After successfully driving away Obito, Enso allowed himself a brief moment to breathe. His muscles unwound slowly as his sharp eyes scanned the battlefield, now littered with fallen bodies. The chaos had subsided, but the scent of blood still hung heavy in the air.
As Enso moved forward, something caught his attention—Itachi's eyes. The boy's Sharingan had fully awakened. Enso noticed it immediately, but chose not to say anything. The look in Itachi's eyes was already burdened with enough pain. There was no need to add more weight to the young Shinobi's shoulders.
Nearby, the Fire Daimyo, overwhelmed by the bloodshed and carnage, had lost consciousness.
Most of the Daimyo's guards had been killed, their bodies strewn across the grass like discarded dolls. Only the two Guardian Ninja had managed to survive. With calm efficiency, Enso moved from one wounded Shinobi to the next, healing those who still clung to life. But most were already gone—beyond saving.
With a heavy heart, Enso took out an empty scroll and began sealing the bodies. It was the least he could do. Leaving them behind felt like betrayal, even if they were strangers.
The journey home was long and silent, grief and fatigue draped over them like a shadow.
Yet amid the silence, Enso carried with him something extraordinary—an infamous technique once thought lost to time. It was known as the Assimilation Technique, a jutsu that allowed the user to merge with any material or element, so long as they possessed the corresponding chakra nature.
In theory, it was limitless. It could reshape combat, strategy, and survival.
Naturally, he decided to test it. He retrieved the shattered pieces of his broken sword, determined to see if he could fuse with the steel. He focused, channelled his chakra—and failed spectacularly. The steel remained cold, unmoved by his efforts. It was a disappointing result, though not entirely unexpected. Steel, after all, wasn't a natural element. With a sigh, Enso made a mental note—he would need a Steel Release Kekkei Genkai before attempting something like that again.
Itachi remained silent, his face unreadable as he carried the body of his last remaining teammate, Shinko. His eyes, reflecting pain and confusion.
At one point, his voice finally broke the silence.
"Why did Tenma and Yuki have to die?" he asked softly, almost to himself.
Enso didn't answer immediately. He wasn't the kind to offer false hope or sugarcoat reality. That wasn't his way.
"You think too much, Itachi," he said at last. "We're Shinobi. We chose this life. Fairness doesn't exist out here. You want to save people? Then get strong enough to do it. You want peace? That's fine too. But bring enough power to the table—then we can talk about peace."
Itachi looked up, surprised by the bluntness. But Enso's words weren't cruel. They were honest. Raw. And strangely, comforting in their own way.
"Do as I please... Save who I want to save..." Itachi repeated softly, the weight of the words settling between them. He seemed lost in thought, mulling over what Enso had said.
Enso offered a rare smile, then moved ahead to scout the path with Tokuma. The mission wasn't over until they were through Konoha's gates.
Inari, meanwhile, was stuck with the task of carrying the unconscious Fire Daimyo. He didn't voice his discontent, but the bitterness on his face said everything. A part of him wished he had been the one in Itachi's place—carrying a girl would have warmed his saddened heart.
Eventually, the towering gates of Konoha came into view, and with them, a sense of relief. The weight on their shoulder, momentarily lifted, made the journey feel like it was finally over.
The Fire Daimyo stirred as they passed through the gates, blinking in confusion at the sunlight. For a moment, he thought he had crossed into the afterlife, but the sounds of village life assured him otherwise.
No one rushed to his side. No grand welcoming. Just quiet steps and tired souls.
Itachi calmly explained everything to him. Once the Daimyo grasped the full extent of what had occurred, he hastily pulled out a pen and paper. With renewed urgency, he requested the immediate recall of his remaining Guardian Force and the necessary arrangements for his official return to court.
Upon reaching the Hokage's office, the mission was officially marked as complete.
The village acknowledged his contribution, recording it as his first official S-Rank mission under the combined efforts of Team 1 and Team 2. Although the standard monetary reward for such missions wasn't issued by the village treasury, the Fire Daimyo personally ensured that each of the surviving Shinobi received a million Ryo.
It was more than generous. And it was enough to quiet any lingering resentment over the lack of formal compensation.
After the ordeal, both Shinko and Inari chose to retire from Shinobi life. The scars they carried—physical and emotional—ran too deep. Seeking peace, they turned toward a quieter, safer civilian path. With their departure, Team 2 was effectively disbanded, leaving only Itachi behind.
