Yuichi explained, "I'm thinking about what to do if I face a powerful illusionist and I haven't learned illusions myself."
Kazuya nodded. "Normally, it's best to escape. If you can't, bring a companion—ninja companions are a form of power. In desperate situations, regaining control of your Chakra yourself is possible, but it requires a high level of Chakra mastery."
Yuichi thought: Illusions work by disrupting my Chakra, so with enough Chakra, maybe I'm immune…
Kazuya nodded. "Exactly. A ninja like the Third Hokage would find it difficult to disrupt someone with massive Chakra like yours."
Yuichi looked ahead, confident. Can anyone shake my infinite Chakra? Perhaps only Tsukuyomi-like illusions might affect me.
The journey continued into the afternoon.
Soon, the team reached a barren wasteland. Yellow grass stretched across the land, and the wind whipped sand into the sky.
Yuichi squinted against the sun. "This place is… really harsh."
Futa and Jidou were exhausted under the scorching heat. Beads of sweat rolled down their foreheads as they carried heavy bags.
"Stop and rest for a while," Heya instructed, noticing their struggle. "You can't be a powerful ninja if you overexert yourself."
Futa and Jidou glanced around for water. Seeing a potential source in the distance, they dropped their backpacks and hurried east.
Yuichi leaned back against a rock, setting down his bag. Calmly, he twirled a kunai in his right hand, preparing for whatever challenges the wasteland might throw at them.