In the command office of the Konoha–Kiri frontline camp, I presented my plan.
Fugaku objected without hesitation. "I don't agree. This is simply too risky."
Hizashi also tried to dissuade me. "We currently hold the advantage; there's no need to rush. As long as we proceed steadily, Konoha is bound to win this war. Time favors us."
"Time also means more casualties on both sides," I pointed out.
Hizashi's expression softened. "War always has casualties. But a failed high-risk operation could mean losing our greatest asset, you."
Sorry, but I had my own plan. The trip to the Land of Water was something that had to be done. "Every day this war continues, we lose more ninjas," I said firmly. "Incremental victory isn't enough when we have the capacity for decisive action."
"There's a difference between decisive and reckless," Fugaku muttered.
"Don't worry. I have the Flying Thunder God Technique. If things go south, I can teleport away at any moment. Besides, I've done plenty of similar missions back in the Land of Iron."
By now, I could say I was quite experienced.
But more than the Flying Thunder God Technique, what I truly believed in was the power of Full Counter.
"The missions there were with Minato," Hizashi reminded me, raising an eyebrow.
"My sensory abilities will give me ample warning of any threat," I said instead.
"You've already made up your mind, haven't you?" Fugaku sighed.
"I presented this as a briefing, not a request for permission," I replied with a slight smile.
"Arrogant as always," Hizashi said, a small smile forming despite himself.
I gave a light chuckle and said, "Relax. For me, missions of this level haven't been difficult for a long time."
"Your modesty continues to astonish," Fugaku remarked dryly.
"False modesty serves no purpose," I shrugged. "We all know what I'm capable of."
"And what you're not capable of," Hizashi added quietly. "That's what concerns us."
Fugaku and Hizashi exchanged a glance and finally said in unison: "May fortune favor you in battle."
"Thanks," I said with a slight bow.
With that, I no longer lingered. I sensed the Flying Thunder God mark I had left earlier on a merchant ship from the Land of Water.
Chakra surged rapidly through my body, following pathways I had spent months perfecting. The sensation was like stretching across an impossible distance, yet feeling every point along the way.
And in an instant, both Shukaku and I were teleported to an unfamiliar port in the Land of Water.
Watching Ryouma vanish in the blink of an eye, Fugaku couldn't help but sigh. "The Flying Thunder God Technique truly is miraculous."
Hizashi nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Space-time ninjutsu truly lived up to its reputation as one of the rarest and most powerful jutsu in the shinobi world. It could even rapidly elevate an ordinary ninja's strength to levels that bloodline-limit users could only dream of.
One had to admit, the Second Hokage was undoubtedly a genius in the field of jutsu.
The principle behind the Flying Thunder God Technique was actually similar to the Reverse Summoning Technique. By linking to pre-placed Flying Thunder God marks, the user could "reverse summon" themselves to the mark's location.
Thus, the main difficulty in learning this jutsu lay in two things: the ability to remotely sense spatial coordinates, and precise chakra control. These two innate talents were crucial.
Fortunately, Ryouma had both of these abilities maxed out, making his learning progress incredibly efficient.
Compared to the smooth mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique, however, the progress on learning the Spirit Transformation Technique was a bit worrying. Even now, he had barely scratched the surface.
He couldn't even manage a proper spirit clone yet.
I had set out early. At this moment, dawn was just breaking over the harbor in the Land of Water. The sea breeze carried a salty tang and the mystery of distant lands.
I inhaled deeply, taking in the unfamiliar scents.
"Smells like wet raccoon dog," Shukaku sniffed from my shoulder.
"That's oddly specific..."
Striding confidently across the merchant ship's deck, I set foot on this foreign land, though I didn't bring any kind of salvation with me.
The wooden docks were bustling with activity. Sailors rushed about busily.
"Move those crates to the southern warehouse! We've got another ship coming in at noon!" a dock worker shouted.
"The harbormaster wants the manifest from the next merchant vessel!" called another.
As I navigated through the crowds, a passing sailor grumbled, "Watch where you're stepping, kid. These docks aren't a playground."
"Sorry. First time seeing the ocean here," I replied with a respectful nod.
Merchants from all across the shinobi world haggled with one another, and the docks were stacked with goods of all kinds, from spices and fabrics to heavy iron ore.
Each cargo had its own distinct scent.
