Chapter 239: Two Jinchūriki
"Mugetsu, I'm sorry, but I have to leave," Minato said quickly, his tone filled with urgency. He had intended to chat a little longer, but the sudden situation demanded immediate action.
Before Mugetsu could respond, Minato vanished from sight in an instant.
"What just happened? He disappeared completely! I can't even sense where he went," Obito said, scanning the area with a puzzled expression.
Even when someone moved at extreme speed, there should still be traces of movement—air displacement, Chakra fluctuations, something. But Minato had simply vanished without a trace.
"It's a Space-Time Ninjutsu," Mugetsu explained calmly. "Think of it as a much more advanced version of the Body Flicker Technique."
Although the Flying Thunder God Technique had far more complex applications, Mugetsu simplified the explanation so Obito could grasp the idea.
"He seems incredibly strong… as expected of someone Teacher Mugetsu acknowledges as powerful," Obito murmured. He remembered Mugetsu once saying that Minato was exceptionally skilled.
If Mugetsu—whose power rivaled even a Raikage candidate—considered Minato strong, then Minato's strength must be extraordinary, perhaps even comparable to Mugetsu's.
"So fast…" Kakashi muttered, visibly astonished by Minato's sudden disappearance.
"Teacher Mugetsu, what should we do now?" Might Guy asked.
Normally, when the highest alert signal was raised, every available Ninja was expected to engage, but their exact actions depended on Mugetsu's command.
"Assist our comrades in repelling the enemy, but make sure you prioritize your own safety," Mugetsu said after a short pause.
Although they had come for a C-Rank Mission, the situation had changed. With the war signal raised, they could no longer remain bystanders.
"It's unexpected," Mugetsu thought, "but also a rare opportunity to display my strength."
In the Ninja World, strength was the ultimate measure of worth. The more power one showed publicly, the greater the influence and freedom one gained.
Had it not been for his exceptional teaching abilities, Mugetsu would never have been promoted to Special Jonin. Ordinary instructors had no authority to create new programs like his special training sessions or internship system.
But he couldn't display overwhelming power without reason—doing so recklessly would invite suspicion from both allies and enemies alike. Every step he took to reveal his true ability had to appear justified.
He had already laid careful groundwork for this. His demonstrated talent in Sealing Techniques had impressed Minato and Kushina. When training Asuma, he revealed mastery of Water and Fire Release, and rapidly learned powerful Wind Release Ninjutsu, reinforcing his image as a prodigious fast learner.
His background as a Root operative further strengthened that perception. Root agents were feared for their secrecy, and Danzo personally monitored their abilities through annual evaluations.
However, Mugetsu was different. As a covert Root member trained outside official channels, his records were classified. For the sake of secrecy, his evaluations were conducted only once every two years.
Now, having been reassigned to Hiruzen's direct supervision for more than half a year, the last record Danzo had on Mugetsu was from two and a half years ago. As long as Mugetsu didn't display power far beyond reason, Danzo would likely just assume he had grown steadily during that time—perhaps even with Hiruzen's personal training.
In Hiruzen's eyes, Mugetsu was a talented Root elite and an unsung genius, while on Danzo's side, he was a promising operative with a blank record. Mugetsu had perfectly balanced both light and shadow.
"As Kakashi said, it looks like we'll have to fight again," Obito said, cracking his knuckles.
Kakashi couldn't argue. After four consecutive incidents, and now a full-scale war breaking out right as they arrived, even he had lost confidence in their so-called luck.
"Let's move. Protect our comrades and eliminate the enemy," Mugetsu ordered, activating his Byakugan as he led his disciples toward the battlefield.
Even though he was no longer the naive man he once was, the brutal scene before him still made his chest tighten.
The ground was littered with debris and shattered stone, mixed with torn limbs and scattered weapons. The soil was stained red with blood.
Ninja lay motionless everywhere—some wearing Konoha headbands, others those of Iwagakure.
It didn't matter whether they were young, old, or in their prime. Here, they fought and died without hesitation.
Strangers only hours ago, they now killed each other as if bound by hatred older than time—simply because of the symbols engraved on their foreheads.
"This is war…" Obito muttered blankly, his eyes wide as he stared at the gruesome sight before him. The Kunai in his trembling hand loosened slightly.
The cruelty of war far exceeded his imagination. In Obito's mind, war had always been just a larger-scale battle—more people, more action, that was all. But the countless corpses strewn across the ground, the scattered limbs, and the thick, metallic scent of blood painted a reality far darker than he had ever imagined.