Enso submitted a formal request to have Itachi join his own team. With Inari gone, they were already one member short. Minato approved without hesitation. It was a practical solution—no need to reassign a Jonin, and Itachi would function far better alongside someone like Enso and Hayama.
Itachi, bowing respectfully, thanked the Hokage. He had seen enough death. If he was to continue walking this path, he wanted to do so alongside those who had the strength to survive.
News of what had happened spread quickly. A Genin had stood his ground against an S-Rank enemy—and survived. It was unheard of, making its way through the five great nations like wildfire.
Soon, Enso's name appeared in the Bingo Book.
There wasn't much written beneath it. Just one chilling line:
"Extremely dangerous in close combat."
After three days of rest, the newly reformed Team 1 gathered at the training ground. Hayama stood at the forefront, his gaze unwavering as he observed each of them. The time for recovery was over. Now, it was time to grow stronger.
Hayama's first task was to assess Itachi's strength. He had him spar with Tokuma, who had visibly grown in power over the past few days. Tokuma's mastery over the Gentle Fist had taken a new form. Now, he was able to split Ninjutsu with his technique, an impressive feat that made him a formidable opponent. The fight between him and Itachi was intense, their movements quick and calculated, each trying to outmanoeuvre the other.
Itachi, however, was on a different level. With his Sharingan activated, he held an undeniable edge. Tokuma fought valiantly, but he was caught off guard when Itachi unleashed a Genjutsu. The sudden shift in the battle left Tokuma vulnerable, and he was swiftly defeated. Despite this, it was clear that Tokuma had improved significantly, and Hayama nodded in approval.
Once the sparring session had ended, Hayama called the team together. They stood in a loose formation, the soft rustle of the wind filling the silence between them. Hayama's tone was steady as he spoke. "We will not be accepting any missions during this period," he announced, locking eyes with each of them. "It's time to refine your teamwork. You've all grown, but there's still work to be done."
The group nodded in understanding, each of them silently processing the weight of his words. Teamwork was crucial, and now was the time to refine it. It also made sense, especially with Itachi's addition to the team. Under Hayama's leadership, the team began drilling the Reverse Triangle Formation.
The beauty of this formation lies in its ever-changing nature, offering three variations. The first and standard variation had Enso and Tokuma leading the charge, with Itachi providing cover using Shuriken and Ninjutsu. The second variation shifted the roles, with Tokuma taking the lead while Itachi and Enso supported him. The third variation placed Enso at the front, with the other two assisting him by providing cover while they pulled back and created distance.
Their target during the drills was Hayama. The team focused on perfecting the first variation throughout the morning. Impressed by their progress, Hayama allowed them a well-deserved rest in the afternoon. The following day, they would continue practising the second and third variations.
As Tokuma and Itachi left the training ground, Enso decided to stay behind and approach his sensei.
"What's wrong, Enso?" Hayama asked, his tone laced with curiosity.
Enso hesitated for a moment, gathering his thoughts before speaking. "Hayama-sensei, I want you to teach me the 'Curse of Killing Techniques'." His voice was calm, but there was a quiet intensity in his words, an underlying weight that made his request stand out.
Hayama paused, his gaze narrowing slightly as he carefully considered his next words. His expression remained unreadable, but there was a subtle shift in the atmosphere around him. The usual calm that accompanied his presence seemed to dissipate.
"The Curse of Killing Techniques," he said slowly, as though testing the sound of the words in the air, "requires the accumulation of blood—the blood of your enemies. It calls upon an external source of chakra, and with it comes a burden: to grow stronger, you must take countless lives. It's a path of violence and sacrifice, one that demands a certain... cost."
He met Enso's gaze, his eyes unwavering. "Are you sure this is the path you want to walk?"
Enso didn't flinch. Hayama continued, "If you pursue this path, you'll be forced to kill again and again to feed the curse. It's a dangerous road, one that will change you in ways you may not understand now. Are you sure this is what you want?"
There was a long silence. Hayama's words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. Enso didn't hesitate for a second. "Yes," he said firmly, "I want to learn it. I need to get stronger."
Hayama's expression softened just slightly, but there was still a hard edge to his tone. "There are other ways to strengthen yourself. I could teach you my vacuum blades, for instance."
Enso's eyes flickered with determination. "I want both," he said, his voice steady.
The words took Hayama by surprise. He paused, taken aback for a moment. Enso was already so strong—stronger than most—yet here he was, asking for more power. It made Hayama question the depth of Enso's drive. "Why?" he asked, a hint of confusion in his voice. "Why do you thirst for more strength, even though you're already this powerful?"
