"Teacher, I'm sorry!"
Shiratori Rin quickly ran to Hanzou's side and began to treat the wound on his hand.
"I've caused you to get hurt again!"
His brows were tightly furrowed, his lips pressed into a straight line, looking utterly remorseful.
Hanzou looked at the rapidly healing wound on his palm and said to Shiratori Rin, "It's common to get injured in battle. You should be happy that you could injure me, because your strength has improved again."
Shiratori Rin, however, didn't dare to think so highly of himself.
The reason he could injure Hanzou was that Hanzou willingly let him be a punching bag.
If Hanzou truly regarded him as an enemy, Hanzou might have released poison gas before he even got close.
"How could I be happy seeing Teacher injured…?"
Shiratori Rin lowered his head, sniffled, "Teacher is so good to me. I only want to protect Teacher and don't want anyone to hurt Teacher, not even myself…"
[…]
The System rubbed its non-existent goosebumps.
Hanzou was startled.
His heart was gradually filled with bitterness.
Hanzou had no family; he had never experienced the feeling of being cared for and worried about.
But at this moment, he felt the taste of having family from his disciple.
Bitter, yet happy.
[Ding!]
[The System detected Hanzou's affection value +2000]
[Your companion Cursed Spirit, Rika Orimoto's Rank has increased to 60.5%]
Hanzou's palm had recovered completely.
A hint of warmth appeared in his eyes as he looked at Shiratori Rin and said, "The two punches you just used can be systematically trained to become your secret weapons in taijutsu combat."
"Mn!"
Shiratori Rin nodded.
Hanzou: "First, name the two Moves. After naming them, we'll conduct targeted training."
Shiratori Rin pretended to ponder, and after a minute of hesitation, he said, "Black Flash and Divergent Fist!"
Hanzou nodded: "Good! First, train Black Flash, ensuring you can skillfully use Black Flash in any situation!"
Shiratori Rin followed Hanzou and practiced Black Flash, Divergent Fist, and ordinary swordsmanship for an entire morning.
He had just started learning swordsmanship and was not yet suitable to directly display Warawara.
He also didn't plan to let Hanzou know about Warawara's existence.
Once on the battlefield, he would naturally understand the effect of Warawara cutting people down.
In the afternoon, after Hanzou taught Shiratori Rin a Ninjutsu, he left the training ground, leaving Shiratori Rin to practice Cursed Energy as usual for the remaining time.
Hanzou walked towards the office, glancing at a crow flying overhead.
It wasn't a Summoning Beast, just an ordinary crow.
Hanzou relaxed his guard.
Entering the office, Senba Suzume handed over a scroll: "Lord Hanzou, this is Konoha's reply."
So fast?
Hanzou took the scroll.
Yesterday, the Ninja Hawk had just delivered the contract signing letter to Konoha, and today, Konoha had sent a reply.
It seemed Konoha's situation was more difficult than he had imagined.
Hanzou scanned the contents of the scroll, reading ten lines at a glance.
His expression didn't change in the slightest.
He placed the scroll on the table and sat in his chair.
"Notify Yushishi to draft the contract to be signed with Konoha."
Hanzou instructed Senba Suzume.
"Yes."
Senba Suzume left the office.
From Lord Hanzou's instructions, he knew that Konoha had agreed to sign a contract with Amegakure.
Amegakure had finally taken a big step towards peace.
Senba Suzume appeared in the office with Yushishi.
"Lord Hanzou!"
Yushishi bowed respectfully.
Hanzou waved his hand indifferently: "Senba Suzume has already told you about it, right?"
Yushishi nodded, his face showing uncontrollable excitement.
"Yes!"
Amegakure would truly usher in a ceasefire with Konoha; how could he not be excited?
The dawn of peace was ahead; how could he not be excited?
All their Rain Ninja had sacrificed their lives for this moment!
"The matter of drafting the contract is up to you, but there's one more thing."
Hanzou pointed to the scroll from Konoha on the table and looked at Yushishi: "We are to sign the contract at the border where the Land of Rain meets the Land of Fire."
Yushishi's brows unconsciously furrowed as he analyzed, "It would be best if Konoha truly wants to cease fire with us, but I fear they might want to take the opportunity to lure us to the border and wipe us out…"
"Lord Hanzou cannot leave Amegakure, lest he falls for Konoha's trick of luring the tiger out of its den…"
Yushishi lowered his eyes, lost in thought.
Hanzou watched him quietly, his fingers lightly tapping the table. Yushishi's concerns were also his concerns.
Yushishi suddenly looked up, staring directly at Hanzou, a smile involuntarily curving his lips: "There's a way to solve this dilemma!"
"What way?"
Hanzou asked.
"We can spread the news of signing the contract with Konoha before we even go to the border."
Yushishi analyzed: "Once the Ninja World knows that Amegakure is going to sign a contract with Konoha, Konoha won't dare to go back on its word. As one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, Konoha won't risk its reputation, otherwise, who in the Ninja World would trust Konoha in the future?"
That's true, but there's still one point…
Hanzou pointed out: "If Sunagakure knows in advance that we are going to sign a contract with Konoha, they will definitely cause trouble and prevent the signing of this contract."
Yushishi sighed helplessly: "We don't have a better solution."
Hanzou didn't speak.
Indeed, as Yushishi said, they had no other more perfect solution.
"Then do as you say!"
Hanzou said to Yushishi.
Yushishi nodded, then hesitated: "Lord Hanzou, what about the Ninja sent to the border to sign the contract…?"
Going to the border to sign the contract, this mission was tantamount to a suicide mission.
Senba Suzume volunteered: "Lord Hanzou, I am willing to go."
Yushishi glanced at Senba Suzume and said without hesitation: "Lord Hanzou, I am also willing to go!"
Hanzou glanced at Yushishi and rejected: "You stay, Amegakure still needs you."
Go to the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain to sign the contract?
Shiratori Rin was willing!
He was very willing to go!
The more dangerous the place, for him, the more Emotion Points he could collect!
Outside the office, on the pipe, the crow twisted its head and blinked its eyes.
"Shu," Hanzou looked at Senba Suzume, without the slightest waver, "You, Sakikawa, and Kuroai will go to the border together to carry out the mission of signing the contract with Konoha."
Senba Suzume nodded, his voice firm: "Yes!"
Yushishi opened his mouth, his throat feeling dry and rough.
He knew why Lord Hanzou would assign this dangerous mission to Senba Suzume, Sakikawa, and Kuroai.
Because Senba Suzume, Sakikawa, and Kuroai were all Ninja who had lost all their family.
Not only that, but the three of them also had no close friends among the Rain Ninja.
It could be said that if they died, no one would be heartbroken.