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Shukaku then turned his head, preparing to fire an Air Bullet at Orochimaru's group.

Shūichi appeared above Shukaku's head in an instant, then vanished again, reappearing at the Land of Rivers' border.

Boom!

The Air Bullet blasted a massive hole in a mountain, causing the ground to shake violently.

As Shukaku tried to catch Shūichi with sand, Shūichi disappeared from above Shukaku's head and reappeared next to Asuka once again.

"Gamabunta, can you help us stop Shukaku?"

Shūichi, Asuka, and Shisui stood atop Gamabunta's head.

"No problem!" Gamabunta replied, leaping into the air, then muttered, "But the heat from your chakra mode is a bit too much…"

Shūichi quickly dispelled his Fire Release Chakra Mode after hearing that.

Fortunately, it hadn't spread to Gamabunta's body earlier.

...

Gamabunta was incredibly fast. In no time, they intercepted the returning Shukaku in the Land of Rivers.

Water and wind spheres expanded, transforming into a downpour.

Shukaku stopped in his tracks, his gaze locked onto Gamabunta and Shūichi. "You damn toad!"

Gamabunta snorted coldly. "You wretched tanuki, looking all beaten up!"

"Maybe today's the day we take you down!"

"Damn toad, let's see you try!" Shukaku spat his threat, but hesitated to make the first move, his tail swaying cautiously.

The opponents in front of him were no pushovers.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield behind them, Chiyo decisively risked turning back to break through, only to be pursued by Orochimaru and the Konoha forces.

After breaking through the border, three hundred Konoha ninja suddenly ambushed from the right, cutting off the Sand shinobi's retreat.

Chiyo gritted her teeth and sacrificed part of her forces to continue retreating with the rest.

The One-Tail absolutely could not be captured!

Orochimaru, leading some Konoha forces in pursuit, knew that while Shūichi had the Flying Thunder God technique, he couldn't allow Shūichi's team to face both the One-Tail and the retreating Sand shinobi alone.

The chase continued as both sides neared the standoff between Shūichi and Shukaku.

Seeing that the One-Tail was unharmed, Chiyo sighed in relief.

However, she didn't dare get too close. Instead, she led her forces in a swift retreat to the west.

At that moment, Shukaku moved, launching an Air Bullet at the pursuing Orochimaru and his forces.

Shūichi gathered another Wind-Fire Rasenshuriken and called out, "Gamabunta!"

"Got it!" Gamabunta nodded slightly, then spat a Water Cannon to intercept the Air Bullet.

Shukaku fired three more Air Bullets in quick succession, forming a triangular attack to trap Gamabunta.

At that moment, Shūichi disappeared again, flashing above Shukaku's head and throwing down the Rasenshuriken before returning to Gamabunta's side.

Gamabunta shot another Water Cannon, blocking the first Air Bullet. Uchiha Shisui, having activated his cursed seal, unleashed a powerful Fireball, while Shūichi used an Earth Dragon Bullet, stopping the second Air Bullet. The third was obliterated by Asuka's Adamantine Chains.

On the other side, a massive fireball enveloped Shukaku.

Meanwhile, Chiyo and the retreating Sand shinobi halted at a distance.

As the fierce light and heatwave receded, Shūichi narrowed his eyes. The molten sand on Shukaku's body had peeled away, revealing his undamaged form underneath, with even his previously destroyed limbs fully restored.

"Is he really this tough?"

"He seemed so much weaker in the original story..."

Shūichi frowned. "Is it because the Jinchūriki has achieved perfect cooperation with the Tailed Beast, making him almost like a perfect Jinchūriki?"

If the Wind-Fire Rasenshuriken didn't work, the Lava Release Rasenshuriken likely wouldn't either.

Even with a power boost from the cursed seal, Shukaku's sand body would probably still block the attack.

He's just like Orochimaru, able to shed his skin…

Tailed Beasts really are meant to be sealed away!

Standing on top of Gamabunta's head, Asuka looked at Shukaku in the distance and suddenly suggested, "Shūichi, why don't you take me over there with you? Together, we can seal him!"

Shūichi shook his head, "Maybe we could have done it earlier, but now the One-Tail and its Jinchūriki are cooperating, almost like a Perfect Jinchūriki."

Asuka immediately recalled the sealing technique that had previously blocked her Adamantine Sealing Chains.

Uchiha Shisui suddenly spoke, "Shūichi, what if I join in?"

"Although Shukaku can quickly break free from a genjutsu due to the Jinchūriki's influence, if I use my Sharingan to infiltrate through Shukaku and affect the Jinchūriki as well, we might be able to buy some time."

Shūichi was startled. This tactic was just like how Masked Obito had controlled the Fourth Mizukage.

At that moment, the upper body of Bunpuku, the Jinchūriki, slowly emerged from atop Shukaku.

Shūichi's gaze sharpened. "This looks similar to Gaara's situation, but it's different... Right, in their current state, they are almost like a Perfect Jinchūriki. They can fully share their power, so the Jinchūriki doesn't need to sleep to unleash Shukaku's strength."

