Boom!
The tree trunk fell with a crash, and Shūichi Hoshita took a few deep breaths, his eyes fixed on the cut surface, which was now charred.
"The cutting was indeed easier... with the added effect of high-temperature burns."
"The direction is correct, but it still needs further refinement and detail."
After consuming a soldier pill, Shūichi continued to analyze his progress.
He needed a more efficient chakra nature transformation, faster chakra circulation, and greater chakra control.
Once his stamina was restored, he resumed his efforts.
Again and again, he tried, refining his technique with each attempt.
Time flew by in this manner, and before he knew it, the three-day break was over, and it was back to missions.
However, even during missions, Shūichi didn't stop developing his swordsmanship techniques.
While taking a break during a patrol mission on the northern border, Shūichi focused on perfecting his new technique.
Watching him, Kurama Sanyō scratched the back of his head. He had just thought of developing a new genjutsu, but his mind was completely blank.
"I'm definitely not a genius!"
Kurama Sanyō sighed in frustration.
Minato Namikaze smiled and reassured him, "You don't need to compare yourself to Shūichi. The reason he's developing his own sword technique is because he has a natural advantage with Fire Release."
"Sanyō, if you focus on genjutsu, the techniques you already know are enough for you to master."
Kurama Sanyō was immediately convinced, his frustration disappearing.
Then he asked, "Shūichi, how exactly do you plan to combine Fire Release with swordsmanship, or your blade techniques?"
In the ninja world, "swordsmanship" generally refers to the use of both swords and blades, but Shūichi preferred to use the term "blade techniques."
Shūichi looked up with a smile and said, "Rather than just combining Fire Release with blade techniques, it's more about integrating chakra and ninjutsu with swordsmanship."
"And chakra can be used in two main ways: nature transformation and shape transformation."
"For example, Minato-sensei's Rasengan is a pure application of chakra shape transformation."
"In my case, I'm focusing on nature transformation, with shape transformation as a secondary factor. The nature transformation I'm dealing with is Fire Release, specifically its high-temperature properties."
"Shape transformation is involved in how chakra is manipulated to allow me to layer Fire Release chakra more effectively, increasing the temperature and enhancing the blade's cutting power."
Minato was impressed by Shūichi's clarity of thought.
"That's a very clear development process, Shūichi. You have an even greater talent for ninjutsu than I do."
Shūichi humbly replied, "Only with Fire Release."
But Minato shook his head slightly. "No, this kind of thinking can be applied to the development of any technique."
At this point, Shisui Uchiha asked, "So, Minato-sensei, does that mean your Rasengan could also incorporate nature transformation and evolve into a new technique?"
Minato nodded. "That's true. I've considered it as well."
"But so far, I haven't made much progress."
"Adding nature transformation to chakra makes it harder to control, and the Rasengan is already highly refined. Adding a nature transformation could destabilize it."
By the end, Minato couldn't help but shake his head in frustration.
The original inspiration for Rasengan came from the Tailed Beast Bomb, but taking it further had proven challenging without a clear direction.
Shūichi, of course, knew about the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken and Wind Release: Rasengan, but he hadn't fully grasped the theory behind it, so he couldn't explain it.
The timing wasn't right!
...
Time flew by, and by the time Shūichi Hoshita returned to Konoha after completing his border patrol mission, it was already October.
On this day, Shūichi exited the Konoha Hospital and headed to the nearby training ground to find Tsunade, only to discover an additional person there.
'Jiraiya... he's actually back... At this time, Nagato and the others are only about ten years old, right?'
Shūichi was secretly surprised but continued to approach.
"Lady Tsunade!"
Shūichi greeted her and then respectfully turned to Jiraiya, "Jiraiya-sama, I am Shūichi Hoshita!"
Jiraiya, who was in the middle of a conversation, turned around and looked down at Shūichi, confused. "Eh?"
"Where did this little brat come from?"
"Do you know who I am?"
"Hahaha, it seems like I haven't been back in a while, but my fame still precedes me!"
Shūichi was speechless.
Jiraiya had returned to Konoha but hadn't gone to see his student Minato first; instead, he came to find Tsunade.
Truly, he deserved his title as the Pervy Sage! And he was quite full of himself, too.
Despite his inner thoughts, Shūichi kept a pure and innocent smile on his face.
"Of course! You're one of the legendary Sannin of Konoha, just like Lady Tsunade—a remarkable ninja."
Jiraiya was immediately pleased and struck a pose, "Rather than the title of Sannin, I prefer you to call me the Mystic Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku, commonly known as the Toad Sage, at your service!"
Tsunade, standing nearby, couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Idiot."
Jiraiya's expression froze for a moment, deflating his excitement.
Tsunade huffed, "Did you forget you have a student?"
Jiraiya instantly recovered and grinned, "There's no need to worry about Minato. He's a once-in-a-decade genius, a natural-born ninja!"
Shūichi chimed in at the right moment, "Jiraiya-sama, Minato-sensei is currently my team leader."
"Team leader?"
Jiraiya laughed, "As expected of Minato. I haven't seen him in a few years, and he's already become a Jōnin and started mentoring the next generation!"
But then he quickly caught on, "Wait, you're here to learn medical ninjutsu from Tsunade?"
Shūichi nodded, but Tsunade, already impatient, waved her hand dismissively, "We need to start training."
Jiraiya nodded and walked off with a casual wave, saying, "Let's grab a drink tonight!"
"Got it!" Tsunade replied offhandedly.
As Jiraiya left, Shūichi and Tsunade began their training. However, instead of medical ninjutsu, they focused on the Yin Seal, a sealing technique.
