"Sounds good," Kakashi said, wiping sweat from his temple.
Their spar had only been a light warm-up. Both still had plenty of stamina and could easily mold chakra—they were more than fit to head back on patrol.
The group quickly moved out.
The ruins of the former Land of Whirlpools were vast. Fixed watchposts alone couldn't cover the area. In fact, large sections of the zone were still blind spots.
Even the Byakugan couldn't fully survey an entire country.
The Land of Whirlpools had once flourished. But its glory ended when its enemies banded together and razed its hidden village, destroying the nation along with it. Now, scattered remnants of the Uzumaki clan were all that remained across the shinobi world.
'Did Konoha not have time to help Uzushiogakure… or did they just choose not to?' Kiyohara pondered, rubbing his chin.
The original manga had glossed over that event—it was never explained in detail.
Kiyohara hadn't lived through the fall of Uzushio, so his knowledge was limited. Still, he knew the Uzumaki were once Konoha's allies. The Konoha flak jackets even bore the Uzumaki clan symbol as a gesture of friendship.
And yet, oddly enough, the only known refugee Konoha took in was Uzumaki Kushina. The only other thing they gained was the clan's complete fuinjutsu system.
Nagato's family lived in the chaos of the Land of Rain—never once attempting to flee to the Land of Fire.
"What're you thinking about?" Kurenai asked, noticing his distracted look.
"Nothing much."
Kiyohara shook his head. Bottom line, the area was full of blind spots. Regular patrols were essential.
"Pakkun, Bull, Urushi… I'm counting on you guys."
Kakashi bit his thumb, weaved hand signs, and slapped his palm to the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A puff of white smoke—eight dogs of varying sizes appeared, all clad in custom flak vests.
At the front was Pakkun, a small pug wearing a straw hat. He yawned and said lazily, "Kakashi, what's the mission this time? This whole ruin reeks like wet wood."
"Patrol. Focus on the coastline. Search for suspicious signs."
Kakashi replied briskly.
Watching Kakashi's ninken line up, Kiyohara's thoughts stirred.
Summoned beasts were a massive asset in battle—whether for tracking, support, or direct combat.
The Legendary Sannin, after all, were known not only for their strength but also for their fearsome summon contracts.
'Maybe it's time I considered signing a summoning pact too.'
"A summon, huh?" Magnet Kiyohara's spirit floated beside him, arms crossed as he watched the ninja hounds.
"In my future, I didn't bother with mutts like these. I contracted a pangolin that lived deep in the mountains. Its armor plates amplified my magnetic field and enhanced my sensory perception. A perfect match."
A summon that boosts magnetic control?
Kiyohara recalled the giant clam summoned by the Second Mizukage, Hōzuki Gengetsu. It created massive mirage illusions that paired flawlessly with his Steam Imp Jutsu.
A well-matched summon could drastically raise a shinobi's power ceiling.
"I was thinking… a flying summon might not be a bad idea," Kiyohara thought inwardly, speaking to his future self.
"Recon, mobility, aerial strikes—big advantages."
He thought of Sasuke's Taka Squad later on, and how the giant hawk proved so useful.
"Magnet Release allows flight, too," Magnet Kiyohara replied, waving dismissively. "But the chakra cost is steep."
He'd used that ability in his own worldline to kill countless enemies—most of whom never saw it coming.
"I see..."
As they patrolled, Kiyohara mulled it over.
Judging from Magnet Kiyohara's comments, he'd developed some form of flight-based technique through Magnet Release.
Flight was rare in the shinobi world—but not unheard of.
Konan's Paper Jutsu, Onoki's Super Light-Weight Rock Technique, and Sai's Super Beast Imitating Drawing all allowed flight.
If Kiyohara could gain that kind of mobility, it would be a huge advantage.
But for now, that was just a possibility—he had to finish Magnet Kiyohara's death wish first to inherit any abilities.
And currently? Killing a Suna ANBU wasn't exactly easy.
"Woof! Woof!" came barks in the distance.
The ninken dispersed, sniffing and listening for abnormalities.
Kakashi, Kiyohara, Kurenai, Genma, and Rin moved in a fan-shaped formation, eyes sharp.
The coastline was bleak, lined with shattered walls and broken terrain. The mood hung heavy in the salty sea air.
Kakashi glanced at Rin, then at Kiyohara. "I heard from some of the older shinobi… Lady Tsunade might be coming to the rear lines soon."
"Tsunade-sama?" Kurenai blinked in surprise.
"You mean the Tsunade of the Sannin? I thought she hadn't fought on the front lines in years."
Tsunade's hemophobia was a tightly kept secret. Most just knew she'd stopped fighting and had left the battlefield behind.
Rin's eyes lit up. As a medic-nin, she held deep admiration for the legendary "Healer of Healers."
Kiyohara touched his chin, thoughtful.
Tsunade? Coming here?
He immediately thought of the Land of Whirlpools' history.
During the Second Great Ninja War, her lover, Kato Dan, had died near this very region.
For her, this place was one of grief.
'Is she coming to mourn… or for Konoha?' he wondered.
'The village must be stretched thin if they're calling even a hemophobic Tsunade to support the war effort…'
But it was unlikely she'd be on the front lines. More likely she'd be stationed in a rear base—overseeing medical logistics or offering strategic support.
Given her vast experience and world-class medical prowess, she could still be a tremendous asset without ever picking up a kunai.
Konoha was fighting for survival now. Every ounce of power mattered.
No matter what, the village was her home—her grandfather's legacy.
"It's just a rumor," Kakashi clarified. "Nothing's confirmed yet."
Still, if Tsunade did show up, once they completed their mission, they might see her in the medical corps.
That could be an amazing opportunity for Kiyohara and Rin to learn.
They were the only two in the unit practicing medical ninjutsu.
"Thanks for the tip, Kakashi," Kiyohara said, understanding the thoughtfulness behind the words.
"I really hope she comes," he muttered. "That'd be the best way to train medical jutsu right now."
And unlike other med-nin, Tsunade had a fatal weakness—
She loved to gamble.
The patrol continued in silence. Only the whistling wind and the distant barks of ninja hounds broke the stillness.
—
Meanwhile, in a Sunagakure outpost tent...
"Pakura, I have a mission for you."
Rasa stood with his back turned to the woman who'd just entered.
She wore a sleeveless top, her smooth back faintly gleaming in the lantern light.
"What mission?" Pakura asked.
"In the Land of Whirlpools," Rasa replied as he slowly turned around.
"Konoha and Kirigakure are facing off there. At the right moment—if either side begins to collapse—I want you to quietly tip the scales. Sabotage one side, or lend a hand to the other. Keep the war deadlocked. Drag it out."