"Very well."
Kakashi wiped the sweat from the side of his forehead.
The sparring match just now had been a simple exchange—nothing more than testing each other's skills and stopping at the point of contact. Their stamina remained mostly intact, and both were still capable of refining a considerable amount of chakra. Heading out to continue their mission would not pose any issue.
The group soon departed together to resume their patrol.
The ruins of Uzushiogakure covered a vast area; relying solely on fixed watchposts could never cover every region. In fact, most of the terrain was still blind spots. Even with the Byakugan of the Hyūga clan, it was impossible to completely see through an entire country.
Once upon a time, Uzushiogakure had flourished brilliantly. Yet in the end, several forces banded together and stormed its gates, destroying both the shinobi village and the nation in one brutal sweep.
Now, the entire shinobi world was scattered with the remnants of the Uzumaki clan—broken pieces of a once-great lineage.
'When Uzushiogakure was attacked… did Konoha fail to arrive in time, or did they simply not want to help?'
Kiyohara rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
In the original timeline, this part was extremely vague—barely mentioned at all. And he himself had not lived through the destruction of Uzushiogakure, so his understanding was limited.
But what was certain was that Uzushiogakure had been Konoha's ally. Konoha's shinobi uniforms even bore the Uzumaki spiral as a symbol of their friendship.
Yet the strange thing was… even if the country had been destroyed, it was impossible for everyone to be slaughtered.
So why was Uzumaki Kushina the only refugee Konoha officially accepted?
Aside from her, all that remained was the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques.
As for Nagato's family, they lived in the war-torn Land of Rain—never once did the story mention them fleeing to the Land of Fire to seek Konoha's aid…
"What are you thinking about?"
Kurenai, noticing Kiyohara's distraction, asked softly.
"Nothing."
Kiyohara shook his head. Regardless, the blind spots here were numerous; regular patrols were absolutely necessary.
"Pakkun, Bull, Urushi… I'll be counting on you guys."
Kakashi bit his thumb with practiced ease, formed the necessary hand seals, and pressed his palms to the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
With a burst of white smoke, eight shinobi hounds of varying shapes and sizes—each wearing a small customized vest—appeared in front of them.
Leading the pack was a small pug wearing a straw hat. It yawned lazily and spoke in a grumbly voice:
"Kakashi, what's the assignment this time? The smell around these ruins is terrible."
"Patrol. Search for suspicious traces. Focus on the coastline," Kakashi replied.
Watching Kakashi summon this entire squad of ninja hounds, Kiyohara suddenly felt a spark of interest.
Summoned beasts were an enormous advantage in battle—whether for reconnaissance, support, or direct combat. The Legendary Sannin each had one outstanding summoning partner. That characteristic defined them as much as their titles.
Kiyohara couldn't help but wonder—
Should he be considering contracting a summoning beast of his own?
"Thinking about summoning beasts, huh?"
Magnet Release Kiyohara's spiritual projection floated beside him, arms folded as he eyed the shinobi hounds.
"In my timeline, I didn't settle for small creatures like these. I found a giant pangolin deep in the mountains. Its armored shell greatly enhanced my magnetic control and spiritual perception. It was a perfect match."."
A summoning beast that can enhance magnetism?
Hearing that, Kiyohara immediately thought of the Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hōzuki, and the giant clam he had contracted. The creature could generate large-scale mirage illusions, perfectly complementing his Exploding Water Colliding Wave.
An ideal summoning partner could drastically increase a shinobi's potential.
"I see. I feel like flying-type summoning beasts might be ideal for me."
Kiyohara responded in his mind.
"Whether for reconnaissance, mobility, or aerial strikes, the advantage is huge."
He recalled Sasuke's future Hawk Squad, just that one giant hawk provided tremendous support.
"Magnet Release does allow levitation—but it eats up an absurd amount of chakra."
Magnet Release Kiyohara waved a hand casually.
