At a Konoha monitoring post near the tri-border where the Land of Fire met the Land of Rivers and the Land of Rain, the watch continued as it always had.
The war was over.
At least, in a certain sense—after more than a decade of bloodshed, the fires had finally begun to die down.
For the shinobi stationed along the frontier, that was nothing short of a blessing.
Because when war returned, the first ones to be crushed under the enemy's opening strike were always the border garrisons.
Even now, "peace" didn't mean they could go home. Konoha's borders were still uneasy.
But compared to the old days…
It was safer.
"Captain," a young shinobi asked as he peered through binoculars from the watchtower. "How much longer until your rotation?"
Border units rotated out regularly. Once your shift ended, you could finally return to Konoha—to family, to warmth, to something that felt like living.
The middle-aged captain chuckled and shook his head.
"What, you're hoping to go back with me?"
"Captain, we're on the same squad," the young man said with a grin. "Of course it's normal we'd go back together."
The captain clapped him on the shoulder.
"Sounds like you're thinking about Nobuko."
"So? When are you two getting married?"
"Captain!" the younger shinobi protested, clearly embarrassed.
Laughter spread across the tower.
War's end had loosened everyone's hearts. If this were still wartime, no one would've said things like that.
Back then, they didn't even know if they'd see the sunrise.
The post felt lively—
But it didn't last.
"Captain!" someone shouted suddenly from another vantage point. "Three squads are approaching from the west!"
The captain's expression tightened, but he kept his voice steady.
"Can you tell which village they're from?"
The shinobi adjusted his binoculars, staring hard.
"From the uniforms and forehead protectors… they look like Iwa-nin."
"But Captain—why are they coming from that direction? This side—"
"I know what you mean," the captain cut him off. "Everyone, stay alert."
"But remember this: we absolutely do not strike first. Understood?"
He'd already sensed something was wrong based on their approach route.
But caution mattered more than instinct.
Konoha and Iwagakure had signed a ceasefire agreement. If Konoha struck first, it could be interpreted as tearing up the treaty.
Even if these "Iwa-nin" were imposters…
He couldn't gamble on it.
If they were real and he attacked first, it would be political suicide.
Even if it didn't restart the war, he'd be punished severely.
"Yes, Captain!"
"Watch out!"
The captain's eyes widened. Several kunai were already flying toward them.
His warning came a split-second before impact.
Some of the Konoha shinobi drew kunai in time and knocked the projectiles away.
Others didn't even manage that—
They raised their binoculars as crude shields.
And in that moment of chaos, the "Iwa-nin" surged into the monitoring post and attacked outright.
"What are you doing?!"
The captain charged forward immediately, intercepting one attacker with a kunai and shouting as he blocked.
"Are you trying to destroy the peace between Konoha and Iwa?!"
But the enemy didn't answer.
Their strikes only became more vicious.
And in that instant, the captain understood:
These were not real Iwa-nin.
Worse—
Their strength wasn't overwhelming, but their numbers were several times the garrison's.
They'd launched a surprise assault and seized the initiative.
Within moments, Konoha's defenders were bleeding.
And in this kind of fight, there was no chance to send a distress signal—no time to break away and contact the main camp for reinforcements.
"At this rate… we're finished."
He kicked one attacker away, but more poured in. Fewer men meant being surrounded from every angle.
Normal shinobi didn't have Sharingan.
Unless you were strong enough to dominate the entire field, being outnumbered like this was suffocating—helpless.
The captain blocked another strike, then swept his gaze across the post.
His men were still alive.
But they were all injured.
The young shinobi who'd teased him earlier had taken a kunai to the chest—blood blooming from the wound in a steady flow.
Thank the heavens it hadn't pierced something vital.
Otherwise he'd already be dead.
But if this continued…
Death was only a matter of time.
None of them would make it out.
"Is this… where it ends?"
The captain parried a lethal blow and tried to move to the young man's side—
And then a pain like tearing fire exploded across his back.
A kunai had punched through him from behind.
His strength began leaking away.
The agony made his vision blur at the edges, his thoughts slipping.
Death was terrifying—especially when you still had things you hadn't let go of.
He forced himself to swing at the attacker behind him, but the twist only sent fresh agony through his body.
His movement slowed.
His counterattack was weak—barely even a threat.
And because he faltered, another enemy landed a hit.
A kunai sliced across his waist.
Blood spilled out in a rush.
The captain's legs gave way.
He crashed to the ground.
His fingers still clenched his kunai so tightly his knuckles went white—
But he couldn't rise.
His vision dimmed further, and the world became a smear of shadows.
"So that's it…"
Nobuko… looks like I won't be coming back to you."
A long, quiet breath escaped him.
The enemy's kunai drew closer.
The captain bit down hard.
Even if he died here—
He wouldn't let them walk away unharmed.
And then—
A kunai glowing with blue light tore through the air.
A sharp whistle, a flash—
And it buried itself in the enemy's chest.
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