"Intelligence from Minato-senpai?"
"Mm."
In the Anbu, Ryoho Kyohiko had rarely come to work. Because—Namikaze Minato had sent the intelligence directly into his hands.
Hatake Kakashi and Shiranui Genma quickly searched through the intelligence, but Ryoho Kyohiko soon spread those documents out and threw them on the table. With a single glance, he quickly picked one out.
"This one."
"This one, and that one…"
One by one, the scrolls were quickly selected. Hatake Kakashi and Shiranui Genma's eyes were wide open. Even with their masks on, the shock was impossible to hide.
"This…"
They swallowed. Thinking of their own work efficiency, they suddenly began to doubt their lives.
These documents… it would take Shiranui Genma a long time to sort through them to pick out the key intelligence. Kakashi was a little better, but only a little. Compared to Kyohiko's efficiency, there was still a gap.
"How did you do it?"
"Dynamic vision and memory. I can remember the general keywords with a single glance. It's not a special technique."
Ryoho Kyohiko motioned for them to look carefully at the selected parts, then continued to screen the intelligence within.
Kakashi looked at a few sheets. They were all about the Cloud and Stone Villages. The Cloud Village? He looked at the movements of the Cloud ninjas and suddenly noticed that the Land of Lightning had recently increased the strength of its ninja patrols at sea, especially in the large bay between it and the Land of Earth.
"When Shusaku is free, this work of coordinating and screening intelligence can be given to him to find someone to build up. It won't be so tiring then."
Ryoho Kyohiko finished screening a table full of documents.
Then, he put the unimportant ones aside for now and selected the more important parts. The movements of the Cloud, Mist, and Stone Villages at sea. Then, he couldn't help but sneer and handed a few scrolls to Kakashi and the others.
"Look."
"What?"
Hatake Kakashi took it, and then his face gradually became grave.
This intelligence… was not very important. It was just about pirates appearing in a certain area of the sea and robbing passing ships. But when put together, it looked different.
Shiranui Genma frowned.
"The pirates in the past shouldn't have been so frequent, right?"
Hatake Kakashi nodded.
"Of course. After the incident in the Land of Waves, the sea transport actually went through a very harmonious period. Looking at it now…"
"It's normal."
Ryoho Kyohiko was not surprised.
The situation of the trade routes would naturally change with the relationship between countries. The Cloud Village even dared to stop a ship with Konoha ninjas on it, let alone others. He wasn't surprised. But currently, the actions of the three countries were too frequent. If they didn't fight back, the Cloud Village would think they could be pushed around at will.
Hatake Kakashi frowned.
"If they do this, can't we do the same in our own sea area?"
Ryoho Kyohiko nodded.
"We can, but we shouldn't."
"Why?"
Shiranui Genma was puzzled.
Ryoho Kyohiko looked at the two of them.
"Why should we smash and plunder in our own home? If we're going to plunder, we should go to someone else's sea area and plunder the ships of the three countries in their waters."
Destroying the safety of one's own shipping lanes, isn't that something only a fool would do?
Shiranui Genma was speechless.
Hatake Kakashi pondered for a moment.
"Like Kurosuki Raiga. But who would do it?"
Although the Iburi clan was good at infiltration and reconnaissance, they were very poor in combat. They were sufficient for plundering ordinary merchant ships, but for ninja ships… it was better to forget it. To build up a reputation and make the enemy feel the pain, they had to send out powerful enemies. Who should be sent?
Ryoho Kyohiko smiled.
"Gather the combat personnel in our Anbu who are good at Water Style. I'll teach them the Hiding in Mist Technique and the Silent Killing technique. We'll go to the Cloud Village's sea area to plunder."
"Uh…"
Hatake Kakashi was momentarily taken aback. Isn't this something Danzo often did?
Ryoho Kyohiko smiled.
"Danzo's methods are dirty, but they are indeed effective. And this time, they were the ones who played dirty first. You can't blame us for using our own methods."
"Yes!"
Hatake Kakashi nodded, preparing to leave with the order.
Ryoho Kyohiko suddenly called out to him.
"Genma, you go and arrange it. I have other arrangements for Kakashi's side."
"Yes!"
Shiranui Genma stood up and took his leave.
He had previously thought that Kyohiko was somewhat of a hands-off manager, thinking he was being lazy by throwing all the work to Kakashi. Looking at it now, handling these matters was not difficult for Kyohiko at all. He's really giving them an opportunity to train! Shiranui Genma lamented inwardly, and at the same time, felt a bit moved. Without a doubt, if not for their good relationship with Kyohiko, and their ability and hard work being up to par, these jobs would never have fallen to them. This is an opportunity!
