True Youth

The autumn wind was slightly chill, specks of blood splashing across that handsome face. His expression remained utterly calm.

"Kirigakure again? Their movements have been far too frequent lately. They've gone to war with Sunagakure and Kumogakure one after another. Have they really run short of ninjas who can be considered combat strength?"

Blood dripped down, yet not a trace stained the sharp blade of the kunai.

"So... so amazing! As expected of the Uchiha Clan, a famous family of Konoha! You took out three Kirigakure squads so easily. That's incredible!"

He turned his head and answered evenly.

"It's nothing much. Kirigakure's harassment has been increasing lately. You two should be more careful as well, Duy, Kosuke."

"What a considerate captain! If only my son could become a ninja like you. This is youth!"

Konoha genin Might Duy and Maruboshi Kosuke were the subordinates Huayue led in the battlefield rescue squad.

Neither of them looked particularly remarkable, but the strength they possessed actually surpassed that of ordinary genin by dozens of times.

"Why are you being so modest? You were able to lead a squad into battle right after graduating, and over the past two months, you've saved hundreds of Konoha Ninja. You're a genius."

"Whether it's the Chunin Exams or the jonin exams, neither will be a problem for you. If my boy can become a jonin, I'll be completely satisfied as his father. Hahaha!"

Might Duy burst into laughter. Beside him, Kosuke smiled and waved, while the stew he had prepared long ago gave off an appetizing fragrance.

"Having you two specially assigned to my squad has been a huge help. Without you, I'd have to deal with those corpses alone and live off dry Military Ration Pills. Just thinking about it feels awful."

Caw! Caw! Caw!

A flock of scattered crows suddenly flew out from the distant forest. Huayue frowned slightly and muttered to himself.

"Crows always gather near battlefields to wait for food. That isn't a good omen. Is this area about to become a battlefield?"

"I didn't expect young people these days to still believe in omens. Captain, you really are different. That's just old men talking nonsense."

Kosuke smiled kindly. Having lived from the era of the Second Hokage to the present and experienced two Great Ninja Wars, his true strength was in no way inferior to that of an ordinary jonin.

"No, I don't believe in omens, but I do believe in luck. Luck is very important, especially on the battlefield. A lucky companion is often far more welcome than an unlucky one."

"Uncle Kosuke, you've always had good luck. Hehehe..."

Huayue's smile made Kosuke's cloudy old eyes blur slightly. If he had not made that mistake back then and given the wrong order, his companions would not have died.

If possible, he would rather have been the one sacrificed instead of surviving the battlefield by sheer luck.

That was why he would rather remain a genin for the rest of his life, repaying for the sins he had committed back then.

"Enough of that. New Year's is only a few days away. What are Captain and Brother Kosuke planning to do?"

Might Duy had finished two bowls of rice in the blink of an eye. Kosuke shook his head without speaking. As a man with no family, he would naturally spend the New Year alone.

"Me? I'll probably spend it alone. Though I might invite some friends. Whether they can come or not, I don't know, but I'll get through it somehow."

Suddenly, plumes of smoke rose from the distant woods. Huayue, who was about to serve himself another bowl of rice, frowned slightly and spoke without looking back.

"I'll go take a look. Keep a close eye on the battlefields in the other directions. Kirigakure's movements have been off lately. If you run into anyone troublesome, flee immediately."

"If things over there aren't troublesome, I'll come back as soon as I can. If there's an emergency, don't worry about how many enemies it might attract. Fire a signal flare right away."

His figure flashed, and Huayue had already vanished. Might Duy's eyes welled with tears.

"Captain... Captain is so gentle! What a gentle man! He's simply a model among ninjas!"

"Sigh. He should be at an age when he can still act spoiled with his parents, yet his personality has become like this... What a tragic war."

Kosuke shook his head slightly, but his gaze fell upon Might Duy.

"Come to think of it, your son, Might Guy, is already a chunin. Is he carrying out missions on the battlefield as well?"

"Ah! Speaking of my son, he's nothing like me. He's a Taijutsu genius. One day, he'll become a jonin. I've always believed in his talent."

Might Duy spoke animatedly, pride filling him at the mention of his son. Kosuke extinguished the fire, set aside a portion for Huayue in an insulated container, then looked into the distance. At the fleeting figure there, his eyes widened involuntarily.

"Duy, I think your son just went that way."

"Brother Kosuke, is that true? Where? Which direction did he go?"

Might Duy looked around eagerly, his eyes full of delight. Kosuke pointed toward the depths of the dense forest and softly warned him.

"Be careful. What if it's a trap..."

"I know. I'll notify the captain immediately. Don't worry, Brother Kosuke. I have my own ways of surviving the battlefield too. Hahaha!"

Watching Might Duy's back disappear, Kosuke knitted his brows tightly. A lone crow landed silently among the distant trees, its pitch-black eyes watching the figure vanish into the forest. Its piercing cry was like the horn of the Shinigami.

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Might Guy, Shiranui Genma, and Ebisu, who were carrying out a mission, looked at one another. Cold sweat dripped from their foreheads, and their backs were already soaked through.

In the woods not far away stood grotesque figures wielding all manner of strange ninja swords, sending a chill straight to their scalps.

"Kirigakure Ninja Village's Seven Ninja Swordsmen... It's Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen! Should we run?"

Ebisu remained fully on guard. Shiranui Genma lowered his eyelids and answered frankly.

"These guys are all Kirigakure's elite. With just the three of us chunin, we have no chance of escaping. Is our time finally up?"

"Running won't solve anything. We can only fight to the death. Is this where Konoha's beast comes to an end?"

The pressure on the three of them multiplied, filling their hearts with unease. Yet the people opposite them burst into laughter, sharp shark-like teeth flashing coldly.

"Who knew we'd become so famous? Even Konoha's brats know who we are now. Your luck isn't very good. You may be brats, but this is a battlefield."

"So, should we slice them to pieces?"

"No, chop them up, chop them up. The wails of brats before they die are so delightful."

"We should use Lightning Release..."

"Raiga, your ninjutsu is too eye-catching. This is a battlefield."

Just as they argued without end, that familiar green jumpsuit darted through the forest and stood in front of Might Guy and the other two.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

As the flare's smoke dispersed, Might Duy turned back with a smile, his white teeth gleaming beneath the sunlight.

"Guy, true youth is only beginning now. Even if it costs you your life, you must protect what matters most. Do you understand?"