"Alright, those are the essentials. Go, the sheepfold is over there."
The Inuzuka chunin pointed to a huge circular building not far away.
After the handover, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio arrived at the Area E sheepfold with serious faces.
When the gate of the sheepfold was slowly opened, one hundred white, delicious-looking sheep surged out like a tide, bleating.
The three were startled by this array.
These sheep were completely different from what they had imagined.
Each one was fat and strong, full of spirit, and their eyes shone with the light of wisdom.
They didn't look like docile sheep at all, but more like a group of Ninja Academy students who had just finished class.
"Baa—!"
As soon as they left the fold, a few particularly mischievous sheep rushed to the side.
Inoichi's face changed, and he rushed over without thinking. "Don't run around! Come back!"
"Choza! Quick! Use your Human Bullet Tank... no, use your body to block them!"
Nara Shikaku stood on the high ground at the entrance of the sheepfold, hands in his pockets, watching the chaotic scene before him.
His brain, with an IQ of over two hundred, began to work at high speed.
The behavioral patterns of the flock... the deterrent power of the lead sheep... the possibility of individuals straying...
Soon, he came to a conclusion.
"Inoichi, you go left. Choza, you go right. No need to chase them."
Shikaku spoke lazily, his voice reaching the ears of his two companions.
"And then?"
Inoichi asked, looking back as he ran.
"And then, watch me."
Shikaku slowly took out a small cloth bag from his ninja pouch.
Inside was a small handful of fried beans mixed with secret herbs that his father, Nara Shikaku, used to improve feed, which he had conveniently "borrowed" from his kitchen before leaving today.
He put the few beans emitting a strange fragrance in his palm, and then whistled at the lead sheep in the flock, which was the most robust and had the most curved horns.
The lead sheep, originally grazing on the grass at its feet with its head down, turned a deaf ear to the surrounding chaos.
Hearing the whistle, it looked up.
When it smelled the unique fragrance in Shikaku's hand that made its sheep life tremble, its black eyes instantly went straight.
It hesitated, seemingly pondering which was more important: the dignity of a sheep king or the irresistible temptation of delicious food before it.
In the end, appetite triumphed over reason.
The sheep king moved its four strong legs, trotted to Shikaku, and licked the beans in his palm clean.
After eating, it rubbed its head against Shikaku's hand, still wanting more.
Its attitude was incredibly docile.
"Done."
Shikaku clapped his hands, a look of having everything under control on his face.
"Baa—"
The flock, which had been running around causing Inoichi and Choza headaches, seemed to have received a silent order and quieted down instantly.
They stopped their commotion in unison, then gathered behind the lead sheep, forming a somewhat orderly line.
Inoichi and Choza were dumbfounded.
"Shikaku... you... how did you do that?" Yamanaka Inoichi asked, stunned.
"Mm."
Shikaku yawned. "This is called capturing the ringleader first to capture the bandits."
As he spoke, he took out another bean from his pocket and shook it in front of the lead sheep.
The lead sheep immediately followed like a puppy.
Thus, under the leadership of the commander-in-chief Nara Shikaku, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio drove a hundred sheep towards the Full Moon Grass Slope in a mighty procession.
Having solved the biggest trouble of the lead sheep, the subsequent grazing process became exceptionally smooth.
The thoroughly "subdued" lead sheep became Shikaku's most loyal "adjutant."
Shikaku only needed a look, a gesture, or even just the direction of a yawn, and it would understand, immediately commanding the flock behind it to adjust formation and change direction.
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio went from being flustered at the beginning to gradually handling things with ease.
Inoichi was responsible for patrolling the left flank of the team to prevent sheep from falling behind.
Choza was like a reliable city wall, guarding the right side of the team, giving the flock an invisible sense of security with his massive body.
And the commander-in-chief, Nara Shikaku, walked leisurely at the very back of the team, hands behind his head, looking at the clouds in the sky, occasionally speaking to issue one or two instructions in the most concise language.
"Choza, there's a puddle ahead, go around it."
On the way to the Full Moon Grass Slope, they had to pass through a small hill with slightly complex terrain.
"Narrow mountain path ahead, change formation, single file." Shikaku shouted lazily.
"Received!"
Inoichi responded and immediately whistled.
Hearing the whistle, the lead sheep also bleated.
The hundred white sheep actually acted like a well-trained army, instantly contracting their formation from the loose starry sky formation into a long line.
"My god... Shikaku, you're simply a genius!"
Inoichi looked at this magical scene and praised sincerely, "Don't be a ninja in the future, come to the farm and be a 'Sheep Kage,' you'll definitely be more amazing than Lord Hokage!"
"Get lost, don't give me trouble." Shikaku rolled his eyes at him.
Finally, when the sun rose to the top of their heads, they successfully drove the hundred sheep to their destination—the Full Moon Grass Slope—without losing a single one.
This was the place with the best scenery and the most abundant water and grass in the entire ranch.
The verdant pasture was like a soft carpet, extending to the distant horizon.
A clear stream wound through the middle of the grass, sparkling in the sunlight.
As soon as the sheep arrived, they happily dispersed like a hundred moving cotton candies, lowering their heads to enjoy their lunch.
"Phew... finally here! I'm exhausted!"
Inoichi and Choza sat down on the grass, feeling like their legs weren't their own.
Choza took out two huge rice balls and a water bottle from his four-dimensional ninja pouch and began to replenish his energy.
"Shikaku, aren't you eating?" he asked vaguely.
"No appetite."
Nara Shikaku didn't rest. He walked slowly to the lead sheep, which was grazing leisurely.
The lead sheep seemed to sense his approach and lay down docilely, rubbing its head against him.
Shikaku yawned, then lay down smoothly.
"Ah... comfortable..."
The boy let out a satisfied groan, hands behind his head, crossing his legs, habitually chewing on a piece of foxtail grass he had plucked from the ground.
He squinted his eyes, looking at the leisurely drifting, strangely shaped white clouds in the sky.
Some looked like the rice ball in Choza's hand, some like Inoichi's boisterous face, and some... like his father's helpless expression that always said "you stupid son."
The sun was just right, the breeze not dry.
Underneath was a soft, pure natural wool mattress, and in his ears were the intermittent chatter of his companions and the rustling sound of sheep grazing.
At this moment, Nara Shikaku felt that herding sheep might... really not be such a troublesome thing.
It was even a bit... pleasant.
"Hey, Shikaku, you guy, you really know how to enjoy yourself!"
Yamanaka Inoichi looked at his lazy appearance, almost merging with the grass, and couldn't help but complain.
"Life is about knowing how to find a moment of peace amidst trouble."
Shikaku chewed on the foxtail grass and answered lazily in a philosophical tone.
"Tch, salted fish."
Although Inoichi said so, he also lay down on the grass, imitating Shikaku.
Not far away, Akimichi Choza finished his rice ball and dozed off against a large tree.
On an autumn afternoon, three boys enjoyed this rare, leisurely time belonging to them on the picturesque ranch.
What they didn't know was that on a watchtower not far away, a figure wearing an Anbu uniform and an animal mask took all this in.
"Ino-Shika-Cho squad has successfully completed the first phase of the rotational grazing mission, no abnormalities."
"Nara Shikaku... performed well, demonstrating command ability beyond his age and... the ability to find a comfortable sleeping environment."
"Mission rating... mm, excellent."
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