Give You a Little Flying Rod

If you asked who was the fastest in the world of Naruto, many people would praise the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, who had mastered the bug-like space-time ninjutsu known as the Flying Thunder God Technique.

In truth, people often overlooked the Raikage of every generation who had been protected by Lightning Release Armor, as well as Killer B. Their speed was no less than that of the Flying Thunder God.

In the manga, Killer B, clad in Lightning Release Armor, had once matched Minato Namikaze, who used the Flying Thunder God, blow for blow in speed. However, Lightning Release Armor had always been Kumogakure's closely guarded secret, and Lightning Release itself required talent.

But in front of Keiko, a transmigrator, none of those problems were problems. He might not know Lightning Release, but he knew Magnet Release.

The great physicist Faraday had long explained the relationship between electricity and magnetism with perfect clarity.

When part of a conductor in a closed circuit moved through magnetic field lines, an electric current would be generated in the conductor. This phenomenon was called electromagnetic induction, and the current produced was called induced current.

With the theory in hand, the rest was simple. He only needed to form the Iron Sand into a closed circuit, then use other magnetic Iron Sand to desperately cut through the magnetic field lines. Thus, an imitation Lightning Release Armor took shape.

As Keiko raced through the desert at high speed, he had even put on a headscarf and goggles. The blue Lightning Release Armor crackled around him. He was practically a trail of sparks and lightning.

"Lightning Release Armor is useful, but it burns through a lot of chakra. Looks like I need to catch my breath and recover before reaching Lishi Fortress."

Among ninjas his age, Keiko's chakra reserves were undoubtedly terrifying. Ever since graduating from the Ninja Academy, he had constantly trained to increase his chakra capacity. He could skimp on anything else, but never on his mana bar.

The Second Shinobi World War had only just begun. The Third Shinobi World War was still more than a decade away, and the Fourth Shinobi World War was decades away. Who knew how many brutal battles still lay ahead? What the hell could he fight with if his mana bar ran dry? Only someone like the Third Raikage, who could face ten thousand enemies alone and hold out for three days and three nights, was truly on the right path!

Through training, Keiko discovered that increasing chakra capacity worked on the same principle as training physical strength. Only by repeatedly breaking through his limits could he improve. Thus, on Sunagakure's training grounds, one could always see a blue-haired figure tirelessly drenched in sweat.

This also greatly pleased the Second Kazekage, who always liked gazing out over the village. Mm, this blue-haired youngster was pretty good. What was his name?

And so, the name Keiko entered the sight of Sunagakure's upper ranks. After Keiko completed countless S-Rank and A-Rank missions and commanded several border skirmishes to decisive victories, Shamon immediately promoted him to be his guard.

He could fight and wage war. He was sensible and sweet-talking too—after all, he had been a community civil servant in his previous life. Basic stuff. Otherwise, he would have been flooded with complaints every day. Though young, he had a grasp of the bigger picture. He had long legs, was tall, and handsome too. That part was true; among the Kazekage of every generation, the Third was arguably the most stylish-looking. Naturally, a young man like that was worth cultivating.

In just a few years, Keiko earned the approval of both Sunagakure's Militant Faction and conservative faction. He was directly regarded as the "crown prince."

Even when Keiko proposed using the village's "nuclear bomb"—Shukaku—for practice, Shamon agreed without batting an eye. Being able to wrestle with a Tailed Beast meant that, in terms of chakra reserves, he might not rank in the top three of the current Shinobi World, but he could at least squeeze into the top five. Still, running wild through the desert for a full day and night in imitation Lightning Armor was no different from piloting a Gundam. It cost a lot of mana.

Looks like I need to study Sage Jutsu someday. If I can master that thing, it'll practically be like turning on cheats. Where should I learn it? Mount Myoboku? Shikkotsu Forest? Ryūchi Cave? Or some other summoning beast nest? Right, shouldn't I sign a contract with a summoning beast too? Keiko thought as he sped onward.

Akasuna Guimu opened the order delivered by a war falcon from Sunagakure. The tiny slip of paper held only three short sentences.

The Second died in battle. Keiko succeeds as the Third.

The White Fang of Konoha will invade Lishi Fortress at noon on the twenty-seventh.

The Third will soon arrive with reinforcements. Hold fast. Signed, the night of the twenty-fifth.

The order was written in plain language. It seemed things had already reached a desperate point. Sunagakure's Intelligence Department no longer had time to encrypt its messages. Yet those three brief lines hit Akasuna Guimu like swallowing an entire pig leg whole. He took a long time to digest them before finally recovering.

"Sigh. Inform the brothers stationed outside to abandon all outer defenses. Set more traps within the fortifications. Gather all personnel and focus on defending Lishi Central Fortress. Tell Yura to be ready to fill in the wells at any time. Burn every document with writing on it." Akasuna Guimu issued the orders, then handed the note to his wife, Akasuna Hideki.

