"For the next few days, we can temporarily slow down the offensive against Konoha. Let the main force rest. I will personally lead a team to deal with this Shinichi Higashino, who keeps harassing us."
"Once Toroi and the others arrive, we will launch another large-scale offensive against Konoha. At that time, we will surely break the stalemate and push the battle line into the heart of the Land of Fire."
"B, you…"
"Uncle, I'm fine."
Blue B shook his head.
The third Raikage looked at him with a complicated expression.
Blue B was his nephew, and also the B he had personally selected, the one who was supposed to form the new A-B Combo with his son, A.
But this child… after becoming the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, his mentality seemed to have developed problems, becoming extremely sensitive.
Despite being his nephew and despite the Raikage personally ordering that no one in the village was allowed to show him any disrespect, Blue B remained highly sensitive.
Even the most ordinary looks from others would make him overthink repeatedly, whether it was his own imagination or something real.
But regardless of whether it was real or imagined, it resulted in the Lightning Release: Double Lariat never being successfully executed.
Because of this, he had no choice but to select another B to replace him.
After a moment of silence, the third Raikage said, "Alright, we'll proceed as you suggested. Later, I will have the staff coordinate with you on the specific deployment."
...
[Fearless in the Face of Danger (Green): No matter how dangerous or chaotic the situation, you can maintain exceptional composure, clearly analyze and execute the optimal strategy, and have a slightly increased resistance to abnormal mental interference such as illusions, fear, and intimidation.]
It's finally upgraded!
Shinichi was walking back to his tent from the field hospital. These days, unless there was a mission, he would almost always go to the field hospital behind the main camp to personally treat the wounded ninjas.
Just now, Shinichi suddenly felt an indescribable clarity in his mind, as if his thoughts had been washed by a clear spring, becoming clearer than ever before.
So, a thought struck him, and he immediately opened his system panel, which was only visible to himself.
Sure enough, in the talent section, the previously stagnant white talent, Calm, was now faintly shimmering with a light green glow, and its name and description had quietly changed.
The talent, Calm, which he acquired during his first draw when he obtained the Apprentice Swordsman occupation at the Yamashita Kenjutsu Dojo, has finally broken through the shackles of white quality.
Five years have passed in the blink of an eye.
Shinichi's other talents have been upgraded one after another, from white to green, from green to blue, transforming one after another, but this one talent has remained white and unchanged.
Shinichi once pondered the reason. The calmness is an extremely abstract concept of a mental state that is internalized and difficult to be directly observed by the outside world, and to form a clear understanding of.
Even if he makes the right judgment in a crisis, others will often attribute it to intelligence or decisiveness rather than to his calmness.
Now, it was likely because of his previous experience as the chief of medical and logistics on the southwestern battlefield, where he remained composed and organized in dispatching resources, as well as his recent leadership of the fourth independent battalion unit, calmly completing missions again and again, allowing his teammates to gain a deeper understanding of his composure.
And those wounded ninjas receiving treatment in field hospitals witnessed his unwavering calmness and focus at their bedside.
In short, this abstract concept was eventually recognized and remembered by some people, and eventually evolved into this talent.
"However, this talent isn't very useful to me right now..."
Shinichi thought to himself.
After all, he now had dual-core processing; most Genjutsu in the Shinobi World were directly ineffective against him.
But then he reconsidered.
Genjutsu resistance was only a side effect. What was truly useful was the ability to stabilize one's mind and think calmly at critical moments.
With that thought, Shinichi was about to close his system panel, but as if the panel felt the previous surprise was not enough, another gentle white light quietly lit up and bloomed at the corner of his vision.
[Actor (White): You possess excellent acting skills. Your expression management, demeanor imitation, and emotional expression exceed those of ordinary people. When you need to conceal your true thoughts or play a specific role, your words and actions are natural and smooth, making it difficult for others to detect flaws.]
Huh!?
The moment Shinichi saw this talent generated, his first reaction wasn't joy, but disbelief!
Who is it?
Who is slandering me?
I, Shinichi Higashino, am the loyal son of Konoha, the outstanding inheritor of the Will of Fire, a brave warrior who fights fearlessly on the battlefield, and a compassionate doctor who saves lives in the hospital. I have always been sincere, friendly, and consistent in my dealings with others. How can I be considered an excellent actor?!
Shinichi quickly thought of several suspects, then immediately focused on the snake-like figure.
"It seems Orochimaru has a deep misunderstanding about me. But, for the sake of the Sword of Kusanagi, I'll let it go."
Shinichi shook his head helplessly and closed the panel with mixed feelings.
Fine, at least the description of this talent is quite practical, isn't it?
In the future, he will probably be able to act out the role more naturally and smoothly.
He composed himself and continued walking towards his tent. Just as he lifted the curtain and stepped inside, before he could even sit down, he heard light footsteps outside the tent. Then, a capable-looking ninja appeared at the door.
"Shinichi-sama."
The messenger ninja bowed slightly and said respectfully, "Orochimaru-sama requests that you proceed to the command post immediately. There is a new operation mission to convey to you."
Shinichi-sama?
This form of address caused a slight stir in Shinichi's heart. Being directly addressed as sama often meant that, psychologically, the other party no longer regarded him simply as a promising junior or a talented young ninja.
Instead, they began to place themselves in the same position as those truly capable individuals who could stand alone.
This subtle, seemingly insignificant change in address precisely reflected the shift in Shinichi's psychological standing in everyone's minds, achieved through his solid battlefield achievements over these days. He was no longer a future star that needed protection, but a powerful force that could be relied upon, and even feared, right now.
Shinichi understood this clearly and even felt a hint of amusement, but he showed none of it on the surface. He simply nodded calmly, his tone gentle. "Thank you for delivering the message, senior. I will head there immediately."
The messenger ninja bowed once more and then turned to leave first.
Shinichi tidied up his equipment and tools, especially carefully placing the newly acquired Flowing Cloud Sword at his waist before…
He's already a ten-year-old Konoha Jonin, having broken the village's record for the youngest promotion in history.
So, given time, when the competition for the Hokage position truly begins someday, and when the name Shinichi is added to the shortlist, will the people of Konoha be psychologically prepared enough, and won't find it too abrupt?
A slight smile appeared on Shinichi's lips, but he quickly regained his composure and walked steadily toward the brightly lit command post.
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