Time passed day by day as Higashino Makoto immersed himself in training.
During that time, his father, Higashino Jiro, finished a rotation and had time to train his son again, but he quit after barely ten days.
He was surprised to find that he could no longer keep up with his son's rapidly growing strength.
He felt both happy and frustrated about it.
He was happy because his son really was a genius, one every bit as talented as Kakashi Hatake. In all his experience, Kakashi was the only other genius he could think of.
He was frustrated because his authority as a father was about to crumble.
To preserve his son's image of him as a powerful father, he beat a hasty retreat.
After their last sparring match, he turned toward the rising sun, folded his arms across his chest, and secretly rubbed them to ease the pain. Then he said in a low, rumbling voice, "Makoto, your progress really is incredible. I'm sure it won't be long before you surpass me.
"I'm amazed. I never imagined you had such potential. You really are my son. But there's nothing more I can teach you now.
"You'll have to find your own way from here. Keep at it, son. I'll be waiting for the day you catch up to me and stand by my side."
With that, Higashino Jiro left, giving Makoto the impression of a lonely, broad-shouldered figure—invincible in this world.
Watching his father's back disappear into the morning light, Makoto felt a little emotional. His father was truly wonderful to him: strong, funny, and never putting on airs. He gave Makoto whatever he wanted, and no matter how busy his missions were, he always came home for his birthday.
He did occasionally get a little too dramatic, though.
Had his father forgotten that his son had an abnormal Perception Ability? If Makoto hadn't sensed his father's hands fidgeting behind his back, he might actually have believed him.
Old Man, you just can't spawn any more coins, that's all. No need to look so dejected.
Oh, wait. His father was still young—he wasn't even twenty-six yet. He wasn't an Old Man. No wonder he hadn't outgrown his chuuni phase.
What a lovable, charming young father.
The old year ended and the new one began. Higashino Makoto turned six, the age when children could enroll in the Ninja Academy.
But before that, only a few months into the new year, a major event shook the Shinobi World—one Makoto had known was coming all along.
The Third Kazekage, the leader of Sunagakure and the man hailed as the strongest Kazekage, had vanished.
No one knew when he'd disappeared. Higashino Jiro only said that large groups of Sunagakure shinobi had been active along the border in recent days, apparently preparing for something big.
But before the nations could get the results of their spies' investigations, someone inside Sunagakure leaked the news.
The Third Kazekage had vanished. No one knew whether he was alive or dead.
This wasn't ancient times. The Shinobi World had yet to enter the Information Age, but news still traveled quickly. Before long, the story had spread to ninja villages of every size.
Seeing that the news could no longer be kept under wraps, Sunagakure decided to go all in. Whether to divert the pressure building among its shinobi or to stop the village's rival factions from tearing each other apart over the Kazekage's position, war was inevitable.
Who should they attack? Obviously, the richest target. Were they supposed to attack the poor Amegakure? Even if they couldn't win, at least they could take a few bites out of their enemy and fill their bellies. So Sunagakure declared war on Konoha. Large groups of shinobi crossed the Land of Rivers and invaded the Land of Fire.
The reason? Easy enough to find. Sunagakure accused Konoha of plotting to kill the Third Kazekage and claimed this war was revenge.
Konoha had its Darkness of the Shinobi World, after all. They could pin it on him first and ask questions later. Whether it was true didn't matter, as long as Sunagakure's shinobi believed it. That would raise their morale, wouldn't it?
Danzo: "???"
Damn it, I really had nothing to do with this!
Deep beneath the Root Organization's underground base, Shimura Danzo wanted to shout those words, but he was a seasoned shinobi. He held back.
It was simple: whether or not he was involved didn't matter. They just needed an excuse to start a war. What mattered was that the war had begun. Now he had to think about how to crush those damned Sunagakure shinobi and clear his name.
He was the one who tricked people. No one dared trick him. Sunagakure was doomed. Shimura Danzo said so—even the Sage of Six Paths wouldn't be able to save them.
Higashino Makoto had lived in the Shinobi World for almost six years, and at last, he experienced what it felt like when war was coming.
The shinobi stationed at the border had barely managed to hold off Sunagakure's attack. The two sides clashed along the border between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Fire. But that wasn't enough. Konoha immediately shifted out of mission mode.
Large numbers of shinobi recalled from missions were assembled into units and sent to the front.
The village's peaceful atmosphere gave way to tension.