Meanwhile, after walking some distance, Jiraiya paused and looked back at Tsunade with a smile.
"Looks like things aren't as bad as I thought."
The first thing Jiraiya did upon returning was gather information and then visit Hiruzen Sarutobi. It was only then that he learned about Tsunade's hemophobia, prompting him to come see her immediately.
At first glance, Tsunade seemed a bit lethargic, but now she appeared quite motivated!
Feeling somewhat reassured, Jiraiya turned and went to find Minato Namikaze.
...
Due to his high aptitude, Shūichi quickly grasped the essentials of sealing techniques.
However, the Yin Seal was quite unique, as it was specifically designed for sealing chakra, involving both chakra refinement and control.
Shūichi's chakra control was naturally strong due to his medical ninjutsu training, but there were still details he needed to consult Tsunade on.
Additionally, Shūichi's situation was different from Tsunade's.
Tsunade didn't use chakra often except during sparring sessions, allowing her to store it up in the seal.
Moreover, once the Yin Seal was initiated, it had to be sustained until completed; interrupting it meant starting over.
If the stored chakra was insufficient, the seal would lose its significance.
Shūichi, on the other hand, frequently needed chakra for training and missions.
He couldn't afford to waste three years storing chakra just for the Yin Seal.
This was an issue Shūichi recalled that Sakura Haruno also faced, and her solution was to create a small reservoir within the seal to divert chakra.
The larger pool was for storage, and the smaller one for regular use.
However, Shūichi had a different idea.
"Lady Tsunade, the Yin Seal gathers chakra at the forehead for storage, but does it necessarily have to be on the forehead?"
"The human body has three major chakra circulatory systems—the forehead, the heart, and the abdomen, all of which can distribute chakra throughout the body."
Shūichi asked, "So, would it be feasible to place the Yin Seal on the abdomen instead?"
Hearing this, Tsunade began to ponder the idea.
The Yin Seal technique originated from Tsunade's grandmother, Uzumaki Mito.
It could be said that this technique belongs to the Uzumaki Clan, but in reality, no member of the Uzumaki Clan had ever practiced it before Uzumaki Mito.
This was because Uzumaki Mito herself was the creator of the technique.
The reason she chose to place it on the forehead was naturally due to the fact that the tailed beast within her was sealed in her abdomen.
In fact, the Yin Seal was originally developed as a countermeasure against the Nine-Tails, using a vast amount of chakra to suppress it.
The Nine-Tails had been sealed within Uzumaki Mito for so long without causing any issues and was thoroughly subdued—not only because of Mito's own strength but also due to the effectiveness of the Yin Seal.
Of course, Tsunade didn't mention any of this to Shūichi Hoshita.
Instead, she said, "There's no problem with placing the Yin Seal on the abdomen, but how do you plan to address the issue we discussed last time?"
She had a solution in mind, but she wanted to test Shūichi's understanding.
Shūichi smiled and replied, "Lady Tsunade, you're surely familiar with the Four Symbols Seal."
"I once asked Minato-sensei about sealing techniques, and he taught me this particular seal."
"So, my idea is to use two Four Symbols Seals in conjunction with the Yin Seal to create a cycle—one seal for intake and the other for output, ensuring they don't interfere with each other."
Tsunade fell into deep thought, her mind already beginning to piece together the combination of the three seals.
After a moment, she nodded, "Technically, this seems feasible."
"And this design does indeed suit you better."
"However, it does add a significant level of difficulty. Besides mastering the Yin Seal, you'll also need to learn the Four Symbols Seal, which will require more time."
Shūichi chuckled, "Although I do feel like my chakra is insufficient at times, I'm not even seven years old yet—there's no rush!"
Tsunade, seeing his confidence, didn't argue further and nodded, "Alright, let's proceed with this plan."
"You can ask Minato to teach you the Four Symbols Seal."
With that, she cracked her knuckles, the joints popping loudly, "Since you're not learning the Yin Seal today, let's resume our sparring from before!"
"Your control over chakra bursts is still quite unrefined."
Shūichi's eyelids twitched, and he quickly responded, "Wait, Lady Tsunade."
"Although placing the Yin Seal on the abdomen is a good idea, it doesn't mean I should abandon the previous approach."
Why choose when you can have it all?
...
At the residence of the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
Jiraiya found Minato Namikaze there, studying sealing techniques with Kushina Uzumaki.
Minato was thrilled to see Jiraiya, "Jiraiya-sensei, you're finally back!"
"Yes!"
Reflecting on his time in the Land of Rain, Jiraiya smiled warmly, "It was a very special journey."
"So, Minato, have you completed that idea you mentioned a while ago?"
Hearing this, Kushina, who had just brought tea, chimed in, "Jiraiya-sensei, are you talking about the Rasengan?"
"Rasengan?"
Jiraiya, eager to see it, said, "As expected of Minato—looks like you've finished it. Show me quickly!"
Minato smiled, "If it weren't for Shūichi, I wouldn't have completed it so quickly."
"Shūichi is the student I'm currently mentoring—an exceptionally talented and outstanding ninja!"
At this, the image of that polite, gentle, and well-mannered kid popped into Jiraiya's mind, and he realized, "So it was him! No wonder Tsunade took a liking to him; he seems quite remarkable!"
"Oh, Jiraiya-sensei, you've already met Shūichi?"
"Yes, Shūichi has indeed gained Lady Tsunade's favor. His talent in medical ninjutsu is also exceptional—he's already become a fully capable medical ninja."
