Haseo casually strolled atop the Earth Flow Wall, clearly amused as the Kumo ninjas darted away below. At this moment, he had no intention of doing anything further.
That technique and his sudden appearance were clearly just meant to let Kumo know he was here at the Front Line.
I'm here. Are you ready…? Obviously, it was nothing more than a greeting.
Before long, Haseo reached the side of Kakashi and Kushina Uzumaki.
"Kakashi, you really are already such an unlucky kid… Could it be your name? It might actually bring bad luck. How about you just change your name to Hatake Lucky while there's still time? Otherwise, something terrible will definitely happen later.
And… who taught you to wear a mask on your face? If people can't recognize you, how will others even notice you in the future?"
The current Kakashi Hatake carried a large sword and wore a face mask—it was obvious he wasn't some well-behaved child; he looked quite rough around the edges.
Behind Haseo, Kohei Sarutobi couldn't help but feel that compared to Haseo's teasing, this man himself seemed like a walking collection of sarcastic remarks... After arriving at the Front Line, the first thing he did was start joking around?
"Lord Haseo."
Kushina and Kakashi greeted Haseo together.
But Kakashi didn't bother explaining his look. It was just how things went—once Haseo was done teasing, that was it.
Haseo gave a slight nod, and sure enough, quickly changed the subject. "How does it feel being at the Front Line?"
As he spoke, he turned his head toward the north.
His gaze stretched forward, beyond which lay the lush forests of the Land of Rice Fields.
The Kumo shinobi who had retreated moments ago had now completely vanished into the rolling terrain and dense vegetation, leaving no trace behind. Yet somewhere up north, undoubtedly, someone was watching closely from afar.
Come to think of it, Konoha's Hokage seemed to share a special connection with this Land of Rice Fields. Many years ago, Haseo had first encountered the Second Kage within the forests of this country, and this land eventually became the burial ground for him.
Now, not long ago, the Third Hokage had also died right here.
Kohei Sarutobi followed Haseo's gaze into the distance. As he stared, grief slowly welled up in his eyes. Without experiencing certain things oneself, it would be difficult to imagine exactly what kind of emotions stirred inside this young man at this moment.
Sometimes, regarding his father's death, Kohei seemed to show no particularly deep feelings, continuing life and his career as a ninja as usual.
When he received news of the Third Hokage's death—and even when he saw his father's corpse—he had actually felt somewhat dazed.
But this was only his habits resisting recognition of reality. The pain had indeed taken root deep in his heart and started to fester steadily.
Ninjas were a profession that lived very close to death. Many had seen life and death up close, yet sometimes it might be better if the one who died was oneself. As for the sudden loss of a loved one, ninjas probably didn't feel any differently from ordinary people.
No matter how calm Kohei Sarutobi tried to remain, there would always come a moment when his heart felt as if pierced by knives.
But regardless, considering his behavior since the Third's sacrifice, he already qualified as a real man.
It wasn't just the pain of losing someone close—it was the sudden loss of position too. Neither was easy to bear.
Haseo seemed to sense the boy's emotions, but he said nothing; he simply turned around and patted the other's shoulder. Everything remained unspoken between them.
"Haseo, we did alright, although initially we struggled a bit. Eventually we learned what ninjas are supposed to do on the battlefield… thanks to your teachings," Kushina Uzumaki said.
Her face was dirty, looking every bit like a ninja hardened by warfare.
But those words only made Haseo shake his head. "You kids just learned well on your own. I never really taught you much of anything."
Just from the way they spoke to each other, it was clear that even though Haseo had trained those kids from a young age, he always saw himself as their superior. He never claimed to be anyone's teacher… and he certainly never intended to take on such a role for the rest of his life—he found it too troublesome.
Still, it wasn't just about being lazy.
Although the Fire Shadow and the Land of Rice Fields seemed destined to be connected, Haseo now intended to help the Raikage forge more connections here as well. After all, people should help each other.
Three parts are given by heaven, but seven must be earned through hard work. So long as he extended his hand slightly, he could always help others create bonds.
Kumo had noticed Haseo's arrival, but Konoha reacted even faster. Before long, Hatake Sakumo approached him.
Sakumo seemed to carry some injuries.
"Hatake, lately you've seemed pretty low on energy. Why didn't you just kill the Raikage directly? Was that so difficult… Well, okay, maybe it was somewhat challenging. But couldn't you ambush him before he managed to raise his defenses?
Surely you haven't forgotten how to conduct an ambush? If you can't even execute a surprise attack, are you even still a ninja?
As a friend, I'm truly disappointed in you."
