Time flew by. Three months passed in the blink of an eye.
The summer sun was scorching hot, baking the training ground's soil until it was slightly warm. The air was filled with the smell of dust and sweat.
"Haah!"
Sasuke let out a low shout, his kunai precisely deflecting the shuriken flying towards him. Using the momentum, his body spun, quickly forming hand signs.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A mass of scorching fire shot from his mouth. Although its scale was far less impressive than Itachi's, it still carried considerable force, roaring towards the training target.
However, just before the fireball was about to hit, the ground suddenly cracked.
Several tough, wooden vines shot out like living creatures, rapidly intertwining to form a thick wooden shield!
Boom!
The fireball slammed heavily into the wooden shield, producing a dull roar. Flames splattered, and smoke filled the air, but it failed to break through the shield's defense.
"Your Chakra condensation speed and explosive power have improved, Sasuke," Tenzo's voice sounded from the side. He maintained his hand seal posture, his expression calm as he commented. "But your attack intent is too obvious, easy to predict. In real combat, enemies won't stand still as your targets."
Sasuke was breathing heavily, his sweat soaking through his black training clothes, dripping down his youthful yet already resolute face, leaving small wet marks on the dusty ground.
Three months as an Anbu's intern, plus being alternately 'drilled' by Kakashi and Tenzo, had subjected him to training far more intense than at the Ninja Academy.
Though exhausted, the fire burning in his eyes had never extinguished… instead, it burned brighter.
He wiped the sweat and grime from his face, staring unwillingly at the intact wooden shield.
"I understand, Tenzo-senpai! Again!" He adjusted his breathing and assumed an offensive stance once more.
At the edge of the training ground, a large tree with lush branches and leaves provided a rare patch of shade.
Kakashi leaned against the tree trunk, sitting leisurely on a thick branch, as if he and the two training hard below existed in two different worlds.
He held his ever-present copy of Icha Icha Paradise in his hands.
The one visible eye seemed completely immersed in the 'thrilling' plot of the book. Only occasionally would his gaze sweep over Sasuke in the field, a hint of imperceptible complexity flashing within.
'Having Tenzo here is such a relief...' Kakashi mused internally.
Tenzo's Wood Release was extremely effective in control and defense, making it very suitable for this kind of instructional sparring. It could provide Sasuke with enough pressure while maximizing safety.
However, just as this lazy thought arose...
Tenzo's figure separated from the tree trunk as if by magic, appearing silently on the branch beside him.
"Kakashi-senpai," Tenzo's voice held a trace of helplessness, "You can't always dump the task of instructing Sasuke entirely on me, can you? Clearly, you..." He paused, glancing meaningfully at Kakashi's forehead protector covering his left eye, "...are more suited to train him in certain aspects."
Kakashi naturally understood Tenzo was referring to his possession of the Sharingan.
He closed his Icha Icha Paradise, lightly tapping his shoulder with the spine of the book, his tone lazy and perfunctory. "Well... Sasuke is still too weak right now, his foundations aren't solid yet. The matter of the Sharingan... let's wait another couple of years, when he's a bit more mature."
It wasn't that he didn't want to teach, but he knew deeply the weight and darkness carried by the Sharingan.
Letting Sasuke come into contact with these things too early was unpredictable in terms of blessing or curse.
Moreover, his own use of the Sharingan relied more on copying and instinct, not the orthodox Uchiha Clan's inheritance.
Tenzo was about to say something more when suddenly, both their expressions shifted simultaneously, looking towards the training ground's entrance.
An Anbu wearing an animal mask flickered appeared not far away, kneeling on one knee respectfully. "Commander, the Hokage summons you urgently."
Kakashi's eye sharpened, his lazy aura instantly withdrawn.
He stuffed Icha Icha Paradise back into his tool pouch, called down to Sasuke who was still practicing diligently below, "Sasuke, keep training with Tenzo, no slacking off."
Then he nodded to Tenzo. "I leave this to you."
Before the words fully faded, his figure had already vanished from the spot, leaving only a few gently swaying leaves.
…
The atmosphere in the Hokage's office was heavy.
The window was open, but the summer heat seemed unable to disperse the stifling smoke in the room.
Hiruzen sat behind his large desk, his smoking pipe occasionally glowing, his brow furrowed as he looked at a report on the desk.
Shikaku stood nearby, quietly reporting on the village's reconstruction progress and various intelligence.
"...The aftermath of the Uchiha and Hyuga defection incidents continues. External public opinion is very unfavorable towards us. However, internal reconstruction work, especially the repair of damaged areas and compensation for the families of fallen Ninjas, is basically concluding," Shikaku's voice was steady and clear.
Hiruzen slowly exhaled a smoke ring, nodded, and was about to speak when he seemed to sense something and looked up.
In the center of the office, Kakashi's figure appeared soundlessly, kneeling on one knee. "Hokage-sama, you summoned me?"
"You're here, Kakashi," Hiruzen's voice carried a trace of weariness. He gestured for Shikaku to pause his report and turned his gaze to Kakashi. "I called you here because there is an important mission for you."
Kakashi stood up, quietly awaiting further details.
Hiruzen pointed his pipe at several scrolls spread open on the desk, his tone grave. "The Land of Stars, and that 'Shura'... After these recent events, their existence is no longer a secret. The diplomatic envoys I sent to the other great Ninja Villages have brought back results from some intelligence exchanges."