Minato Namikaze was full of praise.
Jiraiya smiled and said, "It seems like you've taken a special interest in nurturing him, Minato."
There's a difference between a student and a personal disciple.
"That's true!" Minato admitted, then extended his right hand and opened his palm. "But for now, let's take a look at the new jutsu!"
Buzz! The air stirred as the blue Rasengan rapidly formed in his hand.
Jiraiya's eyes widened. "What a perfect jutsu, and it suits you so well!"
Kushina Uzumaki, hands on her hips, interjected, "Jiraiya-sensei, this jutsu was developed by Minato for me, and it's most suited for me!"
Jiraiya, not wanting to provoke the fiery Kushina, quickly laughed, "Of course, of course! This jutsu is just right for dealing with that Nine-Tails."
"The power of this technique is entirely determined by the amount of chakra you put into it."
Kushina sighed, "Right now, all my chakra is being used to suppress that pesky Nine-Tails. Otherwise, I could store chakra using the Yin Seal."
Minato quickly reassured her, "Once you master the Adamantine Sealing Chains technique even better, you'll be able to suppress the Nine-Tails more effectively."
"Also, your chakra reserves haven't yet reached their peak, while the Nine-Tails won't get any stronger."
Hearing this, Kushina immediately brightened up and smiled, "That's true."
"Hmph, when the time comes, I'll make sure to give that Nine-Tails a good lesson."
Watching the two, Jiraiya couldn't help but think to himself, They really are a perfect match.
One is oblivious, and the other is sincere!
...
After returning home from the Konoha Hospital, Shūichi Hoshita officially began training in the Yin Seal.
Simply put, the Yin Seal involves creating a chakra storage area at the point between the eyebrows, which can be thought of as a reservoir, with chakra being the water.
However, unlike Tsunade, Shūichi needed to create two reservoirs—one large and one small.
The larger one was specifically for storing chakra to be used in critical moments.
The smaller one was for everyday use.
Although this approach was somewhat cumbersome, until he mastered the Four Symbols Seal and Eight Trigrams Seal, this was the best he could do.
Unlike when he used the Memory Palace Seal, Shūichi's skills in sealing techniques had significantly improved.
He no longer needed to pre-draw the sealing script before using it. Instead, he could use hand seals to assist in transforming his chakra into talismans, forming the sealing script.
Still, it took him a full minute to complete the hand seals.
"Yin Seal!"
As he completed the final hand seal, Shūichi brought his hands together, and his body was immediately covered in dense, tadpole-like symbols.
These symbols then converged toward his forehead, forming the Yin Seal mark before it faded from sight.
Afterward, Shūichi lowered his eyes and began refining his chakra, channeling it into the two reservoirs within the seal.
On October 6, Year 39 of the Konoha Calendar, Shūichi Hoshita officially began training in the Yin Seal!
To better develop new jutsu and achieve the [Medical Expert] tag, Shūichi started reducing his missions outside the village. Most of his time was spent at the Konoha Hospital or training within the village, occasionally going on missions with Minato and the others.
Before he knew it, the temperature began to drop, signaling that autumn was deepening.
One day, feeling exhausted, Shūichi invited Tsunade to relax at a hot spring, but when she declined, he decided to head to Konoha's hot spring street alone for some well-deserved relaxation.
"Huh?"
Shūichi noticed someone on the roof.
"That old pervert Jiraiya..."
Shūichi stopped in his tracks.
Peeping? How immoral! This definitely needs a stern reprimand.
"How should I reprimand him?"
Shūichi Hoshita pondered for a moment, rubbing his chin, and then a smile appeared on his lips.
The next moment, his figure silently transformed into Tsunade's form.
He knew Tsunade very well, down to the smallest details.
He crossed his arms, furrowed his brows, tilted his twin ponytails, and shouted with authority, "Ji-ra-iya!"
On the rooftop, Jiraiya, who was thoroughly engrossed in his peeping and constantly shifting his position, heard the voice and turned his head.
He was shocked out of his wits.
"Tsunade!"
"Oh no..."
Shūichi, in Tsunade's form, had already lifted a leg and brought it down in a powerful axe kick.
Crack!
The ground split open, the force reverberating through the building, and the roof beneath Jiraiya gave way. He plummeted into the hot spring bathhouse below, accompanied by the shrieks of women.
Moments later, Jiraiya scrambled out of the bathhouse in a panic, with a group of women in bathrobes chasing after him.
Shūichi, having reverted to his normal form, quickly used the Transformation Jutsu to blend in with the women, joining them in pummeling Jiraiya with their fists.
Jiraiya was chased all around the area, finally escaping by relying on his mastery of the Transformation Jutsu, Substitution Jutsu, and Clone Jutsu.
Feeling completely refreshed, Shūichi returned to the bathhouse. Still, in Tsunade's form, he compensated the bathhouse owner for the damage and then chose another spot to enjoy a relaxing soak in the hot springs.
"Next time, I should come here with Director Nonō..."
Shūichi closed his eyes, letting his mind wander.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya, now sporting several lumps on his head, sighed.
"Who would've thought there'd be a ninja involved..."
He chuckled afterward, "But this field study turned out to be quite fruitful!"
"Too bad Tsunade wasn't inside..."
Jiraiya felt a tinge of regret, but quickly dismissed the thought, recalling how close he'd come to being beaten to death last time.
As for whether the Tsunade he just encountered was real or not, he didn't give it much thought—after all, this was Konoha, and Tsunade's personality was exactly like that.
...
