At this time, the door to the Konoha mission reception office was pushed open, and the afternoon sunlight streamed into the slightly noisy hall along with the figures of people.
Konoha actually has a dedicated mission reception office. After all, there are tens of thousands of official ninjas, and the Hokage can't personally handle every mission. For ordinary missions, the Hokage only personally assists newly graduated classes and rookies in the early stages.
"Oh, it's Shinichi!"
"Shinichi came to accept a mission? Is he alone this time? He's not with Lady Tsunade, Shizune, or Kurenai?"
"Hey, great manga artist! When are you going to update the next chapter? When will the Legendary Cookware arc finally begin? I've been itching to see it!"
"Shinichi-kun, that newly opened dango shop you recommended last time was really good!"
As soon as Shinichi appeared at the door, enthusiastic greetings rang out from all over the hall, from familiar Chunin and Jonins to staff members stationed at the reception desk.
There were even a few Genin who were resting and were clearly fans of his manga.
Shinichi's signature gentle smile appeared on his face as he walked inside, calmly responding to the voices coming from all directions.
He was friendly and handled things appropriately, neither neglecting anyone nor lingering in one place, walking steadily toward the task posting window.
Along the way, almost everyone was willing to greet him or make a harmless joke. The atmosphere at the reception area seemed to become more lively and relaxed because of his arrival, which shows that he was indeed very popular in the village.
As he approached the empty window, a kind-looking middle-aged receptionist was already smiling at him.
"Here, this is the latest mission list."
The receptionist handed a thick mission scroll booklet through the window while speaking in a familiar tone.
"Thank you for your trouble, senior."
Shinichi smiled modestly, took the scroll, leaned against the counter, and began to browse through it quickly.
Although he is a member of Team 10, as a Chunin and a backbone of the Konoha ninja system, he is qualified to independently accept C-rank and B-rank missions, as long as they do not conflict with Team 10's group mission schedule.
Over the past few months, he has occasionally taken on short, independent tasks during breaks from team missions, and the reception desk staff have grown accustomed to his approach.
As for whether there will be any unexpected events when going on a mission alone, or whether it will arouse the ill intentions of some people?
Go tell that to my senior Monkey King Enma and Big Sister Katsuyu.
When you're out in the world, you have to rely on your background!
As he glanced at the mission descriptions, Shinichi casually asked, "Senior, are there any near the village today? Preferably something that can be completed with a round trip on the same day."
"Heh, there actually is one."
The receptionist grinned with some pride, pulled out a mission sheet that had already been set aside, and handed it over. "Take a look at this. Tsukimi Village, northeast of the village. An old problem. Brown bears are harassing the villagers. Rated C-rank. It's very close. With your speed, you can get there in a day. It shouldn't be much trouble to deal with. If things go smoothly, you might even be able to rush back tomorrow morning for breakfast, hahaha."
Shinichi took the mission sheet and looked at the familiar village name and the mission description of the brown bear threat. He couldn't help but smile as well.
"Tsukimi Village? Them again? I remember they had a similar request last year. Those big guys in the mountains still haven't settled down after more than a year?"
"Who knows?"
The receptionist shrugged, speaking with a somewhat helpless, teasing tone. "Anyway, their village reports it every year, and we send people every year."
"Alright, I'll take this one. Please help me register it, senior."
"Got it!"
The receptionist swiftly began handling the procedures. While stamping the documents, he said, "Shinichi, although it's just brown bears, still be careful. When wild beasts go mad, they're not to be underestimated."
"Understood. Thank you for the reminder, senior."
Shinichi nodded, took the stamped mission scroll, and carefully stored it.
When he left the reception office, another wave of farewells and teasing rose one after another.
"Shinichi, be careful on the mission!"
"Come back early, we're waiting to read the new chapter!"
"Finish it quickly and come back, I'll treat you to a barbecue!"
Shinichi smiled and waved. His figure quickly blended into the flow of people on Konoha's streets, steadily heading toward the village gate.
…
Night fell like ink, dyeing the dense forest near Tsukimi Village into a bottomless darkness.
Deep in the mountains, far from the village lights, a campfire crackled, becoming the only jumping light source in the dark.
Above the flames, on a simple roasting rack made of thick branches, large chunks of bear meat were skewered, sizzling with oil and giving off a rich aroma.
Beside the fire sat an unusually tall and sturdy young man. He looked about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a tough, well-defined face.
The temperament forged by the snowstorms and swordsmanship of the Land of Iron made him appear several years more mature and stern than his actual age.
At this moment, he was sitting cross-legged without any concern for his image, holding a large, freshly cut piece of bear leg meat that had been roasted to a crisp outside and tender inside.
He tore into it with big bites, grease covering his mouth as he ate heartily and unrestrainedly.
Beside him, a small pot simmered with a thick soup made from wild vegetables and bear bones, steam rising continuously.
His iconic katana, along with that imposing long-handled halberd, were casually leaning against a nearby tree trunk, their blades occasionally reflecting a cold glint in the firelight.
At that moment, an extremely faint sound came from the edge of the forest, the rustling of branches and leaves almost blending with the night wind.
The young man by the fire, Isshin, did not pause his chewing at all. He didn't even lift his eyelids, as if the sound were merely the movement of the mountain wind. He remained focused on the roasted meat in his hand and the hot soup in front of him.
A moment later, Shinichi Higashino's figure silently emerged from the shadows of the forest.
His face bore a resemblance to the boy by the campfire, but he appeared more youthful and handsome, possessing the refined and capable qualities of a ninja after systematic training. This was distinctly different from Isshin's rugged features, which carried an exotic and wild quality.
Shinichi glanced at the clone devouring food beside the campfire, then swept his gaze over the two brown bear corpses lying nearby that had already lost all signs of life.
He walked straight behind Isshin and naturally reached out, lightly patting his broad and solid shoulder.
At the moment his palms touched Isshin's shoulder, an invisible connection was triggered.
Deep within Shinichi's consciousness, the talent representing [Clone (Blue)] began to shimmer faintly, and the operational interface related to the distribution of talents clearly appeared within his mind.
With a slight movement of his thoughts, like operating a precise instrument, he quickly and skillfully adjusted the allocation and activation states of several talents on Isshin's body.
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