Triumphant Return

"Magic?"

"Just kidding. But Sakumo, in my heart, you really are my big brother. Over the years, you not only trained with me, but also took me on many difficult missions. That's why my strength improved so quickly."

Day after day, it was either training or missions, with frequent battles against other people. Sometimes I even completed S-rank missions alone.

If I still didn't get stronger after all that, I'd be depressed.

"What's with this all of a sudden?" Sakumo looked utterly confused.

"Sakumo, can I truly trust you? You... wouldn't reveal my secrets, would you?"

At that, Sakumo suddenly reached out and rubbed my head, then gave me a gentle smile that put people at ease.

"Qingyue, in a sense, you saved my life. Back then, I was condemned by countless people and nearly went down an extreme path. If you hadn't sent Kakashi to talk to me, I might have...

"So, Qingyue, you can trust me completely. As long as I'm alive, I won't let you come to harm. As long as what you do doesn't endanger Konoha, I can be your shield."

Hearing Sakumo say that put me at ease. As expected of someone from a samurai background; he was exceptionally particular about such things.

"Then, Sakumo, that technique I used earlier wasn't ninjutsu. You could tell, right?"

"Yes. A large-scale technique like that wasn't detected by sensory ninjas, which makes no sense. And as far as I know, ninjutsu doesn't have the ability to alter the weather like that. If this move were used on a battlefield, it would be terrifying."

"This technique is called Violent Thunderstorm. It isn't ninjutsu produced with Chakra, but something brought about by..."

Damn it, I didn't know how to describe mana to Sakumo.

Although Sakumo probably wouldn't pry into my secrets, he was my big brother. Other than my reincarnation and Hill's existence, I didn't want to hide too much from him.

The more things I hid, the more likely a rift would form between us.

"It's a formula engraved into my body. There may be a power within me that doesn't belong to Chakra, similar to the Battle Aura I've mastered."

"Indeed, your Chakra Battle Aura is truly peculiar. I tried learning it when you were teaching Kakashi, but it seems I can't master it. And recently, your aura has changed a great deal. Before, I could clearly see a thin layer of Chakra covering your body at all times, but now it's gone."

He was talking about Dragon Saint Battle Aura. After unlocking Dragon Saint Battle Aura, I had obtained true Battle Aura.

I no longer needed Chakra to fill in for it. This Battle Aura was an entirely different kind of energy, though the two could interact with each other.

"But this power is different from Battle Aura as well. For now, I call it mana, and the phenomena caused by mana, magic."

"Mana and magic... It's hard to believe, but having seen it with my own eyes, all I can do is marvel at how vast the world is and how many strange things it contains. Qingyue, perhaps you really are someone special. You might even be the reincarnation of the Sage of Six Paths."

The Sage of Six Paths... I'd nearly forgotten about that possibility.

But if they saw me as the Sage of Six Paths reincarnated, wasn't that just weakening me? Once my Haki was fully developed, with Conqueror's Haki fused with Armament Haki, along with Battle Aura and swordsmanship...

I wouldn't be much different from a humanoid stroke of outrageous luck.

"The Sage of Six Paths? Probably not. They say he was the ancestor of Chakra, but the power I have now isn't Chakra."

"That's true, hahaha! Forget it, let's not worry about these complicated matters. Whether it's Chakra, Battle Aura, or mana, they're all powers you use to protect your important family and companions, right, Qingyue?"

"Why would you think that?"

I didn't think I'd ever shown that. After all, my family and companions weren't in danger yet. The real danger was still far in the future.

"You've always desperately wanted to grow stronger. At your age, you already possess such power, yet you've never shown any malice, and you even harbor an aversion to killing. It's hard to imagine you as a bad person. And if you aren't a bad person, then the only reason you'd desperately seek power is to protect others."

So that was how he reasoned it out. As expected of Sakumo—meticulous and powerful.

Fortunately, I saved Sakumo back then. Fortunately, Sakumo was my Jonin instructor.

"That's more or less it. All right, Sakumo, since the mission is complete, we can return in triumph. The Kazekage is already dead, so the war should end soon, right?"

Even if Sand Village chose a desperate counterattack, having lost their Kage and vital supplies, they couldn't hold out much longer. Perhaps, because of my influence, the war might end even sooner.

Even though I had killed many people too, overall, I'd probably saved more people, right?

Even if it was only a form of self-comfort, I wanted to think that way. It would make me feel better, let me remain human instead of becoming a tool.

"Yes, let's go back and announce our victory. I've had enough of war as well. Once Konoha's turmoil is completely over, I want to leave the front lines and protect the village I love from the rear."

I remembered Sakumo had wanted to leave the front lines before, but for Konoha's sake, he still stepped forward.

This village had demeaned him as trash, yet he was still willing to wield his blade and fight for it.

Come to think of it, his wife had been dead for so many years, yet Sakumo had never mentioned being involved with any other woman.

Logically speaking, a handsome and powerful ninja like Sakumo must have had countless admirers. It seemed he had rejected them all himself.

After taking Rasa's body and the corpses of several Jonin, Sakumo and I rushed back to the front lines at top speed.

Someone could die in battle every second. We had to spread the news of Rasa's death as quickly as possible and use it in war negotiations.

"Orochimaru, how are things now?"

After several days of travel, we finally reached Konoha's combat camp.

"The battle situation is deadlocked. We're at a major disadvantage in numbers, but we can barely hold on. How did things go on your end?"

In response, Sakumo directly threw out Rasa's body.

Seeing this, Orochimaru's eyes widened in shock, though he tried hard to keep his expression under control.

"I truly didn't expect this. As expected of Sakumo-senpai."

"As you can see, Rasa is already dead. Use this for negotiations. This war should end. Once Sand Village withdraws, we can support the other fronts."

"Leave it to me. Sakumo-senpai and Qingyue, you should return to Konoha first and tell Teacher Sarutobi this news."

"Mm, I'll leave it to you, Orochimaru. We'll be going first, then."

"Until we meet again, Lord Orochimaru."

After bidding Orochimaru farewell, Sakumo and I quickened our pace again as we hurried back to Konoha, eager to report this important intelligence to the old Third Hokage.

I could finally return to the village. I wondered how Rin was doing now.