Enso's gaze darkened, a flicker of something deeper passing through his eyes. His fists tightened at his sides, but he kept his voice steady, despite the anger that burned just beneath the surface.
"That masked man…" he began, his words laced with a barely contained anger, "killed my mother during the Nine Tails incident. I want enough strength to protect the people I care about, and I want my vengeance."
Hayama stood still for a while, processing Enso's reasoning. The wind rustled faintly outside the training room, but inside, there was nothing but silence. Neither spoke. Sometimes, silence spoke louder than words.
Enso met his gaze, his resolve clear. He had already made up his mind. And whatever the cost, he was willing to pay it.
Finally, Hayama gave a single nod. "I'll teach you the Curse of Killing."
Enso looked up, eyes focused. There was no excitement in his expression—just quiet acceptance. He didn't see it as a gift, only a responsibility.
"But only after you become a Chūnin," Hayama added.
Enso didn't mind, as Minato had said the same thing about his Flying Raijin.
Hayama turned and reached into the inside of his vest. "Until then, we work on something else—something that strengthens your foundation. Your chakra control is otherworldly, but I bet you've realised that chakra moulding is a completely different thing. Only by practising Ninjutsu can you further refine your skill."
He pulled out a small folded paper, thin as a whisper, and held it out between his fingers.
"This is a chakra induction paper," Hayama said. "Looks ordinary, but it reacts to your chakra's elemental nature. Sensitive to even the slightest trace."
Enso stepped closer, eyeing it with curiosity. He had seen it before in the anime, but this was the first time he'd come into contact with such a thing in real life.
"The paper shows what your affinity is. That's your base nature—the element you're most compatible with."
Hayama's voice remained steady as he elaborated on the paper's reaction to each element:
Fire: The paper ignites and burns to ash.
Wind: It splits apart.
Lightning: It wrinkles up sharply.
Earth: It crumbles into dust.
Water: It becomes damp.
"No chakra nature is inherently stronger than the others," Hayama continued, not waiting for questions. "They follow a cycle. One counters another. Fire beats Wind. Wind beats Lightning. Lightning beats Earth. Earth beats Water. Water beats Fire. Even the infamous Kekkei Genkai can't break this cycle."
He held the paper still and pushed his chakra into it. In the blink of an eye, it tore cleanly in half with a crisp sound.
"Wind," he said simply, letting the pieces flutter down. "That's mine."
Enso narrowed his eyes, watching the paper's reaction to Hayama's nature transformation.
"Technically, it's possible to master all five," Hayama added, folding the split paper away. "But almost no one does. Everyone's born with an affinity. The rest? You'd need years just to catch up. Most Jōnin only manage two. And even then, the second one is never as natural, never as efficient."
Enso nodded once, silently.
Hayama paused for a moment, his tone dipping a little lower. Then he added, as if recalling something rare:
"There is an exception—Kekkei Tōta. When three elements are fused into one, you can't judge them by normal logic anymore."
Enso's brow twitched. "Three elements?"
Hayama nodded. "Only known users were the Second and Third Tsuchikage from the Hidden Stone. They created something called Dust Release. It breaks things down on a molecular level."
"Sounds overpowered."
Hayama handed the induction paper to Enso.
Here, let's find out what elemental affinity you possess."
Enso took the chakra paper from Hayama's hand, holding it between his fingers with a steady grip. He closed his eyes for a moment, then slowly allowed his chakra to flow into it. The reaction was immediate.
First, the paper wrinkled sharply, a clear sign of Lightning affinity. Then, just as quickly, it split cleanly down the middle—Wind. And finally, both halves began to grow damp, absorbing moisture until they were soaked through with water.
Hayama's eyes widened as he watched the paper crumble apart in stages. "Three... affinities?" he muttered under his breath.
It was rare—almost unheard of. Normally, a person was born with one natural affinity, maybe two if they were exceptionally talented. Three was considered impossible unless the person possessed a Kekkei Genkai or had undergone some extreme form of chakra training or enhancement. Even then, most Shinobi could only ever master one or two in their lifetime.
But Enso's reaction wasn't the result of a bloodline limit. There was no sign of a fused chakra nature, no transformation into a Kekkei Genkai element. It was something else. Raw compatibility. His chakra wasn't forced—it flowed effortlessly into all three.