"Thank you very much, Third Hokage."
After everyone else had left, Minato Namikaze respectfully thanked Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Minato, you don't need to thank me. You handled this matter well. However, you've only recently taken office, and Root's strength is considerable. There will be many situations in the future where you'll need Root's help, so it's best not to push Danzo too hard for now. As for the 31st Squad, give them some appropriate compensation. Don't let them spread the news," the Third said, looking at Minato with a look of satisfaction.
"Rest assured, I will handle it."
Minato nodded in agreement.
Then, the two discussed some other matters in the Hokage's office before the Third finally got up to leave.
In the Hokage's office, Minato watched the Third's retreating figure, his eyes narrowing slightly, his thoughts unknown.
After a moment, Minato gently tapped the desk a few times, and an Anbu ninja appeared before him in a flash.
"Go summon Shikaku!" Minato instructed softly.
"Yes, sir."
The Anbu ninja vanished in a flash, carrying out the order.
"Lord Hokage, you summoned me?"
Before long, Shikaku Nara arrived at the Hokage's office again and bowed respectfully to Minato.
"Shikaku, I have a task for you." Minato's face was solemn.
Shikaku Nara said respectfully, "Please give your orders, Lord Hokage!"
Minato said, "Tomorrow, I want you to personally visit Doctor Shinno. Convince him to consider the 31st Squad's mission completed."
"Understood." Shikaku Nara nodded.
Minato's face showed a thoughtful expression, and he added softly, "Also, try to subtly sound him out. Find out why Danzo went out of his way to intercept him."
"Yes, sir."
Shikaku Nara understood and accepted the order before leaving.
There was no conversation that night. The day after returning to the village, Tatsuya rested well at home.
The next afternoon, the three, having recovered their energy, received a message to gather at the 31st Squad's usual meeting place. From afar, they saw Ichikawa Shin waiting for them.
"Sensei, how did it go? Is our mission considered complete?" Sakawa immediately asked impatiently upon seeing Ichikawa Shin.
This mission was a C-rank mission, which was considered a "high-level" mission for the three members of the 31st Squad. They didn't want to be marked as having failed such a mission!
"Don't worry! After the Hokage learned of the situation, he not only had someone convince the client to consider our mission complete, but he also agreed to let you each choose an additional C-rank ninjutsu as compensation for the fright you experienced that day," Ichikawa Shin said with a flicker in his eyes and a smile.
"Really, Sensei?" Sakawa's face lit up with surprise, finding it hard to believe.
C-rank ninjutsu were considered techniques that chunin-level ninjas could learn and use. Although there were quite a few ninjutsu of this rank, they were still very precious and not something anyone could learn.
Normally, without someone to teach them, it would take Sakawa and the others quite a bit of merit points to exchange for a C-rank ninjutsu in the village. Based on the merit points they earned from their usual D-rank and C-rank missions, they would need to accumulate them for some time.
Now, having such a free opportunity to learn a C-rank ninjutsu, Sakawa, who came from a commoner background, was naturally overjoyed. Even Yuuhi Teru, standing beside him, showed a happy expression upon hearing the news.
"Of course it's true. The Hokage himself said it; how could it be false?" Ichikawa Shin said with a smile.
"That's great!"
Hearing this, Sakawa jumped up and let out a cheer.
"Sensei, can I exchange for a different condition?" Just as Sakawa and Yuuhi Teru were cheering, Tatsuya's voice, "out of tune" with the celebratory mood, rang out.
"Exchange for a different one? Tatsuya, what request do you want to make?" Ichikawa Shin looked surprised.
"Sensei, I don't want to learn a C-rank ninjutsu. I want to join the Sealing Squad for a period of time to study."
"Join the Sealing Squad to study? Are you sure?"
Hearing Tatsuya's words, Ichikawa Shin looked at him with a strange expression.
Ichikawa Shin was very puzzled by Tatsuya's request.
Sealing jutsu was considered one of the most difficult types of ninjutsu to learn in the entire ninja world. Without a certain level of talent and understanding, it was impossible to master. And Tatsuya, who had graduated from the Ninja Academy with the grades of a slacker, clearly didn't belong to the category of talented students in Ichikawa Shin's eyes.
Moreover, not long ago, Tatsuya had been clamoring to learn medical ninjutsu, and now he wanted to join the Sealing Squad to learn sealing jutsu. What exactly did he want to do?
Tatsuya nodded and said, "I'm sure!"
After thinking for a moment, Ichikawa Shin tried to dissuade him, "Tatsuya, you should think carefully. Learning sealing jutsu is very difficult. Are you really willing to give up a C-rank ninjutsu to join the Sealing Squad?"
Tatsuya said firmly, "Yes, Ichikawa-sensei, I've thought it through!"
"Alright! Since you insist, I'll take you to the Hokage's office later to make the request to the Hokage." Seeing that he couldn't dissuade Tatsuya, Ichikawa Shin could only agree.
Immediately, Ichikawa Shin first took Tatsuya and the other two to the mission hall to submit their mission report. Then, at the front desk, he let Sakawa and Yuuhi Teru each choose a C-rank ninjutsu.
Sakawa and Yuuhi Teru each chose a C-rank wind-style and earth-style ninjutsu, respectively, according to their chakra natures.
Next, after dismissing the two, Ichikawa Shin took Tatsuya to the Hokage Building.
After waiting in the Hokage Building for a while, Tatsuya and Ichikawa Shin were finally granted an audience with Minato.
In Konoha, the Hokage, as the village's highest leader, was not someone anyone could easily meet.
Just like Ichikawa Shin's reaction, when Minato learned that Tatsuya wanted to join the Sealing Squad to study sealing jutsu, he also strongly tried to dissuade him.
Minato was considered one of the most proficient ninjas in sealing jutsu in the village. Precisely because of his proficiency, he understood how difficult sealing jutsu was to learn.
In Minato's view, Tatsuya, who was from the Akimichi clan, would be better off spending his time and energy on mastering his family's secret techniques rather than wasting it on difficult sealing jutsu. In terms of combat power, the Akimichi clan's secret techniques were already top-tier.
However, unable to withstand Tatsuya's persistence and pleading, Minato finally agreed to Tatsuya's request, allowing him to study in the Sealing Squad for one year.
After one year, Minato would personally assess Tatsuya's progress. If his progress was unsatisfactory, he would directly revoke Tatsuya's study privileges.
Tatsuya agreed to this without hesitation.
On the one hand, Tatsuya was confident that with the help of the bio-chip, his sealing jutsu would definitely improve after a year of study.
On the other hand, based on Naruto's birth date, Minato probably wouldn't have the opportunity to check Tatsuya's sealing jutsu progress a year later.
Although Tatsuya wanted to do something about this, he was powerless.
In the world of Naruto, Minato Namikaze was one of Tatsuya's favorite characters. His sunshine, strength, and sense of responsibility were qualities that most ninjas in this world lacked.
That day, with permission granted, Tatsuya went to the Sealing Squad to report. For the next year, he would temporarily leave the 31st Squad led by Ichikawa Shin and stay in the Sealing Squad to study.
In Konohagakure, the 31st Squad, where Tatsuya and the others were, was just a marginal squad at the bottom of the ninja ranks. They usually carried out low-level missions, so temporarily missing one or two people wouldn't be a big deal.
In the Sealing Squad, the person responsible for guiding Tatsuya in his sealing jutsu training was Sakamoto An, a 40-something-year-old chunin who was proficient in various basic sealing techniques.