Chapter 239: Ninja World Training Ground
The ninja world was shifting like stormy seas, thrown into chaos by the Akatsuki organization. With the tides turning so quickly, it had become nearly impossible for any faction to find stable footing.
In the midst of this, the Rain Country—now under the Hyuga's leadership—was like a massive ship cutting steadily through the waves. Silent and unnoticed by many, this vessel sailed with quiet determination.
At that time, few even knew of this metaphorical ship's existence—fewer still had dared to climb aboard.
Once hidden under the overwhelming light of Konoha, the Hyuga clan had always been known throughout the ninja world for their bloodline powers. Yet, their contributions were always credited to Konoha. To the outside world, the Hyuga were renowned for their perception and sensory prowess, perhaps with some aptitude in taijutsu. But without Konoha's military backing, they were viewed as lacking true offensive strength.
In comparison to the five great nations, the Hyuga's reputation was underwhelming.
In fact, had the Akatsuki not appeared when they did, certain factions might have already made secret moves to infiltrate the Rain Country and steal the Hyuga bloodline. Such things were common during periods of clan migration. And if there was no hard evidence of foul play, even the Rain Country—despite being allied with the other nations—couldn't expect the alliance to intervene.
To many forces in the ninja world, Hinata and the Hyuga clan seemed like easy prey. A ripe, defenseless sheep.
But they were wrong. Hidden beneath that sheepskin was a ferocious tiger—one even Konoha had been forced to acknowledge.
---
"Let… let us go?" someone asked.
In the inner city of the Rain Country's capital, inside the Hyuga estate, Ryosuke sat facing three guests from another world. Armin was their leader.
"No," Ryosuke replied flatly. "Just the two of you… and the cat. Armin stays."
He leaned forward slightly. "He's just a normal guy. He'll remain in junior high."
Armin's aptitude for strategic thinking might not have been weak, but growing up in the ninja world without formal education or war experience left him lacking in real tactical grounding. He wasn't ready to be a strategist yet.
"I don't have the strength to fight anyway," Armin said with a chuckle, glancing at his companions. "If I went with you, I'd only slow you down."
"The country is developing rapidly. It's better for me to stay behind and assist Mr. Saki Yu in revitalizing the Rain Country."
Armin was keenly aware of his role—and willingly followed Ryosuke's decision. Not because he was blindly loyal, but because he understood the logic.
Since they lacked combat strength, forcing their way into missions would only burden those around them. Better to earn trust through obedience—and by making themselves useful.
Ryosuke had revealed their identities and even offered a way home. That was reason enough to cooperate. And if they ever hoped to receive further support from the clan, they'd need to prove their value.
"But Eren's just a regular guy too. He only picked up a bit of swordsmanship," Mikasa said suddenly, breaking her silence.
"I can do this alone. It's just a declaration of war, right? I can go by myself."
"Fewer people means less chance of detection. I'll sneak in and deliver the letter. Simple."
"Don't underestimate me, Mikasa," Eren said, fists clenched. "I've worked hard over the years. I've trained to become a warrior—I can complete the mission!"
"I don't have chakra. As a samurai, I can move through a ninja village more discreetly than you."
Mikasa turned sharply. "Don't be reckless, Eren."
"You think I'm weak?" he snapped back. "You're looking down on me!"
As their bickering escalated, Armin could only glance at Ryosuke awkwardly and offer a silent apology for their outburst. Clearly, scenes like this weren't new to him—or to the ninja world.
Ryosuke, however, remained unfazed. He simply watched, thoughtful.
It wasn't hard to see what was happening.
As Mikasa matured into a capable ninja, her once-quiet nature had transformed into a strong and outward resolve. Her combat strength had sharpened her spirit. And due to her childhood, her affection—and protectiveness—toward Eren had only grown.
Her ultimate goal was simple: keep Eren safe.
On the other hand, Eren had a fierce pride. He couldn't bear being treated as someone who needed protection. When he realized he couldn't become a ninja, he immediately chose another path—training as a samurai instead. That alone spoke volumes about his willpower.
They were each other's most important person. Each wanted to protect the other in their own way.
But in a world where ninja and samurai operated on vastly different strengths, their paths were bound to clash. Their love made them fight—precisely because they cared.
But…
"The truth is, Eren is not just an ordinary person."
Ryosuke's voice was calm but firm, cutting clean through the tension.
Though soft, it echoed inside their minds like a jutsu-induced whisper, cooling their tempers instantly.
The three turned to him, confused.
Ryosuke didn't keep them waiting. "There's a powerful force within you. I sensed it the moment I met you."
"This force is why I chose you to deliver the letter."
"But this letter isn't something you just sneak in, drop off, and walk away from."
Eren froze. "...A powerful force?"
Excitement flickered in his eyes—alongside disbelief.
"Ryosuke-sama, are you saying… I have chakra?"
"You don't," Ryosuke replied, shaking his head. "This power doesn't belong to a ninja."
Armin leaned in, voice serious. "Then… is it dangerous? And how would Eren even learn to control it?"
Ryosuke considered the question.
"It might affect him. That depends on the strength of his will," he said. "But since the power belongs to him, there must be a way to master it."
He turned his gaze fully on Eren.
"Remember this: the belief and will to grow stronger."
"When you're truly at the edge—facing life or death—your desire for strength will awaken something deep inside you. Your own body will guide you."
True change always comes at the precipice of death. That's a constant, no matter the world.
The boundary between life and death teaches people more than any mentor ever could.
Grasping the insights gained at this stage can bring about earth-shaking changes in a person.
