After leaving the village, Gekko Chizan headed straight for the border of the Land of Fire.
Tsunade had already departed with her team, only about half a day ahead of him.
By the time he had covered more than half the distance, he suddenly came across a unit transporting the wounded, which made him pause in his tracks.
"Yo? Isn't this Captain Inuzuka Gaku?"
"What happened? An honorable injury? Hey, isn't this your big yellow dog? Look at the concern in his eyes."
With a Body Flicker, he appeared beside his acquaintance. The surrounding guards instantly drew their blades at Gekko Chizan, but once they saw his face, they quickly sheathed their weapons.
Come on—this was one of Konoha's famous stars, the Ghost of Konoha, a well-known figure in the village. How could they not recognize him?
Seeing Gekko Chizan, Inuzuka Gaku grinned, but the grin tugged at his wounds, making him suck in a sharp breath from the pain.
"You little brat, you finally made it. The frontlines are brutal."
"Iwagakure has gone completely insane this time, and with that endless swarm of poisonous bees on top of it all, sigh..."
"I got crushed under a pile of rocks while dodging the bees. If Dōtō hadn't risked his life to save me, I'd have been finished here."
Inuzuka Gaku's lament gave Gekko Chizan some perspective on the severity of this war.
After all, this man was a backbone of the Inuzuka clan, a seasoned elite who had fought many battles. If even he ended up in this state, the cruelty of the battlefield could be imagined.
"Tsunade-sama has set up a temporary camp. Go, Chizan—show those bastards what Konoha is made of."
Inuzuka Gaku knew full well what Gekko Chizan was capable of. If he joined the frontlines, the pressure there would certainly ease.
This old veteran gave his full support to the younger generation.
"Ah, you're making me blush, old-timer."
"But actually, there's something I'd like you to help me with."
Gekko Chizan smiled faintly. For some reason, when Inuzuka Gaku saw that smile, it felt a little… strange.
But for the sake of victory, Inuzuka Gaku would absolutely support him, so he nodded generously.
"Anything. If I can help, I won't hold back."
Hearing that, Gekko Chizan's grin grew even wider.
He suddenly wrapped an arm around the big yellow dog's neck, then flipped himself onto its back.
This dog was a veteran of the battlefield, a companion that ordinary people wouldn't even dare touch. But since Gekko Chizan had fought side by side with them, the scent of familiarity made the dog tolerate his presence.
Still, the dog never expected him to actually mount its back.
"Woof!"
An indignant bark rang out, leaving Inuzuka Gaku completely dumbfounded.
Before he could even react, Gekko Chizan rode off on the dog, chasing the sunset as it dipped toward the horizon.
"Senpai, I've had my eye on this big guy for a while. You're injured anyway, so let him accompany me into battle this time."
"Come on, boy! To the battlefield!"
Seeing Gekko Chizan happily pat the dog's rump, Inuzuka Gaku was stunned, and so was his big yellow dog.
"Hey! Ōkiiro! Move out!"
"Those four legs of yours are definitely faster than my two. And your master already agreed, didn't he?"
"Let's go win glory on the battlefield. That's the best way you can repay your master!"
"Ōkiiro! Let's go!"
Without giving the dog or Inuzuka Gaku any chance to protest, Gekko Chizan hurled a marked kunai into the distance with such strength it made jaws drop, then vanished with Flying Thunder God.
Man and dog disappeared before everyone's eyes in an instant.
Inuzuka Gaku could no longer care about his injuries. Eyes bulging, he watched his beloved companion vanish. The next moment, a roar erupted:
"My dog! Damn brat! Bring my dog back!"
"Ugh!"
That roar didn't sound like it came from his throat, but from every fiber of his being.
Perhaps from the strain, the roar ended with Inuzuka Gaku collapsing into unconsciousness.
The surrounding medics panicked and quickly tried to revive him.
When he finally woke, the first thing out of his mouth was:
"Tell Gekko Chizan—if even a single hair on my Ōkiiro is harmed, I swear he'll be chased by dogs for the rest of his life!"
"Woof!"
Everyone around fell silent.
The people of Konoha all knew that the Inuzuka clan loved their dogs dearly, even willing to sacrifice their lives for them.
Seeing it in person today only confirmed it. Tsk, tsk...
...
Meanwhile, far from the group thanks to Flying Thunder God, Gekko Chizan looked down at the big yellow dog before him, showing what he thought was a kind smile.
"Ōkiiro, don't worry. When the war ends, I'll definitely send you back."
"For now, just stick with me. I'll make sure you eat well and drink well. How about it?"
The dog glared fiercely at him. He might be a dog, but he was a very smart one!
His master was still waiting for him. He had to go back!
But in the next moment, an irresistible aroma hit his nose.
Hm? What's that smell? So good!
In Gekko Chizan's hand was a massive steak, its fragrance mouthwatering.
"See this, Ōkiiro? I prepared this steak just for you."
"Heh, stick with me and you'll always have meat to eat. Don't worry—I'll send you back once the war's over."
"I promise!"
Ōkiiro paced back and forth, torn between loyalty to his master and the delicious meat.
It wasn't that his resolve was weak—it's just that this steak smelled way too good! He couldn't resist!
"Woof!" — I'll go with you!
"Woof woof!" — But I want meat! And when the mission is done, I'm going back to my master!
Watching the drool stream from the dog's mouth, Gekko Chizan beamed.
Of course, it would have been more convincing if he weren't glowing green.
A long emerald serpent coiled around him.
"Incredible… it hasn't even been long, and you've already grasped Ryūchi Cave Sage Art."
"And you've even lifted the restriction of the Coiling Snake Technique, linking me directly to you…"
"Chizan, you're definitely a genius—no, a prodigy…"
"But your very first use of Ryūchi Cave Sage Art… is to deal with a big yellow dog? That's… a bit much, don't you think?"
The green serpent slowly transformed into a floating, phantom-like figure behind him.
It was none other than Tagorihime, one of the Three Snake Princesses of Ryūchi Cave.
Hearing her mixture of praise and complaint, Gekko Chizan chuckled, the vertical pupils in his eyes glinting.
This was his first time using Sage Art. Sure, using it on Inuzuka Gaku's big dog was a little excessive, but such an amazing ability had to be tested somehow.
"Tagorihime, this is just preparation for the battles ahead. But honestly, I do really like this big guy."
"Besides, I only used Genjutsu to turn a soldier pill into a steak. Tsk, food is food, right?"