With that thought, Shūichi nodded, "Alright, let's give it a try!"

"Shisui, prioritize controlling the Jinchūriki. That monk isn't easy to deal with; his sealing techniques are powerful."

Shisui nodded seriously.

In the next moment, Shūichi, Asuka, and Shisui simultaneously appeared above Shukaku's head.

"Die!"

Shukaku roared, swiping its sharp claws down at them while its tail lashed toward the trio.

"Stay still!"

In this critical moment, Asuka displayed a strength completely different from her usual gentle demeanor. Her Adamantine Chains shot out, wrapping around Shukaku's tail.

At the same time, Shūichi's Fire Nether Chains entwined Shukaku's limbs, locking them in place.

Shisui's eyes met with Bunpuku's, and his Sharingan activated instantly. Bunpuku, who was about to use a sealing technique, froze in place.

"Damn Sharingan! Hey, old monk, wake up!"

Shukaku shouted, but in the next moment, its voice was silenced as it too was caught in Shisui's genjutsu.

"Good!"

Shūichi smiled as three chains pierced into Shukaku's body, rapidly extracting its chakra.

Meanwhile, Chiyo shouted to Ebizō and the others, "Hold off the Konoha forces! I'm going to help the Jinchūriki!"

As she spoke, Chiyo leapt forward, pulling out a scroll and unraveling its seal as she sped toward Shukaku.

In an instant, several puppets materialized around Chiyo.

White Secret Technique: The Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets!

These were the strongest puppets in Sunagakure, and possibly the entire ninja world.

Chiyo manipulated her ten puppets, sending them flying ahead toward Shukaku.

Orochimaru, seeing this, also ordered the Konoha forces to attack the Sunagakure ninjas while summoning Manda. Standing on Manda's head, he directed the massive snake to charge at Chiyo.

Gamabunta, on the other hand, found himself unable to intervene. His jutsu were too large in scale and could inadvertently harm Shūichi and the others.

Despite being unable to act, Gamabunta couldn't help but feel amazed at how Shūichi, Asuka, and Shisui had managed to subdue both Shukaku and the Jinchūriki in such a short time. "These young ones... Are they really this strong?"

"This disciple of Minato... seems even more powerful than his master!"

"However..."

Gamabunta's gaze shifted toward Orochimaru and Manda. "That damned snake won't make it in time..."

Although Manda moved swiftly, Chiyo was already closer to Shukaku and reached it first.

One of Chiyo's female puppets wielding a large sword charged straight at Asuka, while three other puppets positioned themselves in a triangle formation, casting seals aimed at Shūichi and the others.

Two more puppets—one with a chain and the other with a sickle—darted toward Shūichi.

Asuka, though focused on restraining Shukaku's tail, still had strength to spare. She immediately extended three more chains—one blocked the sword-wielding puppet, and the other two intercepted the puppets attacking Shūichi.

Shisui had already completed a seal, spitting out a large fireball toward the three puppets performing the jutsu.

Three Jewels Suction Crushing!

A fierce windstorm surged, creating a powerful suction force that enveloped Shūichi and the others. It wasn't just pulling them in—chaotic air currents created a crushing wind pressure.

Even Shisui's fireball, enhanced by the Bijuu Sealing Mark/Bijuu Cursed Mark, was rapidly extinguished by the overwhelming force of the storm.

Shūichi and Asuka were anchored to Shukaku by their chains, preventing them from being pulled in, but Shisui struggled to maintain control of his body.

"The puppeteer is the key!"

Shisui strained to steady himself, his gaze fixed on Chiyo.

However, just as he prepared to act, his view was blocked by one of Chiyo's puppets.

"Asuka!"

Shūichi called out, and Asuka immediately understood. She retracted the chain binding Shukaku's tail and swiftly wrapped it around Shisui.

In the next instant, the three of them vanished from Shukaku's head and reappeared on top of Gamabunta.

At that moment, Shisui grunted, clutching his right eye.

"Shisui!"

Shūichi exclaimed in alarm.

"I'm fine!"

Shisui waved his hand, "The Tailed Beast and the Jinchūriki broke free of my control."

"Die, you bastards!"

Shukaku's enraged voice roared as it unleashed an Air Bullet, but Gamabunta was already prepared and blocked it.

"Don't engage them directly; retreat to the Land of Wind. We'll have the advantage there," Bunpuku advised.

Shukaku grumbled in displeasure, but agreed, "Fine, let them live a little longer. Once we're in the desert, we'll bury them all!"

With that, Shukaku leapt back, and Ebizō led the Sunagakure forces in retreat.

Due to Shukaku's presence, Orochimaru refrained from ordering an immediate pursuit.

"I didn't expect this... Bunpuku, the first Jinchūriki of the One-Tail, is truly different."

With a sigh, Shūichi called out, "Gamabunta!"

"Got it!"

Gamabunta leapt into the air, chasing after Shukaku.

