Inside the Hokage Building—
Shikatoki and Minato stood before Hiruzen Sarutobi.
“Shikatoki, since you two are going with Tsunade to the Land of Rain battlefield, go to the casino and drag her out.”
The moment Hiruzen said those words, he felt as though he had lost all dignity as Hokage.
Of his three disciples—
Orochimaru was somehow the one who gave him the least trouble.
If Shikatoki knew what Hiruzen was thinking, he would definitely burst out laughing.
Who didn’t know that Konoha’s Three Sannin represented the three great vices?
Vice, gambling, and poison!
“Understood, Lord Hokage.”
“Mm.
Be careful on the battlefield.”
After giving them a few more instructions, Hiruzen dismissed the two.
“Minato, go find Nawaki and wait for me at the village gate.”
“I’ll go to the casino and get Big Sis Tsunade.”
“Alright.”
There weren’t many casinos in Konoha.
It didn’t take long for Shikatoki to find Tsunade— who had already lost so much that her eyes were practically bloodshot.
“Shikatoki!
Just one more round!”
Tsunade protested loudly as he dragged her away.
“One last round and I definitely would’ve won everything back!”
“You’re stopping me from getting rich!”
Despite all her shouting, Shikatoki forcibly dragged her out anyway.
By the time they reached Konoha’s main gate, Tsunade was still looking back regretfully, mourning the final hand she never got to play.
“Let’s go!”
The four immediately departed.
Nawaki was by far the most excited among them.
It was his first time leaving Konoha, and everything outside the village seemed fascinating to him.
Along the entire journey, he practically transformed into a walking book of a hundred thousand questions.
If Little Sun Minato hadn’t patiently answered Nawaki every single time—
Shikatoki would have lost his mind and fought the brat long ago.
Fortunately, the four were travelling at full speed.
They reached the Land of Rain in just one day.
Shikatoki was finally freed from Nawaki the Curious.
“Tsunade, you’re finally back.”
Jiraiya visibly brightened when he saw her.
Then he noticed the three people following behind her.
“Shikatoki!
Minato!”
“You two came as reinforcements too?”
“That’s great!”
Nawaki immediately became unhappy.
“Big Bro Jiraiya!”
“I’m here too!”
“I came to reinforce the battlefield as well!”
Jiraiya casually waved his hand.
“Yeah, yeah, I know.”
“Orochimaru’s in the command tent.
Go find him.”
Nawaki could clearly tell he was being brushed off.
But there was nothing he could do about it.
He could only go find his teacher.
“What’s the situation?”
Tsunade asked.
“I was only gone for two days.
Nothing major happened, right?”
“We don’t know how Hanzō found out you’d left, but he launched a surprise attack on the camp last night.”
Jiraiya’s expression became serious.
“A large number of shinobi were poisoned.”
“What?!”
Tsunade’s face changed immediately.
“Take me to the medical camp.”
Her expression turned solemn.
“Shikatoki, Minato, go find Orochimaru.”
“Follow his orders.”
Tsunade hurried away.
Tsunade at a gambling table might be completely unreliable— but on the battlefield, to wounded shinobi, she was practically a goddess.
Shikatoki and Minato entered the command tent.
Orochimaru’s expression was grave.
“Shikatoki-kun, Minato-kun.”
“It’s excellent that you two have come to reinforce us.”
“Senior Orochimaru, is there anything you need us to do?”
Shikatoki asked calmly.
“The overall situation is already fairly clear.”
Orochimaru explained.
“The only remaining enemies are Amegakure and Sunagakure.”
When he mentioned Sunagakure, he paused briefly.
“Just this morning, Sunagakure sent us a proposal for negotiations.”
“What are their terms?”
Minato asked curiously.
“Sunagakure wants Konoha to return the One-Tail Jinchūriki.”
“In exchange, they will withdraw from the war.”
“Sensei Hiruzen has already agreed.”
Orochimaru’s tone remained calm.
Shikatoki stared at him.
“What about reparations?”
“None.”
“Tch!”
Shikatoki was genuinely speechless.
Forget Kumogakure and Iwagakure, who were currently busy fighting each other.
Kirigakure hadn’t even managed to properly push inland, so there was little to say about them either.
But Sunagakure?
Sunagakure had been one of the most aggressive participants in the entire war.
Konoha currently held such an enormous advantage— and Hiruzen was simply letting them walk away?
Unbelievable.
If Tobirama Senju were still Hokage, he would have stripped at least one layer of skin off Sunagakure before letting them leave!
“I know you’re unhappy about it, Shikatoki-kun.”
