Six Years Old, Preparing to Depart

Having become a Chunin, Nichigetsu was busier than ever. Between a heavier workload of missions and more rigorous training, his refinement of the Gentle Fist continued unabated. The secret techniques of the Hyuga Main Branch were truly formidable; Nichigetsu had begun practicing their signature moves, and the underlying principles and applications of the Gentle Fist provided him with profound inspiration and immense benefit.

For instance, the detailed analyses on how to release chakra from all 361 tenketsu, how to control each individual point, how to accumulate chakra, and how to compress and burst it into a shockwave were all laid out clearly. Even the techniques for rapidly executing the Sixty-Four Palms were explained in exhaustive detail.

Nichigetsu treated these scrolls like precious treasures. Using several Shadow Clones to practice simultaneously, he mastered the techniques in short order. Once he had honed them to perfection, he would be able to integrate his own innovations, weaving these advanced skills into his personal repertoire.

A few months later, Nichigetsu turned six. The year had flown by; aside from his missions with Dan Kato, Nichigetsu had spent every waking moment training. He had made significant strides in the Gentle Fist, while incorporating many of his own ideas. He was still practicing the Main Branch's ultimate techniques, and he was not far from mastering them completely.

One day, Nichigetsu was summoned to the Hokage's office.

"Third Hokage, did you need me for something?" Nichigetsu hurried inside. He had been so busy lately; time was precious.

A gentle voice drifted over from the side: "Nichigetsu, it's been over a year. I'm back."

Nichigetsu turned to look. A girl stood there with chin-length hair, a lovely face, and a graceful posture. It was none other than his cousin, Mizuki Hyuga. His teacher, Dan Kato, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, and Shibi Aburame were also standing nearby.

"Sister Mizuki, Teacher Dan—wait, why is everyone here?" Nichigetsu smiled happily.

Mizuki walked over and gave him a hug. "Nichigetsu, I heard you've already become a Chunin. I'm so happy for you. Your parents would be proud if they could see you now."

"Hehe, I'll protect you from now on, Sister Mizuki." Nichigetsu felt his eyes grow a little hot.

The Third Hokage coughed, drawing everyone's attention. He spoke slowly: "The transport team carrying the wounded has returned and must depart again immediately to deliver medical supplies to the front lines. The fighting there is intense, so you will all be heading to the front to join the battle."

"Chunin Choza Akimichi, Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, Shibi Aburame, and Nichigetsu Hyuga—the five of you will be led by Jonin Dan Kato. You will join the transport team, and once the delivery is complete, you will participate in the fighting on the front lines. Do you understand?"

"Understood, Your Majesty!" the group replied in unison.

"Your Majesty, I request to join the transport team as well!" Mizuki said.

"Mizuki, you just returned from the battlefield. By all rights, you should be resting."

"That won't be necessary, Your Majesty. I can't rest easy knowing my brother is going to the front alone. I must go with him!" Mizuki said firmly.

"Very well. Mizuki, you will also be under Dan Kato's command. Everyone, go and prepare. We depart in three days!" The Third Hokage nodded.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

After everyone left the office, Dan Kato remained behind. "Your Majesty, Nichigetsu is still so young. Are we really sending him to the front?"

The Third Hokage exhaled a cloud of smoke and said slowly, "Sigh, I don't want him on the front lines at such a young age either... I've seen too many children go to the front in my time, never to return. That was the very reason the First Hokage founded this village. But we are in the midst of a war. Is the village any safer for Nichigetsu than the battlefield? He has already shown his talent; who knows what hidden daggers are aimed at him in the shadows? Would such a promising sapling wither away here in the village?"

"This..." Dan Kato fell silent.

"With Tsunade watching over him at the front, Nichigetsu won't be fighting overly dangerous enemies, and he will receive excellent guidance and combat experience. I believe this is the best choice for him right now. If he is to survive adversity without being cut down, we can only hope he grows faster than the forces pressing down on him from the dark..."

"I understand, Your Majesty!" Dan Kato nodded and turned to leave.

"What?! You're going to the front too?" Kushina looked at him in disbelief.

"Yeah, Shikaku and the others are going too," Nichigetsu nodded.

"No way, I'm going too!" Kushina waved her fists.

After learning that everyone was heading to the front—especially Nichigetsu—Kushina couldn't sit still. She demanded to go, asking why everyone else was leaving her behind. It took Nichigetsu's persuasion to calm her down. Having just graduated from the academy, Kushina became determined to pass the Chunin exams as quickly as possible so she could join the fight.

Hey, hey, Nichigetsu thought, you're the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Konoha would never let you go to the front. If you're on the front lines, it means Konoha is on the verge of being wiped out.

At Sister Mizuki's house.

"Eat more, Nichigetsu." Mizuki placed a fish ball into his bowl. After returning home, Nichigetsu had gone to Mizuki's place for dinner. Her parents were delighted, preparing a table full of food, and Mizuki kept piling dishes onto his plate.

Over dinner, Mizuki recounted her experiences at the front. Nichigetsu listened with great interest. It seemed Konoha had already pushed into the Land of Wind, and with the Hidden Sand lurking nearby, a major battle was imminent.

Nichigetsu also told her about his recent experiences. When he mentioned that the Hyuga clan had sent an elite Chunin to the exams to sabotage him, Mizuki was furious. However, when he described how he had beaten the man into a pulp, she felt a sense of justice served—a classic case of trying to steal a chicken only to lose the rice. She was relieved to hear that Nichigetsu had become Tsunade's apprentice; now, certain people in the Main Branch wouldn't dare move against him so easily.