However, the retreating Sunagakure ninjas suddenly stopped, turning to cast Wind Release jutsu to block Gamabunta's pursuit. Shukaku also turned to attack.

At that moment, Shukaku and the Sunagakure forces coordinated seamlessly, covering each other's retreat.

Even Shūichi, Asuka, Shisui, and Orochimaru were taken aback by this display.

"Bunpuku..."

Shūichi thought to himself. "He's the key."

An idea flashed in his mind—to use the Flying Thunder God technique to teleport to Bunpuku and disable him, causing Sunagakure to temporarily lose control of their Tailed Beast.

But he quickly dismissed the thought.

Bunpuku and Shukaku were surely on guard, and Chiyo was also nearby.

"I know almost nothing about this Bunpuku, except for his powerful sealing techniques."

"But anyone who has suppressed the One-Tail for so many years must be formidable..."

"Besides, even if we capture Shukaku now, Sarutobi Hiruzen would probably just return him to the Sunagakure. There's no need to take the risk."

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Shūichi chose not to strike. Instead, he and Orochimaru continued their pursuit, forcing the Sunagakure forces to keep retreating.

After all, Shūichi had already obtained a portion of Shukaku's chakra, and that was enough for now.

...

Konoha continued to pursue while the Sand shinobi retreated. From morning until noon, and then into the afternoon, the Sand shinobi finally withdrew into the Land of Wind.

Shūichi and his group stopped at the border between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Wind, where the two sides faced off once again.

By this point, the number of Sand shinobi had dwindled to fewer than two hundred.

Without a doubt, this was a crushing defeat for the Sunagakure!

For Konoha, however, it was a major victory. Even though they hadn't completely annihilated the Sunagakure forces, they had inflicted heavy losses on them with minimal casualties, and had driven the Sand shinobi entirely out of the Land of Rivers.

Now, as long as they kept the Sunagakure forces out of the Land of Rivers, the daimyō of the Land of Rivers, upon witnessing Konoha's strength, would have no choice but to collaborate with them and hand over all missions to Konoha.

Not only that, but trade between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Fire would also increase, especially regarding the newly discovered iron mines.

The daimyō of the Land of Fire, as well as its nobles and ministers, would benefit from this as well. As a result, they would fully support Konoha, providing even more military funding.

This was the hidden benefit beneath the surface of protecting their homeland.

Standing atop Gamabunta's head, Shūichi couldn't help but weigh the significance of this war.

On the opposite side, Shukaku, lazily basking in the sand and enjoying the sunlight, suddenly felt confident again. Glaring viciously at Shūichi and his team, he shouted, "You damn toad!"

"And that annoying brat with those disgusting red eyes, come over here and die already!"

"I'll bury all of you in the sand today!"

Earlier, Shūichi had drained some of Shukaku's chakra, causing his body to shrink slightly, but now he had rapidly recovered.

"You filthy, lowly tanuki!" Gamabunta retorted, gripping his blade with one hand and full of sarcasm. "Haha, you were pretty pathetic just a moment ago!"

"Damn toad! If it weren't for that brat, I would've already killed you!" Shukaku roared. "Come over here if you dare! I'll show you what real power is!"

Shukaku extended his claw, making a provocative gesture.

Gamabunta narrowed his eyes and then glanced upward at Shūichi. "Shall we teach this mangy cat a lesson together?"

It was clear that in this environment, Gamabunta would be at a disadvantage if he fought alone.

Shūichi smiled. "No need to get worked up over a defeated foe, Gamabunta."

"If it hadn't been for Chiyo, we would have already finished him off earlier."

Hearing this, Shukaku was enraged. "You despicable brat!"

"I'm going to make sure you suffer!"

With that, he began gathering chakra in his mouth, forming a Tailed Beast Bomb.

Shūichi shook his head. "Shukaku, none of your attacks will work against me."

As he spoke, Shūichi raised his right hand, palm facing outward. Sealing symbols immediately spread out from his hand, and the Tailed Beast Bomb, which had been carving a path through the sand, slowly sank into a slightly distorted space.

At that moment, Monk Bunpuku's expression changed, and he immediately withdrew into Shukaku's body.

In the next instant, the Tailed Beast Bomb reappeared and crashed directly onto Shukaku's own head.

Boom!

A blinding light enveloped Shukaku, leaving the Sand shinobi dumbfounded. At Chiyo's urgent command, they quickly retreated.

Sure enough, a massive sandstorm soon swept across the battlefield.

Watching the scene, Gamabunta raised a hand to shield his eyes and felt thoroughly satisfied. "Shukaku really is an idiot!"

The Konoha shinobi also erupted in cheers.

Orochimaru, squinting at Shūichi's tall figure, couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. "At this age… the future really does look promising!"

As the light from the explosion faded, Shukaku reemerged from the falling sand. Though his body had shrunk slightly, he was otherwise unharmed.

"So, that's the Sand Body, huh? How fascinating," Orochimaru murmured, licking his lips in excitement.

...

"Damn it!"

