Iwagakure had become extremely cautious after Kumogakure's surprise attack two years ago!
And with Kumogakure joining the war, the Rock Ninja no longer dared to let their guard down. They always had to set aside part of their forces to defend against the Cloud Ninja, so there was almost no fighting against Konoha.
As a result, the battlefield where Sosuke was stationed had been very quiet over the past two years.
The weather was clear and bright, with a gentle breeze.
The warm sunlight felt pleasant on the skin, bringing with it a lazy sort of comfort.
Near the outpost, Sosuke exchanged greetings with a ninja he ran into, then slowly walked outside.
He seemed to wander without any particular direction.
Before long, he had made his way to a secluded spot.
It was a quiet place near the outpost.
A faint smile played on his lips, but beneath his glasses, a glimmer of light flickered in his eyes, unseen by anyone else.
"Shing!"
He slowly drew Kyoka Suigetsu from his waist.
As always, its spotless blade shimmered with a snowy-white gleam, sparkling in the sunlight.
Sosuke slowly held the blade upright before him. A quiet smile on his face, he murmured softly.
"Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."
The air seemed to ripple around the blade, as though it were the center of the entire space...
Far away, among the dense green leaves on the thick trunk of a large tree, a white figure was strangely fused with the bark, hidden there as he watched Sosuke's every move.
"Eh... What's that guy doing?"
"He drew a sword out of nowhere. Is he going to practice swordsmanship? With his strength, surely he doesn't still care about a power like that."
"That power was enough to alert even Madara... What a terrifying kid..."
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