After a brief exchange of greetings, Hayashi parted ways with Minato and the rest of the Leaf forces. Their missions diverged.
Hayashi and Mikoto were solely responsible for securing Yunlu Gorge, while Minato and his team were tasked with quickly infiltrating the rear of Sunagakure's base. For their objective, cleaning up the battlefield was unnecessary—they needed only to continue their strategic advance.
Yunlu Gorge had fallen almost effortlessly. Rasa had yet to react, but it would only be a matter of time. Any delay that risked detection by Sunagakure could force a retreat, which would diminish the strategic significance of taking the gorge for Konoha.
As they walked toward the Konoha camp, Mikoto spoke softly, "You two rarely work together. I could tell Minato wanted to say something… he wanted to complete the mission alongside you."
Hayashi shook his head. "It can't be helped. At the start of the Third Shinobi World War, you can't expect everything to go your way."
"Yeah," Mikoto murmured, fully aware of their limitations. Their combined strength alone could not change the larger picture, so she silently fell into step behind him.
The return journey was quicker than their approach. Traveling at high speed, it took only two hours to reach Konoha's camp, which seemed oddly out of place in the Wind Country.
At the gate, they handed over their mission certificates to the guards and entered the bustling camp. Hayashi greeted several familiar jonin before approaching the large central tent.
Inside, only Orochimaru sat at the desk, reviewing documents. Jiraiya, also a supreme commander, was absent, likely out on a mission. The neat jonin vest Orochimaru wore concealed much of his usual feminine elegance; now, he dressed practically, rarely wearing kimonos outside of Konoha festivals.
"The mission is complete?" Orochimaru asked, glancing at his returning disciples.
"Yes," Hayashi nodded. "All three hundred Sunagakure shinobi were eliminated, along with the surprise team led by Senka and two elite jonin."
"You executed it flawlessly. Rest today, and submit your mission report in written form."
Hayashi bowed respectfully to his sensei, then escorted Mikoto out of the tent.
"What should we do now?" Mikoto asked.
"Rest. There's nothing else for us to do in the camp," Hayashi replied after a moment's thought.
Soon after, Mikoto returned to the tent. Hayashi did not look up, absorbed in drafting the mission report for Orochimaru. The sensei was too busy overseeing operations as supreme commander to be disturbed. Much like Jiraiya, he rarely stayed idle in camp, always conducting missions himself.
Hayashi's mind wandered briefly as he wrote with speed and precision. When the report was complete, Mikoto was seated beside him, her Sharingan eyes gently rotating. He knew her intentions instantly.
"Don't think about using genjutsu on me," he warned, moving aside, "It will be reflected."
"Then just reflect it," Mikoto laughed, and the three tomoe in her eyes slowly spun.
Hayashi did not attempt to resist; her genjutsu enveloped him.
Though Mikoto's ability with genjutsu was still developing, under Hayashi's guidance, she could form a rudimentary genjutsu space. Within it, the terrain and surroundings felt entirely real, creating an immersive training ground.
Unlike Tsukuyomi, the genjutsu space maintains the same time flow as reality. Conventional breaks are possible, making it less dangerous but still highly effective for combat training. The sensation left Mikoto's eyes sore afterward from overuse, a natural consequence of pushing her Sharingan to its limit.
"Isn't this bad for your eyes?" Hayashi asked as they stood in the virtual wasteland generated by her mind.
"I'm fine," Mikoto said, shaking her head. "The three-tomoe Sharingan is fully matured now."
"Let's say it's fine. I'll maintain the stability of the space for you," Hayashi replied, allowing chakra to flow, reinforcing her genjutsu.
With the training space stabilized, Mikoto drew a kunai from her ninja pouch. "Come on."
Within the genjutsu realm, combat could be pushed to its limits without real injury. Every skill, every technique could be practiced freely. In essence, this was the ninja world's version of The Matrix.
Even common techniques, like the Shadow Clone Technique, were extraordinary when used with strategy. The experiences, observations, and combat data gained from clones were instantly transmitted back to the main body once dispelled—a form of natural "cheat" within the ninja world.
Training in genjutsu space was similar. By simulating real combat, one could improve strength rapidly. Few had the genjutsu skill required to create such realistic training grounds, making this an exclusive advantage for Mikoto.
Although Mikoto's raw talent could not match Minato's, repeated genjutsu combat allowed her to grow stronger at an accelerated pace. Using this "cheat" consistently amplified her development beyond natural limits.
The training began, and the genjutsu space became their personal battlefield, where every move and countermove was meticulously tested.
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