"Curse it all…"

Shukaku groaned in pain, glaring at Shūichi with a mixture of dread and frustration. Bunpuku soon reappeared beside him.

Shukaku complained bitterly, "Why didn't you warn me earlier?"

Bunpuku didn't argue, instead explaining calmly, "That Shūichi's Body Flicker Technique is a space-time jutsu. He's not just using kunai to teleport; he likely placed a mark on you earlier, and that mark is probably very difficult to remove."

Shukaku's pupils shrank. "You mean… that brat could appear on me anytime?"

Bunpuku nodded. "That seems to be the case."

"Damn it…"

Shukaku grew agitated. "Is there no way to get rid of it?"

Bunpuku remained calm. "You already shed your Sand Body once, but it clearly didn't help."

"This mark is likely similar to a summoning contract. Even if you die and are reborn with a new Jinchūriki, the mark probably won't go away."

"So, be very cautious around that boy from now on. Don't try using the same method against him again."

Shukaku shifted his gaze toward Orochimaru and the other Konoha shinobi. "I see…"

"I'm being watched? Hehe…"

Sensing Shukaku's gaze, Orochimaru exuded a cold, terrifying aura.

Shukaku paused, feeling uneasy. "That guy… doesn't feel like a regular ninja."

"He's like some disgusting snake!"

"I really don't like the way he looks at me."

With that, Shukaku spat out a compressed air bullet toward them.

"Prepare Earth Release jutsu!"

The Konoha jonin shouted in unison.

Orochimaru, however, bit his thumbs and pressed his hands to the ground.

Summoning Jutsu: Triple Rashōmon!

Three massive, ancient, and eerie gates rose from the earth, forming a barrier in front of Orochimaru.

In the next moment, the air bullet struck, piercing through the first gate and exploding against the second, sending a violent shockwave rippling out to the sides.

"Hmph, still not as strong as a Tailed Beast Bomb," Orochimaru commented as he emerged from behind the gates.

The other Konoha shinobi let out a collective sigh of relief.

Shūichi, however, wasn't the least bit surprised.

After all, the air bullet wasn't a Tailed Beast Bomb.

But Shūichi couldn't help but recall the legendary battle where Uchiha Madara's Tailed Beast Bomb, combined with his Susanoo's sword, obliterated the First Hokage's Five Rashōmon Gates. It was a sight reminiscent of the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken.

"Gamabunta, I think it's time for you to take a break," Shūichi said, regaining his focus.

Gamabunta nodded. "Call me anytime if you need me."

With a puff of smoke, his massive form disappeared.

Landing on the ground, Shūichi glanced toward the retreating Sand shinobi, then returned to Orochimaru's side with Asuka and Shisui.

"Orochimaru-sama, I think we should fall back a bit more," Shūichi suggested.

Orochimaru nodded. The power of the Tailed Beast was indeed alarming. Keeping some distance would give them more time to react.

Konoha withdrew, and the Sand shinobi also retreated once again.

They aimed to regroup in the nearest town, as they had suffered significant losses. Even with Shukaku on their side, they were in no position to confront Konoha head-on at the moment.

Although Shukaku was vengeful and reluctant, he understood that without the support of the Sand shinobi, he could be killed by Konoha's forces. He had no choice but to return to Bunpuku's body and retreat with them.

Watching Shukaku disappear and the Sand forces withdraw, Shūichi, along with Asuka and Shisui, followed Orochimaru back to their camp.

At that moment, Orochimaru was writing a battle report. The situation needed to be conveyed to Koharu Utatane as soon as possible.

There was no way this small force could hold off another Sand offensive.

Supplies were also critically important—not just food, but ninja tools as well. The continuous skirmishes had depleted their stock.

Once Orochimaru finished writing, Shūichi offered, "Shall I deliver it?"

Orochimaru thought for a moment and replied, "Use a Shadow Clone."

They couldn't risk the Sand Village launching a surprise attack.

At the border of the Land of Fire, Koharu Utatane smiled so broadly that her face wrinkled after reading the report delivered by Shūichi's shadow clone. "As expected of one of the Sannin! And Shūichi, your contributions have been immense as well!"

Shūichi humbly smiled and replied, "It's all thanks to you, Lady Koharu, and Lord Orochimaru's excellent command."

Koharu shook her head slightly. "No need to be modest. Shūichi, your contributions are the greatest, and all the Konoha ninja have seen it with their own eyes."

Monitoring the Sand and Mist ninja, nearly taking down the Mist ninja single-handedly, and facing off against the One-Tailed Beast from the Sand by himself… Those accomplishments were not something that could be downplayed.

Even if she tried, no one would accept it!

"The reinforcements are ready and can set off today," Koharu continued. "As for the logistics…"

She thought for a moment. "We've recovered some of the ninja tools, and they will be sent along with the reinforcements. As for the remaining supplies, I've already requested additional provisions from the village."

"As for food and medical supplies, I will head to the Daimyo's mansion in the Land of Rivers to personally request his assistance."

"I'm sure the Daimyo will not refuse," she added with a hint of menace.

