"Boom!"
Under Sage Mode, both physical strength and ninjutsu effects undergo tremendous changes—but the chakra consumption also increases dramatically.
After two days of experimentation,
Kyohiko discovered another problem.
The Yin Seal.
While it can store normal chakra, it's incapable of containing senjutsu chakra.
This power is too immense, too dependent on equilibrium. Flowing through his meridians like living water is manageable, but sealing it inside a "reservoir"? Impossible.
It would either burst through the barriers or destabilize the surrounding seal structure.
For now, the best way to utilize the chakra stored in the Yin Seal is to develop a release technique similar to the Strength of a Hundred Seal, then create shadow clones infused with massive chakra reserves to absorb natural energy in his stead.
Alternatively—
Reach the level of Senju Hashirama, who could gather natural energy almost instantaneously, blending and refining it into senjutsu chakra in moments.
"Take it slow."
"Practice makes perfect."
Though his Wood Release hadn't leveled up, his shadow clones could now produce stable senjutsu chakra without petrifying.
The next step? Shorten the preparation time.
Kyohiko glanced at his status panel, smirked, then looked away.
"Fukasaku-sama, I'm ready to continue."
"No, no!"
Fukasaku, drenched in sweat, clutched his lower back. "Your combat skills are already exceptional, and you've adapted well to senjutsu. There's no need for further training."
He winced, enduring the ache.
Kids these days—their raw power and technique were downright terrifying. His old bones couldn't keep up.
With skills like these, what was left to train?
If Jiraiya had been half as capable as Kyohiko back in the day, he and Shima wouldn't have needed to worry so much.
Fukasaku exhaled. "The only thing you lack is speed in entering Sage Mode. That's something we can't help with."
He met Kyohiko's gaze, solemn. "For you, mastering a Wood Release-based Sage Mode like the First Hokage's is key. Achieve that, and your strength will reach new heights."
Fukasaku's ambitions were staggering.
Wood Release had its hierarchies.
The First Hokage possessed the Sage Body. What did Kyohiko have?
He'd never dreamed of instant activation—just being able to enter Sage Mode within thirty seconds would've satisfied him!
Yet,
knowing Mount Myoboku's secrets, Kyohiko understood Fukasaku's underlying message.
The Twofold Sage Technique.
If Kyohiko were limited to standard Sage Mode, Fukasaku and Shima could assist him. But with Wood Release, there was a chance he could emulate Hashirama's version...
rendering their help unnecessary.
Kyohiko didn't press the matter. He nodded slightly, about to speak—
when a toad suddenly bounded toward them.
"Ribbit!"
"Boss! A message from Jiraiya—for Kyohiko!"
"Jiraiya-boy?"
Before Fukasaku could react, Kyohiko had already flashed to Kosuke's side, plucking the scroll from its mouth.
He unfurled it immediately.
It was a warning.
---
"Iwa-nin heading for the Land of Grass?"
Tsunade shot to her feet.
She strode to the map, eyes scanning before her face twisted in anger.
"We have a treaty with Kusagakure, yet they've been colluding with Iwa behind our backs—and now they're flaunting it openly!"
"They need a reminder of their place."
Kyohiko's gaze fixed on Kusagakure's location.
The message was concise.
Jiraiya had reached Yahiko's hideout and learned from them that both Iwa and Suna were mobilizing heavily near their borders. The Land of Rain was in chaos, bracing for war.
One confirmed intel:
Onoki had dispatched three elite squads to the Land of Grass—likely already crossing the border.
Three elite squads.
Enough to threaten Konoha's frontier security.
Worse,
Kyohiko knew Kusagakure's survival tactic was playing both sides.
As a minor village, they'd always profited from double-dealing. Letting Iwa-nin through? That was canonical behavior in the original timeline.
An individual's fate might change due to his presence, but Kusagakure's leadership wouldn't. If anything, Yuzuki's defection might've accelerated their betrayal.
"Recall Jiraiya. Have him reinforce the northern border at once!"
Tsunade's eyes swept the room.
Then she frowned. "He might already be en route, but even if he arrives, he can't cross into their territory—"
"Let our team handle it."
Kyohiko volunteered.
Tsunade blinked. "You?"
"Yes. Though my Wood Release hasn't advanced, Sage Mode training lets me merge deeply with nature, evading detection. Plus, Minato has Flying Thunder God..."
He listed their team's advantages.
