Zombie Sage in Naruto

Chapter 95 Kaede Tsukasa's Squad Requests to Participate in Battle

Jiraiya reluctantly went to see the Third Hokage, but did not suffer any criticism.

Throughout the entire process, the Third Hokage showed him great care and concern.

"Old man..." Jiraiya was deeply moved.

"Now that you've decided to come back, let's not bring up the past. You must have had your reasons for making that choice. If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to tell me."

The Third Hokage lit his pipe, took a deep drag, and smiled, saying, "Jiraiya, no matter what, you will always be my proud disciple, and that will never change."

"Actually, at this point, there's nothing I can't say. The main reason I kept Nagato's information from me was because of the 'Child of Prophecy'..."

Jiraiya told the Third Hokage about the prophecy of the giant toad of Mount Myōboku.

"...That's how it is. I can't predict how the Child of Prophecy will change the world in the future. Since he appeared in a small country like the Land of Rain, he must have a mission. My initial intention was to try to prevent powerful external forces from influencing him."

"But your plan failed, didn't it? You just mentioned that the two toad sages from Mount Myōboku have already made contact with Nagato."

Even the Third Hokage, who had previously been inactive, fell silent after learning the inside story.

If he were in Jiraiya's shoes, he would most likely have done the same, and leaving Nagato to fend for himself in the Land of Rain seems to be the best possible outcome.

With a certain level of self-defense ability, Nagato can fully utilize his talents in the Land of Rain, a "beginner's village," and gradually explore his own path through continuous practice.

Once the Land of Rain is pacified, Nagato's mind and will will surely mature, allowing him to consider issues from the perspective of the entire ninja world.

Everyone needs a growth process, and Jiraiya's arrangements for Nagato were not a big problem.

But the problem is that everything is a problem right now.

"Your arrangement of Nagato is a form of interference with Nagato. I don't understand things like fate. Even someone as powerful as Lord Hashirama might not be able to figure it out. However, I personally believe that whether you do it or not, it is already the result of fate."

The Third Hokage sighed, "It is not necessarily fate that determines a person's direction, but rather a person's actions that shape a fate that can be understood by others."

Jiraiya paused for a moment: "It really was you, old man. Only you could say something like that. But now that things have come to this, all my plans are in chaos, and I don't know what to do."

"Then let's not do it. Let's wait quietly for Nagato's decision. For example, if he suddenly chooses to come to Konoha, I will definitely personally greet him. He is my grand-disciple." The Third Hokage also had some expectations.

The Rinnegan's willingness to join Konoha would be an incredibly beautiful sight, ensuring his unshakeable rule over the village. However, it wouldn't matter if he didn't come.

Konoha prospered through the arduous struggle of generations, not by relying on the Rinnegan.

"Jiraiya, are you sure that Nagato, who possesses the Rinnegan, is the Child of Prophecy? Although I have never personally witnessed the power of the Rinnegan, nor do I know in what form these legendary eyes have reappeared after a thousand years, to make such a judgment based on these eyes... are you really prepared to accept all the consequences?" the Third Hokage said.

Jiraiya fell silent again, then said bitterly, "Actually, it can't be completely certain. I once thought Minato would be the child of prophecy..."

"...Why do you hold this view?"

"The Great Toad Sage said that I will guide the Child of Prophecy to bring unprecedented changes to the ninja world. Whoever I take as my disciple may be the Child of Prophecy."

"I see. That makes perfect sense, if the information from Mount Myōboku is correct."

Before he knew it, the Third Hokage had started smoking more often. He didn't know what to say, feeling that Jiraiya's judgment was somewhat abstract.

But it makes some sense, doesn't it? At least it's better than running around like a headless fly.

“I’ve looked into it, and a lot has happened in the village recently. So the great war that broke out in the Land of Rain was indeed Lady Mito fighting against a mysterious enemy.” Jiraiya said with a forlorn expression.

