In a room within the examination venue, Minato Namikaze and Hiruzen Sarutobi watched Shūichi Hoshita and Yūjin Uchiha's battle through the surveillance screen.
"To be able to fully execute the Dance of the Crescent Moon in such a short time, it seems that Shūichi has quite a talent for kenjutsu," Hiruzen Sarutobi praised.
Minato Namikaze nodded with a smile, "Yes, Third Hokage-sama. Shūichi has indeed made great progress in kenjutsu, and his natural reflexes give him a significant advantage in close combat."
Hiruzen Sarutobi added, "If he also has sensitivity to sensory and spatial techniques, he could be an ideal candidate for learning the Flying Thunder God Technique."
Minato nodded again, "Indeed, I've considered that as well, but it's still too early for Shūichi at the moment."
Although Shūichi's chakra reserves had recently seen a significant increase, they were still not at the level required to practice the Flying Thunder God Technique.
...
After the second round of exams, Shūichi and his teammates continued their training.
At noon, Shūichi returned to Konoha Hospital to have lunch with Yakushi Nono. In the afternoon, it was time to endure another round of Tsunade's brutal training.
Seeing the exhausted Shūichi panting heavily, Tsunade teased him with a mischievous grin, "Hey, kid, are you done for?"
Woman, you've picked the wrong person to mess with!
Shūichi gritted his teeth in frustration, pulling out a soldier pill and swallowing it.
Feeling his energy quickly returning, Shūichi took a deep breath and launched himself at Tsunade with the speed of a rabbit.
"Finally taking the initiative?"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, not particularly concerned.
But in the next moment, she was caught off guard as Shūichi unleashed the Fireball Jutsu without forming any hand seals.
A fireball came rushing at her, and Tsunade quickly leaped back to dodge it, "Seems like I haven't gathered enough intel on you!"
"Of course, Lady Tsunade, there's a lot about me that's worth exploring."
"Now it's my turn to attack."
"In real combat, you can't always be on the defensive, constantly thinking about how to prepare medical ninjutsu in advance."
As Shūichi spoke, he leaped into the air, spitting out a barrage of fireballs that engulfed Tsunade.
Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Tsunade dodged repeatedly, but in the chaos, she lost sight of Shūichi.
"He's behind me…"
Tsunade turned in midair and threw a punch, but it hit nothing but air.
"Not good!"
She realized something was wrong behind her, but it was too late.
Shūichi had wrapped his legs around Tsunade's waist, his arms encircling her, locking her arms in place. His hands inadvertently landed on her prominent chest.
Tsunade's body immediately stiffened, and Shūichi seized the opportunity to twist her body, flipping her upside down as they plummeted toward the ground at high speed.
"Hah!"
Tsunade's chakra flared as she forcefully broke free from Shūichi's grip. As she hit the ground, she used her hands to push herself back onto her feet, lunging at Shūichi with a rapid series of punches.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Shūichi raised his arms to block, but Tsunade's strength was overwhelming. After just a few punches, his defenses started to falter, his arms growing numb, leaving an opening.
Tsunade took advantage of the moment and landed a punch squarely on his abdomen.
Fortunately, Shūichi had anticipated this and used the Yin Healing Wound Destruction technique, although he wasn't very skilled at it.
The impact bent him like a shrimp, and Tsunade followed up with another punch, this time striking his cheek, and then a powerful uppercut aimed at his chin.
200% focus!
His mind raced!
Shūichi Hoshita pushed everything else out of his mind, twisting his body to avoid the blow, and kicked Tsunade in the chest, using the rebound to propel himself away.
Flipping in mid-air, Shūichi launched a fireball straight at Tsunade's face.
The distance was short, and the speed was fast—Tsunade couldn't dodge in time. Chakra flared around her arms as she crossed them in front of her to shield herself.
Boom!
The explosion sent Tsunade flying, flipping several times before landing. Her bare arms were covered in burns, but they began healing rapidly, clearly the result of the Yin Healing Wound Destruction technique.
"This kid… he didn't even need hand seals for that Fire Release!"
Panting heavily, Tsunade glared at Shūichi, who was also gasping for breath across from her. Her chest heaved as she caught her breath, clearly winded.
Shūichi's left cheek was already swollen.
He had managed to use the Yin Healing Wound Destruction on his abdomen after taking that punch, but there hadn't been time to do the same for his face.
Luckily, Tsunade had held back. If she hadn't, that punch would have left his head ringing, making it impossible for him to concentrate enough to use any jutsu.
