[NTU] [ARC-06-WAR] Chapter : 69 (Patreon)

With a quick glance, Toshiro made a precise judgment.

The anime didn’t deceive me; this truly is a blessing in disguise!

Silently wiping his imaginary drool, he peeked at Tsunade with his excellent "eyesight."

'There’s no mistake, it’s 106 centimeters!'

'Indeed, a gift from the heavens!'

Meeting Tsunade for the first time left Toshiro completely stunned, making him feel a bit overwhelmed.

Tsunade, noticing the distracted Uchiha kid across from her, curled her lips. She never expected this guy to be just like Jiraiya.

Even though the kid seemed serious, she could easily see through him. Like many others, he hid his true feelings behind a facade. He was just a "little pervert," and she didn’t take it too seriously. She was confident enough to ignore such prying eyes.

“Hey! Kid, I'm asking you something, where are you looking at!”

“If I don't teach manners at your young age, you’ll turn out to be a pervert!”

“Ah! Sorry! Sorry!”

“I was just thinking about something else!”

Snapping out of his reverie, Toshiro quickly spoke to smooth things over. His earlier thoughts were indeed a mystery to outsiders.

“I’ve been practicing with Lightning Nature Chakra recently. I noticed that people twitch unnaturally after a shock, which gave me the idea. I tried using it as a last resort, and luckily, it worked!”

Although he was improvising, Toshiro needed to provide a plausible explanation to such an expert.

“Oh… you got the inspiration from practicing Lightning Release?”

“Can you explain the principle of that technique in detail?”

Hearing Toshiro’s words, Tsunade’s beautiful brows furrowed slightly as she processed his explanation.

It seemed plausible. The body does tremble and twitch after an electric shock, and the heart might restart due to a chain reaction from the current.

“This technique is simple. It involves changing the properties of one’s chakra, gathering it in the palm, generating an electric current to stimulate the heart, and reviving it,” Toshiro explained. “But I can’t accurately control the voltage. I believe with your expertise, Tsunade-senpai, you can perfect it.”

Without holding back, Toshiro shared everything he knew and added, “If this method can be widely adopted, we could use batteries or something similar to replace the Lightning Chakra!”

“Using artificial electricity instead of chakra? Interesting!”

“I didn’t expect such a bright idea from someone who seems so perverted!”

While saying this, Tsunade flicked Toshiro on the forehead. With his idea, she could refine the ninjutsu even without fully knowing the hand seals.

The idea of using batteries or artificial electricity to replace Lightning Release was also quite innovative.

'What an interesting little pervert!'

Nodding to Mei, Tsunade left the tent. She was eager to test Toshiro’s method and see if it was viable for large-scale use.

According to her calculations, there shouldn’t be any major issues.

There was more work ahead, but it was a good thing. Reducing Konoha ninja casualties aligned with her goals. After the war with the Sand Village, maybe it would be time for her to move on.

Every visit to Konoha brought back emotions and memories she didn’t want to revisit. Staying there any longer might keep her trapped in the past.

Meanwhile, Toshiro sat on the hospital bed, holding his forehead where Tsunade flicked him, still processing what had happened.

He hadn’t expected his first meeting with "Tsunade-hime" to end this way or to be labeled a "little pervert."

“Tsk! Toshiro has really grown up…”

Mei’s teasing voice broke the silence. She hadn’t expected the ‘kid’ she knew to be so bold.

She dared to spy on Tsunade-senpai secretly. This was truly unexpected.

'It seems Toshiro has grown up, beginning to notice women’s bodies. Time really flies!'

She recalled Toshiro’s grand dream, which she once thought was just a child’s joke. Now, it seemed to be coming true.

At the same time, she felt a pang of jealousy, as if her favorite toy had been taken away by someone else.

“Ha! Ha! Mei-nee! You really know how to joke…”

Toshiro’s face turned red, his cheeks burning. He hadn’t expected his true nature to be exposed so suddenly. This was really… embarrassing!

What’s the term in my past life? Ah, yes… social death.

“Uh~ Mei-nee! Are you here to change Akihiro-nii's dressing? Well, I won’t disturb you. I’ll go get some fresh air!”

Feeling the playful eyes on him, Toshiro couldn’t stay any longer. He quickly jumped off the bed and hurriedly "escaped" from the tent, leaving Mei-nee and Akihiro behind in his embarrassment.

Under the scorching sun, the yellow sand stretched endlessly, forming adjacent sand hills and rippling like waves swaying with the wind. The vast desert, with its majestic sea of sand, was a scene of dead silence and monotony, dominated by a relentless, burning yellow hue. It was as if nature had frozen the turbulent sand waves and the empty heat waves, leaving them motionless forever.

This place was within the Kingdom of Wind. High in the sky, a small black dot could be seen moving unusually fast. Standing on the back of a bald eagle, Toshiro used a telescope to carefully observe the terrain below. He was also on the lookout for signs of ninja activity, hoping to gather useful information.

