Chapter 31: The Civilian Ninja

"How is Kakashi doing?" Minato asked softly as he looked at the now-awake Kakashi, directing his question to Rin Nohara.

They were hiding in a cave deep within Iwa's territory, which was essentially the heart of enemy land. Kai and his group had taken refuge here. Since arriving in the Land of Grass, Kai had lost count of how many caves they'd hidden in.

However, this time the situation was dire. Being in the core of Iwa's forces in the Land of Grass meant that every hour, even every minute, they were at risk of being discovered.

Kakashi's condition was particularly concerning. Minato had considered taking him back to Konoha's base immediately, but Kakashi's state couldn't withstand the strain of a Flying Thunder God technique. Attempting such a journey might kill him.

Thus, Minato had no choice but to let Kakashi receive treatment here, despite the danger. Once Kakashi's condition stabilized a bit, they could then attempt to return him to Konoha's base.

Kakashi, despite his dire condition, showed why he was a genius who had graduated and entered the battlefield at age five. He seemed to have developed a special muscle memory, allowing him to make slight evasive maneuvers and use chakra for minor defenses even under extreme conditions.

Kitsuchi's primary focus was Kai, and while his attitude towards Kakashi wasn't exactly lenient, it was somewhat dismissive, which allowed Kakashi to survive.

"Although his condition is bad, I've stabilized him," Rin said softly, as the sole medical ninja in the group. "But Kakashi must be sent back as soon as possible. I can only stabilize him here; proper treatment can only happen back at base."

"I understand," Minato nodded. "I'll get him back, along with Hyuga Chunin."

Compared to Kakashi, Aya's situation was much better. Despite having both her arms broken, it wasn't too serious. Unlike Lee, who had the misfortune of encountering a Jinchuriki, resulting in his bones being completely shattered by Gaara, Aya's condition was more typical of battlefield injuries.

Her critical condition was due to being struck by a rock ninja named Genki, causing internal bleeding. Rin's examination had found some internal bleeding, but it was nothing compared to Kakashi's state. Thus, after a brief treatment for Aya, Rin focused on Kakashi.

With both Kakashi and Aya out of commission, only Kai and Kenta remained to carry out the mission.

Minato sighed, patting Rin's shoulder gently before stepping out. He needed to observe the situation outside. Kenta alone couldn't be trusted, even with Kai also keeping watch. Kai had exhausted his chakra yesterday and was still recovering. The front lines were too unstable to swap out personnel; Minato even considered pulling them all back.

"How's it going?" Minato asked in a whisper, appearing like a ghost beside Kai, who was hidden in a tree.

"Not good," Kai shook his head. "Kenta has already taken out three squads, all Chunin and Genin. But if this keeps up, we can't hold out much longer."

Iwa ninjas weren't fools. They would surely notice if they were missing people, and a quick check of their patrol areas would reveal Kai's group's hiding spot.

Minato understood this, frowning as he thought of a strategy. Kai, meanwhile, was watching Kenta with interest. Despite knowing Kenta was strong, seeing him in action was eye-opening.

Kenta's blade work was exceptionally sharp and deadly, complemented by his sensing abilities, making his stealth attacks nearly as effective as Kai's Sharingan and body flicker techniques.

However, Kenta had clear weaknesses. Despite his strong swordsmanship, large chakra reserves, and good speed, he knew fewer jutsus.

This made sense; Kenta was a typical civilian ninja. Not everyone was as fortunate as Minato, who not only had immense talent but also had Jiraiya as a teacher, giving him access to techniques like the Flying Thunder God.

Even Jiraiya's rise was somewhat lucky, originally just a token member of the Sannin meant to balance Sarutobi's student roster. Ninja society often preached love and mutual understanding, but these ideals were politically motivated. True believers in these concepts were rare, like Jiraiya, Minato, and in the future, Naruto Uzumaki.

The reality was that clans and a few powerful individuals held most of the power. In peacetime, their talk of mutual understanding and love was possible, but during war, such sentiments were disregarded.

These clans and elites also controlled the resources. Even in Naruto's era, this power dynamic persisted. Most of the notable Konoha Twelve came from prominent families. Few were true civilians.

Take Might Guy, an outlier with one civilian student, while the others came from prestigious backgrounds like the Hyuga clan. Naruto's own status as the Fourth Hokage's son and a Jinchuriki set him apart. Sakura Haruno, the only other civilian, was uniquely positioned between Naruto and Sasuke, serving as a bridge.

Other graduates often had less prominent roles and lacked the detailed training provided to the elite. Without adequate resources and mentors, civilian ninjas faced a tough climb.

As Kai pondered these thoughts, Kenta suddenly drew his short sword and dashed towards a target.

(Chapter End)