"Dammit," Fury Uchiha stood up, ready to retaliate against Kai.
"I said stop, didn't you hear me? And Kai, don't say another word," Shinnosuke Sarutobi commanded, his Kage-level aura pressing down on the two of them.
For Kai, who had been on missions with Sakumo Hatake, this level of pressure was nothing. However, for Fury Uchiha, it wasn't so easy. He glanced at Kai and grudgingly backed down.
Seeing that the two had stopped their fight, Shinnosuke Sarutobi spoke up, "Alright, the situation in the Land of Rivers is dire. We must reach there by sunset tomorrow."
The Land of Rivers, nestled between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, is a frequent battleground for Konoha and Suna. Whether it was the First or Second Shinobi World War, almost all the wars between the two nations erupted there, leaving the Land of Rivers perpetually shadowed by war.
The skewed technological development in the ninja world is closely linked to the existence of ninjas. For instance, computers exist, but not cars or trains. A Jonin can travel dozens of kilometers per hour, making conventional transportation redundant for ninjas.
In less than two days, Kai and his team of four had crossed nearly half of the Land of Fire.
"Alright, we're about to enter the Land of Rivers. Stay alert! From now on, we could be attacked by Sand Ninjas at any moment," Shinnosuke Sarutobi warned as he looked at the wide river ahead.
The continent has a large river running through several countries. Famous bridges like the Tenchi Bridge and Kannabi Bridge span this river, whose mouth lies within the Land of Rivers, hence its name.
"Captain Shinnosuke, what should we do now?" Kai asked.
"Let's head to the Konoha camp and rendezvous with Lady Tsunade before making our next move," Shinnosuke Sarutobi decided after a brief thought.
After walking along the riverbank for a while, Kai spotted a camp with Konoha's insignia.
"Lord Shinnosuke," the camp guards called out joyfully upon seeing Shinnosuke Sarutobi.
The situation must be quite severe, Kai thought, noticing the guards' visible relief.
"Hmm, take me to see Lady Tsunade," Shinnosuke Sarutobi instructed without any pleasantries.
"Yes, follow me," the guard said, leading the way.
"Shinnosuke, you're here. Have a seat," Tsunade said straightforwardly upon seeing Shinnosuke Sarutobi.
"How's the situation now, Lady Tsunade?" Shinnosuke Sarutobi asked, noticing the bloodshot eyes of Tsunade and realizing the situation was grim.
Tsunade shook her head, "Not good. The frontline commander of Sunagakure is that old fox Ebizo, and they've deployed nearly half their village's ninjas in the Land of Rivers. We have to guard against the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth, so we have far fewer ninjas here, and we've suffered significant losses in recent skirmishes."
Hearing this, Shinnosuke Sarutobi's expression turned serious.
Kai pondered, Ebizo, the brother of Chiyo. Unlike Chiyo's straightforward and reckless nature, Ebizo is the type who devises strategies to throw enemies into chaos through deep contemplation. Plus, he's an experienced Kage-level fighter, truly a formidable opponent.
"Hmm? Isn't this the little one from the Mitarashi family? What are you doing here?" Tsunade noticed Kai standing aside. Due to her acquaintance with Shishio Mitarashi, she recognized Kai.
"Lord Third sent me," Kai replied.
"What is the old man thinking?" Tsunade muttered, frowning. She knew how much Shishio Mitarashi treasured Kai. If anything happened, it would be catastrophic.
Shinnosuke Sarutobi noticed Tsunade's doubt and explained, "A few days ago, Kai passed Lord Third's personal test and is now a full-fledged Jonin."
"A full Jonin? This kid?" Tsunade was shocked. A seven-year-old Jonin, what a concept!
Staring at Kai for a while, she remarked, "Just a few months ago, you were a mere Genin, and now you're a Jonin. Impressive."
At that moment, a pineapple-haired ninja rushed in, "Lady Tsunade, the Sand Ninjas are on the move again. Ebizo seems to be massing Sand Ninjas."
"Again?" Tsunade sighed, feeling a headache coming on.
"Lady Tsunade, let me lead the forces into battle," Shinnosuke Sarutobi volunteered. With Tsunade, a peak Kage-level powerhouse, holding the line, even if they couldn't defeat the enemy, they could retreat defensively. Shinnosuke Sarutobi understood why Lord Third was eager to send him. Tsunade suffered from severe hemophobia, which was indeed unbelievable but true. If not for her medical skills countering Sunagakure's poisons, she wouldn't be on the frontline. Of course, Kai, being a transmigrator, was aware of this.
Tsunade acknowledged her condition and instructed, "Yes, Shikaku, gather Choza and Inoichi and prepare the ninja troops for immediate deployment."
"Yes, Lady Tsunade."
Though Shikaku was puzzled why Tsunade wasn't joining the fight, as it was a great opportunity to catch the enemy off guard with Shinnosuke Sarutobi's arrival, he knew that following orders was a ninja's primary duty.
Kai joined the troops, crossing the river and advancing a short distance.
"Everyone, be careful. There's an ambush ahead," Kai suddenly warned.
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