Nara Shikaku

Sarutobi Hiruzen would definitely hand the Earth Grudge Fear creation technique over to Danzo.

Kamizuki had neither the time nor the interest to propagate Earth Grudge Fear himself. He might as well hand it to the village in exchange for immediate combat power.

As for whether giving Earth Grudge Fear to Danzo was aiding the enemy...

Come on, what could Danzo possibly hold onto?

Back then, he had worked so hard to produce a Wood Release user like Tenzō, only for Sarutobi Hiruzen to snatch the fruit of his labor.

The Third had kept him around all this time not only because of their old friendship, but more importantly because the man had no ability to escape his control.

With his experience taming Earth Grudge Fear, no matter how powerful the Earth Grudge Fear Danzo created became, Kamizuki was confident he could take it for himself.

The Explosive Tags were not important. What mattered was having an excuse to let Danzo...

No, the Explosive Tags were important too. They were worth quite a bit of money.

The next day.

"Kamizuki, aren't you going to say goodbye to your family before leaving?"

At the registration office by the village gate, a Pineapple Head youth spoke with a wry smile.

Nara Shikaku, son of the Nara clan head, was also the teammate Kamizuki had selected for this mission.

Kamizuki signed the documents and replied blandly, "We already did this sort of scene once. Don't you know it gets tiresome?"

"You've left the village before. I haven't..."

I still wanted to properly say goodbye to my family...

"Quit talking. Come sign."

Shikaku helplessly signed his name, his expression as bitter as though he were signing a contract of sale.

He had originally been able to delay graduation for another half year, but Kamizuki had barged straight into the academic office and submitted his graduation application without permission.

As someone with connections, Shikaku had received special treatment. The very next day, he became a member of the Kamizuki Squad.

--

Shikaku trudged along the forest path with his head hanging low, looking utterly listless as he raised his eyes toward the heavy leaden clouds in the distance.

"Why go to the Land of Rain? As a disciple of Lord Orochimaru, shouldn't there be safer places to go?"

Dressed in fitted black clothes, Kamizuki stepped over the muddy road as specks of mud splashed against his ankles.

He frowned and deliberately asked, "The Land of Rain is only a small country. What danger could there be?"

Shikaku knew he was asking a question he already knew the answer to, but he responded anyway.

"The Land of Rain lies at the junction of three major nations. There have been no fewer than ten recorded conflicts recently."

"That cannot be explained as mere small-scale friction."

"Konoha and Iwagakure are both cutting off each other's supply routes. That is a standard blockade tactic, meant to prepare for a large-scale offensive."

"The signs from the Land of Wind are even clearer. The Third Kazekage has appeared at the border. His public excuse is unimportant; the deployment of puppet forces shows his intent to intervene in the war."

"Hanzo has returned after leaving the Land of Rain..."

"Even Hanzo, who defeated the Land of Iron, cannot possibly drive the shinobi of the three great nations away."

"He cannot hold out against a war on the scale of great nations. The Land of Rain will become the battlefield of an all-out war."

"In other words... the main battlefield of the Second Shinobi World War."

Shikaku's voice remained even from beginning to end. He spoke not as if he were making a conjecture, but stating a conclusion.

Drip... drip...

The fine rain fell, sliding down their cheeks and into their collars.

A cryptic smile appeared on Kamizuki's lips. "The Second Shinobi World War..."

"When do you think the war will begin, how long will it last, and which side will emerge victorious?"

Shikaku raised an eyebrow. "You aren't surprised at all? Is there news from the front that I don't know about?"

"No. It's because I can foresee the future," Kamizuki said honestly.

Shikaku would rather believe that Kamizuki had inferred the situation from known information, just as he had, than believe such nonsense.

Fortunately, after more than half a year together, they had long grown accustomed to Kamizuki's occasional ravings.

"At the earliest, it will begin this year. Perhaps it has already begun."

"By a relatively optimistic estimate, the war will end within three to five years. The grievances accumulated after the First Shinobi World War will be eased, and there will probably be a stable period of ten years afterward."

Kamizuki considered it. That was not far from what he remembered.

"So you mean... the Third Shinobi World War will come more than ten years from now?"

Of course Kamizuki knew Shikaku's intelligence. In terms of pure intellect, he was second only to his son, Shikamaru, but when it came to command and strategy, Shikamaru was no match for Shikaku.

Simply put, Shikamaru was good at "winning a battle," while Shikaku was good at "winning a war."

Kamizuki had not expected that, before the Second Shinobi World War had even begun, Shikaku could predict when the Third would start.

"It's easy to find the pattern, isn't it..."

Shikaku's shoulders shifted, as if he had smiled, or perhaps sighed. "Considering matters such as the economy, the interval is the time it takes for a generation to grow up."

"Until someone like the First appears, it will keep going like this."

He tilted his head up into the rain, his expression somewhat gloomy.

"If I am lucky enough to survive, my child will probably take part in the Fourth Shinobi World War."

"Mm... if it's a daughter, I would rather not have her become a shinobi. It would be nice if she could marry into nobility. I think Chunagon Yoshito's family would be a good choice. She wouldn't need to participate in the highest-level decisions, and..."

"You're getting carried away."

Kamizuki cut off his musings. "You'll have a son. He might even become Hokage."

"Haha, is that the future you foresaw, Kamizuki? Thank you for the good wishes."

"Hokage..."

Shikaku stroked his chin. "With my family's temperament, if my son became Hokage, something incredible must have happened to the village..."

Is he the Shinobi World's Yuan Tiangang...?

If I let you keep deducing things, even I won't know the plot anymore...

He had only wanted to bring along an external brain as an accessory, but being around someone too smart really took some of the fun out of things.

Kamizuki quickened his pace. "Keep up."

Shikaku pulled up his collar, covering half his face and leaving only his half-lidded eyes exposed.

Watching Kamizuki's blurred silhouette through the rain, he lowered his head slightly.

The key to ending this cycle of war...

Kamizuki, will it be you?

--

Three days later, Konoha's temporary camp in the Land of Rain.

"You came quickly, Kamizuki..." Orochimaru's gaze shifted to Shikaku, and he smiled faintly. "The son of Senior Shikai, right? Your name is Shikaku?"

"Lord Orochimaru." Shikaku bowed respectfully.

Nara Shikai was the current head of the Nara clan and the chief strategist of Konoha's eastern theater, responsible for dealing with threats from Kumogakure and Kirigakure.

Since Konoha's founding, the Nara clan had been almost inseparable from the position of strategist. They were Konoha's most useful brains.

Shikai's planning had played a crucial role in rescuing Kushina amid the situation in the Land of Whirlpools.

So this is the companion you chose? You have a good eye...

Orochimaru looked at Kamizuki, a hint of relief in his eyes.

The wise and calm Nara clan was just what he needed to balance out the Uchiha's volatility.