In a hot-spring inn of a small western town in the Land of Fire, steaming water flowed and mist curled.
No one knows why the Ninja World is dotted with so many hot springs; the Land of Hot Springs offers the finest quality and service. If you're willing to pay, you can even hire a few pretty young ladies to bathe with you—Jiraiya's paradise and the wellspring of inspiration for Make-Out Paradise.
Shin Higashino and Gekko father and son lounged in the bath, unwinding after their mission.
Yūgao Uzuki was on the other side; this wasn't a mixed bath—any spa in the Ninja World that advertises mixed bathing is a lie: inside you'll find only grandpas or monkeys.
No matter how accustomed you become to killing, you still need to relax after every mission; it's good for body and mind—sound advice from a veteran Jonin.
A Ninja with no way to unwind will snap one day, and then instead of muttering about money and women he'll want the world to feel pain.
That's why the original Big Three of the Akatsuki Organization never learned their teacher's most important lesson.
Ninja steeped in slaughter must earn money, sure—but they must also spend it. Don't take the Red-Hot Habanero's advice to her son seriously; let the Three Ninja Prohibitions go to hell.
Gekko Yun Jian, who'd barely lifted a finger, threw himself into the luxury: towel over his face, he murmured, "Man, time flies—before we know it, you've been graduated two whole months."
Shin Higashino: "Yeah, it's fast. Ninja life really is colorful—meeting all kinds of people, handling troubles ordinary folk can't. Interesting."
"That's what being a Ninja is. Soon, though, you'll face a different sort of life."
Shin had a hunch, but still asked, "Sensei, what sort of life do you mean?"
"Eh? Let's talk over food."
Gekkō Hayate's cheeks were flushed, brows slightly knit; he'd more or less guessed.
Nothing beats a lavish feast after a good soak—provided your Jonin leader doesn't wear a grim face the whole time.
Unfortunately, their Jonin leader did wear a grim face the whole time.
Hayate had never had a big appetite, and with his father's words echoing, the meal tasted bland; Yūgao, still in the dark, ate heartily.
Shin didn't let his guesses spoil his fun; he ate with relish—even if the world ended tomorrow, it wouldn't stop him from demolishing his rice.
When they were nearly finished, Yun Jian asked, "You know about the Chunin Exams, right?"
Yūgao perked up: "Sure! They're held twice a year, mid-year and year-end. July's less than a month away—so you mean we'll soon make Chunin?"
"Well, that was the plan—but aren't you forgetting the Ninja World is still at war?"
"Isn't it almost over?"
Shin reminded her: "You're on the Western Front, which ended two years ago, but don't forget our dads are still on the Northern Front—and the Hidden Mist on the Eastern Front hasn't surrendered."
"Shin's right, yet Yūgao's not wrong either; the higher-ups figure the war's nearly done.
But like those savage beasts you hunt, before they die they always try one last swipe at their foe."
Hayate looked at his father: "Sensei, has the war situation changed recently?"
Yun Jian hesitated, then divulged a bit: "Intel says both Iwagakure and Kumogakure on the Northern Front are regrouping, so Konoha must reinforce defenses there as well.
On the Eastern Front the Hidden Mist have found a new target and are stirring again. This may be every Village's final struggle."
If the balance of power holds, the war could end; if something goes wrong—well, anything can happen in the Ninja World, who can say?"
Hayate fell silent; he'd long been mentally ready for battle.
So had Yūgao, though she pouted: "Thought our generation would luckily miss it, but we caught the tail-end of the war."
Seeing Shin still eating, she puffed her cheeks: "Hey, Shin, aren't you scared? We could die, y'know."
Shin wiped his hands with a towel and, like when they were kids, rubbed her head: "Relax. I won't die, and neither will you; I'll protect my comrades."
His strong confidence infected the girl; she brightened: "Mm, I believe you. I'll protect you too."
Yun Jian was delighted: "My, my, the bonds within Team Three are splendid. Rest assured, I'll protect you too; with our squad's strength, survival won't be an issue."
Hayate, never good at showing feelings, simply asked, "Sensei, when do we leave?"
"Go home and rest for two days; prepare yourselves and wait for the Village's orders."
—
In fact, Team Three got five days off.
During that time the fighting between Kumogakure and Iwagakure on the Northern Front intensified, the battlefield edging closer to the Land of Fire.
The message was clear: if we're brawling, you're not sitting pretty—forget about snatching the fruit.
To respond, Konoha ordered the Hyuga Clan, led by Hyuga Hiashi, to shift from the eastern to the Northern Front, letting the Cloud brutes and Rock bumpkins experience the terror of a squad of Byakugan users with wall-hack vision.
A single Hyuga might not be top-tier, but strategically they're invaluable—no ambush or trap escapes their sight; only those who've used them know.
Bad news: "The Red-Eye Clan of the Hidden Mist can interfere with the Byakugan."
Good news: "Those pretty boys, no tougher than the Yuki Clan, were wiped out by their own Village before the Third War."
With the war at this stage, how could the main Hyuga family stay comfy in the rear?
Weakened eastern defenses made the nutty Hidden Mist restless again.
But without the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and—per Kakashi's intel—having lost most of their Anbu and the Three-Tails, they're a tiger whose fangs have been pulled.
Konoha scraped together a few more forces, added the rookies graduated these past two years, and that was enough.
Shin Higashino's Team Three was one of them—after all, they'd only graduated this year, the greenest of the green.
They got the news on the fourth day of rest, leaving one day to prepare; Hayate and Yūgao went home to cram.
Shin had little to prepare; his strength had hit a Bottleneck limited by Natural Energy training progress and the body of a nine-year-old.
Factors that needed time to accumulate were things he couldn't fix right now.
For now he focused on Chakra nature training.
On the final rest day, Megumi Higashino—rarely off work—came home early and cooked a full table of her specialties.
Yet she remained gloomy throughout.
The mood lasted until after the meal; a Tokubetsu Jōnin—medical at that—breaking a few bowls while washing up, who would believe it?
"Sigh… never thought even you'd be sent to the front. Has Konoha really come to this?"
"Mom, the Eastern Front isn't intense; a bit of field experience will do us good."
"But… but…"
"You don't need to worry about my safety."
"You're my child, my only child—how could I not worry?"
Suddenly Shin's body defied gravity, drifting before Megumi. Looking into her eyes he said, "Relax, Mom. I promise: if I want to leave, no one can stop me. So please set your fears aside."
"…" Megumi stared in shock at her floating son; she had no words for what she felt.
Ninja capable of flight were extremely rare; the only one she'd heard of was the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, though she'd never seen him.
A Village Kage, equal to the Third Hokage—such figures stood at the very pinnacle of the Ninja World in ordinary Ninja eyes.
And Shin Higashino wasn't even ten yet!
The only thing she wanted to say right then was: Honey, come home—come watch a living god with me.