Chapter 55

Shikaku couldn't help but smile at the Jonin's request and sighed, "Don't worry, the Grandmaster has done more than what we deserve. Every shadow puppet was personally created by the master, and even the chakra weapons have been modified by the master. As for the scrolls that you are referring to, he has allocated three scrolls each for elite Jonins, two for Jonin level, and one each for Chunin and Genin. You guys should understand that even the commanders of each front might not have such benefits, so don't be too greedy." With the promise of the highest-level scrolls from Shikaku, everyone's mood within the clan lightened.

Kazuki, even with his expertise in Fuinjutsu, could only create one or two of these scrolls each day, even if he employed the help of shadow clones. So the amount Shikaku shared was close to almost half a year's worth of Kazuki's efforts with a dedicated shadow clone. Kazuki had already released most of his shadow clones, leaving only two behind—one for creating medical scrolls and the other to study the Hiraishin. Normally, one would not be able to maintain the shadow clones if the host moved away by a large distance. Still, Kazuki was able to mitigate this issue with the use of fuinjutsu. He had also laid out a reverse summoning array so that he could send a new clone if he had to release the two clones due to some emergency. Kazuki was not naive enough to think that he could face all dangers with only a third of his chakra. Although he had a substantial amount of chakra, that was not a reason enough to be arrogant.

"Elder Kuroda, it will be up to you to run the clan efficiently while we are away. Although I have made plans for any eventuality, one cannot foresee all possible outcomes, so I hope you can do your best to lead the clan while we are away." Shikaku finally, after giving all the additional instructions, turned to an elderly man who was sitting near him. He was the senior-most elder of the Nara clan, from Shikaku's grandfather's generation. Although he was past his prime, his wit was still as sharp as ever, and Shikaku had no trouble leaving the clan under the old man's care. The old man simply nodded in acknowledgment of Shikaku's words.

Once the clan meeting concluded, Shikaku and Kazuki made their way back home for supper. It might be quite some time before the family could gather again, as the impending war cast a weight on Yoshino's face. Kazuki and Shikaku were heading out to battle, so the mood was a bit somber.

After dinner, Kazuki pulled out a box containing his new sword. Shikamaru showed interest in the weapon, understanding that anything his brother used must be special. Even Shikaku wanted to see the final product, as it was forged by a grandmaster blacksmith with fuin seals and rituals personally handled by Kazuki. According to what he gathered, the blade was entirely made from the core of a meteorite fragment, making it a true treasure.

Kazuki gestured for Shikaku to open the box, as he had carefully examined the final product before picking it up from Tenten's great-grandfather. Shikaku stepped up and opened the box, revealing a sheathed blade resembling a katana with a black handle and red stripes.

The blade, crafted from a meteorite fragment, possessed an otherworldly aura. Its pitch-black surface seemed to absorb the surrounding light, giving it an almost ethereal quality. The handle, adorned with red stripes, added a striking contrast, while the scabbard featured a black canvas with a seemingly innocuous red scenery that, upon closer inspection, revealed itself to be a complex array of closely packed fuin symbols. When unsheathed, the blade emanated an ominous chill, as if darkness itself were enveloping the wielder. The red flame-like patterns on the black surface added an element of danger, making it not just a work of art but a truly formidable weapon. Shikaku could feel the weight of its power as he held it, understanding the significance of the treasure now in his possession.

"Magnificent! This is a true killing weapon. Kazuki, even I am tempted to take this for myself, even though I am not proficient with a blade," said Shikaku. He took a few steps back, maintaining a safe distance, and went through basic sword stances. Although Shikaku claimed he wasn't handy with a blade, his form said otherwise. While he might not be a master, he was still proficient in handling a blade. As a Shinobi, killing was in their blood, so knowing how to handle various weapons was simply a given.

Shikamaru, who was observing the new blade, was simply smitten by it. He had stars in his eyes while admiring his brother's sword. "She is truly beautiful," Shikamaru couldn't help but comment, and Kazuki noticed how Shikamaru was referring to the blade as if it were a person.

He understood that the little Nara must have truly fallen in love with the weapon, so he mentally made a note to help craft Shikamaru a weapon of similar quality, as he still held enough of the core after forging the blade. From his estimate, although not enough for another full-length weapon, it should be sufficient for a tanto blade.

"Have you named it yet?" Shikaku, who was now done swinging the blade, sheathed it back and passed it to little Shikamaru, who carefully started admiring it along with Yoshino.

"No, uncle, I still haven't come up with a good name. Any ideas?" Kazuki couldn't help but ask because he knew that he wasn't good at names, so he turned to his uncle for suggestions. However, little Shikamaru looked at his brother with almost pleading eyes to let him name the blade.

"It looks so beautiful." Being a Kunoichi herself, Yoshino couldn't help but admire Kazuki's new weapon.

"Fine, Shikamaru, you can name the blade. Find something fitting, because in the future, this blade might be placed at the same status as those legendary ones like Kusanagi no Tsurugi and Totsuka no Tsurugi." Kazuki knew for a fact that, with all the effort he had put into making this blade, it could even rival the likes of those legendary swords.

