Senju Compound, Konoha
Basara POV
I stood before the tall, ornamental mirror in my room, carefully adjusting the straps of the new armor Danzo had given me.
It was an exemplary piece, its design clearly inspired by the old Clan War era. A deep, rich blue, it proudly displayed the Senju clan symbol on the chest plate. A layer of soft, silver-white fur lined the shoulders and collar, reminiscent of the style Tobirama Senju used to wear.
You could tell which Hokage he preferred...
The underside of the armor was covered in seals I couldn't decipher. Not that I had any knowledge of fuinjutsu beyond the bare basics—something I thought to explore once the war was over. Worried about potential tampering, I had taken it to one of the clan's sealing experts, an older woman who had studied in Uzushio before its fall, just to be safe. She had examined it thoroughly and assured me that the seals were clean and would serve me well in battle. Apparently, they would ensure the armor felt as light as a feather and would also toughen it against bladed weapons.
I fastened the final strap and reached back to secure the new chakra metal chokutō across my back, along with my weapon pouches. Once everything was in place, I took a step back and surveyed my reflection.
My hair had grown longer, now reaching just past my shoulders. My muscles had filled out, and I'd gained a few inches in height. Combined with the blue armor and the Senju crest, I had to admit I looked impressive.
The last week and a half, filled with training and rest, had been fruitful. I had advanced by leaps and bounds in all aspects of the shinobi arts—well, except genjutsu. I grimaced slightly. I did have some talent for it, but using it effectively in battle was another story entirely. Genjutsu, as an art, wasn't very viable in high-level combat unless you had complete mastery or a specific bloodline.
But Taijutsu and Ninjutsu were entirely different. We had moved on from basic drills in the last few days to controlled, near-actual combat. I was made to face multiple Jonin-level opponents and was able to come out on top with effort, and only after using everything in my arsenal. The current generation of Senju Jonin were no joke—they were clearly a cut above the average shinobi. Those fights had helped me internalize the new techniques I'd been learning, including how to properly wield the chokutō Danzo had gifted me.
Another point indicating that the higher-ups did know of my capabilities.
My mastery over both Doton and Suiton had reached levels I hadn't thought possible under Touka-obasan's tutelage. This, in turn, significantly improved my control and mastery over Mokuton. I had learned various new jutsu during my training, though I wasn't yet sure if I'd be comfortable using them in high-paced battles. Still, it was only a matter of time.
Regardless, I had grown strong enough to feel confident surviving on the battlefield, even if everyone and their mother would be after my head. I grimaced, hoping the others in the squad had time to train and prepare, knowing that the Iwa front where we were being deployed would be a certain death trap.
Leaving my room, I walked to the foyer of the house, bowing to the maids responsible for my living in the main house. It was an experience to go from a normal man in another world to essentially a prince of an ancient clan. Shaking away my thoughts, I made my way towards the exit when I noticed a very familiar chakra—one of the few people I hadn't sparred with during my time here. I guessed the reason was that she would have handed me my ass with a blindfold and both hands tied behind her back.
Walking to the main gate, I saw Touka-obasan waiting for me in a simple kimono. I had been a little apprehensive, expecting the clan to make a big deal out of my departure—perhaps a small gathering or words of encouragement from the elders. But apparently, it was an old Senju tradition not to make a fuss when someone was heading off to war. Only your closest family saw you off, which made me happy to see her waiting for me at the gate.
Touka-obasan stood there in a simple, elegant kimono, her hands clasped in front of her. When she saw me approaching, she smiled proudly, taking in my new armor. I stopped in front of her as she studied me, then reached into her sleeve and pulled out a sealing scroll.
"This contains extra rations, medical supplies, and a few other things that might prove useful," she said, handing it to me. "Keep it on you at all times."
I accepted the scroll carefully. "Thank you, obasan."
She looked me in the eye, smiling softly before sighing.
"Remember what I taught you. Stay sharp, trust your instincts, and don't take unnecessary risks. And remember, regardless of anything, COME BACK ALIVE."
I nodded.
Touka-obasan then took a small step back and performed a traditional bow. "I pray for your good fortune in battle."
I felt warm at the gesture. Ignoring traditions, I stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.
"I will," I said quietly. "I'll come back."
She let out a small, exasperated sigh and patted my back.
"Youngsters these days really have no respect for tradition..." the woman grumbled. Despite her youthful appearance, she was 58 years old, having grown up in a traditional, violence-ridden environment.
She immediately pulled out of the hug, her eyes narrowing at me. "Were you thinking something awfully rude about me, hmm?"
I chuckled awkwardly, trying to play it off. "N-No... nothing like that, Obasan. I'll be off now."
