Makoto had lived two lives, and this was the first time he had truly experienced what it felt like to become famous.
That was when, after stepping outside, everyone would cast glances his way. Even people who did not recognize him at first would, after a companion's reminder, reveal an expression of sudden realization: Oh! So it's him. So young, yet already this capable—if he grows up, won't he soar into the sky and stand shoulder to shoulder with the sun?
To be honest, he rather enjoyed it. This was a completely fresh life experience, an honor he had never enjoyed in his previous life.
From that point on, he could say that he too had become a well-known handsome young man within and around Konohagakure, famous across the surrounding area for miles.
However, this kind of fame soon brought with it a small bit of trouble.
On the morning of the second day after returning victorious from the counteroffensive against Kirigakure, intelligence was reported back from the defensive line in the direction of the Land of Waves. According to the reconnaissance carried out by the sensory squad dispatched there, the Kirigakure shinobi stationed in that area had likewise withdrawn, leaving completely.
One could only say that the Kiri ninjas in the south still had a bit of conscience—when they fled, they did not forget to notify their allies, sparing them from being wiped out by Konohagakure in one fell swoop.
This development did not fall outside the expectations of the eastern front command headquarters. Konohagakure had never planned to launch an attack there in the first place; there was no need to increase casualties after a war that had already been won.
At this point, the war between Konohagakure and Kirigakure could finally be considered truly over. The southeastern region of the Land of Fire at last genuinely welcomed peace.
The command headquarters issued orders: aside from assigning the necessary patrol squads, all remaining personnel along the Land of Waves direction could withdraw and return to rest properly.
However, for the time being, all Konohagakure shinobi still could not return to the village. They needed to remain garrisoned on the eastern front, and only after a few days—once it was confirmed that Kirigakure would not make a comeback—would they begin a gradual withdrawal.
As for Kirigakure opening its mouth to surrender? Signing a peace agreement?
That did not exist. These guys were a weirdo in the shinobi world.
Konohagakure, Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure—these four are all on the continent, and their territories are connected to each other, with only some small countries in between as buffer zones.
If Sunagakure is defeated, it can immediately drop to its knees and surrender on the spot, and sign a peace agreement right away. Iwagakure can as well, though their temper is as hard as stone, so they keep dragging it out.
But after this war ends, it will always be signed.
In the entire shinobi world, only Kirigakure does not play by the usual rules. Even if they lose, they do not surrender, and they do not sign a peace agreement. They simply withdraw their troops and turtle back into the Land of Water.
After all, their geographic conditions are special. They are on overseas islands; separated by a vast sea, it is very hard for outsiders to attack their way in.
They are playing the rogue, they are messing with your mentality—if you have the ability, come hit me!
But no matter what, Kirigakure's defeat is a fact. For the time being, they also have no spare strength to launch another offensive. The Konohagakure shinobi on the front line also no longer implemented wartime strict-control policies. Aside from not being allowed to leave the camp without authorization, everyone could usually do their own things—training was fine, gatherings were fine—the higher-ups would not interfere.
…
At noon the next day, that is, August 10, Makoto finished eating and planned to go to the temporary medical unit to see whether there was anywhere that needed his help.
No matter whether he agreed with shinobi-world culture or not, all along, what he had presented was the image of a good youth who loved the village and his companions.
One must not let the persona collapse—after all, he was not an orphan. His parents were both alive, and the whole family lived in Konohagakure.
As a result, the moment he stepped outside, he ran into the Hyūga Tokuma squad that had been reassigned back from the Land of Waves defensive line.
This guy had not participated in the fighting because the jōnin leading the team, Sarutobi Hiyoma, had been severely injured and was still recuperating. Instead, they had been carrying out patrol duties on the northern defensive line.
Makoto greeted them with a smile. "Yo, Tokuma, Muta, Meko—you're back too! And that one… the husky!"
Muta and Meko nodded in response. The two of them were both taciturn types.
The husky, however, cocked its head. "My name is Rocky, not Husky."
"All right then, Rocky. I hope you win the gold belt at the Inuzuka clan's ninja-dog boxing competition!"
