Chapter 115: Reinforcing the Hidden Leaf Village Front and Taking on Contracts

In the early morning of Konoha Village, Yun Xuan was enjoying a bowl of Ichiraku Ramen.

"Not a bad flavor, though I think I could make it a bit better myself," Yun Xuan muttered.

Old Man Ichiraku’s mouth twitched, but he remained silent. He had seen for himself how quickly Yun Xuan’s grilled skewers had sold out the day before, and he was deeply impressed, fully acknowledging that Yun Xuan was a chef who surpassed him.

"Thanks for the meal, Old Man Ichiraku," Yun Xuan said after finishing the large bowl, paying the bill before heading off.

He glanced toward the Hokage building and began walking in that direction. Konoha was already at war with the Hidden Sand Village, and with the front lines tense and both the Hidden Rock and Hidden Cloud villages watching like predators, the pressure on Konoha was immense.

"Halt. This area is restricted to unauthorized personnel," the two gate guards said coldly, blocking his path.

"Would you mind telling the Hokage that I possess the ability to destroy the Sand Village’s front line? Ask him if he needs to hire a ninja," Yun Xuan said with a smile.

"This is no place for an outsider. Leave now, or we will be forced to remove you," the guards exchanged a look, clearly disbelieving.

"Honestly, I suppose you won't believe me unless I show you my strength," Yun Xuan shook his head, and his power armor fully materialized.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!" Four Anbu ninjas appeared, surrounding him.

"Full firepower!" Yun Xuan smiled.

*Pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft!* Less than five meters away, in just five seconds of full-firepower mode, the six ninjas were riddled with tranquilizer darts before they could even attempt a Substitution Jutsu.

Yun Xuan walked into the Hokage building, only to be blocked by four more ninjas who went so far as to unleash ninjutsu.

Fire Style? Yun Xuan wasn't afraid in the slightest; he couldn't even feel the heat, walking forward calmly through the flames of a Great Fireball Jutsu.

Earth Style? Yun Xuan’s ability to fly left the four ninjas questioning reality.

Lightning Style? The power armor provided complete insulation; even when struck by bolts of lightning, he felt nothing more than a slight tingle.

"Stop," the Third Hokage stepped out.

"Lord Hokage, be careful! This person is extremely bizarre; genjutsu has no effect on him," a guard warned.

"I am aware," the Third Hokage replied, having already observed Yun Xuan from the window. He had never imagined such an existence. Flight had always been a human dream; if one could soar to high altitudes and drop explosive tags, it would create a devastating bombardment.

"Greetings, Third Hokage of Konoha. I am a mercenary. You could say I’m someone who sells his services for money. I can support Konoha and destroy the Sand Village’s front line. My price is twenty B-rank ninjutsu, three A-rank ninjutsu, and the Shadow Clone Jutsu," Yun Xuan smiled from behind the mask of his power armor.

"You have the ability to destroy the Sand Village’s front line?" The Third Hokage’s eyes widened. If this were true, Konoha could launch a blitzkrieg.

"You can take me to an open area, and I will show you the power of my weapons," Yun Xuan said, beaming. What did the Great Ninja War represent? Opportunities, of course! To him, these weapons were his capital to thrive in the chaos of the war.

The Third Hokage stepped toward Yun Xuan and, with a flash of the Body Flicker Technique, vanished with him. The Third Hokage possessed Kage-level strength; in his eyes, Yun Xuan was merely strange, not unbeatable. If Yun Xuan’s claims were true, it would be a massive boon for Konoha. Three A-rank and twenty B-rank ninjutsu were a small price to pay compared to the casualties on the front lines.

...

"BOOM!" A thunderous explosion echoed. The Third Hokage stared at the mountain peak struck by the electromagnetic cannon, utterly stunned. The combined power of ten electromagnetic cannons, coupled with this strange, massive weapon, made the Third Hokage briefly consider the possibility of eliminating Yun Xuan.

"Lord Hokage, there is actually one more thing I didn't tell you. I have 1,000 anti-aircraft missiles. You might not understand what that means, but simply put, each has the power of the strike you just witnessed. If all 1,000 were to detonate, I believe no one in the Land of Fire would survive. So, please, feel free to try and kill me. But the moment I die, the self-destruct mechanism will trigger with that exact intensity," Yun Xuan said, flying out of the Mobile Research Lab No. 258 with a smile.

The Third Hokage fell silent. He was skeptical, but having witnessed the power just now, he dared not gamble. One could never be too careful.

"I accept your terms. However, you must support the front line first. I will send men with you, and my student, Orochimaru, will command your strikes," the Third Hokage decided after a moment of thought.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Yun Xuan smiled, flying toward Konoha as the Mobile Research Lab No. 258 vanished.

"Space-time ninjutsu? A terrifying fellow," the Third Hokage sighed.

The two returned to Konoha, and the Third Hokage immediately dispatched Tsunade and ten Jonin. Under the guise of protecting medical ninjas, they were sent to the front line with Yun Xuan accompanying them. As the Third Hokage’s student, Tsunade was informed that Yun Xuan was a mercenary hired by the village, and she was given a secret letter written by the Third Hokage for Orochimaru.

The team—Tsunade, ten Jonin, and a mixed group of 100 medical and standard ninjas—set off with three supply wagons toward the Sand Village front. Yun Xuan, draped in a black robe, sat on one of the wagons with two replicas of Haku by his side.

"The Third said you have the power to destroy the Sand Village’s front line. To me, you look like nothing more than a brat. If you try anything suspicious, don't blame me for killing you," Tsunade leaped onto the wagon and whispered.

"Lady Tsunade, there's no need for threats. Your strength is indeed immense, but your weaknesses are equally significant. You want to kill me? That’s impossible," Yun Xuan smiled confidently, knowing well that Tsunade suffered from hemophobia.

It wasn't hard to deduce: First, the timing of Dan Kato’s death during the Second Ninja War was evident from the necklace Tsunade wore. Second, Dan had been a powerful elite Jonin; if he were alive, he would be wearing that necklace. Third, when Tsunade left the village, she said goodbye to a young girl named Shizune.

As for why she would head to the battlefield despite her hemophobia, the reason was simple. As one of the Sannin, few knew of her condition. Her presence on the battlefield boosted morale, and most importantly, she could summon Katsuyu to heal the wounded.

Tsunade scoffed; she felt no fondness for this outsider and remained highly vigilant. Feeling bored, Yun Xuan put on his headphones and drifted off to sleep, his head resting on the lap of Haku No. 6. He was grateful that all the Haku replicas were female and carried a faint, pleasant fragrance. If they were boys, he would have likely felt some awkward obstructions during his lap pillow.