Could he dare to say no? Although the Daimyo of the Land of Rivers had his own ninja guards and a group of samurai, they were no match for Konoha's ninja.

With the entire Land of Rivers under the shadow of Konoha's military might, he had no choice but to cooperate.

After making these arrangements, Koharu gave a final order. "That's all. Go report to Orochimaru."

"Understood!" Shūichi nodded before his shadow clone dispersed into a puff of smoke.

...

In a small town within the Land of Rivers, Shūichi and Shisui emerged from a hot spring, both stretching and feeling relaxed.

Shisui, feeling much lighter, smiled and said, "Shūichi, sneaking out like this might not set a good example."

Shūichi lazily replied, "I haven't delayed any of our missions."

"Shūichi, when do you think this war will end?" Shisui suddenly asked.

Shūichi paused for a moment before shaking his head. "That's not something we can decide. At least, not right now."

Shisui sighed in agreement. "Yeah…"

But then, his face brightened with a warm smile. "Still, if we work hard enough, we can make it happen, right? Just like you, Shūichi. You quickly drove back both the Mist and Sand ninjas. Without you, many of our comrades might have fallen in this war."

Shūichi clapped a hand on Shisui's shoulder and smiled. "Different abilities bring different responsibilities."

"Besides, it may be true that I've played a significant role in this war, but everyone has contributed in their own way. Alone, I couldn't have held off both the Mist and the Sand ninja."

"With great power comes great responsibility, after all!"

(T/N: Uncle Ben is that you?!)

That last phrase was a bit cliché—something said for others' benefit but not something he himself believed in wholeheartedly.

Shūichi didn't aspire to be a saint. That was too exhausting. He'd rather leave the saintly duties to someone else!

Shisui, however, seemed deeply touched by Shūichi's words, his eyes lighting up with admiration. "Shūichi, your words are always so thought-provoking."

"It's hard to believe you're younger than me."

Shūichi responded smoothly, "Age doesn't matter when one has ambition!"

"People need to have goals; otherwise, they're no different from a dead fish."

"But the first step is understanding your own limits—knowing what you're capable of and not overestimating yourself. You can't carry the weight of the world on your own."

"We're just human. Skilled ninja, yes, but our abilities have limits."

Shisui seemed to reflect on this. "So that's the true meaning of teamwork?"

Shūichi nodded with a knowing smile. "Don't take on all the responsibility yourself. Do what you can—that's the biggest contribution anyone can make."

"For example, while I'm decent at genjutsu, I'm nowhere near as skilled as you. Controlling the One-Tailed Beast and its Jinchūriki should be left to you, not me trying to force myself to do it."

"I didn't do well enough in that regard."

Shisui immediately shook his head. "You've already done an amazing job, Shūichi. You're neither arrogant nor complacent, and you trust your comrades. You even reflect on your actions."

"If I had your power, I'd probably think I could solve most of our problems on my own."

Shūichi, hearing this, silently shook his head.

He simply knew more, had a bit more foresight, and carried a sense of caution.

But in truth, wasn't he always looking down at others, viewing the world and its people with a detached, almost god-like perspective?

Shifting the conversation, Shūichi asked, "Shisui, how did it feel to control both the One-Tail and the Jinchūriki at the same time?"

Shisui's expression became serious. "It was incredibly stressful!"

"The power of the Tailed Beast is immense, and that monk, Bunpuku, is also extremely strong."

"Especially since his and Shukaku's powers are interconnected."

"But next time, I'm confident I can control one through the other more quickly. However, now that they understand the power of the Sharingan, they'll break free even faster."

"My Dōjutsu power isn't strong enough…"

Shūichi's eye twitched.

Not strong enough?

It's already incredibly powerful!

Controlling both a Tailed Beast and its Jinchūriki with a three-tomoe Sharingan—that's something no ordinary Uchiha could do.

Whether it's Uchiha Obito or Uchiha Madara, they only achieved that after awakening their Mangekyō Sharingan.

You couldn't help but respect a true genjutsu specialist.

At that moment, Shūichi couldn't help but imagine himself in Danzō's position.

If he were Danzō, he'd probably start plotting after learning about Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan abilities.

People entrenched in darkness often lacked a sense of security and trust, and Danzō's ambitions surged after the Fourth Hokage's death.

A power that could alter someone's will? Who wouldn't fear such a thing, unless they were supremely confident in themselves?

...

Shūichi pulled himself from his thoughts, casually wrapping an arm around Uchiha Shisui's shoulder as he laughed, "Shisui, your Dōjutsu power is already incredibly strong. Most people with a three-tomoe Sharingan wouldn't be able to do what you do. It's closely tied to your talent with genjutsu."

Shisui nodded in agreement. "Exactly. A lot of Uchiha become too reliant on the innate power of the Sharingan, even though it's undeniably powerful."

"That's also why many of our clan members are held back," Shisui added thoughtfully. "Perhaps, as you said, many have become lost in the power of the Sharingan."

