Chapter 93: Flames of Deception, Shadows of War

The burning evening sky bore witness to Gin's latest creation—an evolved form of the classic Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique. But this wasn't an ordinary Katon. No, Gin had transformed a humble C-rank jutsu into something that defied logic—a monstrous, swirling inferno that scorched the sky.

An S-rank manifestation of his genius.

"Not bad," Gin smiled faintly, suppressing the pride in his voice. "But let's keep our power in check—for now. Don't want to rattle Root or Danzo just yet. We'll camp here tonight and move on in the morning."

"Huh? Why?" The others looked up, surprised. "It's only mid-afternoon! We can cover another hundred kilometers before nightfall."

Suddenly, Tsunade appeared with a sharp glare.

"You want to leave the women behind, don't you?" she accused.

"Huh?" Mikoto and Kushina exchanged confused looks.

"What does that have to do with their safety?" Kushina asked, narrowing her eyes. "We already saved them from the bandits."

Minato was quiet, sensing something beneath Gin's and Tsunade's behavior but unable to pin it down.

"Sister Tsunade is right," Gin said seriously. "I don't trust Root or even ANBU. My mother told me—they don't always act with reason. The women we saved… Root might come for them. Kill them in the dark and claim secrecy as justification."

A heavy silence fell.

"We'll stay the night. That way, by morning, they can leave safely. Once they're back in their villages, Root won't have enough time or influence to reach them—and even if they did, killing them would cause an uproar in the Land of Fire."

Minato clenched his fists. "Monsters...!"

"Danzo's the source of all this," Mikoto added with quiet fury. "I swear—someday, I'll destroy everything he built."

Kushina's eyes were ablaze. "To think, those women barely escaped death from bandits, and now this? Unforgivable. I have to get stronger—much stronger. That's the only way to stop this madness."

"Agreed," Minato and Mikoto said in unison.

Gin nodded and took charge again. "Enough anger for today. Let's eat and rest. Everyone leave a Shadow Clone behind—we're going to train in the Pirate World. Our daily routine doesn't pause just because we're angry."

With practiced ease, Gin leveled the ground, summoned tables, spread cloths, and laid out food from his storage scrolls. Even as the grim tension lingered, their bodies demanded nourishment. In both the Shinobi and Pirate worlds, eating well was vital for their advanced training in longevity and chakra control.

Once fed and settled, everyone deployed their Shadow Clones and teleported back to the Pirate World for training. There, Perona greeted them, her spirit-body hovering lightly over the grass.

"Oh? Gin? Mikoto? Kushina? Weren't you guys on a mission?"

"Yup!" Gin grinned. "We left Shadow Clones. Got some time for training."

Perona fluttered in surprise. "You were gone for days! I missed you all!"

Kushina laughed and reached out, pinching Perona's cheek, her Adamantine Chains infused with mental energy playfully binding the ghost girl. "Missed us, huh?"

"Yes, yes! I admit it! Let me go!" Perona squeaked and fled behind Queen, shaking off the chains.

"Your ghostly form is weird," she pouted. "But these Uzumaki chains—ugh! I still can't figure out how they grab me!"

Kushina smirked. "That's the Uzumaki bloodline for you. And mental energy is the key. Sorry, Perona, but your powers won't always work on us."

Even Minato chuckled. "Fortunately, Gin trained us in countering your ghost forms—especially the Negative Ghosts."

Training went late into the night. Once finished, they cleaned up, ate again, and slept peacefully on Shimotsuki Island. The next morning, after breakfast and health exercises, they returned to the Shinobi World.

After checking their Shadow Clones' memories and confirming Root hadn't moved, the group resumed their missions. Half a month passed. They completed their final task and returned to Konoha, having evolved past mere bandit cleanups. Now they handled reconnaissance, supply transport, and even hunting enemy spies—evidence of their rising skill.

Three days later, they stood once more in the Hokage's office.

"Thank you for your hard work," said the Third Hokage, scanning the report scroll. "Two months of successful missions. War has officially begun with Amegakure—no large battles yet, but skirmishes continue. Suna and Iwa have joined the fray. And with so many poison users on the front lines, our forces are in dire need of antidotes."