"This is none of your business. Lady Mito must have her reasons for making this choice."

"What about Kaedejima? He was also involved in that battle. Who exactly was the mysterious enemy who killed Lord Mito?" Jiraiya suddenly said. "Where did that guy's body go? It should be in Kaedejima's hands now. He won't let such an opportunity pass him by."

"He said he didn't know either, and wasn't familiar with the whole process." The Third Hokage pointed to the crystal ball.

Jiraiya instinctively didn't believe it; he was sure Kaedeji had something up his sleeve, but he had no proof.

He immediately peered into the crystal ball and saw his long-lost disciple, Minato Namikaze, fighting with a strange fellow.

"Kaede Tsukasa has also taken in a very special disciple who seems to be immortal. As it stands, Minato doesn't seem to be able to do anything about him." The Third Hokage smiled.

Jiraiya looked at it carefully for a while.

“It’s not an illusion, nor is it based on superhuman healing abilities. It must be some kind of unknown ability. However, it’s not difficult to break. Just throw him into the sea or lava, and there will always be a way to solve it,” Jiraiya pondered.

“Theoretically it is possible, but in reality it is very difficult. Hidan will not surrender easily, and Kaedeji, as a space-time ninja, can also intervene in time to rescue him.”

"That's true."

Jiraiya quickly noticed the strange ninjutsu that Minato kept trying and fell into deep thought.

Soon after, Kaede Tsukasa intervened, ending the battle that had become meaningless. The two were completely locked in a tug-of-war of attrition, having already tested and tried almost everything they wanted to, so there was no need to continue fighting.

"That's enough, let's stop here. Judging from your expressions, you've both gained a lot." Kaede Tsukasa appeared between the two.

"Damn, I can still fight! I can definitely beat this blond guy to death!! He hurt me so much!"

Hidan was furious: "I feel like it's almost time! As long as I can hurt him, even just a little bit! He'll get tired, he'll get exhausted, and his speed will slow down. Just give me a chance—"

Kaede interrupted, "This kind of assumption is meaningless. Minato could easily find an opportunity to dismember you and then throw your different body parts into different places, so that you can never be pieced back together. Even if you could continue to live, you wouldn't be able to do anything. You two are different types of ninjas, and you can only play your greatest role in different fields. There is no need to force a comparison."

"As expected, Hidan still has a powerful technique he hasn't used yet."

Minato was extremely excited. The amount of chakra this guy possessed was also a mystery. He repeatedly looked down at his palm, thoroughly enjoying himself. In the entire Hidden Leaf Village, who else could be as lively and energetic as Hidan, having been his live target for so long?
Absolutely not. The same technique, when applied to a ninja with a certain level of ability, feels completely different to Minato than when it hits a tree stump.

"What would happen if I were hit by Hidan's technique? It seems he needs to injure me to meet the activation conditions of that technique." Minato was very interested, but he wisely did not directly ask about the casting information of the unknown technique.

Kaede Tsukasa replied, "You will die, Minato, and even you will die. That's Hidan's ability; the conditions for its use are quite special, and its destructive effects are even more unique."

“…I roughly understand.”

Minato pondered for a moment. Could it be an incredibly powerful sealing technique? If he were injured, could he be sealed away?

As expected, a boy who can be favored by Kaede Tsukasa is definitely not that simple.

At that moment, an ANBU ninja appeared at the training ground.

"Minato Namikaze, the Hokage and Jiraiya are waiting for you at the Hokage Building."

"Oh? Jiraiya-sensei is finally back! That's great! I'm going to show him the results of my training!" Minato's eyes lit up.

"Jiraiya has finally come back. But then again, we had to face him sooner or later."

Kaede Tsukasa wasn't surprised unless Jiraiya actually became a rogue ninja.

"Well then, Lord Kaedeji, Hidan, thank you for today. I must go see my teacher now... I have a strong feeling that it won't be long before you once again shake the entire ninja world."