Just like when Shisui Uchiha was ambushed by Danzo with Izanagi—taking several hits to the head before he could even react, leading to his eyes being stolen.
Shūichi popped another soldier pill, formed hand seals, and used a healing technique to reduce the swelling on his face before walking over to Tsunade. "Lady Tsunade, we agreed—no hitting the face."
Tsunade blushed, remembering that she had indeed promised, but she quickly huffed and defended herself, "In a real fight, any part of the body is a target."
"Especially the head—it's the easiest way to disrupt an enemy's thinking and attack capabilities."
Shūichi had no response to that. He then glanced at the two footprints on Tsunade's chest and pointed at them.
Tsunade looked down, then casually brushed off the dust, causing a noticeable jiggle.
Shūichi kept his gaze straight ahead, not daring to look.
"That's enough for today!"
Tsunade concluded the day's training, saying, "Your reactions are quick, but your techniques still need more refinement. We'll continue tomorrow!"
She had nearly been bested by a mere genin today. It was a sign that she needed to get back into training herself. Her speed and reaction time had clearly declined from lack of practice.
As Tsunade walked away, Shūichi couldn't help but reflect on what had just happened.
It seemed… she wasn't wearing anything?
His hand twitched instinctively, but Shūichi quickly suppressed the urge.
Pervert!
Such a pervert!
Shūichi shook off the thought and left the training ground to find Kakashi.
With no missions to distract him, he needed to get as many sparring matches in with Kakashi as possible. The sooner he could unlock the Taijutsu Expert tag, the sooner he could further enhance his physical abilities.
Physical strength is the foundation of everything!
Before sunset, Shūichi had not only scored another taijutsu victory over Kakashi, but he had also made progress toward unlocking the Kenjutsu Expert tag.
However, his victories weren't due to superior swordsmanship or kenjutsu techniques, but rather his exceptional reaction speed.
But a win is a win, and the tag system recognized it as such.
Now, all Shūichi needed was to fully master the Dance of the Crescent Moon, and he would unlock the Kenjutsu Expert tag.
On July 8th, in the 39th year of Konoha, at 10:00 AM.
The third round of the Chūnin Exams began, with Shūichi's team facing off against another squad.
By sheer coincidence, the opposing team included Yūjin Uchiha, who had lost to Shūichi in the second round.
While they weren't exactly enemies, Yūjin glared at Shūichi and Shisui Uchiha with intense hatred.
"I'll take care of Shisui Uchiha and that Kurama Sanyō. You two need to be cautious of Shūichi Hoshita—he's incredibly fast!" Yūjin warned his two teammates.
They both nodded in agreement. "Don't worry!"
They had watched Shūichi's battle with Yūjin yesterday and knew just how strong he was.
On the other side, Shisui said, "I'll handle Yūjin."
Shūichi and Kurama Sanyō had no objections.
Sharingan against Sharingan—it couldn't be more fitting.
In the forest where the third exam was taking place, the two teams stood about ten meters apart, facing each other. The proctor glanced at the two prepared teams and then stepped back. "Begin!"
At the sound of the command, both sides launched their attacks simultaneously.
Shūichi Hoshita pretended to form two hand seals and immediately unleashed a barrage of fireballs from his mouth, covering everyone in flames.
Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique
The speed at which he released the jutsu caught Yūjin Uchiha and his team off guard. They had assumed that Shūichi was solely focused on close combat.
Their formation was instantly disrupted, forcing all three to dodge in different directions.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Kurama Sanyō quickly cast a genjutsu that ensnared everyone except Yūjin.
However, with an Uchiha on their team, his teammates were well-versed in handling genjutsu, even if they weren't experts themselves.
In the blink of an eye, they broke free from the genjutsu and charged at Kurama Sanyō.
Three against one in close combat—Kurama Sanyō was swiftly kicked away.
But by then, Shūichi had already completed his preparations for the Dance of the Crescent Moon.
He drew his sword and dashed forward—three against two!
In a flash, two figures were sent flying and collapsed unconscious without a sound.
Having dealt with their opponents, Shūichi and Kurama Sanyō turned to the other side of the battlefield.
Uchiha Shisui and Yūjin Uchiha were locked in a fierce duel, their weapons clashing with sparks flying everywhere.
Seeing that Shūichi and Kurama had defeated their opponents, a smile appeared in Shisui's eyes. "Looks like I need to hurry up..."
