Three days later, twenty-three figures stood neatly arranged in three rows at the foot of the Hokage Rock early in the morning.
No one whispered among themselves, and no one spoke quietly anymore. Even Obito, who was usually unable to stand still for more than a few seconds, now wore a tense expression while staring directly toward the high platform ahead.
Above them towered the enormous stone faces of the three Hokage.
The morning breeze swept gently through the area, carrying several fallen leaves across the open ground.
Standing atop the platform was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
A pipe rested between his fingers while the Hokage robes fluttered lightly behind him. His expression was at least ten tis more serious than usual.
Several Anbu stood silently behind him.
Umino Iruka also stood nearby.
The entire area remained completely silent.
Only the occasional trail of smoke rising from the Hokage's pipe moved within the still atmosphere.
The Third Hokage slowly swept his gaze across the faces below him.
Twenty-three students.
Not a single one missing.
He nodded slowly afterward.
"You all ca back alive."
His voice was not loud, yet every single word reached everyone's ears clearly.
"Good."
Then he paused briefly before taking another deep drag from his pipe.
"Originally, after graduation, all of you should have received a half-month vacation period."
"But now…"
He slowly lowered the pipe from his mouth.
"There will be no vacation."
The atmosphere beneath the platform instantly beca even heavier.
Then the Third Hokage continued speaking calmly.
"Yesterday at dawn, a force of ten thousand Iwagakure Ninja crossed the border of the Land of Grass and advanced toward the Land of Fire."
"At the sa ti, Kumogakure assembled a force of twenty thousand inside the Land of Rice Fields, with their target directly aid at the Land of Hot Springs."
"The Hidden Mist's naval forces have already appeared near the eastern coastline of the Land of Fire and begun probing landing operations."
The Third Hokage's tone remained flat throughout.
Yet every single sentence landed like a heavy stone smashing directly into everyone's hearts.
Then finally, he spoke the final sentence.
"The Third Shinobi World War has officially begun."
The silence below the platform beca suffocating.
Soone swallowed nervously.
Soone unconsciously clenched their fists tighter.
The Third Hokage quietly looked toward these children who had only recently turned eight or nine years old.
Then after several seconds of silence, he slowly spoke again.
"You should have been given more ti to grow."
"But war does not wait for anyone."
He raised one hand lightly.
An Anbu imdiately stepped forward carrying a tray.
Twenty-three brand-new Konoha forehead protectors rested neatly upon it.
The Third Hokage picked one up slowly before raising it toward the sunlight overhead.
The polished tal reflected a sharp gleam of light.
"From this mont onward, all of you are no longer students of the Ninja Academy."
"You are now official Genin of Konoha."
Then he paused briefly before continuing.
"You are now Ninja of Konoha."
He returned the forehead protector onto the tray afterward.
"Umino Iruka."
Iruka imdiately stepped forward.
"Yes."
"You will announce the assignnts."
Iruka nodded before walking toward the very front of the platform.
A list rested in his hand.
He lowered his gaze toward the students below.
Those twenty-three children all stared directly toward the paper in his hands.
Because everyone understood what that list represented.
It would decide where they went.
Who they fought beside.
What battlefield they entered.
And whether they survived.
Iruka quietly inhaled deeply before finally beginning.
"Rin Nohara."
"Uchiha Obito."
The mont his na was called first, Obito's entire body jerked slightly.
Beside him, Rin also froze briefly.
The two exchanged quick glances before looking back toward the platform.
Iruka continued reading calmly.
"You are assigned to Team Seven under Captain Minato Namikaze."
"You will proceed imdiately toward the Land of Grass border and report directly to Captain Minato."
Then Iruka glanced specifically toward Obito.
"Kakashi Hatake is already waiting there for both of you."
Obito's eyes instantly widened.
Rin's expression also lit up imdiately.
"Kakashi?!"
Obito nearly shouted aloud before Rin quickly tugged his sleeve secretly.
Only then did he hurriedly shut his mouth.
However, the excitent across his face remained completely impossible to hide.
Kakashi!
That bastard!
They had not seen him for nearly an entire year already!
Iruka looked toward Obito's glowing expression before the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
"Stand properly."
Obito imdiately straightened himself again.
Yet his eyes still shone brightly.
Iruka continued reading from the list.
"Kurenai Yuhi."
"Asuma Sarutobi."
