When Mutsuki and the others returned to Konoha, it was noon.
"I'll take care of the mission matters. You all have worked hard this time. Rest today and get a good sleep at home," Mutsuki said with a smile.
This time, he didn't suggest they could train since the mission had been too demanding for the three disciples.
"Yeah, I'm really tired," Obito stretched lazily, feeling exhausted from the fierce battles and the hardships of traveling outdoors.
He planned to take a nap before going to tell Rin about his heroic victory over the Jonin.
Since it was still early, even if he slept the entire afternoon, he could still go see Rin later in the evening.
"But we also gained a lot," Guy flashed a big grin, showing his two rows of white teeth and giving a thumbs-up.
Kakashi nodded. This mission was indeed very tiring and dangerous, but they also gained a lot.
Kakashi and Obito went straight home to sleep. Guy still had energy for training, but Mutsuki restricted him, so he obediently went home to rest.
Watching his disciples leave, Mutsuki headed to the Hokage Building.
This time, Mutsuki didn't go to the mission hall to register or explain the situation to the ninja. Instead, he went straight to the Hokage's office.
After all, bringing back a Jonin's body could enhance his standing in Hiruzen's subconscious mind.
Knock knock!
Mutsuki knocked on the door of the Hokage's office.
"Come in," came Hiruzen's voice from inside the room.
"Third-sama," Mutsuki greeted respectfully.
"My team encountered an unexpected situation in our recent mission. We encountered a Hidden Cloud Jonin in the Land of Rivers," Mutsuki began directly.
"The Land of Rivers, huh? The Sand is currently at war with the Hidden Cloud, so it's somewhat normal for Hidden Cloud ninja to appear there," Hiruzen stroked his beard and remarked.
"Although the Third Kazekage is missing, the Hidden Sand Village is still one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. They're not easy to deal with. Perhaps the Sand is concentrating its efforts to drive the Hidden Cloud out of the Land of Wind. If that's the case, the intensity of the war is going to escalate," he continued.
"The Sand definitely doesn't want to fight on its own territory, because the people of the Land of Wind live in the few oases within the desert. If the war damages these oases, it would be a significant loss. And since the Hidden Cloud has initiated the war, they won't easily back down either. If the Sand ramps up, they will also deploy more forces."
"One Jonin and one Chunin, right? In that case, it will be upgraded to an A-Rank Mission. In addition to the usual commission fee, the village can offer a reward of 350,000 ryo," Hiruzen concluded after some thought.
Last time the reward was close to that of an S-Rank mission, not only because there were fewer Chunin but also because Mutsuki brought back valuable intelligence.
Mutsuki nodded. The original commission amount for the mission was 50,000 ryo, adding up to a total of 400,000 ryo. Each person could receive over 100,000 ryo, which was quite good.
"Mutsuki, you've managed to bring out two exceptional students for me. They haven't even graduated yet, but they already have records of two A-Rank missions and one B-Rank mission," remarked Third as he glanced over Mutsuki's team's records, making a jest.
These records would suffice for Genin who had graduated several years ago, as A-Rank missions were not something ordinary Genin could handle.
"Their effort and strength justify such records, and they didn't hold back in their missions," Mutsuki said seriously.
"They are indeed very impressive," Hiruzen nodded, recalling Guy and Obito's performances during the summer special training.
"This summer's special training, although the students made progress, fell short compared to yours back then. The students all commented that there's a big gap between the training sensei and you. If all Academy sensei were as outstanding as you, I wouldn't have to worry," Hiruzen mentioned the summer special training.
"I'll try again during the first break of the new school year," Mutsuki responded after some thought.
Although his strength was increasing, he wouldn't neglect the Academy. There, he could quickly learn various Ninjutsu and even increase proficiency through repetition. With sufficient Chakra, he could rapidly enhance his strength as well.
After reporting, Mutsuki quickly left the Hokage Building, preparing to take Shisui and Rin to train in the Southern Boundary Forest.
While Obito rested, his two disciples were still training with Shadow Clones.
["Disciple Guy worked diligently to complete the commissioned task, earning growth rewards: Chakra +460. Additionally, led by sensei himself, an extra reward of Chakra +230 was given."]
[Disciple Uchiha Obito worked hard to complete the commissioned task, earning growth rewards: Chakra +460. Additionally, led by sensei himself, an extra reward of Chakra +230 was given.]
[Disciple Hatake Kakashi worked diligently to complete the commissioned task, earning growth rewards: Chakra +460. Additionally, led by sensei himself, an extra reward of Chakra +230 was given.]
The profits from settling the tasks surprised Mutsuki somewhat. He had expected only a few hundred, because this mission was different from previous ones. Previously, they encountered enemies during the mission and then defeated them.
This time, after completing the mission, they encountered enemies while visiting the desert. Strictly speaking, the mission had already been completed by then.
"Is it because the interval between encountering enemies and completing the mission was very short? Or is it just as long as the mission hasn't been handed over?" Mutsuki couldn't help but speculate.
If it was the latter, he would have to take on a C-Rank Mission and go looking for enemy village ninja to fight.
The total earnings from the missions for the three disciples amounted to 2,070 points of Chakra, which was 70 points more than what was added when Obito activated his Sharingan in an instant.
