Visitors from the Front Line

The Chakra consumption was severe, comparable to that of fighting at full power in Sage Mode.

The entire process lasted less than 15 minutes, which is quite short.

However, within those 15 minutes, Taiichi achieved remarkable results.

[Understand nature, learn from nature, and your understanding of Fire Nature Transformation will improve!]

[Fire Nature Transformation +5]

This is already a huge gain, equivalent to the experience points gained from a day of diligent training with Shadow Clone.

Unfortunately, even for Taiichi, this time was still too short. Considering the body's natural Chakra recovery efficiency, he could only do it a maximum of 6 times a day.

Moreover, he also needs to allocate this Chakra to other training programs, such as Sage Mode training and timely replenishment of Shadow Clone.

Thinking of Sage Mode, Taiichi suddenly remembered that he had never practiced Senjutsu while in a fully Flame Transformation state.

Especially in an environment filled with fire-attribute Natural Energy, it's unclear whether the consumption will increase exponentially or the transformation process will be prolonged.

Without hesitation, Taiichi first closed his eyes and meditated, restoring his energy while quietly waiting for his Chakra to recover.

After about two hours, when his Chakra was fully restored, Taiichi created a Shadow Clone just in case.

Taiyi jumped into the Yamaguchi again. Unlike last time, this time Taiichi did not directly sense the flames, but instead tried to enter Sage Mode in this state.

The attempt was a great success, even easier than usual. He entered Sage Mode with ease, skipping the time he usually needed to build up his power.

At this moment, Taiichi's perception was magnified several times over, and everything in the world seemed to be under his control.

The dense fire-attribute Natural Energy around him seemed to rush into his body like swallows returning to their nests, Taiichi could clearly feel that his Chakra consumption was being alleviated.

Without further hesitation, his body collapsed, his limbs retracted, and in an instant, he transformed back into a ball of flame. However, this ball of flame was now entirely golden, making it exceptionally conspicuous even in the magma.

Twenty minutes later, Taiichi returned to the Yamaguchi.

With the passage of time and the enhancement of perception, Taiichi could already foresee the final outcome.

Sure enough, the panel did not disappoint him.

[Understand nature, learn from nature, and your understanding of Fire Nature Transformation will improve!]

[Fire Nature Transformation +10]

The experience points have doubled, from 5 points to 10 points.

Based on this calculation, after deducting the Chakra consumption from other training sessions, one day of training now is equivalent to at least six days of training before.

The remaining 400 experience points can probably be made up in about ten days at most.

Thinking about it, Taiichi felt excited. His first Super Kage Level attribute was about to be born. He was confident that he could even go toe-to-toe with Madara Uchiha.

In the time that followed, Taiichi devoted himself entirely to his training, leaving the task of protecting the Hokage entirely to his Shadow Clones.

To this day, no one has been able to tell that the person on duty there is not Taiichi himself. Even Hiruzen Sarutobi, who occasionally comes into close contact with Taiichi, has not noticed anything amiss.

Taiichi, immersed in cultivation, paid no attention to the passage of time. In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.

That day, at Taichi's home in Konoha, the Shadow Clone that Taiichi had left behind suddenly awoke from his Ninjutsu training.

A knock at the door sounded in my ear.

This is a security Barrier Taiichi set up himself at the entrance.

There was no other way; the house was too big, and he lived alone. Without these ingenious designs, he wouldn't even know someone was at the door.

Shadow Clone Taiichi, straightened his clothes and walked towards the door.

Who could be visiting me at this time? Instead of going to the Hokage to find the "real body," they've come directly to my home. They probably don't know much about my situation.

He opened the heavy door, and the scene that greeted him made him freeze in surprise.

"Shikaku? And you guys too?"

Taiichi looked at Nara Shikaku in front of him, and the 22 beautiful women following behind him.

That's only because Taiichi knew them; otherwise, outsiders would have thought they were pimps!

"Well, it's a long story. You don't just want to talk to me here, do you?"

Taiichi looked around and noticed that quite a few passersby were casting curious glances at them.

It's understandable; anyone would be curious to investigate when they see so many pretty girls gathered in front of someone else's house.

"Come in quickly." After saying that, he stepped aside and said to the 22 people, "You too, come in first."

He led everyone to the reception Reception Hall, where they took their seats in turn. It was only because the room was large enough that so many people could fit.

