"Alright, this is where we split up."
Minato stood before his three students, wearing his usual bright, reassuring smile. His gaze swept over them, warm but resolute, before settling on Kakashi.
"Kakashi, as a jōnin squad leader, you'll be carrying a heavy responsibility."
"I understand, sensei. I won't let you down!" Kakashi replied firmly, his voice steady and unwavering.
"Here," Minato said, pulling out a tri-pronged kunai and handing it over. "This is for you."
"…Huh?" Kakashi blinked, clearly confused.
"Consider it a promotion gift."
"But… sensei, you already gave me one before…"
"Then I'll give you another."
Obito, standing off to the side, immediately bristled. "Hey! That's favoritism! When I became a chūnin, you didn't give me anything!"
"That's because this is for becoming a jōnin."
"Then when I become a jōnin, you owe me one chūnin gift and two jōnin gifts!"
Minato chuckled softly. "Alright. Then I'll look forward to the day you become a jōnin."
"Ha! I'm going to be Hokage someday!" Obito puffed up with confidence, his voice ringing with determination. "Becoming a jōnin is just a matter of time!"
"You really love to brag," Kakashi cut in mercilessly.
"Believe it or not, that's up to you! Rin always believes in me!"
"Mhm," Rin said gently, her eyes soft. "Obito will definitely become a great ninja someday."
Over the past year, she had seen it countless times—Obito's relentless effort, his quiet persistence, the way he pushed himself day after day. That sincerity hadn't gone unnoticed.
"Hehe… look!" Obito grinned, activating his Sharingan. "My Sharingan—it's two tomoe now!"
His crimson eyes gleamed, each pupil marked by two slowly rotating black tomoe.
Kakashi froze for a brief moment, surprise flickering across his face at Obito's transformation.
"Congratulations, Obito," Minato said with a smile—before his tone shifted, turning serious as he pointed to a marked location on the map. "Your mission is to destroy a bridge here."
"But… there's no bridge marked there?" The map showed nothing but empty terrain.
"It's mentioned in a classified message from Shimizu," Minato explained. "He believes the enemy will retreat through this route back to the Land of Earth. If we destroy that bridge in advance, this Iwagakure force will have nowhere to run… and Kumogakure's assault on Iwagakure will proceed smoothly."
He paused briefly, then continued, "As for us, we just need to hold out until Jiraiya-sensei arrives with the main force."
Wow… that would be a massive achievement.
"Don't worry, sensei—we'll complete the mission!" the three of them responded in unison, their determination unwavering.
Soon, the force of over eight hundred shinobi split into two groups. Two divisions, totaling around seven hundred and twenty ninja, headed straight for Kannabi Bridge, while Minato led the remaining hundred or so Konoha shinobi to reinforce Shimizu's Seventeenth Division.
—
Meanwhile, Shimizu's force of four hundred was on the verge of clashing head-on with Iwagakure's army. The two sides were now less than ten kilometers apart.
"They've finally lost their patience…" Shimizu murmured. Then his expression hardened. "In that case…"
"Spread out as much as possible. Avoid direct engagement whenever you can. If they pursue relentlessly, do not hesitate—fall back immediately."
"Our mission is to delay their advance northward, not to fight them head-on. Keep them occupied, buy time, and wait for reinforcements."
"And most importantly—do not let yourselves be surrounded."
His voice grew noticeably more serious at that last point.
"Because with our current strength… we won't be able to rescue you in time."
Everyone understood what that meant.
If they were encircled by such a massive force, survival would be left to chance.
"Is that clear?"
"Understood!"
"Clear!"
"Loud and clear!"
The squad leaders responded one after another.
Shimizu then turned his gaze to Fugaku. "Fugaku-senpai, your thoughts?"
"We'll proceed according to your plan," Fugaku replied calmly, showing his full agreement.
"Then… I wish everyone success in their mission."
Before long, the nearly four hundred shinobi split into eleven separate units, scattering across the terrain to begin their task of harassment and delay.
Shimizu moved out with the First Unit led by Amane and Satomi, while Shisui followed closely at his side, ready for whatever lay ahead.
"Fifteen kilometers to the northeast—large enemy presence, over three hundred!"
The Byakugan user reported with precision, their vision piercing through distance to map the battlefield in perfect detail.
"That's likely an entire division…"
Even now, Shimizu still believed Iwagakure's main focus remained on him. He had personally felt that relentless, almost obsessive determination they had shown in trying to hunt him down.
"Stay sharp," he said gravely. "I'm guessing they're already figuring out how to surround us."
"Is it really that extreme? Still targeting us specifically?" Amane frowned, finding it hard to believe. Then, as if realizing something, he let out a half-joking sigh. "Senpai, your charm really is something else."
"…Don't pin everything on me," Shimizu replied, a trace of unease flickering in his eyes.
If Iwagakure truly intended to eliminate him at all costs…
…then staying with the others would only drag them down.
"Shisui!"
"Yes!"
"Come with me."
"Understood!" Shisui answered without hesitation, absolute trust in his teacher's command.
"Senpai, you…" Amane seemed to catch on to Shimizu's real intention.
Shimizu smiled lightly. "Shisui and I will circle around and harass them a bit."
And, more importantly…
…draw Iwagakure's attention away from the First Unit and onto himself.
With just the two of them, relying on their speed, as long as they didn't blunder into an encirclement, Shimizu was confident they could evade any attempt to trap them.
Even though the name "Shunshin Shisui" had yet to spread across the ninja world, Shisui's speed already surpassed that of most jōnin. As long as Shimizu slowed down just a little, the boy could keep up.
And Shisui was only ten years old.
Yet after making a wide detour at incredible speed, the two of them suddenly ran straight into another Iwagakure squad.
"Northwest, four hundred forty meters—one full unit."
"Do we engage?" Shisui asked calmly. Facing a full team of thirty-six enemies, there wasn't the slightest hint of fear in his voice.
"We fight," Shimizu answered without hesitation. "Of course we fight."
"Because they've already spotted us—and they've spread out their formation."
If they still wanted to flank and harass that larger Iwagakure division, then this was unavoidable. They would have to face multiple enemy squads at once… and break through their line.
"Move!"
Shimizu's speed exploded in an instant, leaving Shisui behind as if he had vanished into thin air.
Within just a few breaths, Shisui could no longer see him at all.
Sharingan… activate!
His crimson eyes bloomed, twin tomoe spinning slowly within. Through that blood-red world, he caught sight of it—
A razor-sharp surge of chakra, piercing straight through the enemy's defensive line.
Yes.
Shimizu himself had become a blade—an impossibly sharp dagger driven straight into the enemy's heart.
In the very first exchange, the Iwagakure squad leader who made contact with him was already cut down by Shimizu's sword.
The body dropped from midair, crashing to the ground.
That level of chakra… a jōnin.
Sensei has become even stronger…
The streak of chakra flickered again—faster, sharper—and a flash of pale blue blade-light sliced through the air.
By the time Shisui arrived at the battlefield, the fourth body had only just hit the ground with a dull thud.
They were all dead.
Shisui slowed slightly, breathing out as he caught up. "Sensei… you're too fast."
"Then keep up," Shimizu replied, sword in hand as he stared toward the northwest. Another Iwagakure squad was already within a hundred meters.
"You can go faster."
"Believe in yourself."
"…Yes!"