When Arata mentioned sparring, if it had been any other ninja, they would probably have shown fear on the spot. After all, Arata's strength had already reached the peak of the Super-Kage tier—at that level, killing a Kage-class opponent was little more than a casual flick of the hand.
But Hatake Sakumo was different.
He was one of Konoha's acknowledged prodigies, long regarded as a prime candidate for the next Hokage. He had always possessed immense confidence in his own strength. Even though he knew full well that he might not be Arata's match, facing such a powerful opponent filled him with anticipation rather than dread.
Whether it was to better understand Arata, or simply out of his own pride, he had no intention of refusing.
At this point, Sakumo had completely cast aside any hint of condescension. All that remained was respect. For a powerhouse like Arata to be willing to spar with him—put bluntly—was practically guidance. Opportunities like this were rare. Guidance from someone at the Super-Kage peak was priceless; if he could absorb even a fraction of it, his future achievements would be anything but mediocre.
With a serious expression, Sakumo said,
"Then it's settled. You'd better not forget—I didn't get my fill last time."
Seeing that Sakumo didn't back down, Arata was quite satisfied. This only reinforced his judgment: Sakumo would be a valuable ally in the future—not only strong, but upright in character, and bold enough to embrace challenges.
Arata still remembered clearly how Sakumo had once left a cut on his face. Though it had healed long ago, it had been the first time Arata was injured after obtaining the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, so the memory stuck with him.
Next time they fought, Arata fully intended to give this guy a little "lesson."
Back then, if Arata hadn't been strong enough—and fast enough—that strike might have ruined his face.
In truth, Arata was hardly in a position to hold grudges. When he had sparred with Jiraiya, he'd nearly cut the man down outright…
Smiling faintly, Arata said,
"Then it's settled. Once you're back from disaster relief, we'll spar. Just in time for me to teach you a lesson."
After the agreement was made, Arata turned to the silent Uzumaki Yūki and said,
"Let's go. It's time to settle the matter of joining Konoha."
Just as Sakumo was about to depart, those words hit him like a thunderclap. He spun around in shock.
He had never imagined Arata would spring another surprise on him—Arata was actually planning to bring the Uzumaki clan into Konoha!
The Uzumaki were no weak clan. They had around five hundred combat-capable ninja, and their mysterious sealing techniques alone could dramatically increase the Land of Fire's national strength. If the Uzumaki truly joined Konoha, the title of the world's strongest great nation would be firmly secured.
Because of that, Sakumo found it almost impossible to believe.
After all, the Uzumaki had openly displayed their dissatisfaction with Konoha earlier, and their hatred toward Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, was unmistakable. Could such a clan truly join Konoha wholeheartedly?
In the world of ninja, wars between nations often ended in extermination—of clans or even entire countries. Rarely were survivors left behind, precisely because descendants of the defeated could easily be turned into spies through genjutsu or cursed seals.
An internal spy was incredibly dangerous. Intelligence leaks were the least of it—such agents could even help destroy a village from within.
History from the Warring States period was filled with such examples.
Even now, after the founding of the nations, vigilance against espionage remained extremely strict. Villages were deeply wary of outsiders and almost never accepted them lightly.
Sakumo immediately understood that beyond the Third Hokage, the greatest resistance to the Uzumaki joining Konoha would come from the village itself—from widespread distrust.
A large number of Uzumaki ninja joining without restraint posed a real risk. If rebellion erupted without warning, the entire village could suffer catastrophic consequences.
He was about to caution Arata—but in the very next moment, Sakumo understood.
Arata's reputation was soaring. He had just saved hundreds of thousands of civilians. If this matter were made public, his prestige within the Land of Fire would skyrocket even further. If Arata used this momentum to vouch for the Uzumaki joining Konoha, the villagers would find it hard to oppose.
After all, it was Arata standing as guarantor—pressure and suspicion would be greatly reduced.
At present, Arata's reputation in Konoha was already better than that of Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen himself.
Not to mention, Arata had just demonstrated unquestionable Super-Kage peak strength. With someone like that stationed in the village, people would feel far more secure. Any concerns about a potential Uzumaki rebellion would be brushed aside.
After all, with a Super-Kage peak powerhouse present, any rebellion would be nothing more than a paper tiger. If someone like that truly wanted you dead, a single large-scale ninjutsu would be enough to wipe everything out.
With that thought, Sakumo glanced at Arata, nodded, and chose not to linger in the village.
He still had his own mission.
Even though Arata had already gathered all the refugees and moved them away from the worst-hit areas, food supplies and logistics were still major issues. Mishandling them could lead to epidemics. He needed to take command immediately.
He also wanted to see how the Uzumaki ninja were handling things. After all, the Uzumaki hadn't officially joined Konoha yet—how far they would go remained to be seen.
With that in mind, Sakumo wasted no time. He took his three subordinates and vanished from Konoha's gates in a flash.
Uzumaki Yūki's expression grew solemn at Arata's words. As an Uzumaki, he knew better than anyone how difficult joining Konoha would be.
"Everything will be done according to Arata-sama's instructions."
Though Arata was technically a Konoha ninja, everything he had done made Yūki certain of one thing—this man was different from the rest of Konoha. He would truly do his utmost to help the Uzumaki clan.
...
Inside the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen had already risen to his feet, his face filled with disbelief.
He had never imagined that Arata bringing the Uzumaki to Konoha wasn't to ask for supplies—but to have them join Konoha outright.
To be honest, Hiruzen himself had long coveted the Uzumaki clan—especially their sealing techniques. But they had always been just out of reach.
After orchestrating the previous clan catastrophe and the death of Uzumaki Ashina, the Uzumaki's hatred toward him had only deepened. That was why he had planned this second extermination—only for it to fail once again.
He had been certain the Uzumaki would forever lose the chance to join Konoha, and that those sealing techniques would never be his.
Yet now…
Another opportunity had appeared.