Front-line Command Center.
Orochimaru turned around and looked at the three of them: "Once the war begins, this batch of supplies will be used entirely against us."
The air inside the command center seemed to freeze.
Aokawa also understood that this meant they were to destroy these supplies.
As for why they sought out this patrol squad instead of dispatching an Elite Jonin to execute the mission,
it was likely related to his own abilities.
As expected!
Orochimaru continued, "So, I need you to infiltrate and destroy these supplies."
He flicked his snake-like tongue and licked his lips, looking at Aokawa with great interest. "And Aokawa-kun, your ability can greatly reduce the difficulty of this mission."
"Will there be a Jonin leading us on the mission?" Aokawa asked.
When the patrol squad was first formed, it was said that if high-difficulty missions were to be executed, a Jonin would lead the team.
Even though his long-range capabilities were perfectly suited for this kind of mission, he only had an advantage in the detonation phase; the other steps were still indispensable.
But from just now until now, Orochimaru hadn't mentioned a word about a Jonin leading the team.
"No," Orochimaru's voice was raspy, speaking slowly and deliberately, yet his answer was very blunt.
Manpower was tight on the Front Lines; every bit of combat power counted.
Besides, Orochimaru felt that with Aokawa present, completing this mission wouldn't be a problem.
Uchiha Shisui and Might Guy both looked toward Aokawa upon hearing this.
Clearly, Uchiha Shisui was the captain, yet the team's decision-making power seemed to be held by Aokawa.
"Interesting!"
Orochimaru watched this scene with a faint smile, then said, "Although there is no Jonin, I believe the role Aokawa-kun will play in this mission is much greater than that of a Jonin."
"Lord Orochimaru, sabotage behind enemy lines... the difficulty of this mission should be at least S-rank, right?" Aokawa looked very troubled. "I'm just a student who hasn't even graduated, Guy is only a Genin, and Shisui is only..."
"Enough, Aokawa-kun!" Orochimaru interrupted Aokawa directly. "Just say it, what kind of support do you need?"
Seeing this, Aokawa was overjoyed inwardly.
How could a few words make him risk his life? He had to get something substantial out of it.
He immediately requested concisely, "I need some basic knowledge of Sealing Techniques, as well as the Sealing Techniques used on Explosive Tags!"
"Granted!"
"Shisui and Guy also need some support in terms of Ninjutsu and Taijutsu."
"No problem!" Orochimaru's answer was very crisp and decisive.
He didn't even ask what these requests had to do with the mission.
In his view, as long as the mission was accomplished, it was fine.
"Then I have no further questions," Aokawa responded.
"Good. Go and rest first. I've already arranged for others to cover the area the First Patrol Squad was responsible for."
"As for the mission, you can consider executing it when I launch the attack on the main Battlefield."
"Yes!"
Uchiha Shisui and Guy responded in unison and were about to turn and leave, but they stopped when they saw Aokawa standing still in a daze.
Orochimaru looked at the motionless Aokawa.
After a long while, he suddenly laughed eerily. "Aokawa-kun, you really are an interesting person!"
He grinned, the corners of his mouth slowly pulling back toward his cheeks, and opened his mouth wide. His snake-like tongue curled around a scroll and spat it out.
"This is the Explosive Seal!" He handed the scroll to Aokawa and wrote a note. "For Sealing Technique knowledge, Ninjutsu, and Taijutsu, go to the Logistics Warehouse and pick them out yourselves."
"Thank you, Lord Orochimaru!" Aokawa didn't mind the slimy liquid on it and took the scroll and the note with a smile.
As the three left the command center, both Uchiha Shisui and Might Guy breathed a sigh of relief.
The pressure of facing Orochimaru was far greater than facing dozens of enemies.
"Aokawa, you were really..." Shisui didn't know what words to use to describe it. In that situation, probably only Aokawa would dare to bargain with Orochimaru.
"I can't just risk my life for nothing." Aokawa waved the scroll and the note in his hand. "Let's go, let's head to the warehouse first and see what good stuff is there."
The manager of the Logistics Warehouse saw Orochimaru's note and didn't ask a single question, directly opening the storehouse where Ninjutsu and Taijutsu were kept.
"Pick them yourselves, but be careful not to exceed the quota on the note."
Uchiha Shisui chose a B-rank Genjutsu and a book on swordsmanship insights.
Might Guy, without hesitation, chose a training method called "Dynamic Taijutsu," which would allow him to burst with even greater power.
Seeing this, Aokawa asked, "Guy, I remember you can use Ninjutsu, right?"
"I can!" Might Guy responded straightforwardly.
As he spoke, he struck an exaggerated pose. "But! Youth means pouring all your strength into Taijutsu!"
"Do you have the Lightning attribute?"
"I do! But youth means pouring all your strength..." Might Guy was about to strike his youth pose again.
Aokawa quickly held him down. "I'm not asking you to practice Ninjutsu. When you have time, master the Nature Transformation of Lightning Release Chakra. I have something good for you!"
Seeing that Might Guy seemed uninterested, he added, "It's about physical stimulation."
As soon as he finished speaking, Might Guy's eyes instantly lit up, and his well-developed tear ducts gushed out two exaggerated streams of tears. He rushed over and hugged Aokawa. "Aokawa, you truly are my lifelong friend!"
"Don't come near me!" Aokawa quickly pushed him away in disgust.
Ever since obtaining the Lightning Release Body Forging Method, Aokawa had been training almost every day recently.
Under the Quincy's precise energy control ability, he could get it just right every time, with remarkable results.
If Might Guy could train this way, he might be able to open the Eight Gates even earlier than in the original timeline.
As for the stimulation intensity, with himself there, he could completely help him adjust it every once in a while so Guy could just remember the sensation.
Seeing that the two had finished their selection, Aokawa also began looking for the Sealing Technique knowledge he wanted.
After registering the items they had chosen, the three returned to their respective Barracks.
As soon as Aokawa entered his Barracks, he took out the basic knowledge of Sealing Techniques and began reading.
Although Orochimaru hadn't explicitly said when the next attack would be,
he still needed to master the Explosive Seal as quickly as possible.
Every bit of combat power counted.
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