Seizing the moment, Shisui stepped back, sheathed his sword, and then formed hand seals: Body Flicker Technique!
His body split into multiple images as he began circling Yūjin Uchiha at high speed, creating more and more afterimages.
"Shadow clones?"
Yūjin threw shuriken to test, only to find they passed through the images. "Afterimages? Genjutsu?"
Suddenly, several Shisuis attacked at once.
Clang, clang, clang!
Yūjin swung his long sword and kunai to fend them off, shocked at the realization. "They're all solid attacks!"
Before he could unravel the technique, Shisui appeared behind him and struck him unconscious with a swift chop.
Done. Mission complete!
The proctor announced, "Minato's team wins!"
…
Outside the exam area, Minato Namikaze watched as Shūichi Hoshita and his teammates walked out. He smiled and said, "Well done. Lunch is on me, a little early celebration."
The four of them left in high spirits, while the other teams continued their battles.
That afternoon, instead of heading to train with Tsunade after lunch, Shūichi stayed with Minato and the others, waiting in front of the Hokage building for the Chūnin Exam results.
It happened to be the weekend, so people like Shizune, Guy, Kurenai, and Asuma were also gathered there, waiting for the news.
At 3 PM, the list of newly promoted chūnin was posted.
As expected, Shūichi Hoshita, Shisui Uchiha, and Kurama Sanyō were on the list.
In total, only five people had been promoted to chūnin.
"Shūichi, you're now the youngest chūnin in Konoha!" Kurama Sanyō exclaimed excitedly, looking at the names on the list.
This statement immediately caught the attention of those around them.
"The youngest?"
"Shūichi Hoshita... he just graduated this year!"
"Wait, I remember a guy who graduated at five—could it be him?"
"No, the five-year-old graduate is the son of the White Fang."
...
The chatter around them grew louder, and Kurama Sanyō, proud of the attention, added, "Shūichi isn't even seven yet!"
"Amazing!"
"Becoming a chūnin before seven!"
"How did he manage that?"
"I saw his match yesterday—his speed is incredible! He took down his opponent in one move, and it was against an Uchiha who had activated his Sharingan."
As the discussions grew, many of the female ninjas gathered there looked at Shūichi with sparkling eyes.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed, Shūichi quickly pulled Kurama Sanyō along and headed into the Hokage building.
Ten minutes later.
After receiving their chūnin vests, Shūichi and his teammates exited the Hokage building and said their goodbyes to Minato. Shūichi then walked over to where Shizune and the others were waiting.
"Congratulations on your promotion to chūnin, Shūichi!"
"The youngest chūnin—maybe even in the entire ninja world!"
"You're incredible, Shūichi! Truly amazing!"
Everyone around him chimed in with their congratulations.
...
"Just as expected from Shūichi, he's always so popular wherever he goes."
Kurama Sanyō looked at Shūichi Hoshita with admiration.
Shisui Uchiha smiled, "Outstanding people always attract attention."
Minato Namikaze, however, noticed Shizune beside Shūichi and couldn't help but think of Kushina Uzumaki. He smiled and said, "Shisui and Sanyō must also have girls who like them, right?"
Kurama Sanyō blushed and immediately ran away.
Shisui Uchiha remained calm and composed, "I don't have a girl I like at the moment, but it seems that Minato-sensei already does and is quite eager about it!"
Minato Namikaze, slightly embarrassed, chuckled, "Since you already know, I'll leave you to it."
He patted Shisui on the shoulder and vanished.
…
After arranging to practice with Shizune and the others at 5 PM, Shūichi headed toward Konoha Hospital.
He had made plans with Tsunade to continue their training today.
But just a few steps out, Shūichi saw a figure smiling warmly as she waited for him.
"Sister Tenka!"
Shūichi hurried over.
"Congratulations on your promotion to chūnin, Shūichi, and becoming the youngest chūnin in Konoha's history."
Tenka, with a radiant smile, slightly bent down and handed over the prepared gift.
"Thank you!"
Shūichi expressed his gratitude as he took the gift with both hands.
A jutsu scroll?
Shūichi didn't open it immediately. He chatted with Tenka as they walked, and only when they reached Konoha Hospital did Tenka give Shūichi a hug and turn to leave.
As Shūichi watched Tenka leave and was about to turn around, he heard a voice: "It seems your charm with women is quite impressive!"
Turning around, Shūichi calmly replied, "If Tsunade-sama didn't hit me, that statement would be more convincing!"
