"A C-rank mission? Ah—well, alright. The Hokage did mention that your squad is permitted to take C-rank assignments. Please choose from the list."
The chūnin in charge of assignments laid out the mission board.
Souma scanned the options—escort merchants, deliver documents, guard caravans… countless mundane jobs.
Then his eyes halted.
Escort Sakuraba Sadataki to the Fire Temple.
Sakuraba… a noble family of the Land of Fire. And the Fire Temple…
Perfect.
"Sensei, let's take this one."
Escort Sakuraba Sadataki.
Rank: C.
Kakashi immediately understood Souma's intention.
He looked at the boy for a moment, then nodded.
"This one it is."
"Lord Kakashi," the chūnin added carefully, "this mission requires you to travel to Kyoto to receive the client. There may be combat along the way—non-shinobi threats, mostly. Please proceed with caution."
"That's even better!"
Tenten's eyes sparkled.
Kasumi, as usual, grew quiet—people around always made her shrink back.
"We'll take it," Kakashi said.
The chūnin, seeing he could say no more, handed them the mission card.
The two girls couldn't contain their excitement.
Souma chuckled softly.
"When the real fighting starts, don't hide behind me. At the very least, you'd better keep the client safe."
"Hey! Who do you think you're talking to? Don't get cocky!"
Both girls glared at him in perfect harmony.
The four headed toward the village gate.
After the final check-in, the girls brightened instantly—finally free of the suffocating formality.
Souma remained as composed as ever, carrying a small pack with three books strapped to the top.
His reading material for the mission.
He walked and read at the same time, serenely ignoring the surrounding bustle.
The girls, in contrast, looked like they were heading out for a fun day in town.
Thankfully, Souma didn't need to carry their luggage.
He silently offered thanks to the gods.
—
Midway, during a short break, Kakashi asked,
"Your first mission outside the village—aren't you nervous?"
"Not really. The mission hasn't even started yet. If we're already panicking, then we're simply not qualified for a C-rank assignment."
Souma popped a ration-type soldier pill into his mouth and continued reading.
He had seen plenty of blood, sickness, and death at the hospital.
In the ninja world, life and death were daily occurrences—especially for ordinary soldiers.
If they encountered real enemies during the mission, Souma would not hesitate.
Of course…
No danger was always ideal.
He lowered the book occasionally, moving his hands as if rehearsing sword movements.
Kakashi watched silently, mind full of complicated emotions.
He originally accepted Souma's squad thinking he'd "try raising them for a year."
But now—
He admired all three of them.
Tenten tirelessly honed her chakra control and weapon manipulation.
Kasumi hid in the shadows, quietly practicing stealth and sharpening her awareness.
And Souma…
Kakashi sighed inwardly.
Too talented.
Too hardworking.
And with terrifying insight.
To grow up alongside someone like him was both lucky—and tragic.
Because no matter how far ahead you ran, Souma would always be the silhouette in the distance.
Kakashi finally asked,
"Your right hand is for a normal blade. You're left… a chakra scalpel?"
"Sharp as always, sensei."
Kasumi's ears perked up immediately.
A chakra scalpel… in combat?
"That's right," Kakashi said, impressed. "A chakra scalpel works in real combat—it ignores the limitations of physical tools. Pairing it with a real blade allows for left-hand assassination. Very clever."
Tenten and Kasumi quietly exchanged looks.
Would they ever get used to this boy's absurdity?
They feared that… yes… they might already be used to it.
Souma continued,
"The basic framework is simple. What's difficult is maximizing the effect—chakra blades, needles… I'm considering whether I can integrate a chakra-absorption effect."
Kakashi frowned in thought.
Absorb chakra…?
"Sensei, you've copied over a thousand jutsu. Isn't Earth Release: Earth Prison Hall able to absorb chakra?"
Kakashi nodded.
It indeed had that function.
"That jutsu absorbs chakra because of the barrier component. The Earth Release structure only restricts movement. But integrating a barrier jutsu into a chakra scalpel or needle… that's extremely unrealistic."
Souma wasn't surprised.
"Then is it possible," he continued, "to peel the barrier component off Earth Prison Hall and anchor it around myself instead?"
That question—
Was far too sharp.
Kakashi blinked, stunned for several seconds before answering:
"That barrier converts the opponent's chakra—through nature transformation—into earth-style chakra. It creates a tether between Earth Release and the barrier formula. Using your own body as the center… is extremely dangerous."
Souma nodded.
Of course it was dangerous.
Chakra differed subtly between individuals.
Absorbing someone else's chakra directly could overload and damage the user.
"Then what about embedding it into a blade or chakra scalpel?"
"…Theoretically possible. But the difficulty is sky-high. At least S-rank. Maybe even higher."
Chakra scalpel techniques alone were notoriously difficult, requiring extreme precision.
Integrating a barrier into it?
That was forbidden-technique territory.
And worse—it sounded impractical, almost useless compared to the risk.
But Souma's eyes gleamed with excitement.
Difficulty?
His chakra control was among the very best—even compared to elite jōnin.
And with the Bodhi Seed continuously strengthening his mind and control—
S-rank difficulty?
A snack.
"So, sensei—can you teach me about Earth Prison Hall?"
"…Fine."
Kakashi relented and began explaining the seals and training method.
Souma listened once—
And immediately began attempting the technique.
He still couldn't perform nature transformation.
But that didn't matter.
A jutsu was like a program:
If it wouldn't run, delete the faulty portions and rewrite them.
He could sense every ripple and pathway of his chakra.
And with perfect control, backlash simply didn't exist.
Kakashi watched, his eyelid twitching.
This brat was winging an S-rank-difficulty reconstruction of a jutsu.
"You can't just— …hmm?"
Souma tilted his head.
"I think it worked?"
He adjusted the formula, cycled chakra again, refined the spread…
He took a soldier pill.
A moment later—
A barrier-like field spread from his palm in a small radius.
Kakashi clearly felt a drain—
His physical and spiritual energies being lightly siphoned.
Silence.
Pure silence.
Then Kakashi let out the flattest, deadest sigh.
"…He actually did it."
"Is peeling off the effects of a ninjutsu really that easy?"
Peeling a jutsu apart is just… that easy?
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
patreon.com/pikachu614