Chương 51: Before the Eastern Front

Inside the thermal baths of a small town in the western Land of Fire, the geothermic waters cascaded gently, shrouding the room in a thick, silver mist. For reasons unknown, hot springs were ubiquitous throughout the shinobi world. The Land of Steam boasted the finest quality and service; provided one had the coin, they could even hire beautiful hostesses to accompany their soak. It was a haven for Jiraiya—his personal Eden and the very wellspring of inspiration for Icha Icha Paradise.

Dongye Zhen and the Gekko pair lay languidly in the bath, letting the heat leach the tension from their nerves. Yugao Uzuki was on the other side of the partition; in this world, one learned quickly to distrust any establishment peddling "mixed bathing" as an attraction. More often than not, such places were populated exclusively by macaques or the elderly. No matter how well one acclimated to the business of slaughter, a periodic loosening of the spirit was essential.

It was a prescription for sanity, recommended by seasoned Jonin instructors. If a shinobi lacked a way to decompress, the cord of their psyche would eventually snap. When that happened, they stopped prattling about friendship and bonds and started demanding the world "feel pain." In that regard, the founding trio of the Akatsuki had failed to learn their master's most vital lesson. A shinobi who lived in the shadow of death needed to know how to spend money as well as earn it.

The "Red Hot Habanero" was right when she lectured her son on the matter, though one had to strike a balance. A moderate indulgence in desire was what kept a person human. Yunmi Gekko, despite having exerted the least effort during the mission, threw himself into the relaxation with total devotion. A towel draped over his face, he muttered through the steam, "My, how time flies. Two months since graduation already."

"It has been brisk," Zhen replied.

"The life of a shinobi is nothing if not vibrant. Meeting different people, solving problems that would crush a civilian... it has its charms."

"That is the essence of being a ninja. However, you'll soon be facing a different kind of life entirely." Zhen felt the weight behind the words but asked anyway, "What kind of life are you referring to, Sensei?"

"Hmm? Let's talk over dinner." Hayate's face was flushed from the heat, but a small frown creased his brow. He had already guessed the subtext. There are few joys that rival a gourmet feast following a long soak in an onsen—provided, of course, your Jonin commander doesn't maintain a mask of grim gravity throughout the meal. Hayate, never possessing much of an appetite to begin with, found the food ash in his mouth after his father's earlier hint. Yugao, blissfully unaware, ate with gusto.

Zhen remained unperturbed by his own suspicions; even if the world were to end tomorrow, it wouldn't stop him from enjoying a good meal today. As the plates were cleared, Yunmi spoke.

"You all know of the Chunin Exams?" Yugao's eyes lit up.

"Of course! They're held twice a year, mid-year and year-end. It's barely a month until July. Are you saying we're about to become Chunin, Sensei?"

"In normal times, yes. But have you forgotten? The world is still at war."

"I thought it was almost over?" Zhen interjected, "You've spent your time on the Western Front, where things have been quiet for two years. But have you forgotten our fathers are still on the Northern Front? And the Hidden Mist in the East hasn't signed a single treaty." Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"Zhen is right," Yunmi added, "though Yugao isn't entirely wrong either. The war is ending. That is the consensus among the village elders. However, much like the apex predators you've hunted, a dying beast will always attempt one final, desperate lash at its killer." Hayate looked at his father.

"Has the situation shifted recently?" Yunmi considered his words before leaning in.

"Intelligence suggests the Stone and Cloud are re-consolidating their strength in the North. To counter this, Konoha must bolster its defenses. Meanwhile, the Hidden Mist in the East seems to have found a new target and is stirring once more. These are the final death throes of the Great Nations. If the balance of power remains unshaken, the war ends here. If something unexpected tips the scales... well, anything can happen in this world." Hayate lapsed into a brooding silence.

He had long prepared himself for the battlefield. Yugao had as well, yet she couldn't hide a flicker of melancholy.

"I thought our class would be the lucky ones to miss it. I didn't expect us to catch the tail end of the storm." Noticing Zhen was still eating, she puffed out her cheeks.

"Honestly, Zhen! Aren't you afraid? We could actually die out there." Zhen wiped his hands on a napkin and, in a rare moment of childhood familiarity, reached over and ruffled her hair.

"Don't worry. I won't die, and neither will you. I protect my own." The sheer, quiet confidence in his voice acted like a balm. Yugao's mood brightened instantly.

"Right! I believe you. And I'll protect you both, too!" Yunmi felt a swell of pride.

"Aha, the bonds of Team 3 are truly something to behold. Rest easy; I'll be there as well. With our collective strength, survival isn't just a hope—it's a guarantee." Hayate, never one for emotional outbursts, simply asked, "When do we move out, Sensei?"

"Go home and rest for two days. Get your affairs in order. We wait for the village's command." Team 3 ended up resting for five days. During that interval, the friction between the Cloud and the Stone in the North intensified, the friction heat gradually bleeding toward the borders of the Land of Fire. The intent was transparent: drag Konoha into the mud. If we're bleeding, you don't get to sit back and pluck the fruits of peace. To counter the threat, Konoha mobilized the Hyuga clan.

Hiashi Hyuga led a contingent of his kinsmen and a significant detachment from the Eastern Front to reinforce the North. They were sent to show the "Cloud savages" and the "Stone peasants" the terror of a wall of shinobi equipped with X-ray vision. Individual Hyuga might not always be top-tier powerhouses, but their strategic value was absolute. They rendered ambushes and traps obsolete.

There was a rumor of a "Crimson-Eye Clan" (Ranmaru's Ketsuryūgan precursors) in the Mist capable of disrupting the Byakugan, but fortunately, those androgynous freaks had been purged by their own village before the war even began. As for the Hyuga main house taking the field—the war had reached a point where staying in the rear to enjoy one's status was no longer an option. With the Eastern defenses weakened, the erratic Hidden Mist began to salivate.

However, having lost the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, much of their Anbu, and the Three-Tails—according to Kakashi's secret reports—they were a tiger without teeth. Konoha squeezed out a few more units, rounded them out with the year's fresh graduates, and sent them to hold the line. Team 3 was among them. To the rest of the world, they were the greenest of the green. Dongye Zhen received the news on the fourth day.

While Hayate and Yugao spent their final hours of leave sharpening their blades, Zhen found he had little to prepare. His strength had reached a plateau; he was limited by the slow accumulation of natural energy and a nine-year-old physique. These were hurdles only time could clear. For now, he focused his efforts on Nature Transformation. On the final night, Dongye Hui finally had a night off from the hospital. She prepared a lavish spread of Zhen's favorites, but a cloud of gloom hung over her.

The mood persisted through the meal. A Special Jonin—even a medical one—doesn't "accidentally" break several dishes while washing up unless their mind is elsewhere.

"I can't believe it," she whispered.

"Even you are being sent to the front. Has Konoha truly fallen this far?"

"The Eastern Front isn't that intense, Mother. It's a good opportunity to sharpen my skills."

"But... but..."

"Do not fear for my safety."

"You are my child. My only child. How could I not?" Suddenly, Zhen's body defied gravity. He drifted upward, floating effortlessly until he was level with Hui's eyes.

"Rest easy, Mother. I promise you: if I wish to leave a battlefield, there isn't a soul alive who can stop me. Let go of your worry." Dongye Hui stared at her levitating son, speechless. Flight was a legendary rarity among shinobi. The only one she had ever heard of possessing such a gift was the Tsuchikage of the Hidden Stone—a man who stood at the absolute pinnacle of the shinobi world, a peer to the Third Hokage. And Zhen wasn't even ten years old. The only thought in her mind was: Husband, come home quickly.

We have a god for a son.