Konoha Year 47, May.
Spring season, flowers red, willows green, a good time for spring outings. But Otonashi, wrapped in bandages, walked on the street with a slight frown.
The village had become extremely desolate. Forget about the scantily clad young ladies appropriate for late spring; even the shops on the commercial street had few open doors.
It was clearly spring but felt like deep winter. No festivals, no activities. However, Otonashi had already seen several funeral processions carrying coffins.
"Has the war situation become so urgent?" Otonashi was thoughtful, because he hadn't even seen many Uchiha family police patrol teams, proving that this group of slackers who preserved their strength had also been sent to the battlefield.
Approaching the late stages of the war, the military strength of various villages was almost exhausted. Now was the time to compete based on foundations.
The village was desolate, and no one held celebration parties for newly emerged heroes. Or perhaps, too many heroes had already died in this war, and everyone was numb.
Otonashi walked into a teahouse that was still open, went to a window seat, ordered tea and snacks, and sat down, supporting his head with one hand, his mind constantly working.
'The war is undoubtedly ending soon. The villages are exhausted. It just depends on who has the foundation and surprise moves in the final moments.'
Eating a dango, his face was full of mockery. After fighting for nearly three years and countless deaths, it ended up in this situation.
No winner, no loser. It meant so many people died for nothing. But this was war, competing on strength and strategy, not on things like determination.
"The Third is old." Taking another sip of tea, Otonashi sighed. Achieving a draw would be considered good.
He had learned these past few days that Kakashi and Rin had gone to the front lines again, but they hadn't even met. And him sitting here comfortably drinking tea proved that the higher-ups were already considering post-war matters.
Which people must live, which people could be abandoned.
The higher-ups were just that cold-blooded. Upon seeing no hope of becoming the victor, they immediately shifted their attention to the next war.
"Damn it, but I don't want to fight a Fourth Great War." Otonashi, upon whom high hopes were placed, suddenly drank all his tea.
If his predictions were correct, the Third would probably step down before the war ended, handing the honor of 'victor' to the Fourth Hokage. Then, people like him would become the backbone in the next great war.
In other words, Otonashi had already entered the 'talent reserve plan' one step ahead of Kakashi.
Moving his faintly aching arm, Otonashi paid the bill and wandered onto the street again, but the thoughts in his mind didn't stop.
"Speed and power must be further improved, but I need to find a way to increase load-bearing capacity."
He muttered to himself with his hands behind his back. This world hadn't yet surpassed the laws of physics; the effect of force was relative. Greater force also increased the burden on the body.
After opening the Eight Gates and activating the Lightning Body, he was indeed faster and stronger, but the damage to joints and muscles also increased linearly.
"Might Gai's body should have already reached the Fifth Gate."
Otonashi thought of someone. Because he used a sword, he had already weakened the recoil to some extent. Might Gai's taijutsu attacks definitely had greater feedback, but thinking about it, it was normal.
That guy focused solely on physical training, while he had to divert attention to practice ninjutsu. Even if his bloodline talent was higher, the gap should be leveled.
Using a sword was a shortcut, equivalent to causing maximum damage with minimum load. After all, with the same force, kicking someone was definitely not as effective as stabbing them.
"Increasing output is simple; just continue opening the Eight Gates. Increasing destructive power seems to require working on ninjutsu and weapons."
An idea struck Otonashi, summarizing some future directions. He quickly stopped, took out his notebook, found a chair by the roadside, sat down, and wrote furiously.
First, strengthen the body, to bear the steel body under the Sixth and Seventh Gates, and enhance the output under the same gate.
Second, increase endurance time. Although this Senju body had extraordinary talent in taijutsu, enough to support it for a very long time, he felt it wasn't enough. At least, he couldn't become weak after opening the Eight Gates once.
Finally, destructive power would come from ninjutsu or weapons. Otonashi chewed on his pen, seemingly fantasizing about the scene after opening all eight gates.
Taijutsu is impossible. No matter how strong the body, punching someone flying would likely shatter his own bones. Should switch to a 40-meter long ship-cutting sword, the kind where one slash kills everyone.
Looking at the things recorded in the notebook, Otonashi vaguely had some ideas. For example, body and endurance were 'simple'; just continue digging deeper into the Senju bloodline.
