“Tsunade… um…”

  “Hm? What is it, Kaya?”

  “N-Nothing…”

  Kaya hesitated for a moment but ended up saying nothing.

  He was already beginning to sense what Madara might be pnning.

  Over the past few years, with the First Hokage, Hashirama, stepping into retirement and Tobirama taking his pce, the vilge had slowly and subtly developed an unease toward the Uchiha cn. And judging by the timeline, it was around this period that Madara cshed with the First Hokage in that legendary battle.

  There was no doubt that its impact would be monumental. Konoha would lose both of its pilrs, and every faction across the nd would begin to stir. The shinobi world would be plunged into chaos once more.

  If the greater consequences still seemed a little distant to Kaya, the impending death of the First would undoubtedly strike a devastating blow to young Tsunade. Over these past days, Kaya had come to realize that, to her, her grandfather mattered even more than her busy parents ever did.

  And yet, there was nothing Kaya could do to stop that destined csh. At his current level, he probably didn’t even have the right to stand in their presence, let alone change anything.

  “…Sigh.”

  Thoughts swirled chaotically through his mind as Kaya made his way home in silence.

  “Mom, I already ate lunch outside, no need to cook for me!”

  “Oh… okay…”

  His mother’s voice was subdued, too subdued.

  “…Hm?”

  Kaya instantly picked up on something being off.

  Her tone wasn’t just quiet—it was strange. Usually, she'd ask whose house he’d eaten at, but today, she didn’t probe at all. That wasn’t like her.

  A moment ter, Kaya stepped in front of her and saw her red-rimmed eyes—and the faint trails of tears on her cheeks.

  “Mom… what happened?”

  It was the first time he’d ever seen his mother like this. Panic crept into his chest, along with a sudden fear.

  “It’s nothing…” She forced a smile that was more painful than comforting. “Your father… he got injured. But he’s fine now. In a bit, go bring him some food, I still have things to do…”

  “Injured…?”

  Soon after, Kaya rushed toward Konoha’s hospital with a bento box in hand, anxiety gripping his chest.

  “You mean the patient named Yanichi?” The nurse quickly found his father’s records based on Kaya’s description.

  “Yes! That’s him!” Kaya nodded urgently. “How is he now?”

  “Let me see… he’s out of danger now, but it was touch and go for a while. I actually assisted with the operation this morning—left quite an impression. He had twenty-one wounds in total, six of which were nearly fatal. But he pulled through and is recovering well now.”

  “Six nearly fatal wounds… Thank god…”

  Relief flooded Kaya like a wave. His heart finally loosened its death grip on his ribs.

  But that relief was quickly repced by worry.

  The First Great Ninja War… it couldn’t be far off. Once it started, someone at his father’s level would be in real danger. Even without a full-scale war, the life of a shinobi was already riddled with peril. Just like what happened this time…

  A swirl of emotions in his chest, Kaya walked quietly to the door of his father’s hospital room. Inside, he heard voices—his father was talking with someone else.

  Thanks to Kaya’s sharp hearing and the bustling noise around the hallway masking his presence, the two inside hadn’t noticed someone was quietly standing just outside.

  Not that they were talking about anything particurly secret. That’s probably why they hadn’t bothered to be cautious.

  “I still can’t believe you managed to stop that guy, Yanichi. He was definitely jōnin-level… I honestly thought you were a goner…”

  A middle-aged man’s voice carried from inside, full of lingering shock.

  “But seriously, Yanichi, you’ve been pushing yourself too hard. Taking on missions nonstop, and not just any missions—B-rank, high difficulty. If you keep this up, you’ll—”

  Kaya’s father just chuckled, saying nothing to refute it.

  “Captain, that st mission… it should qualify for an upgrade to A-rank, right?”

  “Yeah. No doubt about it.”

  “Good… That means, with this A-rank mission under my belt, I should finally have enough merit points to redeem that Fire Release jutsu…”

  At that moment, Kaya froze in pce outside the door.

  He’s doing this… for me.

  In Konoha, merit points—or shinobi commendations—were a separate reward system. Based on mission rank, a shinobi could accumute them to exchange for weapons, jutsu, or even rarer items.

  And his father was an Earth Release user. He had no use for a Fire Release technique.

  So why take on all those deadly missions, risk his life over and over?

  The answer was obvious.

  He wanted to trade those points for a powerful jutsu Kaya could use—something that might help him survive the battlefield.

  Then Kaya remembered what the nurse had said: twenty-one injuries. Six almost fatal.

  His hands trembled, his eyes went red.

  He couldn’t stop shaking.

  A few nights ter, Kaya’s father—still bandaged, still recovering—called him into his room.

  “This jutsu is called Fme Bullet. It’s only C-rank, but its practicality exceeds many B-rank jutsu. Make sure to train with it.”

  He handed over a scroll, his expression calm, like it was no big deal.

  “I…”

  Kaya looked at the scroll, then at the bloodstained bandages wrapped around his father’s body.

  And again, that image surged in his mind—a lone shinobi, bloodied but unyielding, standing his ground against a powerful enemy.

  There was no question.

  This jutsu had been bought with his father’s life.

  Even if his tone was casual, Kaya could imagine what it must’ve taken to get it.

  Looking at the scroll, a phrase popped into his mind:

  If I can, if I have it… I’ll give it to you.

  His father may not be powerful. He didn’t come from a great cn. The jutsu he gave Kaya wasn’t legendary or rare.

  But he’d given everything he could.

  “Dad… you’re amazing. To me, you’re the coolest, strongest dad in the world.”

  “Hm?”

  At those words, a proud smile tugged at the corners of Yanichi’s mouth. He didn’t know Kaya had overheard anything—he just thought his son was finally starting to admire him.

  But his smile didn’t st long. He quickly put on a serious face again.

  “Ahem. Show some respect—call me ‘Honored Father.’”

  “Yes, Honored Father!”

  “Good. Make sure you practice that jutsu. The sooner it becomes part of your arsenal, the sooner you’ll be able to survive in this world. Only then can I rest easy…”

  Kaya nodded solemnly, suppressing the surge of emotions in his heart.

  “I won’t let you down. I won’t just survive—I will become someone truly powerful.”

  “Mm.” Yanichi nodded softly. Then, smiling faintly: “I never doubted it. I’ve always believed in you.”

  Kaya, who had held back his tears this whole time, finally couldn’t anymore.

  Everyone else doubted him. They said he had no talent. No future.

  But his father never wavered—not once.

  In that moment, Kaya thought back to his past life.

  Maybe… being a father really is a kind of greatness.

  Later, as Kaya’s father watched him leave, something flickered in his eyes.

  “…Could he have figured it out?”

  Meanwhile, standing under the bright night sky, Kaya wiped his eyes and drew a deep breath.

  In just that instant, he felt like he’d grown a lot.

  He clenched his fists.

  And in his gaze—unshakable determination.

  For the first time ever, Kaya Shihōin felt an overwhelming hunger for strength.