Villagers stood along the roads, watching the departing troops with grim faces.
Their fathers, husbands, and sons were among them. They were going to the battlefield without hesitation, to protect the Land of Fire and Konoha.
But how many would return safely? No one knew.
The leadership sent envoys to the Daimyo in the Capital of Fire to request funds for the war effort. At the same time, they summoned representatives from the major and minor clans and the Commoner Ninja to daily meetings to discuss their plans for the war.
Everyone knew that once a war began, it wouldn't remain a conflict between just two countries. Before long, all the major military powers would be dragged in.
The border with the Land of Wind had to be defended, but the other borders couldn't be neglected either. They needed more troops as well.
After the first two wars, this was all familiar routine.
Time slipped by amid the tense atmosphere, and Higashino Makoto's sixth birthday arrived.
That evening, Higashino Megumi and Higashino Jiro smiled as they watched their son close his eyes and silently make a wish in front of the cake.
In the past, Makoto had only pretended to make a wish. There was no Dragon Pineapple in the Shinobi World, so what was the point?
But this time was different. With war looming, he made a sincere wish.
Higashino Jiro smiled and asked, "Makoto, what did you wish for this year?"
"If I tell you, it won't come true."
"Exactly!" Higashino Megumi pulled out a thick notebook. "Here, this is the present I prepared for you. It's a collection of notes on the key points of learning Medical Ninjutsu."
"This is mine." Higashino Jiro brought out a short ninja sword, the same style as the Kurogane Wood one he'd given Makoto before, but this one was real.
"You were too young before, and I was afraid you'd accidentally hurt yourself or someone else. But I know you've grown up. You're not as naïve as other children; you're mature for your age. So it's time I gave you a real one."
"Thank you, Father. Thank you, Mother." Higashino Makoto put away the notebook and casually drew the blade to examine it.
It wasn't a new sword. The hilt and scabbard were worn, clearly showing its age, but the blade itself gleamed like new, without a mark on it. The two characters Higashino were engraved on it.
Just two characters, written in traditional Chinese. That was normal enough in this Japanese-style world.
Higashino Jiro explained, "This was your grandfather's sword. Its blade is made with Chakra Metal. It cost our family all the cash we had back then.
"Your grandfather used it, and your uncle used it too. Later, it was damaged, so we kept it at home as a family heirloom.
"I recently had a swordsmith repair it. Now I'm passing it on to you. I hope you'll make a name for it. I believe you have what it takes."
Higashino Makoto did have an uncle. Otherwise, his father wouldn't have been named Jiro; he would have been named Taro. But his uncle and grandfather had both died in the first two wars, and his grandmother had passed away after the Second Shinobi War.
As for his mother's family, there was no one left there either. Higashino Megumi had been an orphan of war since she was very young.
"I will, Father." Higashino Makoto put the sword away and asked, "When are you leaving? Which direction are you heading?"
The couple fell silent for a while. At last, Higashino Jiro said, "The day after tomorrow. Iwagakure's troops have appeared in the Land of Grass, and they need reinforcements."
That was right. Not long after Sunagakure went to war with Konoha, Iwagakure prepared to join in as well.
Higashino Jiro had only just been transferred back from the border in the Land of Rivers, narrowly avoiding the fighting. Now he had no choice but to follow orders and prepare to defend the Land of Grass.
"Be careful, Father. If you encounter a large enemy force, don't try to take them on. Stay alive. Mom and I will be waiting for you at home."
Higashino Jiro rubbed his son's head. "Don't worry. You know how strong I am. I'm not going to die that easily."
Unlike Sunagakure, whose shinobi were few and skilled in poison and puppetry, Iwagakure followed a Troop Spawning Route. It didn't have many elite fighters, but its mid- and lower-ranked shinobi were everywhere. So in wartime, it rarely sent out Elite Squads alone. Usually, it deployed an entire company or even a battalion.
When they encountered a powerhouse like Minato Namikaze, they became targets for him to rack up battle records. But Konoha's Regular Ninja would have a hard time against them. One mistake, and they could be mobbed to death.
Two days later, another Ninja Army set out. This time, Higashino Makoto joined the crowds lining the road to see them off.
This was war.
Makoto knew that Konoha still seemed to be coping well for now. But when Kumogakure joined in, and Kirigakure stuck its nose in later, Konoha would be stretched thin and forced to graduate Ninja Academy students early to make up the numbers.
Given the timing, he would very likely be among them.
Before you continue