Hidan alone is enough to shatter people's worldviews, leaving them completely bewildered about this seemingly immortal guy, and making them feel that something is wrong with him in every way.

Furthermore, his ability to command a large number of corpses in battle is bizarre and unpredictable, making him an utterly sinister figure...

Well, a ghoul who plays with corpses and then raises an immortal disciple seems incredibly reasonable no matter how you look at it.

Kaede suddenly said, "Minato, I have nothing to teach you about your no-seal ninjutsu; you'll master it sooner or later. But regarding the Flying Thunder God Technique, I'll give you a direction... Throw out a large number of coordinate kunai, and while the kunai are still moving, continuously activate the Flying Thunder God Technique to create an effect of high-frequency attacks in a very short time."

The second stage of Flying Thunder God Technique is just a prototype; the zero form of Flying Thunder God Technique is the culmination of this fighting style.

"I understand, but it sounds very difficult and consumes a lot of chakra. I will work hard in this direction. Thank you for your guidance."

Minato's figure disappeared before the two of them.

Hidan, panting heavily, both angry and exhausted, looked on enviously: "Is this the Flying Thunder God Technique? Damn, it's so cool! I want to learn your Sky Realm Technique too."

"Your skill level is too low; you can't learn it for now. You can try using the Void Realm technique when you've established yourself in this world using physical skills and the Blood Possession Technique."

Kaede didn't mock Hidan's lofty ambitions; he thought it was a good thing that his highly valued disciple had such aspirations.

Outsiders only know that Kaede Tsukasa favors Hidan, but in reality, it's more than just favors. Kaede Tsukasa clearly knows that Hidan is the embodiment of the evil god, and that nurturing Hidan is equivalent to controlling the evil god.

Whether it's training a helper, controlling an evil god, or even having a compatible style, Hidan is the perfect candidate.

This guy doesn't think that corpse escape is morally wrong at all; on the contrary, he's clamoring to learn it completely.

“However, given your growth rate, this shouldn’t take long. Once you reach a level that satisfies me, I will formally teach you the Corpse Escape Technique,” ​​Kaede Tsukasa said.

To satisfy Kaede Tsukasa, at the very least, young Hidan cannot be worse than the peak Hidan of the original timeline!
Honestly, at his peak, Hidan was definitely the type to kill on first meeting. Even Kage-level shinobi could easily be defeated without knowing anything about Hidan. Asuma was the one who stepped on Hidan's landmine.

Even if it wasn't Asuma who died, someone else had to do the same thing, risking their own life to find out information about Hidan.

Once Hidan reaches that level now, with decent physical skills and the ability to skillfully activate Death Possession Blood, he'll be considered qualified.

"Oh? You really intend to teach me? Once I've learned it, with my talent, my mastery of Corpse Escape Technique might surpass yours in no time! Don't cry then!" Hidan said smugly.

"Will not."

Kaedeji did not provide further explanation.

By teaching Hidan the secret technique of Corpse Escape, he essentially brought Hidan into his system and granted him "secondary privileges."

For example, without Tsukasa Kaede's intentional control, Hidan can capture zombies in the wild and use them to assist him in combat.

Hidan can send zombies to attack enemies, and then strike suddenly while the enemy is distracted to steal their blood.

From this point of view alone, it can effectively enhance Hidan's combat power. It's like having a few more henchmen, which can provide him with more tactical options.

The technique of the Sky Realm is not unteachable. When Hidan selects a zombie and wants to use the Sky Realm technique to switch places, this request will be conveyed to Kaedeji. Kaedeji will then guide both of them to perform the technique simultaneously, and only then will Hidan be considered to have successfully performed the technique.

This is why no one can learn the Void Realm Technique without Tsukasa Kaede's approval. To perform the technique simultaneously on both the original body and the substitute body without the slightest deviation, the most basic requirement is to have a mind that can perfectly control two bodies at the same time, which is impossible for ordinary people.