Listening to Shisui, Shūichi couldn't help but think of Sasuke, one of the legendary "Laughing Heroes." Every time his strength surged and his confidence soared, he'd get beaten down shortly after.

"By the way, Shūichi, how's that genjutsu technique you were developing coming along?" Shisui asked.

Shūichi smiled. "Still needs a bit more work. I'll let you try it once it's ready."

Shisui nodded seriously, smiling. "I'll hold you to that."

At that moment, Asuka finally emerged, her youthful energy radiating as she approached. "Sorry to keep you waiting!"

Shūichi grinned. "No worries, we were having a good conversation!"

"Let's head back," he said.

The three of them started back toward the front-line camp, but before they arrived, Shūichi's shadow clone already sent back its memories.

Once they returned to the camp, Shūichi first reported to Orochimaru, then led Asuka and Shisui to a secluded valley a bit of a distance from the camp. This would be their temporary training ground.

Since Shūichi needed to transform into the Four-Tails and draw on natural energy to restore his chakra, doing so within the camp wasn't ideal.

Additionally, he needed to study the chakra of Shukaku, the One-Tailed Beast.

Using Earth and Water Release techniques, Shūichi created a waterfall, and then made several shadow clones to work on the Spirit Transformation Technique. Meanwhile, he himself sat beneath the waterfall, transforming into a mini version of the Four-Tails.

Natural energy surged toward him, absorbed into his body to restore his physical strength, and he refined it into chakra, storing it in the Yin Seal.

This was a much faster way to accumulate chakra compared to gorging on food.

While his body focused on gathering energy, Shūichi's consciousness appeared within the Eight Trigrams Seal on his abdomen.

In addition to the Four-Tails, there was now a large lake formed from Shukaku's chakra.

Unlike the Four-Tails, this chakra didn't contain Shukaku's consciousness.

That's because Shūichi had forcibly taken it, just like Naruto wrestled the Nine-Tails' chakra from Kurama.

The difference, though, was that this stolen One-Tail chakra wouldn't regenerate, making it even more precious.

As Shūichi appeared, the Four-Tails opened his eyes and spoke in a deep voice, "I didn't expect you to have stolen chakra from that fool Shukaku as well."

"It's a shame you couldn't get his sand body, though. You can't absorb his cells."

Shūichi was unbothered. "This is more than enough."

The Four-Tails asked, "Are you trying to gain the power of Magnet Release through Shukaku's chakra?"

Shūichi smiled. "Shukaku's power isn't limited to just Magnet Release. There's also his sealing techniques."

The Four-Tails snorted. "Shukaku's sealing techniques are also based on Magnet Release!"

"Oh?"

Shūichi raised an eyebrow, surprised that the Four-Tails would reveal such important information.

Meeting Shūichi's gaze, the Four-Tails continued, "Even though I'm sealed, I can still sense some things through your chakra."

"It seems like you're intentionally gathering the powers of the Tailed Beasts. This isn't just about studying our abilities, is it?"

Shūichi was taken aback by the Four-Tails' insight.

As expected from a being made of pure chakra—the sensitivity to chakra was extraordinary.

This only solidified Shūichi's resolve. The ability to sense malice wasn't unique to the Nine-Tails. As long as someone mastered the essence of chakra, they could achieve the same.

And perhaps even go further, sensing the thoughts and consciousness within chakra… particularly from entities like shadow clones, which had their own sense of awareness.

Looking at the Four-Tails, Shūichi smiled. "Son Goku, are you offering to help me?"

The Four-Tails stared at him. "I have no such intention. I just want to know what your goal is."

"I don't sense any malice from you."

No malice?

Shūichi chuckled and shook his head, choosing not to elaborate further.

It wasn't time yet.

Stepping into the lake of Shukaku's chakra, Shūichi focused intently on understanding the mysteries contained within.

Time passed quickly, and by the next day, reinforcements from the Land of Fire began arriving at the front lines. Koharu Utatane also displayed her capabilities, bringing a shipment of supplies in the afternoon, boosting the soldiers' morale.

...

Konoha.

As news from the front lines reached the village, the tense atmosphere quickly dissipated. The streets and alleys buzzed with talk of Konoha's victory, and the name on everyone's lips was Shūichi Hoshita.

Even the children playing ninja games eagerly competed to play the role of "Shūichi Hoshita," the freshly crowned hero of Konoha.

And this was only half a day after Hiruzen Sarutobi had deliberately spread the news.

The results of the battle were simply too astonishing.

Koharu Utatane had sent back word of both their victories over the Mist and Sand villages.

When Hiruzen heard that the entire Mist ninja army had been wiped out, he could hardly believe it.

After all, Konoha didn't have a numerical advantage in that battle.

It wasn't that he didn't want to send more reinforcements, but with the Stone Village, the Cloud Village, and even the Mist Village threatening Konoha on all sides, the Land of Fire had become riddled with vulnerabilities.

This was why he had long been reluctant to start a war.

Being the wealthiest nation, the Land of Fire was always an attractive target for the other hidden villages.

