Above the clouds, Rinjin sat cross-legged atop a dark iron cloud, gripping the wriggling Samehada (Shark Skin Sword) tightly, refusing to let go.
In his mind, a long-missed crisp and childish voice suddenly echoed:
"Rinjin, what are you doing?! Why haven't you come to pick me up for so long?"
Within the spiritual world, a small cat spoke words of reproach, but its actions betrayed its true feelings. It rolled around on the ground, sniffing here and rubbing there, even cheerfully patting the head of a nearby dark and grotesque creature.
Outside, Rinjin, who was in the middle of dealing with the Samehada, let a gentle smile tug at the corner of his lips. He spoke softly:
"It's not that I don't want to come get you, but I dare not."
As he spoke, a small opening appeared in the iron sand cloud in front of him. Rinjin pointed downward and said:
"Down there is a super powerful old man. I'm already racking my brains to deal with him. How could I drag you into this mess?"
Hearing this, the seemingly haughty but easily coaxed little cat immediately grinned, revealing a pair of cute little fangs. However, its words remained stubborn:
"Then... then you still shouldn't have taken so long to—ah! What is that in your hand? Why did it suddenly bite me?!"
"Bite you?!"
Upon hearing this, Rinjin's brows furrowed, and he raised his hand, ready to give the Samehada a "deep exfoliation treatment."
At that moment, the cat's crisp voice rang out again:
"Wait... wait, it seems... hmm... it seems like it's been starving for a long time. Judging by its reaction, it really likes my chakra."
As the words fell, the Samehada outside seemed to understand something, wriggling up and down as if nodding vigorously.
Indeed, the Samehada was quite fond of the chakra of the Two-Tails. Or rather, after enduring the flavors of mud and grass for so long, any change in taste would be enough to make it ecstatic.
However, the Two-Tails' chakra was evidently a bit too "spicy," as the creature's swollen red tongue was already sticking out.
"Fine, do whatever you want," Rinjin muttered. He reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out a palm-sized scroll, slowly unfurling it.
Over the past three years, Rinjin had not only been preparing for the arrival of Madara Uchiha but had also developed a 2.0 version of the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Because of this, his understanding of sealing techniques and summoning techniques had reached a rather advanced level.
Currently, while waiting for Madara Uchiha to make his move, he had some free time to study how to turn the Samehada into a summoning beast.
Although the Samehada was of little use to him—it couldn't withstand the force of his Eight Gates technique and couldn't increase his chakra reserves—it could still serve as a gift for someone else.
Yes, the Samehada's ability to absorb chakra and transfer it to another user couldn't actually increase the total amount of chakra.
Muttering incomprehensibly, Rinjin spread the scroll out on the iron sand, took out a brush, and began to write and draw.
Strictly speaking, the Samehada was a living creature and could be forcibly contracted via summoning techniques. However, he had seen the Mist Village's ninja sword scroll before.
It was said that this scroll was created alongside the seven ninja swords, specifically for summoning the scattered swords back to the village.
While Rinjin scratched his head and pondered, tension filled the air in the distant central continent, particularly in the Hidden Leaf Village.
Inside the Hokage's office, a massive meeting room was packed with all the Jonin who weren't currently on missions. A critical mission deployment meeting was underway.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, stood tall in his ceremonial robes, hands clasped behind his back, his face grave.
Beside him, Koharu Utatane stepped forward holding a scroll. She unrolled it and began to read aloud:
"Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Kagami Uchiha, Dan Kato...
All the Jonin whose names have been called will be led by Shikajou Nara. You are to depart for the Fire-Rain border in one day!
According to reliable intelligence, the Hidden Sand Village and Hidden Stone Village have already begun mobilizing their forces. You must reach the border within three days!"
"Yes!" The assembled Jonin responded in unison.
"Fugaku Uchiha, Marui Shimura, Yotsubumi Yamanaka, Hajime Hyuga...
You are tasked with patrolling and scouting along the northern border between the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Iron. Although the Hidden Cloud Village has shown no signs of movement, you must remain vigilant!
Additionally, maintain a safe distance from any Hidden Cloud ninja!"
"Understood!" The named individuals nodded.
"Chōza Akimichi, you are responsible for the village's outer defenses. Execute all measures according to wartime protocols!"
"Yes!" The large-framed man at the front replied in a deep, resonant voice.
Seeing this, Koharu Utatane nodded to her old classmate before turning her gaze to the back of the meeting room.
There, a man with pure white hair, dressed in a navy blue long-sleeved shirt and pants under a ninja vest, stood with a serious expression.
"Sakumo Hatake! You will lead the first mobile unit. Your primary duty is to provide emergency battlefield support, primarily along the borders between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers!"
"Understood!" Sakumo nodded firmly.
As Koharu Utatane continued to assign roles, each Jonin's position was clearly defined.
Once the assignments were complete, she rolled up her scroll and glanced at the stern-faced Hiruzen Sarutobi, then took a step back.
"Are there any questions?" Hiruzen Sarutobi's sharp gaze swept across the room.
At that moment, Tsunade raised her hand.
Initially, she hadn't planned to speak up, but the thought of the impending war and the inevitable loss of comrades compelled her to act.
In her view, whether or not her suggestion was accepted was up to the Third Hokage, but she felt obligated to voice it.
Without hesitation, Tsunade said firmly:
"Lord Third, I propose assigning a medical ninja to each reconnaissance team to improve their survival rates!"
Her resolute voice echoed through the room.
The next second, Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head, rejecting her suggestion without hesitation.
The plan was already set, and nothing would change at this stage!
To his surprise, Tsunade didn't persist as she usually would. Instead, she returned to the Jonin ranks with a blank expression.
Had she changed?
Suppressing his curiosity, Hiruzen Sarutobi scanned the room once more. Seeing no further objections, he dismissed the meeting.
The Jonin filed out one by one.
Feeling slightly frustrated, Tsunade lingered at the back, muttering to herself as she left the meeting room.
She knew that altering team configurations at this critical juncture was unwise, but her love for the village compelled her to speak up.
As for the outcome, it was as she had expected.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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