"It can be basically confirmed that the Land of Stars, through annexing surrounding small countries, has de facto become a new major power entrenched in the western part of the Ninja Continent. Its territory and population scale are second only to our Five Great Nations. As for the number of Star Ninjas, although their elite level is unknown, estimates suggest their overall scale is likely not to be underestimated."
His tone grew even heavier. "Now, the news of the Uchiha and Hyuga traitors joining the Land of Stars has probably already spread throughout the Ninja World. This will undoubtedly greatly enhance the Star Ninja Village's strength and prestige. We cannot sit idly by and watch them continue to develop peacefully."
Kakashi's heart tightened slightly, seeming to have a premonition of something.
Sure enough, Hiruzen's next words made his pupils constrict sharply. "I order you to personally lead a team of elite Anbu, disguised as Star Ninja, to the border areas where the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth border the Land of Stars... and proactively provoke conflicts. When necessary, you may use your Sharingan to leave 'conclusive' evidence."
"What?!" Kakashi almost thought he had misheard. Shock was written all over his face beneath the mask. "Hokage-sama! The Land of Earth is one thing, but the Land of Wind... is our ally, bound by treaty! Doing this..."
Diverting trouble onto an ally?
This wasn't just simple tactical deception, it was outright betrayal of the alliance!
And the Sharingan...
Currently, the only publicly known Sharingan in Konoha, besides Sasuke's one-tomoe eyes, was his own.
Doing this, wouldn't that be...
Shikaku timely spoke up, his tone calm as he analyzed, "Kakashi, I understand your concerns. But precisely because the Land of Wind is our ally, some things need more 'pushing'."
He walked over to the Ninja World's map on the wall, pointing to the western part of the continent. "The Land of Stars slaughtered all the old nobles and Daimyos, implementing a completely different system. It's like a malignant tumor, causing fear and unease among the Daimyos and nobles of all surrounding countries."
"According to our intelligence, as early as three years ago, the Daimyos of the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind had secretly contacted the Land of Fire's Daimyo, attempting to form a tri-nation alliance or even a joint force to thoroughly exterminate the Land of Stars, this 'unorthodox' threat."
"However, due to inherent suspicions between the nations, difficulties in coordinating benefit distribution, and other reasons, this alliance has been delayed and never truly materialized." Shikaku's finger traced across the map.
"But now the situation is different. The addition of the Uchiha and Hyuga has greatly enhanced the Land of Stars' military power, making the Land of Earth and Land of Wind feel even more threatened."
"According to intelligence, they are also undergoing military expansion within their own countries. More importantly..." His finger pointed towards the Land of Stars' heartland. "We have confirmed through merchants and undercover spies that the Land of Stars is investing enormous manpower and resources into transforming the vast Yuga Plains in the west and several rivers, attempting to turn large tracts of wasteland into fertile fields."
"Kakashi, you understand what stable food production areas mean for countries like the Land of Wind and Land of Earth, where most of their territory is desert and wasteland?"
Kakashi fell silent.
He certainly understood.
It meant strategic-level resources and national power enhancement!
Enough to make the Kazekage and Tsuchikage restless while simultaneously coveting those lands drooling with desire!
Hiruzen took over, his voice low and filled with political calculation. "The war in the west will inevitably erupt sooner or later. Just like the past three Great Ninja Wars, the root cause is nothing more than the struggle for resources and interests. Our Konoha is too far from the region where the Land of Stars is located, separated by several small country buffer zones. Sending large-scale Ninja Forces on a long-distance campaign would be the gain not worth the loss."
"Therefore, we need to 'help' our allies, especially the Land of Wind, make up their minds." Hiruzen's gaze turned sharp. "Let them see with their own eyes the 'aggressiveness' of the 'Star Ninjas', feel the pain keenly. Then they will more urgently need Konoha's support, whether in military supplies or 'limited' Ninja Force support. And we can use this to consolidate the alliance, drain the strength of potential opponents, while keeping the flames of war controlled far away from the Land of Fire."
Kakashi listened to this cold strategic layout, a chill running down his spine.
'Was this high-level politics?'
'Treating allies as pawns too.'
He could almost already see the flames of war about to ignite on the border, and the lives that might be innocently lost because of this conspiracy.
"But... Hokage-sama, deliberately provoking conflicts like this, what if it spirals out of control, escalating into a Fourth Great Ninja War..." Kakashi voiced his greatest concern.
"It won't," Hiruzen's tone was quite certain, as if everything was under control. "With the addition of the Hyuga and Uchiha, the main forces of Sunagakure and Iwagakure will be firmly tied down on the western battlefield against the Land of Stars."
"Kirigakure of the Land of Water is still under its isolation policy. Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning, according to intelligence, the situation of their two Jinchuriki isn't great. The Fourth Raikage, A, has even lost an arm. If they intervene in a war far in the western part of the Ninja Continent, the logistical pressure and cost would be heavy. Moreover, the Land of Lightning and Land of Water cannot obtain Land of Stars' territory, it would be the gain not worth the loss."
"Konoha only needs to provide rear support. This conflict will be controllable in scale."
Kakashi looked at the Third Hokage's seemingly calm yet unquestionable expression and knew it was already decided.
As the Anbu Commander, he had no room for questioning, only the duty to execute.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the complex emotions in his heart, knelt on one knee, and said in a low voice, "Understood, Hokage-sama! I will personally lead the team and complete the mission!"