“Shikatoki!
Wake up!
Hurry and come out!”
Shikatoki Nara, who had finally gotten a rare chance to sleep in, groggily opened his eyes.
With great difficulty, he broke free from the blanket that had sealed him inside and glanced at the clock.
“It’s not even seven yet?!”
“Shikatoki!”
This time, Shikatoki heard clearly.
It was Kushina’s voice.
He casually threw on a jacket and opened the door.
Outside stood an energetic Kushina and a smiling Minato.
“Good morning, Shikatoki.”
Minato greeted him warmly.
“It is not a good morning!”
Shikatoki rolled his eyes.
“Bro, we only have one day off.
Don’t tell me you came here to drag me into training.”
“Are you trying to work everyone to death?”
“Look at Big Bro Shikaku.
Doesn’t your conscience hurt?”
Shikatoki fired off three questions in rapid succession.
At the same time, inside another room—
“Achoo!”
Shikaku rubbed his eyes.
“Is someone badmouthing me?”
He pulled the blanket back over himself.
“Whatever.
Back to sleep.”
“No, no!”
Minato hurriedly explained.
“Kushina said she wanted the three of us to go out and have some fun.”
“That makes even less sense.”
Shikatoki stared at them.
“You two are going on a date, and you actually like bringing a third wheel along?!”
Both of their faces instantly turned red.
“Stop talking nonsense!”
Kushina shouted, her face burning.
“Are you coming or not?!”
Seeing that reaction, Shikatoki smiled and wisely shut his mouth.
“Give me ten minutes.
I’ll get ready.”
When it came to getting ready quickly, boys could always be trusted.
It didn’t even take ten minutes before Shikatoki was finished.
The three left the Nara Clan compound and headed toward Konoha’s shopping district.
The war had dealt a genuine blow to commerce.
The number of travelling merchants had fallen sharply, and many shops had closed their doors.
“Minato, Shikatoki, listen to this.”
Kushina began complaining as they walked.
“Ever since you two graduated early, there’s been this chubby brat in class who keeps bothering me.”
“He’s always calling me ‘Tomato.'”
Minato’s smile faded slightly.
Kushina, on the other hand, looked rather pleased with herself.
“That little fatty thought I was easy to bully.”
“So I gave him two good punches.”
“He’s been very well behaved ever since.”
Shikatoki looked genuinely approving.
“That’s exactly how you should handle it.”
“If you can beat them, beat them.”
“If you can’t, come find us.”
“I’m not even joking.
Among Konoha’s younger generation, Minato and I can pretty much beat whoever we want.”
Having personally seen what Shikatoki and Minato could do, Kushina found that claim entirely believable.
At first, she had thought Nawaki was simply weak.
But after sparring with Nawaki herself at the Senju Clan compound, she realised he was actually quite strong.
His Water Release and Earth Release were both solid, and his taijutsu was respectable as well.
Yet someone of that level had still been defeated almost instantly by Minato and Shikatoki.
That alone showed just how strong the two really were.
“Minato, I want dango!”
As they passed a dango shop, Kushina immediately stopped.
Without saying a word, Minato walked straight toward the shop.
“Bro, seriously?”
Shikatoki watched Minato completely ignore him.
“You’re not even going to ask whether I want some?”
He hurried after him.
“Kushina, wait here.
I’ll go with Minato.”
“I haven’t had breakfast anyway.”
Kushina hummed cheerfully while waiting outside the dango shop.
Then—
“Well, well!
Who do we have here?”
An arrogant voice sounded nearby.
“Isn’t this the Tomato, Kushina Uzumaki?”
Kushina turned around.
It was the same chubby boy she had beaten before.
“Fatty, do you want another beating?”
“Hmph!
Beat me?”
The boy’s face flushed.
“I came here for revenge today!”
He turned toward the person beside him.
“Big Bro, she’s the one who beat me!”
Only then did Kushina notice that someone was standing next to him.
And there was a Konoha forehead protector on his head.
The chubby boy looked extremely smug.