"Shikuro Abura."
Kurenai froze briefly after hearing the nas.
A trace of disappointnt flickered across her face montarily before she quickly stepped forward calmly.
"You are assigned to the Intelligence Unit under Captain Inoichi Yamanaka."
"You will report imdiately to the intelligence station located near the Land of Rice Fields border."
"Your primary duties will include reconnaissance, infiltration, intelligence gathering, and sabotage operations behind enemy lines."
Iruka paused briefly afterward.
"Your mission assignnts will be extrely dangerous."
"But they are also extrely important."
Kurenai inhaled deeply afterward.
Then she instinctively glanced back toward Guy standing farther behind.
Guy was already looking directly at her.
Their eyes t silently.
Kurenai pressed her lips together briefly before smiling softly.
It was not a smile saying she was afraid.
It was a smile saying:
"Don't worry."
Guy smiled back naturally.
Then he raised a thumbs-up toward her.
Kurenai's smile widened slightly before she finally turned back toward the platform again.
Iruka continued announcing nas afterward.
One by one.
One after another.
Each student stepped forward after hearing their assignnt before silently returning to their position afterward.
anwhile, Guy quietly waited for his own na to appear.
Inside his mories, he only knew one thing clearly.
Might Guy ultimately survived the war.
However, as for the actual process itself…
He knew almost nothing.
Then suddenly, Iruka paused slightly.
He lowered his gaze toward the list once more before finally speaking.
"Might Guy."
Guy's body jolted slightly.
Finally.
His turn had arrived.
Iruka raised his head before looking directly toward him.
"Might Guy."
"Ebisu."
"Shiranui Genma."
"You are assigned to Team Nine under Captain Akimichi Choza."
"You will imdiately proceed toward Mount Kikyo and report directly to Captain Choza."
The instant those words entered his ears, Guy's mind buzzed violently.
Mount Kikyo.
In the Third Shinobi World War, that place would eventually beco one of the bloodiest battlefields between Konoha and Sunagakure.
Although Konoha ultimately achieved victory there in the original story…
The number of dead was horrifying.
Countless people died.
Beside Guy, Ebisu adjusted his sunglasses awkwardly before muttering softly:
"Mount Kikyo? Where exactly is that?"
Genma calmly answered while chewing his toothpick.
"It sits near the borders between the Land of Fire, Land of Wind, and Land of Earth."
"Technically, it's still considered Land of Fire territory."
Ebisu visibly relaxed slightly.
"If it's inside our territory, then it should be safer, right?"
Genma did not bother answering him directly.
Instead, he quietly glanced toward Guy.
So thoughts did not need to be spoken aloud.
Where they were going honestly did not matter very much.
Who they were going together with mattered far more.
And unexpectedly enough, being assigned together with Might Guy felt extrely reassuring.
Iruka continued announcing the remaining nas afterward.
One after another.
One assignnt after another.
So students were sent directly toward the front lines.
So remained in rear support divisions.
So joined garrison units.
So entered logistics and supply operations.
Eventually, all twenty-three students received their assignnts.
After announcing the final na, Iruka slowly closed the notebook in his hands.
Then he looked toward the students below.
"Does everyone understand their assignnts?"
"Yes!"
"Does anyone have questions?"
Nobody spoke.
Iruka nodded quietly afterward.
Then the Third Hokage stepped forward once more.
His gaze slowly swept across the young faces below him.
Finally, he spoke again.
"There is one final thing all of you must understand before departing."
The atmosphere instantly beca silent again.
The Third Hokage slowly spoke.
"War kills people."
"So of you standing here today will die on the battlefield."
"So of you will never return ho."
"This is not ant to frighten you."
"It is simply the truth."
Then he paused briefly before continuing.
"But the reason Konoha exists today is not because the Hokage is strong."
"And it is not because the Anbu are powerful."
"Konoha exists because generation after generation of Ninja willingly stood on the battlefield to protect those behind them."
"That…"
"…is the Will of Fire."
The Third Hokage slowly placed the pipe back into his mouth afterward.
"Rember why you fight."
"Now go."
Silence lingered below the platform for several seconds afterward.
Then finally, soone moved.
Obito inhaled deeply before turning around.
Rin quietly followed beside him.
The two began walking away together.
After several steps, however, Obito suddenly turned back around again.
"Guy!"
Guy looked up instinctively.
