Chapter 27: I, Byakuya, Am Just an Ordinary Genin

Chapter 27: I, Byakuya, Am Just an Ordinary Genin

Byakuya took the bundle of cash and distributed 100,000 ryo to each member of Minato's team, earnestly saying, "This is rightfully yours. Without your help, I couldn't have possibly killed him."

Minato's team initially refused the money. Byakuya, feigning irritation, countered, "Do you think I'm the kind of person who's stingy with friends? Our friendship can't be measured by money!"

With that declaration, Minato's team felt obligated to accept. Though they remained quiet, they all reached the same conclusion: Byakuya was someone worth befriending.

After dividing the money, Byakuya stashed the remaining 300,000 ryo and turned his attention to the thick notebook he had retrieved from Majiri's belongings. His eyes gleamed with anticipation.

What could this notebook contain that Majiri would place it so carefully alongside his savings?

Byakuya flipped through it briefly, quickly realizing that it was a treasure trove of valuable insights.

The notebook detailed Majiri's personal training experience, particularly his challenges and theories regarding the Shadow Clone Technique and kenjutsu. Each question Majiri had encountered was listed, along with his carefully thought-out solutions.

Byakuya concluded that Majiri's mastery of the Shadow Clone Technique surpassed even Fugaku's.

However, the knowledge recorded in the notebook was advanced. Without a solid foundation in the Shadow Clone Technique, comprehending its contents would be challenging.

Fortunately, Byakuya had learned the basics under Fugaku's guidance, giving him the groundwork to understand the concepts presented. He decided to copy the notebook and gift the duplicate to Fugaku as a token of gratitude.

As for the kenjutsu section, Byakuya found himself utterly lost. Having no experience in the field, he could only recognize its potential value.

"Everyone," Byakuya said, "this notebook contains Majiri's training notes. You should all copy it; it could be helpful for your own training."

Byakuya's generosity wasn't rooted in selflessness but in pragmatism. To him, the notes, while valuable, were far less precious than the rewards his Simulator provided.

Moreover, both Obito and Kakashi were unlikely to find the notes indispensable.

As a member of the Uchiha clan, Obito had access to a wealth of training materials, provided he contributed to the clan. Kakashi, though from a smaller ninja family, had inherited resources from his father, the legendary White Fang.

Among the four of them, Rin, with her civilian background, stood to gain the most from the notes.

Thus, Byakuya's decision to share the notes was calculated. By doing so, he strengthened their bond, laying the groundwork for future collaborations.

Obito, touched by Byakuya's gesture, declared, "From now on, your problems are my problems, Byakuya! Right, Rin? Kakashi?"

Rin nodded vigorously. "Yes!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow and replied indifferently, "Obito, stop speaking for me."

Obito adjusted his goggles and retorted, "Kakashi, are you saying you don't agree?"

Kakashi's lips twitched, and he scoffed, "If you do it again, I'll deal with you myself."

"Bring it on, jerk!"

While Rin stepped between the two, threatening to withhold medical treatment the next time they got injured, Byakuya watched with a smile. The camaraderie in Minato's team reassured him that his gift of the notebook had been worthwhile.

Pulling on a fresh shirt, Byakuya asked, "Kakashi, do you think we'll get an additional reward for taking down Majiri when we report back to the village?"

Byakuya deliberately emphasized that the kill was a team effort, hoping to divert attention from himself. For someone of his current strength, it was best to remain low-key and avoid unnecessary scrutiny.

"If we provide proof, we'll likely receive a bounty," Kakashi replied. "But whatever the amount, we won't take it. The kill was yours."

Byakuya shook his head. "That's not right. Without your help, there's no way an ordinary Genin like me could have defeated Majiri. This was a team effort."

Kakashi: "..."

Obito: "..."

Rin: "..."

The three of them suddenly suspected that Byakuya might have a skewed understanding of the word "ordinary."

---

A few minutes later, as the latest flares faded from the sky, three specially-designed signal flares shot up, exploding to display Konoha's emblem.

The location of the signal flares was in the opposite direction of Kannabi Bridge.

Byakuya looked at the emblem glowing in the sky, reading the meaning behind the number of flares, and his expression shifted.

Three signal flares meant an unconditional summoning order—they were to regroup immediately at the designated location.

"We've got an emergency. We need to head toward the flares," Byakuya announced.

Rin frowned. "But Byakuya, your chakra hasn't fully recovered yet."

"Don't worry. I used the secret medicine Fugaku-sama gave me. I've recovered a good amount already."

Thanks to the corrupt healing potion and Fugaku's secret medicine, his recovery was impressive. In just a few minutes, his stamina and chakra had returned to about 50%.

Under different circumstances, Byakuya would have preferred to wait until he was fully recovered before moving. However, with Minato's team by his side, he felt confident enough to press on.

Without further delay, the four set out for the signal flares. Along the way, they encountered scattered Iwa-nin, whom they dealt with efficiently.

After ten minutes of travel, they reached the rendezvous point.

Surveying the group, Byakuya noticed several familiar faces missing. Many of the others present bore injuries.

Fugaku, his expression grave, addressed the group. "Everyone is here. I have two pieces of news to share—one bad and one good."

"The bad news is that the Iwa-nin's defenses are even stronger than we anticipated."

This revelation didn't dampen morale. They had already understood the dire nature of their mission. For many of them, this mission was tantamount to a death sentence. The real question was whether they could succeed before meeting their end.

The crowd looked to Fugaku with hope, silently praying the "good news" was an order to retreat.

"The good news," Fugaku continued, "is that based on our earlier actions, Minato and I now have a 40% chance of destroying Kannabi Bridge!"

Tetsuka, his voice hoarse, asked, "Fugaku-sama, I mean no disrespect, but if we destroy the bridge, it will only delay their advance. Won't they just rebuild it tomorrow with Earth Release? In that case, what's the point of this mission?"

He stopped himself, realizing his words could be misconstrued.

Fugaku, however, didn't scold him. Instead, he allowed Tetsuka to voice the concerns many of them shared.

Looking at the crowd, Fugaku's voice was steady but commanding. "I know many of you are thinking the same thing: 'Even if we destroy the bridge today, they can rebuild it tomorrow. What's the point of our sacrifice?'

"My answer is this: we are not throwing our lives away. We are protecting our families, our friends, our village, and our home!

"Yes, their Earth Release can rebuild the bridge in no time—but what if their builders, their Jōnin, their specialists... are all dead?"

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