"Mom, welcome home," Xia Li said, standing there and smiling at Xina.
"Son, same to you. Welcome home," Xina replied warmly.
Chapter 87: The Arrival of Flying Thunder God
For the second mission, Xia Li had to wait a long time before receiving notification. This time, the mission wasn't assigned by the higher-ups—it was personally selected by Tenzō.
Xia Li understood that Tenzō was likely concerned about his recovery, which is why the pace had been slowed.
Silently, Xia Li made a note of Tenzō's consideration, appreciating the gesture.
"Captain," Xia Li greeted when he arrived at the mission assembly point and saw Tenzō.
"Mo Ying, you're the first one back," Tenzō said, studying Xia Li carefully. His eyes brightened—Xia Li had indeed recovered, which brought relief. Thankfully, he hadn't killed anyone; geniuses often tread a path they cannot return from.
"Yeah, I was quick."
"Indeed…" Tenzō couldn't deny that Xia Li's speed had surpassed his expectations. Truly a genius.
Soon, Hyena and Fox arrived, witnessing the same scene.
Compared to the last mission, this task made far more sense. The target was finally a rogue ninja—though not very powerful and likely preoccupied with Xia Li.
Hyena and Fox said nothing; they didn't seem to have any objections.
"Move out!" Tenzō commanded. The second mission began.
Xia Li silently followed, letting out a quiet sigh.
He understood that Tenzō meant well and accepted his good intentions, but the captain's approach didn't align with Xia Li's goals.
He had joined the Anbu to gain combat experience, not to complete routine assignments. While such steadily progressive missions might benefit a novice, for Xia Li, they were a waste of time.
At first, Xia Li couldn't even voice his thoughts. He knew he had to see blood firsthand. Normally, one would first acclimate to animal blood before moving on to human targets. Even as a ninja, hundreds of opponents were far too many.
During his first mission, he would pause whenever recalling the previous night's task—not out of fear, but uncertainty over whether he could complete it.
In fact, afterward, Xia Li himself was surprised by this side of him. He hadn't realized he could feel this way…
Now, after witnessing a bloody scene in one go, he had fully adapted. This mission was suitable, but he had already adjusted!
Thus, for Xia Li, the second "experience-gaining" mission was essentially a waste of time.
The only way to avoid wasting it… Xia Li's eyes flickered with determination.
This time, the mission had a single target: a rogue ninja from Konoha, of Chunin rank, who had recently defected. He killed his teammates before fleeing—but he was injured, so his escape was slow.
Tenzō quickly coordinated with other Anbu operatives and led Xia Li and the others in pursuit.
Along the way, Tenzō explained his plan.
As expected, Xia Li took the initiative, while Hyena and Fox would assist with interception and containment.
"Yes," Hyena and Xia Li replied simultaneously.
Although Xia Li had his own strategy, he wasn't foolish; he wouldn't disobey the captain at this critical moment.
Soon, the team located the rogue ninja. He had stopped to heal and hadn't gotten far…
Wasn't this suicidal?
Xia Li considered complaining, but some people's brains worked differently. Not everyone could devise a thorough plan. This one was likely improvising without thinking about retreating.
At that moment, Tenzō prepared to teach Xia Li a technique—but then he noticed a kunai in Xia Li's hand, an arc of electricity dancing along his arm…
"Mo Ying?!"
Tenzō immediately realized that Xia Li intended to strike before he finished instructing him. Instinctively, he tried to intervene, but the kunai had already been thrown at the rogue ninja.
Hyena and Fox reacted too, puzzled. Mo Ying had performed brilliantly last time—why so reckless now?
Even if the target was only a Chunin, alerting him so suddenly could be risky. While their formation would prevent escape, if the rogue ninja intended to flee, complications could arise.
Of course… he was from the big family. Could one mission really overwhelm him?
At that moment, Tenzō and the others felt both shock and disappointment.
But before they could dwell on it, Xia Li had already vanished from sight.
"!!!"
Tenzō and the others' eyes widened. How had Xia Li disappeared? How could they not notice?
A strange emotion surged through the three. Their previous disappointment vanished, replaced by focused attention on the rogue ninja.
The rogue ninja ran, cursing silently. He had just killed his teammates and stolen a scroll of jutsu. Now discovered, all he could do was resist.
To make matters worse, the attacker had given him a kunai before dying, forcing him to spend time healing. Otherwise, he would have escaped long ago. He needed to act fast; Konoha's border forces would surely pursue, and they needed to leave the Land of Fire quickly!
