Matters Big and Small After Returning to the Village

The Land of Water, a remote little town.

Jigen, a person who was parasitized and controlled by the dying Ōtsutsuki Isshiki a thousand years ago.

He is currently traveling around this small town, or rather, investigating it.

For a thousand years, he has been wandering the Ninja World, partly to evade pursuit by Kaguya or her descendants, and partly to adapt to the parasitic body he inhabits.

From hiding like a rat a thousand years ago, barely able to muster any strength, to now being able to travel freely and possessing at least the ability to protect oneself.

The Ōtsutsuki Isshiki required a great deal of energy and effort.

However, Jigen was just an ordinary person among the masses, how could such a body withstand the immense power of Ōtsutsuki Isshiki?

Even after such a long period of meticulous modification, this body is still far from meeting the expectations of the Isshiki.

Thus, Isshiki had other plans. Since this body was unsuitable, he would find a more suitable one.

The body that could potentially contain his power is not so easy to find.

Over the years, he traveled throughout the Ninja World but could not find a suitable body for his reincarnation.

"Another disappointing day."

Jigen wore a cloak that covered her head, completely concealing herself, and paid no attention to the strange looks from the people around her.

He'd lost count of how many years it'd been; he'd become somewhat numb to it.

Just as he was about to leave for the next city, a familiar fluctuation came.

Jigen suddenly looked up, heading towards the direction of Rōran, the Land of Wind.

"That's... more of our people have come to this planet, and they're fighting with humans."

A suffocating sense of frustration welled up inside me, as if my beloved possession was about to be snatched away by someone else.

This planet is special; it contains not only enormous amounts of energy, but also an exceptionally high mass.

The God Tree Fruit grown upon this foundation will have unprecedented effects, undoubtedly enabling him to advance further on the path of evolution.

Can----

Kaguya, the traitor, attacked him from behind, severely injuring him to the point that he had no choice but to become a parasite.

Now that new people have arrived, does this planet still have a place for them?

In the midst of his anger, the aura emanating from that clansman suddenly vanished after a violent outburst.

"This is... dead? When did such a powerful figure appear in the Ninja World?"

An unprecedented sense of urgency washed over me.

This is not only because there is someone in the Ninja World who can threaten him again, but also because of the unknown Otsutsuki clan.

He knew his people's habits all too well. If they discovered his existence, not only would this planet be lost, but he might also be sealed away for ten thousand years.

"No, we can't wait any longer. Since we can't find a suitable person, I'll make one myself."

First, we need to establish an organization to work for us; let's call it a "shell"!

When Taiichi, Kakashi, and Rin returned to Konoha, it was already the fourteenth day since they accepted their mission.

The first thing I did upon returning was, of course, to report the mission to the Hokage.

The Hokage's Office.

Taiichi led Kakashi and Rin here, but instead of taking out the mission report, he solemnly Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Hokage-sama, please dismiss everyone."

Hiruzen Sarutobi paused in his writing, looked up at Taiichi in surprise, and seeing his serious expression, which did not seem like a joke, he then waved his hand.

Taiichi's keen senses allowed him to clearly perceive that the Anbu Ninja hidden in and around the Hokage's Office had quietly moved away from the area.

However, Taiichi still felt it wasn't safe. He One-Handed Seal and stomped his foot, causing a Sealing Talisman array to spread out from the sole of his foot, forming a Soundproof Barrier.

After doing all this, he took out the report and handed it to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Seeing Taiichi's caution, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression darkened, for even the information about Madara Uchiha last time hadn't shown such care from Taiichi.

He took the intelligence report, opened it, and quickly skimmed through it. But after reading only the beginning, he suddenly looked up, his eyes wide open.

A person from the future? Naruto? Yamato? The Fifth Hokage?

Are you serious?

Although the Hokage didn't say it aloud, Taiichi understood, and he nodded heavily.

But this is just the beginning; the real excitement is yet to come.

Seeing Taiichi nod, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression grew even more serious. He took a deep breath before lowering his head to continue reading.

The more he looked, the wider his eyes widened.

Taiichi was afraid he would glare his eyes out.

After a long while, Hiruzen Sarutobi put down the report in his hand, picked up the pipe on the table, took several deep drags of tobacco, and calmed his emotions.

"You guys did a great job; this kind of thing shouldn't be known by too many people."

Taiichi and the other two nodded silently, but said nothing more.