Mutsuki glanced at his own panel.
[Name: Mutsuki Yumi]
[Chakra: 43,000]
The Chakra gained from his recent training and missions had directly increased Mutsuki's Chakra to 43,000 points. This brought a slight increase in security to Mutsuki's mind. Since arriving in the Naruto world nearly ten months ago, his 43,000 points of Chakra combined with his batch of Perfect-level Mastery skills provided a reasonable guarantee of survival as long as he acted cautiously.
"Mutsuki, good afternoon! Just back from a mission?" a lively voice called out to Mutsuki.
Turning around, Mutsuki saw Kushina waving at him with a delighted smile.
"Yeah, just finished handing over the mission. Are you out shopping?" Mutsuki smiled in response.
"Yeah, I've been so bored lately. Minato isn't around, and there's no one to cook like you," sighed Kushina.
Most of her day now was spent inside a powerful Sealing Jutsu house set up with Uzumaki-style barriers. Occasionally, she could come out for a stroll, but she couldn't wander too far because of a large barrier that suppressed the Tailed Beast Chakra. She could only roam within the barrier's range.
Initially, Kushina was in good spirits because Minato would come to accompany her every day, practicing Sealing Jutsu together and occasionally cooking meals prepared by Mutsuki.
However, now that Minato was away on missions and Mutsuki occasionally left the village, Kushina felt life becoming increasingly dull.
"How about I rent a kitchen now and make something for you to eat? I haven't eaten either," Mutsuki suggested after some thought.
He didn't mention inviting Kushina back to his place; if she could directly come to his place for food, there would be no need to keep bothering Minato.
"Haha, can you read minds, Mutsuki? I was just thinking about the taste of your cooking," Kushina chuckled.
"In that case, I'll appreciate it," Kushina directly accepted Mutsuki's offer. She was someone who appreciated straightforwardness.
Mutsuki found a restaurant that didn't seem to have much business and rented their kitchen.
Initially, the owner was reluctant to agree. Despite having no customers, he had his pride. Allowing someone to borrow his kitchen was a matter of face.
However, Kushina gave too much, and combined with the headbands worn by Mutsuki and Kushina, the owner eventually agreed to lend the kitchen.
As the aroma of Mutsuki's cooking filled the air, the owner couldn't help but swallow his saliva, reassuring himself that it probably smelled better than it tasted.
But seeing how eagerly Kushina devoured the food, the owner knew it must be delicious.
"Excuse me, Ninja-sama, could you fry me a dish as well? I can offer 500 ryo" the owner couldn't resist eventually asking like a customer and ordering in his own restaurant.
Mutsuki shook his head and declined the owner's request; his cooking skills weren't for making money.
"How about I let you use the kitchen for free this time?" the owner tempted, looking at how much Kushina was enjoying the food.
Whether it was because it had been a while since she had eaten his cooking or because Kushina had a good appetite that day, Mutsuki's four dishes were quickly devoured by Kushina.
"I don't need it for free. Just lend me the kitchen when you're not busy in the future," Mutsuki replied.
Kushina didn't have enough to eat, so Mutsuki went to make some more, also preparing a dish for the owner.
"Alright!" The owner couldn't resist his curiosity about the delicious smell of the dishes.
Mutsuki fried up a few more home-style stir-fries and served a plate to the owner.
Upon the first bite, the owner's initial thought was that he didn't deserve to run a restaurant. By the time he came back to his senses, the plate in front of him was already empty.
Initially motivated by money, now the owner just wanted Mutsuki to come back more often so he could enjoy more food.
"Ahh, I feel alive again," Kushina exclaimed happily after finishing the meal.
"When I'm not around, have any other girls been to Minato's house?" Kushina suddenly asked with a cautious expression.
"It doesn't seem so," Mutsuki recalled and replied.
Kushina breathed a sigh of relief and explained, "That Minato, he's so popular. There's always a bunch of female ninja around him."
"You should have more confidence in yourself, Kushina. Minato even leaves me notes when he goes on missions, reminding me not to forget your meals," Mutsuki said with a smile.
"Ah, isn't he making me look like all I do is eat?" Kushina teased with a smile on her face.
After chatting for a while about everyday matters, Kushina asked about Mutsuki's success in Sealing Jutsu practice.
"So far, I've successfully mastered the Five Fingers Seal and Contract Seal. The Five Elements Seal still needs a bit more work, but I should be able to master it in about a month," Mutsuki replied.
"You're faster than I expected. It seems like you've been putting in a lot of effort in your training," Kushina responded, somewhat surprised by Mutsuki's progress.
"I wouldn't dare to disappoint Sensei Kushina's teachings," Mutsuki replied jokingly.
"In that case, I'll teach you a super powerful Sealing Jutsu even stronger than the Five Elements Seal, as the strongest Sealing Ninja in Konoha," Mutsuki's words pleased Kushina greatly, and she immediately took on a sensei-like demeanor.
"Even stronger than the Five Elements Seal?" Mutsuki showed a curious expression.
"Indeed, that would be our Uzumaki Clan's top-tier Sealing Jutsu, the Four Symbols Seal!" Kushina said proudly.
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