Then, a strange sound, like thunder mixed with a crack, reached his ears. He was moving so fast? Damn it!
The rogue ninja assessed the situation and the flying kunai—but he hadn't accounted for Xia Li's speed. The kunai, enhanced with a touch of Lightning Release, moved with remarkable velocity and force.
"So fast…"
The rogue ninja's eyes widened. He tried to dodge, but it was too late. The kunai cut across his cheek as he rolled in agony.
He never had the chance to stand again. He hadn't even reacted before a sword appeared above him.
By the time he noticed Xia Li, it was too late. Could he seal the attack in under a second?
If he could, he wouldn't need to kill for the goods.
The sword fell. Head severed.
Xia Li examined the body silently to confirm identity—just to ensure no substitution jutsu had been used.
Although he believed the rogue ninja hadn't had time to form hand seals, confirmation was prudent. Satisfied, Xia Li glanced at Tenzō and the others' hiding spot.
Tenzō and the others witnessed the entire decapitation, stunned. How could he have…?
Xia Li had been next to them just moments ago!
How had he suddenly appeared beside the rogue ninja and severed his head?
Disappointment was long gone; only shock and confusion remained.
Chapter 88: Rachel
At that moment, Tenzō and the others saw Xia Li waving, and finally realized what had happened. Their expressions—Fox, Hyena, Tenzō alike—were filled with unmasked astonishment.
"Captain, I'm sorry for disobeying your orders. I'll accept the consequences. But… could you avoid giving me such missions in the future? I didn't join Anbu for this kind of time-wasting task."
Xia Li admitted his mistake initially but then spoke firmly. He had to—if Tenzō disagreed, he would request a team reassignment.
Although he respected this team… everything had to align with his purpose for joining Anbu.
Hyena and Fox looked displeased at first, but on reflection, Xia Li was right.
Both were Chunin, and Fox's combat skills were relatively weak for that rank. Seeing the rogue ninja's head lying separated from his body sent chills down their spines.
Truly terrifying. No resistance—just decapitated. If it had been them… it might have ended the same.
Luckily, he was their teammate, not an enemy. The initial dissatisfaction melted away. Xia Li's power was overwhelming.
Tenzō looked at Xia Li, complex emotions in his eyes, then nodded. "Understood. From now on, we'll accept missions at the previously agreed difficulty."
"Alright," Xia Li finally relaxed.
Tenzō pursed his lips. "Mo Ying… it seems we underestimated you."
"Yes," Xia Li confirmed. "In that case… Captain, please tell me the punishment for disobeying orders. I'll accept it."
Though he said this, Xia Li was confident no punishment would come.
Fox and Hyena looked at Tenzō, prepared to plead if necessary.
"No punishment is needed. As captain, I underestimated your ability. This time, I'll let it slide. Next time won't be the same," Tenzō said.
"Yes!"
With that, the tension between the two squads vanished. Hyena and Fox were excited to have such a powerful new teammate.
However, Tenzō wasn't entirely pleased. He suspected Xia Li might not stay in this team. Retaining him in Anbu could be a waste, especially given his unclear potential.
As Xia Li said earlier, he had joined Anbu to gain experience—not for rank or to complete missions.
Still, Tenzō didn't voice his concerns. At least for now, Xia Li was part of the team.
Xia Li finally exhaled. After days of working with them, he genuinely liked this team. Not to mention Tenzō's strength, Hyena and Fox were formidable as well.
Though Hyena's initial probing was rough, it was clever—testing him without offense, allowing Xia Li to gauge how to interact with them in the future.
In short, he had strong teammates and a reliable captain. With the mission complete, what reason did he have to complain?
Soon, they began the return journey with the rogue ninja's body.
On the way, Xia Li reflected on the mission. The target had reacted far slower than he expected—but who could match the Fourth Hokage's reaction speed? Perhaps a few, at most half as fast.
Thus, Xia Li's kunai throw nearly killed the opponent instantly…
Though the mission succeeded, it wasn't as visually shocking as when he used Flying Thunder God previously. Still, it was enough to support his next actions.
These weren't the real problems. The real issue was…
Xia Li hadn't used full force when throwing the kunai! With full Lightning Release enhancement, both speed and power would reach a new level. The slow rogue ninja would have been obliterated instantly.
For faster opponents, this might not help—but Xia Li pondered: what if he could go even faster?
A thought flashed through his mind…
Lightning Cutter Kunai!
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