The shinobi world had fallen into an uneasy peace. The Third Kazekage of Sunagakure had gone missing, Kirigakure was torn by civil strife due to the Blood Mist policy, Kumogakure had suffered heavy losses from the Eight-Tails' rampage, and Iwagakure had chosen to retreat rather than engage with Konoha shinobi for the time being.
Everyone understood that this fragile peace existed only because of the internal conflicts plaguing three of the great shinobi villages: Suna, Kiri, and Kumo. The current ninja world was like a ticking bomb that could explode at any moment, with another war potentially starting without warning.
Time passed quickly, and another two years flew by. Sora was now 18 years old, and Kakashi had reached 9 years of age. During this period, Sora and Kakashi had worked together on various missions.
Since Konoha now held the advantage in the Land of Hot Water, the frequency of battles had decreased significantly. During this relative calm, Kakashi returned to Konoha Village to take the Chūnin exam.
Neither Sora nor Kakashi could understand this requirement. Kakashi had already been a Chūnin for three years—why should he take the exam again? Meanwhile, Kakashi faced another annoyance: whenever he encountered Uchiha Obito, the boy would stick to him like a leech that he couldn't shake off.
Over the past two years, the situation in the shinobi world has grown increasingly chaotic. Sunagakure had tried desperately to locate the Third Kazekage but failed, leaving the Sand shinobi without proper leadership. Now, Sunagakure was temporarily led by Rasa as the acting Kazekage. Having inherited the Magnet Release and Gold Dust techniques from the Third Kazekage, Rasa commanded the highest respect in Sunagakure. Yet even with an acting Kazekage, many problems stemming from the loss of the Third remained unresolved.
In an attempt to divert the civil strife within their village, Kirigakure had chosen to direct the conflict outward. The Mist ninja now acted like rabid dogs, attacking both Konoha and Kumo shinobi indiscriminately. Iwagakure maintained its position of retreat, seemingly waiting for the situation to become clearer before taking action.
This meant Konoha now only needed to contend with the pressure from Kumogakure. In response, Konoha had dispatched a large number of additional ninja to the Land of Hot Water, forcing Cloud shinobi to the border and effectively preventing their advance.
Meanwhile, a new organization had emerged from Amegakure—the Akatsuki. Their current philosophy centred on "using gentle means to change the world to usher in peace, and building a bridge of hope toward world peace through communication between people." The Akatsuki organization was committed to peace and travelled extensively to promote its cause.
"Sora-sensei, all enemies have been eliminated," Kakashi reported, his face still spattered with blood as he completed his mission briefing.
Sora nodded. "Good. There are very few Cloud shinobi wandering around the Land of Hot Water now. Let's return to base and rest for a while."
Noticing Sora's troubled expression, Kakashi asked, "Sora-sensei, what's wrong? You seem to be in a bad mood."
Sora replied solemnly, "There is only one year left, Kakashi."
Kakashi immediately understood what his teacher was referring to. "Master Mito only has one year left. Is Konoha planning to transfer the Nine-Tails to a new jinchūriki?"
"That's right."
"Sora-sensei, are you certain of your position now?"
"No. My current military achievements may not be enough to make Sarutobi Hiruzen change his mind."
Kakashi frowned, his expression growing gloomy. "Should we return to Konoha then?"
Sora shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I've arranged for the snakes from Ryūchi Cave to monitor Uzumaki Mito, though it's not exactly surveillance. Uzumaki Mito is aware of those snakes, so if anything unusual happens to her, I'll know immediately. Let's head back."
Sora took Kakashi back to the Konoha outpost. There, he sought out Orochimaru and asked, "Orochimaru-sensei, do you have a mission for us?"
Orochimaru produced a mission scroll. "There happens to be a mission perfectly suited for you. A, the Blue Lightning and son of the Third Raikage, along with the current Eight-Tails jinchūriki Killer B, have been active in the Land of Hot Water. They're following your example and attacking Konoha shinobi throughout the region. A and Killer B hold very special positions. This is potentially the most rewarding mission available at present. Will you accept it?"
Sora nodded. "I accept this mission."
As Sora took the scroll and prepared to leave, Orochimaru added, "Sora, you needn't be so anxious. I've received information from Root that the situation is no longer as precarious for Konoha. Danzō is planning to join forces with Sarutobi-sensei to suppress the Uchiha, and you should know that you're the most suitable candidate for their purposes."
"Moreover, Uzumaki Miyuki has shown remarkable talent in fūinjutsu, and her training with Kushina has progressed smoothly. Your current strength and accomplishments, combined with the important role you'll soon play regarding the Uchiha situation—not to mention Uzumaki Miyuki's exceptional talent—are significant. Most importantly, with your Mangekyō Sharingan, you now have enough leverage to make Konoha's leadership reconsider their stance."
Sora did not relax after hearing Orochimaru's reassurances. "Orochimaru-sensei, I don't want to leave anything to chance. I can't lower my guard until this matter is fully resolved."
Orochimaru responded philosophically, "Sora, nothing in this world is certain. Change is constant and everywhere."
Sora nodded slightly. "I understand, which is why I want to increase the possibilities as much as I can. I can't ignore potential difficulties yet, so I don't want Kushina following me everywhere, risking assassination. I'm not confident that I could fully protect her during a pursuit."
"Orochimaru-sensei, I'll be going on my mission now."
Sora left Orochimaru's quarters and began preparing for his assignment.
Over the past two years, Killer B had trained diligently and could now transform into a tailed beast while maintaining his consciousness, just like the previous Eight-Tails jinchūriki, Blue B. What impressed both the Eight-Tails and A was that despite being ostracized by villagers for being a jinchūriki, Killer B always maintained his positive and optimistic attitude.
As a result, Killer B and the Eight-Tails worked together exceptionally well, rarely losing control. This cooperation allowed A to bring Killer B to the battlefield in the Land of Hot Water, where they eliminated Konoha shinobi while simultaneously helping Killer B practice controlling the Eight-Tails.
Sora was now rushing toward the location where A and Killer B had last been spotted. He felt a vague sense of anticipation. Ever since releasing the Eight-Tails in Kumogakure and witnessing A's strength, Sora had looked forward to facing an elite ninja of A's caliber.
Sora had grown tired of opponents who couldn't put up a decent fight. It had been a long time since he'd experienced a truly challenging battle. Additionally, confronting A and Killer B would likely reward him with a witness point.
With his fighting spirit fully aroused, Sora accelerated toward his destination.
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