Time passed unnoticed amidst training and missions, and before long, it was the 40th year of Konoha. Shūichi Hoshita's seventh birthday quietly slipped by while he was on a mission.
On a cliff.
After a sparring match, Shūichi and Kakashi sat side by side, watching the sunset.
Down below, Guy and the others were still training, the area buzzing with activity.
"Kakashi, how's your jutsu coming along?"
After catching his breath, Shūichi asked.
Kakashi shook his head slightly, "Controlling the nature of Lightning Release is proving difficult."
"And you?"
Shūichi lay back on the ground, "I've made initial progress in the first step, which is incorporating Fire Release nature into my blade techniques. Of course, this also involves shape transformation, but it's still far from mastering the ultimate technique."
"But everything needs to be done step by step. You can push forward gradually—the key is to have a clear direction."
"You need to know what kind of result you want, or what kind of effect you need to achieve. Then, figure out what conditions or qualities are required for that."
Kakashi listened thoughtfully, then stood up, "Thanks. But even though you've outpaced me again, the contest isn't over yet!"
With that, Kakashi leaped off the cliff.
Shūichi Hoshita stood up, watching Kakashi's retreating figure with a smile.
Despite his cool and aloof demeanor, Kakashi was actually quite competitive. Cold on the outside, warm on the inside, with a touch of pride.
But developing a new jutsu from scratch was indeed a challenge.
Just look at Minato Namikaze—he was a prime example. Shūichi knew this all too well from personal experience.
Even with his Tag System's boosts, enhancing his Fire Release and swordsmanship talents repeatedly, it still took him nearly half a year to truly complete the first step.
This step alone could already serve as a jutsu similar to the Chidori Blade.
The Tag Tree even recognized it as an A-rank technique, or perhaps a swordsmanship secret technique.
However, what concerned Shūichi the most at the moment was the tag titled "Taijutsu Expert."
After more than a year, he finally achieved his 50th victory over Kakashi in taijutsu matches today.
The tag he had been longing for was finally within his grasp.
Focusing his attention on the Tag Tree in his mind, Shūichi examined the "Taijutsu Expert" tag.
- Taijutsu Talent: Increased by 100%
- Physical Constitution: Increased by 100%
- Nerve Response Speed: Increased by 100%
His mind went blank, his body tingling as if electrified.
When he came back to his senses, Shūichi felt stronger than ever.
1st word: Amazing!
2nd word: Incredible!
While the boost in taijutsu talent was not immediately noticeable, the enhancements in physical constitution and nerve response speed were instantly perceptible.
His thought processes became quicker, his nerve responses faster, and his concentration more intense.
Shūichi could now clearly see the rapid flapping of a fly's wings!
"This dynamic vision—how does it compare to the Three Tomoe Sharingan?"
A smile spread across Shūichi's face as he relaxed his heightened focus. "Even if my dynamic vision isn't quite on par, how many Uchiha can match my nerve response speed?"
"The Sharingan may evolve and enhance vision, but the rest of the nervous system can't compete with me now."
After adjusting to the changes in his body, Shūichi turned his attention to another tag on the tree.
Tag: Fire Release Master
Condition to Obtain: On the basis of the "Fire Release Expert" tag, create five A-rank Fire Release jutsu or one S-rank Fire Release jutsu.
Effects:
- Fire Release Talent: Increased by 100%
- Fire Release Chakra Nature Transformation: Increased by 100%
- Fire Release Shape Transformation: Increased by 100%
- Any Fire Release jutsu or Fire-related secret technique (excluding Kekkei Genkai-related ones) can be learned without obstacles.
This tag was clearly an upgraded version of the "Fire Release Expert" tag.
The three 100% boosts were certainly tempting.
However, the requirements were tough. Whether it's an A-rank Fire Release or an S-rank one, they're not easily created.
Especially in Fire Release! Shūichi couldn't even recall any straightforward Fire Release ultimate techniques in the ninja world. Even A-rank ones are rare, let alone S-rank.
He then turned his gaze to another newly triggered tag.
Tag: Sword Master
Condition to Obtain: Defeat Sakumo Hatake in a swordsmanship duel or create one S-rank swordsmanship technique.
Effects:
- Swordsmanship Talent: Increased by 100%
- Physical Constitution: Increased by 100%
- Designated Ninja Tools: Quality increased by 100%
- Any swordsmanship or kenjutsu (excluding Kekkei Genkai-related ones) can be learned without obstacles.
Again, three 100% boosts, with the physical constitution boost being particularly enticing!
But the requirements made Shūichi's eyelid twitch.
He didn't know what event in the original story led to Sakumo Hatake's suicide, but anything that caused such great losses to the Land of Fire and Konoha wouldn't be minor.
However, with his current status and strength, it wasn't something he could intervene in at will.
"Thankfully, it's a choice between two options..."
Shūichi sighed in relief, his eyes turning to Kakashi as he furrowed his brows. "Could it have something to do with that incident in the Land of Rivers?"
Shaking off his thoughts, Shūichi considered his situation. "Two Master tags at once—how do I trigger the Taijutsu Master tag?"
Apart from that, since obtaining the "Sealing Expert" tag, no more advanced tags had been triggered.
"Oh well, these tags are already enough to keep me busy."
Putting these thoughts aside, Shūichi suddenly leaped off the cliff, sprinting downward.
With his enhanced physical constitution, he needed to explore its full potential, especially now that he was training in the Yin Seal.
"Huh, did I get a bit taller?"
While washing up in the morning, Shūichi Hoshita noticed something was off.
