Mitokado Homura didn't explain that the Water Dragon Technique Shinki had borrowed wasn't the original version created by Senju Tobirama, but rather a modified version.
The original version alone, with its daunting sequence of hand seals, could give anyone a headache. Even looking at it for too long made Shinki uncomfortable, let alone attempting to use it.
Before employing the technique, dozens of hand seals had to be performed. Honestly, what value did such a cumbersome jutsu hold?
As for whether the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, could make good use of the Thunder Dragon Technique, Shinki wasn't sure. But one thing was clear: if the jutsu itself wasn't the issue, any failure was squarely on Sarutobi.
In Konoha, the chaos within the village was considerable. Tsunade, now Hokage, refrained from making any sudden moves. She focused entirely on stabilizing the current situation while working tirelessly on the village's recovery.
Luckily, with no erratic expenditures or fund misappropriation, the economic scale of Konoha, combined with the strong financial backing from the Daimyo's estate, gradually brought the village's finances back on track.
While Konoha was recovering, other villages like the Rock Village and Sand Village found themselves overwhelmed. Even the Mist Village was struggling.
As Shinki had predicted, when the naval combat capabilities of the two rival villages were significantly diminished, the war didn't end as Yagura had hoped.
The Third Raikage could not let this slide. Cloud forces began mounting aggressive local offensives. Without large ships, smaller, quickly-assembled boats were deployed. Ninja squads from the Cloud Village used these small boats to infiltrate the Land of Water, launching raids and causing destruction on scattered islands around the Mist Village.
These tactics were highly effective, leaving Yagura deeply troubled. Instead of the anticipated conclusion, the conflict only escalated, forcing Yagura into a reactive stance.
The Third Raikage's initial mockery of the Rock Village for being financially weak was met with a sharp counter from Ohnoki. The Tsuchikage retorted that even a wealthier village like Cloud would struggle to sustain the costs of a multi-front war involving three villages.
Both sides had valid points, and their mockery transitioned from verbal sparring to stark reality.
The Rock Village's resources were indeed limited, while Cloud's wealth couldn't sustain the ongoing conflict against three adversaries.
Fortunately for Cloud, Konoha's intervention turned the tide. By pushing Sand Village onto the Grass Country battlefield, they relieved some pressure on the Raikage. Even so, both the Mist and Cloud Villages were barely holding on.
The Mist Village, despite not initially participating in the war, couldn't escape the consequences of its internal chaos. While its conflicts weren't as large in scale, the financial instability stemming from internal struggles took a toll on logistics and war resources.
Yagura faced mounting challenges. A village plagued by internal discord could hardly be expected to maintain a robust economy or war readiness.
As for Sand Village, its financial woes remained dire due to accumulated debts. Until those debts were resolved, true recovery seemed out of reach.
A sharp knock interrupted the calm.
"Come in."
The door opened to reveal Shinki entering Hokage's office. Without preamble, he walked behind Tsunade and began massaging her stiff shoulders.
"You called for me in such a hurry. What's the issue this time?"
"It's not an issue—it's good news."
Tsunade grinned, though her mischievous smile made Shinki wary.
"...Please, stop. That smile makes my eyelids twitch. I'm half-tempted to punch you."
Realizing her grin might seem deranged, Tsunade composed herself, adopting a more serious demeanor. She picked up a scroll and handed it to Shinki.
"Here. I need you to take this mission. There's no one else suitable in the village right now. Your strength ensures the Cloud and Mist Villages won't dare trouble you."
Shinki raised an eyebrow as he unfurled the scroll. "What's this? A joint caravan commission? They're pooling resources to hire ninja escorts because they're too scared to travel alone?"
Tsunade nodded. "Exactly. They're offering several times the standard reward for a mission of this level."
Shinki let out a low whistle. "These merchants must be desperate. They're basically betting everything on this mission."
The ninja world's ongoing wars had paralyzed trade routes, leaving caravans reluctant to operate for fear of losing both goods and lives. Yet, as merchants, halting all trade wasn't an option. They decided to unite, pooling resources to fund high-paying commissions for strong ninja teams.
Their demands, however, were absurd: 100% safety. If the mission failed, Konoha would have to double the compensation based on the reward.
The stipulation bordered on lunacy. Who could guarantee 100% safety in a war-torn world?
Tsunade initially thought it was a joke. But just as she prepared to reject the commission outright, an idea struck her: Shinki.
This man spent his days slacking off, escorting Kushina and Mehui around the village, flirting with Pakura, and generally shirking responsibilities. Why not give him a challenging, high-paying mission to burn off his free time?
Apart from Shinki, no one else in Konoha could realistically ensure the caravan's safety.
Shinki rubbed his forehead in exasperation. "Are these merchants insane? How can they expect us to guarantee their safety when they're traveling to Sand Village, Mist Village, and even Cloud Village? Do they not know the state of the world right now?"
While the route to Sand Village was manageable, traveling further to the Mist and Cloud Villages was sheer madness. Both villages were embroiled in active conflict.
Even if this commission promised substantial profits, how could anyone guarantee their safety amid so much chaos?
"100% safety," Shinki muttered under his breath, shaking his head. "This mission is nothing but trouble."