As the militant factions of various countries began to stir, Konoha Village also entered a state of preparation for war. Many Jonin had been sent out to gather intelligence.
Only the elites of the major clans were taking a break, waiting for the future battles.
The training hall of the Hatake family was spacious and imposing.
Two figures in the hall clashed with each other, exchanging dozens of blows in the blink of an eye.
Two flashes of lightning later, one figure was sent flying and slid several meters on the ground before coming to a stop.
"Aniki, you're not that good!"
The arrogant tone, accompanied by loud laughter, belonged to Kawaki Hatake.
He was holding an eight - sided Han sword, a high - quality Chakra weapon with residual lightning flashing on it.
Sakumo stood up, dusted off his buttocks, and ignored his brother's taunts.
He was used to it. Since his younger brother turned 10, he hadn't won a single match. He could never regain his face in terms of martial prowess.
The Chakra in his hand emitted a white light again. In a flash, he was in front of Kawaki, a short blade pointed at his throat.
Kawaki's expression grew solemn as he raised his sword to block.
Failing to land a hit, Sakumo instantly retreated and stood not far from Kawaki.
The Hatake clan emphasized a single, decisive blow. Transitioning from the samurai school to ninja, weapons were their best companions.
Lightning Flash
Kawaki bent his left leg and crouched halfway, placing the eight - sided Han sword at his waist. His feet were flashing with lightning - attribute Chakra, making a "hissing" sound.
He suddenly pushed with his right leg. Without leaving a trace of afterimage, he was in front of Sakumo in the next instant.
Sakumo had seen this move many times, but he still marveled at it. Combining lightning - attribute Chakra with a draw - cut was not that difficult.
However, achieving the speed and power his brother had was almost insurmountable. The only way to beat any martial art in the world is speed.
There was no time to dodge. He could only raise his Tantō to block. He wondered how much longer this family - heirloom Tantō could hold up.
With a crisp sound, the Tantō broke. Under Sakumo's stunned expression, the eight - sided Han sword stopped at his neck, and he could feel the cold blade.
"Aniki, it's not my fault."
"Find an old blacksmith to make you a new one. Our family isn't short of money."
As his voice still echoed in the training hall, he was already outside the door. Kawaki felt like he had done something bad and ran away faster than a rabbit.
"This is an ancestral sword!"
"Kawaki, you little brat, come back here."
Sakumo came to his senses from his shock, threw away the broken blade, and stood there fuming in impotence. Kawaki was already out of sight.
For a moment, Kawaki didn't know where to head. Kicking innocent shōseki on the road, he wandered into the Hatake Weapon Shop.
When he entered the shop, the clerks bowed and called out, "Second Young Master."
Kawaki nodded in response. He had gotten used to his status over the years.
His father died on a mission, and his mother died during childbirth. Only he and his workaholic brother were left. Fortunately, the family business was not small; otherwise, two kids might have starved to death.
To improve the family's finances and secure his own better life, Kawaki used modern knowledge to improve the forging furnace.
He made it possible for blacksmiths to smelt higher - quality materials and single - handedly established the largest weapon workshop in Konoha.
Now, the Hatake family is among the wealthiest in Konoha.
It's the eve of the war, and the business is booming like crazy.
When he entered the forging room, the oncoming heat wave made him frown slightly.
A burly, shirtless man in his forties trotted over with a smile and greeted him, "Second young master, what brings you here today?"
This blacksmith was "invited" from the Land of Iron with a high price and strong force. His name was Old Tie.
The forging environment was excellent, and the salary was generous. Thanks to these, he was willing to work for the Hatake family.
"I broke the [White Fang]."
"Make a new one for my aniki as soon as possible."
Kawaki Hatake said this calmly.
Old Tie's mouth opened so wide that it could almost fit an egg. He knew all too well how much the eldest young master cherished the ancestral tantō. He himself had never managed to take a good look at it.
"Stop daydreaming. Use the best materials. It can't be worse than my sword."
"Otherwise, it'll break again next time. Such a hassle."
