Danzo looked at the crowd's expressions and was very satisfied. He nodded to these ninjas and then walked toward the door behind him.
Under the gazes of the crowd.
Danzo walked to the door but suddenly stopped.
He turned his face slightly, and the eyes that were exposed to the outside suddenly flashed with a very cold light.
"After saying so much, it's time to talk about the unpleasant parts!"
Danzo's voice suddenly became extremely cold. In an instant, it seemed as if the temperature of the room had dropped a lot, causing everyone's excitement to calm down.
Everyone present knew.
Shimura Danzo was an existence that could not be easily provoked!
They would rather not have any credit than do something that made Danzo unhappy!
"You can freely divide yourselves into groups here and form a team with the person you think is the most helpful so that you can complete the mission more efficiently. I am more interested in the elites who can cooperate with the team, and I don't want to see any disputes or fights between you. You can try your best to improve your efficiency, but you can't disturb other people's efficiency. Am I clear enough?"
Danzo's indifferent voice echoed in the room and clearly entered everyone's ears. In an instant, everyone's excitement was slightly reduced.
"Understood!"
After hearing Danzo's words, everyone immediately answered, but this time the voice did not seem so passionate.
All of a sudden.
Everyone began to think about their teammates.
Ninjas always paid attention to teamwork.
Since they could choose their own teammates, everyone paid more attention to teamwork and tacit cooperation.
There were many things that needed to be considered!
Everyone's thoughts started to become lively. Each of them had different plans and began to think about complicated things.
"A group will be composed of three people. After forming a group, no matter what happens, you can not leave the group. If you find anything, inform the ninjas here immediately. Your whole group will come to me. As long as your discovery is valuable enough, then your entire group will be rewarded!"
Danzo said to everyone.
These words of his expressed a very important meaning.
Thrive together
Suffer together.
This was to bind everyone in the team, allowing everyone to carry out missions together, thus achieving better efficiency.
"Understood."
Everyone nodded in agreement. They all understood what Danzo meant and gradually began to have favorite teammates in their minds. After all, they were relatively familiar with each other.
"There is one last thing!"
Danzo's cold voice sounded again. This time, his tone became even more serious, with a strong warning.
"Before the mission ends, you are not allowed to leave this room, especially outside the corridor. Otherwise, you will pay the price for your stupid actions!"
After Danzo gave his last warning, he directly stepped out of the room.
At this point.
Only these Yamanaka clan ninjas were left in the room.
"Ah, this..."
"Who should we tell after we finish forming the team?"
"Danzo-sama left just like that?"
"Is this grouping segment?"
"..."
These ninjas made a questioning sound. They were all very puzzled and did not know what to do next.
In fact.
This really was not their fault.
Danzo really did not explain the specific process of the matter so clearly.
Because...
Danzo was not telling them the process of the task at all but to stimulate their enthusiasm by drawing cakes.
The task of drawing cakes was over.
Now, there would naturally be other people coming to explain the mission process to these ninjas.
Just as everyone was puzzled.
A ninja walked in from the door. This ninja was wearing a Root ninja uniform and mask.
Even so.
Aoba could still recognize him.
This person was Yamanaka Akira.
Aoba had close contact with Akira in the information that the advanced paper clone had brought back from imitating the two Root ninjas.
At that time, it just so happened that Akira was the one who read his advanced paper clone's memories.
It was precisely because of that memory reading.
It allowed his advanced paper clone to muddle through and successfully sneak into Roots. Finally, he successfully found Hari and completed his arrangements.
From a certain perspective.
Akira was still the key person that completed his arrangement.
Behind Akira were three Root ninjas wearing masks.
"I will be responsible for your mission."
Akira spoke slowly. His voice was very light and indifferent, and it sounded as if there were no emotional fluctuations. It gave off an extremely steady feeling.
"Now is your time to divide into groups."
"After you complete your groups, report the names of the groups to me."
"After I complete the registration of your groups, you can choose the corpses you want to read first."
"You have to pay attention to this place."
"The order of the corpses selection is in the order of the group registration. The first registered group will be the first to choose."
"I still have to emphasize this. It is not always the first to choose will be the best. No one knows which person has intelligence in their head. This is mostly based on your team's luck and fate."
"However, the group who chooses first has a chance to choose their own fate."
"The last one is..."
"This mission allows you to work on your own if you wish..."
"Let's start grouping now!"
Akira said to everyone. The last sentence he said that allowed himself to work alone was actually a patch for the grouping situation of this mission.
When he came in.
He roughly looked at the number of people.
If they were divided into groups of three people, there would be two people left in the end.
Then these two people could form a group together, but he was still willing to give them a chance to be alone. After all, for the two people to remain, it could be said that no one was willing to choose them.