Kushina clenched her fists.
“Little girl, hurry up and apologise to my brother.”
The Genin stepped forward.
“Otherwise—”
“Otherwise what?”
A golden flash appeared.
Minato instantly materialised beside Kushina, staring at the two with an unfriendly expression.
“Minato Namikaze!”
The chubby boy’s expression changed.
“Didn’t you graduate early?!”
The moment the Genin heard Minato’s name, his body visibly trembled.
That name was already famous throughout the village.
Helping capture the One-Tail Jinchūriki was not something an ordinary shinobi could accomplish.
“Lord Minato, I’m sorry!”
The Genin immediately grabbed his younger brother.
“We’ll leave right now!”
He turned around— only to find Shikatoki standing behind them, casually eating.
“Yo~”
“Sh-Shikatoki Nara!”
If seeing Minato had surprised the chubby boy— seeing Shikatoki terrified him.
Back at the Ninja Academy, who hadn’t ended up becoming one of Shikatoki’s experimental subjects at least once?
“Lord Shikatoki, we were wrong!”
The Genin apologised at lightning speed.
Shikatoki looked coldly at the two.
“I didn’t realise Konoha had developed this many idiots.”
“Kushina’s surname is Uzumaki.”
“And Lady Mito’s surname is also Uzumaki.”
“I suggest you go home and think carefully about what that means.”
“This is the only warning you’ll get.”
“Do it again, and I’ll break your legs.”
“Now get lost.”
The two fled in disgrace.
“Those lines were so cool, Shikatoki!”
Kushina laughed.
“But next time, don’t bring up Grandma Mito.”
“I’m going to become Hokage through my own strength!”
“Cool, huh…?”
Minato muttered to himself.
He seemed to have learned something.
Shikatoki rolled his eyes.
“I only mentioned her because it’s an efficient way to filter out pointless trouble.”
The minor incident didn’t affect their mood.
They accompanied Kushina around until noon.
After finishing lunch, they were preparing to continue when an ANBU suddenly appeared.
“Shikatoki.
Minato.”
“Lord Hokage summons you!”
Both boys immediately became serious.
“Sorry, Kushina.”
Minato looked apologetic.
Shikatoki remained calm.
“We’ll hang out again next time.”
“Mm.
Go.”
Kushina didn’t make things difficult for them.
The two quickly arrived at the Hokage’s office.
Besides Hiruzen Sarutobi, Mito Uzumaki was also there.
“Lord Hokage.”
“Grandma Mito.”
“Mm.
You’re here.”
Hiruzen looked extremely serious.
“There is an emergency mission.”
He took out an intelligence scroll.
“We just received a request for assistance from the Land of Whirlpools.”
“Uzushiogakure has come under a joint surprise attack by Kumogakure and Kirigakure.”
Shikatoki’s expression hardened.
The destruction of the Uzumaki Clan.
He hadn’t expected it to happen this early.
“Konoha is currently fighting enemies on every front.”
Hiruzen continued.
“We simply cannot spare enough manpower to launch a full-scale rescue.”
As he spoke, he couldn’t help glancing toward Mito.
Mito’s expression was blank.
“Monkey, I understand your difficulties.”
“Handle it however you believe is best.”
Hearing that Mito understood the situation, Hiruzen quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Truthfully, it wasn’t that Hiruzen simply refused to help.
Most of Konoha’s main combat forces had already been deployed.
The village itself was severely lacking in available shinobi.
Shikatoki’s mind raced.
Back when he had read the manga in his previous life, he had never understood why Hiruzen appeared to abandon the Uzumaki Clan.
But if the circumstances had been something like this…
Then there really might not have been many options available.
Shikatoki wasn’t trying to defend Hiruzen.
Your position determined your perspective.
If Shikatoki had transmigrated into the Uchiha Clan, he would probably have been at odds with Hiruzen too.
The Nara had traditionally stood firmly behind the Hokage.
And the Hokage had always treated the Nara Clan well.
