The sun dipped below the horizon, and dusk swallowed the sky in shades of crimson.
After completing his Sage Mode training, Kitazawa returned from Shikkotsu Forest to Konoha. Instead of heading home, he paused briefly—then shifted space with Flying Thunder God and arrived at the ANBU base.
He pushed open the office door.
"Konan, has Iruka been here?"
"He came two hours ago," Konan replied calmly, producing a scroll. "He left this for you."
Kitazawa accepted it and unrolled the parchment.
As expected, it contained the rankings from the recent theoretical exam.
The top positions were largely unchanged. The true battlefield lay in the lower ranks, where competition had turned fierce with the arrival of four new students.
Even so, Rock Lee still stubbornly clung to last place.
Among the newcomers, Hanabi had performed the best—her score nearly breaking into the top thirty.
For someone who had studied for barely a month, that was nothing short of impressive.
Kitazawa's thoughts drifted to the demon-slaying bow he had prepared for her.
Not yet.
He would wait until she mastered Sixty-Four Palms. An archer without close-combat capability was incomplete.
He rolled up the scroll.
"Konan, I'll be away on a mission starting tomorrow. About a week. You don't need to follow."
A faint smile touched his lips.
"You have free time."
Konan understood the deeper meaning instantly.
A week off meant she could return to Amegakure… and the Akatsuki.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
"See you next week."
He stood and left without another word.
—
The next morning. 9 a.m.
The Genius Class assembled on the Training Ground.
Kitazawa stood before them, announcing the squad assignments.
There were now seven squads—thanks to the addition of Yamato and the expanding class roster.
"Squad Seven will be led by me," he said calmly. "Members: Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuga Hinata, and Shion."
He folded the roster.
"Those whose names were called—report to your respective squad leaders."
"Kitazawa-sensei!"
Hinata hurried forward, her pale eyes shining with barely contained excitement.
"Let's go," he said, patting her gently on the head.
The rest of the class would remain under Iruka's supervision for individual ranking matches.
Kitazawa's attention, however, lay elsewhere.
Hanabi and the other newcomers would likely struggle. Even if the top twenty-one didn't participate, the remaining students of the Genius Class were leagues above ordinary academy peers.
Seven Jonin instructors.
Multiple elemental techniques.
Standards far beyond the norm.
—
As they walked toward the village gate, Kitazawa began explaining.
"Our mission target is Akahoshi—the acting Star Kage of Hidden Star Village. He seized power by assassinating the Third Star Kage."
"Our objective: defeat him and oversee the selection of a new Star Kage."
Shion blinked. "Why is their leader called 'Star Kage'? Aren't only the five great villages allowed to use "Kage"?
Kitazawa smiled faintly.
"That's what you call not knowing one's place."
Understanding dawned on her face.
It was a self-proclaimed title. The Five Great Villages simply didn't bother correcting them.
"How strong is he?" Sasuke asked, eyes sharpening.
Ever since his crushing defeats against Uzumaki Naruto, he had been hungry for a fight.
"Joining level," Kitazawa replied. "Stronger if he draws on the meteorite's power."
"Meteorite?"
Kitazawa explained briefly the founding of Hidden Star Village, the mysterious celestial stone, and the cultivation technique known as Kujaku Myōhō.
Sasuke's lips curved faintly.
"Sounds interesting. I hope he doesn't disappoint."
Hinata hesitated before speaking.
"Kitazawa-sensei… are we the only ones on this mission?"
He smiled.
"There's one more teammate."
They reached the Hokage building's entrance.
Waiting there stood Tsunade, clad in her green haori emblazoned with the kanji for "gambling."
"Hokage-sama," Sasuke and the others greeted in unison.
"Tsunade-sensei," Kitazawa added.
"We'll travel normally to Hidden Star Village," he said. "After the mission, we'll return via Flying Thunder God."
Tsunade nodded once.
"Let's move."
—
The five of them departed Konoha.
The Land of Bears lay far from the Land of Fire—nestled between the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind, bordering the Land of Demons.
At a steady shinobi pace, the journey would take roughly three days.
By nightfall, they reached the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers.
"We'll rest here," Kitazawa decided.
Hand seals flashed.
"Wood Release: Four Pillar House."
From the earth rose an elegant wooden structure, sturdy and warm.
