Chapter 47: Accepting Completely, A B-Rank Mission
Uchiha Tonan's question—how to earn the acknowledgment of a samurai—sparked a flicker of suspicion in Sanbō Motoyoshi's sharp eyes. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze narrowing like a seasoned shinobi assessing a threat.
"You're being unusually kind to a washed-up old relic like me…" he said slowly. "You're not some infiltrator posing as a good-natured brat, are you?"
His blunt accusation might have unsettled anyone else—but Tonan didn't flinch. He smiled gently and reached up to remove his glasses. With a subtle flare of chakra, his Sharingan ignited in his eyes—three fully-formed tomoe whirled silently in each iris.
The moment froze. Motoyoshi's breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding as if recognizing a deadly predator. Even after years away from active duty, the sight of a fully awakened Sharingan still left him shaken.
"I let my imagination run wild," Motoyoshi murmured after a long pause, exhaling as though releasing his tension. "Just the delusions of an old man who's got nothing worth stealing anymore… But with a fully matured Sharingan, you probably don't need to steal anything. The Uchiha clan likely hands you whatever you ask for."
His words were half-mocking, half-resigned. With a bitter chuckle, he lowered his gaze and returned to his porridge. Then, with a raspy voice, he continued, "It's not easy to earn the recognition of a samurai. They're a stubborn breed—strict codes, ancient pride. To even begin to understand them, you need to grasp what the samurai spirit truly means. In fact…"
Tonan listened quietly, eating in rhythm with Motoyoshi's teachings. Though his expression was serene, his mind was elsewhere. He had long abandoned the idea of gaining Hatake Sakumo's approval through affection. It was a fruitless endeavor. Sakumo's love was deeply rooted in his bond with Kakashi—there was no way Tonan could supersede that.
Instead, Tonan's goal had shifted. He now pursued acknowledgment through belief. The Uchiha Great Elder had already granted him that—treating Tonan as the future hope of the clan, grooming him to be a successor. As for acknowledgment through strength… that route, he believed, was reserved for brute-force types—more fists than finesse.
Motoyoshi didn't elaborate deeply on the samurai way—he merely scratched the surface. "We'll go deeper once you've truly internalized today's lesson," he said simply, setting his bowl down.
After clearing the table and washing the dishes, Tonan returned with a thin blanket. He gently draped it over Motoyoshi's legs.
Motoyoshi blinked in confusion. "What's this for?"
Tonan tucked a heated water bottle under the blanket and smiled, "It's cold outside. But staying cooped up all day is even worse. I thought we could get you some fresh air."
Motoyoshi stared for a moment… then nodded.
"…Alright."
And so, the pair strolled through the streets of Konoha—Motoyoshi in a wheelchair, Tonan pushing him gently from behind. To the passersby, they looked like a warm-hearted grandson doting on his frail grandfather.
For Motoyoshi, this outing was surreal. He couldn't remember the last time he'd taken a walk just for leisure. These days, he only left home when absolutely necessary—usually just to buy groceries.
Along the way, villagers turned their heads, pointing discreetly in Tonan's direction and whispering.
Motoyoshi, sharp as ever, leaned back and asked, "Are they talking about you?"
Tonan adjusted his glasses without slowing his pace. "Yes. Lately, I've been… a bit of a topic around the village."
Motoyoshi raised an eyebrow, his tone growing curious. "Oh? I didn't realize you were that well-known. Mind sharing what it's all about?"
Tonan offered a stiff smile, lowering his gaze. His voice was quiet, almost hollow. "Let's talk about it another time."
The atmosphere shifted subtly. Motoyoshi, with decades of life experience behind him, immediately recognized the discomfort in Tonan's tone. So he let it go.
"Hmph. I don't like village gossip anyway," he said, changing the subject. "The air outside feels different somehow."
