At exactly 4:30 AM, Sanada's eyes snapped open.

The sun had not even begun to rise, yet Sanada, trained to awaken with the first song of the birds, was already on his feet.

Today, like many others, he chose to begin with his early morning training.

He figured that if he moved across the rooftops, he could sneak in a full session and make it back before Towa even noticed he was gone.

Without wasting a single breath, Sanada dashed across the rooftops, swift and silent.

In mere minutes, he arrived at the training grounds.

There, he launched into his usual grueling regimen — sit-ups, push-ups, squats, kunai throws, sprint drills, taijutsu repetitions, and deep meditation.

But as he meditated... a dark presence crept closer.

Sanada didn't see it — he felt it.

In a flash, he hurled a shuriken toward the ominous aura.

To his shock, the blade pierced straight through the shadowy figure's head...

Yet the entity remained, unbothered, advancing toward him!

Without hesitation, Sanada drew his blade and charged.

Just before his feet could even touch the enemy's shadow, he leapt into the air —

A single, precise strike aimed at the neck, slicing through the creature like a hot knife through butter!

Sanada landed gracefully behind it... but the "thing" still stood.

"Hmph... Saruman told me you were good. A real Shinobi indeed."

The mysterious figure cracked his neck casually, as if nothing had happened.

"How are you still alive?! And... who are you?"

Sanada demanded, blade still ready.

"Sanada!!"

Towa's voice echoed from the training ground's entrance.

"Damn it, you can't just disappear like that! At least you were with Sunji..."

She huffed, clearly frustrated.

"Sunji? Who's Sunji?"

Sanada asked, confused.

"I'm Sunji. Nara Sunji."

The shadowy man introduced himself.

The man who once seemed cloaked in darkness now stood clearly before them —

A tall, 5'11" Caucasian figure, draped in a black trench coat so dark it seemed to be woven from shadows themselves.

The same eerie black covered his pants and ninja boots, leaving only a stark white shirt, piercing blue eyes, and short black hair visible.

"Alright, someone better explain what's going on here. Sunji? They weren't even supposed to meet yet!"

Towa said, rubbing her temples.

"Heh. I was going to attack him... but he predicted my move. Incredible! Tell me, Towa, this is the kid Saruman wants me to train, right? Along with the other two? Where are they, anyway?"

Sunji asked, smiling.

"They should be here any moment. We scheduled for 8:00 AM... but Sanada decided to sneak out way earlier."

Towa answered, visibly exhausted.

"Yeah, I noticed. Kid's been training solo for hours."

Sunji nodded approvingly.

"Stop talking about me like I'm not even here!"

Sanada snapped.

Both Sunji and Towa chuckled casually.

And just then, Hotaka and Minna arrived at the training ground.

Sunji quickly introduced himself as their new Sensei.

Thus, Team 06 was officially formed — a team tied to Sanada's destiny... or perhaps, a mere twist of fate.

Though it was sudden, Sunji wasted no time briefing them on their first mission:

A hunt for a Three-Horned Phantom, a beast spotted lurking dangerously close to the Fire Country's main gates.

They had little time to prepare — only three hours — and were told to gather all necessary equipment immediately.

As Minna and Hotaka dashed back to their homes, Sanada remained cool, unmoving.

He already had everything he needed — a habit born from hard survival lessons in the caves, where wild animals would often steal gear left unattended.

"Alright, everyone ready for a mission that could cost us our lives?"

Sunji asked, grinning mischievously.

"O-Our... lives?!"

Hotaka stammered.

"Of course. As Shinobi, every mission carries that risk. Saruman's endorsement meant you three are ready — classified as Chunnins. You're weapons now. But that doesn't mean life is meaningless — we'll watch each other's backs, protect one another, and all come back alive. Simple."

Sunji declared, serious but confident.

Minna trembled slightly, but pride flickered in her eyes.

Being promoted, despite the fear, meant something.

Even if Sanada didn't know... Sunji certainly did:

This wasn't Hotaka and Minna's first encounter with the horrors lurking in the shadows.

As they journeyed toward the Forest of Fire, Hotaka leaned toward Sanada, whispering:

"Sanada... how are you so strong?

I can't imagine fighting a Phantom alone like you did.

