The ocean scenery eventually grows dull after prolonged staring.
On the first day alone, Kei Yamanaka and Minato Namikaze eagerly spent half the day admiring the sea view.
For the remaining time, they were either discussing their newly accepted disciples or sharing insights on ninja techniques.
Occasionally, they would even spar, analyzing combat strategies together.
Minato truly was a genius without equal.
His skill listings were so impressive that even Kei—who had his own system—found himself green with envy.
[Space-Time Insight (Purple)], [Hyper Reaction Speed (Purple)], [Sealing Mastery (Blue)], [Strategic Brilliance (Blue)], [Overwhelming Luck (Blue)], [Chakra Reservoir (Blue)], [Wind Release Proficiency (Green)], [Dashing Looks (Green)].
A total of eight skill listings!
And out of those, six were talent-based skills!
Space-Time Insight allowed clear perception of space-time fluctuations and perfect compatibility with all kinds of space-time jutsu.
Hyper Reaction Speed enhanced nerve reaction speed, body reflexes, hand seal speed, chakra circulation speed, and ninjutsu release speed across the board.
Strategic Brilliance boosted learning ability, tactical thinking, and skills in developing and researching new jutsu.
Overwhelming Luck directly increased one's luck, while Chakra Reservoir increased chakra reserves and recovery capacity.
Only the Dashing Looks trait was slightly inferior to Kei's own.
"With stats like these, if Minato doesn't become the Fourth Hokage, then who the hell could?"
Every time Kei looked at Minato's skill listings, he couldn't help but feel envious all over again.
Forget everything else—just that Space-Time Insight made him incredibly jealous.
Which transmigrator wouldn't want to learn the Flying Thunder God Technique?
Unfortunately, being reborn into the Naruto world hadn't granted him any extraordinary space-time talent.
His natural talent in space-time was barely enough to barely able to use Summoning Jutsu and storage seals. He didn't even meet the threshold required to learn the Flying Thunder God Technique.
If it weren't for the faint hope provided by his system, he probably would have already abandoned any thought of ever learning the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Two and a half days quickly passed as Kei and Minato continuously discussed and sparred with each other.
The weather at sea remained relatively stable during these days, which allowed them to arrive half a day earlier than expected at a small port town in southern Tea Country.
It was around noon.
After the ship docked, both men cautiously removed their Konoha forehead protectors and used Transformation Jutsu to disguise themselves as ordinary carpenters.
Just as they were about to enter town to gather intelligence from crowded areas,
four shinobi wearing Mist forehead protectors walked out from within the town.
At the front stood a man with neatly kept orange waist-length hair, an extremely tall and muscular build standing about two and a half meters high.
Combined with the massive sword Samehada strapped to his back, there was no mistaking him—he was none other than Fuguki Suikazan, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
As for the three behind him, although Kei and Minato didn't recognize their identities, judging from their outfits, they were most likely elite Anbu-level shinobi from Mist, each of whom was at least Jonin-level.
Facing the approaching Mist shinobi…
The two shared a knowing glance before putting on expressions of fear and panic, hastily stepping aside to the edge of the road.
They appeared indistinguishable from ordinary civilians.
The four Mist shinobi sensed nothing unusual and marched straight past them without hesitation.
As soon as Kei Yamanaka and Minato Namikaze saw the Mist group vanish through the town gates after a few quick bounds, they didn't rush to follow. Instead, they headed directly into the town.
Under the leadership of the Second Mizukage Gengetsu Hozuki, the Mist had long advocated covert operations.
Even under the Third Mizukage's reign, this principle remained unchanged.
Mist ninja never acted openly like this when operating outside their village.
This behavior raised serious red flags.
Sure enough, right after Kei and Minato entered the town gate,
more than ten men and women, young and old, seemingly "civilians," emerged one by one from alleyways and corners of the street.
An elderly woman leading the group—clearly in her seventies with white hair—spoke briefly with one of her subordinates before raising a single hand.