As for the Reincarnation Technique, Kaedeji will not teach it. It's not that he thinks Hidan will lose control or anything like that; it's just that he thinks that this idiot Hidan is capable of anything, and if one day he's not careful, he might completely kill himself.

"However, relying on the evil god to obtain immortality and using the technique of self-reincarnation to transfer one's life force... it probably won't succeed. The evil god won't allow such a thing to happen."

Kaede thought about it for a moment, but had no interest in trying it, since it wouldn't be of any practical use.

Time passed slowly, and Jiraiya's return caused quite a stir. Generally speaking, people were happy for the return of this Hokage's disciple, but there was also a certain amount of resentment and indifference hidden within.

You disappeared during the height of World War II, and then suddenly reappeared long after the war ended, even if it was on a secret mission. But what mission can take three years to complete?

Jiraiya wasn't going to be a spy!

Kaedeji turned a deaf ear to the controversy surrounding him and had no intention of contacting Jiraiya. The two of them didn't have much of a relationship to begin with, and because of the mess in the Land of Rain, it was estimated that Jiraiya was unwilling to have any in-depth conversations with Kaedeji.

Kaede Tsukasa spends some time training Hidan every day. As Hidan's physical skills continue to improve, Kaede Tsukasa turns around and finds another physical skill master.

"Another one? Who is this unreliable old man?" Hidan grinned. He felt that after training for so long, his strength was already sufficient. No matter who the enemy was, he was confident that he could finish them off with his Death Possession Blood after just one slash.

"Hello, my name is Mighty, and it's an honor to spar with you! This is Lord Kaede's recognition of me, and I will do my best to not let Lord Kaede down!"

Might Guy was full of energy. As someone who was invisible in the village, only Sakumo Hatake and Tsukasa Kaede saw him and would talk to him seriously. They did not look down on him because of his poor talent, rigid training methods, and unusual behavior.

"You seem to have gotten stronger again. Has the physical technique you used in the Battle of the Land of Hot Springs improved again?" Kaedeji Tsukasa asked with a smile.

"Wow! I've already opened six gates. I feel that if I keep working hard, I can open the seventh gate within three years! The true meaning of youth is never giving up, and I will definitely not slack off in my training!"

Matt Daly clenched his fists, his eyes burning with the flame of determination.

He also had his own son, Might Guy. As a father, Might Guy felt that he had to set a good example no matter what, since he had nothing else to pass on to his son except the Eight Gates.

High-level ninjutsu? He doesn't have that kind of thing, and he doesn't know ninjutsu either.

Is it a magnificent secret technique? If the Eight Gates Formation is considered a secret technique, then this is it. However, this technique is not magnificent at all; on the contrary, it is quite "ugly." It requires day after day of arduous practice and countless times pushing one's physical limits to possibly master it.

"Is that so... You're really full of energy. Then I'll hand Hidan over to you. You can use the Eight Gates Technique to deal with Hidan without worrying about killing him. He's very tough, extremely tough."

"But the Eight Gates are a technique used to protect comrades—"

"Just treat him as if he's not an ally. Ordinary physical attacks won't do any good to this guy."

After saying this, Kaede Tsukasa left. From now on, Hidan could be left to his own devices, and he would refocus his attention on Orochimaru.

Orochimaru had completed all the preliminary research and accumulated enough experience. With the help of Kaede Tsukasa, he reached his current level much faster than in the original timeline.

"Oh, it's rare for Kaede-kun to come here early. Didn't you go and teach Hidan? Actually, you could send him here. Maybe I can figure out the principles of his body." Orochimaru chuckled hoarsely. He was indeed curious about Hidan.

"I don't need you. I've already figured out its principle. I might as well tell you. It comes from the power of an evil god, a supernatural entity, probably equivalent to the Grim Reaper in the Reaper Death Seal Technique."

