Naruto: From Novice to Grave

Time passed day by day as Higashino Makoto immersed himself in his training.

During this period, his father, Higashino Jiro, took over once, and had time to accompany his son in his training again, but he ran away after doing this job for about ten days.

He was surprised to find that he was increasingly unable to keep up with his son's rapidly increasing strength.

He was both happy and frustrated about this.

To his delight, his son was indeed a genius, a genius no less than Kakashi Hatake. In his eyes, Kakashi was the only genius he could imagine.

Frustratingly, his authority as a father was about to be jeopardized.

In order to maintain the strong image of a father in his son's eyes, he decisively slipped away.

After the final battle, he turned around, looked at the rising sun, crossed his arms, and quietly rubbed his arms to relieve the pain. He said in a low voice, "Really, your progress is incredible. I believe you will surpass me in a few years."

It's truly moving. I never expected you to have such a magnanimous heart. You truly are worthy of being my son. However, I have nothing more to teach you.

The road ahead is yours to explore on your own. Keep striving, son. I'll be waiting for the day you catch up with me and stand beside me.

After saying that, Jiro Higashino left, leaving Makoto Higashino with a broad, strong, and lonely impression, as if he were invincible in the world.

As Higashino Makoto watched the departing figure bathed in the morning light, he felt a pang of emotion. This father of his was truly exceptional—powerful, witty, never putting on airs, giving him whatever he wanted, and always making time to return on his birthday, no matter how busy he was with his mission.

It's just that he occasionally acts a bit pretentious and childish.

Have you forgotten that your son has a strange sensory ability? If Higashino hadn't sensed his father's subtle hand gesture behind his back, he might have believed it.

Old Deng, you're just not getting any gold coins anymore, don't be so discouraged.

Oh, no, his father is still young, not even 26 years old, not old at all. No wonder his teenage angst hasn't completely faded away.

What a lovely and charming young father.

----------

As the old year ended and the new year began, Higashino Shin turned six, just the right age to attend the Ninja Academy.

But just a few months before that, a major event occurred in the ninja world, an event that Higashino Makoto already knew would happen.

The Third Kazekage of Sunagakure, the village of Sand in the Land of Wind, known as the strongest Kazekage, has gone missing.

No one knows when they disappeared, but Higashino Jiro said that a large group of Sand Village ninjas had been frequently active on the border a few days ago, seemingly planning something big.

But before the results of the investigations into the spies in the Land of Wind from various countries could be released, the news was leaked by someone within the Sand Village itself.

The Third Kazekage has disappeared; he has neither been seen alive nor dead.

The ninja world is not ancient times. Although it has not yet entered the information age, news still spreads quite quickly. Soon, the news spread to all the ninja villages, big and small.

Seeing that the news could no longer be kept secret, Sunagakure simply decided to go all out. Whether it was to divert the pressure from the boiling ninjas within the village, or to prevent the various factions within the village from fighting amongst themselves for the position of Kazekage, external war was inevitable.

Who to attack? Of course, attack the fattest one! Why attack the poor Amegakure? Even if we can't win, at least we can get a few bites and have a full meal. So, Sunagakure launched a war against Konoha, with a large force of ninja crossing the Land of Rivers and invading the Land of Fire.

Reason? That's too easy to find. Sunagakure threw a scapegoat at Konoha, claiming that Konoha had plotted to kill their Third Kazekage, and that this battle was a war of revenge.

Anyway, Konoha has a dark figure in the ninja world, so let's pin this on him first. It doesn't matter if it's true or not, as long as the Sand Village ninjas believe it, that will boost their morale.

Danzo: "???"

This has absolutely nothing to do with me.

Inside the Root organization's underground base, Danzo Shimura really wanted to shout that out loud, but he was a mature ninja and he restrained his impulse.

Because it's very simple. Whether it's him or not is really not important. They just want a reason to start a war. What's important is that the war has already begun. The next thing to consider is how to kill those bastards from Sunagakure and get revenge for being wronged.

He's always the one who tricks people, no one dares to trick him. Sunagakure is doomed. As Danzo Shimura said, even the Sage of Six Paths couldn't save them.

----------

Having lived in the ninja world for nearly six years, Higashino Makoto finally experienced what it was like to be in war for the first time.

The ninja forces stationed on the border barely managed to hold off the Sand Village's attack, becoming entangled at the border between the two kingdoms of Kazuha and Konoha. But that wasn't enough, and the entire Hidden Leaf Village immediately switched from mission mode.

Large numbers of ninjas who had been dispatched abroad were recalled, formed into large teams, and set off for the front lines.

