69novels Chapter 187 Response and Promotion
Chapter 187 Response and Promotion
Chapter 187 Response and Promotion
There was no rush to return to the village, but having been away from home for so long, how could they waste time on the road? Although they didn't travel day and night, both teams did their best. Even so, it was estimated that it would take three days to get back to the village.
However, even faster than them was the communication eagle that had been flying in the sky. Before Taiichi and the others had even left the front line, it had already flown to Konoha a day in advance with Jiraiya's letter.
In just over a day, the communication hawk arrived in Konoha. When the ninja in charge of intelligence saw the urgent message marked as the highest priority, he was so shocked that he almost broke the hawk's leg.
In less than 10 minutes, after a series of procedures including confirmation, delivery, and notification, the urgent letter finally reached the Hokage's hands.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the urgent letter in his hand and didn't dare to hesitate. He even forgot about the cigarette he was smoking halfway through and opened the letter directly.
The first thing you see is the eye-catching headline: "Iwa and Sand Ceasefire, Target Suspected to be Konoha."
My pupils contracted; the thing I feared most had happened.
Continuing to read, the letter recounts Minato and Taichi's experiences in the Land of Birds, along with Jiraiya's own and his advisors' speculations.
The letter ended with a brief mention that Minato and Taichi's team had returned to the village to report for duty, and that Taichi had learned the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Finally, at the end, we saw some good news. Unexpectedly, Taichi actually learned the Flying Thunder God Technique.
As a disciple of the second generation, he was all too aware of how difficult this ninjutsu was to learn and its strategic value.
Firstly, he himself had studied the Flying Thunder God Technique, but unfortunately, he didn't have the talent and couldn't learn it even if he wanted to. In the end, he could only give up on the advice of his teacher, Tobirama.
The fact that Konoha has gained another user of the Flying Thunder God Technique at this time is undoubtedly a very good thing. It means that Konoha's tactics can be more flexible and varied in the future, which increases their chances of winning.
However, the power of one person is always limited, and that faint joy was quickly dispelled by deep worry.
The letter mentions that Sunagakure and Iwagakure may have joined forces. What could make them set aside their hatred must be a greater benefit, and that is undoubtedly the Land of Fire.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had a headache, and since he was having a headache, he couldn't let others have it easy either. So, half an hour later, the highest-ranking officials of Konoha gathered once again in the Hokage's office, racking their brains over how Konoha should proceed next.
Leaving aside the arguments and excuses of the Konoha F4, Taichi and Minato's team finally returned to Konoha after three days of travel.
Looking at the not-so-grand gates of Konoha, a sense of peace and relaxation welled up within me; perhaps this is what home feels like.
Ninjas on the road, even in their camps, must always maintain a degree of vigilance. Only when they return to Konoha, to their homes, can they truly relax.
Stepping through the gates of Konoha, the bustling activity and noise remained unchanged; the streets of Konoha were not much quieter due to the war.
"Everyone has had a long journey, so let's part ways here. You can go back and rest first, while Taichi and I will go to report to the Hokage."
Minato turned around and said to everyone, "After such a long journey, the team is really eager to go home. Now, I naturally want everyone to go back and reunite with their families first."
Taiichi nodded to Yohei and Saori, "Go ahead, everyone take a few more days to rest. We'll let you know when we'll meet up."
"Yes!" *5
Watching their teammates leave, Minato and Taichi didn't linger any longer and headed straight for the Hokage Building. They were both eager to go home and visit their teammates.
Inside the Hokage Building, a somber atmosphere, completely different from that of Konoha Village, filled the air. The mission hall was filled with ninjas hurrying about, their usual leisurely demeanor gone; most were rushing off as soon as they received a mission.
Minato and Taiichi were also affected by the atmosphere. The ease and comfort they had when they first returned to the village disappeared from their faces, replaced by calmness and seriousness.
Pushing open the door to the Flame Office, amidst the billowing smoke, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood before a massive map of the ninja world, his furrowed brows seemingly trying to etch every detail of the map into his mind.
I don't know when this map was moved to the Hokage's office. Anyway, Taichi had never seen it before when he came here several times.
On one side of the map, advisor elders Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were also present, all three remaining silent, clearly contemplating some important decision.
"Lord Hokage." Minato and Taichi bowed simultaneously, their voices breaking the silence in the room.
