On the road, the team's dynamics were clear: Minato and Shibi were the sensory types, while Ren Kurogane and Choza were categorized as the "power" types.
In other words, when there wasn't a fight happening, those two didn't have much to do.
As they pressed forward, Ren's mind drifted through the long list of tragedies inherent in the Naruto world.
Minato and Kushina go without saying. With me here, the Nine-Tails is just a pet I can handle at will!
Ren would naturally choose to save Obito as well, but he knew that Uchiha Madara's proxy would likely still appear—it would just be a different face. The timing of the move for the Nine-Tails might shift from the original story, but the core threat remained.
Still, the same principle applied: he was strong now. If he and Minato teamed up, even if the real Uchiha Madara showed up, Ren could keep him dancing for quite a while!
But Madara is an issue for over a decade from now. I need to focus on the present.
He was currently in the Second Great Ninja War. In another year or two, the war would draw to a close. By that time, Tsunade would lose both her lover, Dan Kato, and her brother, Nawaki. Devastated, she would leave Konoha to begin her life as a legendary gambler.
Orochimaru, witnessing Nawaki's death firsthand, would become obsessed with the fragility of life, turning his focus toward forbidden jutsu and human experimentation—eventually leading to his defection. Jiraiya would then leave to chase his friend, costing Konoha three young, Kage-level assets in one fell swoop.
Even the remaining legend, Hatake Sakumo, would eventually commit suicide due to public vitriol, leaving Konoha's military strength at its most vulnerable. If it weren't for Minato's meteoric rise, turning the tide on four different battlefields with the Flying Raijin, Konoha would have suffered a crushing defeat in the Third War.
So, the first task is saving Nawaki? But Nawaki is currently with Orochimaru on the Hidden Stone front. I can't exactly get there in a hurry.
He made a mental note of it. Once they met Tsunade, he'd use Lady Mito's name to request Nawaki be transferred to their side. It shouldn't be an issue.
He continued mentally cataloging the various "tragedies" across the nations. The Queen of Roran, Pakura of the Sand, Konan...
"Hmm, looking at it this way, my mission is quite heavy!" Ren's lips curled into a smile, filled with anticipation for his future "busy" life.
After five days of travel, the group finally reached the Land of Wind front. Inside the command tent:
"You're saying Grandma Mito wants us to look after Nawaki?" Tsunade rubbed her weary eyes, looking at Minato and Ren with a conflicted expression. "But Nawaki is currently on the Land of Earth front under Orochimaru's command..."
Furthermore, the battlefield here was incredibly dangerous; the Sand's poisons were pervasive and difficult to guard against. If Nawaki accidentally fell victim to them, Tsunade would live the rest of her life in regret.
"Don't worry, Lady Tsunade! Nawaki will be with us; nothing will happen to him!" Minato interjected. Although he didn't know exactly why Ren wanted Nawaki transferred, Minato trusted Ren implicitly and played along with the white lie.
"Fine. I understand. I'll send word to Orochimaru immediately to have Nawaki transferred here as soon as possible."
"Thank you, Lady Tsunade. We won't disturb you further!"
Once they left the tent, neither boy brought the subject up again. Minato didn't ask Ren's motive, and Ren didn't offer an explanation. After all, how could he? Tell Minato that Nawaki was destined to die on the Stone front? No one would believe him.
At least things were moving smoothly. He had successfully colluded with Minato to use Mito's prestige to get the kid transferred.
That should keep him from getting blown up, right?
After a night of rest, the order came the following morning: Team Minato was heading to the front lines!
At the command post, Tsunade addressed them sternly. "You may be young, but since you are now Chunin, I will not treat you like children! Remember: you are in a war. Never underestimate any enemy, or you will die."
Though it sounded like a speech intended to scare kids, everyone present knew it was the cold, hard truth. In war, people died. To survive, one needed strength, but a healthy dose of caution was just as vital.
The group followed the main force to the border between the two nations. When the opposing forces met, the opening act was a barrage of kunai and shuriken. Most of the kunai were tagged with paper bombs. By the time you saw them, the fuses were almost spent.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The fires of explosion instantly ignited the battlefield. Ninja from both Konoha and the Sand unsheathed their blades and charged through the smoke, clashing in the center.
Ren's team was positioned slightly further back and avoided the initial explosions. But watching the Konoha shinobi fall one by one nearby made Minato, Shibi, and Choza grit their teeth. They began hurlings their own kunai, desperate to help.
Boom!
Another series of explosions erupted at the vanguard, wounding nearly half the front line instantly!
"Dammit!" "Charge, brothers!" "Kill them!" "AAHH! My arm! Someone help me!" "I can't feel my legs! Argh! Water Style: Ripping Torrent!"
The roars, the screams of agony, and the final, desperate uses of jutsu filled the air. The cacophony grated on Ren's nerves.
These people... Ren clenched his teeth, though he found himself at a loss for words.
To be honest, the sight made him quite uncomfortable. Compared to collecting still, broken remains at the Rain front, being in the thick of a live battle was a completely different experience. Seeing people torn apart by paper bombs in real-time was a visceral shock that even White Coat Ren's memories couldn't fully prepare him for.
"I'm going in!"
Minato was the first to charge, swinging his kunai at a Sand ninja!
"A brat? Die!"
The opponent showed no mercy just because Minato was a child; in fact, he was thrilled at the chance to cut down a Konoha asset.
Just as they were about to clash, Minato's speed suddenly spiked. He became a blur, reappearing behind the Sand ninja. A split second later, a line of crimson bloomed across the man's throat.
"How... how could I lose to a kid..."
He never finished the sentence. Minato didn't stop, either. He became a reaper of the battlefield, weaving through the ranks of Chunin. Every time he moved, a life was harvested.
"Minato is going all out!" Choza shouted. Seeing his teammate's success, his own blood began to boil. He charged forward.
"Human Boulder!"
Vroom! Vroom! Vroom!
A massive, high-speed ball of flesh tore through the ranks. Any Sand ninja in its path was sent flying, crashing to the ground and remaining motionless.
Ren and Shibi followed close behind, ensuring they could support the two in the front while watching each other's backs for ambushes.
Attackers could come from any direction at any moment. So this is it, Ren thought. This is war.
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