Three months after the Konoha Shinobi stationed themselves along the Land of Grass border.
Inside a tent, Uchiha Yoru's hands glowed with pale green Chakra brimming with life.
A fish that had already lost all signs of life on the scroll began flopping energetically in his hands.
"The Mystical Palm Technique—I finally mastered it!"
Uchiha Yoru smiled. As expected, Kekkei Genkai ninja were the mainstream. After awakening his Bloodline Limit, he had found that both his learning ability and training speed had improved tremendously.
He had successfully mastered the Medical Ninjutsu: Mystical Palm Technique. It was also the first A-rank Ninjutsu he had learned.
Just then, the tent flap was lifted, and a blond figure entered with a humble smile, holding a red book in his hand.
"Yoru, thank you for the book."
Minato Namikaze looked at Uchiha Yoru with utter sincerity. Although Yoru was unlike the other cold and arrogant Uchiha clan members, his pride was etched into his bones.
Faced with Minato Namikaze's thanks, Uchiha Yoru rarely smiled as he teased him.
"I should be the one thanking you. You earned me quite a bit in royalties."
As they chatted, Uchiha Yoru casually slapped the lively fish on the scroll to death, wiped his hands, then sheathed the sword at his side.
"Let's go. Seeing you here tells me there must be a mission."
At the front lines, he, Minato Namikaze, and Uzumaki Kushina often formed an elite squad to carry out missions, since their Chakra affinities were highly compatible.
Looking at Uchiha Yoru, Minato Namikaze smiled and nodded, putting the book into his ninja tool pouch.
"Yoru, Teacher Jiraiya will be leading this mission."
When he heard that Jiraiya would be leading them, Uchiha Yoru was genuinely surprised.
"Lord Jiraiya? Then this mission must not be simple."
Minato Namikaze laughed. "It's a simple mission to deliver supplies to Orochimaru's frontline command post."
Though he did not say the rest aloud, everyone understood—or rather, all of Konoha knew.
Tsunade's younger brother Nawaki had died after falling into a trap while carrying out a mission under his Jonin Leader, Orochimaru. Although Tsunade had not openly blamed him.
Orochimaru had clearly fallen into self-reproach. Among the three of them, Jiraiya was the lubricant that kept things together.
Only time could wash away such matters.
"I see. So we're heading to Orochimaru's command post."
The Konoha Shinobi stationed in the Land of Grass could not possibly all be gathered in one place. Orochimaru was at the very front line, while they were stationed in the rear.
They had already carried out supply transport missions like this twice.
"Yoru, when will the next issue come out?"
After the two left the tent, Minato Namikaze revealed a rare look of anticipation.
After all, the book truly suited his tastes.
"The next issue?"
Uchiha Yoru was startled for a moment, then smiled.
"Since you've read it, you should know that it's also my story. Of the three installments published so far, the protagonist became a Chunin in the third. Perhaps the next one will come when I become a Special Jonin.
"Of course, if I have any major experiences, I'll publish those too."
Beneath Minato Namikaze's praise, Uchiha Yoru's smile gave away nothing.
His book, My Struggle, had only just begun with its three published installments. In this Shinobi World, where ten-year-old children were sent to war, everyone's hearts were empty.
Thus, the most important emotion in the Shinobi World was born: companions—Bonds. It was the feeling shinobi used to fill the emptiness in their hearts, and cherished above all else.
In his previous life, he had been the top sales champion for exporting to island nations for years straight—Myanmar, that was. He even knew how to deceive people step by step through ideology—ptui!
No, he should say he was guiding this distorted Shinobi World back onto the right path.
First, he would cast out some bait. Once most of those empty-hearted shinobi accepted the book, he would gradually write what needed to be written according to his strength, influence, and status, thereby fulfilling his ambition.
Ptui! Fulfilling his dream!
"Minato, I believe that while shinobi are judged by their completion of missions, in the shinobi world, those who break the rules are called trash—but those who fail to cherish their comrades are worse than trash!"
Under the sunlight, Uchiha Yoru wore a resolute smile. Minato was stunned for a moment before nodding with equal determination.
"That's right. I believe that too. That is the True Will of Fire!"
By then, the two had arrived outside the command tent. Many shinobi awaiting orders were already gathered there, and their conversation drew plenty of sidelong glances.
At the same time, Jiraiya inside the tent heard this, smiled, and said approvingly, "As expected of this Sage's disciple! Ha ha!"
Compared to Jiraiya's goofy laughter, Tsunade beside him merely snorted disdainfully.
"They're just two brats who don't know their own limits."
However, the instant Uchiha Yoru entered the tent and lowered his head, the corners of his lips slowly curled up.
They had taken the bait!
His book, along with the words he constantly promoted—there were quite a few shinobi from prominent clans here.
Those words would be branded into their hearts. Tsunade and Jiraiya, disciples of the Third Hokage, both approved of them. Once the White Fang incident happened in the future, heh heh.
These second-generation heirs of the great clans would all become the pillars of their families in the future. It would be enough to leave a crack in their hearts and give them a feeling.
That the Will of Fire of the Third Hokage's regime did not seem quite so pure after all.
No one understood the Shinobi World better than him!
The strongest thing in the Shinobi World was neither the Otsutsuki nor Bietianzui—it was the Will of Fire that could brainwash even Bietianzui!
He would write his own Will of Fire into the Shinobi World and let more people know what the true Will of Fire was!
"Alright. Since everyone is here, I'll explain this mission in detail."
Once all the shinobi assigned to this mission had assembled, Jiraiya and Tsunade, seated at the head, both grew serious.
There were more than a dozen Chunin in the tent, along with four Jonin. Adding Jiraiya, the Elite Jonin leading this mission, it was truly an elite unit.
"This mission may be simple—merely delivering supplies to Orochimaru's front line several hundred miles away—but none of you may let down your guard. We must cross this forested canyon."
Inside the tent, Tsunade, usually casual, now wore a solemn expression. Her golden twin ponytails swayed as she pointed at the terrain map and explained carefully, cutting a valiant figure.
"You may look down on Grass Shinobi as a minor ninja village, but there is one fact we must face. With the intervention of the great nations, the balance in the Land of Grass has already been disrupted.
"Countless rogue ninja, Mercenary Ninja, and samurai are roaming the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Grass. Once those people catch wind of a bounty, they may rush straight at us from the border at any time."
Tsunade's solemn expression conveyed the severity of the situation to everyone.
Uchiha Yoru, seated below, narrowed his eyes and nodded inwardly. As expected of Orochimaru—he had used himself as bait and exposed the frontline blade directly.
Once that blade stabbed down, it could strike anywhere in the Land of Grass at any moment. It was also a deterrent.
There were risks, but being a shinobi meant living with risk.
"I order Jiraiya to serve as Jonin Leader, commanding four Jonin and thirty elite Chunin for this mission."
Following Tsunade's final order, every shinobi in the tent immediately shouted, "Yes!"
After Tsunade issued the mission orders, Jiraiya stood up in his metal plate armor. His usual goofy expression had vanished, replaced by solemnity.
"Ten minutes from now, all shinobi will assemble outside the camp. Dismissed!"
At the command, the shinobi in the tent instantly scattered like dark blurs. Some went to prepare ninja tools for the operation, while others headed straight outside the camp.
"Kushina!"
Seeing Kushina remain behind alone, Tsunade revealed a complicated expression.
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