Even a single sensory ninja, dubbed a "radar," couldn't operate around the clock like a tireless machine. Without the aid of precise detection techniques or barriers, a lone sensory ninja's range could never achieve full regional coverage.
Yet, the arrival of Yamanaka Keiya undeniably brought immense value to the Firefly Organization.
To put it simply, it was as if the organization had been fumbling in pitch-black darkness before. Keiya's presence didn't turn night into day, but it was like being handed a flashlight. When rustling sounds echoed in the dark, they could now point the beam and expose most petty intruders in an instant.
Keiya's contributions extended beyond defense. His long-range sensory abilities gave the Firefly Organization a significant edge in gathering intelligence for offensive operations. With his guidance, they could pinpoint the optimal direction for an attack.
On the first day back in Kikyo Castle, while Keiya was probing the surroundings for intelligence, he immediately detected traces of an external intrusion. Why was he so certain it was an enemy? With the Firefly Organization's current scale, no team of ten or more would be dispatched without Hane Genma's direct orders. After all, their numbers were limited—how many could they even spare?
Sending out a dozen shinobi would imply a critical, urgent mission. In such cases, rather than mobilizing a large team, it would be far more efficient for Genma himself to take action. His operations were not only faster but also far less likely to encounter danger.
Thus, within the borders of Kawagen Country, any clustered group of mid-to-large-scale "chakra sources" could only be enemies executing an infiltration plan.
The series of recent battles had yielded little success for the surrounding hostile forces, but they had at least exposed Kawagen Country's weakness: a lack of wide-range detection capabilities. While their combat results were poor, their infiltration phases were often flawless. If they kept up these infiltration attempts, they'd eventually strike gold.
As the saying goes, even a blind sparrow finds food, and a blind cat stumbles upon a dead rat eventually, right?
Despite the losses Genma's counterattacks inflicted on these enemies, passive defense was akin to waiting for death. This situation even forced their adversaries to launch increasingly desperate offensives. Their battle rhythm had devolved into a predictable cycle:
Launch an attack—get wiped out—face infiltration and retaliation—lick their wounds, regroup, and attack again.
Undoubtedly, the surrounding ninja forces grew weaker with each cycle. Yet, they had no choice but to continue, having started this war themselves. Did they think they could just walk away? That would be treating war like a game.
Upon detecting the enemy intrusion, Genma immediately led a team to intercept. His haste bordered on clumsiness—admittedly, with a new "toy" in hand, he was eager to test it out.
Thus, including himself, Genma assembled a standard four-man squad and headed to the battlefield. The team consisted of Genma, Yamanaka Keiya, Nara Hideo, and Akimichi Kigetsu.
Guided by Keiya's "radar," the squad charged straight toward the enemy cluster. Genma made no attempt to conceal their approach or flank the enemy; they collided head-on.
"It's the Toyojo Clan from the west," Genma noted, identifying the enemy at a glance after numerous clashes with neighboring forces.
Likewise, the enemies recognized Genma, thanks to the distinctive full-armor covering his right arm, adorned with "demon horns."
"It's that Flame Shadow… What do we do? The infiltration's failed…" the enemies muttered.
Genma's reputation in the region had reached the point of "rising fame." To these rural ninjas, he was an intimidating figure, leaving them hesitant and caught in a dilemma. After all, they were here for stealth, not a frontal assault.
But Genma wasn't one for pleasantries. Standing with his hands at his sides, he tilted his head and gave a simple order: "Engage."
Yamanaka Keiya was the first to act, forming hand signs and unleashing a technique that enveloped most of the enemies in his range: Ninpō: Mind Disturbance Technique. This wasn't mind control—no Yamanaka, not even the clan's finest, could control so many enemies at once. But Keiya only needed to disrupt their minds for a fleeting moment. On the battlefield, a single lapse could mean the difference between life and death.
These rural ninjas, unrefined by urban warfare, were vulnerable to mental interference. Shaking off such a broad, low-intensity disruption wasn't difficult, but it still took a fraction of a second—time they didn't have.
Almost simultaneously, Akimichi Kigetsu's body swelled rapidly. With Expansion Jutsu followed by Human Bullet Tank, he rolled into the enemy ranks like a wild boar charging down a mountain. His reckless, spinning assault was guided by Nara Hideo, whose Shadow Binding Technique had already latched onto Kigetsu, steering his destructive path.
What started as a mid-scale skirmish quickly turned into a one-sided thrashing. Calling it target practice might be an exaggeration—it was more like bowling.
Kigetsu barreled through the dazed enemies, scattering them in a few chaotic spins. When the dust settled, no one was left standing. A couple of unlucky foes were crushed to death under his steamroller-like attack. The rest were merely maimed—missing arms, broken legs, shattered ribs, or snapped spines. They were alive but out of the fight.
Watching the scene unfold, Genma felt a pang of emotion. As the leader of the organization, he finally felt more like a commander than a frontline thug. Standing still while the enemy fell—what a beautiful sight. What could be more satisfying than mowing down foes himself? Watching his subordinates do it.
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio truly proved that 1+1+1 was greater than 3. A capable leader needed reliable followers. Sure, two of them were temporary loans from their clans, but could they really refuse a permanent position?
When negotiating their temporary assignment, the Yamanaka and Nara clan heads hadn't cared about the details. But now, Genma had made up his mind: Give them a raise. A big one.
