"Kakashi's back. Minato, I think you can ask Kakashi himself about this first."
Sakumo smiled at Minato when he saw Kakashi come in.
"All right."
Minato gave a helpless smile and turned to Kakashi.
"Kakashi, the village is holding the Chunin Ninja Exams, but we're a little short on staff. So I wanted to ask if you have time."
Kakashi fell silent for a while, looking into Minato's eyes, before finally nodding helplessly.
"All right. I'll help keep order at the exam."
"Thank you very much."
Minato let out a breath of relief, then asked, "How's your Flying Thunder God Technique coming along?"
"I've barely managed to master it."
Kakashi nodded.
"That's Kakashi for you."
Minato was not particularly surprised by this result.
At the same age, he had not been as good as Kakashi. With talent like that, learning Flying Thunder God was no surprise, especially since he occasionally gave him pointers.
An aptitude for space was something very elusive, but with someone to guide you through the door, mastering it was not impossible, especially for a genius like Kakashi.
"All right, I won't bother you any longer. The Chunin Ninja Exams are this weekend. Don't get the time wrong."
"Right."
Afterward, Kakashi personally saw Minato out.
Looking at Kakashi, Sakumo could not help asking, "It's been a long time since Yuzuru sent a letter home, hasn't it?"
"Yes, almost two years."
Kakashi sat down beside him and nodded.
"He really makes you worry. Who knows where he's gone?"
"Don't worry, Dad. He'll be fine. There hasn't been any news of a powerful Ice Release ninja in the Shinobi World, which means Yuzuru is keeping himself well hidden."
"That's true."
Sakumo nodded.
Just then, Kakashi noticed the ninja deployment order on the table and frowned.
"Dad, are they putting pressure on you again?"
"It's fine. Let them do what they want. Anyway, I've told everyone my old injuries have flared up and I can no longer take part in ninja combat. As for the front lines, let them do what they want."
Sakumo smiled, not caring about any of it.
"Danzo and the two advisers are still hiding in Konoha. That means things on the battlefield are still fine. Let's not worry ourselves over nothing."
Since giving up his status as a ninja, Sakumo had seen many people for who they were and come to understand many things about the village.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had indeed once deserved to be called a hero among shinobi. Konoha's overwhelming victory in the Second Shinobi World War, along with his three students making names for themselves throughout the Shinobi World, had even boosted his prestige to unprecedented heights.
But now, he was old. The Third Shinobi World War had proved extremely difficult for him, leaving him hesitant at every turn, because this was different from the Second Shinobi World War. Last time, Konoha had finished reorganizing its entire army, and its military strength had been at an unprecedented peak.
This time, however, it had been dragged into war before it had recovered from the wounds of the last one, and the village no longer had as many people.
Tsunade had left, Sakumo himself had retired, and the younger generation's fighting strength had yet to recover. This was an unprecedented war of attrition, a contest between the reserves of the two villages.
Sakumo was not worried about this at all. Though Konoha had suffered the ravages of a war, it was still beyond comparison with the other villages.
Especially in warfare, thanks to the Byakugan, Konoha's ninja army could almost always anticipate the enemy's moves.
What was more, there were so many clans with secret techniques, so many ninja clans, and even a powerful major clan like the Uchiha.
No matter what, Konoha would not lose. Or rather, it would be very difficult for it to lose.
So Sakumo did not worry about these things. Even a bitter victory was still a victory, as long as it did not disturb his life or hurt Kakashi.
"By the way, how's the development of your new ninjutsu going?"
Sakumo suddenly turned to Kakashi and asked.
"Pretty well. Although it's lost Chidori's explosive speed, Purple Lightning is more powerful, and its form is more versatile."
Kakashi gave a brief explanation.
"Don't neglect your swordsmanship, either."
"I know."
Tanzaku Town.
"Lady Tsunade, stop gambling. If you keep this up, we really won't have any money left for food."
Shizune clung to Tsunade's leg and pleaded tearfully.
"That's exactly why I have to keep gambling. It's the only way to win back the money I lost!"
Tsunade waved a fist and declared boldly.
Just then, a small Katsuyu appeared on Tsunade's shoulder.
"Lady Tsunade, there's new word from Yuzuru."
At those words, Tsunade instantly quieted down and looked at Katsuyu.
Katsuyu spat out a sheet of paper. Besides the usual reassurances that he was safe and well, it told her that he had found a new sage land and was learning Sage Mode.
"He really found one?"
Tsunade was very surprised. Then she looked at Katsuyu. "Then you must have seen it too?"
"No. When I was summoned, he was only in a forest. I did not see that sage land."
"Do you know roughly where it is?"
"Beyond the seas east of the Shinobi World. Very far away."
At that, Tsunade fell silent as well.
"You mean he isn't in the Shinobi World right now?"
"That's right."
"Good grief, how did that brat get there?"
Tsunade was very surprised.
"Yuzuru can use Ice Release. Maybe he walked there?"
Shizune could not help suggesting.
"Walked there? That's not impossible."
"Forget it. As long as he's alive. Take the news back to Konoha. Sakumo hasn't had a letter from that brat in a long time, either."
"Yes."
With that, Katsuyu disappeared again with the envelope.
Tsunade sighed and sat back down on the bed.
Seeing this, Shizune let out a breath of relief as well. She had never expected one letter from Yuzuru to make Tsunade forget about gambling. She could only wish Yuzuru would send a few more.
"Shizune, is being a ninja really so loathsome?"
Lying on the bed, Tsunade could not help asking.
Shizune: ...
She did not want to answer that question.
Her uncle and her family had all died as ninjas. Shizune could not give a correct judgment.
A few days later, Konoha's Chunin Ninja Exams officially began.
These Chunin Ninja Exams were not held with great fanfare. The main reason was that the front lines were short of people, so some ninjas needed to be sent there. Genin were simply not strong enough, so some ninjas with passable strength needed to become chunin. At least they would be a little more useful than genin.
Kakashi watched the makeshift Chunin Ninja Exams without expression.
He could tell at a glance what this was for. It was nothing more than replenishing the troops at the front.
As for the ninjas taking the Chunin Ninja Exams, apart from a very few more mature faces, most were students who had only just graduated from the Ninja Academy.
When the exams ended, around half the ninjas had actually become chunin, greatly surprising Kakashi.
By his standards, at least eighty percent of them were unqualified.
They had become chunin just because they could use one or two B-rank ninjutsu. They had no tactics whatsoever.
In other words, even someone like Obito could become a chunin. That showed how watered-down it was.
As expected, once the Chunin Ninja Exams ended, Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward to explain the situation, informing everyone that they would head to the front in two days.
His speech left the young ninjas fired up, eager to hurry to the front and earn merit.
Kakashi, however, quietly slipped away and returned home.
"So I'm going to the battlefield with Minato-sensei?"
Kakashi looked at Sakumo and asked.
"Yes. Only by seeing blood and experiencing deadly combat can you undergo a transformation. Besides, your strength really has been improving a little too quickly. The battlefield is a good place to consolidate it. It's best to be able to use what you've learned proficiently."
"And you know the Flying Thunder God Technique. Remember, no matter when, always keep some chakra in reserve to escape."
Sakumo reminded him.
"Understood."