You see... we faced one before. Our original team... it was wiped out."

Hotaka's voice turned dark.

"It was just a recon mission. Easy... until a Phantom appeared out of nowhere.

It ripped off our Sensei's arm like it was nothing... crushed Sayuri's skull like it was paper.

And that Phantom only had one horn.

You took down a stronger one — solo.

We only survived because Minna cut off its horn with an electrified kunai...

but even so... we lost them both..."

The weight of the story made the air heavy around them.

Time itself seemed to slow... until finally, they reached the heart of the forest.

Sunji's blue eyes shone brightly, scanning the trees.

Sanada's scarlet eyes flickered, darting rapidly, tracking something unseen.

"It's coming."

Sanada warned.

Without hesitation, Sunji and Sanada moved into battle stance.

The ground trembled.

The trees shuddered.

And then it appeared —

A hulking monstrosity nearly 7'3" tall, resembling a grotesque giant slug with massive fangs, thick arms, and three spiraling horns — one on its head, two jutting from its elbows.

The beast's first move was immediate and violent:

A massive crimson beam shot from its mouth, obliterating Sunji in an instant!

"I knew it! We're screwed! This is suicide — we need at least five Jōnnins to fight that thing!"

Hotaka cried, paralyzed by terror.

Their new Sensei... gone in the blink of an eye.

It felt just like before...

But Sanada wasn't giving up.

Sword in hand, he charged, leaping into the air for a heavy slash at the Phantom's horn.

The creature caught him midair like a child snatching a toy —

and crushed him in its fist!

BOOM!

An explosion rocked the clearing — smoke and fire engulfed the area!

From the ground, a second Sanada burst out, standing beside his teammates — sweating but alive.

Another Sanada emerged behind the beast, blade ready.

"Sanada!"

Minna cried out.

"Don't scare us like that, dude!"

Hotaka yelled.

"Shut up and listen!

This thing's the deadliest enemy I've faced.

I need a distraction.

Anything — chakra blasts, techniques, anything that'll pull its attention."

Sanada commanded sharply.

Without hesitating, Sanada sprinted back into the fray.

"Katon: Haijingakure!!"

he roared, blasting a thick cloud of burning ash between himself and the creature.

Minna still trembled, but Hotaka leapt into action.

"You're insane, but screw it! Raiton: Bakurai!!"

Hotaka shouted, his body crackling with electric energy.

"It only works if I touch him, but hey, you said anything, right?!"

"Anything works!"

Minna shouted, overcoming her fear.

"Raiton: Kimekuri!!"

she cried, sparking violently as her body became shrouded in lightning.

"Perfect! My beacons!"

Sanada's voice rang out — both of him speaking in unison.

"Getsurin!!"

Twin Sanadas struck at once, their blades blurring into a single, lightning-fast attack from two directions.

Four slashes combined into a devastating strike aimed at the Phantom's main horn—

And with a roar — the horn was ripped free from the "Phanton", which would give them time to regroup —or so they thought. It reacted in an instant, grabbing both Sanadas and hurling them violently against a towering tree ahead.

"Aaahh!"

Minna screamed.

"They're fine! They must be clones!"

Hotaka tried to calm her.

One Sanada burst into smoke, vanishing into thin air, but the other coughed up blood, struggling to get back on his feet.

"Man... He's tougher than I expected,"

Sanada muttered, breathing heavily.

"Akuma no Kumiwase!"

Sunji's voice echoed through the battlefield. In a fiery blaze, countless slashes surrounded the Ghost, severing the two demonic horns from its arms. The beast collapsed, its body withering away, as from its fading shadow, Sunji emerged—reforming as if he was one with the darkness itself.

"Today's lesson... is over,"

Sunji smirked, fully reformed.

"W-What lesson?!? Getting beat down by a monster while the teacher just watches?!"

Hotaka was on the verge of losing it. He couldn't believe how easily Sunji handled the creature, yet allowed them to suffer through the whole thing.

"The lesson is simple. You're weak,"

Sunji declared coldly.

"Two horns seem to be the limit for Chuunins. Three? You're looking at Jounin-level threats, minimum. But worse than being weak... you're cowards. Sanada at least didn't hesitate—though he was the dumbest of the three. Fear is a tool. Learning to tell rational fear from irrational fear is the line between life and death."