But... the cost of failure is just as high.
Eren, who had been somewhat excited at first, now looked visibly confused.
"Life and death crisis? It's not like I haven't faced them over the years. But I've never felt the sensation that Lord Ryosuke described."
"Perhaps it's because your sense of crisis isn't strong enough. Maybe your will and conviction aren't sharp enough..."
Ryosuke replied indifferently. "Let me first explain your mission this time, old cat."
"I'm here."
Just as he finished speaking, a fat gray cat trotted in through the doorway and spoke in human language.
"Any mission, Ryosuke?"
A talking cat? Probably a summoning beast of the Hyuga clan.
Eren and the other two glanced at the gray cat, who easily leapt onto the table, but didn't seem particularly surprised.
"This time, the mission is simple. Miss Mikasa will serve as the captain, leading Mr. Eren—and you."
As Ryosuke spoke, he picked up several scrolls from the table and pushed them in front of them.
"There are one hundred and twenty-four bodies sealed in here. That's half the number of ninjas we encountered during our recent migration."
There were still dark red bloodstains dried on the scrolls, and the pungent scent of blood was unmistakable.
The smell made Armin frown, a creeping sense of dread welling up inside him.
"We Hyuga have stood for thousands of years. We are not like those small-time factions who work in the shadows, afraid to act openly."
Ryosuke's voice was calm as he delivered the mission, "You are to bring this scroll to Hidden Cloud Village in the Land of Lightning. Unseal these 124 corpses in public view, and deliver our message."
"In two months, we will send another team of fifty ninjas, carrying the remaining 124 bodies, to Hidden Cloud Village."
"As for this covert ambush, the Hyuga clan will not demand explanations or compensation. We will act on our own—and we will collect the price ourselves."
"No! This is too dangerous, Ryosuke-sama!"
Before he could continue, Armin protested loudly. "Even if the Hyuga want to build their reputation and attract talented individuals, there's no need to use such extreme methods!"
"I have my reasons. I know you're concerned for your two friends."
Ryosuke's tone left no room for doubt. "But didn't I say Eren needed an opportunity to grow?"
"But this opportunity is too dangerous."
Mikasa stepped forward, her brows furrowed. "You're not even certain Eren can master the power you spoke of. This is practically a death sentence!"
Ryosuke calmly asked, "If you're guaranteed to survive, is it still a life-and-death crisis?"
Before Mikasa could answer, he continued,
"Besides… your mission is only a warm-up—just to deliver a message. If all goes smoothly, you'll have a chance to retreat safely. The real danger lies in the direct confrontation in two months."
It was clear that Ryosuke had made up his mind. There would be no negotiation.
The room fell silent.
Eren, Mikasa, and Armin looked grim, while the old cat on the table remained relaxed, licking his paw like none of it concerned him.
"If you're really going to force this mission… then I want to go alone."
Mikasa finally broke the silence. "To increase the success rate, I request to carry out the mission solo."
"I'm not forcing anyone."
Ryosuke shrugged. "This is the mission. You're the captain. Whether you go alone or take the two of them, it's up to you."
"If you don't bring me, I'll just follow you in secret."
Eren, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.
"Eren!"
...
A man and a woman in their twenties—considered old in the ninja world—began arguing over a mission.
Ryosuke had no interest in watching them bicker. He simply waved his hand, asking the three of them to go outside and settle the matter among themselves.
As for the outcome… he already had a prediction.
The one who gives more is always more likely to compromise. Mikasa's obsession with protecting Eren had weakened her stance in this argument.
That was also why Ryosuke hadn't assigned a fixed task force. Forcing the team setup might have led to resentment.
"Master Ryosuke..."
The old cat jumped off the table and onto Ryosuke's shoulder.
"So it's finally starting? The unification of the ninja world?"
"Unification?"
Ryosuke gave him a puzzled glance. "Who told you that our clan has such a plan?"
"A lot of clan members are talking about it."
The old cat spoke lazily, "First, we migrated and took control of the Land of Rain. Now we're preparing to display our power to the entire ninja world. After that, we'll launch wars from the Rain Country, conquer the surrounding nations, and finally unify the ninja world."
Having spent enough time in Hoshicai's squad, his presence had gradually been absorbed into the Hyuga group. Most of the clan members knew him, and he had overheard plenty of conversations among the "common" folks that differed from top-level discussions.
"They're free to speculate."
Ryosuke laughed.
"We have no plans to unify the ninja world. That kind of ambition doesn't serve the clan's future."
"Huh?"
The old cat tilted his head, clearly not understanding.
"It's like the ongoing rivalry between your army and the one under Iroha's command."
Ryosuke patiently explained to his 'nominal disciple,' "Competition fosters growth."
"Even if the Hyuga could wipe out all opposition and unify the ninja world in the near future, it wouldn't benefit us. Managing that many people would only drag down our progress."
"Our real goal is to explore other worlds. That's the true stage. The ninja world is just a beginner's village—a training camp for rookies."
As he spoke, he walked into his room with the cat still on his shoulder.
The large chessboard that had once sat in his room back in Konoha had been moved here.
"There's no need to reveal our plans for other-world exploration to every member of the clan. There's no reason to even let them know the full extent of the power we control."
"Competition makes us stronger."
"If we unify the ninja world, wiping out all 'controllable' enemies, where would we train our forces? Instead, we should act from the shadows—manipulating the development of other factions."
"Let them become the stepping stones to strengthen our own people."
"Only those who can stand firm within the ninja world deserve to rise as elites—
They'll join the expeditions into other realms and become part of our legions."
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