"Faster!"
"At your current speed, you wouldn't even be able to escape if you encountered an enemy!"
Deep in the forest, Li Anshi followed behind the Sagawa trio with a switch clutched in his hand.
Periodically, the switch would lash out, striking the thighs of the three Genin, causing them to yelp and surge forward with renewed speed.
"Sensei, this is already our fastest speed!"
"Nonsense. Your fastest speed is the one you reach after I hit you."
Li Anshi kept pace beside the three youngsters, his voice deep. "Chakra is an extraordinary power refined from the fusion of physical and spiritual energy."
"You're still young now, your spiritual energy is weak. Only by training your bodies and increasing your physical strength can you refine more chakra."
"Don't you want to learn ninjutsu quickly?"
"If you lack sufficient chakra, even if I taught you ninjutsu, would you have enough chakra to practice?"
"Damn it!"
Veins throbbed on Sagawa Yui's forehead as he gasped heavily for air.
Compared to Kondo Kazuya and Sakamoto Toshio, his physical constitution was considerably weaker.
This was evident from the amount of chakra each could extract.
Sagawa Yui could use the Three Basic Techniques twice.
Kondo Kazuya, three times.
Sakamoto Toshio was the strongest of the three, capable of using the techniques four times.
They were all around the same age, possessed no secret methods for cultivating spiritual energy, and were all civilian ninjas.
Therefore, the only factor differentiating their refinable chakra levels was their physical condition.
Since the Sagawa trio had called Li Anshi "Sensei," he felt he should provide them with more guidance, increasing their chances of survival.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Li Anshi turned his head towards his left shoulder.
There, perched unknowingly, was a fist-sized slug.
"Lord Anshi."
"Lady Katsuyu, is Lady Tsunade looking for me?"
Li Anshi silently slid the flying dagger that had slipped between his fingers back into his sleeve.
Whether from the anime he'd watched in his past life or from seeing Tsunade summon Katsuyu to heal the injured ninjas earlier, the slugs had always crawled.
This created the impression that slugs moved slowly.
But in reality, how could Slug Sage Katsuyu, ranked alongside the Toad Sage and the White Snake Sage as one of the Three Great Sages, be simple?
The speed at which the slug had suddenly appeared on Li Anshi's shoulder was no less than the Body Flicker Technique used by some Jonin.
If he hadn't sensed the lack of killing intent, the flying dagger might have already left his hand.
Of course, Li Anshi also knew that even if he had thrown the dagger, it wouldn't have caused any real harm to Sage Katsuyu.
Unlike Mount Myoboku and Ryuchi Cave, Sage Katsuyu had no clan; she was the sole inhabitant of the Shikkotsu Forest.
The slugs Tsunade summoned were merely divisions of Sage Katsuyu herself.
Losing some divisions had no fundamental impact on the Sage.
"Yes, Lord Anshi. Lady Tsunade said she is waiting for you at the camp where the injured ninjas are being treated."
"Alright, I'll head over immediately."
Poof!
The slug on his shoulder vanished using the "Reverse Summoning Technique." Seeing the Sagawa trio turn around at the sound, Li Anshi roared, "What are you looking at?"
"Is your training finished?"
"I have something to attend to and will be leaving for a while. If I return and see the three of you still have the energy to talk, don't blame me for putting you through extra training!"
"Yes, Li-sensei!"
After giving the three youngsters a few instructions, Li Anshi's figure flickered and vanished into the forest.
He didn't know why Tsunade was looking for him, but since she had even used her summoning beast, Katsuyu, the matter was likely important and somewhat urgent.
In less than a minute, Li Anshi had returned to the camp and quickly spotted Tsunade healing the ninjas.
"Lady Tsunade, you were looking for me?"
"It wasn't me looking for you, it was Master Hiruzen."
"Oh?"
Li Anshi raised an eyebrow. "Lord Third Hokage would actually pay attention to a small figure like me?"
Tsunade rolled her eyes, the chakra glow in her hands fading as she finished treating the ninja before her.
"You still think you're a small figure?"
"What small figure can kill nine Jonin and the Two-Tails Jinchuriki?"
"Even if you were a small figure before, after this war, you no longer belong in that category."
"Let's go, I'll take you to see Master."
Standing up, Tsunade grabbed one of Li Anshi's hands and pulled him towards the place where Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others were meeting.
Tsunade remembered well that Li Anshi didn't have a very good impression of Master Hiruzen.
She worried that if she wasn't there to watch, Li Anshi might actually attack Master Hiruzen.
Having witnessed Li Anshi's terrifying strength in instantly killing the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, she didn't dare let Master Hiruzen be alone with Li Anshi.
Indeed, as Li Anshi had said, some of Master Hiruzen's actions violated the will of her grandfather and great-uncle.
However, Konoha couldn't afford any more turmoil right now.
If three consecutive Hokage died within just a few years, Konoha would likely become the laughingstock of the entire ninja world.
That was something Tsunade couldn't accept.
"Alright."
"But Lady Tsunade, do you happen to know why Lord Third Hokage is looking for me?"
"I heard the situation on the Land of Earth battlefield isn't good. Their reason for seeking you out is probably related to that."
Although Tsunade had recommended Li Anshi to Hiruzen Sarutobi, suggesting he become the commander of this battlefield.
She also knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi was currently Konoha's Hokage.
Whether Li Anshi went to the Land of Earth for reinforcements or stayed here to deter the Cloud ninjas, the final decision rested with Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Tsk..."
Li Anshi clicked his tongue but said nothing more.
His knowledge of the ninja world mostly concerned events decades later.
Regarding the first three Shinobi World Wars, Li Anshi only knew that during the First Shinobi World War, the title of Konoha's White Fang became renowned throughout the ninja world.
Simultaneously, he was the first ninja about whom other villages decreed that missions could be abandoned if encountered.
During the Second Shinobi World War, the Sannin of Konoha took the stage, becoming the village's new pillars.
During the Third Shinobi World War, the Golden Flash, Minato Namikaze, with his Flying Thunder God Technique surpassing even the Second Hokage's, instantly killed fifty ninjas, his fame momentarily eclipsing all others.
In all three Shinobi World Wars, Konoha fought against multiple enemies simultaneously.
But beyond these broad strokes, Li Anshi knew no further details.
"Master Hiruzen, I've brought Anshi."
Within a few minutes, Tsunade led Li Anshi to the main command tent.
"Lord Hokage."
Li Anshi gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a slight bow, counting it as a greeting.