Orochimaru remained composed.
“But the decision has already been made.”
“I’ll be going to the negotiations shortly.”
“I’d like you and Minato-kun to serve as my guards.”
“Fine.”
At noon— the negotiations began.
Orochimaru represented Konoha, with Shikatoki Nara and Minato Namikaze standing beside him.
Opposite them stood the Third Kazekage, accompanied by Rasa and Pakura.
Pakura stared intensely at Shikatoki and Minato.
The Third Kazekage glanced at them as well.
“Orochimaru.”
“Konoha truly is overflowing with talent.”
Orochimaru chuckled softly.
“Sunagakure isn’t lacking either.”
“I won’t waste time.”
The Third Kazekage spoke coldly.
“Sunagakure’s demand is simple.”
“Return the One-Tail Jinchūriki.”
“Then Sunagakure will withdraw its forces.”
“Agreed.”
Orochimaru didn’t bother with meaningless bargaining.
“You may begin withdrawing.”
“Once your forces have officially left the Land of Rain, Konoha will send someone to complete the handover.”
“Fine.”
The Third Kazekage stood.
“But I hope Konoha doesn’t attempt to deceive us.”
With that, he turned and left.
A negotiation whose outcome had already been decided came to an uneventful end.
With Sunagakure withdrawing—
Amegakure was now truly in an uncomfortable position.
“Lord Hanzō.”
“Sunagakure has withdrawn.”
“Mm.”
Hanzō nodded.
Exhaustion covered his face.
“In that case, gather all available forces.”
“It’s time to settle this.”
“We must make Konoha understand Amegakure’s position.”
“Yes!”
For several days afterward—
Amegakure remained unusually quiet.
Neither side launched an attack.
It was as though both had silently agreed to wait.
One rainy night—
Nawaki was patrolling with his squad.
Suddenly, a dark figure flashed through the distance and disappeared into the forest.
“Who’s there?!”
Nawaki didn’t think twice.
He immediately rushed after the figure.
The patrol captain instantly shouted,
“Don’t chase them!”
“It could be a trap!”
Unfortunately— the warning came too late.
Nawaki had already entered the forest.
The moment his foot touched the ground—
Explosive Tags activated beneath him.
Nawaki’s face filled with terror.
Then— a golden flash appeared.
Minato grabbed Nawaki and vanished.
Boom!
The Explosive Tags detonated, sending an enormous cloud of dust into the air.
“You see?”
Shikatoki looked smugly at Minato.
“What did I tell you?”
Internally, however, he still felt lingering fear.
Is this the inertia of the original plot?
Even after everything I changed, Nawaki still had to nearly get blown up?!
Minato looked gently at Nawaki.
“Senior Nawaki, please be more careful on the battlefield.”
Nawaki sat frozen on the ground.
For the first time, he had genuinely felt death brushing past him.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
Shikatoki was about to tease him a little more when his expression suddenly changed.
He looked into the distance.
Ever since his chakra had gradually begun transforming into natural energy, Shikatoki’s sensory abilities had grown stronger and stronger.
“Minato.”
“Go back and tell Big Sis Tsunade.”
“Hanzō is here!”
Minato disappeared instantly.
Rain poured from the night sky.
On the battlefield of the Land of Rain—
Hanzō led Amegakure’s forces into a confrontation with Konoha.
“Orochimaru!”
Hanzō stood high above the battlefield, his voice arrogant.
“Tonight, I will settle things with Konoha once and for all!”
Orochimaru licked his lips.
“Exactly what I wanted.”
“Fight!”
The battle erupted.
Shikatoki glanced at the moonlight filtering through the clouds.
“I like fighting at night.”
Darkness spread rapidly outward from beneath his feet.
“Minato.”
“Let me show you something cool.”
Minato looked slightly worried.
“Shikatoki, you’re using that move again?”
“Do you have enough chakra?”
“I’m only targeting Genin and Chūnin.”
Shikatoki grinned.
“Ever since my last breakthrough, it barely consumes my own energy anymore.”
He wasn’t exaggerating.
After the battle at Uzushiogakure, half of the chakra within his body had transformed into natural energy.
While experimenting afterward, Shikatoki had discovered that he could now draw upon some of the natural energy dispersed throughout the surrounding atmosphere.
That drastically reduced his personal energy consumption.
Shikatoki raised a hand.
“Arise— my warriors!”
Countless black shadows rose one after another.
“Kill!”
The shadow warriors charged alongside Konoha’s shinobi.
Konoha’s morale surged to unprecedented heights.
