Scientific Research Institute...
"Has it been successful?" Chiro took a sip of tea, looking at Hiruko, who was frowning as he studied something, and said, "We don't have much time."
Time was becoming increasingly tight. To alleviate the pressure of insufficient military strength, the country had already dispatched fleets to the Land of Hot Water to bring back the citizens and military personnel from there, abandoning the territory in the Land of Hot Water.
Of course...
The people of the Land of Hot Water who were willing to follow the Land of Eddies also came along.
It could be said that this was simply a disgrace for the Land of Eddies, to abandon their own territory and flee...
Sigh, when the Land of Eddies rescued the people of the Land of Hot Water, that territory became the Land of Eddies'. So...
Many Uzu troops were furious, but for the sake of the overall situation, they had no choice but to do this.
"Still a bit short." Hiruko sighed and said, "The Impure World Reincarnation can only reincarnate the deceased in their state before death, but you understand..."
Director Madara died of old age. Even if he is reincarnated, he would probably only be able to sit in a wheelchair.
Then, he looked up at the steaming hot tea in Chiro's hand...
"Pour me a cup too. Recently, staying up late has turned quite a bit of my hair white."
He didn't even dare drink beer anymore; now he could only drink some health tea to nourish his body...
"Your hair was already white." Chiro said irritably while pouring tea, "It's the same whether you drink it or not."
He had always remained so young...
Thinking of this, Chiro couldn't help but sigh inwardly...
He never expected that after so many years, his own son was now old enough to marry and have children. Indeed...
He was no longer young.
A slight smile lifted the corners of Chiro's mouth. He handed the tea to Hiruko and said, "Do you really plan to live alone for the rest of your life?"
"No!" Hiruko didn't even look up, frowning as he looked at the experimental records in his hand, and said, "I'll probably end up living a lonely life together with Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade."
Speaking of this, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly...
He never thought that in the end, all four of their group would end up single!!
"What should we do?"
Looking at the large pile of materials in front of him, Hiruko scratched his head in frustration...
"I don't want to be accused of cheating by the boss at the market pork stall!"
"Lifespan is inherently irreversible." Chiro spread his hands helplessly and said, "Unless you're a god, and besides..."
"I only understand machinery-related things."
Sorry, not my area of expertise, can't help!
"I wonder how Orochimaru's research is going?" Hiruko sighed, put down the materials in his hand, and murmured, "I hope it can be completed in time."
...
Land of Eddies, Hospital...
"Kushina Mama." Itachi came in holding a cup of hot water and said, "Here is the hot water."
"Itachi is so well-behaved!" Kushina smiled and took the water. Looking at her bulging belly, she said, "What about Mikoto? And the child? How are they?"
"Mama and little brother are both fine." Itachi sat on a small stool, a smile on his little face, and said, "And Mama has already been discharged from the hospital. Now, little brother is being looked after by Aunt Kyoko."
As soon as he finished speaking...
"Pfft!!!" The water she had just drunk in her mouth immediately sprayed out. Kushina turned her head and looked at Itachi in shock, saying, "It's only been a few days, is Mikoto trying to get herself killed?"
"Mm-hmm." Itachi nodded his little head and said, "Aunt Kyoko said that too, but Mama said, shinobi cannot be judged by common sense!"
"..."
What does that have to do with being a shinobi?
This is risking your life!!
Kushina quickly looked at Itachi and said, "Go, quickly call your Riki Grandpa and have him bring her back."
"Otherwise..."
She held her belly...
"It would be troublesome if something goes wrong!"
However, as soon as the words fell...
"No need."
A helpless voice suddenly came from the doorway...
"I'm already back." Mikoto, holding the child, walked in with a helpless expression and said, "I was caught as soon as I stepped out. Probably Aunt Kyoko secretly made the call."
"Do you want to die?" Kushina looked at Mikoto with a serious expression and said, "You need to know that both Itachi and the child need you!"
"But..." Mikoto fell silent for a moment, sighed, and said, "I am a shinobi after all!"
The frontline was short on troops. All the teachers from the academy had gone, only she, a teacher from the academy, remained here...
"And, I cannot just watch the Land of Eddies be destroyed."
She handed the child in her arms to Itachi, showing a smile...
"Itachi, you must protect your little brother, okay!"
"..."
Hearing Mikoto's words, Kushina also fell silent for a moment. She raised her fist, showing a fierce expression, and said, "When Uzumaki Jun gets back, I'll help you beat him up!!"
Then, she paused, and sighed again...
"Where on earth has Jun-nii gone?"
And at this moment, no one noticed...
Itachi, sitting to the side holding the child, had a gentle smile on his face, but...
His eyes were constantly shifting...
...
The sky...
Was still so blue!
Kakashi lazily leaned against a tree, looking up at the azure sky, and stretched...
How many years had it been?
He had forgotten what the sky of Konoha looked like.
A trace of self-mockery unconsciously appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he murmured, "The village probably forgot about us, right?"
But...
This was just self-mockery.
Because he believed that Sensei Minato would never forget them...