Kaedeji flipped through the table and picked up the latest few documents from a large pile of research materials to read.

"Evil god, death god... I see. I thought Hidan was the result of Kaede-kun's painstaking research." Orochimaru suddenly realized that it involved gods, and wasn't it just corpse-style escapism?

"You don't know my level? I can't create someone like Hidan right now, and the corpses I control aren't used like that, nor is it necessary to use them like that."

Kaede glanced at the title of the document in his hand, "On the DNA Difference Analysis between Hematogenous and Non-Hematogenous Cells," and casually opened it for a quick look.

He knew what Orochimaru meant: if Kaede Tsukasa wanted to, he could use other worthless corpses to revive valuable ones and heal all their injuries at any time.

After they die in battle again, their ordinary, worthless corpses can be used to revive them again, endlessly. This is also what makes them "immortal ninjas".

If the resurrection process could be made more efficient, and even undetectable to the enemy, that would probably be like Hidan—but that would be too troublesome. Kaede Tsukasa wouldn't do something so unnecessary. He can command corpses to fight, so why would he need to deliberately resurrect them?

Orochimaru's thinking is rather unconventional, but that's a common characteristic of research-oriented geniuses.

"Your old friend is back, didn't you go to see him?" Kaedeji asked casually.

"Hmph, I have nothing to say to that idiot. He messed up a lot of things. Although I don't know exactly what happened, I can sense it to some extent. On the road to immortality, someone like him is just a stop along the way. Kaede-kun is different. I will rely on Kaede-kun in many ways."

"That's a matter for the future. Let's focus on the present. Has the Hokage still not given his consent?"

"Not at all. He's hesitant and has too much faith in Konoha's current strength. The constant incursions from Kumogakure aren't enough. Something bigger needs to provoke him."

Orochimaru lowered his voice: "So, Kaede-kun, do you have any ideas? Which tailed beast are you planning to deal with this time?"

“We don’t need to take the initiative to deal with it; the enemy will be unable to resist,” Kaedeji said. “The frequency of invasions from Iwagakure seems to be increasing. Many villagers have a high level of interest in Iwagakure and are cursing them, hoping to give Iwagakure another good beating.”

In the original timeline, Jiraiya, along with Minato and two others, would have participated in the battle against Iwagakure.

"Now it depends on how the Hokage plans to handle this matter. The Tsuchikage of Iwagakure is an ambitious guy who always looks for opportunities to do something. It's quite remarkable that he has been able to endure for so long since the end of World War II before making a move."

Kaede Tsukasa felt that his massacre of three hundred Cloud Village ninjas might have indirectly slowed down Onoki's pace and made Iwagakure more concerned.

Despite the concerns, the overall situation remains unchanged; what is bound to happen will happen. Konoha Village's inability to utilize the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki presents Iwagakure with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I wonder if the Third Hokage will send him into battle this time, and if so, in what form will he be dispatched?

Soon, Kaede found out, and a week later, Kaede arrived at the Hokage Building.

"That's how it is. Compared to the invasions by teams from other ninja villages, the Iwagakure village has been the most aggressive. The village has decided to retaliate forcefully and make them suffer."

The Third Hokage said, "They want to take advantage of this opportunity to bleed us dry. Why can't we seize the opportunity to wipe out the team they sent? However, according to reliable intelligence, things have changed."

“Jinchūriki? That’s the only thing I can think of. In terms of the number of top-tier ninjas, they can’t compare to us. In terms of absolute military strength, they can’t compare to us either. The only thing that can suppress us is that they have two jinchūriki who can be deployed at any time, while we can’t use ours,” Kaedeji said.

The Third Hokage was very satisfied: "That's right, you also have an extremely keen sense of tactics. The moment Iwagakure sent out Jinchuriki, it meant that the conflict between the two villages had escalated significantly."

Even the current Konoha Village would find it troublesome to face a Jinchūriki.