Thirty minutes of preparation, three minutes of action—never had it felt so perfect. These enemies weren't here to fight; they were here to fuel Kikyo Castle's research efforts.
"Wrap it up," Genma said, suppressing a grin. "Take the captives."
Meanwhile, growth was a universal constant.
As Genma reveled in his growing authority as a leader, another individual stumbled upon a new path to strength.
"Ahem, how long was I out?" Senju Tobirama asked, feeling oddly awkward under Chihori's gentle smile.
"You're in Kikyo Castle," Chihori replied. "It's the first day since Genma brought you back, so… not too long, I suppose?"
She knew when Tobirama had woken but not when he'd passed out. A day? Two?
Judging by Chihori's words and the aching fatigue in his body, Tobirama suspected he'd been unconscious for far too long. Something wasn't right. Why had he lost consciousness for so long? He sensed a problem.
Noticing his grave expression, Chihori seemed to pick up on his thoughts. "Your injuries were severe and weren't treated promptly or properly, leading to excessive blood loss," she explained. "Your condition hit rock bottom, leaving you in a weakened state. Your chakra quality—"
"Don't beat yourself up," she continued. "Everyone has moments of weakness. You've probably been pushing yourself too hard, especially mentally."
Her words weren't empty comfort. Chihori saw echoes of Genma in Tobirama—both were the type to overthink. And if Tobirama weren't under immense mental strain, why would he have been shouting in his sleep during his collapse? Clearly, his usual rationality suppressed his emotions, and only in unconsciousness could they spill out.
"Hm? Was I… really?" Tobirama asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
Though Chihori was a stranger, her sincerity struck a chord. For some reason, Tobirama felt a twinge of vulnerability. Sometimes, a stranger's concern could pierce one's defenses more easily than a friend's.
He was a man weighed down by heavy thoughts. Within the Senju Clan, he was the younger brother in terms of lineage and strength, but in intellect, awareness, and management, he was the elder—sometimes even more mature than his father. His father was all about fighting, his elder brother was wise but dismissive of details, leaving Tobirama to shoulder the clan's survival. How could he not feel the pressure?
Add to that his recent ambush by the Hagoromo Clan, where his prized speed was completely suppressed. Combined with everything else, even an iron man would show cracks.
"Don't overthink it," Chihori said. "Clear your mind and get some rest."
With that, seeing Tobirama was stable, she left the room.
Tobirama understood her reasoning and knew she was right, but rest was impossible for him. As the ninja world's notorious skeptic, he couldn't just relax. Calming his restless mind, he extended his sensory range, enveloping all of Kikyo Castle.
Then, he detected an all-too-familiar chakra signature.
"Uchiha…" he muttered.
It belonged to an Uchiha ninja he'd once pursued. Realizing an enemy was here, Tobirama instinctively wanted to leap up and enter combat mode. Fortunately, despite his groggy state, his rationality held firm. This was Genma's territory, and Genma had saved him multiple times. As long as Tobirama had any shred of gratitude, he couldn't cause trouble here.
Suppressing his agitation, Tobirama also reaffirmed his suspicion that Genma was a cunning figure. Someone who could deceive him—Senju Tobirama—was undeniably sly. He vividly remembered their first meeting, when Genma had claimed never to have encountered an Uchiha ninja.
Yet, that Uchiha was still here. The truth was obvious.
In reality, Genma was being unfairly judged.
Tobirama's thoughts grew increasingly muddled. Lying in bed, he drifted back into sleep amid his chaotic musings, unaware of when he'd passed out again. His severe injuries and Genma's chakra-draining had taken a toll, even on a Senju's resilient body. He needed rest to recover.
About an hour later, after completing his battle plans and returning to Kikyo Castle, Genma learned Tobirama had woken and immediately went to check on him. In truth, it wasn't just a visit—Genma wanted to ensure Tobirama didn't act rashly. He knew Tobirama's sensory prowess would have detected Uchiha Nanami's presence, and he wanted to prevent any conflict.
Nanami was now a member of the organization, and Genma's priorities were clear.
Unlike his earlier unconscious state, Tobirama was now alert even in sleep. The moment Genma entered the room, his eyes snapped open.
"You're awake? Looking pretty good," Genma said casually, approaching the bed. He nudged Tobirama's shoulder. "Scoot over."
"Hm?" Tobirama, confused, shifted to the other side of the bed.
Genma produced a scroll, formed hand signs, and with a puff of smoke, a corpse appeared beside Tobirama, lying shoulder-to-shoulder with him.
"A Senju body. Returning it to you," Genma said.
He hadn't touched the corpse. Though a Senju body was valuable for research, no corpse was worth more than his relationship with Tobirama.
"Himaru…" Tobirama murmured, pain flashing across his face at the sight of his comrade's body.
The scene was bizarre, even for Tobirama, who'd emerged from countless battlefields and didn't shy away from death—especially not a clansman's. But a living man and a dead one lying side by side? It felt… off.
Then, Tobirama's gaze locked onto the scroll in Genma's hand.
Storing corpses in scrolls was no different from storing other items—a standard application of space-time ninjutsu widely used by major clans. Tobirama had never paid it much mind before. But Genma's act of unsealing the scroll sparked a revelation.
Why had Tobirama developed a technique as extraordinary as Flying Thunder God? Because he was one of the most exceptional sensory ninjas in history. His perception was vast, far-reaching, and precise, capable of detecting even the slightest spatial fluctuations within his range.
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