Now that Riyue was a Chunin, he was busier than ever. He had more missions to complete and stricter training to undergo, and he continued refining his Gentle Fist. The Hyuga Main Family's secret techniques really were impressive. Riyue had already begun practicing several of their signature moves, and the Gentle Fist techniques and methods of application had inspired him greatly and taught him a lot.
For example, how to release chakra from all 361 tenketsu around the body, how to control each one, how to build up chakra, then compress and release it to create a shock wave. There were also detailed explanations of how to rapidly execute the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.
Riyue treasured the knowledge. With several Shadow Clones training at the same time, he quickly learned the techniques. Once he had mastered them, he could incorporate his own ideas and weave those techniques into his own moves.
A few months later, Riyue turned six. The year had flown by. Aside from going on missions with Dan Katō, he had spent all his time training. His Gentle Fist had improved by leaps and bounds, and he had incorporated quite a few new ideas into it. He was still practicing the Hyuga Main Family's secret techniques, and he was close to learning them, let alone mastering them completely.
That day, Riyue was summoned to the Hokage's office.
"Lord Third Hokage, what did you need me for?" Riyue hurried in. He'd been busy lately—his time was precious.
A gentle voice came from nearby. "Riyue, it's been over a year. I'm back."
Riyue turned to look. A girl stood there, with ear-length hair, lovely features, and a graceful figure. Wasn't she his cousin, Hyuga Mizuki? His teacher, Dan Katō, and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio were there too, along with Aburame Shibi.
"Big Sister Mizuki, Teacher Katō! Huh? Why is everyone here?" Riyue beamed.
Mizuki came over and hugged Riyue. "Riyue, I heard you've already become a Chunin. I'm so happy for you. Your parents would be proud if they knew."
"Hehe, I'll protect you from now on, Big Sister Mizuki." Riyue felt his eyes growing misty too.
The Third Hokage cleared his throat, and everyone turned to look at him. He spoke slowly. "The transport unit carrying the wounded has returned. It's about to head out again, this time with medical supplies for the front lines. The fighting there is fierce, so you'll be going to the front lines to fight as well."
"Chunin Choza Akimichi, Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, Aburame Shibi, and Hyuga Riyue, the five of you will join the transport unit under the command of the jōnin Dan Katō. Once you've completed your delivery, you'll take part in the fighting at the front. Understood?"
"Understood, Lord Hokage!" they replied in unison.
"Lord Hokage, I'd like to join the transport unit too!" Mizuki said.
"Mizuki, you've only just returned from the battlefield. You should rest for a while."
"That's not necessary, Lord Hokage. I can't let my little brother go to the front lines alone. I have to go with him!" Mizuki said firmly.
"Very well. Mizuki, you'll be under Dan Katō's command as well. Everyone, go and get ready. You leave in three days." The Third Hokage nodded.
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
After everyone left the Hokage's office, Dan Katō stayed behind and said to the Third Hokage, "Lord Hokage, Riyue is still so young. Are you really sending him to the front lines?"
The Third Hokage took a puff of his pipe and spoke slowly. "Sigh. I don't want him going to the front lines at such a young age either... When I was a child, I saw so many children leave for the front lines and never return... That was why the First founded the village in the first place. But we're at war now. Is the village really safer for Riyue than the battlefield? He's already shown what he can do. How many hidden daggers are waiting in the shadows? With a child as promising as him, could he end up cut down in the village instead...?"
"I..." Dan Katō fell silent too.
"With Tsunade watching over him at the front, Riyue won't be fighting enemies who are too dangerous. He'll also receive excellent instruction and gain valuable combat experience. I think this is the best choice for him right now. If he's going to survive the adversity without being cut down, then all we can do is hope he grows faster than the forces working against him in the shadows..."
"I understand, Lord Hokage!" Dan Katō nodded and turned to leave...
"What?! You're going to the front lines too?" Kushina stared at him in disbelief.
"Yeah. Shikaku and the others are going too." Riyue nodded.
"No way! I'm going too!" Kushina waved her fists.
When Kushina heard that everyone was heading to the front lines—and especially that Riyue was going—she couldn't sit still. She insisted on going too, wondering why everyone else could go while she was the only one being left behind. Riyue eventually talked her out of it. Having just graduated from the Academy, Kushina resolved to become a Chunin as soon as possible so she could join the fighting at the front.
Riyue thought, Hey, you're the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. There's no way Konoha would let you go to the front lines. If they sent you, it'd mean Konoha was on the verge of being wiped out.
At Big Sister Mizuki's house.
"Riyue, have some more." Mizuki put a fish ball in Riyue's bowl. After going home, Riyue had come over to Mizuki's house for dinner. Her parents were delighted and had prepared a table full of dishes. Mizuki kept piling food onto Riyue's plate.
At the table, Mizuki talked about her experiences on the front lines. Riyue listened with great interest. It seemed Konoha had already pushed into the Land of Wind. Hidden Sand was watching like a hawk, and a major battle could break out at any moment.
Riyue told Mizuki about what he'd been through lately too. When she heard that the Hyuga Clan had sent an elite Chunin to the Chunin Exam who had tried to harm Riyue, Mizuki was furious. But Riyue had beaten the man into a helpless wreck, which gave Mizuki great satisfaction. That was what he got for trying to steal the chicken and losing the rice. And she was glad Riyue had become Tsunade's student. Some of the Main Family members wouldn't dare lay a hand on him now.
Riyue planned to spend the next few days getting ready. Going to war was no joke, so it was best to be prepared.
