True Youth

The autumn wind was slightly chilly. Tiny droplets of blood splattered across that handsome face, yet his expression remained entirely calm.

"Mist Hidden again? Their recent movements have been far too frequent. Having waged war against Sand Hidden and Cloud Hidden in succession, have they truly run out of ninjas capable of fighting?"

Blood beads dripped down. The sharp blade of his kunai remained unstained by even a speck of blood.

"So... so amazing! As expected of the Uchiha clan, a prestigious family of Konoha. To have so easily wiped out three Mist Hidden squads—it's truly incredible!"

He turned his head, his tone indifferent.

"It's nothing special. The harassment from Mist Hidden has been increasing lately; you two should be careful as well, Duy, Kosuke."

"What a thoughtful captain! If only my son could grow up to be a ninja like you—this is youth!"

Konoha genin Might Duy and Maruboshi Kosuke—these were the subordinates Uchiha Hanazuki led as part of the battlefield rescue squad.

Each of them appeared unremarkable, but in reality, the strength they possessed far exceeded that of an average genin by dozens of times.

"Why are you being so polite, Captain? You are a genius who began leading squads into battle right after graduation, saving hundreds of Konoha ninjas over these past two months."

"Whether it's the chunin exams or the jonin exams, there will surely be no problem for you. If my boy could just become a jonin, I, as a father, would be satisfied. Hahahaha!"

Might Duy laughed heartily. Beside him, Kosuke smiled and waved his hand, the stew he had prepared earlier emitting an aroma that whetted the appetite.

"It was a huge help having the two of you transferred to my squad. Without you, I'd have to deal with those corpses all by myself and spend my days gnawing on dry Military Ration Pills. Just thinking about it is miserable."

Caw! Caw! Caw!

In the distant mountain forest, a few stray crows suddenly darted out. Hanazuki frowned slightly and muttered to himself.

"Crows always gather near the battlefield waiting for food. This isn't a good omen. Is this area about to become a battlefield?"

"To think that young people nowadays still believe in omens. You really are different, Captain. These are just things old men say to themselves."

Kosuke's smile was kindly. Having lived since the era of the Second Hokage and survived two Great Ninja Wars, his actual strength was in no way inferior to an average jonin.

"No, although I don't believe in omens, I do believe in luck. Luck is very important, especially on the battlefield. A lucky comrade is often much more welcome than an unlucky one."

"Uncle Kosuke, your luck has always been quite good, hehehe..."

Hanazuki's smile made Kosuke's cloudy, aged eyes grow hazy. If not for his own lapse in judgment back then, issuing the wrong command, his comrades would not have died.

This luck that allowed him to survive the battlefield—if he could, he would rather have been the one to sacrifice himself back then.

Precisely because of this, he preferred to remain a genin for the rest of his life to atone for his past sins.

"Setting that aside, it's New Year's in a few days. What plans do you and Brother Kosuke have, Captain?"

Might Duy had already finished two bowls of rice in the blink of an eye. Kosuke shook his head in silence; as a man who lived alone, he would naturally be by himself during the New Year.

"Me? I'll probably spend it alone, though it's possible I might invite some friends. Whether they can come or not, I don't know. It'll pass regardless."

Suddenly, thick smoke rose in the distant forest. Hanazuki, who was about to serve another bowl of rice, frowned and spoke without looking back.

"I'm going to take a look. Keep a close watch on the other directions of the battlefield. Mist Hidden's movements have been wrong lately. If you encounter anyone troublesome, run immediately."

"If that side isn't troublesome, I will return as quickly as possible. If there is an emergency, don't worry about how many enemies you might attract—fire the signal flare directly."

In a flicker of movement, Hanazuki's figure was already gone. Might Duy's eyes welled up with tears.

"Captain... the Captain is truly so gentle. What a gentle man; he is simply a model for all ninjas!"

"Sigh, at an age where he should be acting spoiled toward his parents, his personality has become like this... what a tragic war."

Kosuke shook his head slightly, his gaze falling upon Might Duy.

"Speaking of which, your son, Might Guy, is already a chunin. Is he also executing missions on the battlefield now?"

"Ah! Speaking of my son, he is different from me. He is a genius of taijutsu. One day, he will become a jonin. I have always firmly believed in his talent."

Might Duy spoke with excitement, taking pride in his child. Kosuke extinguished the fire, set aside a portion for Hanazuki in a thermal container, and looked into the distance. A fleeting figure caught his eye, causing his eyes to widen.

"Duy, it seems your child just passed by."

"Brother Kosuke, are you telling the truth? Where? Which way did he go?"

Might Duy looked left and right, his eyes full of joy. Kosuke pointed toward the depths of the dense forest and cautioned him softly.

"Be careful. In case you find it's a trap..."

"I understand. I'll notify the Captain immediately. Don't worry, Brother Kosuke, I have my own ways of surviving on the battlefield, hahahaha."

Watching Might Duy's disappearing back, Kosuke's brow furrowed tightly. In the distance, a lone crow landed quietly in the woods. Its pitch-black eyes watched the figure vanishing into the forest, its shrill cry sounding like the horn of the Grim Reaper.

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Might Guy, Shiranui Genma, and Ebisu, who were in the middle of a mission, looked at each other. Beads of cold sweat dripped from their foreheads, and their backs were already soaked.

In the forest not far away, several strange-looking figures wielding bizarre swords sent a chill straight to their scalps.

"Mist Hidden Village, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. It's the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Should we run?"

Ebisu was on full alert. Shiranui Genma lowered his gaze and answered frankly.

"These guys are all elites of Mist Hidden. With just us three chunin, there is absolutely no chance of escaping. Has our time come?"

"Running isn't an option either. We can only fight to the death. Is this the end for the beasts of Konoha?"

The pressure on the three of them increased, and their hearts were filled with trepidation. Yet, the group opposite them laughed heartily, their sharp, shark-like teeth glinting with a cold light.

"To think we've become so famous that even the brats from Konoha know who we are. Your luck is truly rotten; though you're just kids, this is a battlefield."

"So, should we hack them to pieces?"

"No, slice them up, slice them up. The wails of brats before they die are just so delightful."

"We should use Lightning Style instead..."

"Thunder Fang, your ninjutsu draws too much attention. This is a battlefield."

Just as they were arguing incessantly, that familiar green bodysuit darted through the forest, positioning itself in front of Might Guy and his two companions.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

As the smoke cleared, Might Duy turned back with a grin, his pearly white teeth gleaming in the sunlight.

"Guy, true youth is only just beginning. Even if it costs you your life, you must protect what is most important. Do you understand?"