Prelude to the Shinobi War

Over the next stretch of days, Toru worked hard to cultivate the Eight Gates while carrying out missions with the rest of Team 8.

Time often passed quickly when one was busy.

In the blink of an eye, it was Konoha Year 47.

Toru's strength had improved considerably. He could already open the fourth gate of the Eight Gates, the Gate of Pain, and his progress had even surpassed Might Guy's.

During this period, Shikaku had clearly become busier than before, to the point that he barely had time to accompany the three of them on missions.

After all, Shikaku was a Jonin. He could not possibly spend every day accompanying three Genin on such simple missions.

Fortunately, none of the three were weak, so they could easily complete ordinary Genin missions on their own.

Toru's strength needed no explanation. In every respect, he had already reached Jonin level.

That was precisely why Shikaku felt at ease letting the three of them carry out missions by themselves.

Asuma was also quite strong. At eleven years old, he had already reached Chunin level, and even among Chunin, he counted as one of the stronger ones.

His training in Wind Release, Fire Release, and Nintaijutsu had begun to bear fruit. He probably would not be at a disadvantage even against a weaker Special Jonin.

Such talent would rank among the village's first tier, but compared to Toru, his classmate, it was not nearly as dazzling.

Of the three, Yuhi Kurenai was the weakest.

However, Yuhi Kurenai's situation was rather special. Her talent for ninjutsu was not particularly high, while her talent for genjutsu was quite good, so she had chosen to become a genjutsu-type ninja.

Yet for most ninja, ninjutsu was used more often than genjutsu, and that was not without reason.

If genjutsu did not reach a sufficiently high level, its effects would not be very noticeable.

Many people could see through genjutsu and break its effects through various means.

Thus, the Chunin and Genin stages were a transitional period for genjutsu-type ninja. During this time, genjutsu-type ninja were often weaker than ninjutsu-type ninja, and might even be weaker than taijutsu-type ninja.

Fortunately, once they passed this period and reached Jonin level, genjutsu-type ninja could utterly overwhelm weaker ninja and still achieve unexpected victories against opponents of the same rank.

Kurenai's genjutsu had actually reached Chunin level, but if she relied only on genjutsu against other Chunin of the same rank and different specialties, she would have almost no chance of winning.

Fortunately, under Toru's guidance over the years, Kurenai had already mastered decent taijutsu and an unsealed-hand-sign ninjutsu, the Rasengan.

Judging by her overall strength, she could already contend with ordinary Chunin and might even be slightly stronger.

Thus, every member of Team 8 had reached at least Chunin-level strength.

Naturally, they found Genin missions easy and effortless.

As for why the three of them had not taken the Chunin Exams to advance to Chunin, that was something they would have to ask Shikaku about.

Originally, Toru had planned to take the Chunin Exams as soon as he graduated, but the exams required three people to participate together.

So, after the weakest of the three, Kurenai, had also reached Chunin level, Toru asked Shikaku to let them take the Chunin Exams.

But Shikaku refused.

At the time, Shikaku had furrowed his brow and said sternly, "The current situation is unstable. It would be better for you to delay your promotion."

"The higher a ninja's rank, the more dangerous their missions become. You're still too young. I can't let you take such risks."

"Wait another year."

Toru could understand Shikaku's thinking, but he had no real sense of the turbulent situation Shikaku spoke of.

After all, as Genin who spent all year within Konoha and the Land of Fire, they naturally could not sense the series of changes quietly taking place throughout the shinobi world.

But events were often unpredictable. Just as people were immersed in Konoha's long-standing atmosphere of peace, traces of war suddenly appeared.

That day, with no mission to do, Kurenai dragged Toru out to go shopping with her.

Toru agreed.

The two of them began wandering through Konoha's shopping district.

It had to be said that Konoha's commerce was highly developed. All kinds of stores lined the streets, and the goods on display were dazzlingly varied.

The energy a girl unleashed while shopping was limitless. Kurenai dragged Toru into one store after another, happily treating it like sightseeing even when she did not buy anything.

Though it was hard to say whether Kurenai enjoyed shopping itself, or enjoyed shopping with the boy beside her.

Along the way, experienced women would occasionally tease the young pair on the street.

"What a handsome boy and beautiful girl. They're such a perfect match."

The girl's face would immediately turn bright red as she hurriedly tried to explain, but those people would often run off with mischievous grins, leaving Kurenai standing there in frustration.