Therefore, it was better to provide them with a chance to fight on their own.
Maybe at that time, the efficiency of a single person would be higher than that of two people.
"When you are reading memories, if you find anything, you can report it to the three people next to me!"
After Akira finished speaking, he raised his hand and pointed at the three people beside him.
They looked over.
They couldn't see their faces at all because of the mask.
They didn't know who they were.
However.
The three of them gave everyone a familiar feeling.
"They are your old acquaintances."
Behind the mask, Akira revealed a meaningful smile. However, no one could see his expression through the mask.
"They are the three people who found the key clues in the remnant of the old era last time. Now they are my assistants. I hope that some of you will appear and stand in their current position."
When Akira said this, the ninjas at the scene instantly became motivated.
Yamanaka Midori!
They were all aware that one of the three who was relatively small in stature was Yamanaka Midori.
It had to be known that a few months ago, Midori was still among them. They all saw him calling them seniors, and now he had become their senior.
This kind of stimulation.
It directly made these ninjas' hearts go crazy.
They all wanted to stand in Midori's current position.
In an instant, they became even more expectant and longing for the task of reading memories. Other than Aoba, no one else considered this a boring task. They were all ready to do their best to read memories without holding back.
After all.
When they participated in this task last time.
Basically, they were all slacking off.
No one was willing to expend too much energy.
This time, they all wanted to seize this extremely rare opportunity.
"Now, you can freely form teams!" Akira said to the ninjas present.
.
Just as he finished his words.
All the ninjas in the area began to move, and they began to look for their teammates.
Among them, a few ninjas directly took off their masks and revealed their faces so that they could find their teammates more clearly.
For a moment.
It was extremely lively.
Aoba did not participate in the search for teammates. Instead, he slowly took a few steps back, quiet and out of place in this noisy environment.
Aoba had no intention of forming a team with others.
He felt that the rule that allowed him to form a team all by himself was specially tailored for him.
Very perfect!
Aoba was very satisfied with this way of carrying out the mission. He could fish quietly by himself and then leave when the mission was over.
...
In the crowd of ninjas.
People began to form groups with their teammates quickly.
They were looking for the most suitable partners for each other.
Among them.
The two ninjas walked together.
They were Aoba's two teammates in the last mission, Izumi and Shinichi.
Izumi and Shinichi walked together. These two were both ninjas with extraordinary strength, and they both had some thoughts of climbing forward.
In addition to their previous cooperation experience, the two of them still recognized each other's strengths very much.
"Izumi, are we still going to look for Aoba?" Shinichi stared at Izumi and asked. He saw that many people were quickly matched with the teammates they had met last time. This way, they could quickly complete the team. However, Aoba was really a bit too shortsighted, making him a little embarrassed.
"No!" Izumi shook his head decisively. Without any hesitation, he stared at Shinichi for a while and said, "If you and I still want to get on this ride, then we absolutely can not team up with Aoba. Not only will he not bring us positive help, but he will also become a burden to us!"
"It shouldn't be like this..." A bitter smile appeared on Shinichi's face. The cooperation between him and Aoba last time was quite cheerful, but at that time, he didn't have any ambition.
"I didn't say no!" Izumi rolled his eyes at Shinichi. He hadn't noticed it after the last time. However, after knowing that Midori's position had been greatly promoted, he had already regretted it. At that time, he had discovered something, but he was stopped by Aoba. He even said that it was better to do nothing than make mistakes. He had always remembered this matter in his heart. He then said, "You were influenced by him a lot last time. This time, he didn't take the initiative to look for us. There is no need for us to look for him!"
"Alright..."
Shinichi was already a little hesitant. In his heart, he already had the idea of not bringing Aoba along. However, he was too embarrassed to do so. Now, Izumi's words just happened to give him a reason not to feel so uncomfortable.
That's right!
It was not that he did not want to team up with Aoba!
It was that Aoba did not come to find them at all!
With Aoba's identity and status...
They wouldn't take the initiative to look for Aoba, would they?
Thinking of this.
Shinichi was instantly relieved.
...
In the corner of the room.
Aoba did not know that Izumi and Shinichi had just talked about whether to bring him along.
However.
Even if the two of them came to look for Aoba.
Aoba would not join their team.
He was not such a person who wanted to save face; saying no to them has no problem at all.
He had already decided to be alone.
Then no matter who comes, he will not join their team!
What's more...
Izumi said was true.
If Aoba were to team up with Izumi and Shinichi, it would definitely affect the promotion of these two people.
However, his guess was right. But his reason was wrong.
The reason why Aoba could drag down these two people was not that his strength was not strong enough, but because he did not want to stand out at all.
...
Gradually.
As time passed.