“Let's go; we’ve almost explored this area. It's time to return to the camp,” he said, putting away the telescope and giving a command to Yamawashi beneath him. They had been away from the camp for a while, and it was time to head back.

The eagle turned smoothly, causing Toshiro no discomfort. Then it complained, “Toshiro, next time we have a mission like this, I need extra food! This harsh environment is really tough on birds! Ten... no, fifteen roasted lambs should do it!”

Toshiro couldn't help but stroke his forehead. He wondered if teaching this bird to talk had been a mistake. The beast had just learned to speak and often used metaphors incorrectly, leading to some exasperating moments. It had even learned to bargain and ask for a 'salary' increase.

“Remember to add more cumin when roasting the lamb; it makes it more delicious!” the eagle added, pushing Toshiro’s patience to the limit. He couldn’t help but stomp his feet and roar, “How dare you make demands? You’re an ugly bird asking for gourmet food!”

“If the environment is too harsh, why don’t you fly higher? Fifteen roasted sheep! Do you know how much that costs?”

“Isn’t it for your convenience, so you can investigate more thoroughly?” The eagle retorted.

Toshiro sighed. Ever since the sea eagle became intelligent and learned to speak, its habits have become more human-like. It even preferred cooked food over the raw sea fish and prey it used to eat, making it a costly companion.

Back at the camp, Toshiro submitted the reconnaissance routes he had marked as potentially significant due to ninja activity. With his duties temporarily completed, he returned to his tent and collapsed into a deep sleep. The mission had taken nearly a week and was both time-consuming and exhausting.

Thanks to the air superiority of Yamawashi, Toshiro had managed to complete the extensive reconnaissance alone. While he had only circled some suspicious places, the potential danger was undeniable. If caught by a ninja from Suna Ninja Village, he would be in serious trouble.

Isolated behind enemy lines, a lone ninja would face almost certain death if discovered. Toshiro, still young and with much ahead of him, was always cautious, ensuring the eagle flew high to maintain safety. Fortunately, the flying summoning beasts of Sand Ninja Village were no match for Yamawashi, and even the rare flying ninjas couldn't compete in speed.

This air reconnaissance concept, suggested by Konoha upper ehleons, had proven invaluable. Initially hesitant, the camp's leaders quickly realized the benefits of aerial surveillance, frequently sending Toshiro on missions to gather intelligence on enemy logistics and deployments. The results were impressive, saving manpower and reducing ninja casualties.

Even slightly inaccurate information was of immense value. Traditional infiltration missions behind enemy lines were dangerous and often fatal. With Toshiro’s air reconnaissance, paired with Konoha’s intelligence system, the efficiency and safety of their operations improved significantly.

As a result, Toshiro had become an indispensable asset to the Konoha camp. Whether for transporting emergency supplies or conducting reconnaissance, his presence was crucial. Toshiro found this shift in his role unexpected. He had imagined the battlefield as a place of relentless killing and danger, but his experience turned out to be quite different, and much safer than being on the front lines as cannon fodder.

Two days later, Toshiro, after another journey between the village and the camp, received a new reconnaissance mission. Sitting cross-legged on the back of Yamawashi, he carefully reviewed the mission scroll in his hand.

'The frequency of these reconnaissance missions has increased lately. Is something big happening in the village?'

Frowning, Toshiro began to recall the information he had recently encountered. There had been an influx of new faces in the camp, all recent graduates from the Ninja Academy. Additionally, the number of clan members at each station had grown, and the transport of supplies had become more frequent. It seemed...

He put away the scroll and looked up at the flowing clouds, feeling the surging airflow as his thoughts drifted. This was the pressure that a supernatural power like chakra could bring. Why engage in constant fighting and killing? Why not sit down and discuss how to improve trade instead? These people were really foolish!

Although Toshiro had never personally experienced the joy of flying, standing on the back of Yamawashi, overlooking the forests, mountains, and rivers, always filled him with a sense of relaxation and joy.

His eyes moved downward, and he saw a high mountain in the distance. Frowning, he realized that he had just set off from the camp and was still within the Country of Fire.

“Idiot! Fly higher! Even though we are within our borders, we should still be cautious. If something unexpected happens, we’ll be in trouble!”

This area was effectively an 'enemy-occupied zone,' and beyond it lay the Land of Rivers, which bordered the Land of Wind—his mission's destination.

As Toshiro reminded the eagle, a strange-looking giant machine, camouflaged and hidden in a dense forest on the distant high mountain, lay in wait. Next to the machine, a rock formation concealed a space large enough for one person. A cylindrical object protruded from this space, aiming at the sky.

“The target appears to be three kilometers away and about 1,500 meters high. It is approaching quickly and is expected to pass over the ambush site at high altitude!”