Grind is My Ninja Way

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. 

As the final negotiations between Konoha and Iwagakure drew near, Kirigakure's assaults became increasingly frenzied. Almost all the outposts Konoha had established on the eastern borders of the Land of Fire were caught in the flames of war. 

Some of these outposts had even been overrun. 

Helplessly, Nara Keikō was forced to "rob Peter to pay Paul," constantly reallocating troops from other posts to slow down Kirigakure's advance. 

In the past, this had little to do with Seimei. 

After all, the Blackstone Outpost where he was stationed was adjacent to Feiyu Town, one of Kirigakure's four primary breakthrough points. Its strategic importance ensured that troop reallocations rarely affected his location. 

But this time was different. 

That morning, while Seimei was patrolling the battlefield and gathering intelligence, he received an order from Sano Nobuhisa to immediately return to the outpost. 

Though puzzled, Seimei followed the command and quickly flew back to Blackstone Outpost. 

Upon arrival, he realized it wasn't Sano Nobuhisa who had summoned him but Nara Keikō. A critical dispatch had just arrived, ordering Seimei to report to the southern command headquarters for a special mission. 

The specifics of the mission were not disclosed. 

Given the urgency, Seimei wasted no time. After restocking supplies and equipment, he used Wind Release: Wings of Wind to ascend into the sky and head toward headquarters. 

The journey between Blackstone Outpost and the headquarters typically took half a day, but at Seimei's full speed, he covered the distance in less than ten minutes. 

After verifying his identity, he entered the command room. 

To his surprise, he wasn't the only one there. Several Jonin were present, including a familiar face—Uchiha Shisui. 

Unlike Seimei, who had been assigned to Blackstone Outpost, Shisui had remained at Nara Keikō's side since being stationed at Yutsu Port. This had inadvertently spared him from Danzo's previous schemes. 

Still, Seimei couldn't help but ponder: if Shisui had been with him back then, would Danzo have dared to act so recklessly? Perhaps not. Or perhaps he would have sent even stronger forces to eliminate them both. 

Shaking off these thoughts, Seimei nodded in acknowledgment to Shisui and took a seat. Ignoring the reactions of those around him, he began using Mystical Palm Technique to reinforce his body. 

In truth, he would have preferred to use the time to practice the Art of Reflecting the Mind. According to his calculations, he was on the verge of surpassing the next milestone in evolving his Sharingan (20,000/50,000 progress). 

However, since this technique wasn't something he could openly display—and the setting was far from tranquil—he had to put that plan aside. 

Time ticked by. 

About fifteen minutes later, Nara Keikō entered the room. 

It was clear he was exhausted, but he straightened up and addressed the group. 

"Everyone!" 

At his words, all attention focused on him. 

"I've called you here urgently because there's a critical mission that needs your expertise," he said, his tone grave. 

The Jonin present listened intently, waiting for him to elaborate. 

Instead of diving into the details, Nara Keikō took a deep breath and said, "The Red Tree Outpost has fallen." 

"What?" 

The solemn expressions of the room turned into ones of shock. Even Seimei couldn't hide his surprise. 

Having spent considerable time on this battlefield, Seimei was well aware of the importance of each outpost. 

Militarily, Red Tree Outpost wasn't a top-tier stronghold. Positioned along the eastern defense line, it was a secondary post at best. But its political significance was immense—it served as a gateway to the Daimyo's residence. 

Its fall meant that Kirigakure could penetrate deep into the Land of Fire, potentially threatening the Daimyo directly. 

While the Daimyo might not hold much genuine esteem among Konoha's higher-ups, the appearance of respect had to be maintained. 

For the past two to three years, Konoha had stationed hundreds of shinobi there, providing stronger defenses than even some front-line posts. 

Now, hearing of its fall was nothing short of shocking. 

Finally, someone broke the silence, asking, "Captain, how did Red Tree Outpost fall? As far as I know, Kirigakure doesn't have the manpower to assault it, do they?" 

Others nodded in agreement, and the room erupted in murmurs of speculation. 

"Cough, cough," Nara Keikō interjected, raising a hand to calm the room. 

Once silence was restored, he continued with a grave expression. "That's precisely why I summoned you. According to the latest intelligence, Kirigakure deployed the Six-Tails." 

"What?!" 

The revelation stunned everyone, their earlier shock deepening. 

"Is Kirigakure trying to start the Fourth Shinobi World War?" someone exclaimed before Nara Keikō could finish. 

Their reaction was understandable. Kirigakure's actions were akin to dropping a nuclear bomb just as a war was nearing its end. 

If Konoha didn't retaliate, it would be seen as a sign of weakness. On the other hand, a counterattack would likely prolong the conflict, rendering all previous efforts for peace meaningless. 

This dilemma had already divided Konoha's leadership. 

Danzo's hawkish faction demanded retaliation with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki to crush Kirigakure's arrogance. Meanwhile, the peace faction, led by Hiruzen Sarutobi, sought to de-escalate the situation. 

Nara Keikō and most of the shinobi present, including Seimei, were part of the peace faction. 

Scanning the room, Nara Keikō declared, "Your mission is critical. The Third Hokage has ordered you to organize a force and retake Red Tree Outpost immediately." 

"What about the Six-Tails?" someone asked. 

"You don't need to worry about the Six-Tails," Nara Keikō reassured. "Someone will handle it. For now, focus on reclaiming the outpost." 

Seimei's thoughts immediately turned to Namikaze Minato. It had to be him—his skills in combat and sealing jutsu made him the most logical choice. 

With the mission clear, Seimei received his orders: fly ahead to gather intelligence and assist if necessary in dealing with the Six-Tails. 

Tasked with his mission, Seimei prepared to depart. 

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