SWNOVELXO Chapter 39: Chapter 40
Most of the communication to and from Konoha was handled through Might Guy's psychic beast, allowing them to receive missions from the village without delay.
"The next mission has arrived. The content is: Protect Mr. Tazuna and ensure the completion of the bridge construction project. Mission Rank: C-level,"
Might Guy read the mission scroll aloud to Tian Yu before exhaling deeply.
"This mission's too simple," he sighed.
"Lately, the two of us have been handling B-level missions. Going back to a C-level job now just doesn't feel exciting at all~"
Even Might Guy, known for his energy and spirit, considered this mission boring. That said a lot.
But Tian Yu, standing beside him, froze for a moment.
Tazuna?
Isn't that the bridge-building mission in the Land of Waves?
In the original timeline, this was Naruto's first C-rank mission under Kakashi's lead. How did it end up assigned to him and Guy-sensei instead?
It must have been his appearance in the timeline that shifted the plot, altering the mission's assignment.
On paper, this was a C-rank mission, but Tian Yu knew the true danger behind it—it was more like an A-rank mission in disguise.
Though he didn't particularly like clients like Tazuna who lied about mission details and withheld crucial information,
This mission was far from dull.
Because on this mission, they'd encounter the rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist—Zabuza Momochi!
Tian Yu had always wanted to face him. Not only for Zabuza's elite jōnin-level combat ability, but also for the legendary weapon he carried—
The Executioner's Blade!
Tian Yu couldn't wait to find out:
Would Zabuza's blade be stronger than the one he forged with his own hands?
At that moment, the familiar voice of the system chimed in his ear:
[New Quest Triggered: Collect blood samples from the Executioner's Blade and from an Ice Release user.
Quest Reward: Forging Blueprint – Zanpakutō: Hyōrinmaru (Great Red Lotus Ice Wheel Maru)]
The moment that notification popped into Tian Yu's mind, his breath hitched.
Oh my god… seriously?
Tian Yu rarely showed this level of surprise.
Even when he unlocked a Six-Path Sage-level blueprint with six-star difficulty, he hadn't been this excited.
Because this time, the reward wasn't just any weapon—it was a Zanpakutō!
Hyōrinmaru, the weapon of the Tenth Division Captain Hitsugaya Tōshirō from the Shinigami world.
Its range was immense, its elemental attack—ice and snow—devastating.
This was the strongest ice-type Zanpakutō!
Tian Yu was all in.
"We're taking this mission!" Tian Yu exclaimed, eyes shining with determination and energy.
Might Guy blinked, confused.
"???"
Didn't he usually complain about the monotony of B-level missions? Why was he suddenly so hyped for a C-rank?
Was it Guy who had a fever… or Tian Yu?
Might Guy seriously suspected that something was off between them.
---
At a small tavern near the borders of the Land of Waves,
Tian Yu and Might Guy met with Tazuna—the client.
Although it was a year earlier than the original timeline, Tazuna didn't look as worn out or drunk as he had when Kakashi's team met him. He looked a bit more collected.
Still, when his eyes fell on Tian Yu,
There was doubt.
"So... you're telling me that among the people handling this mission, the kid is the only one who's a shinobi?" Tazuna asked, narrowing his eyes.
Might Guy answered the client with a smile and a serious tone, "Indeed. This young man is my disciple, and his strength is now close to mine. With the two of us, this mission will be completed without issue."
"Huh?" Tazuna raised his brows and chuckled mockingly, "Mr. Guy, are you kidding? This brat—what is he, 10? 11? If he's that powerful, why hasn't he even made genin?"
"I'm twelve this year," Tian Yu said with a calm smile.
"Still just a kid," Tazuna muttered, taking a swig of his sake.
But the moment he put down his cup—
The glint of a kunai flashed through the air, and it was already pressed against his throat.
A chilling touch ran across his skin,
And a faint pink line traced across his neck.
Tian Yu smiled, his expression unchanged.
"Mr. Tazuna, if you still doubt my ability, I don't mind slitting your throat right now."
What…?
He's insane!
A total maniac!
But more terrifying was that Tazuna could feel it—
This 12-year-old boy had the intent to kill.
Tazuna's face turned ghostly pale.
His blood felt like it was flowing in reverse, and his whole body stiffened in fear.
He had no doubt that if he pushed any further, this child would actually kill him!
"I-I'm the client! You can't kill me! That goes against the shinobi rules—your mission rules!" Tazuna shouted, panic in his voice.
Tian Yu's smile widened slightly.
"Technically, I'm not an official shinobi yet. And since I've yet to acknowledge you as my client…"
His voice dropped, calm and cold.
"…I could kill you, and it wouldn't violate anything. So—do you still question my strength?"
---
Chapter 44: Mission to the Land of Waves
"N-no. I believe you," Tazuna stammered, cold sweat dripping down his temples.
So this was the fearsome reality of a ninja?
Even a child could become a walking weapon of death.
From that moment, Tazuna couldn't help but look at Tian Yu with genuine respect—and fear.
"Good."
Tian Yu nodded, finally sheathing his kunai.
He believed that a little early intimidation would help prevent future problems.
"Let's move."
With that, Tian Yu, Might Guy, and Tazuna exited the tavern,
Beginning their journey toward the Land of Waves—a small, poor country situated on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water.
Because Tazuna was a civilian, they couldn't travel using ninja speeds. They had to go at a much slower, more mundane pace.
"At this speed, we'll take at least two days to reach the Land of Waves," Tian Yu muttered after checking the map, his brows slightly furrowed.
Wasting time on traveling didn't sit well with him.
He glanced at the dark gold ring on his finger.
This was no ordinary accessory—it was an intermediate-level spatial storage ring, rated five stars!
With a full 100 cubic meters of space, it dwarfed his earlier storage rings. And most importantly,
It could safely hold living beings!
Of course,
Tian Yu would never let someone like Tazuna enter this ring. It stored countless treasures, weapons, and blueprints he'd forged over the years.
Even Might Guy didn't know the full functions of the ring—it was Tian Yu's greatest secret.
From within the ring, he withdrew a mechanical bird no larger than his palm.
"What's that?" Tazuna asked, intrigued.
"Mechanical bird. We'll use this for faster travel," Tian Yu answered plainly.
"So tiny? I couldn't even fit one foot on it!" Tazuna scoffed.
Tian Yu didn't bother arguing.
He activated the transformation switch on the bird's body,
And in a matter of seconds, the small device unfolded and expanded, segment by segment, into a massive bird-like machine more than two meters tall with wings stretching over five meters wide!
Tazuna's jaw dropped.
As an experienced architect,
He had a solid understanding of mechanical design. This level of craftsmanship stunned him.
He couldn't help but estimate the machine's value in his mind.
A million ryo? No… 30 million? No, even more—at least 100 million ryo!
The moment that number formed in his mind, he froze.
100 million—enough to equal the annual revenue of a small country like the Land of Waves for five years!
How in the world could a 12-year-old boy have access to something so valuable?
He wasn't just a powerful ninja—he was richer than some countries!
Meanwhile, Tian Yu didn't care about Tazuna's stunned expression.
To him, the mechanical bird was nothing special—it was forged from a four-star blueprint, similar to the puppet birds used by Sasori of the Red Sand.
Mostly used for travel and messaging.
Nothing major.
At first, Might Guy had been equally surprised by Tian Yu's bizarre and powerful tools,
But by now, he'd gotten used to it. Seeing Tazuna's dumbfounded face made him chuckle internally.
He wasn't the only one who'd had his worldview shattered by Tian Yu.
Apparently, everyone went through the same reaction.