Tsunade mentally reviewed their profiles.
Two Sage Mode users, both high-speed jonin. One chunin excelling in speed and assassination. One genin with taijutsu prowess.
Indeed,
no unit in Konoha was better suited for this mission.
Her expression hardened.
"This concerns the village's safety, Kyohiko. You must gather intel and confirm Iwa's intentions!"
"Mission rank: S. Prioritize team survival, but complete the reconnaissance if possible."
Kyohiko stood at attention. "Understood!"
She had preparations too—contingencies against Kiri, Suna, even...
Kumo.
Despite their alliance, Kusagakure's betrayal proved nothing was eternal between nations.
She slammed a bell on her desk.
Within moments, Sarutobi Shinnosuke appeared in a shunshin.
"Hokage-sama."
"Summon the advisors, Nara Shikaku, and Yamanaka Inoichi. Emergency council!"
"Yes!"
Shinnosuke left without question.
Orders cascaded.
Konoha's machinery whirred to life.
---
Village Gates
Minato, Kakashi, and Gai assembled swiftly—the former two notified by toads, Gai tracked via chakra sensing.
Minato eyed Kyohiko.
"What's happening?"
"Already registered. We'll brief en route."
In a flicker, Kyohiko vanished ahead.
The trio followed.
No delays. S-rank confidentiality.
This mission was clearly no ordinary operation.
Outside the village, Kyohiko led the sprint, explaining between strides: "Intel confirms three Iwa elite squads infiltrating the Land of Grass. Objective unknown. Our task: identify their purpose."
"Cross-border recon?"
Minato's face tightened.
International espionage was S-rank by default—and lethally high-risk.
They weren't ANBU or specialized scouts, but all four excelled in speed...
"With Wood Release and Sage Mode's second stage, I can minimize detection during infiltration."
Kyohiko added.
"...What?"
Three stunned faces.
Gai nearly toppled from the tree branch, saved only by his reflexes as he swung forward.
Even Kakashi—normally unflappable—couldn't suppress his shock.
Ninjutsu? Kenjutsu? He could train to match those someday.
But Wood Release?
How the hell was he supposed to learn that?
This Thing is a Kekkei Genkai!
As for Minato...
Hadn't Kyohiko been training in Sage Mode at Mount Myoboku and Konoha this whole time? When did he even learn Wood Release?
The three of them wore identical expressions of bewilderment.
After all...
This was a Kekkei Genkai. And due to the First Hokage's legacy, Wood Release was synonymous with power and mystery in everyone's minds.
Kyohiko mastering both Wood Release and Sage Mode...
It was impossible not to draw comparisons to the First Hokage.
Finally, Minato spoke up first. In a flicker, he appeared beside Kyohiko and asked, "When did you learn it? And roughly how strong is it?"
"Not very strong yet. Right now, I can only summon shrubs, vines, weeds, or maybe some wooden planks for defense. For actual combat, it's weaker than pure Earth or Water Release."
Kyohiko explained.
They all let out a collective sigh of relief.
That made sense!
Even if Wood Release was still a mysterious Kekkei Genkai, the fact that Kyohiko hadn't instantly mastered high-level techniques made them feel a little better.
At least it wasn't the kind of despair-inducing Wood Release that the First Hokage had wielded.
Of course...
If Kyohiko had reached that level, they would've been even happier—albeit with a tinge of envy.
Minato chuckled.
"I thought you'd already unlocked Wood Release on par with the First Hokage..."
"Not even close."
Kyohiko rolled his eyes.
Did they think he was some kind of god?
Kakashi sighed. "If it was the First's level, I'd have given up on ever catching up to you!"
"Don't be discouraged, everyone. It's just Wood Release—not that useful in actual combat."
Kyohiko tried to console them.
But...
This only made them feel worse.
Not useful in combat?
They'd kill to have Wood Release!
Minato adjusted his mood quickly, smiling before swiftly changing the subject. "No need to worry. There's probably no team in the village better suited for this mission than us."
"Yeah. Jiraiya-sensei should already be heading north. I volunteered for this task."
Kyohiko nodded, confirming Minato's guess.
Kakashi and Gai relaxed slightly.
Compared to Minato, they trusted Kyohiko more not to recklessly endanger their lives.
---
Land of Fire – Land of Grass Border
Amidst the mountains and rivers, there were plenty of flat roads and bridges for merchant caravans to traverse.
