The mission to the Roran ruins, to put it plainly, was an operation where the Leaf assisted the Sand in hunting down the rogue ninja Mukade.
Although it had resulted in a fantastical journey through the Dragon Vein's space-time, Tsunade didn't pay it much mind.
A single trip to the past didn't prove much, especially since Shiraishi had scrubbed his own existence from the memories of the two men.
Instead, he had replaced himself with the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, acting as a Leaf shinobi to aid Naruto and the others.
With the explanation that Mukade had been killed in the past—which aligned perfectly with the historical data left by the Fourth Hokage—Tsunade harbored no suspicions. She dismissed Naruto and the rest to rest.
For the Leaf, the Roran mission was merely a small interlude. Their primary focus remained on the Three-Tails, Akatsuki, and the movements of Orochimaru.
Intelligence even suggested that a user of a rare Kekkei Genkai, Crystal Release, had appeared in the area where the Three-Tails was spotted.
Setting aside Shiraishi's observation tour of the future via Yamato, the Shiraishi of the present had finished calibrating his neural transmission devices.
After a series of tests, he found his computational speed had truly reached a new level.
If he continued to strengthen himself this way, fully mastering the Aerial Ace gale attacks would be within reach. He had been practicing this high-powered Wind Release technique for some time, but progress had been limited until now.
"Compared to you all, my computational ability still has a gap," Shiraishi remarked.
"That is because we are a combination of a Regeneration Core and a computer," one of his Human Puppet clones replied expressionlessly.
"Though we carry some of your emotional imprints, we are essentially calculating devices that simply possess the ability to communicate with you."
The research-type Human Puppets had fragile combat capabilities but very sturdy bodies. Shiraishi had deliberately split their functions into "research" and "combat."
To put it bluntly, he remained wary of artificial intelligence; once a machine possessed both independent thought and immense combat power, it might create unnecessary trouble for him.
By delegating specific roles, he avoided potential internal contradictions.
The perimeter of this massive underground base was guarded by numerous Triangular Sand Towers containing stores of Azure Flame. Should any outsider discover or invade this place, the resulting counter-force would be enough to teach them a lethal lesson.
Despite the intensity of events in the Land of Rivers and Roran, it was still only the year 45 of the Konoha calendar.
Stepping out of his underground lab, Shiraishi observed the passersby in the village. Compared to the atmosphere before the battle at Kikyo Mountain, the people seemed entirely different; they carried a new sense of confidence and cheerfulness.
The Hidden Sand was gradually reclaiming its pride as one of the Five Great Nations. The Sand that didn't need the Leaf's "charity" with Tailed Beasts—the Sand that relied on its own strength to become the second most powerful village—was back.
The villagers looked at Shiraishi with eyes full of admiration. They knew the person responsible for this transformation was this young sixteen-year-old ninja. At just sixteen, he possessed such power; how could they not be excited for the future?
While the interior of the Sand was peaceful, the outside world remained embroiled in war. The wars of attrition between the Leaf, the Stone, and the Mist continued.
Fierce clashes persisted at the Kannabi Bridge, the northern Land of Rivers, and along the Leaf's coastline.
The Sand, like the Cloud, was in a state of peace. However, unlike the Cloud—which was busy sharpening its blades—the Land of Wind was focusing its energy on domestic governance after two major wars.
During this period, Shiraishi was awarded the "Excellence and Distinguished Service Medal for the Great Battle of the Land of Rivers." Though Shiraishi truly couldn't understand the Daimyo's naming sense for awards, he accepted the honor nonetheless.
The Kitajima family, which had risen to power alongside Shiraishi, was expanding its influence rapidly within the Land of Wind, showing signs of becoming the premier noble house.
However, as their power grew, their attitude toward Shiraishi became increasingly contradictory.
The Kitajima family both loved and hated Shiraishi.
On one hand, Shiraishi's development of "Human Secret Arts" showed little progress, leading the Daimyo to criticize the Kitajimas for incompetence. Furthermore, after the Arakawa family entered the arms trade—specifically the explosive tag market—they siphoned off a large portion of the Kitajimas' profits.
Consequently, a faction within the family grew increasingly dissatisfied with Shiraishi. Some even advocated for reclaiming assets from the joint foundation that Shiraishi and the Kitajimas had established.
On the other hand, Shiraishi's "Berries" and various eccentric inventions continued to drive the expansion of the Kitajimas' capital. In many ways, the Kitajima family needed Shiraishi far more than he needed them.
Though there were many grumbles below, Kitajima Itto's faction suppressed them. They recognized Shiraishi's strength and potential; despite the friction, they were not foolish enough to break ties with him.
Shiraishi saw through the masks of these "Great Families" clearly. He didn't mind; to him, these parasites clinging to the strong were merely dogs wagging their tails at the sight of wealth. As his strength continued to grow, their dependence on him would only deepen.
Months later, at Shiraishi's home, Maki was preparing a pot of steaming soup. She looked out at the backyard, where Shiraishi was lounging lazily, teasing an orange cat with a toy. She couldn't help but smile happily.
Recently, Shiraishi hadn't been pushing himself as hard with training and research. Instead, he stayed home to spend time with her and the cat, living a simple and tranquil life.
This made Maki incredibly happy; the fact that Shiraishi could slow down his pace to be with her was a precious gift.
Suddenly, Shiraishi picked up the orange cat and inspected it closely. "You seem to have gotten fat again?"
Despite both of them restricting the cat's diet, the chubby cat's weight seemed to be trending upward. Not only had the diet failed, but the cat had actually rounded out another circle!
This cat's hidden "mighty power" needs nutrition to stay fueled! You want me to lose weight? You peasants!
Though internally defiant, when Shiraishi tossed a yarn ball, the cat let out a "meow" and pounced, rolling around with the ball in its paws.
The timelines of the two eras were completely different. Although months had passed for Shiraishi, no intelligence had arrived from Yamato yet, indicating that time flowed at a different rate.
While intelligence was scarce, the tripartite development of the Land of Kusunoki, the Land of Rivers, and the West Coast was flourishing. The major ports in the Land of Rivers were especially bustling with constant trade and travelers.
Watching the cat play, Shiraishi seemed to recall something. "Maki, why don't we go to the Land of Kusunoki for a trip?"
"Huh?"
"The Jonin Class just received a mission for the Land of Kusunoki. It's perfect for us."
As a territory under Shiraishi's management, the island had prospered under the joint administration of the Mist and Sand.
With its beautiful scenery and hot springs, it was the perfect destination for a vacation.
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