After leaving the village, Kazuyama Gekkō headed straight for the border of the Land of Fire.
Tsunade had led her team out just half a day earlier than him.
When he was more than halfway there, he suddenly came across a group transporting wounded soldiers, prompting him to stop.
"Yo? Isn't that Captain Gaku Inuzuka?"
"What happened? Got yourself injured in glory? Hey, isn't that your big yellow dog? Look at that concern in his eyes."
With a Body Flicker Technique, he appeared beside an old acquaintance. The surrounding guards immediately drew their blades toward him, but upon seeing his face, they all quickly sheathed their weapons.
Come on, this was one of the famed Konoha Twin Stars—the Ghost of Konoha—now a well-known figure in the village. How could they not recognize him?
Gaku grinned when he saw Kazuyama, but the movement tugged at his wounds, making him gasp in pain.
"You little brat, you finally showed up. The front lines are hell right now."
"Iwagakure's fighting like it's gone insane, and on top of that, there's a swarm of poisonous bees everywhere..."
"I got crushed by a pile of rocks while trying to dodge them. If Dōtō hadn't risked his life to pull me out, I'd have died right there."
Hearing this, Kazuyama got a clearer sense of how brutal the war really was.
After all, Gaku was a veteran from the Inuzuka Clan, a seasoned warrior who had fought all over. If even he was in this state, the situation had to be dire.
"Lady Tsunade has set up a temporary camp. Go on, Kazuyama—show those bastards the true power of Konoha."
Gaku knew exactly how strong Kazuyama was. With him at the front, the pressure would definitely ease.
This veteran had always been supportive of the younger generation.
"Ah man, hearing that from a senior makes me feel shy."
"But hey, big bro, I do need a favor from you."
Kazuyama gave a slight smile. For some reason, that smile struck Gaku as a little... off.
But for the sake of victory, Gaku didn't hesitate. He nodded broadly.
"Say the word. If it's something I can help with, I'm all in."
Kazuyama's smile widened.
He suddenly grabbed Kimarō by the neck and flipped himself onto its back.
Kimarō, Gaku's big yellow dog, was a veteran of countless battles—not something just anyone could approach. But Kazuyama had fought alongside them before.
Recognizing his scent, Kimarō didn't resist—but it definitely didn't expect the guy to just hop onto its back like that.
A disgruntled bark rang out, leaving Gaku dumbfounded.
Before he could react, Kazuyama was already riding off on Kimarō, chasing the setting sun.
"Senior, I've had my eye on Kimarō for a while. You're injured anyway, so let him fight alongside me this time."
"Kimarō! Let's hit the battlefield!"
Gaku was speechless. Kimarō was just as stunned.
"Hey! Kimarō! Let's move!"
"You've got four legs—you're way faster than my two. Didn't you see your master already gave the green light?"
"Let's head to the battlefield and rack up some glory. That's the best way to repay your master!"
Not giving either Kimarō or Gaku a chance to snap out of it, Kazuyama suddenly hurled a kunai imbued with his technique—its force astonishing. A moment later, the Flying Thunder God Technique activated.
Man and dog vanished from sight in an instant.
Gaku Inuzuka didn't care about his injuries anymore. Eyes wide with rage, he watched his beloved dog vanish before him. A furious roar erupted the next moment:
"My dog! You little bastard! Give me back my dog!"
It wasn't just his voice—it felt like the roar came from every fiber of his being.
Maybe he pushed himself too hard, because once the shout faded, Gaku collapsed unconscious.
The nearby Medical-nins froze in shock, then scrambled to revive him.
The moment he woke up, he blurted out, "Tell Kazuyama that if Kimarō so much as gets a scratch, I swear he'll be chased by dogs for the rest of his life!"
Everyone fell silent. In Konohagakure, it was common knowledge—the Inuzuka Clan loved their dogs and would even lay down their lives for them.
Today, that truth was on full display. Tsk, tsk...
Meanwhile, Kazuyama, having used the Flying Thunder God Technique to move far from the group, looked at Kimarō with what he believed was a friendly smile.
"Kimarō, don't worry. Once the war's over, I'll definitely send you back."
"For now, just come with me. I'll make sure you eat well, live well. Sound good?"
Kimarō glared at him. He was a dog, yes—but a very smart one!
His master was still waiting. He had to go back.
But just then, an intoxicating aroma hit his nose.
Hm? What was that smell? So good!
Kazuyama held out a thick pork chop, its scent unbelievably tempting.
"Kimarō, look! This is a special treat I made just for you."
"Hehe, stick with me and you'll eat like a king. I promise you'll be satisfied. And once the war ends, I'll get you back home."
Kimarō paced back and forth, torn between loyalty and the pork chop. It wasn't that he lacked resolve—it's just... why did that meat smell so damn good?! He could hardly resist!
"Woof!" — I'll go with you!
"Woof woof!" — I want the meat! But after the mission, I'm going back to my master!
Seeing Kimarō drooling all over, Kazuyama beamed.
Of course, it would've been more convincing if he wasn't glowing green.
A long emerald snake coiled around his body.
"Incredible. It hasn't been that long, and yet you've already mastered Ryūchi Cave Senjutsu."
"And you even lifted the restriction on the Coiling Serpent Technique, linking me directly to you..."
"Kazuyama, you're definitely a genius—no, a prodigy..."
"But to use Ryūchi Cave Senjutsu for the first time just to deal with a big yellow dog... That's a hard one to justify..."
The green serpent gradually transformed into a human figure, floating behind Kazuyama.
It was an illusory form—the spirit of Tagorihime, one of the three Snake Princesses of Ryūchi Cave.
As she spoke, half admiring, half teasing, Kazuyama chuckled, his vertical pupils gleaming.
This was his first time using Senjutsu. Sure, using it on Gaku's Kimarō might've been overkill—but how could he resist testing such a mystical power?
"Tagorihime, I'm just getting ready for the coming war. Besides, I really like Kimarō."
"It's just Genjutsu turning military rations into pork chops. Tsk, tsk—food's food, isn't it?"