---

Konoha Hospital.

"Nonō, you're amazing, raising someone like Shūichi!"

"Nonō-senpai, when Shūichi returns as a Jōnin, can I follow him?"

"Nonō, I'm so envious that you have such an incredible person like Shūichi!"

…

Colleagues and juniors alike approached Nonō Yakushi, constantly mentioning Shūichi and showering him with praise and admiration.

Nonō responded humbly with a smile, but deep down, she was filled with unease.

To her, the position Shūichi occupied—although admired as a genius, a hero—was also an extremely dangerous one.

"With Asuka by his side and the Flying Thunder God technique, things shouldn't get too bad…" Nonō silently reassured herself, while keeping a composed appearance as she continued her work.

Because along with the news of victory, a wave of wounded soldiers had returned as well.

Inside the hospital room, the Konoha ninja who saw Nonō enter greeted her respectfully: "Lady Nonō!"

"We owe it all to the Shūichi you trained!"

"Indeed!"

…

---

Research Base.

Hearing the rapid footsteps outside, Tsunade, who had been deep in thought, frowned and looked up. Shizune hurriedly entered, causing Tsunade to scold her in annoyance, "Shizune, as a medical ninja, no matter the situation—"

Before Tsunade could finish, Shizune interrupted, her voice excited, "We've received news from the front lines!"

"Hmm?"

"What?"

Tsunade froze.

Shizune, brimming with excitement, continued, "It's about the front lines—Shūichi has become a hero of Konoha!"

Tsunade's heart pounded violently, her ears ringing, and her vision turned red. "You... Shūichi… he…?"

Too excited to notice Tsunade's pale face, Shizune kept talking, "Shūichi single-handedly defeated the Mist ninja! He almost captured the Sunagakure's tailed beast too!"

"Everyone outside is praising him now!"

"He's the top contributor in this battle!"

Tsunade swallowed hard, her hearing slowly returning, the red haze fading from her vision, but her body wavered.

Shizune, finally noticing Tsunade's unsteady form, rushed forward to support her. "Lady Tsunade, are you alright?"

Tsunade gradually regained her composure and shook her head. "I'm fine... just sat too long."

After regaining her composure, Tsunade frowned as she listened to the news Shizune had brought.

Unfortunately, the information was vague, as it had been released by the Hokage's office.

Tsunade immediately stood up. "I'm going to see the old man."

Shizune hurried to follow. She had been extremely excited after hearing the news, but seeing Tsunade's serious attitude now, she began to worry as well.

When Tsunade arrived at the Hokage's office, she found that Jiraiya, Koharu Utatane, and Danzo were also present.

Upon seeing her, Jiraiya immediately smiled. "Relax, Shūichi's not hurt."

"Gamabunta even said that his strength has surpassed his teacher, Minato."

Tsunade nodded coldly, but inwardly she felt relieved. She then asked, "With the Mist suffering such heavy losses, they'll probably launch an immediate attack, right?"

Koharu Utatane nodded. "Hiruzen has already decided to send reinforcements to the eastern front immediately. Both Jiraiya and I will head out shortly."

Tsunade asked, "What about the direction of the Land of Rivers?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi replied, "The Hidden Mist Village is too far from there. After their army was wiped out, the chance of them attacking from that direction is extremely low."

"As for the Hidden Sand Village, the losses on the front lines were minimal. Our current forces are sufficient, and the Sand's main strength is still focused in the north."

Tsunade remained silent and asked no further questions.

After the meeting ended, Jiraiya and Tsunade walked together down the street.

"Don't worry, Shūichi's strength is already incredible, and he has the Flying Thunder God technique," Jiraiya said with a smile, well aware of Tsunade's concern.

Tsunade huffed, "I was going to remind you to be careful and not die on the battlefield."

Jiraiya burst out laughing. "Tsunade, I'm the Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku! Besides, the Hidden Mist doesn't have a jinchūriki that powerful."

After laughing, he suggested, "Let's go grab a drink!"

Tsunade nodded silently.

---

Kirigakure, Mizukage Tower, Conference Room.

The atmosphere was heavy.

The news of the total annihilation of the army led by Hōzuki Shingetsu was too shocking.

Previously, when they had lost contact with Hōzuki's forces, there had been a sense of unease, but no one had expected this outcome.

Suddenly, a voice broke the silence: "Mizukage-sama, issue the order!"

"Such disgrace can only be washed away with blood!"

"The Kaguya clan is willing to lead the charge!"

The speaker was a middle-aged man, his expression brimming with excitement and bloodlust. His smile even carried a savage edge.

The Kaguya clan lived for battle, and now was the perfect time for them to shine.

The head of the Hōzuki clan, Hōzuki Kyūgetsu, spoke gravely: "The Kaguya clan leader is right!"

"Based on the intelligence we've received, it's confirmed that the Scorch Release user, Pakura, was indeed rescued by Konoha!"