Rocky: "???"
The cheerful Tokuma grabbed Makoto by both shoulders, his eyes blazing. "Makoto, I heard from Hoheto-nii-san that you really stole the spotlight in the battle. You bastard—since when did you get this strong?"
Makoto frowned. "I've always been strong. You're only finding out today? I remember someone getting beaten by me on the very first day of school, didn't they?"
"You're talking nonsense. I wasn't beaten. I just lost to you during sparring training back then, that's all." Tokuma denied it sternly, then immediately changed his tune. "Come fight me, Makoto. Let me see just how strong you've really become."
"Sure." Faced with an old classmate's request, Makoto naturally did not refuse.
The two of them set up their stances on the open ground outside the door.
Makoto had no particular posture. He simply stood there quietly. Tokuma's eyes bulged with veins at the corners as he activated the Byakugan. His body leaned slightly forward as he assumed the opening stance of the Gentle Fist.
His hands were suffused with chakra, allowing him, upon making contact with an opponent's body, to inject chakra directly into the target's meridian chakra points.
Tokuma discovered that Makoto was simply standing there naturally, yet there was not the slightest opening to be found. With no other choice, he charged straight in.
In a flash, he rushed in front of Makoto and unleashed the Gentle Fist Eight Trigrams Palm. His hands became a mass of afterimages as he continuously attacked the various chakra points revealed by the Byakugan.
Makoto's body, after several years of transformation under white natural energy, was long no longer what it used to be. His durability, strength, agility, and reactions far surpassed those of ordinary shinobi.
His feet did not move at all. His hands likewise became a blur, and each time Tokuma was about to strike his body, he intercepted the blow by striking the opponent's wrist and knocking it aside.
In fact, he could have done it with just one hand. But in order not to deal too heavy a blow to his old classmate's pride, he decided it was better to use both hands.
Seeing that his attacks had no effect, Tokuma changed his footwork, turned his body, and moved around to Makoto's left side to continue attacking, then to his back, then his right side…
He circled around several times in succession, as if facing nothing more than a wooden training dummy.
Makoto's body did not follow his change in direction at all. He did not even turn his head. Without relying on his eyes, he perfectly neutralized every single attack.
Finally, Tokuma's offensive came to a halt. He waved his hands frantically. "I'm done, I'm done. I can't break through your defense at all. Makoto, you really are as strong as a monster. Against me, you don't even need to use ninjutsu."
"See? You're insulting me again. But you are much stronger than before. Looks like you really have been working hard all this time, Tokuma!"
Tokuma was an optimist by nature and did not grow dejected because of defeat. He spread his hands helplessly and said, "I've figured it out— the harder I work, the more clearly I can feel the gap between us. Makoto, tell me, if I run into an enemy as strong as you in the future, what should I do?"
"What should you do? If you're alone, of course you choose to run away. If you have teammates by your side, then why not choose a righteous group beatdown?"
"Hm? That actually makes sense."
"Of course it does. Haven't you already been doing exactly that?"
"What?" Tokuma looked confused. "What are you talking about?"
Makoto did not answer him. Instead, he looked toward Muta, who was standing to the side pretending to be invisible. "Muta, do you want to continue?"
Muta replied in his usual emotionless tone, "No need. I've already lost. Um… could you give my Rinkaichū back to me?"
Makoto smiled. He bent down, pressed his palm to the ground at his feet, and casually pulled out a chakra cage about the size of a soccer ball. Inside it was a mass of black Rinkaichū.
Those were the Rinkaichū that Muta had quietly sent up from underground to probe during Makoto's fight with Tokuma. After noticing them, Makoto had said nothing. He had simply and discreetly placed a One-Horn Tranquility technique beneath his feet to trap them.
Rinkaichū feed on chakra, yet they had absolutely no way to deal with the One-Horn Tranquility formed from Makoto's chakra. Their bite was not strong enough; they could not chew through it.
Defensive ninjutsu can protect oneself, and of course it can also trap others—just like Water Release: Water Prison Technique. It all depends on how you choose to use it.
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