"These silks came directly from the Land of Lightning! Finest quality you'll find anywhere!" a merchant proclaimed loudly.
"My price is fair! The ore from Land of Iron doesn't come cheap these days with the war!" another argued.
Porters carried heavy packages on their shoulders, sweat dripping down their foreheads.
"Whoa, this place looks nothing like the ports in the Land of Fire," I said to myself, analyzing my surroundings.
I wore a simple cloth outfit and a black hooded cloak. With my forehead protector already removed, I looked just like the child of an ordinary merchant family.
A port guard passed by, eyeing me briefly. "Another mainland trader's kid. Keep your hands to yourself, boy. We don't tolerate thieves here."
"Yes. Just waiting for my father," I replied with a meek bow.
This outfit was something Shiori dragged me out to buy yesterday at the most bustling area near the frontline camp.
She had insisted that, since this was a stealth mission, it was absolutely necessary to dress appropriately for operating in the Land of Water.
I had to admit, when it came to details like these, girls really were more meticulous.
While I was at it, I also found a skilled tailor who sewed a simple black robe with a hood for Shukaku that matched my own.
Judging by his expression, he seemed pretty satisfied with it.
Walking along the forest paths of the Land of Water, I honestly felt a bit damp all over. It really lived up to its reputation as an island nation surrounded by the sea.
As for the location of the Three-Tails, I had already acquired it. For wild tailed beasts that weren't sealed, their positions were usually pretty easy to track. As long as an organization had a half-decent intelligence network, finding the Three-Tails wasn't all that difficult.
Of course, Kiri knew perfectly well where the Three-Tails was hiding.
But due to the political turmoil within the village and the fact that Kiri's geography made it so isolated, they weren't in any particular rush to harness the power of a tailed beast.
Besides, just dealing with one Six-Tails jinchūriki had already given them a massive headache. Since the Three-Tails didn't usually cause trouble while it stayed in one place, they figured it was enough to occasionally send a few ninja squads to keep watch.
I wasn't pressed for time, so I started chatting with Shukaku as we walked.
"Shukaku, how much do you know about Isobu?"
"Why ask me? I'm not a tailed beast encyclopedia."
"You lived alongside the other beasts for centuries. Surely you have some insights."
"The Great Lord Shukaku does not gossip about his peers," he bristled.
"This isn't gossip," I said patiently. "It's... tactical intelligence that could determine the success of our mission."
Shukaku thought for a moment, then said, "Honestly, ever since the old man of the Sage of Six Paths left, we haven't exactly been on good terms. We used to fight each other all the time."
I considered this and asked, "So, what do you think the chances are that Isobu would agree to help us attack Kiri?"
"Hmm..." Shukaku considered.
"Be honest. Our approach depends on your assessment."
"Well... Pretty high," Shukaku replied with confidence. "Isobu is generally peaceful unless provoked, but he harbors deep resentment toward Kiri."
"Because of the failed sealing attempt?" I asked.
"That, and centuries of harassment. They've tried to control him multiple times."
From one beast's perspective, if Shukaku himself disliked Suna that much, there was no reason to believe Isobu felt any love for Kiri.
"So Isobu values freedom above all," I concluded.
"Most of us do," Shukaku said solemnly. "It's the one thing humans have been trying to take from us since the Sage died."
"Alright, let's go talk to him then," I said decisively. "We'll present our case directly."
With my current power or with the help of the Cloak of Invisibility, it wouldn't be difficult for me to sneak into Kiri, cause some damage, and get out again. But that wasn't the point.
My actual goal was to cause large-scale destruction of Kiri's infrastructure. I wanted to cripple their military capabilities.
For that purpose, a Tailed Beast Bomb from the Three-Tails was a far more efficient option than me huffing and puffing to throw Rasenshuriken one after another.
Sometimes I wondered what my past self would think of me then. Growing up as a child soldier in this world had changed me in ways I barely recognized. My moral compass shifted so far from what it once was on Earth.
If there was a heaven, I didn't think I could go there anymore. Not with those blood-stained hands. The thought didn't particularly trouble me; it was simply a reality I'd accepted long ago. A good person didn't plot the destruction of an entire village, no matter the justification. A good person's hands weren't permanently stained with the blood of others.
My lips curved into a humorless smile. But then, war had no place for good people, only survivors.
When a village was forced to choose between rebuilding their home or continuing a war, no matter which village it was, they all knew which path to take.