The war grew fiercer and fiercer, its effects reaching even Konoha. Everyone lived beneath the shadow of war.
But news soon arrived that the Second Hokage had defeated Kumogakure's forces, and Cloud Shadow had decided to hold peace talks with Konoha.
The Shinobi World War at this time was not one massive free-for-all. Cloud Shadow was attacking Konoha, Mist Shadow and Iwagakage were locked in a bitter struggle, and Sunagakure was like a hyena, biting anyone it could catch.
As long as the peace talks between Konoha and Cloud Shadow succeeded, the war would effectively be over for Konoha.
When they learned that the war was nearly over, the long-oppressive atmosphere in Konoha finally began to lift.
Inside his room, Tetsuya sat cross-legged on his bed, sensing the power of nature.
Huang Bai sat on the table, gnawing on a big, greasy chicken drumstick and tapping his pipe.
"Say, little Tetsuya."
"What is it, Great Sage Huang?"
Tetsuya opened his eyes and asked curiously.
Huang Bai took another bite of his drumstick before continuing.
"You've improved a lot lately. Although you haven't made much progress with Senjutsu, your other ninjutsu have come a long way. Still, I keep feeling that something's missing."
"Something's missing? What is it?"
Tetsuya did not quite understand what Huang Bai meant. After all, he had been training exactly as Huang Bai had taught him.
Whether it was basic chakra control, Senjutsu, or the ninjutsu he had won in the draws, Huang Bai guided him through all of it.
To avoid attracting anyone else's attention in Konoha, he had Huang Bai take him to the Weasel Burial Mound whenever he practiced Lightning Release Chakra Mode or Fire Dragon Flame Bullet.
The Weasel Burial Mound was where the Yellow Weasel Clan lived. Despite its name, it was actually a hillside, with vast forests and stretches of land beyond it. Much like Mount Myōboku, the Weasel Burial Mound was a little world of its own.
"You're lacking actual combat experience."
Huang Bai spoke seriously.
"You've been following your training step by step, but you lack real combat. You've never been tempered by blood and fire."
Tetsuya looked at Huang Bai in confusion.
"So, Great Sage Huang, what are you suggesting?"
Huang Bai gave a remarkably human smile.
"We know what's happening in the Shinobi World too. There's a war going on right now, isn't there? This is the perfect opportunity for you to gain experience."
"So, Great Sage Huang, you want me to take part in the war?"
Tetsuya frowned.
"But I don't want to fight a war. I just want to run my business in peace. And honestly, I don't feel much attachment to Konoha. I'm not interested in fighting its wars."
"Tsk, why are you so inflexible? Who said you had to help Konoha?"
Huang Bai tapped him on the head with the stem of his pipe.
"Just go to the battlefield and fight whoever you find. If you're fighting Konoha, disguise yourself as someone else. If you're fighting someone else, disguise yourself as a Konoha ninja.
"Who wins doesn't matter. What matters is that you get actual combat experience. Understand?"
"That's an option? Wouldn't that make me a shit-stirrer?"
Tetsuya rubbed his chin. That did seem workable.
"But Konoha's under lockdown right now. I can't get out. If I leave, they'll probably treat me as a deserter, and everything I own is still in Konoha."
"A shit-stirrer? You certainly have a way with comparisons, calling yourself something like that."
Huang Bai finished his drumstick before speaking.
"Getting out is easy. I'll leave first, then use the Reverse Summoning Technique to summon you over."
"Great, that works."
With their battle plan settled, Tetsuya began preparing.
Fortunately, he had already closed his shop, and he had few friends in Konoha. Otherwise, he would have had to explain where he was going.
Once night fell, Huang Bai left the village.
"Huh? Where are we? This doesn't look like we're just outside the village."
Inside a hollow tree, Tetsuya, who had been brought over through Reverse Summoning, excitedly poked his head out to examine his surroundings.
He discovered that he was somewhere completely unfamiliar.
"We're near the battlefield."
Huang Bai took a puff of his pipe and answered.
"I was worried that, with no experience at all, you'd be spotted by the village patrols as soon as you left. So I came all the way to the battlefield before reverse-summoning you."
"Oh, I see! I'm already at the battlefield!"
Tetsuya immediately grew nervous.
After all, he had only been an ordinary person in his previous life. Although he now possessed extraordinary power, he was still someone who had never been on a battlefield, never killed anyone, and never even seen a dead body.
"Look at you. What did I tell you? You lack actual combat experience. Learning Senjutsu as you are now? Difficult. Very difficult."
Huang Bai shook his head.
The strong were forged in deadly battles. In Huang Bai's eyes, someone like Tetsuya would struggle to become truly strong, even with exceptional talent.
Tetsuya took several deep breaths and steadied himself.
"You're right, Great Sage Huang. I'll get myself under control."
Although he had the Damn System, mindset and experience were things it could not give him.
So he agreed with Great Sage Huang. He still needed to go onto the battlefield.
"Not bad. You adjusted quickly. You're not completely hopeless."
Great Sage Huang shrank down and hopped onto Tetsuya's shoulder.
"Let's go. I can sense people fighting nearby. It's time you experienced war for yourself."
"Right."
Tetsuya used the Transformation Technique to take on Sakuya's appearance, then left the hollow tree.
Several blurred figures darted and weaved through the forest.
"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!"
"Earth Release: Earth Spear!"
Water Release and Earth Release erupted simultaneously and collided, sending water spraying and earth and stone flying.
But before any of it could settle, a barrage of kunai and shuriken flew toward both sides.
Watching from hiding, Tetsuya recognized who the two sides were.
"They're from Kirigakure and Iwagakure. Great Sage Huang, you've brought me to their battlefield."
Huang Bai replied indifferently.
"Oh, I haven't been to the Shinobi World in who knows how many years. How would I know the way? Besides, they're all fighting a war. Why do you care whose people they are?"
"Fair point. But in that case, I'd better change my appearance first."
As he spoke, he rubbed his face and quickly changed his appearance.
He went from looking like Hatake Sakuya to a burly, dark-skinned man, the image of a typical musclebound ninja from Cloud Shadow's village.
"If I remember correctly, that appearance belongs to someone from the Land of Lightning, doesn't it?"
"Yes. After all, Lightning Release Chakra Mode was invented by Kumogakure's Raikage. It makes perfect sense for me to fight looking like this, right?"
Huang Bai could not help giving Tetsuya a thumbs-up.
"Kid, you really pay attention to the details."
With that, he hopped off Tetsuya and onto a nearby tree.
"From here on, you'll fight on your own. I'll keep an eye on you, but unless your life is in danger or you're about to die, I won't intervene."
Tetsuya nodded.
"Don't worry. Then you probably won't have to do anything at all."
"Oh? Aren't you a confident one."
Tetsuya did not answer. How could he? Was he supposed to simply say that he had an immortal body and could not die?
Rather than waste words explaining, he activated Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
Violent blue lightning erupted around his body, and the chakra inside him grew turbulent.
"Who's there?"
Chakra fluctuations that intense naturally caught the attention of the battling ninja.
Without another word, Tetsuya charged out.
"Take this! Elbow strike!"
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