Tsunade stepped inside first, stretching lazily.
"Finally."
"You three rest," Kitazawa said. "I'll prepare dinner."
"Yes, sensei."
Sasuke and Shion entered the living room.
Hinata, however, remained behind.
She stood still, fingers nervously clutching the edge of her jacket.
Her breathing was shallow.
Kitazawa noticed.
"Hinata?" he asked gently. "Is something wrong?"
Her pale eyes trembled slightly as she looked up at him.
"Th-that… I… I can cook."
Hinata lowered her head, fingers twisting together, cheeks tinged pink.
Kitazawa studied her for a moment, then nodded.
"Alright. Then make your best dish."
"Mm!"
Her eyes lit up instantly, nervousness giving way to quiet joy.
He rummaged through his supplies and handed her a white apron. "It won't fit perfectly. Make do."
Hinata carefully folded it to adjust the length before tying it around herself. It was slightly oversized, but it worked.
"What are you making?" Kitazawa asked, gently pinching her cheek.
"Tempura," she replied after a brief hesitation.
She knew other dishes… but frying was safer. Even if her seasoning faltered, tempura would still taste decent.
"Good choice."
Kitazawa unsealed a storage scroll. Fresh ingredients appeared one after another.
Ever since mastering Ice Release, preserving food had become effortless. He stored ice within the summoning scroll and periodically refroze it to prevent melting.
Convenient. Efficient.
Very ninja.
—
Before long, four dishes and one soup were laid out neatly on the wooden table.
"This was made by Hinata," Kitazawa announced with a smile. "Try it."
Hinata gripped her chopsticks nervously.
Tsunade picked up a fried shrimp, bit into it, and chewed thoughtfully.
"It's good."
Shion's eyes brightened. "It's delicious!"
Sasuke said nothing but gave a silent nod.
Hinata finally exhaled, tension melting from her shoulders.
After dinner, they returned to training.
Hinata practiced her World-Ending Arrow.
Shion focused on medical ninjutsu fundamentals.
Sasuke, lacking Naruto as a sparring partner, chose to refine his Hatake swordsmanship.
Kitazawa observed quietly for a while, then noticed Tsunade was gone.
He headed upstairs.
The door creaked open.
Tsunade lay sprawled across the bed, utterly unconcerned with decorum. Her sleeveless top clung tightly to her figure; her green haori lay discarded nearby.
"How long will they train?" she asked lazily, lips curving.
"Until nine," Kitazawa replied. "About two hours."
"Plenty of time, then."
She stood. The cloth slipped to the floor.
Kitazawa's breath caught—not because he hadn't seen her before, but because the sight never failed to stir him.
She turned over on the bed, stretching with deliberate slowness.
He shut the door and cast a sound barrier without hesitation.
—
Two hours later, Tsunade lay back, satisfied but faintly breathless.
"Make sure you're quick about it next time," she murmured, rubbing her abdomen.
Kitazawa chuckled and dressed.
When he returned downstairs, the students had already stopped training.
"Kitazawa-sensei."
"It's late. Rest well. We move at dawn."
"Yes, sensei."
They dispersed to their rooms.
—
Morning light filtered through the window.
"Is it dawn already?" Tsunade murmured, nestled against him.
"Mm."
He pressed a hand to her forehead. Chakra flowed gently, dissolving lingering fatigue.
She looked up and kissed him softly.
"You're too comfy."
His hand slid downward, resting over her heart.
"We should move."
She rose, but he stopped her.
With a shift in chakra nature, water materialized midair.
A controlled cascade washed over them both—quick, efficient.
Tsunade laughed. "Your water release control is impressive. Your applications are questionable."
"Chakra shouldn't be limited to battle," he replied calmly.
They dressed and went downstairs.
Sasuke, Hinata, and Shion were already waiting.
After breakfast, they resumed their journey.
They crossed the Land of Rivers and entered the Land of Wind. By nightfall, they had reached its northern edge.
The next day, they stepped into the Land of Bears.
Tsunade glanced sideways at Kitazawa.
"Are we heading straight to Hidden Star Village?"
Though she was the Hokage, she seemed unusually relaxed.
Kitazawa smiled faintly.
"Not directly. First, we gather information."
The Land of Bears stretched before them—quiet, unfamiliar, and carrying the scent of something hidden beneath the surface.
