If Pakura had asked, Takuya might have shared his inspiration. But since she didn't, he refrained from mentioning it.
After all, if he admitted that his fighting style had been inspired by his disciple Kakashi, no one would believe him.
When Takuya started using his unique lightning-based techniques, Kakashi hadn't even mastered chakra extraction.
Bringing up Kakashi would gain him nothing and might even make people think he was just showing off.
Not far from the border of the Land of Grass, a tanned, wiry old man carrying a large pot on his back—complete with a ladle dangling from it—was making his way swiftly toward the Land of Grass.
This man was none other than Maruboshi Kosuke, the operative Takuya had been sent to retrieve.
At first glance, it was hard to believe that this frail-looking elder possessed the strength of an elite Jōnin.
Despite his permanent rank as a Genin, Konoha's upper echelons treated Maruboshi Kosuke as though he were an elite Jōnin.
Normally, high-level missions were rarely assigned to him, given his vow never to rise above the rank of Genin—a promise he made out of personal conviction.
The Third Hokage had long since accepted this and assigned Kosuke simpler missions typically reserved for Genin.
But Kosuke wasn't like Might Duy, who was labeled a "forever Genin" due to his lack of aptitude in areas outside of physical combat. Kosuke had all the necessary skills to advance but chose not to.
Because of this, he had been nicknamed one of Konoha's "eternal Genin."
With Konoha's elite forces tied up on the front lines of the war, the Third Hokage had no choice but to entrust Kosuke with the critical mission of intelligence gathering.
Kosuke didn't disappoint. He executed the mission flawlessly, gathering valuable information.
Unfortunately, his withdrawal was noticed by Iwagakure shinobi, necessitating a rescue operation to ensure his safe return to Konoha.
This wasn't an uncommon situation for intelligence operatives. Any sign of detection meant immediate withdrawal and a distress signal sent to the village.
Despite his unassuming appearance, Kosuke moved with remarkable speed, covering ground with efficiency as he kept a vigilant eye on the distance between himself and his pursuers.
I wonder how things are on the front lines, Kosuke mused. I hope everything is going smoothly.
Iwagakure's growing aggression was an ominous sign for Konoha.
During the Second Shinobi War, Iwagakure had shown a similar inclination to attack Konoha, and only the interference of the Third Raikage had prevented a full-scale conflict.
This time, however, it seemed Iwagakure wasn't going to let the opportunity slip away.
With Konoha weakened by wars against Sunagakure and Kirigakure, and with too little time having passed since the Second Shinobi War to recover fully, Iwagakure saw an opening.
If they attacked now, Konoha's vulnerability could yield substantial rewards.
Relations between Konoha and Iwagakure had never been good, especially after Ōnoki had been humiliated by Uchiha Madara during his youth. That grudge lingered, making Ōnoki all the more eager to exploit Konoha's current state.
But personal animosities aside, Iwagakure had more pragmatic reasons to wage war.
While Konoha had the deepest reserves of talent and resources among the Five Great Shinobi Villages, and Kumogakure was the most militaristically aggressive thanks to its wealth, Iwagakure was a close third in terms of military strength.
However, Iwagakure's land was barren, with most of the Earth Country being composed of rugged, infertile mountains.
This lack of resources meant Iwagakure had to pour everything into its military.
Yet, this created a paradox: its military grew stronger, but its economy couldn't sustain such growth indefinitely. Without enough revenue to support its expanding forces, Iwagakure faced financial collapse.
Fortunately, the daimyo of the Earth Country was as committed to military strength as Iwagakure's leadership, and his support kept them afloat. But this couldn't last forever.
When a nation's military power far outstrips its economic capacity, war becomes its only solution.
And now, Ōnoki had set his sights on Konoha, whose current weakness made it an irresistible target.
Not far behind Kosuke, a group of Iwagakure shinobi was relentlessly pursuing him.
Meanwhile, Minato returned from scouting with a concerned expression.
"Takuya, Kusagakure has gone into full alert," he reported.
Having visited Kusagakure many times, Minato was familiar with their typical behavior. During the Second Shinobi War, even when disaster loomed, Kusagakure's shinobi preferred to lay low and avoid confrontation.
For them to be on high alert now suggested something was amiss.
"Not surprising," Takuya replied, his tone dripping with disdain.
"Kusagakure's shinobi are as spineless as their namesake suggests. They're weeds, swaying wherever the wind blows.
"Today, they side with Konoha for benefits. Tomorrow, they'll betray us for favors or threats from Iwagakure.
"I'd bet they've already thrown their lot in with Iwagakure."
"Should we send this intel back to the village?" Minato asked, frowning. A betrayal like this from an ally was aggravating, especially given the Hokage's insistence on maintaining ties with Kusagakure.
Minato agreed with Takuya—such alliances were better severed. Kusagakure should have its military strength dismantled, leaving them no choice but to remain neutral like the Land of Rivers.
"No need," Takuya said, shaking his head as he gazed toward Kusagakure's direction from their vantage point.
"Our mission is to extract Maruboshi Kosuke. Let's leave other matters to the village.
"If you're really concerned, you could always use the toads of Mount Myōboku to relay the message."
Since Jiraiya had already returned to Konoha, the toads were the best option for sending long-distance messages quickly.
After a moment's thought, Minato shook his head. He'd rather avoid troubling the toads, especially given how often they were called upon for such tasks.
"I'll let it slide for now. We're almost done here anyway. Once we've got the elder, we'll head straight back to Konoha. A day or two won't make a difference."
Minato's face turned slightly green as he recalled the delicacies offered by the toads of Mount Myōboku. Their infamous "bug feasts" were enough to make anyone think twice about requesting favors.
Takuya burst into laughter, easily guessing Minato's concerns.
"Let me guess—you're afraid the toads will nag you?"
"...Could you not?" Minato grumbled, rolling his eyes.
The following day, as the rendezvous time approached, the group left their temporary hideout and headed for the meeting point.
Minato took up his scouting role again, leaving Takuya and Pakura to wait at the agreed location.
"He's here!"
Before the scheduled time, Maruboshi Kosuke appeared, punctual and reliable beyond Takuya's expectations.
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