If someone were to ask who in the world best understood Haseo's way of speaking, Sakumo Hatake would definitely be at the top of the list. Therefore, he knew that Haseo's disappointment wasn't genuine, nor was his criticism meant to be taken seriously.
"You couldn't beat him because you were outmatched—that's just how it was... That's the Raikage we're talking about. How could he possibly leave openings during battle?"
Sakumo indeed couldn't handle the Third Raikage, and there was nothing wrong with admitting it.
Remember, the Third Raikage was someone capable of going blow for blow with the Eight-Tails. In the entire Ninjutsu World, there were plenty of shinobi who could deal with tailed beasts—but those who could subdue them purely through brute force, including those already deceased, were extremely few in number.
Haseo definitely couldn't pull off something like that, nor would he ever attempt to do so—Why not just use explosives? It's far simpler and efficient. Why insist on fighting a tailed beast head-on? Who in their right mind would do that?
"Alright... Haseo, to be honest, do you think my appearance can draw out the Raikage?"
"Definitely. Haseo, the Raikage has just defeated the third."
"In that case, things will be much simpler... I was worried the Raikage might avoid battle, but apparently a ninja like me isn't quite qualified enough."
Having just overcome the Third Hokage and now relentlessly pressing against the White Fang, the Third Raikage had absolutely no reason to back down at Haseo's arrival.
"If you're unable to defeat the Raikage and your performance as commander has been so-so at best, then from now on, you'd better return to what you do best... being an underling. You've always had a knack for that role."
"Kakashi, I think it's rather impolite for someone to call his friend 'an underling' without showing proper respect."
"You talk too much. Just tell me if you're in or not."
"Well, personally I don't have any problem with it. Still... Haseo, are you really sure about this decision?"
Sakumo Hatake seemed to already know exactly what Haseo intended to do.
"A decision? If I hadn't decided already, why would I have come to this battlefield?"
"No, that's not exactly what I meant. I wasn't referring to the Raikage and the war itself... I mean regarding the village... Have you made peace with that decision?"
"..."
Haseo fell silent briefly after Sakumo Hatake's question, while the nearby children held their breath nervously, afraid even to breathe.
Just when the kids were nearly suffocating from holding their breath, Haseo finally answered, "I've thought it through carefully, and honestly, nothing major stands in the way. It's just some chaotic nonsense and posturing anyway—who cares where I stir it up?"
"In that case, great."
What part of that sounded like "great, then"?
Still, upon hearing those words from Haseo, Sakumo Hatake gave a slight smile. Regardless, he would definitely support Haseo.
After all, although Sakumo Hatake had white hair instead of green, his son was like Haseo's own son.
It looked like a legendary clash was about to unfold here—one destined to echo through history:
Long ago, Kakashi Hatake's father, Haseo, had a tale worth telling...
...
News of Haseo's arrival at Konoha's Northern Front quickly spread among Kumo shinobi and eventually reached the Third Raikage.
"He's finally here."
The Third Raikage himself didn't seem particularly surprised. He seemed to have known all along that Haseo would definitely show up on this battlefield—or more accurately, he had been expecting him.
Because within Haseo lay the opportunity to permanently resolve the issue of Konoha.
"Lord Raikage, what should we do next?"
"What? Such an opportunity must be seized immediately! One pillar supporting Konoha has already fallen; if we take down the second one, the entire village will go down.
Prepare yourselves—this time, a long and grueling battle is inevitable."
Though the Third Raikage showed great determination, he also knew perfectly well that Haseo wouldn't be an easy opponent to deal with. So he mentally prepared himself for prolonged and intensive combat.
Even if it came down to wearing him out, he'd make sure Haseo died on this battlefield.
Haseo's mere presence on the Front Line instantly revitalized Konoha's Northern Front, which had been suffering continuous setbacks. Words like "united in purpose and standing firm together" now accurately described the spirit of every Konoha ninja.
It was like a precious sword covered in dust—only needing the right hands to wipe it clean for its edge to shine once more.
The Kumo forces across the battlefield also dropped their earlier aggression, swiftly turning wary and resolute.
All actors were now in place. Both sides understood that what lay ahead would likely be a decisive confrontation. Although neither Konoha nor Kumo could possibly end the war in a single battle, the outcome might lead to Kumo completely overpowering Konoha, or alternatively, Konoha's ninjas might once again demonstrate:
Why the Fire of Konoha never dies out.
And at this point, neither side had any patience left. Iwagakure was still watching from behind? Suit yourself; that group would never catch a break no matter how hard they tried anyway.
A great battle came faster than anyone had anticipated.
After all…
Now, flames and smoke rose from both north and south of the mountain.
So?
Then came the decree, issued beneath the starlit sky with clarity and urgency: the sealed blades were swiftly unleashed.
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