"Are you Shinku Yuhi?" Tsunade asked.
"Yes, Lady Tsunade," the man replied. Though he knew Tsunade, she didn't seem to recognize him.
"This is the room. They'll be discharged soon."
"You sit first," Tsunade said with a smile, leading the client into the room. It was a single, postpartum care room—quite expensive.
"Hello, I'm Kawakaze Hatake," Kawakaze said with a faint smile, introducing himself. If he remembered correctly, this was the father of Kurenai Yūhi. It was a pity that the girl was marrying the son of the Third Hokage. After all, our Kakashi is quite good, he thought to himself.
"Hello, I'm Shinku Yūhi."
Shinku greeted him with a composed demeanor, neither humble nor arrogant, as they shook hands.
"You two make a great couple, and the baby will undoubtedly be beautiful," Kawakaze remarked, offering polite compliments. He aimed to build rapport, hoping it would make it easier in the future to pair Kakashi with his daughter. He was deeply concerned about the next generation.
"Haha, I'll take your kind words," Shinku replied, smiling warmly at the mention of children.
"This is my family's hospital, so if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to let me know," Kawakaze offered, unapologetically forward. He wasn't one to wait idly, especially with the birth approaching.
"Thank you in advance," Shinku replied, clearly not one for pretentiousness. The two men seemed to have struck up a cordial acquaintance.
Tsunade observed the exchange, baffled by Kawakaze's ability to befriend nearly anyone. Could it be his easygoing nature?
"We won't take up more of your time. We'll be going now," Kawakaze said as he gathered the luggage from Sakumo's hands and ushered the group out of the ward.
Soon after, Shinku formally moved into the room with his wife. A few days later, she gave birth to a daughter with striking red pupils, whom they named Kurenai.
Kawakaze often visited the hospital with Kakashi in his arms, ostensibly to see Tsunade but also making time to chat with Shinku. His efforts drew the two families closer.
The children in the Naruto World not only possessed strong constitutions but also grew quickly. The two babies, born just weeks apart, soon became familiar with one another. They spent time cooing and babbling together.
With their bond growing naturally, Kawakaze was confident the childhood sweethearts were a foregone conclusion. Still, if Kakashi didn't catch on, Kawakaze resolved to teach him a lesson.
...
Peace persisted in Konoha, but elsewhere, Hanzō of the Salamander was facing a difficult ordeal. Despite a prolonged battle with Chiyo, he had failed to gain the upper hand, and even his feared poison had been rendered ineffective. Defeated and bloodied, Hanzō retreated with his forces, leaving the Land of Wind behind. The war in the region was over, but Sunagakure was left battered and in desperate need of recovery.
Sunagakure Camp.
"The old man with the gas mask has finally left."
Chiyo, worn thin from relentless combat and research, had visibly aged.
"Mother, shall we return to the village?" her son asked.
Chiyo nodded. "Ebizō, pass the word. We're heading back to the village."
After giving her order, Chiyo collapsed into bed, utterly exhausted. As sleep claimed her, images of Hanzō and his Kusarigama haunted her dreams.
As they trudged back to the Land of Rain, Hanzō seethed with frustration.
"That puppet hag… I'd love nothing more than to rip her to shreds," he muttered venomously.
Swinging his Kusarigama in anger, he slashed through trees as he led his forces.
"Lord Hanzō," Kandachi, his trusted lieutenant with a prominent birthmark on his right cheek, spoke up, "Chiyo's skill in countering poisons is remarkable. We gave it our all."
Unmoved, Hanzō responded, "Kandachi, take the others back. I'm heading to the Land of Iron alone."
"Shouldn't you bring reinforcements, Lord Hanzō?" Kandachi asked hesitantly.
"No need. The Land of Iron is filled with nothing but Samurai waving swords. They pose no threat to me," Hanzō replied arrogantly, though his confidence was not unfounded.
Kandachi relented, bowing. "Then please, be careful."
After Hanzō finished speaking, he nodded and departed alone.
Traversing through the Lands of Grass and Water, he eventually reached the territory of the Land of Iron after taking time to rest and recover. Along the way, he faced Samurais wielding his Kusarigama, claiming lives with deadly precision.