Taiichi personally poured tea for everyone before taking his seat at the head of the table.

"Shikaku, why are you back? How's Jiraiya- sensei doing?"

Upon hearing Taiichi's question, Shikaku's face darkened.

"Lord Jiraiya is doing very well. There's no more fighting on the Southern Front, so he's quite relaxed now and has already started thinking about continuing his novel writing career."

Taiichi could tell how resentful Shikaku's tone was when he said those words, and he wondered what grievances Shikaku had suffered recently.

Has Jiraiya started to emulate Tsunade, becoming a hands-off manager and leaving everything to Shikaku?

Considering the lazy temperament inherited by the Shikaku family, it's not entirely impossible.

"As for me, I've now completed my duties, so I've come back to the village to report on my work."

At this point, Shikaku finally smiled, a smile of relief that seemed to weigh heavily on his mind.

Taiichi became even more certain of his guess, but he remained outwardly calm, instead pointing at the 22 people sitting on the other side with a face full of doubt.

"What's going on with them? Why did you bring them all here?"

Shikaku glanced at the 22 people sitting opposite him and gave a wry smile.

"Previously, there was a shortage of Medical Ninja on the Southern Front, Lord Jiraiya asked Lady Tsunade for help. He originally wanted to ask you, but you were transferred back to the village ahead of schedule, so he asked them to come and help."

"But now that the war against Sunagakure is over, personnel on the Southern Front are being redeployed, which has created a problem. After all, they are not Konoha Ninja, and their names are not on the redeployment list. In the current situation, it is not appropriate to send them back to the prisoner-of-war camp—"

Taiichi understood. It was Jiraiya. If Orochimaru were in Commander, this problem wouldn't exist.

"Did you ask for Lady Tsunade's opinion? After all, they came from her ranks."

Taiichi picked up his teacup and sipped slowly, casually asking, "Now that everyone's here at my home, I suppose the two teachers have reached a consensus."

As expected, Shikaku's words confirmed Taiichi's thoughts.

"I've already sent a letter to inquire." Shikaku looked at Taiichi, his expression still somewhat strange. "Lady Tsunade said they were originally entrusted to your management, so you can come to her with any problems."

"Pfft----cough cough cough."

He spat out the tea he had just drunk, Taiichi coughed so hard he almost coughed the Shadow Clone apart.

Looking back now, Tsunade really did say that back then, but she didn't expect the appointment to last so long. It seems she's determined to stick to her position!

He put down his cup, looked at Shikaku speechlessly, and found that Shikaku was also looking back at him speechlessly. He immediately understood that he was also quite helpless about the situation.

Taiichi turned his head and looked at the 22 Mist Village prisoners sitting on the other side. They were all extremely uneasy.

The way they twisted their fingers, looked down at the ground, and swallowed hard revealed their shared sense of uncertainty about their future.

"What are your own thoughts? Although you were once prisoners of war, there are quite a few precedents of prisoners being incorporated into the army."

Especially for Medical Ninja like you, if you're willing, I can help you apply to join Konoha.

Of course, the Curse Mark placed earlier cannot be removed in a short time.

The women exchanged glances for a moment, and finally Mizuki stood up to speak.

Seeing her movement, Taiichi raised his hand to press her down and said directly, "Just sit down and talk. This isn't a battlefield, and you're my guests now."

Mizuki insisted on giving Taiichi a proper bow before sitting down again.

"Lord Taiichi, we've discussed this on the way, and we all still want to follow you, even if it's just as a servant."

Behind her, the women nodded in agreement, echoing Mizuki's words.

Given their current situation, even if the war ends, returning to Mist Village is out of the question; given Mist Village's policies, going back would mean certain death.

The only option left is to stay in Konoha, and if you want to have a better life in Konoha, you definitely need a powerful backer.

Taichi Matsushita was, of course, their best source of support.

Putting aside the fact that their lives were still in Taiichi's hands, over such a long period of time, from hearsay to personal experience, they also discovered that Taiichi was actually a really good person.

He was incredibly powerful and easygoing. In the Medical Camp on the Eastern Front, he even taught them some Medical Ninjutsu, which was beyond their wildest imagination.

Now that they need a backer, Taiichi is naturally their first choice.

Taiichi was also having a headache. He was used to being free and didn't need any servants to wait on him. Taking in these twenty-odd people was of no use at all.