Tsunade smirked and said sternly, "That won't do. Training must be taken seriously."
Shūichi couldn't help but roll his eyes.
Tsunade's smile grew a bit warmer as she waved her hand, "Let's get started!"
The real training began!
…
About an hour later, Shūichi lay exhausted on the ground. Not far away, Tsunade was leaning on her thighs, panting heavily, sweat pouring down her forehead. "This kid is really something."
"Exceptional reaction speed, high concentration, and faster recovery than ordinary people... He's truly a natural-born ninja."
Catching her breath, Tsunade stepped forward, "Hey, can you still continue?"
Lying on the ground, Shūichi couldn't help but roll his eyes.
He had already consumed two soldier pills.
"Lady Tsunade, I'm not even seven years old yet!"
(T/N: Totally child abuse, Should I call the FBI here?)
Shūichi emphasized.
Tsunade snorted, "On the battlefield, enemies won't care if you're not yet seven."
(T/N: In bedroom, people do care woman!)
Her expression softened as she said, "Well, that's it for today."
"Oh, and congratulations on becoming a chūnin—the youngest chūnin since Konoha was established!"
Shūichi got up from the ground and extended his hand to Tsunade.
Tsunade paused for a moment.
Shūichi said, "Shouldn't Lady Tsunade have prepared a congratulatory gift?"
Tsunade's face darkened, "Let's talk about that when you become a jōnin!"
With that, she turned and walked away, her high heels clicking as she went.
Tag: Konoha Genius
Condition to Obtain: Become a Chūnin at the age of six, breaking the record for the youngest Chūnin in Konoha's history.
Effect: Increases comprehension by 50%.
Before training with Tsunade, Shūichi Hoshita quietly activated this tag. During the training, he genuinely felt the impact of the talent enhancement.
Even a 50% increase made a noticeable difference compared to the previous day.
"A 50% overall improvement means that my talent in using ninja tools, Fire Release, and sealing techniques has also increased by 50% on top of what they were before."
If his Fire Release talent initially had a base value of 1, then after acquiring the [Fire Release Expert] tag, it became 2. Now, it's 2+1, totaling 3!
This also applies to his talent in sealing and curse techniques. Since his starting point in these areas was already higher than in Fire Release, the percentage increase would be even greater.
"I'll try out some sealing techniques tonight..."
As he pondered, Shūichi packed his bag and headed to meet up with Shizune and the others.
When he arrived, he saw that they were already training, with Asuma Sarutobi being the one under siege. However, this time, they weren't using mud balls but completely reusable clay.
Noticing Shūichi's arrival, the group paused, and Shizune explained, "This was Asuma's idea. It's better for simulating various ninja tools."
Shūichi's eyes lit up, "That's an interesting idea."
Might Guy suggested, "If we all compete together, I think it'll be even more exciting and fun."
"Let's do it!" Shūichi said with a mischievous glint in his eye as he looked at Kakashi. "For example, if Kakashi loses, he should take off his mask and let everyone see his real face!"
In an instant, everyone's gaze locked onto Kakashi's face.
Shizune immediately raised her hand, "I agree with Shūichi!"
Rin Nohara also quietly supported the idea; she wanted to see too.
The others quickly followed suit, raising their hands in agreement.
Kakashi was full of resignation. Although he wanted to refuse, he was outnumbered by the majority on Shūichi's side.
Then, Obito Uchiha jumped in, "Kakashi, I'll compete with you!"
Kakashi responded coolly, "You're not my match."
Obito huffed, "Don't underestimate me, Kakashi! I'm an Uchiha."
Kakashi shot back, "Talk to me when you unlock your Sharingan."
Seeing the two of them bickering, Shūichi quickly took control of the situation, "Alright, it's decided then—Kakashi versus Obito."
"Within the set time, whoever gets hit by the clay the most loses."
"If Kakashi loses, he takes off his mask. If Obito loses..."
Shūichi paused, then smiled mischievously, "Obito has to dance in front of everyone!"
Obito froze, "D-dance?"
Realizing what he agreed to, Obito quickly shouted, "I—I don't know how to dance!"
Shūichi grinned wickedly, "No problem, just dance however you like!"
"Unless you think you can't beat Kakashi."
Obito fell right into the trap and agreed, albeit reluctantly.
The group then moved into the forest, with Shūichi acting as the referee to count the number of times Kakashi and Obito were hit by the clay.
At the moment, he was the only one with the ability to do so.
