Konoha's support finally arrived.
Nara Shikaku handed over command of the shinobi troops to Orochimaru, who immediately organized them and stationed the forces on-site.
This time, it wasn't a temporary tent but a proper camp. Using Earth Release techniques, the shinobi constructed various essential infrastructures.
Cloud Shinobi had clearly noticed the arrival of Konoha's reinforcements. However, over the past few days, they refrained from launching any direct harassment. Instead, they sent a few reconnaissance shinobi to gather intelligence.
With the Hyūga clan's Byakugan users present, however, these reconnaissance attempts were futile. The Cloud shinobi were swiftly discovered and neutralized.
Meanwhile, Sora, finally able to rest properly, was in a small room he had constructed using Earth Release techniques. Sitting at a simple desk with pen and paper in hand, he was writing a letter.
A rare, gentle smile appeared on Sora's face. The only person who could make him smile like this was Uzumaki Kushina. The letter was addressed to him.
After filling two sheets of paper with eloquent writing, Sora summoned a snake, attaching the letter to its body.
"Deliver this to Kushina in Konoha," Sora instructed.
The snake did not reply but flicked its tongue briefly before slithering out of the room, acting as his messenger.
As the snake departed, Sora lay back on the stone bed, his gaze falling on the promotion letter he had recently received. It confirmed his advancement to the rank of Special Jōnin. Thoughts of the future filled his mind.
In the past few days, his system had also issued a prompt:
[Host participates in war events and is rewarded with 500 witness points.]
This reward caught Sora by surprise. From his perspective, this was not a full-scale war event but merely a prelude to conflict. Out of curiosity, he questioned the system.
The system's response surprised him even more:
[According to the original timeline, the operation would wait for reinforcements from Konoha and then proceed with Namikaze Minato leading the mission. However, since the Host directly participated in this event, witness points have been awarded.]
It became clear to Sora.
The system had stated from the beginning that any event impacting the ninja world could yield witness points. It didn't necessarily have to be one of the major events he remembered. By altering the timeline and taking Minato's role in this mission, he had gained the points.
This realization made him see the system's mechanics in a new light. Witness points could be earned flexibly, even in seemingly minor situations.
From a broader perspective, while this conflict was critical for Konoha, for the four major ninja villages, it was little more than a skirmish. The true threats—the elite Jōnin—had yet to enter the battlefield.
In Cloud Shinobi's case, the infamous AB brothers had yet to arrive. Similarly, Sunagakure's formidable forces, including Chiyo, had not yet been deployed.
Sora's primary method of earning witness points relied heavily on certain key individuals. However, since those individuals had not yet entered the battlefield, Sora had to find alternative ways to accumulate points.
Originally, Namikaze Minato had been destined to take the lead in these events, but by acting earlier and more decisively, Sora had managed to claim the credit that would have otherwise gone to Minato, thereby earning additional witness points.
Currently, Sora's main attack techniques consist of Thunder Breath and Fire Release Ninjutsu. However, he knew that eventually, these techniques would be analyzed by his enemies, who would develop countermeasures against them. To remain unpredictable and ahead of his foes, he needed new attack methods.
The most crucial way to acquire these new abilities was through witness points. By leveraging these points, Sora could continually grow stronger—until he was capable of controlling everything around him.
Looking down at his calloused hands, Sora murmured to himself, "Not enough... far from enough."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the camp, Namikaze Minato was in a room with Jiraiya.
Jiraiya handed a scroll to Minato, his expression unusually serious. "Minato, this scroll contains the Space-Time Ninjutsu developed by the Second Hokage—the Flying Thunder God Technique."
Minato's eyes lit up with excitement, but he maintained a composed demeanour. Accepting the scroll with both hands, he bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Jiraiya-sensei."
Jiraiya waved a hand dismissively. "No need for thanks. But before you start, there's something I need to explain. The Flying Thunder God Technique is incredibly difficult to master. Since its creation by the Second Hokage, no one else has successfully learned it.
"To master this technique, you'll need unparalleled perception, precise chakra control, and extraordinary reflexes. You have all these qualities, but that doesn't guarantee success. Others with similar traits have tried and failed."
Pausing for a moment, Jiraiya added, "I want you to approach this with a calm mind. If you can't master it, it's not the end of the world. I'll find other techniques for you to learn—such as the Sage Mode from Mount Myōboku."
Minato nodded solemnly. "I understand, Jiraiya-sensei."
Jiraiya then handed Minato an envelope. "This is your promotion to Special Jōnin."
Minato blinked in surprise. "A promotion? I didn't expect this…"
Jiraiya smiled. "Even though Sora has overshadowed you in the last couple of missions, don't underestimate yourself. Your previous achievements are more than enough to justify this promotion."
Patting Minato on the shoulder, Jiraiya said, "Alright, I know you're eager to start training. Work hard!"
After Jiraiya left, Minato immediately opened the scroll and began studying the Flying Thunder God Technique with unwavering focus.
A week passed quickly. Although there were minor clashes with Cloud Shinobi during this time, Konoha's reinforcements managed to hold the line.
The group of 80 shinobi sent by Konoha consisted entirely of members of the ninja clans, making them highly skilled. Even the Chūnin among them were far from ordinary. If Cloud Shinobi underestimated them, even their Jōnin could end up falling victim to Konoha's forces.
In terms of quality, this group of 80 was far superior to the 150 shinobi Jiraiya had originally brought. Among them, the most valuable were the eight medical-nin who had joined the reinforcements. These medical ninjas were Konoha's true treasures. With the present, injuries that would otherwise be debilitating could be quickly treated, greatly boosting morale and survivability on the battlefield.
Sora received a reply from Uzumaki Kushina during this time as he read the letter, a warm smile spread across his face—a rare sight for anyone familiar with him.
Kushina had resumed her missions, but the letter mentioned something troubling: he often felt like someone was following her.
Sora quickly deduced that it was likely someone from the Anbu. Given the previous incident where Cloud Shinobi had nearly kidnapped Kushina, it made sense for Sarutobi Hiruzen to assign Anbu to protect her. Kushina was too valuable to Konoha, especially with Uzumaki Mito's health deteriorating. As Mito's strength waned, Kushina's importance to the village only grew.
The rest of the letter contained trivial details about Kushina's daily life and missions. Yet, even these small details were precious to Sora, who read the letter several times, savouring every word.
With Kushina's reply still in hand, Sora's mood lifted significantly, his heart feeling lighter than it had in days.
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