The situation was tense. The emissary from the Daimyo's prefecture addressed the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, as well as his two advisors, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, in the Hokage's office.
"The situation is as follows, Third Hokage-Sama: the daimyo-sama is very dissatisfied with the actions of the Cloud Shinobi and the Third Raikage. The Land of Fire will never be threatened by the Cloud Shinobi Village. Thus, the daimyo-sama has decided to provide Konoha with war funds and supplies to deal with this threat," the emissary stated firmly.
At first, the mention of the daimyo's tough stance on Cloud Shinobi Village caused the three to look uneasy.
Konoha was already stretched thin, fighting on three fronts, and its resources were nearly depleted. However, upon hearing that the daimyo would provide war funds and supplies, their expressions softened.
Though Konoha's pool of active ninja was running low, the new support would allow them to hire aid from smaller ninja villages, relieving some pressure on the frontlines.
Villages like Kusanagi, Rain, and Taki had a high potential for employment if the terms were favorable.
"I understand. Please relay our gratitude to the daimyo-sama. Konoha will always stand with the Daimyo mansion in its stance against the Cloud Shinobi," Sarutobi Hiruzen replied.
After the daimyo's envoy departed, escorted by an ANBU ninja, Sarutobi lit his pipe and took a slow puff, filling the Hokage's office with smoke.
Utatane Koharu broke the silence. "Hiruzen, what are we going to do about the next batch of reinforcements? We're left with only the Genin who've just graduated. Sending them to the battlefield would be reckless—some of them haven't even completed a handful of missions."
Mitokado Homura nodded in agreement. "Exactly. It would only cause more chaos. We need another plan."
Sarutobi exhaled a cloud of smoke and replied, "Allocate 100 million ryō and 30% of the supplies to Danzo. Have him negotiate with Kusanagi and Taki to secure their assistance. As for reinforcements, I'll meet with the clan heads to discuss their contributions."
The Hokage leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. Konoha's ninja roster was grim. Before the war, the village had just over 5,000 registered ninjas.
Now, there were only 4,300 left—700 of them were newly graduated Genin with less than a year of experience.
The rest consisted of medical personnel, sealing teams, administrative staff, and ninjas stationed in various regions.
Only 3,600 could be sent to the battlefields, and those were already deployed across three fronts.
To make matters worse, many capable ninjas hadn't officially registered, and mobilizing them would require delicate negotiations with the clan leaders.
The Sarutobi clan would have to lead by example, sending its own members first; otherwise, the other clans would never agree.
"Kusanagi and Taki are viable options," Homura admitted. "They frequently accept contracts from other nations, and with the amount we're offering, they're unlikely to refuse. But as for Rain Shinobi Village... do you really think that old war hawk Hanzo will agree to help?"
Utatane Koharu asked suspiciously, her tone reflecting their shared apprehension about Hanzo.
The old war veteran posed a significant challenge; if not for his formidable strength, Rain Shinobi Village would have been crippled by Konoha long ago.
"If Hanzo refuses, we can approach other factions within the Land of Rain," Sarutobi Hiruzen suggested. "Recently, numerous rogue ninja groups have emerged there, and many of them seem dissatisfied with Hanzo's leadership. If we hire them, it might create some trouble for him."
He paused, deep in thought. The battlefield in the Land of sound was becoming increasingly problematic.
Although Kushina had managed to hold back the two Jinchūriki, Cloud Shinobi's superior military strength demanded caution. Their power was something even Sarutobi couldn't take lightly.
Meanwhile, Rock Shinobi had refrained from deploying their Jinchūriki, but they compensated with sheer numbers and strategy.
Thousands of Rock Shinobi had flooded the battlefield in the first wave, demonstrating exceptional joint ninjutsu capabilities.
Facing their coordinated attacks, even Konoha's most skilled ninjas struggled to hold their ground.
The situation in the Land of Rivers was even more dire. Sand Shinobi Village had deployed its Third Kazekage, One-Tail Jinchūriki, puppet master Chiyo, and another Magnet Style user.
In contrast, Konoha's forces were limited to Orochimaru and a force of 900 ninja, of which only about 20 were Jōnin.
What worried Sarutobi Hiruzen most was Sand Shinobi Village's audacity. They had essentially mobilized the majority of their forces, driving Orochimaru back to Kikyo Castle.
Orochimaru had requested reinforcements earlier, and it was clear now that his request could no longer be ignored.
Meanwhile, Kain observed Yakushi Nono with a calm smile. "Nono, I didn't expect your promotion to come so quickly. You've exceeded my expectations."
He handed her a small earring, its intricate design hinting at the alchemical expertise behind it. "This is a ninja tool that can protect you automatically. In moments of danger, it might just save your life. So, tell me, do you plan to stay in Konoha, or would you prefer to come work for me?"
Nono accepted the earring without hesitation, her expression steady. "Boss, whatever you decide, I'll follow. Just give the word."