Meanwhile, Shizune, Asuma, Kurenai, Guy, and Rin took on the task of throwing the clay, using it like shuriken and kunai aimed at Kakashi and Obito.
Once everything was set, the competition began with Kakashi.
In the Forest:
Silhouettes darted through the forest, leaping from branch to branch while occasionally hurling clay at Kakashi. Kakashi, with a short sword in one hand and a kunai in the other, either dodged the projectiles or sliced them cleanly in half.
After five minutes, everyone came to a halt, and Shūichi Hoshita announced the results: "Five hits!"
"Kakashi, it seems you're not that great after all!" Obito Uchiha said confidently. "Now, it's my turn to show you what I've got!"
The group collected the clay, reshaped it into balls, and began targeting Obito Uchiha.
Another five minutes passed, and Obito emerged from the forest, head hung low.
He had been hit a total of ten times!
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Obito hesitantly started dancing, prompting bursts of laughter from the group. Frustrated, Obito shut his eyes and danced wildly, as if to get it over with.
When he finally opened his eyes, he saw Rin Nohara standing nearby, smiling at him. Immediately, Obito's mood lifted, and he grinned back at her.
Watching this joyful scene, Shūichi Hoshita couldn't help but regret not bringing a camera.
Scenes like this would surely become cherished memories in the future.
Later That Evening:
In his study, Shūichi Hoshita focused intently on researching the Yin Seal, a complex sealing technique.
Compared to before, he found the learning process much easier.
Talent and comprehension really do matter!
The gap between people can sometimes be as vast as the gap between humans and pigs, especially when it comes to intelligence!
Before he knew it, the clock struck ten. Shūichi rolled up the scroll he had been studying and was about to go to bed when he remembered the gift from Tenka. He quickly retrieved it from his bag.
Unrolling the scroll, Shūichi was pleasantly surprised: "It's a storage scroll!"
It was a specialized sealing scroll designed to store items.
"Looks like I'll only need to carry this scroll for future missions…"
Shūichi tested it out by sealing his backpack into the scroll and was quite satisfied with the results.
The scroll was just the right size to strap to his back.
After tidying up, Shūichi got into bed.
He used to stay up until midnight, but after being under the care of Nonō Yakushi, who insisted on a 10 PM bedtime, his habits had changed during his stay at the orphanage.
The Next Day:
A new mission arrived, and this time, it was to the Land of Bears, with a route that passed through the Land of Rain and the Land of Birds.
After bidding farewell to Nonō Yakushi and Tenka, Shūichi headed to the village gates to meet up with his team, and they set off for the Daimyō's palace.
The mission was to escort the Daimyō's envoy to the Land of Bears.
They arrived at the palace by noon, but they didn't set out for the Land of Bears that day.
After wandering around the bustling palace town, Shūichi returned to the inn and sought out Minato Namikaze to learn more about sealing techniques. Meanwhile, Shisui Uchiha and Sanyō Kurama discussed genjutsu.
The afternoon flew by, and when it was time for dinner, Minato couldn't help but remark, "Shūichi, your talent for sealing techniques is even better than I initially thought."
Hmm, it's probably on par with his.
Shūichi put away his filled notebook and smiled, "That's because you're a great teacher, Minato-sensei!"
Minato laughed happily, then stood up, "Alright, let's go eat!"
After dinner, the team of four strolled through the night market in the palace town before heading back to the inn.
Shūichi first sparred with Shisui in kenjutsu, then continued his study of sealing techniques under Minato's guidance. By 10 PM, he was ready to rest.
Seeing Shūichi go to bed, Sanyō Kurama let out a long sigh of relief.
Although he was already accustomed to Shūichi's discipline and intense regimen, it still put pressure on him.
Especially since Shūichi's talents were truly remarkable.
Taijutsu, kenjutsu, Fire Release, sealing techniques—would genjutsu be next?
Shisui Uchiha patted Sanyō Kurama on the shoulder and smiled, "That's what it means to be a genius!"
He, too, felt the pressure but found it more motivating than anything else!
Sanyō Kurama just rolled his eyes, "Shisui, you're a genius too!"
On July 9th, Year 39 of Konoha, at 9 AM, the team departed from the Daimyo's residence.
However, their pace was painfully slow.
Shūichi Hoshita glanced back at the leisurely moving palanquin and the six samurai accompanying it, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the situation.
How long would it take to reach the Land of Bears and return at this pace? A month? Two months?
As expected, after a leisurely three-day journey, the team finally reached the border of the Land of Fire.
