The sixth day, morning.
Before the troops were due to gather, Higashino Makoto made a stop at the Ninja Tool Shop he often visited.
He still had Shuriken and Kunai, and besides, once they reached the front lines, the village would supply those items in bulk. Ninjas didn't need to spend their own money on them.
Since he didn't know how long he'd be stationed on the Eastern Front, he planned to bring extra Blade Oil.
His short sword was a valuable Chakra Weapon, not an ordinary weapon meant to be used up and discarded. It needed frequent care, and the village wouldn't provide the Special Blade Oil it required.
There weren't many customers in the shop. Lingyin was serving them. Her husband, Tieyan, was young but a highly capable Ninja Tool Blacksmith, and during the war he was often so busy that no one saw him.
Neither of them had the talent to become a Ninja. Makoto had no idea why their daughter Tenten would choose to become one.
Perhaps it was the atmosphere in Konoha that had rubbed off on her. After all, here, becoming a Ninja was every child's goal as they grew up.
Tenten had been born in early March, making her the oldest of the Konoha 11. Her two future teammates were still in their mothers' wombs, while the other nine hadn't even been conceived yet.
The little girl was already three months old. She was crawling around in the crib beside them, but the railing kept her from climbing out.
Children in the Shinobi World sure had energy.
Makoto stepped over and pinched her cheek. The little girl immediately spotted a new target. She wasn't shy at all; she grabbed his finger and tried to put it in her mouth.
"Yaya!" When she realized