In the past, this had been a vital trade route between the Land of Fire and the northern nations. But now—
"Three kilometers ahead—four squads of shinobi."
Kyohiko opened his eyes.
Near the bridge up ahead, there were four full squads lying in wait!
Minato frowned. "I only detected three."
"There's another one hiding in the riverbed. They're masking their chakra with Earth Release, and the squad above is covering for them. Hard to notice unless you're looking for it."
Kyohiko explained.
Kakashi and Gai stayed silent.
Their sensory skills were decent for genin—Kakashi's were even exceptional—but compared to Kyohiko and Minato, they might as well have been dead weight.
Speaking up would just make them look foolish.
"What's the plan? With Earth Release specialists among them, sneaking past with Earth techniques will be tough."
Minato thought for a moment before turning to Kyohiko.
If they wanted to bypass the enemy without fighting, he didn't have any brilliant ideas. Kyohiko was always the one with more creative solutions.
Kyohiko pondered, then said, "Feint and distract. Kakashi and I will use Earth Release to sneak through downstream. I'll leave a shadow clone behind. We'll use the clones and Transformation Jutsu to disguise ourselves as another Konoha squad. Then, you two can teleport over with Flying Thunder God later."
After mastering Wood Release, he'd naturally gained proficiency in Earth Release as well. Techniques like underground movement weren't difficult for him now.
"Worth a try."
Minato considered it for a few seconds.
The plan had merit!
Besides...
They were on the Land of Fire's border. Questioning Kusagakure about why they were stationing troops here was a perfectly reasonable action—nothing that would arouse suspicion.
"Then let's move."
Whoosh!
The team split up. Mid-air, Kyohiko split into two, creating a shadow clone.
"Disguise yourselves like this..."
Minato demonstrated with Transformation Jutsu.
Kyohiko's clone and Gai nodded. Then, Minato also created a shadow clone, and they all transformed.
"Let's go. I'll do the talking later."
"Got it."
Kyohiko followed behind, taking on the appearance Minato had specified. Gai, judging by his build, seemed to have transformed into a member of the Akimichi clan.
As for Minato's real body? He'd taken on the appearance of a Hyuga.
Kyohiko's clone handled chakra sensing.
After a while, he stood up and signaled the start of the operation.
The four "shinobi" headed straight for the border.
When they reached the ambush point—
Minato scanned the area coldly. "Kusagakure shinobi. Our nations are allied. Our treaty explicitly forbids ambushes near the border that disrupt trade caravans. Are you trying to break our agreement?"
"A misunderstanding. We're here to escort a large merchant group returning from Konoha. That's all."
The enemy explained.
Three squads revealed themselves.
Minato deliberately stepped forward, his gaze icy as he stared at the ground where the fourth squad was hiding.
"And them?"
"Apologies. They're our backup in case of emergencies."
Caught red-handed, the hidden squad had no choice but to emerge from the earth. Their disguises were flawless.
One of the squad leaders, a jonin, crossed the bridge alone and handed over a mission scroll—a genuine-looking escort request for a temporary assignment.
They'd prepared well!
Minato skimmed through it before asking, "One mission needs four squads?"
"The client is a high-ranking official from the Land of Earth. They were ambushed by rogue nin in the Land of Fire, and their original escort team was injured."
The Kusagakure ninja lowered his voice.
Only then did Minato return the scroll. "Don't station so many people. It causes unnecessary tension."
"Understood!"
The Kusagakure ninja bowed repeatedly, extremely polite.
Minato turned. "Let's go."
The four of them walked away.
The Kusagakure squads exchanged relieved glances.
Hyuga were such a pain!
Luckily, their disguises were thorough. The Konoha team hadn't noticed that one squad was actually Iwa-nin.
"Keep waiting. The caravan should be back soon."
"Yeah."
They kept up the act.
Meanwhile, downstream—
Kyohiko released Kakashi from the Nirvana Illusion Technique, a calming jutsu that had put him in a detached, emotionless state.
Kakashi exhaled, then asked curiously, "What was that? It put me in complete mental stillness."
"Ever heard of psychology?"
"Vaguely. So... you expanded on that concept?"
Kakashi was surprised—but not too surprised.
At this point, if Kyohiko pulled out another impossible technique, he wouldn't even blink.
"Not really. Just a minor tweak. Far from creating something new."
Kyohiko shook his head. "Let's keep moving. Put as much distance between us and the border as we can."