"It's you guys, Minato and Taichi. You've finally returned." Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around, his face showing his usual gentleness, but the deep worry in his eyes was still clearly visible.
"I have read the report that Jiraiya and Shikaku sent back via the communication hawk. Thank you for your hard work! Now I would like to hear your thoughts as frontline personnel."
Minato, as a Jonin, spoke first, recounting their observations on the edge of the battlefield at the border of the land of wind and earth, how Sunagakure changed its offensive strategy to a defensive posture after establishing a camp in the Land of Birds, and the strange restraint between the two sides after Iwagakure's probing attack.
Until the very end, the patrol routes of the two groups of ninjas were clearly separated.
Minato recounted everything clearly and concisely, highlighting the key points. His narration was calm and objective, devoid of excessive personal emotion, yet it allowed the Hokage and the two advisors to understand details not mentioned in the report.
Taiyi added to the discussion, including what he had observed about the changes in logistical supplies on both sides while traveling alone.
He specifically mentioned: "Sunagakure's counterattack was efficient and targeted, clearly the result of meticulous planning and command. However, the tacit standoff between the two sides in the Land of Birds afterwards did not seem like that of mortal enemies who had just experienced a fierce battle. It was more like that they had their own agendas and reached some kind of truce."
Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly walked back to his seat, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table: "Based on what you have seen with your own eyes, the situation is now very clear. Whether or not Sunagakure and Iwagakure have signed a formal ceasefire agreement, at least for now, their target has shifted from each other to our Konoha, or rather, to the prosperous Land of Fire."
Mitokado Homura said in a deep voice, "I never expected that the chaos caused by the death of the Third Kazekage would evolve into a coordinated attack against Konoha in such a short time. Truly, things are unpredictable!"
"This is the ninja world." Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, his gaze refocusing on Minato and Taichi. "But it is precisely because the situation has changed so drastically that the information you brought back is all the more valuable and timely."
Minato, your assessment of the situation and your intelligence gathering were outstanding. You truly deserve to be Jiraiya's most trusted disciple, and you have never let the village down.
"It is my duty, Hokage-sama." Minato nodded slightly, his tone humble.
Then, the Third Hokage turned his gaze to Taiichi, his worried expression now tinged with a complex mix of surprise, admiration, and a hint of relief.
"As for you, Taichi—" Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was filled with joy, "In these three months of missions, you not only killed many Jonin, but also saved the lives of a large number of Konoha ninjas with medical ninjutsu, preventing Konoha from suffering greater losses. You also brought back information about the Kazekage and his corpse, in addition to your outstanding performance in this reconnaissance mission."
Each of these achievements is dazzling on its own, and I originally intended to promote you directly to Jonin, but unfortunately—”
A hint of regret flickered in the Hokage's eyes. "According to the village's rules, to be promoted to Jonin, one needs not only sufficient merit and strength, but also to complete a certain number of high-level missions to accumulate experience."
"Sigh! You haven't been a ninja long enough; you're still some distance from meeting the basic requirements for promotion to Jonin."
Taiichi listened calmly, not surprised by the result. He simply nodded slightly: "Yes, I understand the village rules."
"But!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice suddenly rose, and he changed the subject, "While I can't promote you to Jonin, I can promote you to Special Jonin."
The emphasis of being promoted to Special Jonin is not on the total number of missions, but on possessing exceptional abilities in a specific area that surpass those of regular Jonin, making one capable of undertaking heavy responsibilities in that field! Your Flying Thunder God Technique, along with your superb medical ninjutsu, is more than enough to earn you this honor!
He took a deep breath and said decisively, "Your contributions and strength are evident to both the village and me. We wanted to promote you to Special Grade earlier, but you weren't in the village then. Now the time is right. Therefore, in the name of the Hokage, I have decided—"
The Third Hokage stood up, his gaze sharp as he looked at Taichi: "Chunin Matsushita Taichi, from this day forward, you are officially promoted to Special Jonin of Konoha! I hope you will continue your efforts and shoulder even greater responsibilities in protecting the village!"
After he finished speaking, the office fell silent. Minato's face showed a genuine smile of satisfaction, and he nodded slightly to Taiichi.
The two advisors exchanged a glance. Although they did not offer their congratulations, their eyes conveyed their approval of the decision—the young man before them was beyond reproach in terms of both achievements and abilities.
