Konoha.
News of the Hidden Cloud's sudden attack on Konoha and the rapid collapse of Konoha's front lines reached Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately.
Even though Danzō had rushed to the front without delay, the situation at the battlefield remained dire and showed no signs of improvement.
While he had anticipated the current situation—that with Konoha's heavy losses from the Nine-Tails incident, ambitious individuals would certainly not let such a golden opportunity pass—Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't expected it to come so quickly, or for the offensive to be so fierce!
"Three thousand elite shinobi from the Hidden Cloud… and the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki..."
Staring at the battle report Danzō had sent back, Hiruzen felt a tremendous pressure settle over him.
It had been barely a year since the end of the Third Shinobi World War, and Konoha hadn't yet had time to recover. Now, another catastrophe—the Nine-Tails' Rampage—had struck, claiming both the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki and the Fourth Hokage.
This was perhaps the weakest Konoha had ever been since its founding.
In contrast, the Hidden Cloud had fared much better.
Though they had lost the Third Raikage, their forces were largely intact after the war. They still possessed countless elite shinobi, and most importantly, a perfect Jinchūriki—Killer B, host of the Eight-Tails.
Given such a disparity in strength...
How could Konoha possibly withstand them?
"…Should we just surrender to the Hidden Cloud, pay them off, and be done with it?"
Hiruzen muttered to himself bitterly.
After all, it wouldn't be the first time they surrendered. The reparations owed to the Hidden Mist still hadn't been fully paid off. If necessary, they could just arrange another installment plan for the Hidden Cloud.
As the saying goes, "Too many lice don't itch," and "Too much debt doesn't weigh you down."
But the real fear was that the Hidden Cloud would demand a sky-high price.
They had always been the most war-hungry and belligerent of all the villages. In fact, the Third Shinobi World War had essentially been ignited by them.
Even though Konoha was in a weakened state, surrendering without a fight would only invite deeper scorn and aggression. With their wolfish ambition and insatiable greed, the Hidden Cloud might not stop even after receiving heavy reparations—they could keep pressing until Konoha was completely toppled and the Land of Fire devoured whole.
After all, the Land of Fire occupied the most fertile and prosperous territory in the entire ninja world. Who wouldn't want a slice of that?
"…What should I do…"
A heavy frown lined Hiruzen's face. He puffed the last of his tobacco, then set aside the Hokage's hat in front of him and strode toward the newly constructed conference room beside the Hokage's office.
The door creaked open.
Inside, over fifty people were already gathered—including Danzō Shimura.
These were all the Jōnin currently in Konoha, excluding those already stationed at the Hidden Cloud front. Naturally, members of the ANBU, Root, and clan-specific shinobi weren't included.
The consecutive disasters of the Third Shinobi War and the Nine-Tails' Rampage had dealt an unimaginable blow to Konoha's forces. Once the strongest village in the ninja world, now Konoha could barely field a handful of elite fighters.
That said, the other villages weren't in great shape either. Aside from the Hidden Cloud, whose strength remained mostly intact, even the Hidden Sand and Hidden Stone had fewer Jōnin left than Konoha.
"Apologies—I'm late."
Hiruzen took the main seat and handed the frontline battle report to Homura Mitokado beside him, signaling for it to be passed around after reading.
Homura scanned the report, and his expression immediately darkened.
Saying nothing, he passed the report silently to Akimichi Torifu.
About ten minutes later, everyone in the room had read the document and formed a general understanding of the situation.
"The Hidden Cloud harbors dangerous ambitions. Killer B, host of the Eight-Tails, is leading three thousand elite ninja in a surprise attack during our moment of vulnerability. They've already breached the borders of the Land of Fire and are advancing rapidly."
"Meanwhile, the Hidden Stone is also stirring… Everyone, it's happening—another war is upon us!"
Grim expressions lined the faces of those in the room.
They had expected that the Third Shinobi World War, having ended on a whimper, would eventually reignite hostilities—but none of them thought it would happen this quickly, this aggressively, and right in the aftermath of the Nine-Tails catastrophe...