Eventually, she vented her resentment by pounding Toru's chest with her small fists.

Toru found it neither painful nor itchy.

Seeing that Toru was not playing along at all, Kurenai immediately puffed out her cheeks and turned her head away in a huff.

Toru gave a wry smile. Then, spotting a flower shop nearby, he said, "I'll buy you a bouquet of flowers."

At once, Kurenai could no longer keep up her act. Her expression changed in an instant, revealing delight.

But when she saw Toru's half-smiling expression, Kurenai forcibly suppressed it and only said two words: "Fine, then."

With a smile at the corner of his lips, Toru led Kurenai into the flower shop by the roadside.

Toru and Kurenai looked around the shop. It was not very large, but it had everything it needed and was kept exceptionally tidy.

Flowers of every color were arranged both inside and outside the shop, some vibrant and others elegant, filling the entire place with a captivating fragrance.

"Welcome to the Yamanaka Flower Shop, handsome sir and lovely miss. What kind of flowers would you like?"

A young brown-haired proprietress asked with a smile. She stood behind the counter, poised and elegant.

Toru replied, "Please wrap a bouquet for me. It's for her."

He pointed at Kurenai, who was looking over the flowers.

The proprietress asked, "Does this customer have any preferences?"

Kurenai came back to herself and answered, "No particular preference. As long as they look nice."

The proprietress stepped out from behind the counter. "Then let me recommend a few kinds for you to choose from."

She went over to the flowers and began introducing them to Kurenai.

"Roses need no introduction. They're the standard gift for one's lover. We carry many varieties, including red roses, pink roses, yellow roses, purple roses, white roses, and more."

Hearing the word "lover," Kurenai could not help blushing again.

The proprietress smiled and continued, "There are also lilies. They symbolize pure innocence and harmonious blessings. They're suitable for friends and family alike."

Kurenai nodded repeatedly as she listened.

Just then, a blond man with a long ponytail, wearing a Jonin flak jacket, walked out from the flower shop's backyard. Looking at Toru and Kurenai, he said, "You two young customers look familiar. Are you Shikaku's two students?"

Toru and Kurenai instantly realized they had encountered an elder, so they both gave a slight bow.

The man said, "No need to be so reserved. We're all family. I recognized you because the last time Choza dragged me out for barbecue, I saw you sitting with Shikaku."

"You seemed to be having a pleasant conversation at the time, so I didn't go over to disturb you. I only greeted Shikaku."

"Oh, right. I'm Yamanaka Inoichi, and this is my wife, Yamanaka Zao Hui."

"Shikaku and I have been teammates for many years."

Only then did Yamanaka Inoichi remember to introduce himself, along with the flower shop's proprietress, his wife.

Upon hearing that Inoichi was a friend of Teacher Shikaku, Toru and Kurenai immediately tried to ingratiate themselves with him.

Inoichi smiled. "All right, I'm heading out. Leave the flower-buying to Zao Hui. She has excellent taste."

Inoichi was just about to leave when several bursts of heartbroken sobbing suddenly came from outside the door, drawing closer from afar.

Everyone in the shop froze.

Before long, a procession dressed in pure black funeral kimono passed by the shop. Many among them had wept until their faces were streaked with tears.

Looking at the memorial portrait being carried among them, Yamanaka Inoichi muttered, "It's him? He was only transferred to the Kumogakure front a few days ago, and he's already fallen?"

"Even with the Yellow Flash there, casualties still can't be avoided."

Inoichi's words made Toru suddenly realize that war was drawing near.

The shinobi world was tense and on edge. Local conflicts had already erupted in some regions, and some called this the prelude to a shinobi war.

In the northeast of the Land of Fire, ninja from Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning often intruded into the territory without authorization, placing immense pressure on Konoha's northeastern border defenses.

Fortunately, Namikaze Minato had already earned the formidable reputation of the Yellow Flash. It was said that just a few days ago, he had single-handedly forced back an invasion by the Raikage's son and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, and for a time his prestige was unmatched.

But even so, it could not change one cruel fact: for ordinary ninja, border conflicts were not opportunities to earn fame and glory, but deadly dangers that could claim their lives.

"Big Sister Zao Hui, please wrap two bouquets of white chrysanthemums for us."

Yuhi Kurenai said softly.