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Kurenai Yūhi got home and found her father, Shinku Yūhi, wolfing down his food like he hadn't eaten in days.
"Dad!!"
Shinku had a rice ball stuffed in his mouth. He couldn't help pulling his daughter into a tight hug, feeling like it had been a lifetime since he last saw her.
"Kurenai, knowing you're safe… nothing else matters."
He had only learned two days later that her squad had been ambushed by Cloud ninja. More detailed reports followed: the Cloud squad had taken a long detour from the Land of Iron and slipped into the Land of Fire.
The Land of Iron was unique in the ninja world. Thanks to a historic neutrality treaty, they never interfered in wars between the great nations. Their current leader was the capable and strong Mifune.
"Konoha held the samurai group of the Land of Iron accountable. They formally apologized to the Hokage. The reason I came home this time is to deliver Lord Mifune's apology letter to the Hokage."
Kurenai buried her face in her father's chest and sobbed. She was still just a girl who had only recently graduated from the Academy. On a training mission with her squad leader Meizu Hayama, they were suddenly ambushed by Cloud ninja. She had watched helplessly as her teammates were mercilessly killed. Her captain had protected her while retreating.
"I know what you're thinking," Shinku comforted her. "Meizu Hayama and I have been friends for over ten years. We were classmates at the Academy too. If he had to choose one person to save out of three, he would have chosen you.
Kurenai, you don't need to feel guilty. In war, no one can predict who lives and who dies. Even I might die the next time I'm careless—or if I lose to another village's Jinchuriki.
My precious daughter, I hope this incident helps you truly grow up. You need to mature quickly and become stronger, until you're a backbone of Konoha—someone who can shelter and protect your comrades—"
"Dad… will you die too?" Kurenai asked through her tears.
Shinku took a deep breath and forcefully pushed down the flood of emotions in his mind. "You don't know how dire the situation is for Konoha right now. Even Jiraiya-sama and Minato Namikaze feel they could die."
"Jiraiya-sama…"
She had an elite Jonin father, so she had heard countless stories of Jiraiya's heroic deeds in the Second Great Ninja War. Together with the other two Sannin—Orochimaru and Tsunade—they had repeatedly saved Konoha from disaster.
"That's why he's still out there leading Konoha's forces, holding the line through sheer grit."
Kurenai wiped her tears and nodded firmly. "I understand, Father."
Gently patting his most precious daughter's shoulder, Shinku said helplessly, "If you want to blame anyone, blame the cruel era you were born into. And blame your father for not being strong enough to create peace—for you, for the village, for your comrades."
After the father and daughter finished talking, Shinku went back to eating like a starving ghost.
He explained while chewing that the reason he was eating so shamelessly was because he had been starving for four straight days, surviving only on water. His soldier pills had run out long ago.
"Why?" Kurenai asked.
He answered with his mouth full. "Rock ninja slipped into the Land of Fire from the Land of Rivers and have been repeatedly destroying our supply lines. Even though Konoha's rear-guard shinobi have killed many of them, the Rock keep throwing more people at it no matter the cost.
The most dangerous time was when they sent a Jinchuriki. Minato Namikaze arrived just in time and drove them back."
Kurenai had only heard a small part of the war, but she could already see the bigger picture: Konoha really was surrounded on all sides—perhaps even more than four sides now.
The Land of Iron direction, Land of Rivers, Land of Hot Water, Land of Grass, Land of Rain, and the eastern coastline.
"Thank goodness the Land of Iron didn't break their historic neutrality treaty and join the war."
"Yeah. The Land of Iron possesses very powerful forces. Their samurai aren't easy to deal with."
After a short pause, Shinku asked, "I heard Konoha has a promising young shinobi with the codename Shuten-doji. Have you heard anything about him in the village, Kurenai?"
"No, Dad. What has Shuten-doji done?"
Shinku spoke with genuine admiration from the bottom of his heart, even though he was still starving. "I only heard about it two days ago myself. On his first mission to the Land of Rivers, Shuten-doji not only fought Pakura of Sunagakure to a draw, but also killed the Sand spy embedded in the surveillance unit, protecting the village's interests."
"Eh?! Pakura? The one you mentioned before—the Sand kunoichi with the powerful Scorch Release kekkei genkai, suspected to have Kage-level strength?"
