Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 419 Pre-Battle Mobilization

Fugaku Uchiha's words still echoed in my ears: "Go and embrace your stars and the sea." It carried a hint of teasing from an elder to a younger person, yet it also contained a heavy expectation.

Obito Uchiha forcefully threw the candied hawthorn skewer in his hand into the roadside trash can with a loud clang.

The sweet and sour aftertaste of hawthorn still lingered on his tongue, but a hotter, more intense emotion had already exploded from his chest and surged wildly through his limbs.

The vast universe.

He started running, and the streets of Konoha beneath his feet were no longer the leisurely place they usually were.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the village changed.

That change was quite remarkable.

The Akimichi family's barbecue restaurant still wafted an enticing aroma, while buds of flowers were displayed at the entrance of the Yamanaka family's flower shop. The sounds of children playing and laughing could be heard from inside the walls of the ninja academy.

The appearance of peace remained unchanged, but a tense atmosphere had been quietly stirred.

The ninjas on the road noticeably quickened their pace.

Obito recognized it; it was the focused and chilling aura before a mission began.

He rushed to the logistics department of Konoha. It was already a scene of bustling activity.

Those coming and going here include Hyuga clan ninjas, whose white eyes appear exceptionally calm in the tense atmosphere; members of the Inuzuka clan; and many more, ninjas like Obito, with somewhat childish faces but striving to stand tall.

"Obito, over here!"

A voice shouted.

Obito looked in the direction of the sound and saw a senior member of the Uchiha clan distributing equipment. It was a brand-new dark blue combat uniform with the Konoha vortex symbol on the chest and back, and a fan and sword and shield badge on the armband.

"Your size, change into these now!"

The senior tossed over a set of clothes and a sealing scroll, "Team Seven under Lord Minato, assemble directly at the Central Training Grounds, don't be late!"

"yes!"

Obito's voice trembled with excitement as he clutched the combat uniform, which still smelled of new fabric, his heart pounding.

This is no longer a drill.

He, Obito Uchiha, is about to step onto the real battlefield as a member of the Konoha Peacekeeping Force.

He would follow behind that blond teacher, that genius who always had a grumpy face, and the girl he wanted to protect the most.

Go and see that vast ocean of stars that belongs to him.

……

Meanwhile, at another location in the village, the gathering point for the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho, the atmosphere was somewhat... subtle.

Nara Shikaku, sporting his signature pineapple hairstyle, is sprawled on a giant map of the ninja world, looking like he might fall asleep at any moment.

In front of him were more than a dozen scrolls, each containing the latest intelligence on the borders of the Land of Rain, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Wind.

"Ugh... this is so troublesome..."

His voice trailed off, filled with the weariness of a hangover.

"Why bother with such a complicated designation as the Peacekeeping Force under the Hidden Leaf Village of the Ninja World? Why not just call it the Expeditionary Force? Just drafting the operational procedures and combat guidelines for this force took up several minutes of my slacking-off time."

Nearby, Akimichi Choza, who was spreading honey on the soldiers' rations, smiled憨厚ly upon hearing this.

"Shikaku, you can't say that. Captain Minato definitely has his reasons. Besides, the word 'peace' sounds much better than 'expedition,' doesn't it?"

As he spoke, he carefully placed a finished product into a specially made food box, his movements as reverent as if he were handling a work of art.

Yamanaka Inoichi stood tall and elegant. He did not participate in the conversation between the two. Instead, he closed his eyes, formed hand seals, and invisible spiritual fluctuations spread from his body, performing a final check with the communication node.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, his long golden hair drawing a bright arc in the morning light.

"All communication lines have been tested and are ready. Captain Shuimen's command unit can access the entire battlefield channel at any time."

His words were concise and precise: "Shikaku, stop complaining. Your father, Lord Shikagura, has already submitted the risk assessment and logistical pressure report for this operation to the Hokage. The comment about you on it says that although my son is lazy, he is still useful."

Nara Shikaku's expression froze instantly, and he covered his face in pain.

"I knew it... the old man would definitely take this opportunity to exploit me. Haiyi, Dingzuo, let's make this clear first, the food standards for this trip must be at the highest level, otherwise my brain won't be able to function."

"rest assured!"

Choza Akimichi thumped his chest, making the "food" stigma on his armor vibrate loudly. "I brought enough top-grade Konoha pork jerky for three months, plus Hokage-level special rice balls personally baked by Sakumo-senpai that can enhance chakra recovery speed!"

Listening to his companions' conversation, Nara Shikaku sighed deeply and got up from the map.

A glint of shrewdness, unnoticed even by himself, flashed in his seemingly lazy eyes.

Although he complained about the trouble, his mind had already begun to conduct tens of thousands of simulations based on the complex information.

The weaknesses of the three-village alliance, the terrain of the Land of Rain, the possible internal conflicts in the Hidden Cloud Village... countless clues intertwined in his mind, gradually forming a clear network leading to victory.

……

"Youth! This is the youth called 'going to war'!"

"Oh my god! Father! I feel my blood boiling!"

The training ground at the easternmost edge of Konoha Village has a completely different art style from the rest of the village.

Matt Day and Matt Kay, father and son, were doing push-ups upside down using only one finger. Sweat soaked the ground beneath them, radiating scorching steam.

They had no maps, no scrolls, not even decent weapons. All they had were two sets of iconic green bodysuits and two hearts burning hotter than the sun.

"Kai! Remember the rules we set for ourselves!"

Matt Day's voice boomed like a bell, full of energy even when he was upside down, "For this mission, our daily training volume has doubled! Before we reach the battlefield, we'll complete the goal of running one hundred laps around the unit!"

"Yes, Father!"

Might Guy responded excitedly, "I promise you! I will use my Leaf Whirlwind to clear all obstacles for the village in this battle! And I will prove to Kakashi that I am a formidable opponent!"

Not far away, the ANBU ninja responsible for gathering them watched the father and son expressionlessly.