Nichigetsu planned to spend the next few days preparing. After all, going to the battlefield was no child's play; it was better to be safe than sorry.

The next day, Nichigetsu went to the blacksmith to pick up the tools he had commissioned. While the world had plenty of medical equipment like scalpels and needle holders, Nichigetsu needed more specialized gear that wasn't readily available. He had drawn up blueprints for the best blacksmiths and even found someone who understood electrical components to craft the rest. After inspecting the tools, Nichigetsu nodded; the craftsmanship was excellent.

He then visited the hospital to collect a set of medical supplies, which he had asked the Third Hokage to authorize. Since he was going to study medical ninjutsu under Tsunade, bringing his own equipment and medicine was perfectly reasonable. He gathered all his gear into four large crates and sealed them into scrolls. His medical kit was now essentially complete.

Nichigetsu had spent a lot of time reading the medical texts his mother left behind. He had learned a great deal about the state of medicine in this world and found many areas for improvement and research. The knowledge in those books filled many gaps in his understanding, and the way it mirrored his previous training helped him progress rapidly.

In his spare time, he practiced various surgical techniques, constantly reviewing the coordination and fine details of procedures. He also performed mental exercises, visualizing every stage and subtle step of a surgery, repeating every motion to refine his technique. Even though he hadn't performed a real surgery in a year, he had conducted hundreds in his mind. His body retained years of surgical muscle memory; all he lacked was a return to the operating table. He looked forward to that moment with great anticipation.

Next, Nichigetsu took the small flak jacket Konoha had made for him to the blacksmiths for modifications. The standard Chunin vest was mostly useless for anything other than holding extra ninja tools and scrolls; a kunai would still draw blood through it, which didn't sit well with his modern sensibilities.

He spent his own money to modify the vest. Since he was heading to the Land of Wind, he added a desert-camouflage cover that could be swapped out as needed. He also had the craftsmen line the vest with a fine steel chainmail and several layers of high-density fiber. It could deflect hidden weapons and standard slashes, and it was far lighter than a samurai's armor.

Looking at the red Uzumaki swirl on the back of the vest, Nichigetsu pulled it on over his black jacket. His small frame looked much sturdier and more reliable. He had also improved the vests for Shikaku and Inoichi; Choza and Shibi didn't like wearing them, so he didn't force the issue. He had made brand-new ones for Mizuki and Teacher Dan, intending to hand them over when he had the chance.

Finally, Nichigetsu went to the ninja tool shop and stocked up on kunai, shuriken, explosive tags, smoke bombs, and flashbangs. He also bought several decoys, such as fake rocks and barrels that could hide a person. He packed plenty of emergency rations and survival gear. By the time he was done, he had spent a small portion of the money he'd earned from missions, keeping the rest for food and lodging.

Before departure, the Third Hokage summoned Nichigetsu to his office one last time.

"Nichigetsu, here." The Third Hokage handed him a letter.

"What is this?" Nichigetsu asked, puzzled.

"This is a personal letter of recommendation. When you reach the front, remember to give it to Tsunade."

"Oh, I'll take it. Wait, could it be..." Nichigetsu's eyes darted as a thought occurred to him.

"What matter?" the Third Hokage feigned ignorance.

"Could it be that you haven't told Tsunade about me yet? That she doesn't even know she's taken me on as a student? So I have to take this recommendation letter and go find her myself," Riyue stared intently at the Third Hokage.

"Er... it's like this. I intended to notify Tsunade, but considering she is on the front lines, I decided not to disturb her for the time being," the Third Hokage said, thick-skinned.

Hey, hey, you're just afraid that if Tsunade finds out you took on a student in her name without her knowledge—and told a bunch of lies to boot—she might come storming back here to settle the score, right? Riyue thought, feeling nothing but contempt.

Seeing the look of disbelief on Riyue's face, the Third Hokage coughed a few times. "Alright, my student has a rather stubborn temper. This time, I will send someone to notify her first, and then you can take the letter to find her. Will that satisfy you?"

"Hmm!" Riyue nodded. In truth, as long as Tsunade accepted him as a student, that was all that mattered. He was just worried that if the Third Hokage didn't give her a heads-up, he would foolishly show up with the recommendation letter only to be punched out by Tsunade. It was definitely better for the Third Hokage to notify her first.

Riyue had finished his preparations and was now just waiting to depart.

Inside the Hyuga main house, Hideyoshi and several elders were gathered in secret. On the floor not far away lay a futon, and upon it, a man was sprawled out, delirious, foaming at the mouth, and convulsing uncontrollably.

Hideyoshi slammed his hand onto a small wooden table and cursed, "I never expected that little beast to be so formidable!"

An elder to the side wore a savage expression. "Hyuga Hiroshi has been beaten into this state by that little brat; he'll be bedridden for the rest of his life! I want to tear him to pieces!"

Hideyoshi said, "Isn't he heading to the front lines? There will be plenty of opportunities to finish him off there!"

One elder shook his head. "He is Tsunade's student; it won't be as easy as dealing with his father."

Another elder asked, "Isn't Rixin also heading to the front lines in a few days?"

Hideyoshi shook his head. "Sigh, Rixin is absolutely no match for him..."

The elder replied, "Who said Rixin has to be the one to act? If we can't deal with him directly, we can use the people around him. We should do this... and then that..."

The group huddled together, plotting their conspiracy, nodding incessantly.

One elder concluded, "This way, even if someone wants to protect him, they won't be able to!"

Hideyoshi said viciously, "Good, then we proceed according to plan! That little beast must die!"