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Hearing the sudden sound, everyone was momentarily startled. But soon, expressions of surprise spread across their faces as they recognized the voice—it was Tsunade's long-awaited sensei, Fumori Masaki.

Masaki stood at the doorway, observing the group and focusing on Maitreya. A hint of surprise flickered in his eyes. He had known that the Land of Demons preserved many traditional elements of Ninshū, but he hadn't expected them to retain such ancient chakra techniques.

Because of their tradition, the Land of Demons' chakra usage differs from that of samurai or ninja. However, due to changing times, they had to compromise and began learning the Yin-style nature transformation. Yet, it seemed the Miko continued to follow the old Ninshū practices.

Likely, due to their revered status, the Mikos never engaged in combat and thus had no need to learn battle-ready ninjutsu. Their approach had remained untouched by time, though it probably differed somewhat from the original practices of Ninshū's chakra bearers.

Regardless, the Land of Demons' Miko had significant influence over the revival of Ninshū. Masaki saw this as an opportunity to forge a close relationship between the Land of Demons and the ninja world—an alliance that could serve future peace.

"Masaki-sensei, you're finally back! What took you so long?" Tsunade sighed in relief, her eyes filled with worry.

Masaki gave an apologetic smile. "The enemy was more troublesome than anticipated. It took some time to gather enough intel."

"So, it's confirmed—our enemy is a ninja," Hattori Heizo immediately picked up on Masaki's implication.

Masaki nodded. "Yes, they're ninja."

Maitreya's face turned serious. "A ninja? From which nation, I wonder… though I could only speculate based on the occasional glimpses of the other ninja villages I saw in my dreams."

"The Land of Lightning, perhaps?" Tsunade suggested.

Masaki chuckled, slightly amused. "It's logical to think that way. After all, historically, only the Land of Lightning has pursued things this aggressively."

Even in later years, the Land of Lightning had a reputation for collecting secret techniques and unique bloodlines, often putting pressure on other nations. The Second Raikage had shifted away from the nation's traditional militaristic ways after the Golden and Silver Brothers' rebellion, adopting policies closer to Konoha's peace-focused approach. While Masaki didn't know if the Raikage would remain committed to peace in the future, for now, the Land of Lightning's ninja village was walking a gentler path.

"So… if it's not the Land of Lightning, then where?" Tsunade asked, visibly perplexed.

"Yugakure," Masaki replied, surprising everyone, including Maitreya.

Though she didn't know much about other ninja villages, Maitreya had heard of Yugakure in the Land of Hot Water, which lay not far from the Land of Demons. Her mother once told her that Yugakure had greatly reduced its militaristic power. It was unexpected that such a nation would send shinobi here.

Tsunade and the others shared similar disbelief. With the current peace treaties, none of the great nations dared act recklessly. Any covert operation seemed likely only from a powerful nation, making Yugakure's involvement baffling.

"Are you sure, Masaki-sensei?" Hatake Sakumo asked, frowning.

"There's no mistake—it's Yugakure," Masaki confirmed. "But this isn't sanctioned by Yugakure itself. These shinobi are likely from a newly rising organization within the Land of Hot Water that worships a dark deity. Originally, they seemed focused on spreading their doctrine, but it seems they've infiltrated the ninja ranks as well."

"An evil god?" Maitreya gasped. "I've heard of these people! They despise the Land of Demons' beliefs. My mother once told me they're hostile toward us, and some even committed murders here in the past. They were only regular people then, but to think ninja are now among them…"

Maitreya's reaction was understandable. Ordinary followers of this evil religion could be dealt with easily, but with shinobi now part of this faction, the Land of Demons faced a serious threat. Unlike the great nations, they lacked elite warriors who could match shinobi.

"Is this evil cult really that powerful? It's hard to believe they'd influence ninja," Sakumo said, skeptical.

"Why not? In the Ninshū's prime, nations across the land recognized it as their state religion. If faith once permeated every land, it's not hard to believe that ninja might follow this darker belief," Hattori replied.

Sakumo shook his head. "But comparing Ninshū to these evil deity followers feels… wrong."

"True, but in principle, they're similar. Just as faith once shaped nations, this evil cult is shaping minds—even in Yugakure. We're fortunate it's only a few individuals and not the entire village," Heizo added.

"If the entire village fell to this belief, we'd be on the brink of another shinobi war. Even a few extremists among them could ignite a major conflict," Masaki said grimly.

Maitreya nodded. "Masaki-sama is right. The evil cult thrives on violence. Unlike Ninshū's emphasis on peace, these followers crave war. They view lives as sacrifices to their god. My mother met some of their captured followers—there's no reasoning with them."

"In that case, we need to eliminate them. Masaki-sensei, what's the enemy's strength? Do we need reinforcements from the village?" Heizo asked.

Heizo wanted to engage in battle himself, but if Masaki found these foes troublesome, then they might be beyond his team's skill level.

Masaki looked at him. "This mission is beyond standard experience, so we'll need village support."

He paused, his voice more serious. "One of their leaders is especially dangerous."

Tsunade and the others didn't recognize the enemy he mentioned, but from Masaki's tone, they could tell this person was likely a renowned figure. Masaki rarely exhibited such solemnity, even when discussing powerful shinobi.

"Still, I want you all to observe and gain experience. Besides their leader, the other foes should still be within your observational range," he said.

This raised the group's spirits. They didn't want their mission to be a mere sightseeing tour of the Land of Demons. Even if just observing, there would be valuable lessons to be learned.

"Well, it's late. Time to get some rest." Masaki clapped his hands, signaling that the kids should go to bed.

"Okay!" Tsunade said playfully as she ran to the door. "Get some rest too, Sensei! See you in the morning."

Once they had left, Maitreya approached Masaki. "Would you like to meet my mother? Given the enemy's nature, I think it'd be wise to discuss this with her."

"Let's wait until morning. You both must be tired from training," Masaki said gently.

"I'm used to it, and Miko training maintains my energy. I'm not as tired as you think, Masaki-sama," Maitreya replied.

Masaki considered her statement, realizing the Miko training might share similarities with the spiritual aspects of Sage Mode. It improved energy and mental resilience, which aligned with his goal to make Sage Mode more accessible by reducing its physical toll.

"Still, young bodies need proper rest," he advised with a smile.

In his room, Masaki unfurled a ninja-exclusive intelligence scroll and detailed the events, requesting reinforcements from Konoha. This enemy was beyond the scope of ordinary missions, requiring specialized skills. He decided to ask for Hyūga Kei and the others—trusted allies who had proven their loyalty and skill.

After finishing, he prepared a summoning scroll, designed to bypass the usual contract requirements, for a Konoha-trained ninja hawk. Tying his scroll to its leg, Masaki sent the hawk off toward the village and stood quietly, thinking of the plans needed until reinforcements arrived.