Just as he was about to say a few words of advice, he suddenly remembered the helplessness he felt when he heard that Konoha had signed a peace treaty.

At the time, I was wondering if I should fight for more rights, and wasn't this an opportunity?

Regardless of the type of power, it requires a group of trustworthy people.

These 22 captured prisoners from the Mist Village were exactly the most suitable candidates.

They were alone and helpless in Konoha, and their identities were absolutely clean.

Moreover, he had placed Curse Mark on each of them, so there was no need to worry about their loyalty.

More importantly, they were not ordinary people; they were highly sought-after Medical Ninja in Konoha, which even secured their future arrangements.

With these thoughts in mind, Taiichi's mindset subtly changed.

Seeing that Shikaku hadn't spoken for Taiichi long time, Shikaku couldn't help but offer a word of advice.

"Taiichi, I see your house is so big, but you live alone. Why don't you take them in and have them work as cleaners?"

Taiichi had already intended to take them in, and now he was taking advantage of the situation.

"Very well, you were already under my control anyway, and now that you all want to work for me, I'll accept you."

Taiichi's approval immediately delighted the women, and some of the more vulnerable ones even shed tears.

Their journey to Konoha, filled with fear and anxiety, has finally come to an end, and their lives can now be considered settled.

Seeing that things were settled, Shikaku didn't linger. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, he got up to take his leave.

He hadn't been home for almost two years, and now he was eager to return. If it weren't for the mission with Taiichi that was holding him back, he might already be with his wife by now.

Taiichi noticed his eagerness, so he didn't joke around or linger. He got up and personally saw Shikaku to the door before returning to the Reception Hall.

Looking at the 22 subordinates who had now stood up on their own in the Reception Hall, Taiichi nodded.

Knowing how to behave appropriately and understand the rules are essential qualities for a subordinate.

"Since you've all decided to follow me, I naturally won't treat you unfairly. But let me make this clear from the start: loyalty is the most important thing when you work for me. I don't need to elaborate on the effects of the Curse Mark on you, do I?"

As if imagining the terrifying scene when the Curse Mark was triggered, all 22 people turned pale with fright.

Taiichi understood the principle of giving a good beating followed by a sweet treat.

"However, don't be afraid. I'm not one to kill indiscriminately. As long as you do your job well, you'll be rewarded. Ninjutsu, secret techniques, and money are all trivial matters to me."

I'm sure that after this war, you won't let yourselves remain so weak.

The 22 people looked at each other, and in most of them, a flame of determination ignited in their eyes.

Many of them were not lacking in talent, but under the conditions of the Mist Village, their talents lacked sufficient resources to support them, so they remained mediocre.

Taiichi's words have undoubtedly given them renewed hope of becoming stronger.

"Don't worry, Taiichi, we will do our job well and will not let you down."

"Alright, you'll be staying at my house now. This yard is quite large, and there are many empty rooms in the back. You can choose a room to stay in."

After saying that, Taiichi went into the inner room, took out 20,000 taels of cash, and handed it to Mizuki.

"Go out and buy some daily necessities yourselves; there's nothing for women in the house. I'll talk to you about other things after you're all settled."

Mizuki accepted the cash and bowed in gratitude.

Just as they turned and took a few steps, Taiichi called them back.

"Wait, you don't have Konoha identities yet. Take this with you, and if any ninjas question you, say you're subordinates of Taichi Matsushita."

After saying that, he tossed his ID card over.

Mizuki caught it, and seeing that Taiichi had no further instructions, she led everyone away.

Once all the women had left the house, the Shadow Clone dispelled itself, and as the memories were transmitted, the original Taiichi, far away in Mount Asama, also received the news.

At the bottom of the Yamaguchi, a ball of Bright Gold flame, about half a person's height, suddenly trembled, and then began to slowly deform.

First, it gradually lengthened, then limbs grew, and then the body and facial features gradually became distinct, and a fire-man named Taiichi appeared.

Wings materialized on his back, and with a gentle flap, Taiichi Fire Wings flew towards the Yamaguchi. Once his feet touched the ground, he had returned to his flesh and blood form.

Feeling the memories coming from his mind, his main body revealed an eager expression.

Twenty-two loyal subordinates are a formidable force, especially since they are all Medical Ninja, which falls within the sphere of Taiichi's influence.

Now that the decision has been made to strengthen the power in their hands, why not start with these 22 people and let the entire Konoha hear their voice?