Chapter 32: The Grim Situation

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Early chapters: patreon.com/Reborn_noob

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In the blink of an eye, Konoha Year 29 transitioned into Konoha Year 30.

The ninja world was in a state of constant upheaval. Hanzo of the Rain Village persistently provoked skirmishes along the Fire Country border, leaving the Third Hokage with no choice but to dispatch Danzo to handle the escalating tensions.

The land of Wind, too, amassed troops at its border, poised to strike the Fire Nation. In response, the Third Hokage deployed his three prized students to the front lines, aiming to deter any surprise attacks from the Sand Shinobi.

Simultaneously, as Konoha's main forces grappled with the Rain and Wind threats, other nations intensified their clandestine operations within Whirlpool Country.

Their objective was clear: eliminate Konoha's ally before Konoha could mount a defense.

Unbeknownst to them, Konoha had already made the difficult decision to abandon Whirlpool Country. Nevertheless, the other powers, wary of potential Konoha intervention, accelerated their plans for the island nation.

…

"Pah! Pah! Pah!" The sound of fists colliding with flesh echoed across the Tian family's training ground.

Ganta and Nawaki were locked in a fierce hand-to-hand duel, forgoing ninjutsu in favor of pure physical prowess.

However, even in this restricted combat, Nawaki found himself at a disadvantage. Ganta's physical attributes had steadily improved under the prolonged influence of Yuta's mysterious bead, and the previous year's epiphany had significantly enhanced his chakra control, surpassing Nawaki's.

With superior physicality and refined chakra control, Ganta's reaction speed was also noticeably quicker. He effortlessly anticipated and evaded Nawaki's every attack.

"Bang!" Ganta delivered a solid punch to Nawaki's abdomen. Seeing Nawaki unable to dodge, he swiftly transitioned his fist into an open palm, striking Nawaki's chest.

"Dangdangdang!" The force of Ganta's blow sent Nawaki stumbling backward seven or eight steps before landing heavily on his backside.

Sweat glistened on his brow, and his breath came in ragged gasps as he sat on the grass, unwilling to rise. The sparring match had clearly been lengthy and intense.

"Alright, Ganta wins this round! Both participants make the reconciliation seal." Yuta, acting as the referee, observed Nawaki's fall and promptly declared the outcome.

"Oh! Big brother is so awesome!" Yuto, standing beside Yuta, cheered enthusiastically upon witnessing Ganta's victory over Nawaki.

Jiro, observing Nawaki with a serious expression, mused internally, 'Nawaki's_ progress is remarkable. He truly is a worthy descendant of the Senju clan. Can bloodline alone truly determine one's destiny?'_

"Well, the four of you have sparred amongst yourselves, and I trust you now have a clearer understanding of each other's strengths.

From this moment until the end of today's training, you may discuss and identify areas where you still need improvement."

Nawaki had never found Yuta's voice so melodious.

"Oh! Finally, I don't have to run around that cursed training ground today!" Nawaki sprang to his feet, throwing an arm around Ganta's shoulders and jumping for joy.

It had been a grueling routine. With each lap, Yuta devised increasingly bizarre obstacles. Nawaki and Ganta were consistently the ones caught in the various traps.

While they had learned to be more cautious recently, the sensation of the itching powder when they occasionally failed was far from pleasant.

Jiro and Yuto were less exuberant. Relieved at not having to run laps, they settled onto a nearby stone bench. Once Yuta was out of earshot, they leaned back, their gazes distant.

Upon returning to the house, Yuta found Kiko home from work, playfully interacting with Shingo.

"How are you? Has work been hectic lately?" Yuta sat on the sofa, gently picking up his infant son, and addressed Kiko while playfully tickling Shingo.

The two nannies were currently preparing dinner, leaving Yuta and Kiko to converse more freely.

Hearing Yuta's question, Kiko rolled her eyes. "Do you think everyone lives like you? Coming home like a lord, doing nothing all day but looking after the kids?"

"Isn't it because Sarutobi is overly suspicious? What can I do? I'd love to go out, but he won't assign me any missions!" Yuta feigned dejection.

Ever since Mito's last visit, the Third Hokage seemed paranoid that Yuta would find an excuse to leave the village, consistently denying him any missions that required him to venture outside Konoha. 

Even when it was argued that only Yuta possessed the necessary skills for a particular task, Sarutobi would invariably assign it to Hatake Sakumo instead, all to prevent Yuta from having a reason to depart.

In truth, Yuta wanted to reassure Sarutobi that such measures were unnecessary, as he was well aware of his own limitations and the political landscape.

Seeing her husband's exaggerated sadness, Kiko couldn't help but chuckle.

However, her smile faded as she recalled the recent situation at the hospital. "There's been a growing influx of wounded at the hospital lately, mostly from the Rain Country border. The conflict there seems to be escalating."

Hearing Kiko's observation, Yuta responded nonchalantly, "This is just the beginning! The Wind Country situation isn't stable either. The reason they haven't sent back as many wounded is because Tsunade is there. It seems everyone is nearing their breaking point!"

Watching Yuta happily tease Shingo, Kiko felt a sense of calm seeing his apparent composure. 'Yes, with my husband here, what else do I need to worry about?'

"I might have to go out soon, so be careful at home," Yuta suddenly said, turning to Kiko.

"What's wrong? Didn't Sarutobi say he was worried about you leaving?" Kiko looked up, concerned.

"When Nawaki visited this afternoon, he mentioned that Lady Mito went to Sarutobi's office." Without Yuta needing to elaborate, Kiko immediately understood the reason for his impending departure.

Now that Mito had approached Sarutobi, the Hokage wouldn't stand idly by while Whirlpool Country fell. 

The village's only viable option for manpower was Yuta, and Sarutobi would undoubtedly task him with leading the mission. As for additional personnel, the Senju clan still had a considerable number of ninjas.

As expected, the following morning, just as Yuta was about to head to the training grounds to check on his sons, he was intercepted by an ANBU operative.

"Jonin Yuta, please proceed to the Hokage's office immediately. Hokage-sama has an urgent matter to discuss with you."

With that, the ANBU vanished in a swirl of leaves.

Upon entering the Hokage's office, Yuta saw the Third Hokage and Mito seated in the main area, with three rows of ninjas standing below them—fifteen individuals in total. 

Judging by their hair color and build, Yuta could discern that at least ten of them were members of the Senju clan. Their sturdy frames and long, straight black hair were not common traits.

Seeing this assembly, Yuta knew that Sarutobi had been persuaded by Mito.

As Yuta entered, Sarutobi spoke in a grave tone, "Yuta, the situation in Whirlpool Country is critical. It could fall at any moment. They sent a plea for help previously, but the village couldn't spare the resources. However, as allies, we cannot stand by. This time, we are sending you to assess their situation and offer assistance if possible. Alright, everyone, go and prepare yourselves. Depart immediately upon readiness!"

No sooner had the Third Hokage finished speaking than all the ninjas, except for Mito, vanished from the office in a synchronized display of speed.