Hideki took the note, and her eyes widened instantly.

"Don't just stand there. Go pass on the orders. The White Fang of Konoha will be here by noon. We need to buy more time for the village, more time for the Third, and more time for our Sasori." Guimu smiled calmly at his wife.

"Order the troops to rest where they are for ten minutes. In ten minutes, launch an all-out assault on Lishi Fortress. All Jonin combat squads are to head straight for the central keep. Ignore the outer positions. Leave those places for the Chunin and Genin to clear out."

Hatake Sakumo was in his prime. His face was resolute, his build strong, and his actions decisive. He did not waste a single word or make a single unnecessary movement. Every line of muscle on his body was perfectly balanced. His entire presence was like a sharpened blade, as though it could split apart the gazes of anyone who looked at him. No one dared question his orders in the slightest, nor did anyone dare ask questions. They could only carry them out without hesitation.

This Westward Advance Plan to launch a surprise attack on Sunagakure had been proposed by Hatake Sakumo. Through his meticulous analysis of intelligence, he learned that most of Sunagakure's main forces were stationed on the Land of Rain front, while the western side of the Land of Wind was separated from the Land of Fire by the Land of Rivers.

A large number of elite Jonin who had been stationed in the west had been transferred to the Land of Rain front. Only a little over fifty people remained permanently stationed at Lishi Fortress, and there were barely any Jonin among them. Hatake Sakumo immediately seized this opportunity. He submitted a proposal to the Third Hokage, used diplomatic means to force the Land of Rivers to grant passage, and personally led a detached force straight at Sunagakure!

The Third Hokage had only recently taken office and was at the height of his ambition. With a single glance, he saw that this was a perfect opportunity to eliminate Hidden Leaf Village's western threat in one stroke and completely take Sunagakure. He approved the plan at once and settled the diplomatic issue of passing through the Land of Rivers in just one day.

He immediately appointed Hatake Sakumo to lead eight hundred ninjas as the vanguard for the Westward Advance Plan. Torifu Akimichi, Mitokado Homura, and other fierce commanders would organize the second wave of the main force and follow behind. If the entire plan proceeded smoothly, Sunagakure would likely be doomed.

"Report! The forward troops have blasted open Lishi Fortress's central keep with Fire Release and Explosive Tags. Sunagakure's remaining forces are putting up stubborn resistance using the terrain. Two puppet masters are proving somewhat troublesome."

"Move out. Team 7, come with me and take a look." Hatake Sakumo grabbed his family's treasured blade, while two ninjas followed behind him like shadows.

Lishi Central Fortress rose amid the wind and sand. In theory, it should have been a circular structure, but now half of it had been blown apart. Smoke had yet to disperse from every corner, and the bodies of Hidden Leaf Village and Sunagakure ninjas lay scattered everywhere alongside broken Kunai and damaged shuriken.

The battle had clearly been intense, and it was already nearing its end. Several hundred ninjas in green combat vests, armed with ninja tools, stared menacingly at the few remaining enemies ahead.

Akasuna Guimu and Akasuna Hideki stood at the front, each controlling two puppets to block the way. Both were covered in wounds and blood, clearly having gone through a fierce battle. Whether in stamina or chakra, the couple had already reached their limits. Behind them stood seven or eight Sunagakure ninjas, likewise scarred and exhausted.

"The outcome has been decided. There is no use struggling like trapped beasts. Surrender now. I will only say this once." Hatake Sakumo stepped forward.

Akasuna Guimu did not answer. He merely smiled at Hatake Sakumo.

"Then don't blame me." Hatake Sakumo drew the short blade from behind his back.

In an instant, brilliant white light filled the room. The glint of that white short blade came from every direction. Hatake Sakumo moved like a ghost, too fast for the eye to follow.

Swish, swish.

With only two slashes, four sturdy combat puppets were reduced to a pile of rotten wood.

Akasuna Guimu and his wife exchanged a helpless glance, then closed their eyes in despair.

Hatake Sakumo did not waste words. He darted forward, intending to end the battle with a single slash.

Just as the blade swept across Akasuna Guimu's throat, a small cluster of black powder condensed over the blade like water.

Then the powder rapidly expanded, becoming a small black iron rod. Hatake Sakumo found that no matter how hard he exerted himself, the blade could not advance even a fraction. With his vast combat experience, he immediately flipped backward, retreating seven or eight meters. He gripped his blade with both hands and took a guarded stance.

Akasuna Hideki's eyes widened as she stared in astonishment at the black little iron rod that had appeared out of nowhere.

"This is... Senior Keiko's... Little Flying Rod!"