In the Land of Fire, beneath a Buddha statue along a small path, Ye Zi and his group retrieved a simplified defense map of Konoha.
The map was drawn by Kabuto, Orochimaru's spy in Konoha. Likely out of caution to avoid exposing his identity, the map wasn't comprehensive, but it was sufficient for their purposes.
Ye Zi glanced over it briefly before tossing it to Orochimaru, as he would be the one controlling the Edo Tensei corpses. Based on the map, Orochimaru could decide the most strategic locations to deploy them.
The key was ensuring that Dan Kato confronted Tsunade to suppress her abilities, while Hatake Sakumo would be deployed in areas with a high concentration of enemies to fully unleash his "killing machine" potential.
Ye Zi gazed down the path, muttering to himself, "Kotoe, wait for me."
With that, the group of four pressed onward.
....
Meanwhile, in Konoha, unaware of Ye Zi's imminent arrival, the village remained peaceful.
Since the war had ended, Konoha had developed rapidly. With the absence of conflict, the mortality rate among shinobi had plummeted, and the village's growth had seen a sharp upward trend.
Shops lined the streets, with more opening every day. The spacing between buildings grew smaller as new structures were built, though careful planning ensured the village felt vibrant rather than overcrowded.
In the bustling commercial district, one of the busiest streets, a group of young people strolled along, chatting and laughing. Among them were Guy, Rin, Obito, Asuma, Hayate, Genma, and Anko but Kakashi was noticeably absent.
"It's ridiculous. He said he needed to train!" Obito grumbled, pouting.
"Training is the sweat of youth poured out with relentless effort!" Guy exclaimed, clenching his fist passionately. "But it could also be done after dinner!"
Obito gave him an exasperated look and retorted, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"I'm so moved!" Guy suddenly declared, tears streaming down his face.
Obito jumped in surprise, staring in confusion before yelling, "What are you even moved by?! What's so touching about this?!"
Guy, ever serious, replied, "Kakashi chose youth over a good meal!"
"…" Obito nearly stumbled and fell, utterly unable to keep up with Guy's logic.
Up ahead, Kurenai couldn't help but rub her forehead and sigh. "Guy… Even in a few years, you'll still be like this, won't you?"
"Red huh, your dress is beautiful! It suits you so well!" Rin chimed in, admiring Kurenai's red dress.
The dress fit Kurenai perfectly, accentuating her graceful figure and adding a touch of elegance to her appearance.
Flattered by Rin's compliment, Kurenai smiled brightly. "Of course! This dress is…" She suddenly paused, falling silent mid-sentence.
"What's wrong?" Rin asked curiously.
Kurenai smiled again and replied, "Nothing."
Earlier, while deciding what to wear for her birthday, she had come across this red dress tucked away in her wardrobe for years. On a whim, she decided to wear it.
This dress had been a gift from Ye Zi during a mission long ago. At the time, she had been too young to wear it, so it had remained unworn. To her surprise, it now fit perfectly.
"It looks amazing," Asuma said suddenly, his gaze flickering shyly toward Kurenai.
"Yeah, it really suits you!" Hayate and Genma added, joining in.
Anko, ever bold, hooked an arm around Kurenai's neck and teased, "Come on, tell us, who gave you this dress as a birthday gift?"
"It's not a birthday gift. I've had it for a long time," Kurenai replied with a slightly strained smile.
"Really? But it fits you so well," Anko remarked curiously.
Guy, observing the scene, instinctively touched the tan wallet in his pocket. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, he flipped forward into a handstand, walking on his hands as he joined the group.
"Let's have a race! Handstand walking to the 'Delicious Barbecue' shop! Whoever gets there first can eat the most, how about it?" Guy exclaimed loudly.
"There's no beating you in that!" Obito, Asuma, Hayate, and Genma chorused in unison, rolling their eyes.
"Youth is full of limitless possibilities!" Guy shouted enthusiastically.
"…" The four stared at him in disbelief.
Rin sighed softly but then noticed Anko's intrigued expression. To her shock, Anko flipped forward and joined Guy in a handstand walk.
"This sounds fun! I'm in!" Anko declared.
Rin stood frozen for a moment before sighing helplessly. "Anko, this isn't a good idea…"
Anko laughed. "Don't worry about it, it's fine!"
Seeing Anko, a girl, showing a competitive spirit, Obito couldn't sit still either. He assumed a handstand position and called out to Rin and Kurenai, "Why don't you join in too?"
"Join your head, idiot!" Rin and Kurenai shouted in unison, lightly scolding him. Both were wearing dresses, so it was impossible for them to participate in handstand walking.
Obito pouted and muttered to himself, Fine, don't join if you don't want to. No need to scold me.
Asuma and the others, feeling a mix of helplessness and amusement, also joined the handstand walking contest, turning it into a casual competition.
Thus, an unusual scene unfolded on the bustling western street—a group of young people walking on their hands as if competing in a handstand race.
If Kakashi had witnessed this, he would likely have sighed in relief, thinking how right he was to skip this outing.
"Oh! The youthful competition begins!" Guy shouted excitedly and, without hesitation, shot forward, leaving a trail of dust in his wake, much to the dismay of the others.
The group stared blankly as Guy disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving them momentarily dumbfounded.
Obito pushed off slightly, flipping upright, and said, "Forget it, let's not compete anymore."
The others nodded in agreement and returned to their feet.
"So typical…" Kurenai smiled helplessly as she realized everyone had effectively left Guy out to dry. She glanced in the direction Guy had vanished, knowing he was trying to help her out of an awkward situation.
Before long, the group arrived at the Barbecue restaurant, where they ordered an enormous amount of grilled meat and began eating enthusiastically.
"Mmm, so good!" Obito said with a satisfied grin as he stuffed his mouth with barbecue.
"Be careful not to choke," Rin reminded him gently.
Obito swallowed his food with a gulp and waved dismissively. "Don't worry, I won't."
Guy quickly polished off his portion and eagerly turned to Kurenai. "Can I order another serving?"
Kurenai chuckled and replied, "It's on me today, so eat as much as you like."
"Great!" Guy cheered and immediately ordered ten servings of barbecue.
"…" Kurenai was speechless.
Around the table, everyone ate to their heart's content, enjoying the lively atmosphere.
But in the midst of their merriment, a sudden explosion echoed from outside. The ground beneath the restaurant trembled slightly from the shockwave.
Startled, the group immediately fell silent. As shinobi, their first reaction was enemy attack. They put down their chopsticks and rushed outside.
In the distance, a cloud of dust rose into the sky, coming from the northeast section of the village, near the residential area, more specifically, the training grounds.
"An enemy attack?!" Their faces grew serious as they exchanged worried glances.
"I'll check it out," Guy said, sprinting toward the source of the explosion without hesitation.
The others quickly exchanged a look and followed Guy.
...
Northeast Training Grounds
Kakashi stood with his short sword in hand, his expression cold and murderous as he glared at the man before him.
That man… was Ye Zi.
If you want to read more...
Check out the patreon and get 55 chapters in advance -> SaintXI
Currently on Chapter 465 - The Experiment