After another period of silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed again, "What turbulent times these are!"

Taiichi, what are your thoughts?

Taiichi looked up at the Hokage. He had his own opinions, but he didn't know if the Hokage had the courage to put them into practice.

According to this Urashiki Otsutsuki, their clan is not large and is scattered throughout the universe, so even if you encounter them in a short time, it will only be a very small number of people.

Our best option now is to inform the other four major ninja villages, unite the entire Ninja World, and fight against this external enemy.

Taiichi paused here, and sure enough, Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up the conversation.

"There's no need to even think about that. The Five Great Ninja Villages have just gone through a major war, and they are filled with deep-seated hatred for each other. We can't produce any concrete evidence, so they won't believe us."

Hiruzen Sarutobi, worried that Taiichi might overthink things, used himself as an example. "Even if it were me, I wouldn't believe it if the three of you hadn't told me."

Taiichi knew this, of course. Human nature is like this. Even if they confirmed it was true, let alone without evidence, who would be willing to join forces unless it was a matter of life and death?

The interests and responsibilities involved are unimaginably complex.

"Then—we can only manage ourselves well, strengthen education, expand school enrollment, increase research and development efforts, and integrate the resources of all the major families—"

Taiichi listed several tasks that could be done, but Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression darkened as he agreed.

The reason is simple: these decisions either involve money or conflicting interests, making it impossible for even the Hokage to make an immediate decision.

"Alright, I understand. You must be tired from this mission, so go back and get some rest."

Taiichi nodded. He could see Hiruzen Sarutobi's predicament, so he didn't have much hope in the first place. He believed that Minato needed to take over to make changes.

Hiruzen Sarutobi has grown old; entangled in interests and emotions, he no longer possesses the drive he had in his youth.

Taiichi, along with Kakashi and Rin, bowed and turned to leave the Hokage's Office.

With no one else in the Hokage's Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi recalled Taiichi's suggestion.

"The school and research and development—we can't leave it all to Minato, and Orochimaru too. Let him focus on what he loves; this is my last act of kindness as his teacher."

The heavy wooden door to the Hokage's Office slowly closed behind him, shutting out the lingering smell of smoke and the oppressive atmosphere inside.

The afternoon sunlight streaming through the corridor windows was a bit too bright, Kakashi subconsciously squinted.

Taiichi walked in front, but kept a close eye on his companions behind him.

What are your plans next?

Taiichi's voice broke the silence, carrying the usual inquiry after a mission, but also with a hint of barely perceptible concern.

Lin's fingers unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes, her knuckles turning slightly white. She took a deep breath, and when she raised her head, her eyes showed a determined look after careful consideration.

"I was utterly useless on this mission." Her voice was soft, yet clear to Taiichi and Kakashi. "Neither those Puppet nor the enemies behind them served any purpose."

She recalled the devastating purple energy storm in the underground space, and the feeling of powerlessness she had felt as insignificant as an ant before such beings; a chill still ran down her spine.

"I've realized I'm not suited for combat. Konoha Hospital is currently conducting Medical Ninja training, right? I plan to participate and specialize in Medical Ninjutsu."

The three continued walking forward without stopping, while Kakashi, holding Short Sword, had made up his mind.

"I'm going back to my father for special training. The White Fang Short Sword cannot break in my hands." He paused, clenched his fist, and lowered his voice even further. "Afterwards, I will submit an application to the Hokage-sama to join the Anbu. Only in the most dangerous missions, under the pressure of life and death, can one's potential be brought out most quickly."

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable resolve—a choice made after witnessing forces beyond common sense and experiencing the tragedy of his companions.

Taiichi listened quietly, offering neither words of comfort nor denying their ideas.

The path of a ninja is inherently like this; every brush with death brings profound reflection and transformation.

He nodded and simply said, "You chose this path; just keep going. If you need help, feel free to contact me anytime."

The three walked down the steps of the Hokage Tower side by side and stopped at the fork in the road in front of the building.

The sunlight cast long shadows on them. They exchanged a glance, and without another word, they turned and went their separate ways.

Taiichi walked towards home, his steps carrying a hint of weariness from the end of his mission, and a touch of anticipation for the "leisurely" days to come.

However, this expectation was completely shattered the following morning.

As dawn broke and before Taiichi could even open his courtyard gate, a figure, like a cheetah that had been waiting, suddenly appeared and blocked the entrance.

