After the mission report was concluded, both Masaki and Danzō were instructed to go back and rest. They quietly stepped outside the camp tent and made their way to the tent arranged for them.
Lifting the curtain, Masaki saw that Rimi was already fast asleep, still wearing all her gear. He understood how exhausting these past days had been for everyone. Unlike him, who could rely on the benefits of Sage Mode, others were undoubtedly worn out.
Masaki made an effort to avoid making any noise as he sat down in the camp, watching Rimi's peaceful sleeping face. It was only at moments like this that he felt truly at ease. Even while resting in the Land of Wind, he kept his mental guard up. Any slight disturbance would wake him, a constant reminder of the high tension.
Masaki wondered when the battle in the Land of Wind would finally end. Their forces had destroyed much of the Wind Country's logistical supplies, and with its natural scarcity, the country couldn't afford a protracted war against the Fire Country. The enemy's next offensive would likely be fierce, whether it was defensive or aggressive.
"Get some rest, Rimi," Masaki murmured quietly.
Though he initially intended to rest, thoughts of the ongoing war kept him awake. Feeling physically fine, he left the tent and requested some intelligence scrolls to review the current war situation.
At the start of the war, when the Wind Country heard about Tobirama's impending arrival with reinforcements, they launched a fierce attack on the Fire Country Defense Line. Uchiha Kagami had done his best but nearly lost control of the situation. The only thing that saved the defense line was Tobirama's quick and strategic advance, plugging the gaps just in time.
Since Tobirama arrived at the front, Kagami stepped down from his commander position, allowing the seasoned Tobirama to take over. Under Tobirama's command, even a few simple orders produced results that would have taken Kagami far more effort to achieve.
With Tobirama personally leading the front lines, the morale of the Konoha ninja soared, and they successfully fended off the attacks of Sunagakure's forces. Once the reinforcements arrived, the Sand Village lost their advantage and began to suffer small setbacks.
What followed was a long period of probing on both sides, neither willing to make the first move. It wasn't until Masaki and his team disrupted the logistics that the Second Kazekage started to show impatience. Splitting his forces to hunt down the attackers and making command errors, Sunagakure suffered significant losses, which Konoha took full advantage of.
Overall, the Fire Country was in a favorable position. As long as they didn't suffer any sudden heavy losses and continued their steady advance, the Wind Country was destined to be defeated. This was due to the imbalance of national power, not battlefield tactics. The Wind Country simply couldn't sustain a long war.
Masaki wasn't only interested in the broader strategy. He focused on the details of the war, particularly notable enemy ninjas. He knew of Chiyo, Ebizō, and the Third Kazekage, but there were likely other powerful Sand ninjas who had yet to reveal themselves.
As Masaki pondered, he realized something strange—the intelligence didn't mention the Third Kazekage.
The Third Kazekage was known as the strongest Kazekage in Sunagakure's history, despite his later assassination by Sasori of the Red Sand, which eventually triggered the Third Shinobi World War. Masaki considered the Kazekage's magnetic release technique, which controlled iron sand, a devastating ability capable of massive destruction.
Masaki doubted the Third Kazekage hadn't been born yet. It seemed more likely that he was being kept as a hidden weapon, or perhaps he had yet to reveal his magnetic release powers. If the Third Kazekage were truly at city-destroying power levels, there would be no reason for him not to use it. But Masaki knew better than to let his guard down. Even if the Kazekage hadn't reached his peak, he was still formidable.
Another possibility occurred to Masaki. The Third Kazekage might already have his city-level strength, but the Second Kazekage might be planning something bigger, such as an ambush against Tobirama.
Masaki decided it was crucial to stay alert for anyone in Sunagakure who might be the future Third Kazekage. If he appeared, Masaki needed to make sure Konoha was ready to deal with his magnetic release.
Before he knew it, evening had come. Rimi stirred, letting out a soft noise before she opened her eyes and stretched. Masaki noticed and said, "Awake?"
"Yeah," Rimi replied, not surprised by Masaki's voice. The moment she woke up, she could sense his presence—a bond formed from years of together. What did surprise her, however, was the large pile of scrolls surrounding Masaki.
"You didn't rest, did you?" Rimi asked, eyes wide.
"No," Masaki admitted. "I didn't feel the need to rest, so I've been catching up on the situation."
"But you and Danzō are under the most pressure in the group. How can you not be tired?" Rimi asked, still disbelieving.
"You know my energy's been strong since I mastered Sage Mode. This is nothing," Masaki replied with a smile.
Rimi narrowed her eyes. "Your energy is always too much. You should tone it down."
Masaki chuckled helplessly. "That's not something I can control. The effects of Sage Mode are beneficial in battle, but they make me stand out in normal life. As I improve, the benefits become more pronounced. I can't exactly change back."
Rimi sighed but smiled. "Well, since you're still energetic, why don't you get us some food?"
"Sure," Masaki agreed, standing up.
When he returned with the food, they ate while Masaki continued reviewing the war situation. Just as they were finishing their meal, someone knocked on the tent. It was Uchiha Kagami. This was the first time Masaki had seen him since leaving Konoha.
After exchanging greetings, Kagami sat down beside them, a small smile on his face. "It's good to see you two safe. I thought you'd come with the main force, but it seems you had a special mission in the Land of Wind."
"It was dangerous," Masaki admitted, shrugging. "We almost didn't make it back."
"But you did. Only four out of twenty-three casualties, and you completed the mission by damaging the supply lines. That's impressive." Kagami's expression grew more serious. "Things didn't go as smoothly for me. I haven't achieved anything noteworthy, and I made a mistake that shouldn't have happened."
"No achievements? Holding off Sunagakure is impressive in itself," Masaki reassured him. "But what was the mistake?"
Kagami sighed. "I made a rash advance. I saw the trap, but I couldn't control my men. They were from my own clan, and their lives were wasted for nothing. We tried to recover from the losses, but it's hard to shake the feeling that those losses shouldn't have happened."
Masaki could see the weight of command weighing heavily on Kagami. He tried to comfort him. "It's not your fault. You warned them. If your men didn't listen, the blame lies with them, not you."
"Maybe, but I can't shake the feeling I didn't do my best." Kagami shook his head. "Especially now that Lord Tobirama is here, I see how much I still need to learn."
Masaki stayed quiet for a moment, then asked, "Was Uchiha Setsuna leading the advance?"
"Yes," Kagami confirmed. "I suspect he wanted to go against my orders. It backfired, and now I almost wish he hadn't survived."
Most of the Uchiha forces involved in that mission had been wiped out. Setsuna had returned alive, though it was a miracle. Despite his insubordination, he had brought back vital information and pleaded for his life. He was stripped of his rank as a Chūnin but allowed to continue serving as a regular ninja.
"That guy's incredibly lucky," Masaki muttered.
"Yes," Kagami agreed, though neither he nor Masaki knew how strange Setsuna's survival truly was.
On that fateful day, after Sunagakure's ambush, Setsuna was gravely wounded. Though he tried to flee, he collapsed from exhaustion. He thought it was the end, with the enemy closing in.
Suddenly, a dark shadow emerged and entered his body. Despite his weakened state, Setsuna felt new strength surge through him, allowing him to escape the Sand ninjas. His body seemed to know the enemy's ambush routes, and he avoided them all without encountering another ninja.
When he finally reached safety, the shadow left his body, and a ghostly figure materialized before him.
"What are you?" Setsuna asked, staring at the apparition. Although he didn't know what it was, he was certain it had a consciousness of its own.
"I am Zetsu," the dark shadow said, its form flickering. "Or rather, I am the incarnation of Uchiha Madara's will before his death."