At once, those ten figures shot off like arrows released from a bow, scattering rapidly toward the north and south.
It seemed they were preparing to flank the Mist ninja from both sides.
Meanwhile, the old woman herself went chasing after the direction the Mist had taken, alone.
Witnessing this unfold, Kei and Minato quickly realized what was happening.
This was clearly a power struggle between Suna and Kiri.
Unsure whether either side still had more tricks up their sleeves,
the two, still dressed as carpenters, hurriedly assumed frightened expressions and rushed deeper into the town.
After weaving through multiple narrow alleys without drawing attention,
Kei formed a series of hand seals, activating the Yamanaka clan's secret [Sensor Ninjutsu] at full capacity.
In an instant, the chakra signatures within nearly a ten-kilometer radius flooded his mind.
"There are quite a lot of people…"
Kei muttered under his breath as he shifted his hand seals.
He immediately performed the [Mind Transfer Technique], sharing everything he'd sensed with Minato.
Judging from the recent surge in conflicts, it seemed tensions between Suna and Kiri had boiled over.
In total, over thirty chakra signatures were present—far beyond anything expected during routine border skirmishes.
On the Mist's side, the four visible members led by Fuguki Suikazan were clearly just bait.
Sixteen more lay hidden and waiting in ambush in the forest a few kilometers away.
As for the Sand side, one shinobi was charging headfirst into the trap, while twelve others flanked from the north and south, apparently planning a counter-encirclement.
Within the town itself, there were clearly four additional chakra signatures.
Whether they belonged to spies left behind by the Sand or backup from the Mist was unclear.
"This scale of conflict…"
Minato frowned deeply as he reviewed the information Kei had shared.
A clash involving nearly forty ninja was no longer just a matter of personal grudges.
Such a large-scale mobilization must have been sanctioned by the leadership of both villages.
And once the higher-ups entered the fray, that usually meant relations between the two villages had already deteriorated beyond repair.
Worrying won't help. We need to stick to our mission."
Kei didn't seem particularly concerned about the conflict between the Mist and the Sand.
He had long known that war was unavoidable. Now his only concern was how to carry out this mission—should he also include some personal goals?
Maybe he could use this opportunity to alter the course of the Third Great Ninja War.
"Hmm, I'll go with Tactic Two and wait for the right moment to enter the battlefield."
Minato Namikaze nodded slightly, temporarily pushing aside his worries about the war and focusing on the current mission.
While aboard the ship, the two had designed several tactical plans based on their respective ninjutsu characteristics.
Under the current circumstances, the second tactic—which allowed them to swiftly enter or retreat from the battlefield—was clearly the most suitable.
"Alright."
Kei Yamanaka reached into an inner pouch and pulled out a small tube engraved with numerous sealing formulas.
After uncorking it, he dipped his finger into the preserved blood inside and performed a series of hand seals, activating the Summoning Jutsu.
Unlike those ruthless ninja in the Ninja World who would bite their fingers or stab their palms with kunai without hesitation,
even after being reincarnated into this world over a decade ago, he still couldn't bring himself to hurt his own body so recklessly.
Puff!
"Caw! Caw!"
Smoke filled with chakra rose as three pitch-black crows flapped their wings and appeared before the two men.
[Heart-Mind Transfer Puppet Jutsu!]
Kei changed his hand seal, carefully maintaining control over his own body while simultaneously directing the three crows.
The previously noisy and hopping birds immediately stilled in place.
Minato took a step forward, closed his eyes for a moment to focus, then gently placed his right hand on the belly of one crow, inscribing the Flying Thunder God formula.
Although he hadn't yet reached the level shown in the original account—where during his battle against Obito he could mark an opponent mid-combat in an instant—
his spatial teleportation speed between marked points had already been perfected.
Once the Flying Thunder God markings were inscribed onto the three crows, under Kei's control, they flapped their wings and flew skyward, heading directly toward the ambush site prepared by the Mist ninja.
Before he could gain sight of the battlefield through the crows' eyes,
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