At the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning, there was a Konoha outpost.
Years of war had kept the people stationed there on edge. Any rustle in the grass would instantly put them on high alert, making the atmosphere incredibly oppressive. People came and went in a hurry... Even though news had arrived that the war was about to end, no one here dared to slack off.
This was the national border, the place where the two countries met, allowing them to detect enemy movements at the first opportunity and relay the intelligence back.
During wartime, intelligence was paramount, affecting the outcome of battles, and no one dared to be careless at such a time!
Especially at this critical juncture when various nations had ceased large-scale warfare and were in negotiations, any slight oversight could lead to extremely severe consequences... Inside a tent at the outpost, four people had gathered.
From their attire, it was clear they were a ninja squad.
A jōnin team leader and three chūnin – a standard Konoha team configuration.
The jōnin was a young man in his early twenties, dressed in the standard green ninja vest, with a Konoha forehead protector tied to his left arm, and an ordinary appearance.
The other three, two males and one female, were probably only teenagers, extremely young.
However, due to the baptism of war, although they still looked young and tender, they possessed a maturity unbefitting their age.
The jōnin team leader looked at his three teammates, and perhaps because they were about to leave this oppressive place, his tone softened slightly: "Others have come to relieve us. With this mission complete, it's time for us to leave here..."
"Yes!" The three chūnin nodded in agreement, two of them showing slightly relaxed expressions, clearly pleased about leaving.
"Let's go, hand over the mission to them. It's time to return to the village." The jōnin team leader chuckled and led the three out of the tent.
After completing the handover with their replacements, the ninja squad flashed away from the outpost and hurried back to Konoha Village.
Along the way, the group leaped through the forest, moving swiftly. At a ninja's pace, they would reach Konoha Village in just a few days.
Among the three teammates, the girl who looked only fourteen or fifteen, with a few freckles on her face, named Nami, walked alongside them and hopefully asked her captain, "Captain Tsurunami I, is the war... really over?"
War was a heavy, painful synonym.
It was true for ordinary people, and it was true for ninjas like them!
Whenever war broke out, it brought pain, displacement, and the loss of loved ones. No one was spared.
If given a choice, no one wished for war to come... Tsurunami I, the jōnin team leader, clearly knew more. He looked at Nami and smiled, "It should be. The high-ranking officials of various nations are already in negotiations. As long as there are no unforeseen circumstances, the war will soon be completely over!"
"Really?" Another teenager named Daisei showed a look of joy on his face.
He didn't know how long he had waited for this moment. He turned to look at another member of the squad and exclaimed in surprise, "Yoruichi, we survived! It feels like a dream!!"
War was a grim reaper of lives; no one could guarantee survival. Those who had made it this far, while skill was crucial, luck was the main reason... After the war broke out, they, having just graduated from the Ninja Academy, were forced onto the battlefield.
The number of ninjas was a key factor in determining victory, and even children as young as ten had to fight on the battlefield... Children of a few years old, or teenagers, fighting on the battlefield was not uncommon in this world!
"Yes, we survived... But we can't relax too much. Until the war is officially declared over, there's still danger." Another member named Yoruichi simply said, without showing the overly joyful expression of the other two.
Yoruichi was also only thirteen or fourteen, with delicate features, dressed in a black ninja uniform, with his black, semi-long hair simply tied back, and a Konoha forehead protector on his forehead. Beneath the forehead protector were a pair of pure white eyes!
From these pure white eyes, it was evident that he was a member of the branch family of one of Konoha's noble clans, the Hyūga Clan!
His full name was Hyūga Yoruichi!
Upon hearing Yoruichi's words, the other two chūnin's expressions became stern, and their initial joy subsided, replaced by seriousness.
From this, it was clear that Yoruichi held a high position in their hearts.
During missions, there were several times when Yoruichi's early detection of enemy movements and foresight of danger prevented them from falling into enemy ambushes, indirectly saving them multiple times.
Therefore, they would listen carefully to Yoruichi's words.
'As expected of a Hyūga ninja, even a branch family member is more outstanding than ordinary ninjas...' Jōnin Tsurunami I couldn't help but nod as he watched Yoruichi's performance.
As the team leader, he had a good understanding of his subordinates.
Among the three, Hyūga Yoruichi was undoubtedly the most outstanding. Although they were all chūnin, with his Byakugan bloodline from the Hyūga noble clan, he was far superior to the other two, both in his own strength and the role he could play.
In fact, many times, he, the team leader, hadn't even detected the enemy, but Yoruichi had already given a warning.
It could be said that a large part of the reason their squad was dispatched to this outpost was because of Yoruichi's presence!
The Byakugan was too uniquely gifted in reconnaissance!
Perhaps seeing Nami and Daisei's tense minds, Tsurunami I said, "Don't worry, with Lord Minato here, those ninja villages shouldn't dare to be too reckless. Large-scale warfare has ended, and since this is not far from the outpost, the probability of encountering enemies is very small."
"Yes!" Nami and Daisei nodded in agreement, but their expressions remained extremely vigilant.
'Yoruichi's words are actually more effective than mine, the team leader, this is really...' Seeing this scene, Tsurunami I couldn't help but shake his head and smile wryly, but inwardly he nodded. A little vigilance was good; Yoruichi's words were not without reason. This was not yet a safe area, and anything could happen.
His previous words were just to let Nami and Daisei relax a little, as their minds had been constantly tense while at the outpost... The group of four picked up their pace, heading towards Konoha Village.
'The Battle of Kikyo Pass has ended. If I remember correctly, the Third Great Ninja War indeed ended here, but the clouds of war have not completely dispersed...'
'The Fourth Hokage is about to take office. With his strength, there will be a brief period of peace during his tenure, which is a good thing for me... But what about the Nine-Tails Attack later...'
As he walked, Yoruichi mentally sorted through the events of this period and what would happen in the future.
Thinking of the Nine-Tails Attack, the most crucial plot point in Naruto, Yoruichi's eyes narrowed slightly... That's right.
Yoruichi was a transmigrator. In Konoha Year 47, which was when the Third Great Ninja War broke out, he transmigrated into a Hyūga branch family member in a medical camp... Waking up, he found himself in the world of Naruto, an anime he had watched in his previous life, and experienced the Third Great Ninja War hitting him in the face...
Such an absurd thing happening to him made Yoruichi's mouth twitch at the time, and his mentality almost exploded!
Fortunately, after transmigrating, he also possessed some abilities that others didn't; otherwise, he would probably be dead by now!
While thinking these thoughts, Yoruichi's perception remained sharp. As if sensing something, his gaze suddenly sharpened, and he stopped: "Wait, something's wrong!"
Upon hearing Yoruichi's words, the other three also stopped, landing on a branch of a large tree.
They had great trust in Yoruichi's perception; there had been several times when Yoruichi's early detection of enemies had prevented them from falling into danger.
"Byakugan!" Yoruichi channeled chakra to his eyes, and veins suddenly bulged at the corners of his eyes. After activating the Byakugan, his vision became extremely wide, and what entered his sight was no longer the colorful world from before, but a grayscale palette.
Tsurunami I frowned and looked at Yoruichi, asking in a low voice, "What's happening??"
Yoruichi's eyes narrowed slightly, and he replied softly, "Over a dozen people are approaching, two of whom have chakra fluctuations at the jōnin level. The rest all have chūnin-level chakra!"
In Yoruichi's Byakugan vision, more than a dozen people were indeed surrounding them, their target... the four of them!!