Before entering the Land of Rain, Minato Namikaze gave a reminder: "Once we enter the Land of Rain, stay alert. Shisui, you take the front, Shūichi, you cover the left, Sanyō, you handle the right, and I'll stay in the center!"
The three of them nodded in unison.
On July 12th, at 9 AM, the team officially entered the Land of Rain.
The six samurai accompanying the diplomatic mission stayed with the palanquin, while Shūichi Hoshita and the others spread out, with Minato managing the central command.
Of course, Minato Namikaze was also in charge because he is a sensory ninja.
Every so often, he would sense the surroundings, covering a much larger area than Shūichi and the others could.
…
It started raining!
Shūichi Hoshita looked up as raindrops fell on his face. At first, they were just light and scattered, but soon they formed a continuous stream, obscuring his vision.
As per the plan, Shūichi immediately closed the distance with the rest of the team.
After another hour of walking, the rain intensified, forcing the group to halt. It wasn't until around 2 PM, when the rain finally stopped, that the team resumed their journey.
Shūichi continued to guard the left side. Although he wore a raincoat, the dampness seeping through made him uncomfortable.
"What terrible weather… Looks like it's going to rain again," Shūichi muttered as he glanced up at the gloomy sky, which seemed ready to burst open.
Sure enough, half an hour later, the rain started pouring again.
The team narrowed their defensive perimeter once more, but suddenly, Shūichi halted, his eyes narrowing as he stared through the wind and rain, catching a fleeting glimpse of a shadow.
"Trouble's coming…"
Shūichi quickly formed a hand seal, creating a shadow clone to report to Minato.
Seeing Shūichi's shadow clone, Minato immediately placed his fingers on the ground, closing his eyes to sense the area.
Watching Minato's pose, Shūichi couldn't help but feel a pang of envy—it looked so cool!
"One, two… Eight in total. Two teams. They don't seem to be planning an attack; just watching, perhaps?"
After sensing the area, Minato stood up and said, "Shūichi, please inform Shisui and Sanyō to stay vigilant. If the enemy doesn't attack, there's no need to engage them."
"Understood!"
Shūichi nodded and turned to relay the message to Uchiha Shisui and Kurama Sanyō.
The tension continued throughout the night as they entered a small town.
Even though they were exhausted, Shūichi and the others remained on high alert.
After dinner, Minato assigned the night watch: "Shisui and I will take the first half of the night; Shūichi, you and Sanyō will cover the second half."
"Understood!"
The three of them nodded, and Shūichi and Sanyō immediately went to rest. It took them less than two minutes to fall into a deep sleep.
Shūichi was already used to this, while Sanyō put himself into a hypnotic state.
At midnight, Shūichi and Sanyō woke up on time to relieve Minato and Shisui.
Fortunately, the night passed without incident.
At 5 AM, Minato got up to relieve Shūichi and Sanyō.
At 9 AM, the team set off again.
Less than half an hour later, the watchers reappeared.
By the time they stopped for lunch, Sanyō couldn't hold back his frustration any longer: "These guys are so annoying. Minato-sensei, why don't we just drive them away?"
Minato shook his head. "If we do that, we might fall into their trap."
He then smiled and reassured them, "Don't worry. Once we're out of the Land of Rain, they should leave us alone."
As expected, once they left the Land of Rain, the watchers disappeared.
Shūichi and the others couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
These past few days had been mentally exhausting, far more so than physically tiring.
However, Shūichi couldn't stop pondering over the identity and motives of the watchers.
"The Land of Bears used to be a vassal of the Land of Earth, under Iwagakure's influence. The most likely culprits are Iwa-nin."
"But we can't rule out the possibility that Suna-nin are behind this."
"Why would they just watch without making a move?"
As Shūichi was deep in thought, Sanyō asked Minato the same question.
Minato replied, "Regardless of which faction is involved, if their goal isn't to stop the mission to the Land of Bears, then they're probably after information."
Upon hearing this, Shūichi remarked, "It seems like we'll be in big trouble on our way back."
Sanyō clenched his fist. "Then we'll give them a good beating when the time comes!"
...
On July 20th, Shūichi Hoshita and the others finally arrived at the Daimyo's residence in the Land of Bears. The team then split into two groups, taking turns to protect the Fire Daimyo's envoy.
This process lasted for two days without incident.
On July 23rd, Shūichi and his team left the Land of Bears, reaching the border of the Land of Rain three days later.