"Could this Eight Gates technique have been created by some Senju ancestor?" he muttered, because it was too suitable for the Senju family to learn. He then thought about how terrifying it would be if Tsunade could open the Eight Gates.
With that monstrous strength that could smash houses with one punch, wouldn't opening the Eight Gates mean ascending to heaven?
"Looks like I need to find time to learn from Tsunade. Let's set a small goal of opening the Fourth Gate first. Anyway, ninjutsu can't be neglected either." Otonashi noted this down in his mind.
Closing the notebook, he opened his sketchbook, preparing to find time to draw drafts for Jiraiya. Just as he was about to get up and grab his drawing pen, he turned his head and almost bumped into a smiling face.
"Anko?" Otonashi paused, too focused just now to notice someone had gotten so close behind him.
"Senpai, what are you writing!"
The girl stood on tiptoe trying to see the notebook, but Otonashi closed it first.
"Something unsuitable for children."
"Tch, so stingy."
Otonashi glanced at the pouting girl. After the Kannabi battle, he no longer considered her a spy, but what needed to be kept secret still had to be kept secret.
Otherwise, his life would be in danger.
"Why are you still in Konoha?" He changed the subject, asking as he walked.
"I just finished a mission, happened to be back in Konoha for rest." Anko immediately followed, her ponytail swinging back and forth.
'Your teacher really has a lot of face.' Otonashi sneered inwardly. Indeed, connections matter in every world.
"By the way, senpai, is your body better?" The girl ran ahead, looking Otonashi over with concern while walking backward.
"Much better, but I haven't received orders to go to the front lines yet."
The two walked and talked, chatting about meaningless trivialities. Otonashi also probed a few sentences, only to find that Orochimaru was still being a science otaku.
As they were walking, Anko in front suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just a little hungry." Anko said, her eyes constantly glancing towards the dango shop nearby, the same one Otonashi had just eaten at.
This was already a clear hint, but Otonashi followed her gaze and shrugged.
"But I just ate."
"Then senpai can eat again." Anko clapped her hands and bowed, "Just keep me company, I'll treat you to tea!"
Hearing someone was treating, Otonashi was somewhat tempted. Just as he was about to agree, someone called his name from behind again.
"Yo, Otonashi." Uchiha Shisui walked over. Seeing Anko's resentful gaze, he paused, then could only scratch his head and smile, "Did I interrupt something good?"
"What good thing? What are you talking about?"
Seeing his old friend whom he hadn't seen in a long time, Otonashi immediately threw someone's words to the back of his mind, reached out, and punched Shisui lightly on the chest: "How long have you been back in Konoha? What, alone today?"
"Just got back the day before yesterday. Itachi was taken to the front lines by his father to gain experience."
"Going to the front lines at five??" Otonashi frowned. Isn't that too early?
"Just to see, not to participate in battle." Shisui smiled, not dwelling on this topic for too long. His expression suddenly turned serious: "I've already heard about the Kannabi Bridge battle."
He obviously wasn't praising Otonashi for his great achievements.
The smile on Otonashi's face also faded. He sighed and said, "I already did my best."
"I know. It was good enough to bring Kakashi and the others back. If I were there, I don't know what choice I would have made."
"If you were there, this battle wouldn't have been so hard."
Uchiha Shisui had also made a name for himself on the eastern front. If those three-tomoe Sharingan eyes were present, he would have dared to search that strange underground passage thoroughly.
The two sighed briefly. Anko beside them was anxious but couldn't get a word in, boredly kicking pebbles on the ground. Just then, her ears suddenly perked up.
"Have you had lunch yet?" Otonashi asked with a smile.
Shisui was about to speak, but remembering his old friend was always broke, he considerately replied, "No, I was planning to go home..."
"I haven't eaten! If senpai is treating, please be sure to invite me!"
The two turned their heads and saw Anko raising her hand, her face full of eagerness.
Otonashi, who wanted to catch up with his old friend, raised an eyebrow but didn't bother blaming this twelve-year-old girl. He was about to invite the two to eat ramen when an idea struck him, and he had a good idea.
"Come to my place. I'll make noodles for you guys." (Lit: "I'll go down/perform below for you guys to eat," a common suggestive double entendre in Chinese/Japanese).