For a moment, the room was heavy with silent tension.
Hiruzen's gaze swept over the group, finally settling on Uchiha Fugaku, who had just returned from the Land of Iron.
"Fugaku, how are things progressing in the Land of Iron?"
Konoha, Hidden Sand, and Hidden Mist had signed a massive infrastructure treaty there. But given Konoha's current turmoil, it was natural to assume the other villages might start having second thoughts.
Thankfully, Fugaku's response eased Hiruzen's concerns.
"We signed the three-nation agreement with Suna and Kiri, but due to Konoha's weakened state after the Nine-Tails incident, our influence in the treaty has lessened, and our share of the resources has decreased."
Uchiha Fugaku said solemnly, "The finalized contract stipulates that all profits from projects within the Land of Fire will be equally split among the three nations. As for the Land of Wind, the Hidden Mist will take all profits for the first ten years, after which they'll be shared equally with the Hidden Sand."
"However, the commercial free-trade pact the Fourth Hokage previously negotiated—allowing merchants from all three nations to conduct business freely—remains unchanged."
Though the three-nation project was a joint effort, the spotlight clearly rested on Suna and Kiri. Konoha was mostly just collecting transit fees. The fact that they had managed to secure even this level of profit surprised not just Hiruzen but all the Jōnin present.
They had been fully prepared to lose both initiative and benefits.
Truly, allies reveal their worth in a crisis.
After the Third War, Suna and Kiri had signed alliance treaties with Konoha. It was now clear that those treaties held weight.
"If every country in the ninja world cherished peace like Suna and Kiri, we wouldn't be stuck in this cycle—minor skirmishes every three days, full-scale battles every five." Hiruzen inhaled deeply. "Everyone, Kumogakure has attacked. Our borders are under siege."
"We of Konoha may despise war, but our resolve to protect our village, our comrades, and our homeland is no less than anyone else's!"
"Clan Head Fugaku."
Hiruzen turned to Uchiha Fugaku. "I appoint you commander of a one-thousand-man reinforcement unit. You are to assist Danzō's retreating forces. The squad captains will be drawn from twenty elite Jōnin. The list is as follows:"
"Uchiha Inabi, Uchiha Yashiro, Uchiha Uruchi, Hyūga Kō, Aburame Shibi, Uchiha…"
As Hiruzen read the list, expressions among the crowd shifted subtly.
Of the twenty Jōnin captains, more than half were Uchiha. Clearly, the Uchiha clan was being positioned as the main fighting force in this mission.
Would the Uchiha accept this arrangement?
In all three Shinobi World Wars, the Uchiha had performed admirably, with no shortage of accomplishments. Yet they were never placed in core positions—as main forces, commanding officers, or strategic leaders. More often, they were used as elite strike squads, surprise assault units, and the like.
This strategy served two purposes: first, to prevent the Uchiha from seizing political power.
Second, by excluding them from command roles, even if the Uchiha earned battle honors, those honors would not be broadcast or acknowledged widely within Konoha—thus limiting their influence.
The Uchiha clan had long resented this. But because it also gave them more autonomy on the battlefield—and often resulted in fewer casualties—they hadn't pushed back too hard.
But now...
As Hiruzen delivered the appointment, Fugaku remained expressionless, though the elite Uchiha standing behind him appeared eager and excited.
"This mission concerns the survival of Konoha," Fugaku said gravely. "When our unit meets Elder Danzō's, who will serve as supreme commander?"
"The strategic supreme commander for this campaign," Hiruzen announced firmly, "will be the Head of the Konoha Military Police Force—Uchiha Fugaku!"
At that, Fugaku finally smiled.
"Fugaku accepts the command. Konoha will emerge victorious!"
He even handed them full command authority?!
Wasn't the Third Hokage worried this would unravel all the suppression of the Uchiha over the years?
The Jōnin were visibly shocked—but then realization dawned on many of them.
During the Nine-Tails' Rampage, Danzō had explicitly forbidden the Uchiha from participating in the front lines. They had only been allowed to assist with civilian evacuation.
This meant that the Uchiha had suffered virtually no losses—and were now Konoha's most intact, powerful force.