"It's no longer a suspicion. Even though Pakura is officially an elite Jonin in Sunagakure, she truly possesses Kage-level power. With more and more intelligence coming in about Sunagakure, Pakura stepping aside and letting Rasa take the Fourth Kazekage position helped stabilize their internal conflicts."
"Elite Jonin?"
"Elite Jonin refers to the extremely rare shinobi who surpass normal Jonin level. Right now in Sunagakure, people like Pakura, Rasa, Chiyo, and Ebizo can all be classified as elite Jonin. No matter which of them becomes Kazekage, most Sand shinobi would accept it, because their strength is enough."
"What about our Konoha?"
Shinku shook his head. "Jiraiya-sama, Orochimaru-sama, the missing Tsunade-hime, Minato Namikaze, the Hokage advisors, the clan heads of the major noble families… oh, and that Shuten-doji. They can all be called elite Jonin. There are probably others I don't know about."
Shinku shook his head again. "But I can't be sure about Shuten-doji's true strength. Rumors are just rumors, and there's only been that one battle. It's hard to say—maybe he used some clever trick to escape Pakura's grasp, and the story got exaggerated into a draw."
"Is Shuten-doji older than me? What does he look like?"
"I don't know what he looks like. He always wears the mask of the legendary demon king Shuten-doji. As for his age… according to the rumors, he might be two or three years older than you."
Kurenai suddenly remembered something and exclaimed, "Dad, I remember at the fireworks festival a few years ago, there were vendors selling Shuten-doji masks!"
"Haha— It wasn't just a few years ago. Even now in Konoha, there are still vendors selling Shuten-doji masks. But the one he wears is very special."
"How is it special?"
"The other Shuten-doji masks are usually fierce and terrifying. His has a long, grinning mouth."
Now Kurenai was confused. She vaguely remembered the fireworks festival a few years ago—there had been many traveling vendors, including ones selling Shuten-doji masks, but she couldn't recall the exact design. She had been too young then, and her memory wasn't great.
"Dad, if what you're saying is true, then the Konoha shinobi codenamed Shuten-doji is actually around my age—maybe even a classmate from the Academy."
"Mm, very possible."
Kurenai mentally compared Byakuya Senkaku's build. Girls noticed details. Her talent for Genjutsu was outstanding, so she paid extra attention to the little things. She thought Byakuya looked like a battle-hardened elite shinobi—
Could Byakuya Senkaku be that Shuten-doji?
She was about to tell her father when he continued.
"This is the first time I've heard any solid information about Shuten-doji. The second time was just after I returned to the village."
"Eh?"
"A colleague at the Hokage Tower told me that Shuten-doji once fought Kakashi Hatake right in front of Minato Namikaze."
"Dad, I was there for that."
She then recounted the whole story in vivid detail: how Obito got angry, how Shuten-doji suddenly attacked, how Kakashi stepped in to save his teammate, etc.
When she finished, she fell back into sadness again, remembering that her two dead teammates had also been present that day.
Shinku didn't console her further. This was something she had to overcome on her own. If she wallowed in grief and stopped trying to improve, no amount of comforting words would help.
"Konoha is surrounded on all sides, yet young shinobi are stepping up. That's great news for everyone in the village."
Kurenai agreed quietly. "Yeah."
"Kurenai, I hope the next young shinobi to step up is you."
"Dad… I… I…"
"Are you saying my precious daughter Kurenai can't do it?"
"I absolutely can!"
While father and daughter were talking, Byakuya walked through the main gate of the Ninja Academy and entered the warehouse.
He pulled the key from his pocket, unlocked the three heavy doors, and stepped inside.
He checked the inventory. Everything was in order since he left.
"I was gone—did the Academy teachers not request any tools?"
He had only been back a short while when an excited voice came from outside, followed by cheerful laughter.
"Byakuya! You're finally back! Without you, the Academy was about to shut down!"
Byakuya hurried out and saw the teacher who taught the basic Three Body Techniques running toward him.
"Ah, I'm really sorry."
In this kind of situation, the best response was to just apologize and not explain anything. The more you explained, the more holes you had to patch, and the bigger the mess became.