Shiranui Genma left quickly.
Hatake Kakashi watched him go far, then finally said.
"Is there a more important mission?"
"Mm, you could say so."
Ryoho Kyohiko created a shadow clone. Amidst the clone's resentful gaze, he took Kakashi and left directly.
"Leave the work over there to my shadow clone. The situation this time is a little different and requires me to handle it myself."
"Today happens to be a good time for you to try a new training method and see the effect."
"What method?"
Hatake Kakashi was puzzled.
Suddenly, a pressure came from his body, and then he felt as if his body had become several times heavier.
"Train."
Ryoho Kyohiko withdrew his hand. The Added-Weight Rock Technique, at his level, the usual effects didn't require too many hand seals.
Hatake Kakashi drew his sword and quickly realized—it wasn't an illusion! He had really become heavier. This was Iwagakure's Added-Weight Rock Technique.
"You actually researched Iwagakure's Added-Weight Rock Technique. Then the Light-Weight Rock…"
"No clue yet."
Ryoho Kyohiko shook his head.
In fact, if he were to research it, it was still possible to find some clues. But right now, they didn't rely on the Light-Weight Rock Technique that much. In terms of speed, if one could learn the Flying Thunder God, it was better than any Light-Weight Rock. If they couldn't learn it… the Light-Weight Rock was probably also out of the question. Hatake Kakashi's talent was very good, but he couldn't control his own speed. He couldn't even perfectly exert the speed of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, let alone the Light-Weight Rock Technique.
So, Ryoho Kyohiko looked at Kakashi.
"Are you interested in this jutsu?"
"Of course!"
Hatake Kakashi nodded emphatically.
But a moment later, he shook his head.
"For now, it's more important for me to research the Four-Fingered Thrust and the Lightning Release Armor. If I can understand these two jutsu and turn them into a form that suits me, my strength will surely go up another level."
Hatake Kakashi knew his own path very well. Although he knew many types of nature transformations, what he was best at was still Lightning Release, speed, and swordsmanship. As for Earth Style, it was more for defense and escape. The Added-Weight Rock Technique was more for attack. In these areas, he did not lack means.
Ryoho Kyohiko nodded in praise.
"Biting off more than you can chew is not good. Your choice is correct."
"Mm."
Hatake Kakashi was already used to this way.
Now that Jiraiya was in the north, Kyohiko and Minato had almost become his other "teachers." Many of his techniques were taught by them. He didn't feel unbalanced at all. Kyohiko and Minato were indeed powerful. If they wanted to take in disciples in Konoha, there would be countless people willing to come to their door. For Kakashi to get guidance was already quite an advantage. It's just… his seniority dropped a bit.
He trained properly, but the sword that he could swing easily in his normal state had now become a little difficult.
"How many times heavier is this?"
"It should be ten times. I'll add a little more for you."
As Ryoho Kyohiko spoke, he pressed his hand on him.
Before long, a stronger gravity appeared on Kakashi's body. Kakashi gritted his teeth and persisted. The whole body being heavier was a little easier than carrying weight, but after it was stronger than ten times, he gradually felt a little unaccustomed.
"It seems a little uncomfortable."
"Mm, it's not as comfortable as four times, but I can barely support it."
Kakashi's movements were a little deformed, but he tried hard to correct them to prevent his swordsmanship from going out of form.
Ryoho Kyohiko took out a pen and paper and quickly recorded. Four to eight times. This was a suitable level for Kakashi and the others.
"I'll add a little more. You feel it. But be careful, you have to use chakra to protect your body first and make yourself strong enough."
"Alright!"
Kakashi gritted his teeth and persisted. Following Kyohiko's method, he filled his whole body with chakra—this technique was similar to the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, just without the Lightning Release method, so he was very familiar with it.
Soon, a stronger pressure came. His feet instantly sank into the ground, and the sword in his hand fell to the ground with a clang. He could no longer hold it. Too heavy! But with the help of chakra, he soon began to move normally, even more smoothly than before.
"Under chakra, I can move freely at twelve times…"
One trial after another, one record after another.
It was increased all the way to sixteen times. In just a moment, Kakashi almost fell to the ground, but he gritted his teeth and persisted. Suddenly, he felt as if some kind of restriction had been opened. And then—he could control his body.
Ryoho Kyohiko's face was strange. This wasn't Kakashi having a physical breakthrough, but opening the "Gate of Opening" in the Eight Gates Release, which allowed him to exert 100% of his physical strength. A few seconds later, the effect of the "Gate of Opening" ended, and Kakashi almost fell to the ground. In that instant, he resisted with all his might. But he was powerless! In an instant, the "Gate of Healing" opened. New strength was born. Kakashi once again maintained this state.