Her long, golden hair seemed somewhat disheveled, unlike her usual neatly tied up hair. There was a deep bluish-black tinge under her eyes, and her once plump cheeks now showed faint signs of hollowing out.

It was Tsunade, whom I hadn't seen for half a month.

"You brat!"

Tsunade's voice carried suppressed anger and deep exhaustion, hoarse as if it had been rubbed against sandpaper.

She didn't give Taiichi a chance to speak at all, and with a thud, she slammed a stack of documents almost half a person's height into Taiyi 'Taiichi arms, the edges of the scrolls hitting his chest painfully.

"Do you know how I've been these past two weeks?!" Tsunade Taiichi, almost lifting him up, her spittle nearly splattering onto his face.

"There are so many things at the hospital that I need to confirm and sign off on one by one. And there's a bunch of little brats waiting for me to go to the Ninja Academy."

There's always so much to do!

She grew angrier as she spoke, jabbing her finger forcefully at the cover of the top scroll.

"You've got it all figured out! You've taken those two brats off to the Land of Wind for a mission, living the high life! I haven't even had time to drink!"

Taiichi was a little stunned by this sudden "attack" and the barrage of complaints. He instinctively hugged the heavy documents in his arms and tried to explain, "Teacher, don't worry, I can handle these slowly, in batches—"

"What batches! Now! Immediately! Right now!"

Tsunade wouldn't listen to a word she said, and with her other hand, she magically produced several sheets of paper covered in dense writing, slapping them on top of the pile of documents.

"This is the surgery you need to perform today. The original lesson plan also has flaws and needs revision. And this damned funding request for increased budget—examine it carefully, cut what needs cutting, and reject what needs rejecting!"

She spoke extremely quickly, issuing commands with absolute authority.

Taiichi looked at the "mountain of tasks" in his arms, which had suddenly grown even taller, and felt a chill run down his spine. "Teacher, isn't this a bit too much—"

"What's wrong? This is all your fault!"

Tsunade glared at him, then suddenly her angry expression vanished, replaced by a triumphant, weary smile. "The rest is up to you! Anyway, I'm free now!"

Before the words had even finished...

"Bang!"

With a soft thud, white smoke exploded, so thick that it instantly engulfed Tsunade's figure. A few fallen leaves, stirred up by the blast, swirled and drifted past the suddenly empty courtyard gate.

Taiichi remained frozen in place, still holding the documents. After a few seconds, he sighed helplessly and looked down at the pile of "Tsunade's love" in his arms.

Shadow Clone —that's definitely her style.

Fearing that the original body would be bogged down with various excuses after explaining the mission, the Shadow Clone was simply sent to deliver the mission and then dismissed cleanly and efficiently, without any room for negotiation.

"This is truly laziness to an extreme! How long has this piled up?!"

Taiichi shook his head and gave a wry smile. However, he understood. Tsunade was naturally free-spirited and disliked being restrained. Being forced into the positions of director of Konoha Hospital and teacher for so long must have made her feel stifled.

She's been carrying everything on her own for the past two weeks, and it's likely she's lost a lot of weight from exhaustion.

Despite the complaints, the work still had to be done. Taiichi turned around and went back into the house with the documents in his arms, piling them up on the Reception Hall table. He rubbed his temples, but his eyes gradually sharpened.

Fortunately—I'm better at this.

Hand Seals.

Shadow Clone Technique.

Seven consecutive "bang" sounds rang out in the not-so-spacious Reception Hall, followed by seven puffs of white smoke that bloomed and quickly dissipated.

Seven figures, identical to Taiichi, stretched their wrists and twisted their necks, standing in a row.

"Alright, everyone, let's get started. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can get to the important stuff!"

"Understood!" the seven Shadow Clone replied in unison, each grabbing a stack of documents and disappearing swiftly from different directions—doorways, windows, and so on—to their respective "posts."

In the blink of an eye, only Taiichi's true form remained in the Reception Hall, along with the last document on the table titled "Proposal for the Emergency Expansion and Training System Reform of Medical Ninja in Wartime."

On the title page, Tsunade wrote in scribbled handwriting, "The idea is acceptable, but the execution details are utter nonsense! Let Taiichi refine the specific plan!"

The last exclamation mark almost tore through the paper.

Taiichi picked up the proposal and sat down at the desk by the window in his study. Morning light streamed through the lattice window, casting bright spots of light on the desk.

He ran his fingers along the edge of the paper and examined it closely.