After finishing, he measured himself and confirmed it—he had grown 2 centimeters taller since the last time he measured a week ago. He was now 1.3 meters tall.
This made him quite tall compared to his peers, almost catching up to Shisui Uchiha and Sanyō Kurama, who were two years older.
The boost to my physique is really something!
"After the last enhancement to my physical constitution, my stamina was slightly better than Kakashi's. If I underestimated a bit, I'd say our chakra reserves were about equal."
"But now that my physique has doubled again, I can probably claim to have 2 'Kakashi Units' worth of chakra."
Shūichi was delighted. It had been a week since he acquired the "Taijutsu Expert" tag.
Of course, these "2 Kakashi Units" were in comparison to the current Kakashi, not the adult version.
But the improvement in his physique also meant that his potential for growth had increased accordingly.
This would require continued training and exploration to fully realize.
After all, even in the Senju clan, and for Senju Hashirama himself, chakra reserves didn't start out as overwhelmingly vast at birth.
However, when he thought about the Sage Body and the Uzumaki clan's physique, Shūichi quickly calmed down.
After two enhancements to his physique, he only had 2 Kakashi Units. Without these enhancements, his chakra reserves might have only reached the level of a Chūnin at best.
I still need to work hard!
"Compared to Nagato, who had mastered six mainstream jutsu (5 Basic Nature Transformations + Yang Release) by the age of ten, I'm still not much."
"And my chakra reserves are nowhere near Naruto's level, and probably still fall short of Jiraiya's peak as well."
Of course, Jiraiya was currently at the height of his power.
His chakra level was the ceiling for people without special physiques.
After packing his gear and slinging his scroll over his back, Shūichi headed out.
Once they gathered at their usual spot, Minato Namikaze promptly announced the mission: "This time, we're headed to the Land of Rivers."
"Shūichi, you should remember that we had a skirmish with the Sand Shinobi in the Land of Rivers last year, right?"
Shūichi nodded.
He remembered it well; many Konoha shinobi were injured, and he had helped treat them.
Seeing this, Sanyō Kurama immediately asked, "So, is this mission related to our previous one, Minato Sensei?"
Minato nodded. "It is indeed related."
"The Daimyō of the Land of Rivers didn't cut ties with Sunagakure after that incident. According to our intelligence, Sunagakure discovered an iron mine in the Land of Rivers, and merchants from the Land of Fire lost out in the competition for it."
"In addition, there are signs that Sunagakure is forming an alliance with Amegakure."
"However, the situation in Amegakure is being handled by the ANBU and Root divisions."
"Our mission is in the Land of Rivers. After the last skirmish, both sides have been in a standoff, but as the competition for the iron mine intensifies, the appetite of the Land of Wind and Sunagakure has grown. They've begun targeting the commercial activities of the Land of Fire in the Land of Rivers."
"So, our mission is to eliminate the Sand Shinobi and protect the merchants and caravans from the Land of Fire."
The three of them nodded in unison. "Understood!"
"Then, let's move out!"
Minato gave the order and led the way, with Shūichi and the others following closely behind.
After leaving the village, they traveled along the main road for a while before turning off into the dense forest, heading southwest straight toward the Land of Rivers.
By midday, the four of them rested near the Fire Country border and had a meal of grilled fish by the river.
On April 6th, Year 40 of the Konoha, just after 1 PM, the team crossed the border and entered the Land of Rivers.
"Minato Sensei, I'd like to visit that village from last time," Shisui Uchiha suddenly said.
Minato Namikaze was momentarily surprised, then nodded. "Alright!"
Shūichi Hoshita pondered for a moment before following the change in direction.
Before long, the group arrived at the village in the Land of Rivers where they had completed their mission last year.
But now, the village was in ruins, with no signs of life. The houses were dilapidated, serving as shelters for various animals.
In just a year, everything had changed, and the people were gone.
Shisui Uchiha stood there, stunned, while Sanyō Kurama asked, "Were the people here relocated?"
Shisui's expression shifted slightly. Though innocent, he wasn't naive or foolish.
Having personally killed all the men in this village, he was beginning to realize certain truths.
Shūichi, however, thought of Orochimaru, and by extension, Danzo.
Considering that those who would even dare to target shinobi near Konoha, or even Konoha shinobi themselves, the fate of the people from this village might have been a mercy if death was the outcome.
If they had been used in human experiments, they might have suffered fates worse than death.
Perhaps I should have realized this back then, but as the saying goes, those who are pitiable often have a reason to be hated.
Besides those who raided the Land of Fire, the other villagers also benefited from those actions.
Shūichi was clear-headed. While he wouldn't want to personally slaughter a village, he wasn't naive enough to believe that forgiveness or understanding was the answer.
He didn't have that right.
Of course, if the villagers were taken by Orochimaru for human experiments, that would indeed be inhumane.
What a twisted world this is!
...
Everyone noticed that Shisui seemed off, so Shūichi walked up and patted him on the shoulder.
"Everyone must face the consequences of their actions. Those who kill must be prepared to be killed, and those who rob must be ready for punishment."
"Maybe the women and children of this village didn't participate, but they did benefit from the spoils of the raids. That's the karma they must bear."
"They may seem pitiable, but those we should truly pity and protect are the innocent people of the Land of Fire who were robbed and killed."
People are always hypocritical—what's important is whose side you're on.
Right now, they were on the side of the Land of Fire, on the side of Konoha.
Not on the side of the Land of Rivers, and certainly not on the side of this village.
Of course, Shūichi didn't know that Shisui had participated in the slaughter of the adult men in this village.
But even if he did, so what?
