Naruto Shadow Mage

"Humph! Koshino, if I weren't here, where else would I be?"

If there was anyone Koshino least wanted to see when injured, it would undoubtedly be Nara Shikaku standing before him.

It wasn't that Koshino was afraid of Shikaku; rather, he didn't want him to see his in a weakened state.

Who cared the most about Koshino in the whole of Konoha? It wasn't the Fourth Hokage, nor was it his good friends like Guy, Kurenai, or Raido. It was his uncle, Nara Shikaku!

So, whenever he was injured, Koshino would avoid facing Shikaku.

Especially now, under Shikaku's stern gaze, Koshino could see a hint of pain hidden within, making his awkwardly scratch his head, keeping a foolish grin on his face.

But Guy, being the master of lightening the mood, wasn't one to miss a beat! Hearing Shikaku's cold grunt, while Koshino kept his awkward smile, Guy cautiously reminded Shikaku:

"Shikaku-sama, Koshino is in the Anbu now, so you must call his by his codename!"

"His codename is 'Shadow,' Shikaku-sama, please don't forget!"

"..."

Guy's reminder left Shikaku speechless, his cheek muscles twitching with frustration.

As for Koshino, he could barely hold back his laughter, almost giving Guy a thumbs up.

However, Shikaku couldn't lose his composure in front of Guy.

So, after a light cough, Shikaku said, "Um... Guy, I have some matters to discuss with Shadow. Could you please step outside for a moment?"

"Yes, Shikaku-sama!"

Knowing the close relationship between Koshino and Shikaku, Guy nodded with a smile and left the room without a fuss.

As Guy left, Koshino caught a faint murmur from him, revealing that Shikaku was the commander of Konoha's rear guard—a position of significant authority.

It turned out that after the Fourth Hokage dispatched the Blades Squad, which Koshino was a part of, he appointed Shikaku as the commander of the rear guard, leading the ninja forces back to the Land of Fire to confront the Mist forces that had infiltrated. As for the Fourth Hokage himself, he led the frontline troops in open combat with the Mist.

From Koshino's vantage point in the Konoha camp, the battle on the front lines led by the Fourth Hokage seemed well under control. The outcome now hinged on Shikaku's success in the rear guard's operations. The end of the conflict between Konoha and the Mist during the Third Shinobi War was drawing near.

However, as the battle reaches its climax, it also becomes the most intense and dangerous phase.

Since Shikaku had led his forces deep into the Land of Fire, the Blades Squad had constantly concerned him. On the one hand, he worried about Koshino's safety during their missions, and on the other hand, the squad's situation was directly tied to the outcome of the rear guard's efforts.

So, after learning about Shikaku's role from Guy, the silly smile that had been on Koshino's face disappeared.

Now, when Koshino looked at Shikaku, it wasn't with the gaze of a niece toward his uncle but with the respect and seriousness, one would show a commanding officer. his eyes grew more focused as he formally reported to Shikaku:

"Shikaku-sama, Shadow of the Blades Squad reporting back! I respectfully ask, how long was I unconscious?"

"Approximately six hours."

"Six hours?"

After silently calculating the time, Koshino took a deep breath and continued, "Shikaku-sama, about six hours ago, the Blades Squad was about to rendezvous with another Anbu squad from our side. However, at the meeting point, we were ambushed by a Mist squad. I fear the members of our Anbu squad were all killed by that Mist squad."

"The Mist squad included Juzo Biwa, Fuguki Suikazan, and six other Jonin-level Mist ninja. Although we managed to eliminate all the Mist squad members, the Blades Squad was left incapacitated by the Mist's death soldiers' trap, forcing us to retreat from the battle."

"As for what happened afterward, we encountered Guy and safely returned to our camp."

"Hmm, I already know most of this."

Listening to Koshino's report, Shikaku nodded slightly, thinking to himself that it was pure luck that Koshino had survived an encounter with two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Naturally, he had no intention of reprimanding Koshino for being injured again.

However, recalling that the Mist squad included Juzo Biwa and Fuguki Suikazan, Shikaku couldn't help but furrow his brow, asking, "Shadow, are you certain it was Juzo Biwa and Fuguki Suikazan?"

"Absolutely certain!"

Koshino nodded firmly, "Raido and Mō were incapacitated by Fuguki Suikazan's Samehada. The reason we had to fight to the death was due to Juzo Biwa's Blood Mist Jutsu. So yes, I am certain it was Juzo Biwa and Fuguki Suikazan who fought us."

"But if they were really involved, that's truly strange."

Despite Koshino's confirmation, Shikaku's frown only deepened. "Shadow, do you know that the Mist forces we're fighting are led by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen? According to our intelligence, Juzo Biwa and Fuguki Suikazan were still in the Mist's camp not long ago. How could they have split their forces to attack your squad?"

"Impossible!"

Before Shikaku could finish his sentence, Koshino gasped in disbelief.

But as soon as the words left his mouth, both Koshino and Shikaku fell into a contemplative silence.

It was clear that both had their suspicions, but neither was willing to voice them just yet.

Moreover, since Koshino was still recovering, Shikaku felt no need to burden his with more worries. After a long pause, he smiled and patted Koshino on the shoulder, saying, "Shadow, you did well. Leave the rest to your uncle. And don't worry about your teammates' injuries; you were the last one to wake up. Shisui, Raido, and Mō all regained consciousness much earlier. They just need a week or two to fully recover."

"So, for today, take the time to rest and temporarily put thoughts of missions aside."

"Since Shisui and the others need time to heal, the Blades Squad is temporarily disbanded. When they're fully recovered, you'll resume your missions together."

"That said, you still have other tasks to carry out while they're recovering."

"Prepare yourself—tomorrow, you'll report to Guy's squad!"

"I'm sure their captain will have plenty to teach you!"

With that, Shikaku turned to leave.

But Koshino, curious about who this captain might be, couldn't help but ask Shikaku, "Uncle Shikaku, who is the captain of Guy's squad?"

"The captain of Guy's squad, huh?"

Hearing Koshino's question, Shikaku turned around with a mysterious smile on his face.

Then, under Koshino's surprised gaze, Shikaku revealed something completely unexpected before leaving the room.

"Guy's captain is quite an interesting person."

"And Koshino, your future captain isn't a Jonin but a Genin!"