It didn't take long.
An answer surfaced in Motomu's mind.
The one suppressing that rebellious son should be—and could only be—Big Eyeball.
Ever since his system first awakened.
Motomu knew that the Pokémon his body parts transformed into possessed a certain level of consciousness.
These sentient organs could carry out simple commands even without his direct supervision.
The suppression of his kidney was likely related to Big Eyeball and the others.
A sudden chill ran down Motomu's spine.
His kidney, currently only level 13, could already resist the suppression of two level 30 and level 40 Pokémon.
'If it reached level 20, things would get truly out of hand.'
Fortunately, the three of them were in a state of equilibrium for now, giving him plenty of time to deal with the situation.
He either needed to level up faster or obtain another Pokémon quickly.
*Bang!*
He kicked off the tree branch with force.
Motomu leaped forward as Captain Kazama's voice reached his ears.
"Next, we depart immediately for the border of the Land of Water."
"According to Root intelligence, the Mist Ninja declared war at two o'clock today."
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, established by the Third Mizukage, have already crossed the border."
"Our mission is to stall them as much as possible."
At this moment in Konoha.
The vast majority of elite shinobi were busy guarding against the Sand Ninja.
Konoha was caught between the Land of Wind and the Land of Water.
The Konoha leadership was urgently mobilizing troops; rather than pulling forces from distant fronts across the Land of Fire, it was more efficient to redeploy ninja already near the Land of Water.
As for the Land of Lightning, the Anbu squad Motomu was in was one of those being moved.
The war starting earlier than in the original story.
This had always been within Motomu's expectations.
However, he hadn't expected the Hidden Mist to be the first to lose their patience.
Since the Three-Tails had been taken out by him.
The only Tailed Beast the Hidden Mist could deploy was the Six-Tails, Saiken, sealed within Utakata.
Unless the war reached a critical juncture, Yagura wouldn't allow a Jinchuriki onto the battlefield.
Now that he had been backstabbed by his 'rebellious son,' he desperately needed a new Pokémon.
He didn't know how long it would take for Big Eyeball and the Two-Tails to succeed.
Perhaps he could try to push the Hidden Mist a little harder.
The Land of Lightning and the Land of Water were quite close.
In less than half a day, Motomu's trio arrived at the border.
Captain Kazama followed the coded signals and led the squad to the Anbu assembly point.
Inside the underground base.
The usually stoic Anbu members behind their animal masks were conversing in shock.
Motomu, having just arrived, caught only fragments of the conversation but immediately understood what had transpired.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, who had intended to raid deep into the Land of Fire's heart for a tactical pincer movement.
Had been reduced to a lone survivor this morning, with only Fuguki Suikazan left alive.
And the person responsible for this feat.
Was the man the Anbu were calling the Eternal Genin—Might Duy.
Motomu recalled the conversation between Guy and his father from when he was secretly learning the Eight Inner Gates.
At that time, Might Duy had indeed mentioned he was going to complete a certain commission.
He hadn't expected that even with the war starting so much earlier, Might Duy would still encounter the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
One could say the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had terrible luck. Encountering Might Duy was bad enough.
But they had run into a younger, more vigorous Duy several years earlier than in the original timeline.
Originally, three of them managed to retreat, but now, only one had survived.
Yagura sending the remnants of his political rivals' subordinates to the front lines to be thinned out was a standard move.
The problem was, they had died far too quickly.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were supposed to be the elite of the elite, yet they were crushed on their first day by an obscure nobody.
How could the Bloodline Limit clan ninjas—who had already defected to Yagura's side and were planning to follow behind for some easy looting—keep their composure?
The choices left for the frontline commander were either to hold their ground and wait for Yagura's reinforcements or to ask Konoha if they could negotiate for peace.
Furthermore, based on the intelligence Captain Kazama obtained from the Anbu Squadron Commander.
The Hidden Mist would likely hold their ground.
Because...
Their neighbors, the Sand Ninja, had also made a move this morning.
But as soon as they showed their faces, they were pushed back by the Uchiha clan ninjas stationed on the front lines.
Even so.
Fighting on two fronts meant Konoha's military strength was inevitably spread thin.
Under the current circumstances.
He didn't even need to take action; the Hidden Mist, seeing an opportunity, would increase their forces on their own.
He just wondered if the Hidden Mist's reinforcements would include Utakata the Jinchuriki.
While Motomu was deep in thought.
A commotion nearby interrupted him.
Turning his head, he saw a squad within the resting Anbu ranks.
An Anbu squad consisting of only two members appeared in the center.
These two were missing limbs, and blood was seeping through the white bandages wrapped around their wounds.
Some Anbu ninjas who recognized them came over to greet them.
"We're pulling out first."
"If you run into Fuguki Suikazan, watch out for his chakra-absorbing ninja sword."
"Understood."
"But..."
"Fragrant Pig Squadron, can you help us carry a letter before you leave?"
"Of course."
Someone spoke up.
The crowd waiting for the Anbu Commander-in-Chief all turned their attention toward him.
"Fragrant Pig Squadron, and me..."
It seemed that the Fragrant Pig Squadron was the one previously on a mission here, the first to intercept the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and take heavy casualties.
Motomu thought for a moment.
With the war breaking out, he wouldn't be able to return for a while.
He needed to let Anko and Obito know.
Not wanting to waste chakra by summoning a cobra, Motomu also wrote a letter and handed it to the Fragrant Pig Squadron Leader.
After ensuring no more letters were left to be sent, the Fragrant Pig Squadron departed from the base.
After waiting for less than half an hour.
The Anbu Regional Commander arrived at the base.
He didn't waste any words.
With a flick of his sleeve.
The newly drafted mission scrolls flew into the hands of each squad captain.
Hampered by the restrictions of Mysterious Knowledge.
Motomu didn't look at the scroll, only listening as Captain Kazama spoke solemnly after a long silence.
"Next, our mission is to monitor the movements along the Hidden Mist's coast."
"However, before that, our squad will first merge into the White Wolf Squadron."
"Pheasant, your ability is unique. Later, you and Motomu will coordinate with the White Wolf Squadron Leader's Byakugan."
"Remember, he is from the Hyuga Main House. If necessary, follow superior orders to prevent the Byakugan from falling into enemy hands."
"Simple. I'm good at that."
Pheasant's voice was cold. Having come from Root, she didn't show the slightest emotional ripple at the prospect of having to turn on a comrade.
While listening to the captain detail the mission intel.
Motomu turned his gaze toward a ten-man squadron that was gradually approaching.
The leader among them had eyes that were completely white under his mask.
Through the Byakugan.
Motomu recognized him immediately as Captain White Wolf.
Seeing Motomu's trio looking over, Captain White Wolf's eyes crinkled in a smile.
"Are you the Kazama Squad?"
"My sister was your previous captain. It's an honor to fight alongside her former team."
'A young master of the Main House?'
Looking at his smile, for some reason, Motomu thought of Hyuga Hayaka's empty left sleeve.
Captain Hyuga Hayaka was magnanimous; even after seven years in the Anbu and becoming indifferent to life and death, she had been very good to subordinates like Motomu.
Aside from her pleasing appearance, Motomu also liked her laid-back work attitude.
It was just a pity that Captain Hayaka had been disabled in Loulan and was forced to retire.
The White Wolf Squadron Commander chatted with Motomu's squad.
The squad was soon integrated into his squadron.