They traveled along a mountain path and arrived atop the Hokage Rock, just as the first rays of the morning sun broke over the horizon. Golden light spilled across the stone faces of the past Hokage and bathed the pair in its warm glow. Below them, the Hidden Leaf slowly stirred to life.
Motoyoshi sat silently, basking in the view.
"…The village's changed a lot over the years," he said, a note of nostalgia in his voice.
Tonan stepped forward and gently adjusted the blanket that had bunched around Motoyoshi's legs. He nodded. "It'll change even more in the future."
Motoyoshi's features softened, warmed by both the sunrise and the sentiment. Then, as if speaking through a dream, he asked quietly, "Tonan… do you know what your chakra natures are?"
Still gazing out over the waking village, Tonan replied, "Why do you ask, Grandpa Motoyoshi?"
"No reason. Just… curious."
Tonan thought for a second, then answered, "I've never had it tested formally. But I seem to have an affinity for Fire, Lightning, Water, and Earth."
Motoyoshi frowned faintly. "No Wind affinity?"
Tonan's lips curled slightly. "Might have that too."
"…I see." Motoyoshi drifted into thought.
Tonan turned, checked the position of the sun, and said, "I need to be at the meeting point in half an hour. I'll take you home first."
"Alright."
In the days that followed, Motoyoshi accepted Tonan completely. Their bond resembled that of a true grandfather and grandson.
At one point, Motoyoshi even offered to pass down the Sanbō-ryū: Gale Slash—a unique kenjutsu style of his own creation.
But Tonan politely refused.
"I'm still too young," he said firmly. "And my Sharingan hasn't reached its true potential yet. I'd rather not waste your teachings."
Every morning, Tonan joined Namikaze Minato and Hatake Kakashi for missions. In the afternoon, he would either visit Kakashi's home for training or meet Minato to work on fundamental skills—chakra control, tree-climbing, water-walking, and refining chakra flow with greater precision.
Once a week, the team would have dinner together, during which Uzumaki Kushina would sometimes show up. She would casually fuss over Tonan like an older sister—not overly affectionate, but attentive in her own way.
At night, Tonan would isolate himself in his room, pouring over the complex theories behind the Flicker Clone Technique.
Despite his intelligence and natural talent, the jutsu remained elusive. Mastering it required high proficiency across ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, not to mention refined chakra control and spatial awareness.
Even after weeks of practice, he hadn't reached the entry level.
But that peaceful rhythm was soon disrupted.
At the Hokage Residence, Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a plume of smoke from his pipe and slid a mission scroll across his desk toward Minato.
"Given your team's growth and current strength, I'm assigning this B-ranked mission to you."
Minato frowned slightly. "A B-rank? Isn't that a bit early?"
Hiruzen nodded but explained, "This one's unique. While the mission's technically ranked B, it's mostly a long-distance escort mission—low likelihood of shinobi confrontation."
Minato raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't that be ranked as C then?"
Instead of replying, Hiruzen tapped the mission sheet—specifically, the reward amount listed.
Minato's expression changed slightly. He understood. The rank wasn't based on danger—it was based on the importance of the client.
"The mission comes from the Fire Temple," Hiruzen continued. "Their master monk, Chigo, will be heading to the Supu Temple for a debate on Buddhist doctrines. You'll be acting as his security detail. While the threat level is low, we can't afford any lapses in vigilance. Chigo is rumored to be the next Head Monk of the Fire Temple. His position makes him a high-value individual."
He looked pointedly at Minato. "You're the best person for this job because of your Flying Thunder God Technique. If anything does happen, you can respond instantly."
Minato nodded. "Understood."
He accepted the mission scroll and travel clearance, then turned to his teammates.
"It's going to be a long mission," he told Kakashi and Tonan. "Go home, get packed, and be at the front gate by one o'clock sharp."
Tonan gave a slight nod—then, as he turned to leave, his eyes briefly met Hiruzen's. There was a flicker of something ambiguous in his gaze.
Without another word, he exited alongside Minato and Kakashi.