"Great!"

"Finally back on the battlefield again!"

Shiratori tried to suppress his excitement. Though the battlefield was full of dangers, to him, it was a treasure trove of emotional energy.

For the sake of emotional energy, what was a little battlefield?

He began packing his things in his apartment for the mission.

He needed to be fully equipped with ninja tools: kunai, shuriken, scrolls, wire, smoke bombs, explosive tags, poison, antidotes, long sword, armor...

After he had packed everything, he lay on his bed, stretched lazily in satisfaction, and casually tucked his hands behind his head.

He closed his eyes and waited for the next day to arrive.

---

Knock knock knock.

There was a knock on the door.

Shiratori opened his eyes on the bed. His internal clock told him it wasn't even 5 AM yet.

He jumped out of bed, got himself together, and opened the door.

Chiba appeared in front of him.

"Time to depart," he said simply and directly.

Shiratori blinked... this fast?

Was this what it meant to seize the initiative in war?

He nodded seriously. "I'm ready."

Chiba turned. "Follow me."

Shiratori suddenly paused as he was about to shut the door.

Noticing the boy hadn't followed, Chiba turned back to look at him, a hint of confusion in his eyes. Before he could ask, Shiratori darted back into the room. When he reappeared, there was a broom strapped to his back.

Chiba: "..."

Shiratori shut the door and let out a sigh of relief. Now he had everything. He walked beside Chiba, feeling faintly excited.

Out of the corner of his eye, Chiba kept glancing at the broom on his back.

He hesitated for a long time before finally asking, "Why are you bringing a broom? For the battlefield, it's best to travel light."

Shiratori patted the broom behind him. "This isn't just an ordinary broom."

Chiba looked left and right, but he truly couldn't tell what made this broom any different from a regular one.

"You'll see soon enough!"

Shiratori winked mysteriously at him.

Led by Chiba, he got closer and closer to the central tower of Ame.

Rain continuously poured over the iron tower. The muddy ground at the base of the tower splashed with every step.

Several ninjas stood silently in formation. They wore dark ninja uniforms, with armor on their chests and arms that reflected a cold glint in the dim light. Rain soaked their hair and clothes. They pressed their lips together, eyes sharp. A chilling atmosphere settled in, overwhelming even the sound of the rain.

At the front of the neat ranks of ninjas stood the striking figure of Hanzō. Clad in full armor, his signature gas mask fit tightly over his face. His pupils were deep as he stared straight ahead.

Suddenly, his gaze shifted slightly, turning to look in the direction of Shiratori and Chiba.

"Sensei!"

Shiratori quickly walked up to Hanzō. He stood by his side.

Chiba stood silently behind Hanzō, like a shadow.

Hanzō lowered his eyes and looked at Shiratori. "Are you afraid?"

Shiratori shook his head without a trace of hesitation. "Not at all."

Indeed, Hanzō saw no fear in his boy's eyes, only excitement and anticipation. He gripped the chain scythe in his hand tightly. The massive weapon seemed to weigh nothing in his grip.

"Good!"

Worthy of being Hanzō's student!

Hanzō turned his gaze to the assembled ninjas. His voice, muffled through his mask yet clear and commanding, cut through the wind and rain, resonating above everyone's heads with unquestionable authority.

"The Land of Wind is insatiably greedy, trying to turn our Land of Rain into their backyard. They mistake our longing for peace as weakness to be exploited."

He paused, his cold gaze sweeping across the iron-clad formation in front of him.

Wherever his eyes landed, the ninjas stood straighter, gripping their weapons more tightly.

"Today, we are no longer the silent ones in the rain."

"Today, we answer their provocation with weapons."

"Today, we declare the boundary, through war!"

The storm winds whipped the rain onto the faces and bodies of the ninjas.

They stared at him with blazing eyes, breathing heavily.

"For the future of the Land of Rain, move out!"

Hanzō let out a thunderous roar.

The ninjas vanished in a flash.

Like a black flood, they surged toward the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Wind.

He turned to Shiratori and said, "Your first challenge, keep up with us."

With that, his figure flashed several times, and he had already reached the very front of the formation.

Shiratori glanced at the broom on his back, then looked ahead at Hanzō.

Forget it, for now, better to use his abilities than risk falling behind and angering Hanzō later.

He sprinted after him.

Hanzō noticed him appearing by his side. While it wasn't hard for him to catch up, he knew Shiratori was fast, it would be difficult to maintain that speed consistently.

The rain never let up; instead, it grew heavier along the way. The freezing rain lashed mercilessly against everyone.

The roads quickly turned to mud, but it didn't slow the ninjas down.

Ame ninjas were used to the harsh weather of the Land of Rain.

Hanzō led the front, steady and fast. Now and then, he cast a glance at Shiratori running beside him.

Even now, the boy hadn't fallen behind.

The ninjas maintained astonishing discipline despite the harsh conditions. No one complained; each type of ninja stuck to their role.

Shiratori pulled out the broom from his back.

Hanzō noticed his movement, and a trace of doubt flashed in his eyes.

"Sensei, I can scout ahead for everyone," Shiratori said.

Hanzō looked at him. "We have sensory ninjas."

"I can see farther and more accurately."

With that, Shiratori mounted the broom, and shot into the sky.

Hanzō stopped in his tracks, staring up at the airborne boy in shock.

All the ninjas looked up as well, eyes wide, stunned speechless. The intense, warlike atmosphere immediately evaporated.

"This is awesome!" Shiratori beamed and patted the broom. "Way better than running!"

He slowly descended, hovering right in front of Hanzō, who stared at the broom. "What kind of ninjutsu is this?"

Shiratori opened his mouth and delivered the perfect explanation, "It's not ninjutsu, it's a cursed tool."

"A cursed tool?"

Hanzō eyed the broom suspiciously.

A curse... in the shape of a broom?