In Mitsuki's original expectation, Minato should've been the one overwhelming the enemy. How had the situation turned into a disadvantage?
Hearing Mitsuki's question, Kakashi was just about to explain the current predicament on the front lines, but before he could open his mouth, Obito jumped in first.
"It's all because Kumo is too sneaky! They won't fight us head-on. They just let that Eight-Tails Jinchūriki stay on top of the mountain and keep firing Tailed Beast Bombs nonstop!"
Kakashi shot Obito a glare for interrupting, then added:
"Minato-sensei's chakra is limited. At most, he can warp away three Tailed Beast Bombs. But the enemy is a perfect Jinchūriki. In a single battle, firing over a dozen Tailed Beast Bombs is nothing to him."
Shisui thought for a moment.
"So the reason you relocated the camp… is because of this?"
Kakashi looked surprised.
"Oh? How did you know?"
Shisui smiled.
"Just a guess. If you're facing an unavoidable long-range Tailed Beast Bomb assault, keeping the camp next to Yukigakure would be irrational. With Lord Minato's intellect, he would never make such a mistake."
Mitsuki also nodded. "Exactly. If it's Captain Minato, he should've relocated the camp to the plains south of Yugakure."
In flat terrain like that, Kumo's forces would expose themselves to Konoha's range if they tried to strike the camp. And then they'd have to consider whether Minato would warp in and directly attack the Eight-Tails' real body.
To Mitsuki's right, Ruri furrowed her brows as she listened to the conversation.
"Why bother relocating the camp? Can't you just kill the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki?"
…Yep, that was exactly Ruri-san's style.
Obito immediately started complaining.
"It's not that easy! You don't know—when that guy transforms into full Tailed Beast Mode, he just sits up there on the mountain like a freakin' BOSS!"
Ruri lifted her chin arrogantly and snorted.
"That's only because you're useless."
A group of problem children…Mitsuki couldn't help complaining internally, then stepped in to resolve the tension.
"Alright, enough. Now that I'm here, leave the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki to me."
The two immediately quieted down. Shisui couldn't help giving Mitsuki a look of admiration.
Shisui's personality made it difficult for him to deal with conflicts among teammates. In fact, in the original timeline, he became trapped in the vortex of conflict between the village and the clan, unable to reconcile the two, and ultimately lost his life.
After crossing a stretch of abandoned farmland, the group finally arrived at their destination—
Konoha's Forward Base in the Land of Hot Water.
The camp had clearly been built from a previously abandoned village, with old buildings patched up just well enough to use. Villages like this were common in the ninja world.
Decades of endless war had made civilians fear for their lives. Abandoning their homes to flee was something they could hardly avoid.
Konoha's operation was as efficient as always.Upon arriving, Mitsuki casually ordered a few Uchiha clan shinobi to report their headcount to logistics.
Just standard procedure — definitely not punishment or him picking on them.
"Where's Captain Minato?" Mitsuki asked Kakashi.
"Up ahead." Kakashi pointed to an old building not far away.
"That's where Minato-sensei is discussing strategy."
Shisui and Ruri didn't follow — Hiruzen hadn't assigned them official positions on the frontline, so they knew to wait outside.
With a creaking gacha — Obito pushed open the worn-out door and called inside:
"Minato-sensei! We completed our mission!"
"Oh? Mitsuki finally arrived?" Minato's cheerful voice sounded from within.
Mitsuki stepped inside and glanced around. The room was neatly arranged, with a round table at the center and a detailed map of the Valley of Clouds and Lightning spread over it.
There weren't many people present — besides Minato, there were also his former jonin instructor from the academy, Inoichi.
"Long time no see, Inoichi-sensei, Captain Minato." Mitsuki greeted with a smile.
"And this must be Doutou. It's a pleasure — I'm Shimizu Mitsuki."
Doutou Akimichi, stern and composed, nodded politely.
"Likewise. A pleasure."
Inoichi, however, looked a bit awkward, wearing a faintly embarrassed smile.
"It really has been a long time, Mitsuki. I heard about your accomplishments on the Kirigakure front… truly remarkable."
As a newly promoted jonin, his first genin group had been Heiji's cohort. Due to certain circumstances, while he was away on another mission, two of his three students were killed.
He blamed himself deeply, nearly giving up his role as a jonin instructor entirely.
But Hiruzen had given him a heartfelt speech — and trusted him enough to assign the top two graduates of that year, including Mitsuki, to his team.
Inoichi had vowed then to protect his students no matter what.
Yet when Mitsuki, Ruri, and Heiji went to the Mist front, he was assigned elsewhere. He knew Mitsuki was strong — far stronger than himself — but Mitsuki was still a child.
Finally, Inoichi let out the words he had been suppressing:
"I'm sorry, Mitsuki. As your instructor, I should have been by your side."
Mitsuki hadn't expected those to be Haiichi-sensei's first words after so many months. He paused, then sighed softly.
"Inoichi-sensei… Ruri, Heiji and I never blamed you. And besides — your trust in us, that you believed we were capable of standing on our own, that's already proof enough, isn't it?"
The Yamanaka clan had delicate hearts. Mitsuki could easily imagine how much Inoichi had been worrying during those long months of battle.
And Mitsuki understood — before his team was assigned away, he had worried the same way about Rin, Kakashi, and Obito.
Minato knew Inoichi's thoughts well. Every time news arrived from the Mist front, he always discussed it with Haiichi first.
Seeing Haiichi finally relax a bit, Minato felt equally relieved. Even Doutou, usually so serious, allowed a small smile.
"Inoichi, you've raised excellent students. Stop treating them like children."
The guilt in Inoichi's eyes finally faded. He reached out as if to pat Mitsuki's head, but stopped halfway, smiling instead.
He truly did have wonderful students.
Minato waited patiently for the mood to settle before reluctantly interrupting.
"Mitsuki, I'm sorry to give you a mission the moment you arrive… but this is something only you can do."