Space warped. In the blink of an eye, the three of them were back in Minato Namikaze's tent at the Konoha camp.
Kakashi gagged.
"Kakashi, you alright?" Minato bent down, concerned.
"I'm fine. Just… not used to it." Kakashi straightened and shook his head.
"Good. Go get some rest, both of you. We're about to hit the Mist hard. Best do it before they know I'm here."
They nodded and left the tent together.
"Kakashi." Kageyama Kokugetsu patted his shoulder, hesitated.
"Don't worry. I'll pull myself together. I'm going." Kakashi forced a thin smile.
Watching the solitary figure of Kakashi's back, Kokugetsu sighed lightly.
The wound in the heart isn't something words can smooth over. If words help even a little, that's already good. You will rally, but the time it takes will be long.
Sakumo Hatake, Uchiha Obito, Nohara Rin—if anyone had reason to turn dark, it's you.
But don't drown in it. I'm here. At least I can erase the part of the hurt that came from Rin, even if we were never that close.
Kakashi's academy years were brief. At this point, aside from Obito, Rin, and Gai, he hadn't been close to many classmates.
Back in his own tent, Kokugetsu stepped into the Great Black Heaven and enjoyed a proper bath. Everything was there: toiletries, wine, drinks, fruit.
Great Black Heaven was too convenient. Whenever he was alone and saw something interesting, he tucked it away.
When his ocular power climbs high enough, he'll stash an entire sea, a whole mountain inside.
And yes—this place is perfect for playing at stopping time.
The next afternoon, after discussion among Homura Mitokado, Minato Namikaze, Uchiha Fugaku, and Hyūga Hiashi, Konoha launched another all-out offensive.
The sequence of battle resembled last time, but with Minato present, the result was vastly different.
Using Flying Thunder God, Minato struck down the Mist's high-end combatants who were tying up Homura and the others. Aside from a rare few lucky escapes, the rest were slaughtered.
Then Minato went on a rampage, cutting down Mist ninja without distinction, breaking their morale to pieces.
Short on elite power and spirit, the Mist lost. Konoha pursued, driving them back to the sea.
After a pursuit and fighting for over a hundred li, most Konoha shinobi were exhausted. They ignored the cleanup and rested on the spot.
As Homura's direct subordinate, Kokugetsu rested with him.
Minato, Fugaku, Hiashi, and other jōnin, so long as they weren't too far, made their way to Homura's position.
Fugaku had long wanted tighter alignment with Konoha's leadership. Minato, thanks to Hiruzen Sarutobi, had a decent rapport with Homura. The Hyūga held a special place in the village not only because of the Byakugan, but because of their origins.
In the Warring States era, the Hyūga were not only a shinobi clan but nobility of the Land of Fire—high nobility. Their crest is strikingly similar to the Land of Fire daimyo's family crest.
Konoha was founded within Hyūga lands. When the village was formed and the Hyūga joined, they represented the Land of Fire and its daimyo's will.
To this day, the Hyūga maintain good relations with the daimyo and the grandes of the Land of Fire. They've never felt the need to curry favor with Konoha's top brass, and carry themselves as near-equals.
For example, at Hinata's third birthday, every Hyūga skipped the welcome celebration for the Kumogakure delegation, while other clans attended. That's one reason the leadership stood by when Hiashi killed the head of that delegation. It wasn't only because Konoha was weakened.
Now, though, Hiashi wants a shot at the Hokage's seat, so he must mend fences with the leadership. If he fails, the clan will likely retreat behind closed doors again, much like the Uchiha—though for different root causes.
They drank water, nibbled rice balls, and chatted. With victory in hand, the mood was easy.
A sharp, distant cry split the air. An eagle, stooping fast.
Shinobi sight being what it is, everyone stood at once.
"Bad news," Homura said, face hardening. He lifted his arm.
The eagle bled speed and settled on his forearm. A bamboo tube was tied to its left leg.
Homura took it off, broke the seal with a specialized technique, and read the coded message in a glance.
"Not good. Suna is close to Kikyō Mountain."
Near the village stood the famed Kikyō Castle, with Kikyō Mountain beside it.
Faces blanched. Some looked panicked, hands at a loss.
"How is that possible?" someone blurted.
"Phew… at least it isn't the main force. It's a thousand-strong unit." Homura exhaled, visibly relaxing.
Everyone stared.
Don't pause in the middle like that.
They grumbled internally, but they also exhaled. If Suna's main host had reached Kikyō Mountain, Konoha would be done for.
Things were dire, but not worst-case. The village proper stood a decent chance.
"Rasa is making a high-stakes gamble," Homura said. "More likely, it's Rasa with Chiyo and Ebizō's joint decision, with Chiyo and Ebizō proposing it."
"If they succeed, Suna gets a massive win. It won't just reverse their front-line crisis. It could upend the entire Third Shinobi World War."
"Kumo, Iwa, and Kiri, which were settling down, would all return in force, maybe shove all their chips in. Even the minor villages might press their luck. The consequences would be grim."
"If they fail, Chiyo and Ebizō will take the fall and shield the still-young Rasa. And once Suna loses facing us one-on-one, defeat is inevitable."
"After defeat, we will demand a heavy price. The daimyo of the Land of Wind will be displeased. Suna won't be crushed, but at best they'll end up only marginally stronger than Kiri—and likely weaker."
The quick, far-reaching analysis reminded everyone why he sat as Konoha's elder. They nodded along. They couldn't match his breadth, depth, or speed of thought.
Kokugetsu, who knew the plot, had already reached the same conclusion faster and further, down to Ye Cang's fate—Pakura.
After Suna's rout in the Third War, they were struck by Iwa and Kiri. The wars were small, but they bled Suna constantly. Seeing the village couldn't bear it, Rasa chose to throw Pakura, his one-time rival for the Kazekage's seat, to placate Kiri. He simply didn't show his hand. As a mere tokubetsu jōnin, Kokugetsu had no business speaking first on matters at that scale. If others missed it, then he would speak and it would be natural.
He was still keeping a level head. He hadn't let success go to it.
"Time is short," Homura said. "Minato, take Fugaku and Hiashi back to the village at once."
Both the Uchiha and Hyūga still had forces in Konoha that hadn't been committed. It wasn't as if the Hokage's seat was guaranteed. No one shoves in everything.
Minato nodded, solemn. "Please come to my side, you two."
"Hmm… Kokugetsu, your contract beast can fly. Can it carry an extra passenger back for support?" Homura asked after a moment's thought.
"I'm afraid not. My golden eagle isn't grown yet. It's too small. Carrying two is a strain." Kokugetsu smiled wryly.
"Then you go," Homura said. "Be careful. If nothing unexpected happens, the war is nearly over."
"Understood."