"Tch, should I be proud or… prouder?"
A bounty of thirty million ryo was definitely a price for a Jonin, or even a veteran, elite Jonin.
However, the reward made Sarutobi Asuma quite pleased.
Constitution +1!
Sarutobi Asuma didn't save the attribute point.
Then he opened his skill pack, and a large amount of information flooded his mind.
Level 4 Lightning Style: False Darkness!
"Related to Kakuzu again?"
Sarutobi Asuma couldn't help but raise an eyebrow after receiving the information.
However, this Ninjutsu wasn't bad.
At least in Kakuzu's hands, its power was very strong.
And the training difficulty was B-rank.
Directly infusing him with level 4 meant saving him a lot of training time, allowing him to master it directly.
"This is also my first Lightning Style Ninjutsu."
"Just right, then I'll learn Earth Style and Water Style Ninjutsu for coordination!"
Sarutobi Asuma mused inwardly.
He had already exposed the Wind Style: Rasenshuriken, so he needed new, more trump cards.
In the evening.
After dinner, Sarutobi Asuma directly selected two Ninjutsu from the many Ninjutsu collected by the Sarutobi Clan.
One was Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall, and the other was Water Style: Water Colliding Wave.
Thus, regarding Chakra Nature Transformation, Sarutobi Asuma had mastered their respective Ninjutsu.
Among these, Yin Style was Genjutsu, and Yang Style was Medical Ninjutsu.
Among the many Chakra Nature Transformations, his Water Style was the weakest, but it wouldn't be a problem to perform Ninjutsu.
In the evening.
Sarutobi Asuma's main body rested, but his Shadow Clone was still working hard, training the two newly acquired Ninjutsu in a crash course.
The next day, August 2nd.
Sarutobi Asuma, wearing his armor and carrying his scroll and Chakra Blade, appeared at the village entrance on time.
Yūhi Kurenai and Shizune had already arrived early.
Not long after, Hatake Sakumo also arrived. Without much exchange, at Hatake Sakumo's order, the four of them simultaneously used the Body Flicker Technique and disappeared.
Leaving the village, the four headed west.
Hatake Sakumo didn't speak, but traveled at a speed clearly superior to their first mission, heading east.
"The mission location is in the Land of Rain?"
Sarutobi Asuma guessed inwardly, not daring to ask Hatake Sakumo.
The four set off shortly after eight, rested for only half an hour at noon before continuing their journey, and by past three in the afternoon, they had reached the border of the Land of Fire.
This travel speed made Sarutobi Asuma and the other two feel that this mission was unusual.
After stopping to rest at the border of the Land of Fire, Hatake Sakumo finally said to Sarutobi Asuma and the other two, "Our mission this time is to assist the Anbu in receiving intelligence. The location is within the Land of Rain."
Sarutobi Asuma pondered slightly upon hearing this, then asked, "Teacher Sakumo, are we responsible for covering the retreat, protecting the intelligence, or acting as bait?"
Hatake Sakumo shook his head, "I don't know the specific situation yet."
"Our mission objective will depend on the situation."
"But no matter which of the roles you mentioned, Asuma, we must be prepared."
Sarutobi Asuma and the other two nodded in unison, "Understood!"
Hatake Sakumo nodded, "Good, rest for an hour, then we will enter the Land of Rain."
After that, there was not much communication, and everyone was seizing the time to rest.
Especially Yūhi Kurenai and Shizune.
Sarutobi Asuma didn't feel much from this high-intensity travel, but the two were already extremely exhausted.
And once they entered the Land of Rain, combat could break out at any moment, and there would likely be no more time to rest.
An hour later.
The four ended their rest and set off again, directly entering the Land of Rain.
It was a rare sunny day in the Land of Rain at this time.
Two hours later, the four stopped.
Hatake Sakumo pointed to two hills about 300 meters ahead, which flanked a road, and said, "That's our designated rendezvous point."
"Asuma, Kurenai!"
Sarutobi Asuma and Kurenai immediately nodded, each using their Sensory Technique.
Since the wind was favorable, Sarutobi Asuma directly employed his Wind Style Sensory Ninjutsu.
A moment later, Kurenai opened her eyes and said, "Teacher Sakumo, I don't detect any ambushes."
Sarutobi Asuma added immediately, "Nothing suspicious here!"
Hatake Sakumo nodded. "Good, then we'll split into two groups."
"Asuma, you take Kurenai and Shizune as one group, responsible for the left hill. I'll handle the other side!"
"Before our target, Natsumi, arrives, you must conduct environmental scans every ten minutes!"
Sarutobi Asuma immediately nodded. "Understood!"
"Disperse!"
At the command, the four of them vanished from their positions in unison.
The left hill.
Concealing their presence, Sarutobi Asuma told Kurenai and Shizune, "Take this time to rest and recover to your fullest state."
"Understood!"
Yūhi Kurenai and Shizune nodded in unison.
Knowing Sarutobi Asuma's capabilities, they didn't stand on ceremony. They immediately sat down, replenished their water and energy, and then closed their eyes to rest.
Meanwhile, Sarutobi Asuma performed his Sensory Ninjutsu every ten minutes to scan their surroundings, ensuring no unknown ninjas were lurking nearby.
At the same time, he took a Ration Pill every half hour to maintain his Chakra at an optimal level.
And so.
The squad waited for two hours, and the sky had completely darkened.
Most importantly, the weather began to change.
The clouds were thick, obscuring any starlight or moonlight, and Sarutobi Asuma felt the air growing increasingly humid.
It was going to rain!
"Someone's coming!"
Suddenly, Sarutobi Asuma's gaze sharpened, and he immediately woke up Yūhi Kurenai and Shizune.
"Kurenai, go to Teacher Sakumo's location immediately."
"They're coming from our front, five people in total!"
Sarutobi Asuma ordered.
Yūhi Kurenai nodded immediately, but before she could move, Hatake Sakumo's figure appeared beside the three of them. "I already know!"
"Asuma, you three stay here for the rendezvous!"
With that, Hatake Sakumo vanished again with a whoosh.
The sky was too dark to see clearly, so Sarutobi Asuma and Yūhi Kurenai could only rely on their Sensory Ninjutsu to gauge the situation.
However, the approaching individuals were clearly not enemies.
Hatake Sakumo would arrive soon, and those five people arrived shortly thereafter.
"Kurenai, Shizune, you two protect the intelligence and return to the Land of Fire!"
Hatake Sakumo ordered.
The so-called intelligence was an unremarkable middle-aged man.
"Understood!"
Yūhi Kurenai and Shizune immediately accepted the order.
Hatake Sakumo turned to Sarutobi Asuma and said, "Asuma, I want you to lure away some of the enemies. Act as bait!"
"Understood!"
Sarutobi Asuma nodded. The next moment, four Shadow Clones appeared beside him, and including the original, all five used the Transformation Technique, making them look exactly like the five people who had arrived with Hatake Sakumo.
"Very good!"
Hatake Sakumo nodded with satisfaction. "Head northeast later!"
Sarutobi Asuma nodded without speaking.
Two of the five people stayed behind, while the remaining three, along with Yūhi Kurenai and Shizune, immediately set off towards the Land of Fire.
Two minutes later.
An Anbu member, wearing a fox mask, crouched down and touched a rock. "They're here, thirty of them, less than two kilometers away. They have sensory ninjas too. Asuma, you can go now. Be careful!"
"Understood!"
Sarutobi Asuma nodded, exchanged a glance with Hatake Sakumo, and then, with his Shadow Clones, they all moved together, heading northeast at high speed.
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