~Unknown POV~
'That bitch…'
'Fine I'll get a vessel as well. Someone has to stop her afterall.'
'This one should do fine.'
[Ding! The Kunoichi Improvement System has bound itself to host.]
~Soutarou POV~
'There's that ominous feeling again… Just what the hell is going on? Could it be that old man Onoki has a secret weapon I don't know about? Tailed beast? No wood release is as good as putting them to sleep and tucking them in on a school night…. The system… again? What did you do?'
[Nothing that harms the user.]
'So it harms somebody.'
[There will always be a loser in every situation. Though in this case I have not harmed anyone. Just a preventative measure.]
'Whatever…'
Soutarou, or rather Soutarou disguised as Kintoki Sakata, with blond wig and brown contact, narrowed his eyes as he observed the surroundings carefully.
'It's quiet, too quiet… if what Tsunade's been writing to me is right… then we should've already met a harassment squad. The only saving grace here is that ten different squads with similar looking people to myself have been sent all through different directions… Still as expected of that old scheming fence sitter… He always has his eyes open and ready. Though I doubt he'll be ready for how strong or the scale of which I can do things on. Then again I'm barely 12 now… so I guess he at most is expecting me to be elite jonin level. Unfortunately my short, big nosed friend… You're in for a surprise. Majestic Attire True Several Thousand Hands? Maybe not… but a fourth stage susannoo? Dual Kamui? Dual Orihume? Engraved Tsukiyomi and Yachihoko? Speaking of those last two techniques… Is that fanfiction Boruto a part of this eventual timeline-?'
[No…*#@*#(*@()#*(**@#(*... ነⶴቹ ጎነ ርዐጮጎክፏ, ፕⶴቹ ፏዐጋኡጎረረቹዪ... Kaguya Otsutsuki, the remnant energy of Hamura, and the hidden Hagoromo Otsutsuki are the only true Six Paths beings alive… As for above that…. Even– #2#)#()(@#()!@*#(@ነⶴጎ፪ልጎ #@#()(#)@()#( Otsutsuki is dead… Be wary user, while the events of that eventual timeline you spoke of will not happen… A greater catastrophe has already set their eyes on this world.]
'!!! This-... Well no point… Better to send Onoki on his way…. Deal with Onoki and Iwagakure is completely out of the war. That old schemer might have dealt with all of his generation's talents, to secure his position as kage… but in doing so he wiped out entire lineages of talent. An Iwagakure collapse plan? Well this should be fun. Plus these bastards kept me off the field for this long… Don't you think I'm about ready to throw hands? It's time to vent my anger… But first.'
Soutarou formed handsigns with one hand while he used a loud kunai to scrape against the floor of the carriage before he reappeared just outside the carriage and formed a massive flowing sea of earth.
'Earth Style: Flowing Rampart'
He pretended to let go of a transformation jutsu turning into one of the few Konoha Elite Jonin known for his earth style, Sekiro Senju.
A group of iwa nin who were lying in ambush shouted, "It's Sekiro Senju!"
The group of iwa nin realized they targeted a decoy unit. All of their faces turned grim. All the while the group synchronized and formed a collective, 'Earth Style: Mobile Core,' causing the flowing rampart to flood straight into the depression they had just made. Soutarou vicious smiled as his other hand then slammed down.
'Earth Style: Earth Flow Spears'
Dozens of segments of earth stabbed out at the iwa ninja who had just finished forming the depression to deal with the massive flowing rampart.
Curses rang out across the battlefield, all while the Konoha Shinobi formed up and prepared to launch a retaliatory attack against the supposed ambushers. Thanks to Soutarou's warning they had managed to react in time, only to see several skewered Iwa Ninja and more going on the defensive while trying to run away. The leading Jonin of the caravan who had thought Soutarou was in his group stared grimly thinking, 'Sekiro Senju?! He should be on the Kiri battlefield???? Don't tell me they pulled him back and turned my unit into a decoy unit?'
Soutarou put on the airs that he was truly an Elite Jonin and began to slaughter the stragglers with 'Earth Style: Flow River' effectively burying the remaining iwa ninja under the ground.