Amegakure’s shinobi tried to resist.
But whenever they destroyed one of the shadows— they would suddenly freeze for several seconds.
On a battlefield, even losing focus for a fraction of a second could get someone killed.
Several full seconds?
That was a death sentence.
The disturbance quickly caught Hanzō’s attention.
As one of the strongest shinobi alive, he immediately located Shikatoki.
“That brat’s ninjutsu…”
Hanzō’s eyes filled with killing intent.
“Strange.”
“And incredibly underhanded.”
Orochimaru chuckled.
“Hehe.”
“Even the Demigod Hanzō says something so naïve?”
“This is a battlefield.”
“There is no such thing as fighting too underhandedly.”
“You’re right.”
Hanzō suddenly kicked away the attacking Jiraiya and Tsunade.
Then he swung his sickle backward, forcing Orochimaru away as well.
“Everyone, retreat!”
At Hanzō’s command, the Amegakure shinobi rapidly withdrew.
As an old opponent, Orochimaru immediately understood what Hanzō intended to do.
“Konoha forces!”
“Fall back!”
In the next instant—
Hanzō rapidly formed hand seals.
Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade did the same.
“Summoning Jutsu: Ibuse!”
“Summoning Jutsu!”
Three voices rang out simultaneously.
Boom!
Four enormous summoned creatures instantly dominated the battlefield.
Shikatoki and Minato stared upward.
“That’s ridiculously huge.”
Shikatoki couldn’t help commenting.
Minato, however, looked impressed.
“Sensei Jiraiya said he’ll teach me the Summoning Jutsu after we return from this war!”
Shikatoki fell into thought.
Maybe he should find himself a summon too.
Toxic gas rapidly spread across the battlefield.
Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade had not yet reached their future peaks.
Against Hanzō, they were clearly struggling.
And with poison constantly filling the battlefield, they could only rely on Tsunade to neutralise it.
She was quickly overwhelmed trying to handle everything at once.
“Shikatoki.”
Minato looked eager.
“Are we going in?”
Battle intent flashed through Shikatoki’s eyes as well.
“Of course.”
“But neither of us has a reliable way to deal with that poison.”
“So we only get one opportunity.”
“Same strategy as last time.”
“Got it!”
On the battlefield—
Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade had completely fallen into a disadvantage.
Hanzō was breathing heavily too— but he was in far better condition than the three of them.
His sickle flashed.
Slash!
A long wound opened across Jiraiya’s body.
Tsunade quickly caught him and immediately began treatment.
That left Orochimaru alone to hold Hanzō back.
Hanzō had no intention of wasting such an opportunity.
He slipped past Orochimaru and charged directly toward Tsunade.
“No!”
Orochimaru’s expression changed drastically.
He spun around to stop Hanzō— but he was already too late.
At that exact moment— a shadow identical to Hanzō appeared in front of him.
“What?!”
Hanzō collided with his own shadow.
For a moment— neither side gained the upper hand.
“What a strange shadow.”
Hanzō’s eyes narrowed.
“It can even replicate my physical strength?”
“But its movements are far too rigid.”
He suddenly twisted his body.
His sickle spun through the air.
Slash!
The shadow was destroyed.
And the instant it disappeared— the reflected damage and Fear effect struck simultaneously.
The moment the impact hit him, Hanzō’s entire body screamed danger.
It was the battle instinct he had developed over countless life-and-death encounters.
Without even stopping to think— he released a massive cloud of poison around himself.
Sure enough—
Minato appeared directly in front of him in the next instant.
But the sudden eruption of toxic gas forced Minato to retreat.
Shikatoki appeared beside Tsunade.
“Big Sis Tsunade.”
“You alright?”
Tsunade nodded.
“I’m fine.”
“Jiraiya’s injuries are more serious.”
“He needs immediate treatment.”
Orochimaru and Minato quickly withdrew to their side.
Only a few seconds had passed— but Hanzō had already broken free from the Fear effect.
The poison mist slowly dispersed.
Hanzō still felt lingering fear from what had just happened.
Even so, he looked down at them with his usual arrogance.
“That’s enough.”
His voice was calm.
“I acknowledge the strength and courage of you three.”
“To possess this level of power while still so young…”
“I will grant you a title.”
“From this day forward—”
“You three shall be known as the Sannin.”
After speaking, Hanzō shifted his gaze toward Minato and Shikatoki.
The killing intent in his eyes was completely undisguised.
Every muscle in all five Konoha shinobi instantly tensed.
Fortunately— in the end, Hanzō did not attack.