He looked at Tsunade. "You're needed at the front, Tsunade. Can you leave for the Rain Country tomorrow?"

"Of course," Tsunade replied without hesitation. Though she still had her grudge against the Hokage's inner circle, she wouldn't let Konoha's forces suffer. Deep down, she planned to crush Hanzo in single combat—on her terms. Not for a humiliating title like 'Sannin' gifted from a loss.

The Hokage turned to Gin and his team.

"Given your performance, Gin, I'm recommending you for Chunin. You'll also be made leader of your own team. Any objections?"

"None," they all said.

Of course, they knew the Hokage's favoritism. They all deserved promotions, not just Gin. But no matter. In time, they'd replace this failing leadership.

"Very well," the Hokage nodded. Then his expression darkened slightly. "Gin, about the antidotes... the village desperately needs more. Many are dying on the front. Can your clan increase the supply?"

Before Gin could answer, Tsunade's eyes blazed. "You're speaking to a ten-year-old as if he's responsible for the fate of your war? What's wrong with you?!"

The room went silent.

"Do you really think he can make these decisions?" Tsunade continued, stepping forward. "Or do you just want his secrets? You've already tried to get formulas for free once. Don't test my patience."

The Third went pale. Gin's silent glare only confirmed Tsunade's warning—he was not some helpless child.

"If you dare speak like that to Lady Hikari," she added coldly, "don't think she'll spare you. And Gin is my student. If you want antidotes—pay for them. You'll get nothing for free."

The Hokage gritted his teeth, but composed himself with a forced smile. "Very well. Can I at least place an order?"

Gin shrugged. "There might be some in stock, but I can't say. I'm just a child, remember? Ask my mother and the clan elders."

The implication stung. He knew exactly what the Hokage wanted—and he wouldn't get it.

The Hokage pressed one last time. "Can we at least get a discount? The village is at war…"

Gin smiled innocently. "I don't handle prices. Mother does. Please take it up with her."

He knew full well the village wasn't as poor as Hiruzen made it sound. The Fire Daimyō had recently allocated an extra billion ryō for the war effort. The claim of "no funds" was a lie, likely a cover for embezzlement by Konoha's elite clans.

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, sensing something deeper about the boy. "Very well... I'll speak to your mother."

He dismissed them, but secretly planned to send Gin's team to the front under the guise of logistics. And with Danzo's help, he hoped to quietly "contain" them before they grew even stronger.

As they returned home, Mikoto and Kushina relayed everything to Hikari, Gin's mother.

"Bastard!" Hikari slammed the table, cracking the wood. "Sarutobi dares to manipulate my son like this? Gin, want me to kill him now?"

"No, Mom," Gin said calmly. "Let him live—for now. I want him to lose everything. His power, his reputation, his control. Let the whole world see him fall."

His tone was ice.

"When the war ends, we'll dismantle everything. I'll destroy his four supporting clans—Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, Mitokado. But not all at once. We'll be methodical."

"Be careful," Hikari warned. "If he sends you to the front, Danzo will move. Stay alert. Don't let him isolate your team."

"I will," Gin promised. "We'll handle the elites first. As for Danzo... maybe I'll kill him mid-war. Make it look like an enemy strike."

"There's another issue," Hikari added. "Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura... they've started distancing themselves from Hiruzen and Danzo. They may be recruitable—at least for exposing the Third's crimes. If not, we'll deal with them later."

"We'll see," Gin said. "Let's first get rid of Danzo and weaken their position. After that, we'll make the Third crawl."

"Oh, and one more thing." Hikari's face turned serious. "Beware of Zetsu and Madara. They may use this war to approach you or Mikoto. You two are prime targets."

Gin nodded. "If Madara shows up, I'll summon you and Aunt Mito. The three of us together—he won't escape. I want him alive, though. He could be useful later. With enough training... even Madara could be repurposed."

"Only if he's leashed," Hikari said grimly. "Otherwise, he dies."

With the war underway and schemes blooming on all sides, Gin's enemies crept ever closer in shadow. But so did his rise. From the ashes of deception, a new fire was burning—one that no Hokage, no Danzo, no Madara could extinguish.