Chapter Fifty-Five: Discussion and Intuition-This Ninja Is Not Normal(Shredded Abalone with Green Peppers)

Before Kato Mikaze’s true body arrived at the underground base, his soul avatar had already returned and merged with him—just in time.

Unlike ordinary shadow clone techniques, Kato Mikaze’s true body and soul avatar could instantly share vision and information between them. Naturally, everything that had transpired with Tsunade moments ago was also known to his true self.

“As expected, Tsunade woke up late. If I don’t bring her breakfast, she’ll go hungry again and head to the Konoha Hospital without eating. If I ask her afterward, she’ll likely make excuses, claiming it’s for ‘dieting and maintaining her figure’… As for the Shadow Clone Technique, since Tsunade promised to help acquire a copy from the Third Hokage, there’s no need to worry about her handling serious matters—she’s always reliable, except when gambling. I can just wait for her news.”

With such thoughts running through his mind, Kato Mikaze didn’t slow his movements. Assisted by the base guards, he swiftly completed all necessary security checks and procedures.

This was his second visit to the base. The previous afternoon, aside from reviewing a mountain of documents, the base’s internal affairs chief had also registered Kato Mikaze as an official member of the staff.

The base had a codename: “Spring.” Internally, it was often referred to as “Spring Base.”

Moreover, Kato Mikaze was not just an ordinary staff member. As a Konoha Jounin master of rare secret techniques, he had been specifically requested by Danzo Shimura from the Third Hokage—a specially recruited talent. Such basic news had already spread among the base personnel. Even though S-rank missions emphasized secrecy, tasks still required people to carry them out, and some information inevitably circulated within the team.

Compared to his first visit yesterday, the entry procedures this time were much more streamlined. He was now considered an insider. The guard ninja at the entrance was also noticeably more cordial.

Passing smoothly through security, Kato Mikaze made his way toward his office. Along the way, several staff members paused to greet him respectfully.

“Good morning, Lord Kato Mikaze!”

Unlike Orochimaru, Kato Mikaze did not maintain a cold or distant persona. He generally responded to the greetings from the ordinary staff, though it wouldn’t be accurate to say he was especially warm. Aside from being somewhat familiar with Orochimaru and Danzo Shimura, the others at the base were still strangers to him.

Still, now that he outranked the average employee, he kept the proper grace and dignity expected of a superior. For these staff whose names he might not even remember, maintaining normal workplace interactions was sufficient.

Hearing voices greeting him, Kato Mikaze was, for a moment, transported back to his previous life—working in an office, except then, he was the junior greeting the leadership. Here, he was the superior being greeted.

After he passed, a few ordinary staff gathered quietly before starting their official duties, whispering among themselves.

“That was the new Lord Kato Mikaze who joined the base yesterday, wasn’t it?”

“I heard he’s a genius from the Kato clan, skilled in their secret Soul Secret Art: Spirit Transformation.”

“They say Lord Danzo requested him by name from the Third Hokage—a Jounin with unique secret techniques. Is Spirit Transformation really so special? Apparently, he was also a classmate of Lord Orochimaru.”

“Lord Kato Mikaze seems much more approachable than Lord Orochimaru. Maybe he’ll be easy to get along with?”

“You’re overthinking it. Think about what kind of work we do here. Easy to get along with? They say that yesterday, his very first day, he used his clan’s secret technique to assist with an experiment and made significant progress. After work, someone saw Lord Orochimaru looking…”

“Careful what you say! Have you all forgotten the mission confidentiality regulations? Are you in any position to gossip about the lords behind their backs? Do you remember where you are?” A ninja who seemed to be their supervisor approached and admonished them sharply.

The chattering staff scattered immediately, resumes their busy tasks at once.

Of course, Kato Mikaze had not missed their whispered conversation. He hadn’t deliberately eavesdropped, but they were close enough for his senses to pick up their words.

Since mastering the Spirit Nurturing Technique, he had practiced diligently every day. While the technique’s new abilities hadn’t shown major progress yet, he’d become quite adept with the original powers of Spirit Transformation.

For example, his soul-sensing skill: if someone was close, much weaker than him, and lacked special means to conceal themselves, Kato Mikaze would naturally sense their presence without effort.

This ability was an excellent early warning system for him. As long as he didn’t activate it at maximum range and intensity, the chakra and soul energy consumed were easily manageable with his current recovery rate—it could be left on at all times.

However, in safe or familiar places, he limited his soul-sensing to warning of immediate danger. Otherwise, the ability was simply too overwhelming—anything with a soul fluctuation could be sensed.

Plants and low-intelligence animals were one thing, but humans were far more complicated. Their conversations, movements, emotions, intentions—everything produced all sorts of soul waves, bombarding Kato Mikaze’s mind with a torrent of useless information.

Running it at full power would drain his focus; he’d get nothing else done. This ability, as he grew more skilled with the Spirit Nurturing Technique, had become a practical application of his soul-sensing talents.

Explaining it in detail would be too complex; simply put, it was akin to a warrior’s sixth sense for danger, but evolved from soul perception—much sharper than ordinary intuition.

Because he was still new to this base and had to interact with dangerous figures like Danzo Shimura and Orochimaru, Kato Mikaze kept his soul-sensing ability set a bit higher than usual.

Walking on, he passed by Danzo Shimura’s office—no sign of him. He stopped an internal staff member and learned that Danzo rarely stayed here. He hadn’t visited today and was unlikely to come. Danzo usually arrived only at a set time each week to conduct business, hear reports, and check on the progress of the Spring Base’s special missions.

It seemed that yesterday, Danzo had indeed been waiting in his office specifically for Kato Mikaze’s arrival.

Now that he understood Danzo’s usual schedule, Kato Mikaze didn’t linger and made his way straight to his own office.

…

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