In fact, the Nara were among those who benefited greatly from the village’s political structure.
So what exactly was Shikatoki supposed to rebel against?
“Lord Hokage, Grandma Mito.”
Shikatoki spoke seriously.
“Time is critical.
Let’s keep this short.”
“What do you need Minato and me to do?”
“Rescue survivors.”
Hiruzen answered immediately.
“Minato has the Flying Thunder God Technique, and with your combat strength added to his, you two have the best chance of moving through the battlefield quickly.”
“I do not expect you to repel the enemy forces.”
“Prioritise rescuing people.”
“And above all, ensure your own survival.”
“For the initial stage of the mission, it will only be the two of you.”
“There are new developments in the Land of Rain, so Sakumo has to reinforce Orochimaru and the others.”
“I’m already reallocating the shinobi still available in the village.”
“Additional reinforcements and extraction teams will follow.”
This mission was genuinely dangerous.
Mito suddenly spoke.
There was sorrow in her voice.
“Children…
forget it.”
“It’s too dangerous.”
Shikatoki looked at Mito.
He took a deep breath.
“Lord Hokage.”
“I’ll leave immediately.”
“But I want the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique from the Scroll of Seals.”
Minato immediately followed.
“I’m going too.”
Hiruzen nodded without hesitation.
“Agreed.”
“You both already earned the right to choose one technique after your previous mission.”
He turned toward Minato.
“What about you?”
“Thank you, Lord Hokage.”
Minato politely declined.
“I’m currently trying to improve the Flying Thunder God Technique.”
“I’ll leave other ninjutsu for another time.”
He wasn’t lying.
The more Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique, the more strongly he felt that there was still enormous room to develop it further.
“We’re leaving, Grandma Mito.”
Shikatoki looked at her seriously.
“Wait for good news from us.”
Mito froze for a moment.
Then she spoke softly.
“Protect yourselves.”
“Nothing is more important than staying alive.”
“Mm!”
The two quickly returned home, packed their equipment, and immediately left the village.
Minato navigated using the map.
Shikatoki used the travel time to edit his skills.
[Current Templates: Multiple Shadow Clone Technique…]
[Shadow Imitation Technique: Modified Version: The user’s shadow must first touch the enemy’s shadow.
The enemy’s shadow can then be extracted and made to fight its original owner.
Damage sustained by the shadow will be reflected back onto its original owner.]
[Loaded Templates:]
[Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique — Compatibility: High]
[Multiple Shadow Clone Technique — Compatibility: High: Consumes a large amount of energy to extract multiple shadows simultaneously.]
The Four Symbols Seal template had already been removed after Shikatoki integrated its properties into his modified Sealing Technique.
Shikatoki had always been aware of his greatest weakness.
He was excellent in one-on-one combat.
But poor against groups.
Originally, he had planned to wait until all of his chakra had been converted into natural energy before adding the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique template.
But the situation was urgent.
He no longer had the luxury of waiting.
“Shikatoki.”
Minato’s voice was subdued.
“Konoha isn’t that far from Uzushiogakure.”
“But by the time the distress message reached us, there must already have been a delay.”
“I’m afraid…
things may already be very bad.”
Shikatoki naturally understood.
“No matter what, we still have to go.”
“There will always be survivors.”
Shikatoki had read the original story.
Some members of the Uzumaki Clan had indeed managed to escape.
“Mm.”
The two travelled for an entire day.
After taking only a brief rest, they continued onward.
A journey that should have taken two full days was completed in just a day and a half.
When they finally reached the outskirts of Uzushiogakure— they saw nothing but ruins.
Severed limbs and corpses were scattered everywhere.
This was the cruelty of war.
Both Shikatoki and Minato felt their hearts sink.
Kumogakure and Kirigakure had divided the village into separate search zones.
They were conducting systematic sweeps.
They were searching for the Uzumaki Clan’s sealing techniques.
And they were also hunting for surviving Uzumaki.
It was obvious— they intended to eliminate the clan completely.