As he said before, Shūichi was on Konoha's side, and Shisui was his comrade, his teammate.
"Thank you, Shūichi," Shisui said, his expression returning to normal.
Seeing this, Minato immediately ordered, "Let's continue!"
The group set off again, and within ten minutes, they arrived at a hill overlooking a small town.
Minato spoke, "This valley town is the first stop for merchants from the Land of Fire entering the Land of Rivers."
"While the mission load in the Land of Rivers includes contributions from Konoha, the expulsion of Fire Country merchants this year means that part of our mission load has been taken over by the Sand Shinobi."
Looking at the town ahead, Shūichi asked, "So, Minato Sensei, we're the vanguard in this operation?"
Minato nodded. "Exactly."
"Sunagakure isn't trying to escalate this into a full-scale war, so they haven't stationed a large force at the border. Instead, they're securing key locations—towns—to establish de facto control over the Land of Rivers."
Shūichi pondered aloud, "The Daimyō of the Land of Rivers probably doesn't want to completely sever ties with the Land of Fire. Right now, they're allowing Sunagakure to take control of the mission load in the Land of Rivers, but later, they might use the country's resources as bargaining chips to reconcile with the Land of Fire's Daimyō."
"So it's not just the Daimyōs of the Land of Rivers and the Land of Wind, and Sunagakure, who want to avoid a full-scale war. The Daimyō of the Land of Fire does too."
"If Konoha loses this battle, the Land of Fire's Daimyō would certainly suffer losses, but it wouldn't be catastrophic."
"But Konoha would lose more than just the mission load in the Land of Rivers."
Minato's eyes filled with admiration. He had intelligence to support his analysis, but Shūichi had inferred all of this from just a bit of information—and he wasn't wrong.
What a sharp political instinct. With talent like this, he's absolutely suited to be Hokage!
Minato thought, and said aloud, "Your analysis is spot on!"
Shisui, too, was inwardly impressed. As expected of Shūichi—his insight is extraordinary!
But Sanyō Kurama was bewildered. He felt that Shūichi's words were convoluted, and only understood one thing:
Konoha must not lose!
Having grasped the key point, Kurama Sanyō asked, "Minato Sensei, according to what Shuichi said, we can't afford to lose. As the vanguard team, do we have a particularly crucial mission?"
Minato Namikaze nodded. "Of course!"
"Our first task is to take control of this town in front of us. Afterward, others will come to replace us."
"The second step is to penetrate deeper into the Land of Rivers, disrupt the Sand Ninja's current arrangements, and draw out Sand Village's forces, creating opportunities for the teams that will follow."
"So, this is an A-rank mission!"
Uchiha Shisui and Kurama Sanyō's expressions became more serious than ever. It wasn't just because of the mission's A-rank classification but also due to the inherent dangers of going deep behind enemy lines.
Meanwhile, Hoshita Shuichi was pondering that even if they succeeded in this mission, it would be difficult for Konoha to secure a victory, especially without a full-scale war.
So, where is the key?
"Is it the Daimyō of the Land of Rivers?"
"No, it's the Third Kazekage of Sand Village!"
"But if we target the Third Kazekage, it risks triggering an all-out war, so maybe it is the Daimyō of the Land of Rivers?"
Shuichi grasped the critical point, but it had little to do with their current mission.
"Next, we'll use shadow clones to infiltrate the town, gather intelligence, locate the Sand Ninjas, and eliminate them as quickly as possible," Minato outlined the plan, which was straightforward yet aggressive.
The four of them created shadow clones and moved out.
As they neared the town, Shuichi and Shisui transformed into a wildcat and a raccoon, slipping into the town unnoticed.
Meanwhile, Minato and Kurama Sanyō, after Shuichi and Shisui had entered the town, used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport inside.
Once inside, the four split up, moving through the streets and alleys to search for any signs of the Sand Ninjas.
Suddenly, Shuichi halted, noticing a shadow flicker by. He immediately leaped onto a rooftop and spotted a figure moving swiftly in the direction he had just come from.
A Sand Ninja!
However, Shuichi didn't pursue. The Sand Ninja's movements were too conspicuous. Since he wasn't skilled in genjutsu, it would be better for someone like Shisui to handle it.
Instead, Shuichi decided to trace the Sand Ninja's tracks in reverse, hoping to uncover other Sand Ninjas or their base in the town.
As expected, it wasn't long before Shuichi, following the traces and listening to the conversations of some townspeople, identified that the Sand Ninjas' base was in the manor right in the center of the town.
Without delay, Shuichi dispelled his shadow clone.
Outside the town, when Shuichi received the memories from his clone, Minato already had feedback. The Sand Ninja he had seen was the same one Minato and Kurama Sanyō had captured.
With the information verified, Minato didn't wait for feedback from Shisui's shadow clone. He placed his hands on Shisui and Kurama Sanyō's shoulders, while Shuichi placed his hand on Minato's arm.
The next moment, the four of them vanished from where they stood and reappeared inside a woodshed. Nearby lay the Sand Ninja they had captured, already dealt with, and beside him was Minato's Flying Thunder God kunai.
According to the intel, there were two Sand Ninja squads in this town: one led by a Jonin with three Chunin, and another led by a Chunin with three Genin.
The Jonin-led team was stationed in the manor and patrolled the area regularly. The Sand Ninja they had captured was part of the patrol.
The Chunin squad, on the other hand, was dispersed in four directions around the town, guarding the main roads. They were disguised as ordinary townspeople rather than wearing ninja attire.
