"As for the rest of you, ask the other children around the block for intel. If they did not comply, arrest them and put them in their rightful place!"
With an executive command, the rest of the shinobi spread through the background while the stalwart shinobi along with his subordinates knocked on the door of a hidden basement.
This guy's name is Masayoshi, a loyal and devoted man to Amegakure.
Swamped by countless missions just to earn resources, Masayoshi thought it was his time to shine as a shinobi while he simply adapted to being a sycophant, taking the mission like the others who also wanted to get the task.
Presently, the children came out of the door one by one, including Yoichi, who was deeply unsettled by his current condition.
"Good afternoon, Sir Shinobi!"
However, instead of being troubled, he greeted Masayoshi with a smile on his face. Genji and the party figured out the cues and also welcomed the newcomers with pleasant gestures.
"Spare your gratitude," Masayoshi continued, "Check their status and inspect the room underneath this place right now."
Once Yoichi heard Masayoshi's orders, his heart nearly jumped out in fright but his face remained composed in the front of a comprehensive probe.
He was calm but his party wasn't that collected, but after catching a peek at Yoichi's impassiveness in the corner of their eyes, they became relieved.
Soon, the party was under the eyes of scrutiny before the gazes went frankly into Yoichi's catastrophic physique.
"What happened to you?!" Masayoshi was filled with suspicions toward Yoichi and forcefully grabbed the child's wrist.
According to the scene, a destructive fire blast was employed by those rats based on the discolorations and chars on the walls near the alleyways.
"Sir, I saw them! Those informants of the other hidden villages!" On the other hand, Yoichi couldn't help but falsify the truth with falsehoods in his words.
Upon hearing his statement, Masayoshi was inwardly joyful but his suspicious face still kept on the surface.
"Tell me the truth, did you really see them fight? If not, then... You'll face much worse injury than this!"
Masayoshi's killing intent suddenly emanated which made Yoichi feel a cold sweat on his back yet he persisted in his goal. As for the party, they instinctively swallowed their saliva with anxiety.
"Sir, I'm telling you the truth! In fact, I was the one who was deeply affected by that great fire they discharged! It's between two parties with unknown affiliations and they fought in that street rashly!"
While Yoichi seriously articulated the intricate portrayals, Masayoshi crossed his arms and spoke, "Then why are you filled with these scars?!"
"I-I thought that I was safe in my hiding spot, sir. Suddenly, the destructive jutsu was sent towards me! With no space to dodge, I suffered from the burns of the fire and escaped with all I've got..."
Hearing Yoichi's anguished tone, Masayoshi concluded the situation in his mind and asked his subordinates, "Did you find anything from their shelter?"
"Nothing sir, just a bunch of scraps and tattered clothes with soaked blood on them..." One of the shinobi explained the condition of the room.
"Hmmm," Masayoshi looked at the party, "Very well, this inspection is done. Go back to your shelter and do your task to find these pesky insects."
With that being said, Masayoshi and his team vanished with swiftness while the party took a sigh of relief, loosening their nerves from the pressure.
"Let's go back," Genji commented. Yoichi and the rest returned to the basement room filled with questions about Yoichi's well-being.
...
"Sir Masayoshi, did you discover any suspicions about them?" On the other hand, one of the shinobi asked Masayoshi for inquiries.
"Hah, it's nothing. Just a precocious brat trying to fight something bigger than him! Still, pay attention to these areas and the children around here..." Masayoshi casually replied with arrogance in his tone.
Due to his contemptuous mind, Masayoshi easily discarded Yoichi from the box. A child trying to fight a Chūnin? That's basically asking for death!
Only a Chūnin could certainly release such dangerous techniques without any worries based on Masayoshi's experience and wisdom.
Not only that, Masayoshi was worried that if he punished the child recklessly, Hayate and Motoyasu would definitely bite his ass, making his shinobi life even worse than his current state.
However, the fortune of the child was attributed to his courageous spirit, daring to watch a fight between shinobi as a feeble child.
Afterwards, Masayoshi went and reported his recent discoveries, patiently waiting for Hanzō's orders.
...
"Hoooh, that was nerve-wracking!" Haruhiko exclaimed, leaning on the wall with ease.
"It's all thanks to everyone! By your unceasing efforts and brilliance, you all managed to withstand the hot seat without a word." Yoichi praised their trustworthiness in the face of danger.
Hearing Yoichi's complimenting words, Haruhiko was alarmed and said, "Wait, did you hear that?! Yoichi suddenly became thankful! Are— are you him?!"
Although his face was startled, his tone was full of jesting humor which made the party chuckle at his humorous shenanigans.
Eventually, the party ate the food and practiced refining the Chakra once again but Yoichi took his time to assess his condition with severity on his face.
Shit, I need two weeks to completely recover this body naturally. Otherwise, my Qi Blood Pills will deplete just from healing my physique!
Yoichi thought. While his lacerated and charred skin regained some of its slightly tanned color, his muscle fibers felt grievously aching that even walking could make him wince in pain.
"Mountain Crushing Fist could apparently be fully employed at the Muscle Tempering Stage. At this point, I'm like Deku from My Hero Academia!" Yoichi muttered and mentally noted to himself to practice the technique with mindfulness in the near future.
"But still, that overwhelming force took that male Genin out of the picture instantly! If I am at the next stage, then that boy surely could die in my hands!" Filled with excitement for his future, Yoichi abruptly became vigorous and enthusiastic.
For now, I should try and learn a different skill set rather than rotting away here. Oh right, the book that unlocks a second profession!
As he shook his head from the earlier outburst, Yoichi took out the thick book from his Interspatial Pouch and analyzed its contents.
[Introduction to Weapon Forging]
—In this book, the user could learn Entry-Level Blacksmithing! From forging, shaping, upsetting, heat treatment, polishing, and grinding, to knowing the different types of metals as an apprentice blacksmith!
Entry-Level Blacksmithing?! What the fuck? So all of the senior blacksmiths with countless years of expertise were merely Entry Level or what? I wonder what's next, developing an Immortal Artifact?!
From his perspective, blacksmiths in his past life were so rare to the point that the masses would think they were classified as an endangered species. Yoichi respected their dedication to their craft and the endless years of cultivation towards blacksmithing.
Now, Yoichi was seeking their path of blacksmithing as he read the book with a serene expression written on his face.
「Blacksmithing EXP +1」
「Blacksmithing EXP +1」
「Blacksmithing EXP +1」
[Blacksmithing: (Entry) 3/100] (NEW!)
After two hours of reading, Yoichi looked at the notification prompt and said, "This should be alright. I couldn't waste my time on other professions since time was tight. Perhaps I could consider it in the near future."
Presently, Yoichi wanted to be a one-trick pony. Delving into another profession would consume his remaining time to practice Martial Arts.
After all, everyone only has a 24-hours in their everyday lives.
Subsequently, the party made its usual night cycle patrol as the dusk wasn't noticeable with the gloomy skies above their heads. Therefore, Yoichi fell asleep amidst the people snuggling to his warmth.
__________
(Current Progress)
[Heavenly Demon Posture: (Great Success) 160/500]
[Mountain Crushing Fist: (Entry) 14/100]
[Blacksmithing: (Entry) 3/100]
__________
There's gonna be a time skip so hold on!
Thanks for reading the chapters and bookmarking the novel. See ya on the next chaps! XDD!