"Well, anyway," Kakashi said, his tone suddenly light again, "I don't really like kids who are too smart.
Too hard to fool.
Let's just take a C-rank mission."
His expression softened in an instant, looking as gentle as ever.
He walked up to the mission board, glanced over the list, and scratched his head.
"C-ranks really aren't much of a challenge," he muttered. "Judging from your performance, I think we could even consider a B-rank."
"Kakashi-sama, please don't joke like that…"
The chunin in charge of mission assignments, Hiraga, went pale.
"Hiraga, it's just a B-rank. When you graduated at twelve, didn't they toss you straight onto the battlefield to fight enemy ninja?"
Kakashi yawned.
"That was different," Hiraga protested.
"Okay, okay. I'll go ask the Hokage directly. You three wait here."
Kakashi clearly had no interest in debating.
Hiraga obviously didn't have the authority to approve B-ranks for a fresh genin team anyway.
Better to go straight to the Third.
Tenten could barely contain herself, her cheeks flushing pink from excitement as she turned to Souma.
A B-rank mission.
An actual chance to fight real ninja.
Kasa didn't show it on her face, but her eyes were just as bright.
Souma raised a hand slightly.
"Don't get too excited. B-rank usually means dealing with standard shinobi, but there are always exceptions. Rogue ninja move unpredictably, and mission intel isn't always accurate."
"Exactly!" Hiraga nodded repeatedly. "You really are a famous prodigy. B-rank missions are dangerous—sometimes even proper chunin squads get wiped out."
He stepped forward and grabbed Souma's hand, eyes shining.
"So please, you must talk Kakashi-sama out of this."
Souma's expression turned a little… odd.
Talk him out of it?
What gave this man the impression he didn't want a B-rank?
He'd only said conservative things earlier to keep his teammates from getting too inflated.
He was just about to pull Tenten and Kasa aside for a private talk when a familiar, heavy tobacco smell drifted through the hall.
Not many men in Konoha carried that kind of scent.
Souma turned his head—
Asuma stood in a corner, a cigarette dangling from his lips, giving him a small wave.
"Eh? Kakashi-sensei told us to wait here. Where are you going?" Tenten quickly caught Souma's sleeve as he started walking.
"I'll just be in the main hall," Souma said. "You two stay here. I'll come back when sensei returns."
He didn't bother explaining.
Asuma had clearly used a little genjutsu or sensory misdirection; Tenten and Kasa didn't have the perception to notice anything was off.
Souma walked over.
Asuma slouched further back into the corner, took a deep drag, then patted the ground beside him, indicating Souma should sit.
Souma's expression was… a bit strange.
"The one outside is a clone?"
"Yeah." Asuma exhaled heavily. "It's all your fault, kid. Showing up and disappearing like that, now I have to 'perform' outside."
He sounded genuinely unhappy.
It wasn't that he minded trading jutsu.
But why did he have to stand in front of everyone and demonstrate Ultra Limit taijutsu?
Total social death.
Souma coughed lightly.
"Ahaha… Asuma-senpai, you can't blame me for that. I only made a suggestion. I didn't tell the Third to drag you out as a stage prop."
He waved a hand in front of his face to fan away the smoke.
"The old man, seriously…" Asuma grumbled. "Still, I'll admit—your taijutsu is pretty damn good."
He flicked the ash off his cigarette.
"If I'm not mistaken, that version you shared is just the easier form, isn't it?"
"Mm. Kakashi-sensei said the full version is close to opening the First Gate," Souma replied. "Lasts even longer than that, too—but it's extremely hard to learn."
Asuma wasn't as unhinged as Might Guy, nor as annoyingly playful as Kakashi.
Aside from the second-hand smoke problem, he was pretty easy to get along with.
He gave a faint smile, letting out a slow breath.
"Landou told me he wants you to help modify their Iron Wall Seal."
"Yeah. Their barrier and sealing technique works, but it's not perfect. I see room for improvement."
Souma nodded.
Asuma squinted at him.
"So what exactly do you want from the Fire Temple?"
The question came out of nowhere.
Souma blinked.
"…Why would you think that, Asuma-senpai?"
Asuma let out a low chuckle.
"Heh."
He shot Souma a sideways glance, then curled his lip slightly.
"You're not a selfish kid.
Most of the time, you're actually pretty selfless.
But when it comes to knowledge, your appetite is… not normal."
"…Is it that obvious?"
Souma hadn't really planned to hide it.
"Talent of the Sage Clan" was not a common jutsu.
If he wanted to touch it someday, he'd inevitably have to stay in contact with Landou and Asuma.
Landou didn't know him well, so he couldn't see it yet.
But Konoha's jonin?
They'd done their homework.
Especially Asuma—the Hokage's son.
Asuma rolled the unlit cigarette between his lips and said:
"The old man said so himself—
you've definitely taken a liking to something at the Fire Temple."
"Tch. He's the one who feels shy about asking, so he's using you as a knife." Souma put on a serious, sympathetic look. "If it were me, I couldn't stand being used like that, Asuma-senpai."
Asuma glanced at him, then clicked his tongue.
He was quiet for a few moments, then jabbed a finger lightly at Souma's shoulder.
"All right, then. What do you want? I need to know how to talk to Landou.
He is my friend—I can't just throw him under the cart."
"I want the knowledge behind the 'Talent of the Sage Clan.'"
Since Asuma had already said this much, Souma saw no point in dancing around it.
The answer didn't surprise Asuma at all.
"Yeah. That's going to be tough."
He reflexively reached for his lighter, but remembered Souma didn't like smoke.
He fished out a cigarette, but only held it between his teeth without lighting it.
"That's the Fire Temple's core secret technique," he said around the filter.
"I don't need the complete jutsu," Souma said. "Just the foundational theory. They can treat it as an investment. Teach me the basics of the Sage Clan's chakra, and I'll create techniques based on it and share them in return. Mutual benefit."
He laid it out patiently.
The older man chewed the cigarette lightly and gave a small nod.
No one in the village doubted Souma's talent.
Give this kid access to Sage Clan chakra theory and he'd absolutely create dangerous new arts.
But that was exactly why it was a problem.
It was the Fire Temple's core secret…
Even if Asuma himself could use it.
He thought a long while, then finally said:
"I'll ask for you."
Souma clasped his hands together and bowed his head.
"Then I'll be counting on you!"
"Don't make it sound so heavy," Asuma scoffed. "Like you said—mutual benefit.
If it were up to me alone, I'd already have agreed."
"Magnanimous as always, Asuma-senpai. If this works out, I definitely won't forget your help."
Souma gave him a big thumbs-up.
Asuma exhaled through his nose.
"Actually, there is something I want to ask you for."
He straightened up, his expression finally turning serious.
"I've been back in the village for a while now. Next year, I'll probably be assigned to a genin squad. When that happens, I'm going to need your help."
"Me?" Souma blinked. "Help you with… what, exactly?"
"Kakashi says you're full of 'interesting' ideas."
Asuma smirked.
"I thought about it, and yeah—only you could probably deal with that kid."
"You're taking Nara Shikamaru as a student?" Souma asked.
Asuma raised an eyebrow.
"Kakashi was right. You really are crafty. I didn't even say his name, and you figured it out."
Souma's mouth twitched.
"…Let's say I might be able to help. If I've got time, I'll design an exam for him. But I can't guarantee it'll fool him completely."
"That's fine," Asuma said. "As long as it's better than anything I'd come up with, I'll be satisfied."
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