He had killed countless enemies in his time using his flight ability alone, but the drain had always been enormous.
"I see…"
Kiyohara continued patrolling with Kakashi and the others, silently pondering the idea.
Based on Magnet Release Kiyohara's words, he must have developed a true flying ninjutsu in the future.
Flying ninjutsu was rare but certainly not unheard of in the shinobi world— Konan's Paper Person of God Technique, Ōnoki's Earth Release: Light-Weight Rock Technique, and Sai's Super Beast Imitating Drawing were prime examples.
If he could obtain flight, his mobility would skyrocket.
However… he would need to complete the second will to inherit such abilities.
And at this stage, Kiyohara had no realistic way of finding Sand's ANBU to kill.
"Woof, woof—"
The ninja hounds split up, using their sharp senses to detect anything unusual. Kakashi, Kiyohara, Kurenai, Genma, and Rin moved forward in a fan-shaped formation, alertly observing the surrounding ruins of stone and the barren coastline.
The atmosphere was heavy and silent.
After glancing at Rin, then at Kiyohara, Kakashi finally spoke:
"I heard some senior shinobi say that Lady Tsunade… might come to the rear lines sometime soon."
"Lady Tsunade?"
Kurenai's eyes widened.
"One of the Three Legendary Sannin? But hasn't she… not participated in front-line combat for a very long time?"
The truth about Tsunade's hemophobia was highly classified. Most people only knew that she withdrew from the battlefield and stopped fighting altogether.
Rin's eyes also widened. As a medical shinobi, she had great admiration for the legendary 'Healing Princess.'
Kiyohara stroked his chin, thoughtful.
Tsunade coming here?
His mind immediately connected this to Uzushiogakure's tragic history.
During the Second Shinobi War, Kato Dan, someone Tsunade deeply cherished, was killed near this land.
To her, this land was undoubtedly filled with sorrow.
'Is she coming to mourn… or for Konoha?'
Kiyohara wondered silently.
"Konoha's forces are stretched thin. They might be desperate enough to mobilize even Tsunade despite her condition… However, she likely won't take part in front-line battle. She'll probably coordinate medical logistics behind the scenes or provide strategic guidance."
Given her unparalleled medical expertise and combat experience, Tsunade didn't need to step onto the battlefield to make a major impact.
With Konoha at risk of collapse, any additional strength—any at all—was invaluable.
No matter what, for Tsunade, Konoha was still her home.
It was her grandfather's final legacy.
"It's just a possibility. Nothing is confirmed yet," Kakashi added.
If Tsunade did come, then once their Uzushio mission ended, they might see her at the rear base. For Rin and Kiyohara who are both studying medical ninjutsu, that could be an incredible opportunity.
"I see. Thanks for telling us, Kakashi."
Kiyohara understood that Kakashi was considering both him and Rin.
After all, the only ones studying medical ninjutsu here were the two of them.
"I really hope Tsunade comes. That would be a great opportunity to learn medical ninjutsu…"
Kiyohara muttered while holding his chin.
Compared to other medical shinobi, Tsunade's weakness was incredibly obvious—
She loved gambling.
The patrol resumed in silence, broken only by the roaring sea breeze and the occasional bark of a shinobi hound.
…
Meanwhile, at a Sunagakure encampment—
"Pakura, I have a mission for you."
Rasa stood with his back toward the approaching woman.
The woman was dressed in a sleeveless top that revealed her smooth, flawless back.
"What mission?" Pakura asked calmly.
"In Uzushiogakure."
Rasa slowly turned around.
"Konoha and Kiri are locked in a standoff near Uzushiogakure's territory. When the time is right, if either side shows signs of collapse… discreetly give the other side certain conveniences. Or create small 'accidents.'"
His eyes narrowed sharply.
"No matter what, ensure the battle remains deadlocked. Drag out their conflict. Prolong their war of attrition."
(End of Chapter)