"The Jonin-led Sand Ninja squad will be handled by me. Shisui, Shuichi, and Sanyō, you three will take care of the Chunin squad," Minato Namikaze instructed.
"Shisui, you'll focus on the Chunin, while Shuichi and Sanyō will deal with the three Genin."
"When I initiate the attack, it'll cause quite a commotion. That will prompt the Chunin squad to react, which will expose them."
"Understood!" the three responded in unison, and with that, all four vanished from their spot.
After leaving, Shuichi immediately split into two, with one clone heading north and the other west. His task was to eliminate the two Genin in those directions.
Before long, both Shuichi and his shadow clone reached their respective destinations, each in the form of a wildcat.
After surveying the area, they quickly identified their targets. However, Shuichi didn't act immediately and waited in silence.
Moments later, a loud rumbling sound came from the center of the town. The two Genin, whom Shuichi had been watching, immediately reacted, leaping onto the rooftops to investigate the smoke rising from the town center, then swiftly rushed toward it.
Shuichi and his shadow clone acted quickly, launching a surprise attack from the side.
Slash!
Blood spurted as the two Sand Ninjas collapsed, clutching their throats, never even glimpsing Shuichi's face.
With the two enemies dispatched, the shadow clone dispersed, while Shuichi headed straight for the town center. By the time he arrived, Minato had already finished the battle.
Soon, Uchiha Shisui and Kurama Sanyō joined them, both having successfully completed their respective tasks.
"Next target: Shanliao Town!" Minato declared.
Ignoring the chaos that had erupted in the town, Minato led Shuichi and the others directly toward their next target.
Upon reaching Shanliao Town, the group infiltrated and gathered intelligence using the same method.
Unlike the previous town, Shanliao Town was guarded by three Sand Ninja squads, each led by a Jonin, positioned in a triangular formation at three key locations.
Additionally, the three Sand Ninja squads had set up elevated observation points to assist their patrols.
Shuichi and the others quickly realized that even if they silently took down one of the patrolling Sand Ninjas, it would be detected almost immediately.
If they launched a surprise attack on one base, the other two would respond rapidly, arriving within a minute or two.
It became clear that the two squads in the previous town were merely for early warning. Now, Shuichi and his team faced at least three Jonin.
After gathering the necessary information from the outskirts, the team hid inside a room, where Minato gave his orders: "We'll split into two groups. Shisui, you'll pair up with Shuichi; Sanyō, you'll be with me."
"Sanyō and I will launch a surprise attack on the eastern Sand Ninja squad. Shisui, Shuichi, you two will intercept the Sand Ninja squad coming from the north."
"Understood!" they all replied in unison.
The plan was to execute a lightning-fast strike.
After receiving their orders, the four immediately split up.
Disguised as a stray dog and a stray cat using the Transformation Jutsu, Shuichi and Shisui took their positions near a pile of garbage, waiting silently.
In less than three minutes, an explosion erupted from the east, prompting the Sand Ninja squads in the north and south to spring into action, rushing toward the eastern side.
As the Sand Ninja squad leaped over his head, Shuichi, disguised as a stray dog, swiftly moved, jumping from the rooftops.
In mid-air, he returned to his human form.
Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!
A fireball with a diameter exceeding five meters surged toward the Sand Ninja squad's back.
Almost simultaneously, Uchiha Shisui launched a Great Fireball Jutsu from the right. His fireball was even larger than Shuichi's.
"Watch out!"
The two Sand Ninja at the rear turned around, but they were too close to react with a jutsu.
However, they remained composed despite the surprise, and with a flick of their arms, they hurled kunai attached with explosive tags.
Boom!
The explosive tags detonated, dispersing the two massive fireballs. The close-range explosion sent the two rear Sand Ninjas flying, crashing to the ground, while another barely managed to land on a rooftop.
The Jonin leading them also stopped in his tracks.
But Hoshita Shuichi and Uchiha Shisui were already prepared.
Shuichi used the Chakra burst technique taught by Tsunade to execute the Body Flicker Jutsu, closing the distance to the fallen Sand Ninja in an instant and beheading him with a swift slash.
Shisui, even faster with his own Body Flicker Jutsu, locked eyes with another Sand Ninja just as he was getting up.
The Sand Ninja froze in that moment, and before he could react, Shisui's blade flashed, leaving a thin line of blood across his neck.
"Shuichi, be careful!" Shisui shouted.
After dispatching one enemy, Shuichi looked up to see the Sand Ninja above him, already completing hand signs. His cheeks puffed out as he unleashed a powerful gust of wind.
Boom!
The wind roared, carrying hidden wind blades that cut through the air with a deafening sound. The buildings and walls in the wind's path, whether made of earth or wood, were left with deep cuts as if struck by a sword.
Shuichi and Shisui quickly took cover behind a building.
The storm subsided quickly, and the Jonin descended from above, sword raised to strike at Shuichi's head.
At the critical moment, Shuichi sidestepped the strike, drawing his own blade from his waist. He ducked low and sprang forward like a rabbit, slashing horizontally from right to left, aiming at the enemy's abdomen.
Simultaneously, a blue light began to cover Shuichi's Totsuka Blade from hilt to tip, the intense heat distorting the air and light around it. The speed of the slash left a trail of warped afterimages.
A-Rank Kenjutsu: Blue Flame Sky Blade!
The blue light covering the Totsuka Blade was actually high-temperature flames formed by Fire Release chakra nature transformation, reaching up to 4000 degrees Celsius—the current limit of Shuichi's abilities.
As the Sand Ninja raised his sword to block, the distortion of the air and light caused him to misjudge the position of Shuichi's blade.