"Jiraiya has already left the village with his newly formed squad to snipe the enemy, but I'm worried he won't be able to handle it, so I need your assistance."

The Third Hokage exhaled a smoke ring and said in a deep voice, "Minato Namikaze from Jiraiya's team has mastered space-time ninjutsu, which allows him to move flexibly on the battlefield. The other person who possesses space-time ninjutsu is you."

“I see. If the opponent is a Jinchūriki, then many things do become unpredictable. I’m happy to accept this mission.” Kaede Tsukasa readily agreed.

He could tell that the Third Hokage was somewhat agitated.

Two Jinchuriki! Even during World War II, Konoha had never faced two Jinchuriki in a single battle, yet this had happened now. Even someone as strong as Jiraiya would be in a very passive position if he were simultaneously attacked by two Jinchuriki and other Iwagakure members.

"You fought against the Four-Tails Jinchuriki in the Land of Hot Water and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki in the Hidden Cloud Village, so you are no stranger to the Jinchuriki's fighting style. I'll leave it to you now."

The Third Hokage took out two documents: "This is the mission order. I'm also going to assign you two subordinates to make your team a standard four-person squad."

"Besides Hidan and me, who else is there?"

“A standard elite squad needs a medical ninja. I’ve decided to entrust you with Kato Dan’s niece, Shizune, and I’m also planning to transfer Senna Ibiki to your squad.”

"Lord Hokage, my team is still missing a sensory ninja. Ideally, I would be able to deal with one Jinchuriki, and the remaining three would also possess strong combat capabilities and endurance."

Kaede Tsukasa said, "I met Hyuga Hizashi of the Hyuga clan at a barbecue restaurant before, and he strongly recommended a young ninja named Hyuga Takashi to me."

The Third Hokage thought for a moment and vaguely remembered such a person as Hyuga Takashi. But to be honest, he didn't see any special talent in Hyuga Takashi. Relying on the Byakugan, he could at most become a role-playing ninja in the future, existing to cooperate with others.

"As far as I know, you also possess sensory abilities and don't need the assistance of the Hyuga clan's descendants. Besides, considering splitting up forces for combat now... isn't that a bit too early?" The Third Hokage was somewhat surprised.

His plan was to send Ibiki Morino, who had excellent interrogation and intelligence analysis skills, to Tsukasa Kaede, so that Kaede could gain some intelligence advantages.

But Kaede's suggestion was beyond his expectations.

How can Hidan, Shizune, and Hyuga Takashi be made capable of independent combat in battles involving at least two Jinchuriki?
Shizune is a medical ninja who plays a support role, and Hyuga Takashi doesn't have any powerful techniques. In fact, for the time being, no one in the entire Hyuga clan can use extremely violent techniques.

"So, it's Hidan? After these past few months of training, you think so highly of him? I'm worried that he won't be able to handle the pressure, not in terms of his mentality, but in terms of his strength."

The Third Hokage also realized that Hidan was a simple-minded guy who, relying on his immortality, showed no fear or cowardice. There was basically no need to consider the extreme possibility that he would abandon his teammates and run away.

However, since the opponent is a Jinchūriki, it is difficult to predict how much strength he can unleash.

"Don't worry about that. I will try to teach Hidan the Corpse Escape Technique. His performance will definitely be satisfactory. He may not achieve any outstanding feats, but he will be more than capable of protecting his teammates."

Hyuga Takashi locks on, Hidan goes in as a super tank and invincible damage dealer, and Shizune is responsible for healing. This is a very standard mission team. No matter what happens, this kind of team has a very strong ability to withstand pressure.

As long as Hidan, the core member, doesn't collapse, the other two can remain stable. But Hidan is unlikely to die, so the collapse is impossible.

Of course, there's nothing that can be done in the extreme case of being hit in the face by a Tailed Beast Ball. Currently, no one in the entire Hidden Leaf Village has the ability to block a Tailed Beast Ball head-on. They can only use various means to try to change the trajectory of the Tailed Beast Ball.