In this situation, what was a little power compared to survival?
Hiruzen inhaled deeply and turned to Homura Mitokado.
"Elder Homura."
"Hiruzen…"
"I want you to lead five hundred elite shinobi to the Land of Grass border. Keep constant watch on Iwagakure. If they show any signs of movement, do not engage. Report to me immediately."
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
Orders continued to fall one after another, and the battered war machine that was Konoha began to move once more.
A starving camel is still bigger than a horse; even a wrecked ship has a few pounds of iron left. If anyone thought they could bite into Konoha, then Konoha would make damn sure they'd bleed for it!
Uchiha Fugaku immediately led the support unit out of the village. Meanwhile, back in Konoha, with all orders issued and command now centralized under him, Hiruzen Sarutobi was approached by Koharu Utatane.
"Hiruzen, are you absolutely certain about handing command of this war to the Uchiha?"
Koharu's expression was serious. Though she wasn't as aggressively anti-Uchiha as Danzō, she was undoubtedly a member of the faction that distrusted the Uchiha clan.
After all, they were both students of the Second Hokage—and had inherited his convictions.
"You should understand the weight of this decision, Hiruzen," Koharu said. "This battle is critical for Konoha. With full command authority and a successful campaign under their belt, the Uchiha will be hailed as heroes. Their prestige and influence will soar. When it comes time to award merit, Fugaku will be ushered directly into Konoha's central power structure."
"I know what you're saying," Hiruzen said quietly, puffing on his pipe, his tone heavy. "But aside from the Uchiha, who else do we have left to rely on? We have no one else to send. If we don't show enough sincerity, they won't risk their lives for us. So it's power? Let them have some—for the sake of Konoha."
"No, you're wrong." Koharu shook her head. "Do you remember the Nine-Tails' Rampage just a few days ago?"
"Hm?" Hiruzen frowned, uncertain where she was going with this. How could he forget? The Nine-Tails not only caused catastrophic losses to Konoha, but also took his wife's life.
"Danzō discovered something… unexpected."
Koharu's voice lowered. "You know about Danzō's secret research, don't you? His ties to Orochimaru's defection? Those weren't just rumors."
"Besides your own findings on Wood Release, Danzō's been studying the Uchiha's power for years. You remember the eye that Kagami left him, right?"
Hiruzen's expression darkened, his brows furrowing deeply. His eyes locked onto Koharu's face.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Danzō sensed Sharingan dōjutsu—on the Nine-Tails!"
"What?!" Hiruzen's pupils shrank, and he abruptly stood from his seat.
"Of course, I don't know all the details. I only know that, on the night of the Nine-Tails' Rampage, a masked intruder infiltrated the cavern where Kushina was giving birth. That's what started everything."
"And the fact that someone knew about Kushina's labor—a top-tier secret—makes it even more suspicious."
"Worse, the intruder passed through Konoha's barrier without raising a single alarm. In mere moments, he neutralized all nearby ANBU. Not even the barrier system was triggered—the battle ended too quickly. That kind of gap in strength is terrifying."
"And on top of that, the Nine-Tails had traces of Sharingan chakra left behind… Hiruzen, the Nine-Tails was controlled. You know that's happened before—it's in our history."
"…I understand what you're implying." Hiruzen slowly packed more tobacco into his pipe, his expression clouded. "But ordinary Sharingan isn't enough to control the Nine-Tails. You'd need something like what Uchiha Madara had—eyes of that level."
"If today's Uchiha clan had Mangekyō Sharingan, they wouldn't still be biding their time. They would've overthrown me and taken the Hokage seat by now."
"True. Today's Uchiha don't have Mangekyō... but someone else does." Koharu leaned in slightly. "You've forgotten, haven't you? That man on Higashimatsuyama—he has the Mangekyō Sharingan."
Hiruzen's hand trembled. His pipe nearly slipped from his fingers.
"You're saying he controlled the Nine-Tails… and he got his intel from the Uchiha clan?"
"That's the most likely scenario, isn't it?"
"…I see."
