c19 - Close to the Rice Market
At the Hokage Building, the Sandaime Hokage listened attentively as Aburame Shibi reported on his new team's progress.
"So that's how it is? Even someone as meticulous as you has nothing but praise for them." Sandaime exhaled a puff of smoke from his pipe, a rare smile appearing on his aged face. A man like Shibi, who measured everything with precision, seldom gave compliments.
"Might Guy has already started training in the Eight Inner Gates, pushing his body to its limits. Uchiha Kazue has awakened the second tomoe of her Sharingan, significantly improving her perception and combat ability. And then there's Shiranui Yuuji…"
Sandaime Hokage fell into deep thought. The team he had personally assembled was performing even better than he had expected. Especially Yuuji.
That boy had displayed a unique and formidable Kekkei Genkai, unlike anything recorded in Konoha's history. A wide-area poisonous effect that could wipe out enemies instantly. A bizarre clone technique that defied conventional logic. And, most concerning of all—his chakra reserves.
"Shibi, about Yuuji's poison… did you manage to collect a sample?" Sandaime's gaze sharpened.
"No, Hokage-sama." Shibi adjusted his sunglasses. "I examined the remains of my destroyed kikaichū, but no residual toxins remained. It seems Yuuji absorbed and neutralized them afterward."
"…A very cautious child." Sandaime sighed, mildly disappointed. A completely new type of poison, capable of bypassing the kikaichū's resistance, could be both a great asset and a severe threat. He would have to keep a close eye on it.
Regardless, this was a good sign. Guy and Yuuji had built a strong friendship, while Kazue and Yuuji had established a deep camaraderie. Bonds like these were crucial for Konoha's future.
"Shibi, your responsibility is immense." Sandaime exhaled another breath of smoke. "You are tasked with nurturing the most promising new generation since Kakashi's. A decade from now, Konoha will depend on these young ones to hold the front lines."
Shibi gave a silent nod before leaving.
Once alone, Sandaime turned his attention to another document—one concerning Kakashi. His psychological trauma had begun to stabilize, but he still required a strong team structure to reinforce his bonds with Konoha.
"His rivalry with Obito, his complicated feelings for Rin… if this goes as planned, he will regain his focus."
As for their leader… the decision was already made.
Namikaze Minato.
Despite his young age, Minato had already clashed with Kumogakure's A-B Combo and held his own, proving himself as a rising Kage-level shinobi.
With Minato at the helm, Kakashi's growth would be guided by an elite shinobi deeply connected to Konoha. More importantly, Minato's lover, Uzumaki Kushina, was the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki—this arrangement would ensure his loyalty to the village.
Sandaime took a final puff of his pipe and made his decision.
---
Konoha – The Next Morning
Shibi's team assembled at dawn, preparing for their first official mission.
"Joining a supply unit and escorting resources to the front lines… a B-rank mission."
Yuuji narrowed his eyes. Skipping D-rank and C-rank assignments entirely and moving straight to B-rank meant they were being tested seriously.
"Because we're in wartime, supply convoys are frequent targets," Kazue murmured, her crimson Sharingan spinning slightly in excitement. "An enemy attack is almost inevitable."
"Theoretically, yes," Shibi confirmed in his monotone voice. "If we are lucky, we will reach the front without conflict. If we are unlucky, we will be attacked… and the mission level may rise to [A]-rank."
[S]-rank, however, was another matter.
Only in rare cases—such as an elite enemy Jōnin or even a Kage-level opponent personally targeting their convoy—would their mission escalate that high. Unless their enemy was reckless, such a scenario was unlikely.
After all, this wasn't Namikaze Minato's unit.
Even if a skilled enemy Jōnin did appear, Shibi himself—one of Konoha's most perfect elite Jōnin, known for his versatility and adaptability—would ensure the mission's success.
Yuuji studied Shibi's expressionless face. This man wouldn't be leading rookies for long. Sooner or later, he'd return to the front lines, where Konoha needed him most.
The four-man squad soon met up with the supply unit—a team of ten shinobi, including two Gennin who served as the squad's leaders.
"The team protecting us probably won't be that strong," muttered a middle-aged ninja in the convoy. "We're just a small shipment, after all—"
His voice cut off the moment he saw Aburame Shibi. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"S-Shibi-sama?! You are leading this escort mission?!"
Shibi simply gave a slight nod. "Let's move."
A tense silence settled over the group. The presence of a high-ranking elite Jōnin was both comforting and intimidating.
Yuuji, however, focused on something else.
The captain and vice-captain of the supply unit—both Gennin—looked oddly familiar.
'Wait a minute… I recognize them.'
Umino Ikkaku. Umino Iroha.
They were Umino Iruka's parents.
And in a few years, during the Nine-Tails' attack, they would die in the chaos.
Yuuji's gaze lingered on Ikkaku for a moment too long.
"What? Is something on my face?" Ikkaku asked, raising an eyebrow.
Yuuji blinked. "Ah, you noticed?"
"Of course, kid. You're staring straight at me."
Yuuji hesitated for a moment, then smirked. "I was just thinking… you don't look very reliable. If we get attacked, I might have to carry you through the mission."
The casual jab struck deep. Ikkaku's eye twitched.
"Hah?! What kind of brat are you?!"
But as the others laughed, the tension in the unit eased.
Even during war, a moment of humor could lighten the load.
---
Near the Fire Country Border
The further they traveled from Konoha, the grimmer the landscape became.
Abandoned villages. Scorched farmland. Corpses littering the roads.
The front lines were merciless, and even civilians had not been spared.
Kazue clenched her fists. "This is what the battlefield looks like…"
Shibi, as unreadable as ever, finally spoke:
"We are approaching the border station near Amegakure."
That meant one thing—they were stepping into the most dangerous war zone.
The Land of Rain was the battleground of three major nations—Konohagakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure—and the Amegakure shinobi harbored deep hatred toward Konoha.
Umino Ikkaku's voice was solemn.
"Normally, we'd be moving covertly enough to avoid detection, but—"
BOOM!
A sudden explosion cut him off.
Shuriken rained down from the treetops. Explosive tags detonated.
Enemies had found them.