"You two? Frozen stiff. Only useful when ordered around.

A Shinobi must learn to gather and act on information on their own. Saruman gave me your files. In terms of techniques, you three are pretty evenly matched. The difference is: Sanada acts. He adapts with every blow."

"And with that, lesson's concluded. Head home.

Tomorrow... your real training begins."

Sanada gritted his teeth.

He had defeated multiple two-horned monsters by himself... yet the three-horned variant overwhelmed him with a single blow.

Sunji's harsh words stung.

Sanada didn't see himself as weak, nor particularly strong.

He knew he had power—and a deadly arsenal—but the way he approached the fight... his strategy... had been wrong.

The monster's horns were far tougher than any one-horned or two-horned creature he'd faced before.

He hadn't anticipated that.

He was caught off guard.

The walk home was silent.

The endless night stretched above them, the canopy of the forest blotting out even the stars.

The massive trees intertwined overhead, like a living roof over their heads.

It was Sanada who broke the tension first, though his question was as heavy as the atmosphere itself.

"Hotaka... that day you first faced a Ghost... how did it happen?"

Sanada asked casually, as if talking about dead comrades was nothing unusual.

"You're pretty blunt, huh?

Well... no point hiding it. I'll tell you."

Hotaka began recounting the story.

It was supposed to be a simple reconnaissance mission.

The four of them ventured into the Forest of Fire.

Back then, Ghosts were just rumors.

Sure, three people had already gone missing—but that wasn't proof.

It was the death of their sensei that confirmed it.

They were scouting for shinobi from the Land of Water—rumored to be hiding near the border, stealing secrets.

Despite the seriousness of the mission, the day started peaceful.

At one point, a baby chimera—a lion cub with a serpent for a tail—approached them.

Minna was the first to react.

Both the lion head and serpent tail hissed at her, but she calmly pulled a fish-shaped biscuit from her body bag and offered it.

In seconds, the tiny creature devoured the treat.

While the others continued searching for enemy shinobi, Minna spent hours playing with the chimera cub.

They didn't see it, but were pretty sure she formed a summoning contract with it—or it simply ran off—because when they regrouped, it was gone.

Their mission seemed complete.

They had found evidence—two puddles of water, traced to chakra constructs used for stealth.

The enemy shinobi were long gone.

That's when it attacked.

The first move—the Ghost bit off their sensei Rei's arm in a single snap.

Despite the injury, Rei stayed composed.

With one hand, he hurled a single shuriken, weaving hand seals.

The shuriken multiplied into hundreds, raining down on the Ghost.

But none hit the horn.

The creature roared, shaking the blades free, and launched them back like projectiles.

Without hesitation, Rei threw himself in front of his students, shielding them with his own body.

He collapsed instantly.

Yet the Ghost was unfazed.

It leapt forward, grabbed Sayuri... and crushed her in one hand.

It hurled Hotaka and Minna into a tree with the other.

Barely clinging to consciousness, broken and bleeding, they fired off their techniques in desperation.

"Bakuryūgeki!"

"Raijin Kunai Kiri!"

Hotaka unleashed a smoke dragon from a scroll, which exploded on contact.

Minna, at the same time, charged her kunai with lightning chakra and hurled it—striking the Ghost's horn and severing it.

"After that... Minna healed us as best she could.

We limped back to the Hokage's office,"

Hotaka finished, with Minna nodding silently.

"I'm sorry. That must've been tough,"

Sanada said sincerely.

In a strange way, Sunji's brutal lessons had brought them closer together.

Hotaka and Minna were learning to handle Sanada's impulsiveness—and he was learning to trust them.

By the time they reached their homes, it was late into the night.

Sanada sat down to eat and talk with Towa, recounting the mission—the strength of their sensei, the resilience of his new teammates.

With this team, infiltrating the lab would be easy... or so he thought.

Meanwhile, Towa couldn't help but think:

"Sunji's insane... throwing kids into that kind of danger.

Still, they survived... I guess it's fine.

But trying to go back to that lab... who knows how much stronger its defenses are now..."

Towa's thoughts drifted into the night as Sanada finished eating and collapsed into bed.

The day had been brutal—

And tomorrow...

Tomorrow would be even worse.