"Whoosh!"
A sharp, cold gleam pierced through a stone pillar. In almost an instant, thirty-six stone pillars scattered irregularly across the training ground exploded. The bright white streak of light reversed its direction, and the undamaged katana slowed its flight before landing in the hand of Shisui, who stood at the edge of the field.
Glancing at the scattered rubble, his eyes returned to the gleaming blade.
Putting aside the unique abilities of the different Kusanagi swords, most Kusanagi swords possess an indestructible quality. It is said that the Kusanagi swords are made from the hardest substance in the shinobi world, though exactly what that substance is remains unknown. However, the sword's durability is undeniable.
Shisui had fully realized the toughness of the Kusanagi sword over the past two days.
No matter how much he pushed it, he couldn't leave even a single scratch on the blade's smooth, mirror-like surface, which made Shisui grow very fond of this sturdy and reliable weapon.
"It seems you're quite satisfied, Shisui," came a familiar voice from behind.
"It's handy," Shisui admitted.
After just two days of practice, he had already gotten used to handling Kusanagi. With his talent, he had mastered the summoning technique for special ninja tools just by observing it once, easily forming a summoning contract with Kusanagi. With his mental power enhanced by the Mangekyō Sharingan, he quickly reached a level of proficiency in wielding the sword.
"I'm glad you're happy with it," said Sougen, who had walked up beside him.
"Are you here with another mission? If it's something complicated, I might not be in the best shape right now," Shisui said, gripping Kusanagi with his left hand. His right arm was in a sling. Despite receiving treatment from medical ninjas, the injury to his right shoulder would take at least twenty days to fully heal.
"Shisui, don't make me sound like some evil spirit that forces the sick to work. We're friends, remember?" Sougen said, feigning hurt.
"Just get to the point," Shisui sighed.
"We're returning to the village," Sougen revealed.
"Returning? Right now?"
Shisui was caught off guard.
This was so sudden! Shouldn't they have been told a few days in advance? He hadn't even started preparing!
"We originally planned to leave in two days, but we just received urgent intel from the village—Kumo ninja are moving south."
"What?!"
Shisui exclaimed in shock.
"Kumo ninja moving south? How? Why so suddenly?"
As he spoke, he shook his head, wondering if he was still dreaming. But the sharp pain in his right shoulder quickly reminded him that this was no dream—this was real!
"Kumo ninja are probably trying to take advantage of our war with Kirigakure to strike," Sougen said calmly.
Seeing Sougen's lack of concern, Shisui frowned. "What's really going on?"
"I told you: Kumo ninja are moving south. To be precise, it's not just Kumo. Spies in the Land of Earth report that Iwa ninja are also preparing to move. We may soon get word of them heading south too. The Hokage's letter urges us to return to the village as quickly as possible."
Sougen casually relayed the information he had.
Compared to Shisui's alarm, Sougen's emotions barely fluctuated. Even when he first received the village's message, he remained as calm as he was now. After all, this was not surprising. The unrest from Kumo and Iwa ninja was entirely predictable.
After Kumo's daring attempt to ambush Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, within the Land of Fire, it was clear that Kumo's aggression was on the rise.
In fact, Sougen thought it was impressive that Kumo had waited this long to move south.
"Have we spent too much time in Kirigakure?" Shisui wondered aloud. They had been in Kirigakure for almost a month now. He couldn't help but think that their prolonged presence abroad might have emboldened Kumo and Iwa to make a move.
"It doesn't matter," Sougen reassured him.
He understood what Shisui was implying.
In fact, many others had the same thought after receiving the intel.
They believed that having such a large force—over a hundred elite Jōnin—away from the village had created the conditions for this new conflict. If not for Sougen's strength and authority, there might have already been complaints about him wasting too much time in Kirigakure.
"Don't forget the attack on Naruto when you escorted him to the frontlines. Kumo's boldness is greater than you think."
Shisui fell silent.
He had experienced the attack by Kumo ninja in the Land of Fire firsthand. He couldn't deny Sougen's point—Kumo's boldness indeed exceeded his expectations. He instinctively tightened his grip on Kusanagi.
He realized that, though they had just ended a war with Kirigakure, a new war was already beginning.
"Is there no way to avoid this?" Shisui asked, even though he knew how foolish the question sounded.
"Kumo has already drawn their swords. Enduring won't help—if we don't fight back, we'll die." Sougen didn't mock Shisui's naivety, but calmly shattered his hopes.
The light in Shisui's eyes grew dimmer.
"Shisui, war is inevitable. All we can do now is fight to end it as quickly as possible. Only by doing so can we minimize the damage it causes. Avoiding the problem won't solve anything. Facing it head-on is the only way."
At that moment, they could hear the commotion from the delegation's camp.
The Konoha ninja, who had just received the emergency orders, were quickly packing up their belongings.
"Send me to the north!" Shisui suddenly declared, his crimson eyes glowing with resolve.
"Are you sure? Your injury..."
"By the time we reach the frontlines, I should be healed. Even if I'm not fully recovered, Kusanagi doesn't require me to wield it by hand. It's not a big issue. But Kimimaro... I'll need you to find someone to look after him."
Shisui had made up his mind.
Sougen was right—if they couldn't prevent the war, they had to end it as soon as possible.
Sougen smiled silently. He wouldn't force an injured person to work, but if his clansman wanted to contribute, how could he refuse such heartfelt determination?
"I'll make sure someone takes care of Kimimaro. Don't worry about him. But when you go north, remember not to overextend yourself. Also, be cautious of the man claiming to be Uchiha Madara. This unrest from Kumo and Iwa might have something to do with him."
Shisui froze.
His expression grew even more serious, and he nodded solemnly. "I'll be careful."
"Better safe than sorry—just don't let your guard down."
Sougen narrowed his eyes slightly. With Shisui heading to the front, Sougen could return to the village for a while.