Chapter 261: Forming a Team to Undertake a Mission

"Uncle, we're heading out to undertake a mission."

The next day, Lian Ye, accompanied by Zhi Cun Tuan Zang and Xiaochun Zhuanqin, went to the Hokage Office to inform Qianshou Feijian that they were going out on a mission.

Since the last time they slipped out of the Village, that old kid has specifically instructed Lian Ye that any departure from the Village must first be reported to him.

Lian Ye can only report to the office and to Qianshou Feijian before accepting a mission.

"Do you plan to undertake the mission together?" Qianshou Feijian asked the three, his tone slightly surprised.

It should be noted that the three haven't worked together on a mission for a long time; they usually fight separately and rarely team up.

Their own abilities are sufficient to complete the mission, so they need not help each other as they once did.

"Yes, Uncle," Lian Ye nodded in agreement.

He worries that Tuan Cang and Xiaochun, if they undertake the mission alone, might be brutally killed by Madara Uchiha and the blame shifted onto others.

The goal is to trigger his own awakening of the Kaleidoscope Sharingan…

Although he doesn't know whether Madara Uchiha would do that, he dares not gamble.

If he loses the gamble, the two teammates would be gone.

Lian Ye is perfectly clear about the reason Uchiha Obito opened his eye.

He doesn't want to experience the pain of opening his eye before Obito does.

If Tuan Cang and Xiaochun's deaths don't lead to his own eye opening, who knows what other tricks Madara Uchiha might have prepared?

To prevent the feared outcome, Lian Ye can only do his utmost to safeguard his teammates.

At least until the two die, Madara Uchiha won't harm anyone else.

"Be careful on the road," Qianshou Feijian said, seeing Tuan Cang and Xiaochun following, and did not press further.

When the three team up for a mission, the chance of danger drops dramatically, so there's no need to worry about their lives.

They left the Hokage Office and headed toward the Task Gathering Hall.

"Lian Yejun, what rank of mission are we taking?" Xiaochun Zhuanqin couldn't help asking.

She usually selects B-rank or A-rank missions when she works alone.

For her own safety, she generally avoids missions that are too difficult.

"Hmph, of course we take an S-rank mission," Zhi Cun Tuan Zang said coldly.

Since they're teaming up, they must accept a high‑difficulty mission.

If others learned they were teaming up for an A-rank mission, how could any of them save face?!

"Tuan Cang is right; we'll take an S-rank mission," Lian Ye agreed.

He originally intended to lead the two on an A-rank mission, but ultimately abandoned the idea.

Three Jonin teaming up for an A-rank mission is definitely problematic.

If Madara Uchiha were to learn of it—it's clearly a move that would alert the enemy!

In that case, Madara would likely shift his target and strike at others.

Lian Ye naturally doesn't want to see that happen; it would be better to have Madara focus on Tuan Cang and Xiaochun. As long as they undertake the mission together, they can look out for each other, and major problems are unlikely.

Since Madara Uchiha wants to recruit him, he wouldn't kill Tuan Cang and Xiaochun in front of him; that would only be counterproductive.

Based on his understanding of Madara, the latter is likely to employ the "use a knife to kill" tactic.

The same ploy he used to coax Uchiha Obito into joining.

If he prepares in advance, Madara's scheme will be hard to carry out.

…

Zhi Cun Tuan Zang, seeing Lian Ye endorse his suggestion, nodded with satisfaction.

Only those bold enough to venture and take risks can strive to become Hokage!

Seeing both had expressed their stance, Xiaochun Zhuanqin naturally had no reason to refuse.

Lian Ye took an S-rank pursuit mission at the Task Gathering Hall—

【An elite Jonin from Wind Country has defected and fled to the border of Fire Country. He possesses numerous Wind Country secrets and is powerful, having single‑handedly defeated many ninja squads. To avoid a dispute between the two nations, Wind Country requests Konoha's assistance in the capture…】

The three immediately left the Village and rushed toward the Fire Country border.

They paid no heed at all to the fact that, along the way, a Heimao perched on the treetops at regular intervals, closely monitoring their every move.

Because the three are not sensory ninjas, they never noticed the situation.

In a modest wooden hut within the Ninja World.

"Madara, what's wrong?"

Senju Hashirama, noticing his close friend staring blankly, asked with concern.

His only current worry is that Madara is coaxing Lian Ye into the "Moon's Eye" project.

"It's nothing," Madara Uchiha shook his head.

Taking a mission with teammates, that kid Lian Ye is indeed cautious.

But this bit of cleverness is hardly noticeable in front of Madara Uchiha.

And how can that kid be so sure he'll only strike his own teammates?

The people who could give Lian Ye a chance to awaken the Kaleidoscope Sharingan aren't limited to his two teammates.

It's just that Hashirama has been staying by Madara's side, so he hasn't thought of acting—for now.

Of course, that's also why Madara isn't in a hurry…

If he were eager to recruit Lian Ye, he wouldn't care about Hashirama's obstruction.

After all, Hashirama can't stop him from carrying out his plan!

…

Fire Country border.

Lian Ye and a few others arrived at the location where the Sha Yin Rebel Ninja was last seen in the intel.

"Lian Yejun, we need to capture the mission target alive," Xiaochun Zhuanqin said, frowning as she looked at the intel in her hand.

Such a mission indeed has some difficulty; no wonder it's an S-rank Mission.

Everyone knows that capturing an enemy alive is harder than killing the enemy.

Especially when the opponent is an Elite Jonin of Sunagakure.

They must possess power far beyond the enemy's to be able to capture the opponent alive.

Otherwise, they risk being counter‑killed during the capture process…

"Capture?" Lian Ye scoffed, curling his lip, "I can notify you in advance that the mission has failed."

The ever‑cautious him had no intention of capturing the opponent alive; he would never take even a hint of risk to do so.

Moreover, with Madara Uchiha watching from the shadows, he would be even less likely to do such a thing.

The worst case is just a mission failure.

Tuan Cang's eyes lit up at the words, as if he understood Lian Ye's intention—

Completing the mission is a lie; seizing the intel is the truth!

As long as they locate the rebel ninja before Sunagakure does, they can kill him and transport the corpse back to the Village.

One must know that the Yamanaka Clan can obtain information about corpses…

In that case, the Village can learn Sunagakure's secrets!

The Sand Hidden Village made a fatal mistake: inviting other nations to help capture the rebel ninja.

Hmph, as expected of Lian Ye!

If it weren't for Lian Ye's reminder, he would never have thought of this angle.

Lian Ye had no idea that Tuan Cang had thought so much in such a short time; he simply didn't want to bear any risk.

At that moment, the sound of an Explosive Talisman detonating came from afar.

The three of Lian Ye exchanged glances, then rushed toward the direction of the sound.

No need to think—they knew the Sand Ninja squad had encountered the rebel ninja.

"Damn it, we can't let them get away with it!"

Tuan Cang clenched his fist, quickened his pace, and in the blink of an eye was at the front.

Lian Ye: "???"

……

……

ps: As long as we don't set a flag, there won't be any problem. Thanks for the gifts, dear ones, love you, Ying Ying Ying……