The group of Chunin and Jonin all paused, while some visibly and audibly gulped, while the leading Jonin walked up towards Soutarou who then formed a hand sign and transformed, the leading Jonin just questioned, "Weren't we supposed to take Soutarou Senju to the battlefield under disguise, sir?"
Soutarou formed a hushing sign and smiled before saying, "We are, aren't we? To fool the enemy one must fool themselves first. You're still in charge, let them come to us, I'll slaughter the rest. Trim their numbers before we begin our assault."
The leading jonin nodded before turning to his group and saying, "We'll continue escorting Mr. Soutarou to the camp along with the supplies. Make haste and return to your posts."
The group continued forwards, on to be interrupted twice, before Soutarou carried out a slaughter of nearly 50 Iwa Ninja leaving a trail of blood in their path. Soutarou grimly stared towards the direction of the camp thinking, 'If there's this many in our rear behind our defensive lines… then what the hell are our defensive lines doing!? I get it that most of these were chunin or higher to try to harass or even pick off some of our squads. But these bastards are everywhere!'
As Soutarou sat down Kushina stared at him in confusion before saying quietly, "Why are you pretending to be Uncle Sekiro?"
Soutarou smiled and said, "It works better that way… Though… You were trying to tell me something Kushina?"
Kushina hesitated before saying, "I have something that can force you into Sage Mode for about three hours… Will that change our battlefield plans at all?"
Soutarou's eyes narrowed at her and said, "Kushina… So you have the #*#(*@#(*#(*@? Too?"
[Warning. Do not reveal information about the System.]
Kushina's eyes widened and she waved her hands in front of her in denial as she visibly saw Soutarou's words glitch out as if they were being censored and Kushina nervously said, "You shouldn't talk about that 'being' bad things will happen."
Soutarou nodded and said, "I know… this thing is trying to force me to do things I don't want to… Anyways if it's a 'card' then use it once I tell you to. I'll fire off this flare when I want you to.'
Soutarou opened his shinobi pouch on his thigh and took out a flare gun and showed it to Kushina. Soutarou then stressed, "Do not move to the battlefront, I don't care how you've gotten stronger. I can't afford to protect anyone when I begin."
Kushina blushed and said, "You don't have to worry about me."
Moving her arms upwards and flexing her bicep and grabbing it with her other hand and smiling while winking at Soutarou she said, "I'm strong too dattebane (You know)!"
Soutarou shook his head, "You'll stay in the back line, that's not up for debate, even if Sister Tsunade asks you to the front, you'll stay in the back. If you don't I'll wrap you up in a wood release box and ship you back home via mailing it. Just remember if…. If something happens to you…"
Soutarou's sharingan began appearing in his eyes and swirling and forming his unique swirling mangekyo pattern with a three tomoe. And he stared deeply into Kushina's eyes to the point she folded and looked away with an extreme blush, before she meekly said, "Ok… I got it…"
Soutarou's pattern faded away and his eyes turned back to the contact's brown, before he thought, 'These damn contacts aren't protective… the damn glowing sharingan can be seen through them… Well whatever… More ways to traumatize an old man.'
Kushina muttered, "If granduncle Tobirama knew you had those eyes… he surely would curse you… you evil… evil uchiha~... has wood release, but doesn't even act like a senju… fake senju…"
Soutarou's eyebrow twitched and he shook his head softly before looking at Kushina with the same soft look, before closing his eyes slightly and meditating to extract more chakra and recover whatever he'd used on the scattered Iwa Ninjas.
As the carriage slowly bumped and thudded along the road, Soutarou occasionally used a sensory technique to check the surroundings all before Kushina tugged on his shirt and said, "There's no need to do that you know…"
Soutarou's eyes snapped open and he stared at her before saying, "You awakened Mind's Eye of the Kagura?"
A golden chain then sprouted from Kushina's back and tapped and waved at Soutarou and she shrugged and said, "I might've awakened my entire bloodline… Ehe."
