When his eyes finally opened again, Morino Yuzuki saw only the white ceiling of a medical tent.
The sting of antiseptic medicine flooded his nose.
"Ha—! Kosei! KOSEI!!"
"Yuzuki-chūnin, please calm down. You're safe now."
A medical-nin stationed at the western border pressed gently on the trembling youth's shoulders.
"Kosei… how is Kosei?!
He's alive, right? He's alive, isn't he?!"
The female medic turned her head slightly, unable to meet his eyes.
"Yuzuki-chūnin… you already know the answer."
"No. No, no, no—impossible. Why would he need to cover for me? Never… absolutely never!"
Not far away, heavily bandaged and still recovering from internal injuries, Yūhi Kurenai lay on another bed.
Ryūun quietly offered him water while he watched Yuzuki crumble with a mixture of pity and pain.
First Squad stood nearby, silent.
"So this is… war?"
Nawaki murmured, staring at the broken youth.
"Kaito, have you ever been on a battlefield?"
Kaito shook his head.
"Genin aren't allowed on front-line battlefields."
Might Duy recited the border report, voice grim.
"Fifteen-man offshore outpost.
Two jōnin, twelve chūnin… all dead."
He exhaled deeply.
"War is crueler than anything."
At that moment, an Uchiha jōnin assigned to border defense stepped into the tent.
He ignored Kaito and the others and went straight to Yuzuki.
"What's his condition?"
The medic shook her head.
"His mind has collapsed. He won't be able to relay coherent intel."
"I see."
The Uchiha knelt before the boy, his expression stern.
"Look into my eyes, boy."
"Genjutsu—Sharingan."
Under the genjutsu, the dazed Yuzuki began to recount everything that had happened two days earlier.
When the jōnin obtained the necessary intelligence, he released the illusion.
The boy's eyes returned to their empty, hollow state.
"His mental damage isn't irreversible. With rest, he will recover.
Have him return to Konoha together with Yūhi's squad."
The jōnin stood, glancing briefly at Kaito and the others.
"Oh right.
Senju brat.
And Orochimaru's three little genin."
He snorted.
"You lot shouldn't linger on the battlefield.
This is no place for snot-nosed kids!"
"Yes!" ×3
Kaito silently exhaled in relief.
His chakra and stamina had long since recovered—
but he had zero intention of going to war.
Duy and Nawaki kept their heads lowered, both too shaken to respond.
Even being mocked for being a Senju didn't stir Nawaki's usual temper.
Information Must Be Delivered by Hand
In the shinobi world, critical information was never entrusted to unknown channels.
When distance and danger existed between villages, letters had to be delivered personally.
Which was why Orochimaru's squad and Yūhi's squad—five people in total—were sent back directly.
Wounded or not, the intel had to reach Konoha.
Kurenai remained at the border, too injured to move.
Hokage's Office
After hearing the report from both squads, Sarutobi Hiruzen slammed his fist onto the desk.
BANG!
The shock rattled the office.
Even the ANBU outside didn't dare enter.
"Why… WHY?!"
"Has Konoha wronged you somehow?!"
His rage carried through the room—
but he wasn't yelling at the squads.
He was yelling at fate, betrayal, and war.
At that moment, another elder who had received border intel quietly smiled.
Danzo.
"Uzushio…
Truly, you've given me a golden opportunity."
He stepped into Hiruzen's office and placed a hand on the Hokage's shoulder with calculated gentleness.
"Hiruzen. Leave this matter to Root.
We will investigate thoroughly and report the moment we confirm anything."
Hiruzen hesitated.
Kaito's report repeated itself in his mind—
There were no Uzumaki present at the scene.
His expression darkened.
"Konoha cannot lose the Uzumaki Clan."
"You understand what I mean."
Danzo smiled faintly.
"Of course, Hiruzen.
They are Lady Mito's kin… and container to that thing.
I will personally lead the investigation."
Hiruzen nodded slowly.
"Danzo… until we confirm Uzushio has betrayed us, YOU are not permitted to act.
Do you understand?"
Inside, Danzo clicked his tongue.
But outwardly—
"As you command, Hiruzen.
Leave everything to me."
He turned and left, cloak swaying.
Hiruzen stared after him, sorrow filling his eyes.
If only Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Sakumo were here…
He trusted them far more than the man walking away.
Meanwhile, Kaito used the excuse of "emotional instability after his first failed mission" to take a long break—
lying around at home for ten days while Nawaki and Duy eagerly split the mission rewards.
"Should I… tell them the truth?"
Only Kaito knew Uzushio hadn't betrayed Konoha.
But he had no idea who would be sent to investigate—
and frankly, he didn't want to get dragged into it.
He also kept quiet about Kurenai's rescue.
He simply reported that when he arrived, she was already wounded and surrounded by Mist corpses.
ROOM had erased all traces of his medical assistance.
Thus, no one doubted him.
He slipped back into the safety of Konoha without trouble.
"Forget it… none of this is my business anyway."
"Even if Naruto disappears someday, probably… uh… probably fine."
Lying on his bed, hands behind his head, Kaito glanced at the system window.
Shippuden mode still locked.
A little [Exit] button blinking in the corner.
"Whatever. One step at a time."
His thoughts drifted to Mikoto.
"I wonder how she's doing on the battlefield.
Sigh… teacher's too useless. Couldn't protect our bond."
"If she dies out there, though—
I'll make sure her corpse is stored properly."
"…See you in the future."
The battle had pushed Kaito's Saiyan physiology again—
pushing his baseline strength even closer to Kage-level.
His body grew stronger from near-death exertion.
Small steps.
Steady progress.
Konoha Hospital
Inside a special ward for mental recovery—
"What a pitiful boy…"
"Sensei! Did you see lots of enemies at the border? Or maybe—
lots of corpses?"
Kaito rolled his eyes so hard they nearly hit the back of his skull.
He ruffled Nonō's blond hair aggressively.
"Are you trying to curse your teacher to death?"
"N-No! I was just asking!"
Nonō scratched her cheek, eyes damp with worry.
"Oh, right! Sensei, I went to the Uchiha compound earlier but didn't see Mikoto.
You said she's on a clan mission… what kind of mission is that?"
Kaito froze for half a second.
Sweat beaded on Nonō's forehead.
Oh no. He actually went to the Uchiha… If they told him anything, our whole lie—!
"I—I—I—"
"Relax. I'm teasing you."
Kaito chuckled, ruffling her hair again.
He turned toward the window, ignoring the noise of the hospital.
"No matter what happens in the future, Nonō…
I hope you'll trust your teacher."
"Huh?"
She blinked at him, confused.
Kaito smiled faintly.
"Nothing."
"Teacher lied again~! You didn't go to the Uchiha at all! Hmph!"
He stepped back and made a silly face.
Nonō burst into laughter, then raised a fist—
"Bad teacher!! Take this—I'll punch you!!"
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