In the western region of the Land of Fire.
The once-silent canyon no longer held the same deathly stillness it had the day before.
Now, it had transformed into a heavily guarded military encampment.
Deep within the canyon, the Heavenly Transfer Technique personally set up by Mabui emitted powerful and stable spatial fluctuations.
With each flash of light, dozens of Kumo shinobi appeared.
Their eyes were sharp, and their movements precise.
Upon arrival, they swiftly moved under the guidance of their respective Jōnin. Some stood guard, others rested, all without making a single unnecessary sound.
From last night until now, only one day had passed.
Yet, the number of shinobi teleported had already exceeded one thousand.
A chilling aura enveloped the entire canyon.
Even snakes, insects, and rodents did not dare to approach the barrier.
Standing atop a high rock, the Raikage looked down on the troops steadily gathering below.
His tall, muscular frame stood unmoving. His gaze swept across the assembled forces, his heart weighed down by pressure as heavy as a mountain.
Five thousand shinobi.
This was the force he had gambled everything on. The Hidden Cloud Village, and even the future of the Land of Lightning, now rested on this army.
To assemble this surprise attack unit, he had nearly emptied the Land of Lightning's resources.
He had even pulled back troops stationed at the borders with the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire.
Because of that, Kumo's remaining border garrisons had been suffering constant attacks from Konoha's army.
Not a single favorable report had returned.
They had gained virtually no advantage in the border skirmishes.
But those battles had to be fought.
By bleeding the enemy this way, he could firmly tie down Konoha's attention and buy time for this decisive move.
The cost had been four elite Jōnin.
An empty homeland.
And his own reputation as Raikage.
If they did not win this war, the country would fall.
"Mabui."
His voice was deep and commanding.
Mabui, who had been maintaining the technique, immediately looked up. Sweat clung to her forehead, her face pale from prolonged exertion.
Maintaining a large-scale spatial technique like this had drained both her chakra and mental strength.
"Raikage-sama."
"How much longer?"
"At this pace, by tomorrow afternoon at the latest, all five thousand troops will be assembled."
Though her voice was weary, her eyes sparkled with determination.
She could feel it. As the total chakra level in the canyon increased, the efficiency of the technique also grew higher.
At the beginning, it could only teleport ten people at a time.
Now, it could manage nearly fifty in one burst.
The more that arrived, the more chakra was injected into the array, which in turn allowed for even larger-scale teleportation next time.
A perfect feedback loop.
"Very good." Raikage A nodded. His eyes grew fierce as he gave the order.
"Everyone, use this time to rest and restore your strength."
"The day after tomorrow at noon, we march on Konoha."
"Yes!"
...
The sun was setting.
Night had not yet fully descended.
At last, the gates of Konoha Village came into view.
The convoy that had been rushing for half a day finally began to slow.
Inside the carriages, the tense atmosphere began to ease.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
They had made it.
The village... was safe.
Kurenai lifted the carriage curtain slightly.
Looking at the familiar scenery of her home drawing nearer, her red eyes welled with mist. It was a mix of joy and the anxious emotions that came with returning after so long.
The convoy came to a steady halt outside the village gates.
Minato stood at the front, with Koharu and Homura standing behind him. Jōnin-level representatives from various clans were also present.
The scene was solemn and grand.
Arashi stepped out of the carriage, supported by Ragyō.
"Welcome, Daimyo-sama."
Minato stepped forward, bowing slightly. The Konoha higher-ups behind him also saluted in unison.
"Everyone has worked hard."
"It is our duty."
"Daimyo-sama, you've traveled a long way. A residence has already been prepared. Would you like to rest first?"
"It's fine." Arashi waved his hand.
"Compared to me, they're the ones who truly deserve rest." He turned to the dust-covered Shadow Guard behind him.
"I'm giving you all a break. Go home and see your families."
The Shadow Guard were momentarily stunned.
"Daimyo-sama, what about your safety...?" Asuma asked instinctively.
"With the Shadow Guard still around, it's enough." Arashi waved his hand again. "Go. Rest well tonight."
"Thank you, Daimyo-sama!" The Shadow Guard bowed in unison.
Just as they were about to leave, a flash of red caught Asuma's eye.
He saw Kurenai step out of the carriage.
Surprise flickered in his expression.
"Kurenai?"
The joy of seeing an old friend surged in him. He instinctively stepped forward to greet her.
But just as his foot moved, someone held him back.
It was Enmaru.
"She is now the Daimyo's wife."
Enmaru's voice was low, but each word struck heavily.
"Don't overstep."
Asuma froze.
His surprise turned to stillness.
Words caught in his throat.
He looked at the girl he had once been so familiar with.
Now she stood beside the man who held more power than any of them.
She looked elegant, graceful, like a figure from another world.
Yes... she was already the Daimyo's woman.
Asuma lowered his gaze, burying his impulse, along with the bitterness that welled up inside.
The small commotion did not attract much attention.
Arashi naturally noticed it, but he didn't care.
The fleeting emotions of youth were nothing in the face of time.
He turned his gaze to Kurenai.
She didn't seem to have heard Asuma's voice.
She was focused on someone else. Her eyes were locked onto a figure in the crowd.
Arashi followed her gaze.
There stood a middle-aged man with a tense expression, Jōnin Yuhi Shinku.
Arashi smiled.
He turned to Ragyō and Kurenai.
"You two as well."
"Ragyō, didn't you keep talking about your sister? Go see her."
"As for you..." he glanced at Kurenai, teasing slightly, "If you don't go now, your father's neck might snap from craning."
Ragyō's heart trembled softly. She bowed respectfully.
"Thank you, Daimyo-sama."
Kurenai's face was already red from embarrassment.
She hesitated no longer. Bowing deeply, she said, "Thank you, Daimyo-sama."
Before the words had even fully left her mouth, she lifted her skirts and ran toward her father.
"Father!"
That teary cry moved many of the hardened shinobi present.
Watching the reunion between father and daughter, Arashi's expression remained soft.
After addressing these personal matters, he turned back toward Minato and the Konoha higher-ups.
Minato immediately understood.
"Daimyo-sama, please proceed to the Hokage Building."
Arashi gave a small nod and stepped forward.
Minato followed closely behind, maintaining half a step of distance, the respect of a subordinate clear in every motion.
The others followed in silence.
Soon, the Hokage Building loomed before them.
Surrounding Arashi, they moved inside in an orderly fashion.
(To be continued.)