Hiruzen took a long draw from his pipe. "Leave it to me. I'll handle this."
"I hope you do, Hiruzen," Koharu said solemnly. "Don't forget what our teacher always told us—the Uchiha clan cannot be trusted."
"…Mm."
Koharu left the Hokage's office, leaving Hiruzen alone, pipe in hand, his face flickering between shadows and smoke.
From the beginning, the Nine-Tails disaster hadn't sat right with him. Their preparations had been thorough—there shouldn't have been any surprises.
Yet, the worst-case scenario had still come to pass. Both the Fourth Hokage and Kushina Uzumaki were dead.
Taking everything into account, Hiruzen could no longer believe it was just a tragic accident. Especially after what Koharu had said—this smelled like a carefully orchestrated scheme.
"…Was it really you?" he muttered, eyes heavy with doubt.
Years of suspicion and marginalization from Konoha's leadership… Despite being among the founding clans, the Uchiha couldn't even break into the core circle of power. Hiruzen had every reason now to believe Koharu's claims.
But…
Even if it were all true—so what?
Right now, Konoha couldn't survive without the Uchiha.
He continued smoking in silence. Beneath the haze of smoke, he reached into a drawer beneath his desk and pulled out a file.
It was a thick dossier—one that had long been compiled—containing detailed records on every known member of the Uchiha clan.
Hiruzen's expression grew darker as he scanned the names inside. After a long moment, he pushed the file back into the drawer, tucking it all the way to the bottom.
"…No matter what, it'll have to wait until this war is over."
If they couldn't survive this battle, Konoha would be crushed by the Hidden Cloud—and there would be no Konoha, no Uchiha, left to speak of.
...
Because the front line had already pushed deep into the Land of Fire, and with Danzō following Hiruzen Sarutobi's orders to adopt a strategy of trading space for time, the current battlefield between Konoha and the Hidden Cloud had entered the very heart of the Fire Country—alarmingly close to Konoha itself.
In less than half a day, Uchiha Fugaku had already led his thousand-strong elite force to the outskirts of the battlefield.
Evening was falling, and the sunset painted the sky in a fiery glow.
Countless shadowy figures darted through the gaps between tree trunks and branches, startling the birds and beasts hidden within the forest canopy.
Suddenly, the ground trembled slightly beneath their feet.
The Konoha support unit halted at once, each squad dispersing and taking cover among the trees.
One by one, pairs of crimson Sharingan lit up in the dim underbrush—glowing like lanterns in the fading light of dusk. The darkening forest took on an eerie, almost suffocating air.
Uchiha Fugaku remained solemn as he turned to a Hyūga Jōnin beside him.
While the Sharingan was powerful and far more renowned, in reconnaissance and long-range detection, the Byakugan held the advantage—especially in a setting like this.
"Still no signs of movement… wait, no—something's not right!"
"What an enormous chakra… that's—that's…"
"The Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki!"
At the Hyūga's alarmed shout, a massive, octopus-like silhouette suddenly appeared in the distance, clearly visible through the trees.
The creature's entire body was shrouded in a pulsating red cloak of Tailed Beast chakra—it had already entered a semi-Tailed Beast Transformation. Just one glance at the monstrous figure was enough to send a wave of dread through everyone present.
"The Eight-Tails… really showed up here…"
Fugaku's expression was grim, his mind racing through possibilities.
Had their reinforcement route been discovered in advance? Was this a premeditated ambush involving a full-on Tailed Beast strike?
Or had Danzō's forces been chased this far—pushed to the point that the Eight-Tails had followed them to their doorstep?
No matter the reason, as supreme commander of the support force, Fugaku had no time to hesitate.
"Inabi, relay my order—have all units fall back one hundred ri and begin constructing fortified positions!"
"Yashiro, select one hundred elite shinobi—come with me to recon the front!"
But before Fugaku could finish issuing the order, a sudden presence exploded into view.
A figure in a flowing white haori flashed into the sky, appearing midair beside the rampaging Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki.
That silhouette—that clothing—was all too familiar.
Fugaku's words stopped dead in his throat.
That was…