Shikamaru, who heard Kazuki's words, was now more determined to find a fitting name for this pitch-black blade. As Yoshino and Shikamaru started discussing options, they finally settled on one within a few minutes.

"Big brother, she will be called 'Amatsukage no Megami,' or you can simply call her 'Amatsukage' for short. What do you think?" Shikamaru wanted to know if his brother liked the name. Goddess of Celestial Shadows—not a bad name. Kazuki liked it, so he gave a smile and a quick nod, which made his little brother happy.

"Kazuki, the sword must have cost you quite a lot. What if you lost it? Won't it be a shame?" Yoshino couldn't help but ask about the possibility of losing the brand new weapon that, from Kazuki's words, could rival those legendary weapons.

"You don't have to worry, Aunt Yoshino. This blade will remain with the Nara family. We can simply summon it back if I lose it in the field, and only someone with Nara blood can wield this weapon because I have left the sword's summoning scroll under the care of the Hell Beasts clan. So, they will guard it with their lives as long as they are connected to our clan." Kazuki explained the measures he had taken to safeguard the blade. Even if lost or stolen, he could summon it back, and the Hell Beasts readily agreed to his request.

"Kazuki Niisan, isn't the blade too long for you? I mean, it fits my father's size perfectly, so how will you be able to wield such a long blade?" Shikamaru asked curiously as he realized the blade was too long for Kazuki's current height. Kazuki chuckled and took the blade from Shikamaru's hand. The blade immediately resized itself to perfectly fit his stature. Everyone was surprised when they saw this.

"Ah, no wonder the blade felt so perfect in my hands." Shikaku couldn't help but comment because earlier, when he used the sword, it felt like it was custom-built to fit him. Shikaku understood that earlier he must have unconsciously willed it to be perfect for his size.

"Here, you try it. Think of the size of the blade that you are most comfortable with," Kazuki said while passing the blade over to Shikamaru.

Shikamaru picked up the blade again and started willing the blade to be different sizes. He even turned it into the size of a pocket knife. As he kept playing around, Yoshino quickly grabbed it, sheathed the blade, and returned it to Kazuki.

"Be careful out there. I will pray for both of your safe returns. Yoshino embraced Kazuki in a hug, with tears streaming down her face. Kazuki accepted the warm embrace because he knew how Yoshino must be really feeling.

The next morning, even before dawn broke, the commander of the Iwagakure front, the Senju princess, stepped forward to address the remaining commanding Shinobi. The main army, close to twelve thousand Leaf Shinobi, had already left towards the battlefield, and the ones remaining here were the highest officers among the army for the Iwa battlefield. Except for Shizune and Kazuki, everyone was an elite Jonin. There were close to a dozen people in all.

"Hiashi, has everything been prepared?" The Slug Sage questioned her deputy.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama, everything is set. With the three thousand troops already at the border, we will have close to fifteen thousand Shinobi on our side. We have already established a stable supply line for our forward troops," the Hyuga clan head answered. With a nod, Tsunade gestured for the remaining elites to move.

As they were traversing through the forest, Tsunade and Hiashi took the lead, followed by the rest. Even while moving at such high speeds, the Leaf Shinobi maintained a tight formation. They were far enough apart not to hinder each other's movements and close enough to help their teammates in case anyone needed support in the event of an ambush. Although Kazuki was only six years old, almost approaching seven, he could easily keep up with the rest.

"Do we know the enemy numbers and where exactly the battlefield would be?" Tsunade raised a question while moving towards the ANBU elite, who were part of their entourage.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama. From our recent estimates, we should be facing somewhere close to twenty-five to thirty thousand Iwa Shinobi. As for the battlefield, it's been spread out between the Land of Grass and Land of Waterfall, with the latter being their main forward base for staging attacks on both Leaf and Cloud as they have already fortified Taki village," the ANBU shared the latest intel they had acquired.

"What about the Rain Country? Has there been any movement?" Tsunade couldn't help but ask because she held a lot of memories when it came to the Rain village. The fact that Iwa hadn't stretched the battle lines all the way up to the Rain village was a surprise to her. Stretching the lines would be an advantage to Iwa, considering their greater numbers. Iwagakure, with its superior population, could field close to fifty-five thousand to sixty thousand troops at a single time. With half of their troops concentrated on Leaf, they should have left the remaining troops to deal with the cloud. Currently holding Takigakure, they hold a strategic advantage over both Leaf and Cloud.

"No, Tsunade-sama, there has been no movement within the Rain Country. They have been unusually silent. Even Iwa has stayed away from the rainy country," the ANBU shared.

Kazuki, who was listening to the conversation, understood that it must have something to do with Nagato and Akatsuki. Kazuki was worried because, for all he knew, Zetsu might be spying on them currently. Although his normal chakra detection range was vast, only his Kekkei Genkai could detect Zetsu's mayfly technique; the detection range of his bloodline limit was too short—only about eight hundred meters or so. Some might say that eight hundred meters to detect a specialized hiding technique like Zetsu's was grand, but Kazuki understood how cautious Zetsu was. While Zetsu might not be able to eavesdrop on or sneak up on Kazuki, monitoring his movements would be easy for Zetsu.