"Sister!"
Kaoru, whose secret had been exposed, looked at her sister with embarrassment and annoyance, saying, "Sister, as a Jonin, you're still so gossipy every day. No wonder you're twenty-three and still don't have a boyfriend!"
"Hmm? What did you say, little girl?!"
Haruka, whose sore spot had been hit, widened her eyes and looked at her sister in disbelief.
"I said…"
"Cough, cough, well, about that."
Just as Kaoru was about to speak, her captain interrupted her. Suzume Sosuke stood between the two, looking at them staring at each other, and quickly changed the subject.
"Well, we're still on patrol. You can talk after the mission is over, right?"
At this point, Suzume Sosuke turned to look at Ren.
"Sorry, since your identity has been confirmed, please enter the Konoha Camp quickly. Lord Jiraiya should be waiting for you too, right, Kaoru?"
Ren was still distracted, but Kaoru immediately reacted, seeing her captain constantly winking at her and her idol nearby. She nodded repeatedly.
"That's right, that's right."
I can't argue in front of Ren. Teacher Maiko said that girls should be quiet and elegant. It would be bad if I delayed Ren's matters.
"Hmph!"
Haruka also knew that they couldn't be negligent during a mission, so after giving Ren a hostile look, she turned around, said, "Let's go," and led her team members away, disappearing into the forest shortly after.
"Phew."
Watching Haruka's team leave, Suzume Sosuke also let out a sigh of relief, secretly lamenting in his heart.
These sisters are too troublesome, especially Haruka; she still hasn't changed her fiery temper after all these years.
"If there's nothing else, then I'll be leaving."
Ren came back to his senses and asked the others, eager to leave this place quickly.
I'm just returning to the Konoha Camp, why did a Jonin take an interest in me? Looking at her eyes when she left, I'm afraid there will be trouble if we run into each other again in the future.
"Alright, then we'll go on our mission too. Goodbye."
Suzume Sosuke nodded to Ren, then turned to leave and continue his mission.
And Kaoru, hearing that Ren was leaving, didn't say much. She just lightly bit her red lip, then turned to follow her captain on patrol.
"Kaoru, right? Study hard with Director Maiko. Medical Ninjas are an indispensable part of a team."
Suddenly, Ren paused, turned around, left a sentence, and then continued forward.
"Eh?"
Kaoru looked somewhat blankly at Ren's shrinking back in the jungle, then suddenly smiled and called out.
"I'll do my best, Ren!"
Ren didn't look back, only raised his right hand and waved to Kaoru, disappearing from their sight in a moment.
"Alright, he's gone."
Suzume Sosuke looked at Kaoru, who was covering her face and giggling foolishly, and said helplessly, single-handedly supporting his forehead.
"Hehehe, Captain, let's hurry up and patrol. When we get back, I still have to go to the Medical Camp for work!"
Kaoru urged Suzume Sosuke with a giggle. Encouraged by her idol, Kaoru now felt full of motivation and couldn't wait to go study with Rin!
"Let's go."
The group disappeared from the spot and continued their patrol mission.
Meanwhile, Ren, who had arrived at the Konoha Camp entrance, was stopped again. This made Ren praise the diligent security personnel once more. Just as he was about to repeat the previous procedure, a figure walked out of the Konoha Camp, looked around for a moment, and then walked towards Ren.
"Hizashi senpai!"
Seeing the person, Ren's face lit up with joy. The person was Hyuga Hizashi, whom Ren hadn't seen in a long time.
"Ren, long time no see."
Hyuga Hizashi nodded to Ren, then turned to the Ninja responsible for registration at the gate and verified Ren's identity. Ren finally returned to this familiar front-line Konoha Camp once again.
On the way to the command tent, Ren looked at the silently advancing Hyuga Hizashi and asked curiously.
"Hizashi senpai, weren't you on the Sand Battlefield? Have you also been transferred here?"
Hyuga Hizashi shook his head upon hearing this and said softly.
"No, Shikaku and I were called here by Lord Jiraiya to discuss the merging of the battlefields."
"Merging battlefields?"
Ren's expression changed slightly, and he turned to Hyuga Hizashi, repeating the phrase blankly.
"That's right. Sunagakure intends to shift the battlefield towards the border of the three countries. They probably want to drag the Iwagakure Ninja in as well, to disrupt the situation again."
"Is that so…"
Ren's brain began to work rapidly. Shifting the battlefield was indeed more beneficial than harmful for Sunagakure, as Sunagakure was the weakest among the three villages in terms of strength.
And if there were to be a three-country free-for-all, the battle location would have to be in the middle of the three great nations and not affect their own territory.
It didn't take long for Ren to think of a place.
The Land of Rain!
Having been affected by several Ninja World Wars, this place was the best location for a war due to its central position among the three great nations. Its strategic significance was extraordinary.
Although Hanzo, known as the "Demigod," was stationed in Hidden Rain Village, one person, no matter how powerful, could not resist the power of three great nations. In the Second Ninja World War, although Hanzo won local battles, overall, Hidden Rain Village was defeated.
Since then, as time passed, Hanzo no longer had the demeanour of a "Demigod" and lost his ambition to make Hidden Rain Village the "Sixth Great Ninja Village" of the Ninja World and his belief in "protecting this country."
"We're here."
As the two chatted, they had already arrived at the command tent. Hearing their footsteps, the people inside clearly stopped talking, then called out.
"Please come in."
The two entered one after another. Ren's first glance saw Jiraiya and Nara Shikaku standing in front of the sand table, while Minato Namikaze and Nara Choumei also stood nearby. From their relaxed expressions, it was clear that the situation was not too bad.
"Hizashi, Ren, you're here."
Nara Shikaku smiled at the two, and Minato Namikaze and Nara Choumei also nodded to Ren.
"Lord Jiraiya, Choumei Uncle, Shikaku senpai, Minato brother."
As soon as Ren finished greeting everyone, Jiraiya's eyes lit up when he saw Ren. He quickly stepped forward to Ren's side, brought his face close to Ren's, and asked curiously.
"Ren, how did you manage to get the Thunder God Sword from the Old Man? Tell me quickly."
Not only Jiraiya but also the others were very curious about this matter. Everyone in the tent focused their gaze on Ren.
Ren felt a chill at Jiraiya's face, which was almost touching his. He subtly took two steps back, then scratched his nose, saying with a bewildered expression.
"Didn't Lord Jiraiya say that Hokage-sama wanted me to go back? The day after I went back, Hokage-sama gave me this sword, and today I came back."