"Are you feeling better?" The teacher gave his shoulder a heavy pat and sighed. "You were really sick—you've lost a whole circle of weight… wait, you look lean and strong now."
What did "lean and strong" even mean?
Byakuya didn't answer. He asked, "While I was gone, did no one help manage the warehouse?"
"No one!"
The teacher looked miserable. "We all went to the principal and asked—if Byakuya isn't here, can someone else temporarily manage the warehouse? But the principal only trusts you. He refused and told us to change the curriculum to theory classes only—no tool practice for now!
Now the clouds have cleared and you're back. The warehouse is open again, and tool classes can go back on the schedule.
Oh right, I need ten kunai. I'm planning to do a hands-on demonstration for the students."
"Alright, let me check your request form."
"Oh, sorry (sumimasen), I came today just to see if you were back at the Academy. I'll go back to my office and get the form right now."
The teacher's steps were noticeably lighter as he left.
Taking advantage of the moment, Byakuya quickly pulled out all the tools he hadn't used from his storage scroll and restocked them.
"Byakuya, congratulations on coming back."
Hearing Teacher Izumi's voice, he turned around.
The first thing he saw was still that baby face and those dimples.
Byakuya gave a bitter smile. "Barely survived. Good to be back."
Izumi circled him once. "No injuries?"
"None."
"Then it's not barely surviving."
"Alright, Teacher Izumi, what can I do for you?"
"That lord ordered me: if you return, go see him immediately."
"Please watch the warehouse for a bit, Teacher Izumi."
"Sure, no problem."
Since Danzo had summoned him, Byakuya needed to complain properly to gain more benefits.
He went home first, put on the Shuten-doji mask and black trench coat, jumped out the window, took a detour to the forest outside the village to leave two Flying Thunder God marks along the way, then returned to the village and headed straight for Root's underground base.
The Root member on duty saw the Shuten-doji mask and immediately said, "Please follow me."
"Lord Danzo wants to see me?"
"Yes."
"I thought you were Lord Orochimaru's man."
"In Root, there is only Lord Danzo—no Lord Orochimaru."
"Mm."
He knocked on the door.
"Lord Danzo, Shuten-doji seeks audience."
Danzo said calmly, "Enter."
Byakuya entered alone and closed the door behind him.
"No need for formalities."
"Understood."
"Show me your caliber."
What caliber? Byakuya's mind raced, then he realized: it was about his achievements on this mission.
"Lord Danzo, Pakura has reported your goodwill to Sunagakure's high command. They have agreed to form an alliance with Konoha."
Danzo frowned. "Only this?"
"Yes."
"Why did you take so long to return?"
"To contact Pakura in the Land of Rivers, I killed many Sand ninja, which delayed me."
"How did it feel?"
"No feeling."
Danzo was surprised again. "What do you mean 'no feeling'?"
"I am an off-the-books Root shinobi. Against enemies, there is no feeling."
"Very good! You have finally grown."
"All thanks to Lord Danzo's guidance."
"Continue."
"I shouldn't complain, but—"
"You almost died at Pakura's hands?" Danzo interrupted succinctly.
"Yes." Byakuya put on a tone of great grievance.
"She is Pakura of Sunagakure after all. Dying at her hands wouldn't be strange."
"Fortunately, I did not fail Lord Danzo's expectations."
Danzo's right arm, wrapped in white bandages, kept moving in Byakuya's view. He could even sense it trembling slightly.
Byakuya thought: Before I left, Danzo was fine. Now he's got the Hashirama cell arm?
No, something's off.
According to the timeline, after the Uchiha massacre, Danzo collected many Sharingan, and Orochimaru used "Shin"'s special body to help make the right arm with Hashirama cells and three-tomoe Sharingan.
The timeline doesn't match!!
He paused, thinking: Is this arm Danzo's own? He transplanted Hashirama cells into his own right arm? What about the Sharingan?
"You're curious about my right arm?" Danzo narrowed his eyes and suddenly asked.
Byakuya feigned panic. "I wouldn't dare."
"No need to be afraid. You're different from the others here."
"I wouldn't dare."
Danzo chuckled, unwrapped the bandages layer by layer. The pale right arm with four three-tomoe Sharingan stared eerily at Byakuya.
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