The Totsuka Blade sliced through half of the Sand Ninja's sword, then cut through his vest, skin, organs, and spine, splitting him in two at the waist.
The speed and heat of the blade were so intense that no blood flowed from the wound, and the Sand Ninja's body remained upright, propped up by his sword.
Without looking back, Shuichi dashed toward Shisui.
At that moment, Shisui was engaging the Sand Jonin in a fast-paced battle, using his unique Body Flicker Jutsu.
Seeing Shuichi arrive so quickly, the Sand Jonin's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible!"
Under the cover of his Wind Release technique, and with the experienced Sunasuke having the upper hand, he couldn't believe that this Konoha brat had defeated him so swiftly.
"These two Konoha brats are no ordinary shinobi..."
The Sand Jonin made a split-second decision, leaping into the air while completing hand signs. His chest expanded as he prepared to exhale.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
This technique generated a pure gust of wind, unlike the earlier one laced with wind blades. There wasn't enough time for a more complex jutsu, and any delay would leave him vulnerable.
Shisui's Body Flicker clones could easily withstand such an attack, but the real Shisui hidden among them was blown off the rooftop, causing the other clones to dissipate as well.
Meanwhile, Shuichi burst forward with a surge of chakra under his feet, charging up the rooftop against the wind.
As the Sand Jonin descended, he quickly began forming hand signs, but before he could complete them, Shuichi unleashed a stream of flames from his mouth, which quickly expanded into a large fireball.
"This brat didn't even form hand signs!"
The Sand Jonin was shocked once more but had no choice but to abandon his jutsu. He drew his sword, infused with Wind Release chakra, and sliced through the fireball.
Shuichi then raised one hand, summoning two shadow clones, each wielding a Totsuka Blade. They both charged at the Sand Jonin as he landed.
At the same time, Shisui launched a volley of shuriken, whizzing through the air to harass the Sand Jonin.
The Sand Jonin parried the attacks with his blade, quickly engaging in a close-quarters fight with Shuichi and his clones.
The Jonin's speed was undoubtedly faster than Shuichi's, and his Wind Release-enhanced blade was equally sharp and lethal.
Yet, the Sand Jonin found himself at a disadvantage. Despite his superior speed, his attacks were either blocked or evaded.
"Damned brat!"
Gritting his teeth, the Sand Jonin created an opening in his defense, taking the opportunity to destroy one of Shuichi's clones.
He then used his shoulder armor to absorb another strike from the second clone before kicking it, causing it to disperse.
Wind Release chakra surged in his left hand as he grabbed Shuichi Hoshita's Totsuka Blade barehanded, while his right hand thrust a katana straight at Shuichi.
Clang!
Uchiha Shisui intervened just in time, blocking the strike.
In that instant, the Totsuka Blade in Shuichi's hand was enveloped in a blue glow, casting a pale blue light on all three of their faces.
Blue Flame Sky Blade!
The intense heat distorted the air. The Sand Jonin's pupils dilated in shock as he tried to pull back, but it was too late—the Totsuka Blade sliced through the Wind Release chakra covering his hand, cutting his palm open.
With a scream of agony, the Sand Jonin staggered back. But Shuichi and Shisui didn't let up, launching a relentless flurry of attacks.
Clang! Clang!
Sparks flew as the Jonin parried Shisui's strikes. But after a few exchanges, the Jonin's katana was cleaved in two by the Totsuka Blade.
Taking advantage of the opening, Shisui slashed across the Jonin's chest, tearing through his flak jacket. Enraged and in pain, the Jonin retaliated with a powerful kick, sending Shisui flying.
Ignoring Shisui as he was knocked back, Shuichi pressed the attack. With a swift strike, he severed the Jonin's short sword and then sliced off his right arm before finishing with a lethal slash to the throat.
The Sand Jonin's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the panting Shuichi. He fell to the ground, his body split in two.
"Shisui, are you okay?" Shuichi asked, turning his head.
Shisui clutched his stomach and shook his head.
That kick had almost knocked the wind out of him. Although his eyes had seen the attack coming, it was too fast, and he couldn't avoid it after committing to his own strike.
This Jonin was truly formidable!
At that moment, Minato Namikaze arrived with Kurama Sanyō, teleporting directly to Shuichi and Shisui using the Flying Thunder God kunai they carried.
Seeing that the enemies had been dealt with, Minato first expressed surprise, then gave a heartfelt compliment, "Well done!"
"But Shuichi, your chakra..."
Shuichi sheathed his sword and made a hand sign. "Don't worry, Minato-sensei. It's not a problem!"
As he spoke, he released an incomplete Yin Seal.
The chakra he had stored for the past six months flowed from his forehead, rejuvenating his depleted body.
However, this also meant that the Yin Seal Shuichi had painstakingly worked on for half a year was now undone, and he would need to start over from scratch.
But that was exactly why he had created the Yin Seal in the first place—for moments like this. He had no regrets.
"Minato-sensei, more Sand Ninjas are coming!" Kurama Sanyō warned.
Shuichi and the others looked up to see four Sand Ninjas closing in.
Their reinforcement speed was faster than expected. As soon as Minato and Kurama had finished dealing with their enemies, the southern Sand Ninja squad had already arrived.
Worried about Shuichi and Shisui, Minato and Kurama had only engaged the enemy briefly before retreating.
But as the Sand Ninja squad approached and saw the aftermath of the battle, the lead Jonin immediately ordered, "Retreat!"
Both of their squads had been wiped out in such a short time—Konoha's team was far stronger than they had anticipated.