Kawaki Hatake didn't feel sorry for his brother. He just simply thought that the quality of the weapon was affecting their sparring.
"You can trust my craftsmanship. I'll work as fast as I can. After all, it's not easy to make something comparable to your eight - sided Han sword."
When it came to his specialty, Old Tie seemed like a different person, full of energy.
"It's okay. Anyway, it's not me who'll be left without a weapon."
"Alright, I have nothing else to say. You can go back to work."
Kawaki Hatake waved his hand, signaling Old Tie to leave. He strolled around his family's business before leaving leisurely.
He was in a great mood. Looking at the customers in front of him, he saw nothing but piles of silver.
Going back now, his aniki would still be angry. So, he decided to go see Tsunade instead.
Kawaki Hatake set off towards the Senju clan's mansion. The Senju clan had integrated with the common people, and Tsunade still lived at home in Konoha.
He remembered that she had an unlucky younger brother, Nawaki Senju. Poor guy, he would die on the battlefield during the upcoming Second Shinobi World War.
Thinking of this, Kawaki Hatake felt that he had to save his future brother - in - law's life.
He arrived at the Senju clan's mansion. It was his first time here. As expected of the once - most - powerful clan in Konoha, the entrance was very imposing.
He knocked on the door and waited quietly outside.
After a while, the door opened, and an old woman appeared in front of him.
"What brings you to our Senju clan?"
The old woman was probably just a servant, but her tone was far from humble. Even a servant in an important household has some power. Kawaki Hatake didn't mind.
"I'm Kawaki Hatake. I'm here to see Tsunade. Please let her know."
Kawaki Hatake maintained proper politeness and a gentle smile.
"Oh, it's Lord Kawaki. Come in. Lady Tsunade has given instructions about you."
This was unexpected for Kawaki Hatake. He didn't think Tsunade had told her family about him.
Following the old woman in, instead of being led into the house, he was taken to the training ground.
Tsunade was teaching her brother [Taijutsu].
When she saw Kawaki Hatake coming, her face lit up. With a wave of her hand, she blocked Nawaki's attack.
"You practice on your own first. Someone's here to see me."
Tsunade put down Nawaki's leg and walked towards Kawaki Hatake.
"I didn't expect you to come to see me today."
"Hey, I was thinking of dropping by your Hatake place when I got the time."
At home, Tsunade wasn't wearing her monotonous combat uniform. The gambling-themed outfit she wore, as I remembered, perfectly showed off her amazing figure.
Kawaki was so fascinated that his mind was in a whirl...
"Ah, I'm here to dodge some trouble. See, I didn't even get a chance to change."
Kawaki was not only carrying an eight-sided Han sword but also wearing a combat uniform, which formed a sharp contrast with Tsunade's casual attire.
"What's up?"
Tsunade's curiosity was piqued. What kind of trouble was he avoiding?
Kawaki said with a wry smile, "I accidentally broke our family's heirloom sword, and Aniki is furious."
This made Tsunade burst into laughter as she never expected that Sakumo Hatake's famous weapon would be broken by his own younger brother.
"I had no choice but to come here to take shelter. I was wondering if you'd have time to have a drink with me."
Kawaki stared at Tsunade with eager eyes.
"Later. Let's have lunch together and have a drink then."
Tsunade wasn't the type to start drinking in the morning. She invited Kawaki to have lunch together.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony."
"Since I'm free, how about I give Nawaki some guidance?"
Kawaki could tell at a glance. At eleven or twelve years old, Nawaki's strength was barely at the Genin level.
He had to admit that this kid was completely wasting his talent. Was this really the grandson of the First Hokage?
Tsunade was also a total doting sister. She didn't have any toughness when sparring with Nawaki. It's obvious that she has never heard the saying "Train hard in peacetime, fight easy in war."
"That'd be a real honor for Nawaki."
Tsunade certainly wouldn't refuse. Someone who could break Sakumo Hatake's sword, Kawaki's strength must be more than just a rumor. Moreover, she knew her own problem, so it would be a good thing for someone to guide Nawaki for her.