Jiraiya's decision to employ the water attack strategy inflicted profound pain on Uchiha Shisui.
To win a war, so many innocent lives would be caught in the crossfire.
Kakashi cast a subtle glance at Uchiha Shisui. The relentless warnings about him made it impossible to overlook this junior any longer.
It seems anything I say now would be pointless... Kakashi thought to himself.
He had originally believed that this man—who, in the original story, was willing to sacrifice his life for peace between the village and the Uchiha clan—would understand his perspective.
But now, it was clear... he truly was someone who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
The combined emotional turmoil of Jiraiya, Might Guy, and Aburame Shiro didn't even come close to matching Uchiha Shisui's alone.
Kakashi lowered his gaze, shifting his peripheral vision away from Uchiha Shisui.
Just as he had once projected his own biases onto others, assuming the worst about the Kumogakure envoy.
Now, Kakashi was already contemplating how to counter Uchiha Shisui's Kotoamatsukami.
He hadn't expected to sway Uchiha Shisui into submission with words alone.
Kakashi, fully aware of his own standing, knew that Uchiha Shisui wasn't like Guang.
Guang herself craved acceptance from others; no matter who it was, as long as someone was willing to embrace her on the day she awakened, she would devote her power to them.
Uchiha Shisui was different—he held his own unwavering set of values.
Kakashi couldn't change him, especially not after he had awakened the Mangekyō.
"In that case, we'll dispatch a team of Earth Release ninjas from the troops to construct a dam. Before the water level rises to the volume we need, we have to hold off those Kumogakure forces."
Jiraiya spoke slowly, finally crushing the last flickering hopes in Uchiha Shisui's heart.
Kakashi nodded faintly in agreement.
In the original story, Jiraiya had told Tsunade that if she ever threatened Konoha, he would eliminate her himself themselves.
In his heart, Konoha always came first.
Anyone who stood in Konoha's way would be cut down.
"Before that, I'll scatter all the Hyūga ninjas throughout the troops to prevent Kumogakure scouts from slipping into our controlled territory."
"Shikaku, I'm leaving this in your hands..."
Jiraiya glanced at the white-haired young man who had suggested this plan to him.
If it succeeded, both his and Kakashi's reputations beyond the Land of Fire would likely take a nosedive.
The Land of Frost was expansive and sparsely populated, but that didn't mean it was empty. To crush Kumogakure, resorting to such ruthless tactics would probably brand Jiraiya as cold-blooded in the eyes of others.
"Yes, Lord Jiraiya."
Aburame Shiro replied respectfully. He felt no particular qualms about Kakashi's plan, only noting that the man was indeed Minato Namikaze's student—his mind moved with impressive speed.
As for the so-called innocents?
In Aburame Shiro's eyes, all lives were equal.
If insects could be crushed underfoot, why not others?
As for Kakashi, he avoided looking at Uchiha Shisui.
He had already resolved not to make eye contact with him until they returned to Konoha.
"In that case, that's all for today."
"Tonight, tighten security to guard against a Kumogakure assault."
"Dismissed."
"Kakashi, hang back."
Jiraiya issued the order, detaining Kakashi at the end.
Before exiting the command tent, Uchiha Shisui cast a complicated glance at the village's prodigy senior, sighed inwardly, and slipped away in silence.
Though he bore the moniker "Shisui the Teleporter," it was just a title. In this scenario, beyond his jōnin rank, he held no real authority and couldn't overturn what Jiraiya had already set in motion.
Watching everyone depart, Jiraiya smiled helplessly and beckoned Kakashi closer, gesturing for him to approach.
Kakashi assumed Jiraiya might be uneasy about the water attack, but to his surprise, the man launched straight into an unexpected question.
"I recall you began studying chakra nature transformation and shape manipulation for Wind Release three years ago. How far along is your Wind Release research now?"
Wind Release?
"It's coming along, but I've already mastered both nature transformation and shape manipulation."
Kakashi replied.
"Excellent!"
"You've mastered both shape manipulation and nature transformation, and you call it 'coming along'?"
"Catch."
Jiraiya's face brightened with delight as he pulled a scroll from his pocket and tossed it to Kakashi.
Kakashi caught it and saw it was a Wind Release technique.
Wind Release: Great Tornado.
"This is a C-rank jutsu. You need to master it before the dam fills with water!"
"This Wind Release technique has an incredibly wide area of effect. When the moment comes, I'll summon Gamabunta—he'll spew oil, I'll add fire, and you'll fan it with wind. Oh, right—do you have enough chakra?"
Jiraiya rattled on excitedly, then abruptly paused as a concern hit him.
What if Kakashi unleashed one Wind Release and keeled over?
Though it was only C-rank, like Water Release, its scale tied directly to the user's chakra reserves. The more chakra poured in, the vast the range and the fiercer the gale.
"I've got plenty of chakra."
Kakashi stated calmly, clutching the Wind Release scroll.
At this point, he effectively wielded the power of eight gates, so a simple Wind Release was child's play.
He just hadn't anticipated that, in such a brief span, Jiraiya had already refined the water attack further through a ninja's ingenuity.
Goemon.
It could be called a streamlined version of Goemon.
In the original story, Jiraiya in Sage Mode had used this against Pain. Though the Preta Path absorbed it, this Sage Art was undeniably a top-tier S-rank technique—and in raw power, it ranked among the mightiest S-ranks.
Gamabunta's toad oil would coat the water, Jiraiya would ignite it with fire, and he would amplify it with wind, all layered atop the flood.
Two ordinarily incompatible elements would fuse thanks to the toad oil.
This one strike would be enough to devastate Kumogakure's forces—or even wipe out their weaker contingents in a single blow!
"In that case, I'll head out now."
Kakashi held up the scroll for Jiraiya to see.
"Mm, go on."
"Master it as fast as you can."
Kakashi said nothing more, exiting the command tent alone and heading back to his own.
It was just a C-rank jutsu; the challenge wasn't steep.
The reason this Wind Release wasn't more common was purely its massive chakra demand.
Those with scant reserves couldn't unlock its full potential.
"Kakashi-senpai!"
On the path back to his tent, a voice suddenly called out to him.
It was Uchiha Shisui.
"We can talk about anything else later. Lord Jiraiya just gave me a mission."
Kakashi didn't turn around, simply waving the scroll in his hand before continuing toward his tent.
He won't even speak to me... Uchiha Shisui stared blankly at Kakashi's retreating figure, his entire form shrouded in shadow, his expression unreadable.
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