Before he could even answer, Obito suddenly raised a massive thumbs-up toward him.
The exact sa familiar gesture as always.
"See you on the battlefield!"
Guy froze briefly.
Then he suddenly smiled.
He also raised his own thumbs-up high into the air.
"See you on the battlefield!"
Obito grinned before turning around again and striding away proudly.
Rin waved gently toward Guy before following behind Obito quietly.
Soon afterward, Kurenai slowly walked over until she stood directly in front of Guy.
She raised her head slightly while looking toward him.
Those wine-red eyes of hers remained large and bright as ever.
"Guy."
"Hm?"
"You…"
"You have to stay alive."
Guy lowered his gaze toward Kurenai, who remained half a head shorter than himself now.
Then naturally, he reached out and rested one hand gently atop her head.
He lightly ruffled her soft black hair.
"You too."
Kurenai froze briefly afterward.
Then her face gradually flushed bright red.
Yet despite that, she still did not move away.
Instead, she simply stood there quietly while allowing him to continue ruffling her hair.
Several seconds later, she finally spoke softly.
"I'll stay alive."
"So you have to stay alive too."
"When we et again next ti…"
Guy nodded naturally.
"Okay."
Kurenai pressed her lips together before smiling warmly again.
Then she finally turned around and ran toward Asuma's group.
However, after only several steps, she suddenly turned back again.
"Guy!"
"Hm?"
"Don't forget our promise!"
Then she turned around once more before finally disappearing into the crowd moving farther away.
Guy quietly watched her retreating figure.
The promise.
Of course he rembered it.
The promise they made together on the cliff.
He would beco her strongest shield.
And she would beco his Genjutsu support.
Soon afterward, Shikuro Abura also walked over quietly to say goodbye.
However, just as he prepared to leave, Guy suddenly leaned closer toward him slightly.
"Help with sothing."
Shikuro froze briefly.
"A favor?"
"What favor?"
Guy casually tilted his chin toward Asuma nearby.
"Help keep an eye on that guy for ."
Shikuro blinked once.
Then he looked toward Asuma.
Then toward Kurenai.
Then finally back toward Guy.
An imdiate expression of realization appeared across his face.
Then secretly, he raised a thumbs-up toward Guy.
"Leave it to !"
"Heh, good brother."
Guy grinned brightly.
The instant Shikuro heard the word "brother," his expression visibly beca even more excited.
It was the very first ti soone had ever addressed him like that.
"Alright, hurry up and go."
"They're waiting for you."
"Mm!"
"Then I'm leaving first!"
"You take care of yourself too, brother!"
Shikuro nodded firmly before finally turning around and hurrying away.
Guy withdrew his gaze quietly afterward before lowering his eyes toward the forehead protector now resting in his hands.
Brand new.
Never worn before.
He slowly raised it afterward before tying it securely around his forehead.
The tal felt slightly cold.
Yet the instant it touched his skin, Guy suddenly felt sothing inside himself settle completely.
"Guy."
Ebisu walked over nearby.
Genma followed behind him naturally.
Both had already put on their own forehead protectors.
Ebisu adjusted his sunglasses afterward.
"Let's go."
"Captain Akimichi Choza should already be waiting for us near Mount Kikyo."
Genma quietly nodded while chewing on his toothpick.
Guy inhaled deeply.
Mount Kikyo.
Within less than half a year, it would beco one of the bloodiest battlefields of the entire war.
He knew exactly what kind of future awaited there.
Yet despite that—
He neither retreated.
Nor could he retreat.
The ti remaining before the battle against the Seven Ninja Swordsn of the Mist was less than three years away now.
Which also ant that his father, Might Duy, likely had less than three years left to live.
Within those three years, he had to beco strong enough to defeat seven Jonin-level opponents.
Otherwise, he still would not be able to change Might Duy's fate.
He had to beco stronger.
And war itself was the greatest catalyst for growth.
Guy finally turned around.
Then together, the three of them began walking toward the direction of Mount Kikyo.
Everyone had already said goodbye to their families three days earlier.
Today was the day they officially departed.
Behind them, the enormous faces carved into the Hokage Rock silently overlooked everything.
The wind continued blowing softly.
Several fallen leaves drifted across the ground.
In the distance, countless voices and hurried footsteps echoed continuously.
So people had already departed.
So were still on the road.
War…
Had officially begun.
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