The village, which was once peaceful, was now filled with a tense atmosphere.

The villagers stood on both sides of the road, watching the departing procession, their faces not looking too good.

Among them were their fathers, husbands, and sons, all of whom had selflessly stepped onto the battlefield to protect the Land of Fire and Konoha.

But how many will return safely? Nobody knows.

On the one hand, the higher-ups sent people to the Fire Capital to meet with the daimyo and request funding to cope with the state of war. On the other hand, they convened daily meetings with representatives of various clans and civilian ninjas to discuss plans for dealing with the war.

Everyone knows that once a war begins, it will not be a matter between two countries; before long, all major military powers will be drawn into it.

The borders of fire and wind must be guarded, and other borders cannot be relaxed either; more manpower should be added for defense.

After the previous two major battles, this is all the same old trick.

Time slipped by quietly in this tense atmosphere, and Makoto Higashino celebrated his 6th birthday.

That evening, Higashino Megumi and Higashino Jiro watched with smiles as their son closed his eyes and silently made a wish in front of the cake.

Actually, Higashino Makoto always just put on a show in the past. The ninja world doesn't have Doragon Pineapple, so what's the point of making a wish?

But today was different, because of the war, he made a serious wish.

Higashino Jiro asked with a smile, "Shin, what did you wish for this year?"

"It won't work if you say it out loud."

"That's right, that's right." Higashino Megumi pulled out a thick notebook: "Here, this is the gift I prepared. It contains the key points for learning medical ninjutsu that I summarized and organized."

"This is mine." Higashino Jiro pulled out another short ninja sword, the same style as the black ironwood one he had given him before, but it was the real thing.

"I didn't give you a real knife before because you were too young and I was afraid you would accidentally hurt yourself or others. But I know you've grown up now and are not as innocent as other children. You are very mature, so it's time to give it to you."

"Thank you, Father. Thank you, Mother." Higashino Makoto put the notebook away and casually drew the blade of his sword to examine it.

This is not a new knife. The handle and scabbard show signs of wear, indicating that it is quite old. However, the blade is as bright as new, without a single scratch. The words "Dongye" are engraved on it.

There are only two: Traditional Chinese. After all, this is a Japanese-style world, so it's normal to have Chinese characters.

Higashino Jiro explained, "This was your grandfather's sword. The blade is made of chakra metal. It cost our family all our cash back then."

Your grandfather used this knife, and your uncle used it too. Later it broke, and it's been kept at home as a family keepsake ever since.

I recently had a craftsman repair it, and now I'm passing it on to you, hoping it will make a name for itself in your hands. I believe you have the ability to do so.

Higashino really did have an uncle, otherwise his father wouldn't have been called Jiro, but Taro. However, his uncle and grandfather both died in the two previous wars, and his grandmother also passed away after World War II.

As for her mother's family, there was no one there either; Higashino Megumi was a war orphan from a very young age.

"I will, Father." Higashino Makoto sheathed his sword and asked, "When are you leaving? Which direction are you going?"

The couple remained silent for a while before Higashino Jiro finally said, "The day after tomorrow, the Iwagakure troops will appear in the Land of Grass, and we need to increase our manpower there."

Yes, not long after Sunagakure and Konoha went to war, Iwagakure was also preparing to join in.

Higashino Jiro had just been transferred back from the border of the River Country, thus avoiding the war, but now he had to disobey orders and prepare to be stationed in the direction of the Grass Country.

"Be careful, Father. Don't be reckless if you encounter a large enemy force. You must survive. Mother and I are waiting for you at home."

Higashino Jiro stroked his son's head: "Don't worry, you know my strength. I'm not that easy to kill."

Unlike Sunagakure, which has fewer ninjas and specializes in poison and puppets, Iwagakure takes a strategy of massing its troops. Although it doesn't have many top-tier ninjas, it has a large number of lower and middle-ranking ninjas. Therefore, during wartime, they rarely have elite squads that operate alone; they usually deploy a company or even a battalion.

If they encounter a skilled opponent, such as Minato Namikaze, they can use it as a battle achievement, but it will be very troublesome for ordinary Konoha ninjas. If they are not careful, they will be ganged up on and beaten to death.

Two days later, another ninja army set off. The difference this time was that Higashino Shinya joined the farewell procession on both sides of the road.

This is war.

Higashino knew that Konoha seemed to be in a good position now, but once Kumogakure joined in, and Kirigakure intervened later, Konoha would be stretched thin and forced to have its ninja academy students graduate early to replenish its manpower.

Judging from the current timeline, he is very likely to be one of them.