Credits: daxterdaxter
"Eight-Sword Style, huh!"
As Shirou looked at the scroll filled with hundreds of sword techniques, his brow furrowed upon seeing the Eight-Sword Style.
In the original story, White Fang's swordsmanship was never showcased, and even the samurai didn't get much attention. On the contrary, the Eight-Sword Style shone brightly, even coming close to cutting down Sasuke.
"In the original, Sasuke's swordsmanship wasn't weak. However, compared to the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki and the Raikage, both adept at ninjutsu and taijutsu, it was overshadowed."
"On top of that, the Eight-Sword Style excels at being unpredictable and cunning. Most people struggle to adapt to such a style the first time they face it. It's not that other swordsmanship techniques are weak, but it depends on the user."
Although Shirou had begun pursuing a swordsmanship style focused on extreme speed, he hadn't abandoned studying a wide variety of techniques. After all, for a ninja, intelligence was the key to victory.
As long as he understood his opponent's methods, the chances of winning would increase.
"In the world of combat, speed reigns supreme. No matter how complex or tricky your techniques are, if my speed is fast enough, I'll find your weakness. After all, 99% of ninjas are high on offense but frail in defense."
A sudden alarm broke his train of thought. Shirou looked up and sighed.
"Looks like time's up for today."
On the rooftop, two shadow clones hung upside down, training in the lightning chakra nature transformation. As the alarm rang, they instantly dissolved into white smoke, dispelling the ninjutsu.
The next moment, the experiences of the shadow clones flowed into him, along with a wave of mental fatigue. Shirou rubbed his temples, trying to relieve the exhaustion.
"The Sage Body is amazing, but this requires careful management. Otherwise, training with shadow clones might do more harm than good."
The Sage Body's ability to recover mental energy allowed him to use shadow clones for training, much like a Jinchūriki. However, compared to Uzumaki Kushina, who could train with dozens of shadow clones in the training ground, the gap was significant.
"Even with part of the Nine-Tails' chakra, Kushina can still manage this. The recovery power of a Tailed Beast's chakra isn't inferior to the Sage Body. And the Tailed Beasts themselves originate from the God Tree…"
The ninja world was filled with countless secrets and unresolved mysteries, all of which would take time to uncover.
"Shirou!"
At that moment, the door burst open. Uchiha Mikoto entered, holding a scroll, with Uzumaki Kushina following behind her post-training.
"The battlefield in the Land of Rain has grown increasingly intense. Numerous Rain and Sand ninjas have infiltrated the war zones to sow chaos. Amidst the turmoil, countless rogue ninjas and defectors with ambitions have also begun sneaking into the Land of Rain…"
Her expression grew serious as she handed over a scroll marked with the word "Secret."
"Shirou, this is a mission assigned by the village."
Opening the scroll and reading the classified mission details, Shirou was momentarily stunned before letting out a knowing sigh.
"As ruthless as ever, the Root's methods. But this is war."
The mission was simple: create chaos in the Land of Rain. This could involve collaborating with rogue ninjas and defectors or training orphaned children to become ninjas.
While seemingly inconspicuous, these actions would leave the Land of Rain in chaos, filled with opportunists and small factions.
Even after the war ended, the Land of Rain would remain mired in turmoil, while the great nations could rest and recover, widening the gap between them.
In the original story, even after the Second Shinobi War ended, the Land of Rain remained unstable until the Third Shinobi War. Hanzo of the Salamander couldn't even consolidate his power within his village, leading to the rise of groups like Akatsuki.
"This is the nature of war!"
After reading the mission, Shirou shook his head in resignation. It was clear that this wasn't just Konoha's strategy—every major nation operated in the same way.
Even during the Third Shinobi War, the Land of Rain was still plagued by internal conflicts. Groups like Akatsuki had even mentioned the interference of Iwa ninjas. The great nations would never allow the emergence of a sixth major ninja village; this was the tragedy of small nations.
"I understand. Compared to working with ambitious rogue ninjas and defectors, ensuring the secrecy of the mines is crucial. Our best approach is to raise our ninjas, leaving sharp thorns in the Land of Rain's future."
Although Uzumaki Kushina felt uncomfortable hearing such a mission, her growing maturity helped her accept the reality of the ninja world. She remained silent.
Uchiha Mikoto, on the other hand, nodded in agreement, her tone serious:
"Rogue ninjas and defectors are too unstable and risky to rely on. However, we should accelerate the mining efforts. The war is unpredictable, and changes could happen at any time."
"Then we'll recruit more ordinary laborers. If there aren't enough locals, there are plenty of refugees nearby. In times of war, a little food is all they'll need…"
Their calm discussion reflected the harsh realities of war. At just fourteen years old, they had already grown accustomed to such cruelty.
"Fine, I'll arrange for suitable candidates among the refugees to be trained as spies…"
As Uchiha Mikoto spoke seriously, Shirou's gaze unintentionally fell outside the window. Suddenly, his pupils contracted.
"No! Not spies!"
Shirou's tone shifted abruptly. Turning to face Mikoto, his expression was heavy as he spoke:
"War has already brought too much misfortune to this world. While our abilities are limited, we should at least give these war orphans a chance to survive."
His resolute voice echoed through the room, leaving Mikoto stunned. Even Kushina was momentarily taken aback.
Lowering his head, Shirou looked out the window at the scars left by war. His voice was hoarse as he continued:
"War has caused endless suffering. You, me, and even Kushina—we're all victims of it. We don't have the power to change the ninja world yet. But within our limits, there are things we can still do."
"The Land of Rain already has enough opportunists. These children deserve a ray of hope."
Through the window, Mikoto and Kushina saw the same scene: a desolate town filled with lifeless civilians exchanging survival supplies. War orphans cautiously lingered in the shadows.
Some rummaged through trash bins for food, while others, caught stealing, were beaten and chased through the muddy streets. Their tears fell silently onto the war-torn land.
"Shirou, I understand!"
Seeing this, Mikoto's gentle expression turned firm, while Kushina glanced at Shirou, her heart swelling with a newfound respect.
"So, deep down, Uchiha Shirou has a warm heart."
But only Shirou knew what he had truly seen.
Through the grimy window, he caught sight of a frail little girl with light blue-purple hair, trembling as she scavenged through a trash bin. Her face bore scars from fights over food with other children.
Nearby, a boy with bright orange hair was caught stealing. His teary eyes brimmed with grievance as he curled up under a rain of blows. Around them, countless war orphans suffered the same fate.
At that moment, Shirou realized something far more valuable.