The next day, Riyue went to the blacksmith's shop to collect the tools he'd ordered. This world had plenty of medical instruments, such as scalpels and needle holders, but Riyue needed more than that, and not every instrument he needed was available. So he'd given the best blacksmith some designs, and had also found people who knew how to work with electrical equipment to make the rest. After inspecting the tools the blacksmiths had made, Riyue nodded. The craftsmanship really was excellent.
Riyue also went to the hospital, where he picked up a set of medical tools. He'd asked the Third Hokage to provide them. Since he was going to learn Medical Ninjutsu from Tsunade, it was only reasonable to bring some equipment and medicine. He gathered all the instruments and tools into four large boxes, then sealed them in the scrolls he'd prepared. His medical kit was nearly complete.
Riyue had read many of the medical books his mother left behind, and he'd learned quite a bit about medicine in this world. There were plenty of areas that could be improved and researched. The knowledge in those books also filled in many gaps in his understanding, and much of it connected with what he'd learned before, helping him make considerable progress.
Whenever he had time, Riyue practiced various surgical techniques. He constantly reviewed how to coordinate each step of an operation and handle the finer details. He also practiced in his imagination, mentally rehearsing every part of an operation, every tiny step, and repeating each movement as he worked through his precise techniques. Even though Riyue hadn't performed surgery in a year, he'd already carried out hundreds of operations in his mind. His body still remembered years of surgery; all he needed was to get back to an operating table and put his skills into practice. Riyue was eagerly anticipating the moment he returned to the operating table.
Next, Riyue took the small flak vest Konoha had ordered for him to the blacksmiths for modifications. Aside from its pockets for carrying more ninja tools and scrolls, the original Chunin vest was practically useless. A Kunai could still draw blood if it struck you, which didn't fit Riyue's modern sensibilities.
So Riyue paid to have the vest upgraded. Since he was going to the Land of Wind, he had a desert-camouflage layer fitted over its green outer shell, one that could be changed whenever needed. He also had the craftsmen add a layer of chain mail made from fine steel inside the vest, along with several layers of high-density fiber. It could stop concealed weapons and ordinary slashes and stabs, and it was far lighter than a samurai's armor.
Looking at the red swirl emblem on the back of his Chunin vest, Riyue pulled it on over his black jacket. It made his small frame look a lot sturdier and more dependable. He also improved the vests for Shikaku and Inoichi. Choza and Shibi didn't like wearing vests, so Riyue didn't press them. He had new ones made for Big Sister Mizuki and Teacher Dan Katō, and would give them the vests when he had the chance.
Finally, Riyue went to the ninja tool shop and bought a large supply of equipment. He stocked up on Kunai, Shuriken, Explosive Tags, Smoke Bombs, and Flashbangs. He also bought some devices for misleading the enemy, such as fake rocks and barrels that could conceal people. He packed plenty of emergency rations and prepared some wilderness survival gear. In the end, Riyue had spent a portion of the money he'd saved from his earlier missions, leaving the rest for food and lodging.
Before their departure, the Third Hokage summoned Riyue to his office again.
"Riyue, here." The Third Hokage handed him a letter.
"What's this?" Riyue asked, puzzled.
"It's a letter of recommendation written by me. When you reach the front lines, remember to give it to Tsunade."
"Oh, I'll take it. Wait, could it be...?" Riyue's eyes shifted as he realized something.
"What is it?" The Third Hokage played dumb.
"Could it be that you still haven't told Tsunade about me? She doesn't know she took me on as her student, so I need to bring this letter to her myself." Riyue stared intently at the Third Hokage.
"Uh... That's right. I meant to inform Tsunade, but since she's at the front, I decided not to bother her yet," the Third Hokage said shamelessly.
Hey, you're worried Tsunade will find out you took it upon yourself to make me her student and told a bunch of lies. If she finds out, she might come charging back here to settle the score with you, right? Riyue scoffed inwardly.
Seeing how unconvinced Riyue looked, the Third Hokage cleared his throat a few times. "All right, my student can be a bit stubborn. I'll send someone to notify her first this time. Then you can take the letter to her, all right?"
"Okay!" Riyue nodded. He didn't mind, as long as Tsunade accepted him as her student. He'd just been worried that the Third Hokage wouldn't give her any warning, leaving him to show up with a letter of recommendation and get punched out by Tsunade. It was better for the Third Hokage to notify her first.
Riyue was just about ready. All that remained was to set out.
At the Hyuga Main Family compound, Hideyoshi and several elders were gathered in secret. A short distance away, a man lay on a bedding mat, delirious, foaming at the mouth, and convulsing all over.
Hideyoshi slapped the small wooden table and cursed, "I can't believe that little bastard is so strong!"
An elder beside him snarled, "Hyuga Hiroshi was beaten into this state by that little bastard. He'll be bedridden for the rest of his life! I'll tear him limb from limb!"
Hideyoshi said, "He's going to the front lines, isn't he? We'll have plenty of chances to kill him!"
One elder shook his head. "He's Tsunade's student. He won't be as easy to deal with as his father was."
Another elder asked, "Is Rixin going to the front lines in a few days too?"
Hideyoshi shook his head. "Sigh, Rixin is no match for him..."
The elder said, "Who said Rixin has to make a move? We can't target him directly, but we can use the people around him. We'll do this... then that..."
The group plotted together, nodding repeatedly.
One elder said, "That way, even if someone wants to protect him, they won't be able to!"
Hideyoshi said viciously, "Good. We'll stick to the plan! That little bastard has to die!"
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