It wasn't long before word of an outsider entering the Land of Iron reached General Mifune. Leading a large force of Samurai, Mifune set out to confront the intruder. They finally encountered Hanzō standing shirtless before a towering waterfall.
Mifune took the lead, and the Samurai behind him unsheathed their swords, ready for battle.
"My Land of Iron has always maintained neutrality. Why are you, from the Land of Rain, forcing your way in?" Mifune demanded, his gaze narrowing on the Amegakure emblem displayed on Hanzō's gas mask.
"I, Hanzō of the Salamander, need no permission to enter the Land of Iron," Hanzō retorted arrogantly, dismissing the Samurai with a disdainful glance.
Mifune's expression darkened. Though the Land of Iron prided itself on neutrality, he was all too familiar with the fearsome reputation of the "Demi-God of the Ninja World." His grip on his sword tightened, betraying a tremor of unease. Behind him, the tension among his Samurai was palpable, and fear quickly gave way to panic.
As one Samurai broke ranks and fled, the rest followed in a chaotic retreat, leaving Mifune standing alone.
"Aren't you going to run?" Hanzō asked, a hint of amusement flickering across his face as he regarded the bearded Samurai leader.
"I cannot. If I flee, none of them will survive," Mifune replied, forcing himself to suppress the dread surging within him. Gripping his sword with both hands, he faced Hanzō with resolute determination.
"Very well. Then I'll kill you first," Hanzō declared, swinging his sickle as he launched his attack.
Mifune's blade moved swiftly, a testament to his formidable swordsmanship. Against an ordinary Ninja, he might have prevailed before they could even form hand seals. However, Hanzō's speed was greater still.
Their clash raged on, but it soon became clear that Mifune was outmatched.
"Dance of the Sickle Blade: Falling Descent Blade."
Mifune's sword was ensnared by the kusari, and Hanzō's scythe struck his right cheek with a brutal force. Blood sprayed from Mifune's mouth as he was flung backward, landing heavily on the ground.
Hanzō, ever the opportunist, would not let such a chance slip by. He raised his scythe high, poised to impale Mifune where he lay.
In the face of imminent death, Mifune rolled awkwardly, narrowly dodging the fatal strike. His movements were ungraceful, almost clumsy, but they were enough to evade the blow. Regaining his footing, he grasped his sword with one hand, channeling Chakra into its blade.
"Kenjutsu, Raikōzan!"
A brilliant arc of sword light erupted from his blade, slicing through the air toward Hanzō.
"Water Body Flicker Technique."
With a swift hand seal, Hanzō's form dissolved into a puddle of water, effortlessly evading the attack.
"Kenjutsu, Iai Slash!"
In an instant, Hanzō closed the distance, scythe in hand. His movements were swift and precise, slicing through Mifune's sword as though it were paper. The two passed each other, their clash ending in a blur.
Mifune staggered, using one hand to keep himself upright as his knees gave way. Blood gushed from his wounds, staining the ground beneath him. Another cough wracked his body, forcing more blood from his lips.
"You have been poisoned. Your end is near," Hanzō stated coldly, his tone devoid of malice but firm with finality.
The venom coursing through Mifune's body began to take its toll, weakening him further until he collapsed forward. His breaths came in shallow gasps, his vision dimming.
"The end of a person is not marked by death but by the loss of their faith," Hanzō said, his voice softer now, almost contemplative. "Even if you die here, you are no dull blade. I will proclaim to the world that you were a hero."
Hanzō could not help but admire Mifune's unyielding spirit. To face such a deadly opponent alone took extraordinary courage—a conviction rare to find.
"Before I die… can you promise me one thing?" Mifune's voice, though faint, reached Hanzō's ears.
"Speak," Hanzō replied, intrigued. He had rarely encountered someone quite like this samurai.
"Spare my companions. Let my death be the price for their lives."
Hanzō paused, then broke into a hearty laugh. "Hahaha! It's been a long time since I've met a samurai like you."
Without another word, he tossed a small bottle of antidote toward Mifune's fallen form. Then, with his scythe slung across his back, Hanzō turned and walked away.