Early morning, Training Ground No. 3.
The rain had just stopped, and dewdrops slid from the tips of leaves, falling to the ground with a few crisp splashes.
Strangely, though, the dampness seemed to exist only in the sound. The training ground was as dry as ever, without a trace of water, and even the moisture that should have lingered in the air had been completely evaporated by some force. It was as if last night's autumn rain had never fallen on this forest.
"Pant, pant, pant..."
Nawaki stood opposite Sakuya, both hands braced on his knees as he panted furiously.
"Not bad, Nawaki."
Sakuya praised him. "Now you finally look like a Konoha Chunin."
"Thank you for teaching me, Sakuya, big brother."
Nawaki replied gratefully between breaths.
Seven days had passed since Sakuya left the hospital.
With the basic treatment he received at Konoha Hospital, along with Tsunade's Medical Ninjutsu, his arm had nearly healed in just half a month. He didn't even need to wear bandages anymore.
He still felt a little unaccustomed to it now and then.
But lately, helping Nawaki with his rehabilitation had given him plenty of practice adjusting to life with one arm.
"You two should probably take a break, don't you think?"
Beside the training ground, Tsunade smiled and waved them over.
"I made some iced tea for you."
"Thanks, Sis!"
At the mention of iced tea, Nawaki's eyes lit up, and he hurried over.
Sakuya's Fire Release had just evaporated nearly all the moisture in the air. As the one who had faced those flames head-on, Nawaki was naturally exhausted and thirsty.
It was the perfect time to enjoy a nice, cold drink.
"Easy, easy."
Watching her younger brother gulp down tea with both hands wrapped around the cup, Tsunade couldn't help laughing.
She chided him fondly as she poured him another cup.
"But seriously, Sakuya, your Fire Release is amazing."
After downing several cups of iced tea, Nawaki had recovered a little. He looked at Sakuya and said, "No wonder you're the greatest genius of the Fire-Wielding Clan's generation. What was that Fire Release technique you just used called?"
"Ah... that technique was actually a Fire Release I developed myself."
Sakuya replied, "But it's still just a prototype."
In the original story, most Fire Release techniques were C- or B-rank. Even Madara Uchiha's Majestic Destroyer Flame and Obito's Blast Wave Wild Dance, both used in the later Shinobi World War, were B-rank.
More specialized Fire Release techniques involved Blaze Release, Scorch Release, or Sage Arts, but even so, there were few Fire Release techniques above A-rank.
Taking advantage of this simulation, Sakuya had found an opportunity to look through the Uchiha Clan's secret Fire Release techniques.
There really wasn't much to Fire Release.
What could you expect, when Kishimoto was just a manga artist? His approach to designing Fire Release techniques was to make them bigger, stronger, and hotter—or else just give you a fireball, a big fireball, or a great fireball.
Taking advantage of the simulation, Sakuya had also been considering developing a completely new Fire Release technique. For now, though, his idea was simply to use Chakra Nature Transformation to change the shape of the flames, then launch them—like Boruto.
He had come up with the idea during their trip to the Land of Fang.
But honestly, Fire Release chakra was indeed wild and difficult to control. It was hard to incorporate Chakra Nature Transformation into ordinary ninjutsu. Developing the technique successfully in a short time would be quite difficult.
"Well, developing a technique is hard in the first place. There's no need to rush and finish it so quickly."
Tsunade offered from nearby.
"That's right."
Nawaki nodded.
Unfortunately, although both of them had Fire Release chakra, the Senju Clan's secret techniques were all related to Water Release, Earth Release, and Wood Release, thanks to Hashirama Senju. They hadn't practiced Fire Release much since childhood, so it would be difficult for them to offer Sakuya useful advice on developing one.
At the very least, Sakuya wouldn't be able to finish developing the technique anytime soon. Still, it was nice just watching him work on it.
Tsunade looked at Uchiha Sakuya sitting beside her, quietly drinking tea. Her eyes held a hint of affection.
She wished these peaceful days could go on forever.
"Jōnin Tsunade, Jōnin Sakuya."
As the three of them rested, an Anbu Ninja wearing a cat mask suddenly appeared before them.
"Lord Hokage requests your presence."
"Old man?"
Tsunade and Sakuya exchanged a glance, their brows furrowing.
Ten minutes later, the two of them arrived at the Hokage Office.
Jiraiya, Dan Katō, and Orochimaru were already inside.
"Sakuya, how are you feeling?"
As soon as Uchiha Sakuya entered, Hiruzen Sarutobi asked him.
"I'm all better."
Sakuya nodded. "I'm fit for normal missions."
"Good. Take a look at this."
Hiruzen Sarutobi handed the scroll in his hand to everyone.
Tsunade took it and skimmed through it, her expression turning grave.
"Hanzo declared war on the Land of Wind!?"
"Yes."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "Their Small Nations Alliance has already clashed with the Land of Wind's forces. The battle report arrived today. The Sunagakure shinobi have suffered heavy casualties."
"After all, it's an alliance formed against the Five Great Nations."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. "But the Land of Wind is our ally. Are we just going to sit by while Amegakure attacks them?"
"Of course not."
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. "I've already ordered White Fang, who's stationed at the border, to lead three thousand Allied Shinobi Forces to assist the Land of Wind. We absolutely can't let the anti-Five Great Nations alliance conquer it."
"If something happens to the Land of Wind... our Land of Fire will be next."
Tsunade nodded in agreement.
Though the Land of Wind was barren, it was rich in underground mineral deposits. Its gold dust, in particular, was renowned throughout the Shinobi World and served as an important source of gold.
If that land fell into the hands of the Land of Rain, its rivers of gold would become the enemy's war funds.
And if the Land of Wind fell, the next to face Hanzo of the Salamander's wrath would be the Land of Fire, with its fertile farmland and the resources to rapidly raise a large army.
"We can all guess what Hanzo of the Salamander is thinking, and the other three great nations can guess as well. The Land of Wind won't let Hanzo take it so easily."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "But more importantly, I have an S-rank mission for you to carry out."
"Heh heh. Just say it, Sensei. I assume it has something to do with Hanzo of the Salamander?"
Orochimaru said.
"That's right, it's about Hanzo. But not because of him—because of his summoning beast."
Hiruzen Sarutobi replied.
Hanzo of the Salamander was known as the Demigod. Aside from his strength, which let him roam the Shinobi World unhindered, his summoning beast, Ibuse, was also a major reason for his reputation.
The giant beast's poison was practically impossible to counter.
Whenever it appeared on the battlefield, it spewed out a poison mist that blotted out the sky and covered the land like the shroud of death. Without special antidotes or gas masks that could block the poison, anyone who inhaled it would die within moments. It was a perfect battlefield weapon for mowing down cannon fodder.
Not long ago, Sakuya and the others had been poisoned by a salamander in the Land of Fang. It hadn't been Hanzo's Ibuse, but even so, they had suffered terribly.
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