Tensions on the front lines escalated into conflicts, with Kumogakure deploying ninja troops into the Land of Hot Water, which borders the Land of Fire. There were even reports of the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki being spotted.
Upon hearing this news, Mokutsuki knew the Third Shinobi World War was drawing near.
Or it had already begun but had not yet fully erupted.
Being a Root ninja, the original Mokutsuki knew more than an ordinary ninja.
Since the suicide of Sakumo Hatake last year, the shinobi world has been simmering with unrest. Both Kumogakure and Iwagakure, as well as Sunagakure, had been itching for conflict.
When Mokutsuki watched the anime, he thought Sakumo was just another famous strong ninja. However, after inheriting the original Mokutsuki’s memories, he understood the true weight of Sakumo’s title.
Other shinobi gained fame by drawing or defeating renowned opponents, but Sakumo’s fame came from his killing efficiency.
Armed with a chakra short sword, he became an unfeeling mowing machine on the battlefield. It didn’t matter if you were a genin or a jonin; a flash of white light, and you were done for.
It wasn’t that Sakumo’s strength surpassed everyone else’s and made him the strongest in the shinobi world. Rather, his combat style was particularly suited for crushing weaker opponents. Anyone weaker than him could be easily eliminated.
Seeing Konoha lose such a formidable warrior naturally made other villages covet its power.
Especially Kumogakure and Iwagakure, as these two villages had sustained minimal losses in the Second Shinobi World War and now felt strong enough to challenge Konoha’s dominance.
“Those damn Kumogakure ninjas can’t stay put, can they? Looks like we’re headed for war again,” Aya Ueda sighed.
“If Lord Sakumo were still here, they wouldn’t dare be so arrogant,” Yutaka Ikeda said indignantly.
“Don’t worry; we still have Lord Third Hokage and Lord Orochimaru. We’ll definitely win like we did before,” Sugi Kimura said, trying to lift the mood.
“If war breaks out, will we teachers also receive combat assignments?” Mokutsuki asked the question that concerned him the most.
He didn’t want to leave the academy. While he could still get stronger on his own, it was much more enjoyable with the system’s help.
“It depends on how intense the war is. If it gets too fierce, some teachers might be reassigned to various units based on their specialties,” Aya Ueda replied.
Hearing Aya Ueda’s words, Mokutsuki could only pray to every deity he knew, hoping he wouldn’t be drafted or at least not too soon.
The Third Shinobi World War was bound to be exceptionally fierce. Konoha would end up fighting all four other major villages at some point, ensuring intense battles. The academy teachers wouldn’t be spared from contributing to the war effort.
Mokutsuki wasn’t afraid of going to the battlefield; he was afraid of being sent there before he had developed enough.
This Third Shinobi World War was especially perilous. The Five Great Shinobi Countries fought brutally, and behind the scenes, Madara Uchiha and Black Zetsu were scheming.
“Teacher Hanyu, don’t worry about it. We’re the strongest village. There’s no way things will get so bad that all the teachers have to go to war,” Sugi Kimura said, confident in Konoha’s strength.
“I’m not worried about going to war. I just want to be prepared in case it happens,” Mokutsuki said with a smile.
Though he didn’t want to go, he couldn’t openly say that.
Mokutsuki stopped talking and began practising calligraphy. When the school bell rang, he headed to Class 1-A.
From the doorway, Mokutsuki looked into the classroom. The looming threat of war hadn’t dampened the children’s spirits. The room was filled with joyful energy.
“Brother, how did your brilliant plan work out? Did it finally subdue your cousin?” Izumo Kamizuki asked, curious about Kotetsu Hagane’s progress after two days.
“Ugh, don’t mention it, brother. Your plan was great, but my cousin is too cunning. After I acted on your plan, he copied it exactly!” Kotetsu said, looking frustrated.
At first, it worked well, and his cousin got a good scolding from his aunt. But to his surprise, before he could take the next step, his cousin retaliated with the same strategy. After all, his cousin was only a year older, but he was still a child.
The end result was that both got scolded and punished repeatedly until they had to call a truce and label the tactic as a forbidden “jutsu.”
“Such a crafty fellow,” Izumo sighed.
“Your cousin is indeed cunning. I can’t think of any new plans at the moment,” Izumo said apologetically.
“No worries, brother. You’ve helped me a lot. Tell me about your troubles, and I’ll help you out,” Kotetsu offered.
“There’s a girl next door that I really like, but I don’t know how to get closer to her,” Izumo said after a moment’s hesitation.
“That’s simple! Just give her something she likes,” Kotetsu suggested.
Izumo thought about it and found it made sense. “She often looks at my family’s flower garden when she passes by, so she probably likes flowers. And they don’t have a garden at their place.”
“Then give her flowers! She’ll definitely appreciate it,” Kotetsu said confidently.
“Ahem, class is starting,” Mokutsuki cleared his throat, signalling the start of the lesson.
The once noisy classroom fell silent, with only Mokutsuki’s voice filling the room.
Despite having only been with them for four days, everyone liked Mokutsuki’s fun and relaxed teaching style and naturally behaved during his lessons.
[Class completed]
[Evaluation: A]
[Reward: Water Release: Water Formation Wall]
Seeing the jutsu’s name, information about the Water Formation Wall flashed in Mokutsuki’s mind.
It was a B-rank Water Release jutsu that created a wall of water in front of the user for defence.
Notably, Tobirama Senju’s Water Formation Wall was unique, forming a 360-degree barrier that offered complete protection.
As he processed the new knowledge, Mokutsuki realized he had also gained the Water Nature Transformation, which he previously couldn’t use.
He silently thanked the system for its thoroughness.
After school, Mokutsuki brought Shisui to the training spot he had found by the small river in the southern forest.
“Your Great Fireball Jutsu is well-practiced. Today, I’ll teach you a new Fire Release jutsu,” Mokutsuki said, explaining the training plan for the day.
With that, Mokutsuki clapped his hands and instantly spat out three massive fire dragons. Under his control, the fire dragons circled in the air before diving into the river, evaporating a significant amount of water and creating clouds of steam.
“Fire Release: Dragon Flame Jutsu,” Shisui recognised the jutsu immediately, having seen Uchiha Jonin perform it before.
Seeing Mokutsuki release three fire dragons at once with just one hand sign shocked him. Shisui’s curiosity about Mokutsuki’s strength deepened.
“Watch closely, I’ll demonstrate it again,” Mokutsuki said, seeing the effect he wanted on Shisui’s face.
Bad luck struck as Mokutsuki’s phone fell into the water. He hoped it wouldn’t be damaged.
(End of Chapter)
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