Before entering the Land of Rain, Minato Namikaze solemnly declared, "From here on out, we're in combat mode!"
"The mission is the priority, not killing the enemy!"
The three of them nodded in unison. "Understood!"
Minato continued, "We'll split into three groups: Shisui and Sanyō, you're Group A; Shūichi, you're Group B; and I'll be Group C."
"Group B is responsible for guarding the mission target—you must not leave it."
"Any enemies that appear will be handled by Groups A and C."
"If anyone gets injured, retreat to Group B, and Shūichi will take care of the healing!"
…
On July 28th, Shūichi and the others officially entered the Land of Rain.
As expected, it didn't take long before Minato sensed ninjas watching them.
Half an hour later, a large number of enemies appeared on both sides of the team, attempting to encircle them.
Minato decisively ordered, "Group B, protect the target and keep moving forward. Group A, engage on the left!"
"Understood!"
Uchiha Shisui and Kurama Sanyō moved out, followed by Minato disappearing to the right.
Shūichi continued to guard the envoy as they advanced.
About 10 minutes later, Minato and the others returned one after another.
Uchiha Shisui immediately reported, "Minato-sensei, they're trying to wear us down."
"These guys are from small ninja organizations in the Land of Rain, hired with bounties."
Minato nodded; he had gathered the same information from the attackers.
"It seems we're going to face more ambushes. We need to change our plan."
Minato decided, "From now on, the three groups will take turns attacking until the real enemy appears!"
He then looked up at Shūichi and asked, "Shūichi, any issues?"
Shūichi shook his head. "None."
Minato immediately took out two specially made kunai, handing them to Shūichi and Uchiha Shisui. "Shūichi, your task is to handle the enemies on the left. If you can't overpower them, just focus on evading and distracting them."
"Also, if the group on standby encounters a powerful enemy attacking the mission target, launch a signal flare!"
"Understood!"
With a synchronized nod, Shūichi surged with chakra and disappeared from his spot.
The rain continued to drizzle.
Shūichi Hoshita had only been patrolling for about 20 minutes when he sensed someone approaching.
This area was unlike the dense forests of the Land of Fire; it was barren and exposed. Even with the rain obscuring the view, it was hard not to notice an enemy getting close.
"Six people…"
Shūichi eyed the six figures who had stopped ten meters ahead. None of them bore the forehead protector of a ninja village.
"Konoha brat!"
"Is he alone?"
"For now, it seems so."
"Heh, they really underestimate us!"
The six men focused on Shūichi, their faces twisting into bloodthirsty and cruel smiles.
"Let's start by taking out this brat!"
"Attack!"
"Kill this Konoha kid!"
The six who had stopped suddenly rushed forward, forming a crescent formation.
With a senbon needle in his mouth, Shūichi swiftly reached into his ninja tool pouch with his left hand and flung three shuriken.
He followed up with a second throw, stronger and faster, which caught up with the first three shuriken.
The six shuriken collided mid-air, altering their original flight paths.
Thud, thud, thud!
Three of the enemies were struck, their screams piercing through the rain.
"Damn it!"
"Bastard!"
"Kill him!"
Screams, curses, and the sound of the rain blended together.
Shūichi charged forward, his right hand gripping the Totsuka Blade and a kunai in his left. He darted straight towards the enemy in front, while the two on either side tried to circle around and flank him.
Clang, clang, clang…
The clash of steel echoed, sparks flying.
"You're too slow!"
"You're all so slow, and you dare to come out and pick a fight?"
Shūichi taunted mercilessly.
The enraged enemy retorted, "Brat, don't look down on us!"
Just as the enemy tried to intensify his attack, Shūichi's blade had already sliced through his throat.
Thud, thud, thud!
Three bodies fell in quick succession, their blood soaking into the muddy ground.
The remaining three, who had been hit by the shuriken, were momentarily stunned by the scene.
But Shūichi moved like a lightning bolt, and amidst a series of screams, the remaining three were also swiftly cut down.
From the moment the fight started to its end, it didn't even take a minute.
Neither the enemies nor Shūichi had used any ninjutsu.
"They're all just cannon fodder… This probably won't be the last wave."
Shūichi cleaned up the battlefield, collecting any useful kunai and shuriken.
There was no telling how many more battles lay ahead, so conserving ninja tools was essential.
Sure enough, less than an hour later, another group attacked.
Their strength was still lacking; Shūichi quickly killed two of them, and the third fled in terror. He didn't bother to give chase.