These Yamanaka clan ninjas quickly formed a three-man team.
In the end, there was only one person left.
After that person saw Aoba standing in the corner, he did not go forward and chose to form a team with Aoba.
After all.
Under such circumstances.
Forming a team with others was not as easy as being alone.
The reason why that person could be overlooked like Aoba was the same as the reason why Aoba was not chosen.
That was that his strength was not enough!
It was just that...
Aoba was pretending to be weak, and that person's strength was really not good!
In a short time.
After completing forming a team, these ninjas went to Akira to register their team. As long as they completed the registration, they immediately went to choose a corpse.
Now they could not care about the problem of fate.
The earlier to choose and read memories, the faster they could get results.
That way, they would gain the upper hand.
In the last mission, they did not care about this matter. Now, they did not want to miss this opportunity again.
The team who formed first could choose the corpse first. For Aoba and the other ninja who had not been selected, they were completely unqualified to choose. They had to wait until all the teams had chosen before their turn.
When Aoba and the other ninja arrived in front of Akira.
Akira raised his eyes and looked deeply at Aoba. Then he looked deeply at the other ninja.
"Are you really planning to team up on your own?" Akira asked in a daze.
He had only said that just now.
Although he had already expected that someone would make such a choice.
But two people were standing in front of him, one person and one team.
It still made him feel a bit inconceivable.
This was simply like playing around!
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
Aoba and the other ninja nodded at the same time. The two of them spoke in unison. On the contrary, when it came to answering this question, it revealed a rare tacit understanding.
"..."
After Akira heard the words of these two, he instantly fell silent.
Now that he had asked this question, he should agree!
But, you should know...
Danzo was still very fond of his subordinates working together.
"If you do this, it can be said that you have given up the room for promotion. Do you understand?"
Akira tried to use this method to see if he could make these two people change their minds and start to team up with each other. This way, it would be better to team up with two people, which was better than being alone.
"Understood!"
"Understood!"
Aoba and the other ninja spoke in unison once again. The two of them shook their heads at the same time as they spoke, revealing a rare tacit understanding once again.
This was the tacit understanding between the salted fish.
The corners of Akira's mouth twitched violently. However, he still felt that there was a possibility that these two people could form a team. After all, these two people showed an extremely rare tacit understanding.
"Look, there is still a very rare tacit understanding between you two!"
"Do you want to try forming a team?"
Akira took a deep breath and asked tentatively. He decided to ask this one last time. If they wanted to change their minds, he would give them a chance. If they were not willing to form a team, then this matter would be over.
"No!"
"No!"
Aoba and the other ninja spoke in unison once again, and the two of them continued this tacit understanding.
It was a tacit understanding of disliking each other!
Sometimes it was like this...
If the two of them disliked each other, they might even have a more tacit understanding than liking each other because there was no need to hesitate at all. They just did not want to work with each other.
Of course.
Aoba couldn't be considered to dislike him.
He didn't know this ninja at all.
He simply wanted to be on his own. So, he wouldn't be in conflict with anyone with radical thoughts, and there wouldn't be any problems.
However.
Aoba didn't know that the other ninja recognized him.
Moreover.
This ninja really despised Aoba and did not want to team up with him at all.
In his opinion...
If he team up with Aoba.
It was really worse than him forming a team by himself.
"..."
When Akira heard the reply from Aoba and the other ninja, he instantly became even more shocked.
They could actually dislike the other party like this.
He originally thought that only the strong would dislike the weak, and the weak would form groups for warmth.
From the looks of it now.
He was wrong.
The weak would dislike the weak more than the strong...
"Now, there is a problem between you. There is only a corpse left!"
Akira looked up at the two people. After all, the number of people and the number of corpses here matched each other. Otherwise, they could not have asked three people to form a group from the beginning.
If these two people were in the same team now, it was not a problem. This body would belong to this team.
But now, these two people each became a team.
Then the remaining body could only be handed over to the first person, but even Akira could not tell who was the first one to come.
"Do you want to reconsider?"
In his heart, Akira still suggested that the two of them could form a team. That way, they would be able to complete the mission better and not cause waste of manpower.
"No!"
"No!"
Aoba and the other ninja shook their heads at the same time. After both of them rejected the request to team up, the two of them looked at each other.
Aoba looked at the other ninja.
The other ninja also looked at Aoba.
Then.
The two of them spoke in unison again.
"Give him the body!"
"Give him the body!"
Aoba and the other ninja raised their hands at the same time and pointed at each other. They both made a concession.
"???"
When Akira saw their actions, he instantly understood that the ninjas who had been rushing to form a team earlier were all soldiers who wanted to be generals. They were prepared to give their all for this opportunity to be promoted.
But the two people in front of him...
