After resurrecting, Kairen restored his full condition and nodded at the Third Gate of Life he had mastered.
With three chakra output engines, Kairen burned through his body's energy even faster—meaning he also died faster.
Just moments ago, after exhausting all of his body's energy, he gathered chakra surpassing that of a Jōnin and instantly split into around 500 shadow clones.
Kairen opened his template. He had 600 experience points left. This time, he focused them on boosting his body's energy in [Str] and [Spd].
600 points went into [Sta] under mental energy, raising both his body and spirit energy to a high Chūnin level.
Perhaps soon, he would have to switch to a new template. He didn't know what the next ninja template would be—a Special Jōnin template, or perhaps a Jōnin template.
Time trickled on. The Konoha frontline remained quiet as ever, though at night, ambushes, assassinations, and explosions became endless.
Ninja were not soldiers; they didn't need large-scale daytime assaults. They were accustomed to fighting at night, with the main goal of taking enemy lives.
A week later, two groups of people had come to Kairen's position, most of them Special Jōnin, but not a single Jōnin appeared.
Kairen farmed over 2500 experience points, raising all of his [Ninja Eight Attributes] to the advanced tier, and even maxing out his [Chakra Four Attributes].
Among them, Kairen exchanged for four Fire Release techniques, all common Uchiha Fire Release jutsu, plus one advanced Fire Release once used by Uchiha Sasuke.
...
Sunagakure Frontline Command.
As more and more ninja perished on the Eighth Line of Zone A, the Sunagakure frontline commander also sensed something strange.
Meimuda frowned over a map, staring at a remote frontline circled in red ink.
The strategist beside him rubbed his chin.
"Four squads have already been lost here—eight Special Jōnin, and twelve Chūnin."
Meimuda lowered his head and asked, "Has the Chūnin who escaped from there been properly questioned?"
The strategist shook his head.
"He's gone mad. He keeps muttering about ghosts, ghosts… He's completely lost his ninja abilities."
"Ghosts?! Could there really be ghosts here?" Meimuda tapped his fingers lightly.
The strategist analyzed, "Not ghosts—someone is behind this. Konoha may have stationed an elite Jōnin here."
Meimuda tapped his fingers again. The room fell silent, everyone waiting for the commander's orders.
After a long pause, he spoke softly. "Call Jōnin Koshikawa here!"
"Commander, Jōnin Koshikawa is on another frontline mission. It will take two days for him to return!"
"Then wait. Do not approach this area until Jōnin Koshikawa arrives."
...
Konoha Frontline Command.
Jūjirō had just returned from Kairen's defensive line. He had happily gone to collect the man's corpse, only to discover that Kairen was still alive.
He couldn't help but mock Kairen's rotten luck—yet he was unlucky enough to have one of his hands chopped off by Kairen.
He should be grateful Kairen had no killing intent, otherwise his life would have ended right there.
Kneeling before Shimura Masao, Jūjirō growled viciously, "Masao-sama, he actually dared to attack his comrade. He must be punished!"
Shimura Masao didn't even lift his head, continuing to process frontline military documents. Perhaps in his mind, Jūjirō's value had already plummeted.
Having lost one arm—his most important right hand—Jūjirō's strength as a Special Jōnin dropped directly to that of an ordinary Chūnin. The Shimura household no longer had room for him.
His emotions collapsed into desperation, his voice becoming almost hysterical.
"Masao-sama, for all the years I have worked tirelessly for the Shimura clan, please avenge me!"
Ninja needed hand seals to perform ninjutsu, and both hands were vital.
Though Jūjirō still had one hand left to ease his sorrows at night, he lacked the talent for one-handed seals. His only remaining ninja ability was his experience in Taijutsu.
The room remained silent. Jūjirō tried to continue speaking, but was cut off by a harsh rebuke.
"Shut up!"
Jūjirō lowered his head, not daring to utter another word.
Shimura Masao suddenly threw a mission order at him and said coldly, "Go guard this place!"
Jūjirō picked it up—and his pupils widened to their limits. The assigned defense was also in Zone A, and on the highly dangerous Seventh Line.
Shimura Masao wanted him dead.
"Since that boy managed to survive two weeks, I'm sure you can too."
"Ma… Masao-sama…"
"Get out!"
"Y-yes, Masao-sama!"
Jūjirō didn't dare oppose Shimura Masao and slunk away in disgrace.
After he left, Shimura Masao sneered.
"Knowing so many of my clan's secrets, and you think you'll live?"
A ninja who had lost his value was like a dulled blade—destined to be discarded by the hand that once wielded it.
Shimura Masao rubbed his temples.
"It seems that boy truly is a descendant of the Senju. He's already grown to the level of a Special Jōnin… Multiple Shadow Clones, advanced Fire Release…"
"Who stands behind him? The remnants of the Senju?"
Shimura Masao shook his head. Most who bore the Senju name were already dead. Even Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, had blended into civilian life, no longer carrying the Senju surname.
Most of the Senju clan had merged with civilians. After two generations, their traces in Konoha had all but vanished.
Shimura Masao continued with his paperwork, but his thoughts lingered on the village's shadowy undercurrents. He had all but confirmed that Kairen was of Senju blood.
This fallen clan could not simply vanish without a trace. In the shadows, there must be survivors, waiting for the resurgence of Senju power.
Shimura Masao pressed his pen hard against the paper.
"Since the offense has already been made, there's no turning back. Moku Kairen will either become a lackey of the Shimura, or he will die. Whether for the sake of the clan—or the Hokage seat!"
"Knock, knock, knock…"
A rapping came at the door. Shimura Masao allowed the visitors to enter.
It was a standard four-man ninja squad: one Jōnin with three Genin.
But this squad was anything but ordinary.
Shimura Masao recognized the four. The Sarutobi clan's young master, a clansman of the Nara, Elite Jōnin Yūhi Shinku, and his daughter.
"Jōnin Shinku!" Shimura Masao rose, shaking hands with Yūhi Shinku.
Jōnin were the backbone of the village. Elite Jōnin held influence rivaling that of minor clans.
Yūhi Shinku handed over a mission order.
"Commander, this is our assignment!"
Shimura Masao glanced at it briefly. Nothing surprising—Sarutobi's young master had demanded to be on the frontline, leaving the clan no choice but to comply.
Shimura Masao quickly issued their mission.
"You'll head to the Third Line of Zone C."
Asuma curled his lips and walked toward Shimura Masao's desk.
"Asuma!" Yūhi Shinku tried to stop his rude behavior.
"Don't assign me another logistics job!"
Even if he had matured slightly, Asuma's spoiled temper hadn't changed at all. He directly picked up the defense map from the desk.
His pupils shrank—immediately spotting Kairen's defensive line, located at the most remote frontline in Zone A.
"So he's nothing special after all! What kind of ninja could be stationed there?"