There was no need to waste time or energy on cannon fodder.
Before nightfall, Shūichi and his team had endured a total of eight ambushes.
The constant attacks slowed their progress, forcing them to camp out in the wilderness for the night.
On the barren hillside, six samurai and the porters were busy setting up tents.
The reason for choosing this spot to camp, rather than finding a cave, was to have a wide-open view, making it nearly impossible for the enemy to approach undetected for a surprise attack.
Of course, if the enemy turned out to be Iwa-nin as suspected, a cave would be even more dangerous.
"The real enemy should appear at dawn; tonight's harassment is likely to continue," Minato Namikaze analyzed the situation.
The enemy's tactic had become clear: constant harassment throughout the day using hired cannon fodder.
Although it was unclear why the enemy had chosen this strategy, they were currently in a very passive situation.
To change this, Minato made a decision. "Shūichi, your Transformation Jutsu is the best here. I'll need you to use a shadow clone to transform into the envoy."
Shūichi immediately understood. "Minato-sensei, are you planning to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to take the envoy away?"
Minato nodded. "Exactly. The envoy is not only putting us in a passive position, but he's also the enemy's primary target due to the high intelligence value he holds."
"However, we also need the envoy as bait to draw out the real enemy and gather information from them."
"During the time I take the envoy away, it's crucial that the enemy doesn't realize what's happening."
"So, Shūichi, you'll need to transform a shadow clone into the envoy, and I'll leave a shadow clone behind as well for cover. If any enemies attack, you must hold them off to prevent the plan from being exposed."
Minato then smiled. "If the real enemy shows up while I'm away, retreat immediately—my shadow clone will cover your escape."
"And if you can't withstand the harassment, retreat immediately as well!"
"Of course, I'll return as quickly as I can."
Kurama Sanyō patted his chest confidently. "Don't worry, Minato-sensei. If it's just more of the same from today, we'll handle it without any problem."
Shūichi and Uchiha Shisui also nodded, though neither was as optimistic as Sanyō.
The issue wasn't just strength; it was whether their mental and physical stamina could hold up under the constant harassment.
But in any case, Minato's plan allowed them to proceed without worrying too much.
"Minato-sensei, why doesn't the enemy just attack and seize the envoy directly?"
"We're just a small ninja squad with six samurai. If they can hire this many ninjas to harass us, why not send a large force at once to overwhelm us and take the envoy?"
"Are they afraid we might kill the envoy if we can't hold them off? But this is a Daimyo's envoy."
Sanyō voiced his doubts.
After a day of fighting, they had already killed over twenty enemies and driven off more than ten.
Shūichi chuckled. "Maybe the enemy knows how strong Minato-sensei is and doesn't dare attack directly."
"Sometimes, numbers don't make a difference!"
At this point, Minato hadn't yet earned the nickname "Yellow Flash," but as a young Jōnin of Konoha who had completed numerous missions, it was unlikely the enemy hadn't gathered intelligence on him. The Flying Thunder God Technique, pioneered by the Second Hokage, was surely known to other ninja villages.
Minato smiled at Shūichi's praise and said, "There's no need to dwell on why the enemy is acting this way. We'll find out once we capture the real enemy and interrogate them."
After making these arrangements, the camp was just about set up when another wave of harassment arrived, but Minato and Uchiha Shisui quickly drove them off.
Afterward, Minato went straight into the envoy's tent. He left behind a shadow clone and then departed with the envoy.
A moment later, Minato's shadow clone exited the tent, and Shūichi and Sanyō entered the tent to rest.
The six samurai continued to guard the tent, unaware that the envoy had already been taken away.
The campfire flickered as Minato's shadow clone and Uchiha Shisui kept watch.
An hour later, another night raid occurred.
Shisui moved out and repelled the attackers.
Another hour passed, and more enemies attacked. Shisui and the six samurai fought them off, but one samurai was killed, and three others were injured.
Shūichi, who had been resting, left a shadow clone in the tent and went outside to heal the injured samurai.
The night was anything but peaceful, with harassment coming in waves.
Shūichi, Shisui, Sanyō, and the remaining five samurai were the main force fending off the enemy's attacks, while Minato's shadow clone held the position outside the tent.
This didn't arouse the enemy's suspicion.
Given the situation, it was reasonable for Minato to conserve his energy.
At midnight, Minato returned to the tent.
Shūichi finally felt relieved, and began to look forward to the final battle.
After being harassed all day, he was ready to unleash his pent-up frustration.