This mission wouldn't be simple.
"First, we find Natsuhi and Hotaru," Kitazawa said calmly. "According to ANBU intelligence, after leaving Hidden Star Village, they've been living at the bottom of a nearby cliff."
Of course, that "intelligence" didn't come from the ANBU at all—but from the story he remembered.
The only uncertainty was whether Hotaru was still alive.
In the original timeline, he had already died from the side effects of Kujaku Myōhō.
Natsuhi, his wife, was different.
More talented. More composed.
And far stronger than the current acting star Kage, Akahoshi.
In the original events, Akahoshi had relied on the meteor's power to forcibly elevate his strength, barely managing to contend with Natsuhi and even Naruto.
But without that boost?
He wouldn't stand a chance.
"Hinata," Kitazawa said gently, patting Hinata on the head, "finding them is your task."
This was, after all, a field-training mission for the Genius Class.
He wouldn't interfere unless necessary.
"Mm!" Hinata replied firmly, activating her byakugan.
They advanced toward Hidden Star Village's outer region.
Hinata scanned the terrain continuously while Uchiha Sasuke and Shion guarded the flanks.
With Kitazawa and Tsunade present, danger was unlikely—but vigilance was habit.
"I found someone!" Hinata suddenly said. "At the bottom of a cliff to the northeast—there's a very strong chakra signature!"
"Only one?" Shion frowned. "Weren't there two?"
"Perhaps one is awake," Hinata guessed softly.
"Lead the way."
They soon reached the cliff.
Dense mist coiled below like a living thing.
Kitazawa narrowed his eyes.
Before he could speak, Tsunade did.
"There's potent poison in that mist."
Sasuke frowned. "We either disperse it… or prepare an antidote."
"If Naruto were here," he muttered, "Wind Release would solve this instantly."
"As for the antidote," Tsunade said, lips curving, "leave that to me."
She had indulged herself these past two days. It was time to act like the Hokage again.
Chakra gathered in her palm, condensing a sample of the toxin.
Moments later, she unfurled a storage scroll and withdrew medicinal compounds.
Detoxifying with chakra alone was inefficient. Precision requires chemistry.
Ten minutes later, she handed each of them a vial.
"Drink this."
Kitazawa observed quietly.
The time it took her to prepare it spoke volumes—the toxin was lethal.
"In battle," Tsunade added, glancing at Shion, "you'd first prepare a short-acting emergency neutralizer. Refinement comes later."
Shion nodded earnestly, memorizing every word.
"Let's go."
Tsunade stepped forward—and Kitazawa caught her wrist.
"Dropping straight down invites traps."
He formed hand seals.
A seed struck the ground.
In seconds, vines erupted, spiraling downward along the cliff face. Branches intertwined, weaving a living ladder through the fog.
Shion stared in awe.
"Wood Release... is incredible."
Tsunade descended first.
"Shion, then Hinata, then Sasuke," Kitazawa instructed.
He took the rear.
The mist swallowed them.
The air stung the lungs, but the antidote held firm.
Halfway down—
A sharp screech tore through the fog.
A massive eagle burst forth, formed not of flesh but of luminous chakra.
Not a real creature.
Energy manifests.
Sasuke reacted instantly.
"Yin Release: Rasengan!"
His three-tomoe Sharingan spun violently as he leapt, driving the sphere into the eagle.
Boom!
Shockwaves blasted outward, dispersing the mist.
And through the clearing air—
They saw her.
A young kunoichi stood poised in the distance.
Natsuhi.
Her expression flickered with shock.
Her jutsu—broken by a ten-year-old boy?
Lightning flared again.
Sasuke charged.
"Kujaku Myōhō: Wings!"
Brilliant chakra wings unfolded from her back as she vaulted upward, narrowly avoiding the strike.
"Stop!" she called urgently. "Please!"
She had assumed they were Akahoshi's hunters.
But the crimson eyes told a different story.
Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
Only one village bore that bloodline.
Konoha.
--------------------------------
AN : There is a JACKPOT discount running on my Patreon page. Check it out and enjoy the story further!!
Kitazawa is Fighting ---- Otsutsuki Isshiki ------
CODE - C15DF!!
------------------
AN: Check out my P@treon For +90 extra chapters.
Thank You For your Support!!
[email protected]/noviceauthor777