"Sensei, he..."
Kakashi stared blankly at the sky...
"Must be having a hard time in the village, right?"
Given Konoha's current situation, wanting to change it to be like the Land of Eddies was no less difficult than climbing to the sky!
Otherwise, why was his father back then hurt by the rumors in Konoha and ultimately chose...
Suicide?
Kakashi stretched out his right hand, as if trying to catch a cloud slowly drifting into his field of vision, then clenched his fist tightly...
"Father, he ah!"
"Was really a fool."
He closed his eyes, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned...
"But..."
I am just like that fool of a father...
'I love Konoha too!'
If Konoha really changes...
Then let us shinobi change Konoha again!
"Sensei Minato..."
If no one in the village helps you...
Don't forget your student!
Then...
He flipped down from the tree...
"One hour of sunbathing is enough." Kakashi twisted his body and returned to his lazy demeanor, saying, "I should go back to the dormitory and rest."
He glanced at the Uzu-nin next to him, who always maintained a stern expression, sighed, and shook his head...
"I wonder how the war is going?"
Because of the war, they didn't need to go out to work anymore. Staying in the reform camp was quite leisurely. Moreover, it seemed that due to the shortage of troops at the front, the number of Uzu-nin guarding them had decreased significantly, as they had all gone to the front.
Of course...
Recently, the guard had become much stricter. If anything suspicious was discovered, they would be arrested for questioning...
But they weren't starved; three meals a day continued as usual. It's just that the aunt and uncle in the cafeteria seemed to dislike them very much...
Their hands trembled far too much.
If it weren't for the free refills of rice, they probably would have starved to death.
A self-mocking smile appeared on Kakashi's face as he murmured, "We haven't even thought about escaping."
Even if they escaped back now, probably no one in the village would believe them.
And this...
Was war!
Especially for shinobi like them who had studied the Red Doctrine...
According to the thinking of the village higher-ups, for the stability of Konoha, their outcome could only be to become heroes, enter the heroes' cemetery, and silently dedicate themselves to Konoha...
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly as he sighed with emotion, "The Red Doctrine ah~"
...
"What are you doing here?" Hoshigaki Fuguki looked suspiciously at Pakkun Jūzō, who was wearing a shinobi flak jacket, and said, "It's wartime now. The higher-ups told us not to go out randomly."
Are you...
Trying to get yourself killed!!!
"I'm planning to go to the frontlines." A ferocious smile appeared on Pakkun Jūzō's face as he said, "My son is fighting for his life on the frontlines. As his father, a former strong shinobi of Kirigakure, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, how can I turtle up in the rear?"
"You know, I used to be that brat's hero! Now that brat has grown up, his wings have hardened, he actually dares to talk back to his old man, mocking him for being old. It's time to let him see that his old man..."
He narrowed his eyes, revealing a dangerous glint...
"Is always his old man!!!"
"But over all these years, you've really only been killing fish." Hoshigaki Fuguki helplessly held his forehead and said, "Haven't seen human blood at all."
Plus, you are a bit old now...
Can you still wield a killing blade?
"Hmph!" Hearing Hoshigaki Fuguki's words, Pakkun Jūzō glared at him and said, "Shinobi cannot be judged by common sense."
"What does that have to do with being a shinobi!" Hoshigaki Fuguki retorted irritably, "Even the God of Shinobi couldn't resist the erosion of time!"
However...
Pakkun Jūzō didn't pay any more attention to Hoshigaki Fuguki. Instead, he finished packing the things he needed and walked out the door.
Hoshigaki Fuguki sighed helplessly, looked at the banner hanging on the wall and the weapons he had captured from the enemy during his great efforts in the Third War, then turned his head and looked at Pakkun Jūzō's retreating back, shouting loudly, "You should still come with me!"
With your skills...
You're only good at slaughtering fish quickly.
...
Year 48 of Konoha Calendar, Year 20 of the Red Doctrine, August...
Originally, the Land of Eddies, which only defended one port, although the situation was quite severe, could still hold on. After all...
The port was only so big; no matter how many people there were, they had to queue up obediently!
But now, because the Allied Shinobi Villages suddenly dispersed their forces, the Land of Eddies was forced to also disperse its forces. Immediately...
This caused a serious shortage of troops...
At this critical moment, a number of free shinobi suddenly appeared in the Land of Eddies...
It turned out to be a group of shinobi from various villages who had been captured before and later integrated into the Land of Eddies!
They formed their own defense forces and dispersed to various frontlines of the Land of Eddies to assist in its defense.
This slightly alleviated the situation of insufficient troops in the Land of Eddies.
But everyone knew...
Facing the aggressive onslaught of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, with just this little military strength, if they didn't think of a solution soon, the Land of Eddies would be in trouble!
...
And at this time, in the Biological Research Institute...
A man with long black hair and a pale face looked at the materials in front of him, licked his lips, revealed a smile, and murmured in a hoarse voice, "So that's how it is!"
"The Life Potion of the Land of Eddies, truly interesting!!"