Early the next morning.
Yao, leading a fully geared-up Naruto and Sasuke, arrived at the Mission Hall on the first floor of the Hokage Building.
It was livelier than usual, with many Chunin and Genin squads selecting or waiting for missions.
When Yao's team walked in—especially seeing Yao in his brand-new Chunin flak jacket—many people cast looks of curiosity, scrutiny, or awe in their direction.
The name Uchiha Yao was currently ringing loud and clear throughout the village.
After all, awakening the Wood Release bloodline limit and suppressing the One-Tailed Shukaku single-handedly was too big of an event to keep under wraps.
It was fair to say that in the current Hidden Leaf Village, there was almost no ninja who didn't know Yao.
The mission board was covered with various requests, categorized by rank.
Yao skipped over the D-rank and C-rank missions and went straight to the B-rank section.
There weren't many B-rank missions, but each one carried significant risk and challenge—along with very generous pay.
Mission 1: Escort Vital Supplies to the Rain Border Outpost
Content: Escort a convoy containing sealed special ninja tools across the northern border of the Land of Fire to the frontline outpost bordering the Land of Rain.
Note: Border friction has increased recently. The possibility of attacks by enemy reconnaissance units or rogue ninjas cannot be ruled out.
Reward: 220,000 Ryo.
Mission 2: Eliminate the Tsuchigumo Rogue Group in Stone Valley
Content: An armed group of about fifteen people, led by former Iwagakure rogue ninjas, has occupied a strategic valley pass. They are robbing merchants and attacking patrols. They must be eliminated or driven out.
Note: The leader is suspected of mastering Earth Release secret techniques. The terrain is complex.
Reward: 200,000 Ryo.
Mission 3: Investigate Recent Abnormal Movements in the Hidden Grass Village
Content: The frequency of ninja activity in the area where the Hidden Grass borders the Land of Fire has increased abnormally. There are signs of unreported squads crossing the border for reconnaissance. Need to infiltrate, investigate their intentions, and gather intelligence.
Note: Highly covert operation. Avoid causing diplomatic disputes.
Reward: 250,000 Ryo.
Mission 4: Investigate Disappearances in Northern Border Villages
Content: In several remote villages on the northern border of the Land of Fire, near the Land of Sound, inexplicable disappearances have occurred successively over the past month. The villagers are in a state of panic. Need to determine the cause of the disappearances and locate the missing persons (dead or alive).
Note: No obvious signs of combat at the scenes. The missing include men, women, the elderly, and children. Most incidents occur at night. Suspected to be the work of something other than ordinary wild beasts or bandits.
Reward: 220,000 Ryo.
Yao quickly weighed the options, filtering through them.
The first escort mission was a long, boring trek. The second bandit-clearing mission was straightforward but uninteresting.
The third intelligence mission required high-level infiltration skills and political sensitivity—not exactly friendly to Naruto's personality.
However, the fourth mission—investigating missing persons on the northern border—caught his eye.
Yao rubbed his chin. "Close to the direction of the Land of Sound... Could this be Orochimaru's doing?"
The Hidden Sound Village was established by Orochimaru; it was his lair.
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Given Orochimaru's twisted obsession with human experimentation, it couldn't be ruled out that these missing people were his victims.
"Perfect! I was thinking of paying Orochimaru a visit sometime soon anyway!"
"This is the one."
After processing the acceptance paperwork at the registration desk, the three didn't delay and immediately left the Hidden Leaf Village.
They headed rapidly toward the northern border of the Land of Fire.
Along the way, the scenery shifted from bustling towns to increasingly desolate landscapes.
The three traveled at high speed.
Seven days later.
They arrived at the area of the disappearances on the northern border of the Land of Fire.
The village before them was even more remote and dilapidated than they had imagined. Low, squat houses were scattered sparsely across the mountain col.
The villagers wore expressions of anxiety and exhaustion. Seeing three strange ninjas arrive, they looked at them with a mix of hope and wariness.
Yao didn't waste time with pleasantries. He went straight to the village chief and the families of the missing victims to ask about the situation.
Then, he secured items commonly used by the missing persons—clothes, water flasks, and the like—hoping that enough of a scent remained to track them.
Behind a secluded, deserted hillside, Yao spread the items out. His hands formed seals rapidly.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Poof!
A small puff of white smoke burst open. An emerald-green snake, only about as thick as an arm, appeared on the ground.
It flicked its tongue, but upon seeing Yao, it visibly flinched and hurriedly lowered its head in a gesture of extreme docility.
"Greetings, Lord Yao!"
"Help me track the human scent remaining on these items. Find them!" Yao pointed at the objects on the ground.
"Yes, Lord Yao!"
The little snake responded respectfully without hesitation, showing none of the arrogant demand for sacrifices typical of Ryuchi Cave snakes.
Of course, it wouldn't dare act out.
The story of Yao's training in Ryuchi Cave—specifically how he had violently beaten and subdued Garaga—had long since spread throughout the cave.
Now, every snake with even a shred of intelligence knew: This guy is a ruthless character who dared to pin down and beat Garaga. Who would dare mention a sacrifice when doing a job for him?
The little green snake slithered quickly over the items, its forked tongue flicking in and out at high speed as it carefully analyzed the scents.
"The scent is faint, but still trackable. Please follow me!"
Having identified the trail, the snake immediately slithered off in a specific direction.
"Keep up!"
The three followed the little green snake, leaving the village and diving into the dense mountain forest behind it.
Snakes possess incredible tracking abilities; their sense of smell is fifteen times more sensitive than a dog's. Even though the scent had been weathered by wind and rain for days, making it extremely faint, the snake could still clearly distinguish the direction.
The trio followed the snake through thorny bushes and thickets, pressing deeper along an indistinguishable beast trail.
After tracking for over an hour, the surrounding trees grew taller and more ominous, and the light dimmed.
Finally.
The little green snake stopped in front of a rock face covered in vines.
At the base of the cliff, there was a cave entrance half-hidden by thick vegetation, only large enough for a person to pass through if they bent down.
"Lord Yao, the scents of all the missing persons converge here and then enter this cave," the little green snake reported.
"Thank you for your hard work. You can go back and rest now," Yao nodded.
"No trouble, no trouble at all! It is my honor to serve Lord Yao! See you next time, Lord Yao!"
The snake said hurriedly before vanishing into a puff of white smoke with a bang, releasing the summon and returning to Ryuchi Cave.
Yao looked back at Naruto and Sasuke. Both had already entered a state of combat readiness, their expressions wary.
"Stay close to me!"
Yao gave a simple order and squeezed into the cave entrance.
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance and followed close behind without hesitation, their figures quickly swallowed by the cave's darkness.
As they ventured deeper into the cave, obvious signs of artificial excavation began to appear on the rock walls.
The tunnel became more regular, and they even passed crude wooden supports and empty torch brackets.
Finally, the cave opened up into a massive underground space that had clearly been expanded by human hands.
The scene before them made Naruto and Sasuke, who were following closely behind Yao, freeze instantly. They sucked in a cold breath.
Crude prison cells had been hewn into the rock walls, sealed off by thick iron bars.
And locked inside...
Were monsters!
A horde of monsters!