It was the first time he had seen so many dead.
Just as Obito stood frozen in shock, his eyes caught sight of a Konoha Ninja nearby about to be pierced through by a Kunai.
"Watch out—!" Obito shouted instinctively.
He didn't notice the faint whistle of several Shuriken slicing through the air toward him until it was too late.
Clang! Clang!!
The metallic sounds rang out as Mugetsu swiftly drew his Kunai, deflecting all the incoming Shuriken with precise movements.
"In a battlefield this chaotic, you must stay aware of your surroundings," Mugetsu said firmly. "Don't get distracted—or you'll die before you even realize it."
He needed to demonstrate his strength and earn recognition, but not at the cost of his students' safety. To Mugetsu, their lives came before everything else.
The three disciples nodded solemnly. No words were necessary—just witnessing the scene around them was enough to etch the danger of war deeply into their hearts.
Following the signal, waves of Konoha Ninja poured into the battlefield.
Using his Byakugan, Mugetsu observed everything from above the chaos, clearly discerning the flow of the battle. He could see the clashes of low- and mid-level Ninja scattered across the field, while the distant duels of the elites stood out like beacons of concentrated power.
"Two Jinchūriki… attacking together," Mugetsu murmured. "No wonder they sent the highest-level alert signal."
His gaze shifted toward Jiraiya, whose expression was tense and resolute as he faced two Iwagakure Ninja radiating monstrous Chakra signatures.
Jiraiya wasn't alone. Several elite Jonin stood beside him—Minato among them. Likewise, the two Iwagakure Jinchūriki were surrounded by their own elite escorts.
Even though the distance was too great to hear their words, Mugetsu could tell from their postures that the Iwagakure side was brimming with arrogance, while Jiraiya was carefully guiding the battlefield away from the main forces of Konoha.
"They're trying to avoid collateral damage from the Tailed Beast Ball…" Mugetsu guessed, watching closely.
Even if Jiraiya entered Sage Mode, his techniques couldn't fully neutralize a Tailed Beast Ball. The shockwave alone could wipe out dozens of mid-level Ninja.
With his 360-degree field of vision, the Byakugan gave Mugetsu a perfect understanding of the surrounding area. He turned his focus away from the high-level confrontation and toward the immediate threat around him—dozens of Iwagakure Ninja pressing Konoha's line.
Reputation was built through action, through being witnessed. With so many Konoha and Iwagakure soldiers fighting side by side and against each other, Mugetsu knew that any impressive feat here would spread far beyond the battlefield.
All these thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.
From Obito's perspective, Mugetsu had not only deflected the Shuriken aimed at him but also disappeared immediately afterward—reappearing just in time to save a Konoha Chunin on the verge of death.
"Thank you," the rescued Chunin managed to say before dashing back into the fray. There was no time for gratitude—too many enemies surrounded them.
Maintaining his Rock Breathing state, Mugetsu gripped his Kunai tightly and launched himself into the melee. His movements were swift and fluid, each strike cutting down another Iwagakure Ninja with surgical precision.
Every Breathing Technique had its own specialty—Flame Breathing enhanced offense through heat and power, Lightning Breathing amplified speed and explosive bursts—but among them all, Mugetsu favored Rock Breathing.
It wasn't flashy. It didn't crack the earth or shatter the air. But its amplification of physical strength and endurance was second to none.
Through maintaining Rock Breathing's Constant State, Mugetsu's body had transformed. Though he rarely trained pure Taijutsu, his physique had reached the level of a dedicated close-combat specialist. Even without relying on Ninjutsu, his raw strength alone surpassed most Jonin.
The Iwagakure Ninja he struck down were insignificant in the grand scope of war—but to the Konoha Ninja around him, Mugetsu's presence was like a force of nature.
"Such incredible speed and power…" one of them gasped.
"Is he a newly promoted Jonin-sama? I don't recognize him," another said, eyes wide.
Those rescued by Mugetsu and those whose burdens were lightened by his intervention began whispering among themselves. His sheer combat ability, combined with his calm precision, stood out even amid the chaos.
"Jonin-sama, over here! There's a tough enemy giving us trouble!" someone shouted.
Mugetsu turned his gaze in that direction. Through his Byakugan, he spotted an Iwagakure Ninja with bare, muscular arms rampaging through several Konoha Chunin.
He focused his sight, analyzing the man's Chakra flow. The readings were clear—over five thousand Chakra, skill proficiency at an average level, and overall combat capability equivalent to a low-ranking Jonin.
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