Although Taiyi had anticipated this, when he officially heard the decision, an indescribable emotion still welled up in his chest. It wasn't pure joy, but more like a heavy responsibility and mission falling on his shoulders.
"Yes! Thank you for your trust, Hokage-sama and the village! I, especially Jonin Matsushita Taichi, will do my utmost to live up to your expectations!"
"Alright!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's worries seemed to be relieved a little by this decision. "The atmosphere of impending war is already very strong. Enjoy this brief peace, take a good rest, and spend time with your family."
"Perhaps tomorrow, perhaps next week, war could break out again at any moment. When that happens, the village will need your strength. The storms to come will arrive faster and more fiercely than we imagine."
"Yes!" Minato and Taichi replied in unison.
After leaving the Hokage's office, Minato accompanied Taichi to complete the follow-up procedures for his promotion to Special Jonin, which is why Taichi couldn't be promoted before when he wasn't in the village.
These procedures are not merely necessary formalities, but also a kind of ritual, allowing promoted ninjas to deepen their sense of responsibility and identity through this series of steps.
After completing all the formalities, Taichi officially became a special Jonin.
"Congratulations, Taichi! You're now the youngest Special Jonin in Konoha's history, and you might even become the youngest Jonin in the future."
"1
Minato congratulated him, saying that he was very happy to have witnessed history today.
"Haha, I haven't thanked you yet for helping me with these procedures, Senior Brother Minato. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have been able to finish in a day."
"Don't be so formal!" Minato laughed, patting Taichi on the shoulder. "Isn't this the perfect time for me, as his senior, to lend a hand?"
Then his expression turned anxious, clearly he was thinking of someone and was now impatient. "Alright, now that things are done, Taiyi, you should go back now. I won't keep you company any longer!"
Taiichi looked enlightened. "I understand, I understand. Minato-senpai must be missing Kushina-neechan. Go on your way, don't worry about me."
As he spoke, he waved goodbye to Minato, and then in a flash, Minato had vanished without a trace.
"Wow, this is the Flying Thunder God Technique! It's so convenient. I'm going to leave my mark all over the ninja world so I can go wherever I want." Taiichi made up his mind.
Pushing open the long-closed door, a few specks of dust drifted down from the lintel. Tai looked up and saw that spiders had already made their home in the corner of the lintel.
That's the downside of living alone in a big courtyard. When I'm away on missions for long periods of time, the house not only needs to be cleaned up when I come back, but it also feels completely lifeless.
Looking at the empty courtyard, Taiyi's mind raced, and he immediately came up with a plan that would kill two birds with one stone.
He formed two shadow clones, one going out to buy groceries and the other heading to the orphanage, while his main body went out and headed towards Konoha Hospital.
Konoha Hospital is always one of the busiest places in the village, especially now that the frequency of ninja missions has increased, and a large number of skilled ninjas have been transferred to the front lines, resulting in Konoha Hospital not only having limited medical capabilities but also significantly reduced efficiency.
Now, thanks to her outstanding medical ninjutsu, Nono has taken on the position of head of the hospital's emergency department, and she is busier than ever before.
As Taiichi entered the emergency room, he saw Nonou treating a Chunin with a broken hand. Behind her were four young ninjas.
This scene reminded Taiichi of the time he had been lecturing to numerous medical ninjas at the frontline medical camp not long ago. It seemed that Nonou was training apprentices, and Konoha had realized the shortage of medical ninjas and was beginning to strengthen its medical ninja training efforts.
Indeed, a good medical ninja is invaluable to the front lines. Take Taiichi for example; if he hadn't participated in the southern front, the casualties would have at least doubled.
Compared to the losses caused by such heavy casualties, the cost of training medical ninjas is just a drop in the ocean.
The higher-ups in Konoha have a very clear understanding of this.
After Nono finished treating the injuries, she explained in detail the precautions for treating fractures to the four apprentices behind her. This was not a front-line camp, so she couldn't just use the injured to practice on the apprentices like Taiichi had done before.
These apprentices could only take notes and meticulously record each step before practicing on other small animals.
Nono stood up, feeling as if a gaze had been fixed on her since before. She had been busy with treatment and hadn't had time to notice anything else, but now that she had a moment, she immediately turned around to look back.
The first thing that caught my eye was a big smiling face in the crowd, waving its arms as it looked over.
"Taiichi!" Nonou exclaimed in surprise.