Soutarou slapped his forehead and thought, 'This damn girl! Ehe te Nandayo!?!? What the hell do you mean ehe? How could not report this you idiot!!?!? The entire sealing and sensory team was buffed up just because we thought you didn't have those abilities!! DAMMIT KUSHINA THOSE TROOPS ARE NEED ON OTHER BATTLEFIELDS!!! UGH! AND I JUST THOUGHT WE HAD A MOMENT AND THAT MAYBE SHE"S FINE AND NOW!!!!'
Soutarou took several deep breaths before tugging at his hair and ruffling it in anger before staring at Kushina with that 'I'm disappointed. Like seriously?' look, in the end Soutarou just shook his head and moved away from Kushina muttering, "If I sit any closer to you I'll lose the few brain cells I have left… How could you have once been a damn princess? They lied to me! You aren't a princess, you're a damn monkey!"
As they approached the camp Soutarou and Kushina hopped out of the back with the duo forming a transformation sign each and transforming into Sekiro Senju and Fusaki Senju, a well known sealing specialist, respectively. They both flickered towards the camp's center before they were about to be inspected and a voice interrupted the inspection ordering pair to follow her. Wearing a neutral expression and her signature blonde hair flowing about in two pig tails, Tsunade looked back at Soutarou and continued until reaching the command tent ordering out the guards and sealing off the tent.
Tsunade sat down and flatly said, "Well, are you ready?"
Soutarou's brows furrowed and said, "Is something the matter?"
Tsunade tilted her head and said, "Aren't you the one who should answer?"
Soutarou sighed and seriously said, "If you're asking about that thing… I didn't know you guys had a version as well. I thought it was limited to me. Not only that… this thing is malicious even towards me… It's trying to make me something else… Make me use you guys. Why do you think I haven't taken any steps closer to Mikoto or Kushina? The 'missions' have gotten out of hand. I won't seek that kind of strength at the cost of my morals."
Tsunade watched him for a moment before shaking her head, "I'll watch you. Just be ready for the fight."
Soutarou's eyes drooped a bit and he nodded before saying, "Stay safe, Sister Tsunade."
Tsunade waved dismissively and said, "The preparations are almost complete. Once its time I'll come get you myself… The plan is to super charge you with chakra and-"
Soutarou interrupted and said, "Yeah, well there's been a change in plans and now I'm handling it by myself… Kushina got a 'gift' that makes this situation really easy, by allowing me to use Sage Mode. I might not be on the level of Lord Hashirama even with Sage Mode… but its enough for this battle."
Tsunade paused and looked over at Kushina before sighing and shaking her head and saying, "You told him? And what's this you still did 'missions' after we told you not to do yours?"
Soutarou gave an awkward smile and said, "You know how Kushina is… Regardless, it works in my favor. And another thing sister Tsunade, be wary of the-, that 'being'… I don't know what it did to Pakura or whatever her name is, but my 'panel' shows that she's not normal anymore… whatever she's feeling towards me isn't something that even Mikoto has…"
Tsunade's eyes snapped to him and said, "How do you know that name?"
Soutarou's smile faltered and said, "My panel shows… shows everyone who's a possible target… or rather I suppose who else has that 'being' now that I've thought about it… and I can see your emotions towards… well… me…"
[Warning Tsunade's Loving Rating is plummeting rapidly! Love Rating: 8/10 → 4/10.]
Tsunade's eyes seemed to glow with chakra as her fist tightened, "You manipulative- How long? How long have you had this?"
Soutarou's head drooped and he said, "Since that awakening situation… I don't actually have any relation to the Senju Clan… my bloodline… My bloodline came from an ancestor of the Senju who's still alive and even stronger than… Than Lord Hashirama."
Tsunade's eyes softened a bit before she said, "We'll talk about this after the battle. Now get out. Kushina, stay back."
Soutarou tried to say something before nodding softly and heading out of the tent.
'As expected… Though honestly her reaction wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I thought she'd send me flying, no point in worrying about this now… I have bigger worries. I'll focus on the upcoming battle for now. Konoha is my home too and I'm always doing things for the system. I'll prove it to you Tsunade, Mito, and Naori!'
As Soutarou's will and drive solidified, the Konoha moved about with vigor, while the Iwa side similarly moved with haste fortifying their defensive positions…