Hey guys sorry for delay, I am facing financial issues as I have left my job. I am freelance developer now. Finding work is hard, and it's consuming my time. If any of you have solution, please tell me. No pressure, now enjoy the chapter.
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[Third POV]
Ikki: "Shishui-san, you are back, huh."
Shishui: "Yes, we just returned and briefed Hokage-sama. As Training Ground 10 is on the way to the Uchiha complex, I thought to stop by."
Ikki: "Cool. So how was your mission? Enjoyed!"
Shishui: "It was nice… I guess."
Ikki: "Jiraiya-sama, huh!"
Shishui: [Looking depressed] "We were running away from people more times than we were actually on the mission."
Ikki started patting Shishui on the back.
Ikki: "Let it go. You are back now."
Shishui nodded at that.
Ikki: "Your mission got extended?"
Shishui: "Yes. As we started just covering the Land of Fire, it took us two years to handle. Then we went to Suna with the Kazekage's permission, same with Kumo, Iwa, Ame, and Mizu. All Kages gave their permission. Their respective ninjas also helped us and came along."
Ikki: "Good. It shows that they are taking this seriously."
Shishui: "They should. Even some ninjas got injured during missions handling monsters. Still, no one has been killed until now, which is good."
Ikki: "Shishui-san, increase your strength. I will be needing your help in the future."
Shishui: "So you think this will get more serious?"
Ikki didn't say anything and just looked at Shishui, which gave Shishui the answer.
Shishui: "What do you think will happen in the future? How large of a problem are we actually in?"
Ikki: "Let's just say, if we are lucky, we might face an army or two of monsters. That's the best-case scenario."
Shishui: "Should I be asking what's the worst case?"
Ikki just smiled self-loathingly.
Ikki: "How much mastery have you achieved in Kenbunshoku no Haki?"
Shishui: "Seventy percent of the basics. But as we were constantly on the move, I didn't get much time to practice."
Ikki: "Please complete it fast."
Shishui: "Got it. Okay, bye then. I need to report to the leader."
Ikki got one suspicion.
Ikki: "You didn't get any news about the Uchiha?"
Shishui: "No." [Getting suspicious] "We were constantly on the move, so we didn't get any news. Why, what happened? Even Itachi didn't say anything to me when we met during the mission."
Ikki: "Okay. It's better if you hear about it from Fugaku-san."
Shishui: "Okay. Bye."
Ikki: "Bye."
That night, Shishui Uchiha got the shock of his life.
At the same time, in the Hokage's office—
Jiraiya: "What? Itachi Uchiha killed fifty Uchihas alone?"
Sandaime: "Yes."
Jiraiya: "He came to meet Shishui Uchiha during the mission. I noticed him, but he is a Konoha ninja, so I didn't take action."
Sandaime: "We didn't inform you about it as you were on a mission, and the chance of your team meeting him was the slimmest. We never thought it would actually happen."
Jiraiya nodded at that.
Sandaime: "Let's end this conversation. Did you get to meet Naruto?"
Jiraiya: "Yes. I started training him."
Sandaime: "Good. Ikki was taking care of him during this time, so you won't have to do much work."
Jiraiya: "Knowing Kushina and Naruto having her personality, I don't expect much."
Sandaime: "Knowing Ikki, I don't think Naruto has fallen behind."
Jiraiya nodded at that.
Jiraiya: "I am going. Good night."
For the next month, Team Orca and Team 7 kept training. Ikki took precedence in increasing his strength and chakra control—nothing else and nothing more. Just endless swings of a weighted sword and chakra screw rotations. Initially, the swings were fast, but as the month's end approached, with the bokuto's weight constant at 50 kg, the swings became so slow that it looked like he was standing still. One swing would take minutes. As they say, "Smooth flowing water will look like it's not flowing at all."
During this time, another encounter happened for Team Orca. Hayate Gekko found himself in a difficult situation. Hayate Gekko, being leader in name only for Team Orca, had a nice life for some time, but now the Hokage gave him a new mission—to tail the Suna team. While tailing them, he realized something: Kabuto was in cahoots with Orochimaru and Sunagakure, which he had suspected from the start. While Baki and Kabuto were talking about Gaara's tailed beast, they also realized the existence of Hayate.
Kabuto: "I hope Suna and the Kazekage will work perfectly with us. And as a gesture of good faith, I will take out a piece of trash."
Baki: "No need. As you are an ally of Suna, let me take care of it. Anyway, it's only one rat."
Hearing this, Hayate got scared and started running. As he ran, Baki caught up with him.
Baki: "Aren't you that foolish boy's team leader? What are you doing here alone? Shouldn't you be with your team?"
Hayate: "Actually, I am just leader in name. The actual leader—cough cough—is the boy you are calling foolish."
Baki: "Even in death, you are joking."
Hayate: "Cough cough What can I say? Leading a team can change you. And when you are dealing with three kids who are already stronger than you individually, it changes your perspective on life."
Baki: "Check your perspective in hell then."
Hayate: "Looks like I don't have a choice then."
Hayate used his signature move and got caught by Baki. As Baki tried to attack Hayate with a Wind Blade jutsu, Hayate's figure puffed, and a wooden log stood in its place.
Baki: "What—how?"
In this perplexation, Baki couldn't sleep the whole night. Meanwhile, the figure of Hayate could be seen walking toward the Hokage's tower.
Hayate: "I would have been done today if I hadn't practiced that move and combined it with Crescent Moon Sword Dance."
As soon as Hayate used his Crescent Moon Sword Dance, he also tried to sense the intent of attack and defense from Baki. As soon as he struck, he felt intent of attack instead of defense from Baki. Realizing this, he understood he needed to dodge.
Hayate: "Kenbunshoku no Haki… What a fearsome technique. I should give some gifts to these kids."
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