During the final battle at the Valley of the End, the five Rashomon gates summoned by Hashirama Senju were all pierced by a single Tailed Beast Ball from the fully-formed Nine-Tails. Even though the Four-Tails and Five-Tails are far weaker than the Nine-Tails, their Tailed Beast Balls are not easily blocked.

"Alright, you're the captain, and you're more qualified than anyone else to select squad members who fit the tactical system. From today onwards, Shizune and Hyuga Takashi will be your subordinates. I hope you can mentor these three new generation members well," the Third Hokage said with a smile.

Now it depends on Kaedeji's leadership skills and ability to mentor younger colleagues.

Although Kaedeji Tsukasa had previously wiped out a 300-man army of Kumogakure single-handedly, proving that he was fully capable of fighting independently, it would be absolutely worthwhile if he could train the next generation, deepen his bonds with others, and unconsciously enhance his sense of identity with the village.

This is why the Third Hokage was willing to have a brief exchange with Hidan. He saw that Kaede Tsukasa was not withdrawn and isolated, but was willing to select suitable young men to train, which made him very happy.

Now I'm even happier. Kaedeji's initiative in selecting personnel means that he is also constantly deepening his understanding of his other comrades. Only with this understanding can he make tactical choices.

After leaving the Hokage Building, Kaede Tsukasa went to find Kato Dan, but Tsunade opened the door instead.

"Tsunade-senpai, it seems you two are officially living together now. When are you getting married?"

Kaede Tsukasa was not surprised at all.

Tsunade rolled her eyes: "We'll have to wait a while, probably next year or the year after."

With Mito Uzumaki dead, Tsunade, as a granddaughter, still had to consider the impact and try to prolong the time between her wedding and funeral as much as possible. In any case, neither she nor Dan Kato were in a hurry.

As Kaede Tsukasa entered Kato Dan's house and took off his shoes, a young girl walked towards him.

Upon seeing Kaede Tsukasa, the girl nervously bowed her head and stammered as she spoke.

"Mr. Kaede, please take good care of me in the future."

"It seems you already knew about this beforehand. Did the Hokage specifically mention it to you? Well then, please take good care of me. I'm sure you'll be able to use your talents in my team."

Kaede Tsukasa spoke with a smile.

Don't underestimate the importance of Shizune. Her uncle is Dan Kato, and her aunt will be Tsunade in the future. They are definitely a well-established and important reserve force for the Hokage lineage. It's no exaggeration to pay close attention to them.

“I told her that the Third Generation sometimes likes to launch surprise attacks. I told Shizune to prepare herself mentally in advance. The situation at the border is not very stable right now, and we might be sent to the battlefield at any time.”

Tsunade said, "Even though the Fourth Shinobi World War is over, the border conflicts continue, and spies from various ninja villages are very active. They've been cleared out one after another, which has tied up a lot of resources in the villages. It's really troublesome."

Kato Dan had already prepared tea for Kaede Tsukasa and said with a smile, "When I heard that you brought back a boy from the Land of Hot Springs, I knew that the Hokage would make arrangements sooner or later. Shizune is a good child, and it is just right to place her under Tsukasa's command."

This was the consistent style of the Third Hokage: to strive to build bonds between everyone, constructing a complex yet well-ordered network that ultimately supported the vast Hidden Leaf Village.

As a disciple of Kaede Tsukasa, Hidan's status alone is enough for the village to value him, not to mention his unique immortality. This makes it even more important for Hidan to establish a strong bond with the village, so it is essential to equip Hidan with companions.

"Well then, Shizune, come to the courtyard outside first. I want to see just how far your talent has come before we consider how Hidan can cooperate with you. Hidan's situation is rather special; he doesn't really need a medical ninja, but he desperately does."

"what?"