I quickly formed the half-ram seal, flooding my lower body with chakra, and shunshined toward the designated meeting point near the western gate.
Women sure are scary, especially ones that could break one in half with a casual backhand...
It took me a while to reach the western gate, my senses cataloging the various chakra signatures present. There couldn't have been more than 200, yet almost everyone felt incredibly strong. Jumping down from a rooftop, I landed softly before making my way to my new cohort. I quickly noticed I was receiving quite a few looks; they immediately recognized me by my armor, something I had determined to get accustomed to.
I handed my deployment scroll to the lone shinobi from the administration department and slipped into the crowd. Nodding with a smile to a few shinobis and kunoichis who caught my eye, I tried to find my friends. It was a shame I couldn't meet with any of the others as Tsume had promised, our schedules simply not matching. Eventually, I found them by focusing on Kuromaru and Yukimaru, both unique as chakra beasts.
The entire squad was gathered near the edge of the field. Tsume stood with her arms crossed, Kuromaru at her side. Riku was beside them along with Yukimaru, smiling at me despite the tension in the air as we all prepared for war. Hanami stood a little apart, giving me an unreadable expression, which I interpreted in my mind. Sayuri was back — apparently her mission in the capital had ended — and she offered me a warm smile. Takeru, Gin, and Misaki were also present.
Only Shigure was missing.A small pit formed in my stomach at her absence, but I pushed it down for now.
I stopped in front of the group and gave them a small, slightly awkward smile.
"Hey, everyone."
Sayuri was the first to respond, likely sensing my awkwardness. "Basara. It's good to see you."
Her easy tone helped ease some of the tension in my chest. Most of them greeted me normally, even Takeru and Gin offering small waves. Hanami, however, was noticeably curt. She gave me a short nod but didn't say anything.
I then walked over to Tsume, who was standing a little away from the group and the other shinobi with Kuromaru. As I neared, she smirked at me. "You're nervous..."
"Sure, I am. We're going back to war," I deflected, hiding the fact that I was actually expecting a more negative response from the squad. She scoffed and said,
"No, you were scared they'd reject you or something silly."
Before I could defend myself against her sass, I froze as a deep, gravelly voice spoke from beside her.
"There is nothing to hide, Basara-san. You should always be yourself."
I turned slowly toward the source as Kuromaru looked at me, his canine mouth curved in what could only be described as a smirk.
"...He can speak?" I asked Tsume in disbelief.
She looked extremely amused by my reaction.
"Clan secret," she said with a shrug. "It's a special trial only certain members of the clan undergo."
I turned back to the larger-than-average
ninken, still trying to process what I was seeing.
"Ah... that's good. It's nice to finally talk to you, Kuromaru."
"Indeed it is, Basara-san," the dog replied calmly. I quickly accepted that, yes, her ninken could now talk—something I wasn't sure happened in the original series or not. Turning around, I realized it was almost time for the cohort to leave.
Taking the chance, I asked Tsume, "Do you know where Shigure is?"
She looked at me. "She is still near the Suna front; almost all medics are stationed there... but did you notice something...?" She nodded at everyone around.
Feeling a little better with some news on Shigure, I quickly focused on figuring out what she meant. Almost everyone in the cohort, barring a handful—maybe no more than twenty or thirty people—didn't feel like full Jonin.
"...Yeah, almost everyone here is an A-rank or at least a B-rank. You know, I don't want to get a big head or anything," ignoring her smirk and side-eye, I continued, knowing I could be a little more open with Tsume. "But I thought the higher-ups would keep me locked away somewhere safe. Or... the situation is so bad they're throwing me at the front line hoping the name 'Mokuton' will scare everyone into stopping."
She side-eyed me and
said, "Or," she said evenly, "the situation is that bad... and they're giving you the best possible conditions to make a difference."
I didn't have an answer to that. And she was probably right because nearly 200 Jonin was a devastating force, and from what I could sense and see, every one of them were elites and veterens
"...Yeah, you're probably right. Still, do you know who the commander is?"
Just then, in my senses, a massive chakra signature and three much smaller ones just appeared right next to the gate. Then we saw a blond man in a Jonin flak rise up from the ground on a thick pillar of earth, just high enough so everyone could see him
I instantly recognized him, and judging by the hum of surprise, so did Tsume.
"Hello, everyone," he said with a bright, cheerful smile, raising one hand in a wave. "My name is Minato. It's nice to meet you all. Since we're running a little late, shall we get moving?"
The Yellow Flash himself. You know what?, maybe this won't be so bad after all... I'm feeling safer already...I turned to Tsume, only to notice her serious look.