However, a few more seconds later, Ryoho Kyohiko actively released the ninjutsu. A second later, Kakashi's "Gate of Healing" state should also be over.
As expected. The next second, Kakashi collapsed on the ground, feeling his whole body was limp and had lost its strength. He couldn't speak for a long while.
"Sixteen times is still too much. But it's more suitable for training in the 'Gate of Opening' state. The combination should be twice the result with half the effort."
He recorded the effect. Kakashi was sweating profusely. It was only a few minutes, but he felt as if years had passed. It was more tiring than running a few hundred laps in one go. In that state just now, he felt his body was about to give out. And in fact… just a moment of persistence, and his chakra was almost gone. If he persisted any longer, he might have to be laid to rest here. Die from training? Such a thing was not impossible.
Ryoho Kyohiko said.
"Your chakra is too little, and your strength is not great enough, so you can't last longer. If it were Gai, he should be able to last up to 20 times."
In a state with chakra, the strength of a ninja was very different from that of an ordinary person. In Sage Mode, a ninja could even lift a rock as big as a small mountain.
Hatake Kakashi was silent. His physical strength was indeed not strong enough.
Ryoho Kyohiko said.
"Train more in the future."
"What… could it be?"
Hatake Kakashi's face was surprised and incredulous. "You're going to specially maintain the Added-Weight Rock Technique for me in the future?"
"Of course not."
Ryoho Kyohiko couldn't help but laugh and put away the booklet. "I'm recording the gravity range suitable for ninja training. I'll make a few gravity training armors later and let you try them first."
"Thank you very much!"
Hatake Kakashi was overjoyed, with no thought of refusing.
This kind of gravity training was countless times more advanced than Gai's kind of hard training and running. But soon, his face changed drastically.
"This should be for ninjas who practice the Eight Gates Release, right?"
Just now… just twenty times the gravity had put him in a desperate situation, forcing him to quickly open the "Gate of Opening" and "Gate of Healing" in the Eight Gates. If it were given to Gai to train, he could surely train to the Sixth and Seventh Gates as soon as possible. This was the greatest significance!
Hatake Kakashi knew this very well, so…
Ryoho Kyohiko smiled.
"That's right. But the main purpose of a ninja tool is to cultivate combat power, not to cultivate a special kind of person."
He patted Kakashi's shoulder.
"Don't think too much. Go and rest. Then record your own physical changes and see if there are any improvements."
This kind of experiment would probably have to continue for a period of time—anyway, it didn't consume much chakra. He sent Kakashi back, then got the consolidated report scroll from his clone, and only then did he use the Flying Thunder God to go to Tsunade's side.
***
In the north, the Third Raikage returned to his ship. The group of people was much more honest. Because Namikaze Minato really had the ability to harm the Third Raikage, and also the ability to slaughter everyone on their ship. The current Namikaze Minato, to some extent, could truly be compared to Senju Tobirama of the past, which made them very wary.
But then.
"Shikaku."
One by one, figures appeared from the forest, accompanied by a team of a thousand men.
All ninjas? The Third Raikage's eyelids twitched. The leaders were shockingly the other two of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. And behind them, the quality of a team of ninjas was not weak either. One by one, they filled the forest. A thousand people was not much, but it also depended on the situation. Now was not a time of war. For Konoha to hoard so many ninjas at the border, they were clearly ready to start a war at any time. It just depended on who wanted to move.
The most terrifying thing was—they hadn't noticed this unit before.
A asked in a low voice.
"Could it be that they're just putting on a show with shadow clones?"
Using the Shadow Clone Technique to make the numbers look as large as possible, this was a method they would also use.
The Third Raikage narrowed his eyes and shook his head.
"Doesn't look like it. The presences are different. They look real."
"Where did they come from?"
A couldn't believe it.
Their intelligence department had actually not found this unit—in their intelligence, Konoha had only left a few hundred people at the border.
The Third Raikage was silent. He thought for a long time, and suddenly, a flash of inspiration came to his mind.
"The Guardian Shinobi."
"Huh?"
A was stunned for a moment, not understanding.
The Third Raikage said.
"This place is not far from a large town. I heard that Konoha has set up a small number of Guardian Shinobi in places where there are more nobles gathered."
"The Guardian Shinobi…"
Upon hearing this, A became even more wary of Konoha.
These ninjas might not have high strength, just genin level. But in a war, the most numerous were at the genin and chunin levels. An exploding tag thrown at an opponent could still kill a person. This kind of method of Konoha's was equivalent to being able to conjure up many ninja units on the spot!