The Restless Ninja (Seeking Follow-up Reads QAQ)

Early January, 46th year of Konoha, the New Year had arrived, yet most jonin remained busy with missions.

Conflicts frequently erupted along the borders of the Land of Fire; the only beneficiaries were likely the neutral merchant caravans of the Land of Iron, as the demand for ninja tools continued to expand.

Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen still failed to display a hardline stance to the outside world, keeping the village strictly defensive along the borders without demanding that neighboring small nations pick a side.

Caught between the major powers, Amegakure and Kusagakure already sensed impending doom; should war truly break out, they would likely be reduced to a battlefield once again.

At dusk, at a secret border outpost, a squad of Kusagakure ninja had just jumped down from the tree trunks when they suddenly found their bodies unable to move.

"Run!"

The three chunin shouted a warning, and the round-faced jonin bringing up the rear scrambled to dodge, narrowly avoiding the shadow chasing him.

As he leaped back onto a tree trunk and looked back, he saw his subordinates already covered in a swarming mass of insects, silenced completely.

The round-faced jonin, attempting to accelerate his escape, channeled chakra into his feet; the moment he landed on a branch, he instinctively drew a kunai to block.

"Clang!"

Short blade and kunai collided in succession, sparks flying everywhere. Kakashi, having activated his body, struck with immense speed, and after his strength was suppressed, he quickly widened the distance.

Not blinded by hatred, the round-faced jonin used this gap to try and accelerate away again, but a shadow silently attacked from below.

"Damn it..."

He hurriedly dodged onto a tree trunk, but as the black swarm of insects closed in, he had no choice but to abandon his escape and return to the ground.

"Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall!"

Shu Furukawa, hiding behind a tree, seized the moment to launch a sneak attack.

The fracturing earth forced the round-faced jonin to dodge in frustration; after avoiding the debris, he glared with murderous intent, and the moment he landed, he decisively formed hand seals:

"Earth Style: Earth Rock Spikes!"

Stone spikes erupted, and amidst the large-scale attack and flying dust, the round-faced jonin seemed to drop his disguise. His right fist was suddenly covered in thick rock, and he began a wild, aggressive assault.

His speed increased once more, and in the blink of an eye, he was before Shu Furukawa, his right fist swinging toward his face.

Blocking with his left arm and ignoring the opponent's look of surprise, Shu Furukawa, who had successfully braced against the "giant fist," suddenly exploded with power, delivering a close-range elbow strike. With a "bang," the Kusagakure jonin, wearing a pained expression, transformed into mud.

"Give it up!"

The usually silent Shibi Aburame suddenly spoke, commanding his Kikaichū to surround the enemy making a final stand.

The wave after wave of black insects surged like a giant tide, and the round-faced jonin, facing the entangling Kakashi, stopped dodging, choosing to take a heavy hit at the cost of blood spraying from his chest.

With a muffled groan, Kakashi was sent flying on the spot, landing and clutching his left shoulder with a pained expression.

The insects took the opportunity to entangle the target, and Shikaku Nara jumped out from the shadows, his shadow on the ground suddenly accelerating:

"Shadow Possession Jutsu successful."

"It's a clone!"

Shibi Aburame hurriedly warned, but the enemy in the distance had already accelerated and fled.

A tearing bird-like screech suddenly rang in his ears, and the round-faced jonin instinctively twisted his body.

A slender, azure blade of lightning pierced through his back and out his right chest, paralyzing his body and forcing him to his knees, before the blade erupted from his chest.

"Urgh... ah!"

After a miserable scream, the exhausted round-faced jonin stopped struggling. Shu Furukawa, standing beside Shikaku Nara, vanished into white smoke, while the real body on the other side dispelled the jutsu.

"Good work, Shu!"

"Jonin are truly a massive headache. This was the last squad for today."

Shikaku Nara, his stamina spent, sat on the ground and sighed. Shu Furukawa checked the fallen mission target and, finding the man still had a breath left, immediately suggested:

"Capture successful. Let's rest here for a moment before finding Captain Inoichi."

Shibi Aburame, having absorbed the chakra of three chunin, was in good condition; he nodded in agreement, then looked at Kakashi and asked:

"Kakashi, how is your shoulder?"

"Minor injury."

Kakashi, his body pushed to its limit, whispered that he was fine. Noticing that the Kikaichū had already covered the jonin, he finally sat down on the ground.

"It should have been Iwagakure ninja in disguise. Kusagakure seems to have two plans in motion."

Shu Furukawa spoke his conclusion in a low voice. As a medical ninja, he naturally stayed behind the others during combat, and even now, there was no sign of fatigue on his face.

"If war breaks out, the village must immediately secure several transport lines."

"Clearly, Iwagakure is already prepared. The friendship has shattered; perhaps that is why the "pro-war faction" wants to strike first."

"The village cannot wait for the opponents to join forces before responding."

Shikaku Nara rarely expressed his own views, and Shu Furukawa did not pick up the thread, as his words might be interpreted as Tsunade's stance.

"The Anbu's actions were quite timely, and the Intelligence Division dug up these outposts."

"Give Lord Hokage some time. Let's not discuss these things within the village."

The cautious Shibi Aburame saw Shu Furukawa nod to indicate there were no enemies nearby before offering his advice in a low voice. A mask covered the expression on his face, and Shikaku Nara stared for a moment before finally agreeing.

"You're right, there will be more A-rank missions in the future."

"Don't worry, once I get back to the village, I'll just stay home and behave. Clan meetings and the like are the biggest hassle."

War naturally requires the mobilization of ninja clans; they are the backbone of Konoha, though there are currently dissenting voices within the major clans.

As night fell, the various squads arrived at the designated rendezvous point one after another. With the mission complete, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

After finishing his medical duties, Shu Furukawa received a heap of gratitude. Approaching Kakashi, he saw the latter holding his short blade with a pensive expression and immediately offered comfort:

"Chidori Sharp Spear, in terms of shape transformation, lacks the power of the high-frequency vibrating Chidori Blade."

"As your body continues to grow, the chakra issue will be easily resolved. Eight years old and eighteen are completely different; it's normal to feel suppressed."

Having been counterattacked and injured by a weary jonin while under encirclement, Kakashi was indeed feeling a bit dejected:

"No need to comfort me. I know my own talent. The amount of chakra I can extract at once doesn't compare to Guy's, but fortunately, my control is decent enough."

"It will be hard to solve this problem even after I grow up. In the future, I cannot waste chakra in battle, and I must become more proficient in the use of techniques."

Choosing not to persuade him further, Shu Furukawa had grown accustomed to Kakashi's strict demands on himself. Seeing Yamanaka Inoichi approach, he took the initiative to ask:

"Did the Captain obtain any useful information?"

"Everything went smoothly. Shu, you two performed exceptionally well on this mission. Once we return, I will propose to the Hokage that you both deserve greater trust."

A satisfied smile appeared on Yamanaka Inoichi's usually stern face; ordinary chunin truly could not compare to these two—the gap in talent was simply too vast.

Noticing the look in Kakashi's eyes, Yamanaka Inoichi pondered for a moment before speaking again:

"Iwagakure and Kusagakure are indeed collaborating, but we must follow the Hokage's arrangements."

"Kakashi, do not get involved in meaningless discussions. You are still at an age where you should be building your foundation; when leading a team, focus more on caring for your subordinates."

"..."