Return to the Village

Land of Fire Capital.

After Tonbo's team confirmed that Asuma had joined the Twelve Guardian Ninja and sent the intelligence back to Konoha,

they took a stroll around the capital.

Tobitake Tonbo was truly amazed by the Shinobi World's technology.

He bought some useful tools there.

Things like radios and binoculars—items that were quite useful even to ninja.

Compared to watching anime, only experiencing it firsthand let one feel the difference.

And there were some things the original work had never shown.

For example, viewers all thought Konoha possessed the strongest power, so why did it not conquer and rule?

In Tobitake Tonbo's perception, the Land of Fire Capital contained an enormous barrier.

There were also quite a few powerful people. Aside from the Twelve Guardian Ninja under the daimyo, there were private ninja forces belonging to the major noble families.

Their strength could not be underestimated either.

Konoha was merely the Land of Fire's largest military institution, not its only one.

"What an eye-opener."

After Tobitake Tonbo and the others spent several days sightseeing and experiencing the most prosperous place in the Land of Fire, they set out on the road back to Konoha.

They had been away from Konoha for nearly a month. It was the longest mission they had ever undertaken.

But they had not gotten to show off their abilities as much as they had imagined, leaving the three youngsters somewhat disappointed.

Iruka lightly tapped off the ground and quickly followed behind Tobitake Tonbo. "Once we get back, the others probably won't be able to match our strength anymore. Hehe."

Mibu Shinobu said, "That's inevitable. Captain's teaching ability is just too incredible. I feel like I could take on ten versions of myself from a month ago."

Teksen Shiso said, "With Captain's guidance, I've finished developing my new technique. When I get back, I can brag to my old man."

They truly felt fortunate to have been assigned to Tobitake Tonbo's team.

Where else could they find a captain this conscientious?

At the very least, they had never seen one before. He practically taught them as though they were his disciples.

The regret was that they had not learned their captain's Secret Technique. Even Mibu Shinobu, who possessed talent for Genjutsu, had failed.

It was too absurdly difficult. It simply was not something ordinary people could learn.

Not only did one need to master the Mind Reading Technique, one also needed to attain a certain level of accomplishment with it, then possess profound mastery of Genjutsu.

One's understanding of the human body's chakra pathways had to reach the level of a medical ninja.

And so on...

It was simply ridiculous.

"Hey, stop chatting. I'm speeding up. Use the Body Flicker Technique—this is one of the most useful skills on the battlefield."

Tobitake Tonbo formed hand seals and refined chakra, instantly accelerating.

Whoosh, whoosh!

Konoha Gate.

Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki stood around in boredom, occasionally registering ninja returning from missions.

Kotetsu Hagane said, "This is so boring. Why do we have to guard the gate?"

Izumo Kamizuki said, "I heard that Tobitake Tonbo has already started leading a team. Seriously,

we've at least been promoted to Chunin too. Why haven't they assigned us a team to lead?"

Kotetsu Hagane said, "At least Guy is still carrying out missions with Lord Choza and hasn't gone solo. Otherwise, I'd be insanely jealous."

Mentioning that man made them think of a green jumpsuit and a watermelon-like haircut.

"Ah, my great hammer is already hungry for battle."

Izumo Kamizuki opened his mouth wide and let out a sleepy yawn.

"Hm? Someone's coming."

The two looked outside, where a familiar figure was slowly walking toward them with three kids in tow.

"Hey, Izumo, Iron."

Tobitake Tonbo spotted them too and immediately greeted them.

"Hello, Senior," the three youngsters politely said as well.

Izumo Kamizuki narrowed his eyes, his face full of displeasure. "Why do I get treated differently? Why call me Iron? Am I that old?"

Then he looked at the three youngsters. "This is the team you're leading? You haven't wasted their talent, have you?"

He was skeptical.

Back then, Tobitake Tonbo's grades had not even been as good as theirs.

And now, not only had he become a Special Jonin, he was even leading a team.

"What a joke. I'm a man who inherited the Will of Fire. How could I waste their youth?

Tell them, how is it following me?"

Tobitake Tonbo shot him a disdainful look before speaking to the three youngsters.

The three said in unison, "Captain is the best! He's amazing—the most dedicated ninja in the world."

"..." Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki looked at him with extreme suspicion.

Had Tonbo brainwashed them?

"Haha, enough of that. I need to report the mission. Bye.

Let's have a drink together sometime."

After registering, Tobitake Tonbo left with the three youngsters.

Watching Tobitake Tonbo depart,

Kotetsu Hagane said, "Did he just say he wanted to drink with us?"

Izumo Kamizuki said, "Good. Next time, we'll drink him under the table. So what if he's a Jōnin... I've never feared anyone when it comes to alcohol."

Tobitake Tonbo and the three youngsters went their separate ways.

He first went to the Hokage Office and submitted everything that had happened to Asuma in the Land of Fire Capital.

He had already organized the report on the way back.

Although he had reported bits and pieces earlier, Konoha's procedures still had to be followed.

"Tonbo, you did well. Go back and rest." Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the report in his hands and gave Tobitake Tonbo a gentle smile.

"Yes."

Tobitake Tonbo left the office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the information in his hands. "Asuma, I hope you can find your own jewel!"

There was a generation gap between him and Asuma. They simply could not communicate.

Now, he could only let him cool off outside.

And having him work under the Land of Fire's daimyo would also make it easier to keep an eye on him from nearby.

Meanwhile, Teksen Shiso could no longer sit still after returning to Konoha.

After parting with his teammates, he found his former classmate, Kamano Hitoshi.

"You want to spar with me?" Kamano Hitoshi looked at him skeptically.

Teksen Shiso suppressed his inner excitement and calmly said, "Yeah. I trained with Captain this time and improved a lot. I wanted to test myself against you."

Finally, he was going to show off his skills.

Kamano Hitoshi belonged to the Scythe Clan. They had been evenly matched at the academy, so he was the perfect opponent to spar with.

Moreover, they were good friends. Winning against him would make it even more satisfying.

There was nothing more satisfying than showing off in front of a friend.

Kamano Hitoshi said, "Fine. As it happens, I just trained with my teacher too, and I feel like I've improved tremendously."

You think you're the only one who's improved? Heh heh, just wait until I beat you up, he thought.

After agreeing, the two headed to Training Ground 45.

By then, the sun had begun to descend. Hanging at a thirty-five-degree angle above the horizon, it cast a somewhat dim yellow light.

"Here I come. Let me show you what I've achieved."

"Who's afraid of who?!"

The two began with the Seal of Confrontation. Then their eyes flashed as they both drew their weapons.

Teksen Shiso instantly threw several Shuriken to probe him.

Clang, clang!

Two chain-linked scythes appeared in Kamano Hitoshi's hands. He spun them, driving the chains to block every Shuriken.

"What force." He felt as though the Shuriken striking his scythes carried the force of fifty pounds against eighty.

How was that possible? They had graduated less than two months ago, yet the gap was already this huge?

He was, after all, from the Scythe Clan. He had an inheritance.

Whoosh, whoosh!

Clang, clang!

The two clashed.

Teksen Shiso could tell that Kamano Hitoshi's combat experience was far too lacking.

Facing his Taijutsu, Kamano Hitoshi clearly possessed the Scythe Clan's Taijutsu, yet he handled it with awkward desperation.

The scythe-based Taijutsu that had once given Teksen Shiso trouble at the academy was now riddled with openings.

In an instant, he analyzed more than a dozen ways to break it.

But to test his own abilities, he did not use ninjutsu. Instead, he fought Kamano Hitoshi in close combat with a Kunai.