They were two salted fish!
They did not have any ambition at all!
They belonged to the type that did not plan to advance at all...
The two of them had been fooling around!
Good!
It was true that the dragons and phoenixes were all gathered together!
"Since the two of you are so modest, why don't you two form a team? Since both of you are salted fish, why don't you form a group together?" Akira said in a mocking tone.
"No!"
"No!"
Aoba and the other ninja shook their heads together. After shaking their heads, they pointed at each other again, and their eyes were filled with disdain!
"I would rather be a salted fish myself than be a salted fish with him!" The other ninja pointed at Aoba in disgust. Anyone could hear the disdain in his tone.
"I don't want to team up with him!" Aoba said at the same time as the other ninja.
At this point.
The tacit understanding between the two of them was broken.
"You..."
Anger flashed in Akira's eyes. He repeatedly persuaded these two people to team up. Now, these two people not only did not team up but also openly despised each other. They looked like two clowns, which made him particularly unhappy.
"Go and take over the body together. As for who goes first, it is your own business. Don't waste our working time here, and don't delay others from reading memories!"
Akira snorted coldly. He was not in the mood to play this boring game with the two people. As he spoke, he waved his hand and directly sent the two people away.
"Hmph!"
The other ninja rolled his eyes at Aoba as if doing a mission with Aoba was a very shameful thing.
The other ninja was called Yamanaka Kaze.
He was also famous in the Yamanaka Clan. He was a trash ninja second only to Aoba.
It was just...
It was different from Aoba pretending to be trash.
This Kaze was really trash!
There was nothing wrong with his body. Just like normal ninjas, he was able to extract chakra normally and successfully graduated from the Ninja School. His original starting point was higher than Aoba's.
But...
Ever since Kaze graduated from the Ninja School.
The family discovered something very strange.
This ninja...
Other than the three most basic techniques of the Ninja School and the few secret techniques of the family, he could not learn any other ninjutsu.
It was not the kind of waste that he could not learn.
It was simply impossible to learn.
No matter how he learned it, he could not use it.
Finally...
After confirming that Kaze had no way of using ninjutsu other than the basic three school ninjutsu and secret technique of the family to complete the mission, the Yamanaka Clan decided to send Kaze to Konohagakure Intelligence Division.
Kaze was one year younger than Aoba.
In the Konohagakure Intelligence Division, he was still in the semi-new state that had just passed the test.
Just now, when they were forming a team.
He still wanted to join the big shots team with hope.
However.
Gradually.
He found that no one wanted him at all.
He was just thinking too much.
Finally.
After all the team had been formed.
Yamanaka Kaze focused his gaze on the remaining person like him. At first, he was in the mood to team up with that person.
However.
When he saw the cat-faced mask.
Every cell in his body was filled with rejection and completely gave up the idea of forming a team with this person.
The reason was very simple!
He knew that the owner behind the mask was Yamanaka Aoba, who was even more useless than him.
Aoba did not expect that someone would dislike him so much. However, he did not care about this matter. After all, the effect he wanted had been achieved.
Therefore.
Even if Kaze was groaning there, he did not make any response.
Then.
Under Akira's lead.
Aoba and Kaze arrived at the edge of an iron shelf. There was a burnt corpse on it. It was dark and no one could see it.
Aoba looked over.
He didn't feel that this was a person at all.
If he hadn't known beforehand that this thing was a corpse.
He might think it's burned sticks and a blackened ball.
Now it seems...
That round ball should be the head!
"This is the corpse that you are going to read memories. You will split the time to read its memories. Remember, do not argue or fight!" Akira said coldly.
"You call this a corpse?"
The corner of Kaze's mouth twitched. He had never seen a corpse like this.
He raised his trembling hand and pointed at the black thing on the iron shelf.
He had no idea where to start if he wanted to read its memories.
"Cut the crap!"
Akira glared at Kaze, then rolled his eyes at Aoba before turning around and returning to his seat.
As a member of the Yamanaka clan.
He knew Aoba, and he also knew Kaze. As a person who wanted to climb the peak, he scoffed at the attitude of the two people.
Being trash was not your fault!
It was your fault to be willing to be trash!
Akira directly left. He did not want to look at the two people anymore. In his heart, he had already determined that these two people would be mediocre for a lifetime. It was impossible for them to make any progress.
"You... you... you go first!"
After Akira left, Kaze looked at the charred corpse. He already understood why these people did not choose this corpse at all.
'Could this thing really be read and extract memories?'
Now he was afraid of dirtying his hands!
He did not want to read its memories at all!
Aoba raised his eyes and looked into Kaze's eyes. After confirming that Kaze did not dislike him this time but felt that this corpse was very disgusting, he slowly nodded.
"Alright!"