The Hōzuki clan had suffered terribly this time, losing Hōzuki Shingetsu, one of their key members, and Hōzuki Metsuin, who had been groomed as the future clan leader.

The others in the meeting also voiced their support for launching an attack on Konoha, as it had been part of their original plan, just moved up slightly.

The Third Mizukage, who had kept his eyes downcast, finally opened them and looked at Hōzuki Kyūgetsu and Kaguya Daisuke. "Very well, the Kaguya clan and Hōzuki clan will be the vanguard, with Yagura leading the operation."

"In addition, once the battle starts, send the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to infiltrate the Land of Fire and carry out a decapitation strike on Konoha's command center."

"If you encounter that Shūichi Hoshita, focus all efforts on killing him!"

"Send someone to the Sunagakure to gather intelligence on this Shūichi Hoshita as quickly as possible."

"Relay the order: ordinary ninjas are allowed to abandon their mission if they encounter Shūichi Hoshita!"

...

As the high-level meeting concluded, the news spread quickly.

The entire force of over a thousand Mist Village ninjas had been wiped out!

This revelation sent shockwaves throughout the Hidden Mist Village, but it also ignited an unprecedented surge of fighting spirit.

Among the ninja community, the name Shūichi Hoshita began circulating rapidly.

It was incredibly rare to issue a command allowing ordinary ninjas to abandon their missions—especially concerning a 12-year-old boy.

As the ninjas learned of this order, so did their families, and Shūichi's name continued to spread far and wide.

---

At the same time, the Sunagakure was also thrown into turmoil.

They had only just celebrated a defensive victory against the Hidden Stone, only to face such a devastating loss so soon after.

Once again, the name Shūichi Hoshita entered the minds of every Sand ninja.

But unlike before, this time, Shūichi's name also began to spread among the general population of the Sand Village.

A day later, the Daimyō of the Land of Wind received the battle report from the Hidden Sand and quickly took note of the name Shūichi Hoshita.

Meanwhile, in the Hidden Stone Village, the Third Tsuchikage received the news even later.

Despite their efforts to gather intelligence, the details of the battle still came from Konoha.

"Shūichi Hoshita..." Onoki furrowed his brows. "It seems he's very likely the one who dealt with the Third Kazekage!"

He held two intelligence reports in his hands.

One was from Konoha, of course, part of the "good news" that they had released publicly.

After cross-referencing it with information gathered by his own intelligence network, he confirmed that Konoha hadn't exaggerated the details.

The second report came from the Hidden Sand Village, or more precisely, from the Fourth Kazekage.

It contained more precise information about Shūichi Hoshita, even mentioning the use of Lava Release.

Although Shūichi hadn't used Lava Release in front of the Sand ninjas, traces of its power had been left behind in his battle against the Mist.

"Father, it seems the Sand ninjas are hinting at peace negotiations," said Kitsuchi.

The report they had received from the Sand was clearly crafted with a purpose.

Onoki scoffed lightly. "The Fourth Kazekage wouldn't initiate peace talks with us."

Kitsuchi hesitated for a moment before saying, "But this could be the right time to form an alliance with the Sand. The Mist will surely launch a large-scale attack on the Land of Fire, and based on the intelligence we've gathered, the Cloud Village is also preparing for war. Konoha has even reinforced their northern defenses."

Onoki, however, remained calm. "It's not enough."

"We need the Sand to tie down more of Konoha's forces. Pull our front lines back a little, so the Sand can free up more of their strength."

He knew full well what the Fourth Kazekage wanted: for the Hidden Stone to propose peace first.

But the disappearance—or death—of the Third Kazekage had nothing to do with them, so why should they be the ones to apologize?

After thinking for a moment, Onoki asked, "If we were to wage war on the Land of Fire, where would be the best place to strike?"

Kitsuchi thought for a moment before replying, "The most suitable route would be through the Land of Grass!"

"We need to catch Konoha off guard and seize the advantage before they can react. The Land of Rain is heavily defended by Konoha, but the Land of Grass, though allied with Konoha, is led by a leader who is much closer to us."

"They won't foolishly fight to the death for Konoha's sake. So, we could take Konoha by surprise, swiftly passing through the Land of Grass to launch a sudden attack on the Land of Fire's border and catch Konoha off guard!"

"Moreover, attacking from the direction of the Land of Grass would give us the shortest supply lines."

Onoki nodded slightly. "Go make the preparations."

Kitsuchi's expression immediately grew serious. "Understood!"

---

Time flew by, and it was now May of the 45th year in Konoha.

In the Land of Rivers, beneath a waterfall, Shūichi opened his eyes with a look of joy. "I've finally mastered it!"

Moments earlier, his Shadow Clone had dispelled, sending back memories of his research, and he had finally made progress with the Spirit Transformation Technique.

In fact, he had already gotten some insights when he used 'Flash of Insight' during the last time, but the outbreak of war had left him with little time to focus on his studies.

Now, as Konoha stood in a standoff with the Sunagakure, he had finally made a breakthrough.

"Shisui!"

Shūichi stood up and walked out from under the waterfall.