Kain chuckled lightly. "At 20, you've already become the vice president of Konoha Hospital. I think staying in Konoha is a good option for you. You can continue learning under Tsunade—there's still a lot you can gain from her. As for me, I'm not short on talent at the moment."
He continued, "Even though you've mastered most of Tsunade's medical ninjutsu, there are techniques like the Hundred Healings Mark that you haven't yet learned. Unfortunately, Tsunade was transferred to the frontlines before she could teach you that. For now, I think it's best for you to remain here."
Kain paused before adding, "Besides, Aya is holding things together on the outside, and Shinno has already started training medical ninja under my orders. They'll be crucial in the future."
"I understand," Nono replied with a nod.
She then added, "Boss, Nohara Rin has also started showing remarkable talent in medical ninjutsu. She's already performed several successful surgeries and mastered techniques like Healing Jutsu and the Chakra Scalpel. I believe that in ten years, she'll be able to match my skills in the field."
"In addition to Nohara Rin, Aoki Dazang, Sato Akutagawa, Hiratani Aikawa, and Uehara Nobu are all performing exceptionally well," Nono remarked. "They've recently been promoted to leader Chūnin. If they survive this war and accumulate enough mission credits, they should be eligible for promotion to Special Jōnin. I believe they deserve additional ninjutsu support to increase their chances of survival."
Kain nodded with a smile. "I understand. It's only natural to support talented individuals. Nono, you can ask them what kind of ninjutsu they need—or if they need help in other areas, we can assist with that as well."
Aside from forbidden techniques, secret arts, and rare five-element ninjutsu, Kain could acquire most other jutsu from the underground gold exchange.
Additionally, he could provide potions. The medicines brewed by Hermione were remarkably effective; though healing potions and blood-enriching elixirs couldn't fully match the precision of medical ninjutsu, they were still impressive.
Even Tsunade had shown significant interest in their properties.
"As for Nohara Rin, where is she assigned now?" Kain asked.
"She's currently part of Namikaze Minato's team," Nono replied. "Her teammates are Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Obito. Hatake Kakashi graduated three years early, while Rin and Obito are among the top performers in their class."
Kain considered this. Uchiha Obito's abilities weren't weak; according to the original timeline, he had already mastered Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu and tree climbing at the age of ten.
He could even spar evenly with Kakashi in taijutsu, a feat that Uchiha Sasuke didn't achieve at that stage. However, Obito's mindset was a problem—he lacked the temperament needed for the battlefield.
As for Nohara Rin, she was a prodigy in medical ninjutsu and would have been better suited to working in Konoha Hospital.
Instead, Sarutobi Hiruzen had placed her in Namikaze Minato's elite team.
"I see," Kain remarked, shaking his head slightly. "Being around those people can be... contagious."
He was referring to the Will of Fire. If Rin became too influenced by it, Kain worried that all his efforts in mentoring her would go to waste.
Nono immediately responded, "I'll find time to check on Nohara Rin. She's still learning medical ninjutsu from me, so I'll try to learn more about her situation and her team."
Though Rin wasn't officially her apprentice, Nono regarded her as a student of sorts. If Namikaze Minato tried to bring Rin fully into his fold, Nono knew it would complicate her plans.
Nono then shared other updates about Konoha, including some classified information she had uncovered.
She had learned troubling details about Root and Konoha's Chūnin, as well as the state of Kato Dan, who had survived but was left in a dire condition.
He was entirely bedridden, unable to do anything, not even eat on his own.
Worse still, Konoha was critically short on medics. Nono explained her analysis: only four doctors remained at Konoha Hospital, including herself.
They were barely able to keep up with the essential surgeries. If the situation worsened, even Nono might be called to the frontlines.
Yakushi Nono reported for two hours, summarizing the key events and developments of the past two years. Her detailed account gave Kain a clearer understanding of what had transpired during his absence.
When she finished, Kain rose to his feet and said, "I see. Let's maintain the status quo for now. The war is likely nearing its end, Nono."
"Are you leaving?" Nono asked suddenly, her voice cutting through the air.
Kain paused, surprised by her question. After a brief moment, he nodded and replied, "Yes. Is there something else?"
"Massage," Nono said, adjusting her glasses with a small smirk. "You promised last time to try my new techniques, but then you disappeared for two years."
She patted the tatami beside her and continued, "Lie down here. Let's see if my skills have grown rusty."
"Uh... well, I guess I owe you that," Kain replied, scratching the back of his head. He decided there was no harm in staying a little longer. The room could wait to be tidied up later. Following her instructions, he lay down on the tatami.
The surface felt slightly unfamiliar—it was harder than he remembered. Just as Kain was processing this thought, he felt something soft press against his waist.
Startled, he realized it wasn't a massage technique. Nono had shifted, rolling over to sit directly on his back.
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