Shizune didn't quite understand, but she still strictly followed Kaedeji's instructions.

Three days later, at the gates of Konoha.

Kaede looked at the three boys and girls in front of him. All three were eleven or twelve years old and appeared full of youthful vigor.

However, even combined, these three people don't have as much vitality as Kaede Tsukasa.

“Normally, I would lead you on some simple D-level missions, such as weeding or feeding pets. But the situation is urgent now, and we don’t have enough time to waste. We have to go straight to the battlefield and see blood.”

Kaede looked at the three men, who were full of fighting spirit—don't get me wrong, he didn't have that kind of look in his eyes that was "full of his younger self"—when he was eleven or twelve years old, he wasn't as...healthy as these three men.

Hidan brandished his giant scythe and shouted, "It should have been like this a long time ago! It would have been better to start with an S-rank mission from the beginning, that would have suited my needs!"

Shizune and Hinata looked over. In the past two days, at Kaede Tsukasa's request, they had undergone some combat training and learned about each other's abilities. They also knew that their most important task was to assist Hidan in combat.

Hidan is immortal, so as long as nothing goes wrong, their safety can be guaranteed to the greatest extent. Even if they are targeted by the enemy, it will be the result of Hidan drawing away a large portion of their forces.

"I will do my best..." Shizune said firmly.

Hyuga Takashi's expression was serious: "Lord Hizashi requires me to strictly obey your orders no matter what happens. Even if it means death, I will not hesitate. There are no cowards in the Hyuga clan who are afraid of battle."

"You guys are really motivated, so I won't waste too much time encouraging you. Let's go."

The four figures officially left Konoha Village and headed west towards Konoha.

……

Jiraiya's team has already engaged in combat with the invading team from Iwagakure and achieved some results.

In peacetime, small-team intrusion operations are the mainstream, and a team of a dozen or so people is considered large. Most operations consist of teams of several people to carry out specific combat missions.

Jiraiya, along with his three subordinates, defeated two small teams from Iwagakure, killing seven people and extracting valuable information from them, achieving considerable success.

"It has been confirmed that the enemy's Jinchuriki has entered the Land of Fire. This means that an unimaginable battle could occur at any time, but it is impossible to determine which Jinchuriki it is."

"Whether it's a four-tailed or a five-tailed beast, there's really no difference. These two tailed beasts have a similar number of tails, so their overall strength should be about the same."

"Dekayi, can you please stop arguing with me all the time?"

Two members of the team had a brief argument.

Jiraiya said in a deep voice, "Alright, I know you two are on good terms, so don't dwell on it. We need to prepare for the worst and stop the enemy's advance no matter what. It would be best to defeat the enemy's Jinchuriki before they go berserk, otherwise, once they enter full Tailed Beast form and unleash their Tailed Beast Ball, many towns in the Land of Fire could be affected, or even completely destroyed."

This is where luck comes into play.

Jiraiya felt that he wasn't confident he could send every Tailed Beast Ball into the sky, so the best solution was to prevent the enemy from fully transforming into a Tailed Beast.

"Minato, have you found anything?" Jiraiya turned to look at Minato, who had just appeared beside him.

The other two team members also looked at Minato Namikaze with admiration. Minato's performance was simply too dazzling. His Flying Thunder God Technique was practically unbeatable, and he could always kill the enemy before they could even react.

"The situation is not good. Three squads nearby have lost contact, and the enemy is doing the same thing as us, killing our men in the shortest amount of time."

Minato quickly said, "If nothing unexpected happens, the enemy is already heading this way. There are several wealthy towns in the area behind us. If the enemy's goal is to destroy the Land of Fire's economy and weaken the village's war potential, they certainly won't let this area go."

"Yes, that's exactly right. Then we can't let them get through. We must stop them."

Jiraiya said, "I have already asked the village for help. The village will probably send strong reinforcements. We must hold on until they arrive."

(End of this chapter)