Kakashi emerged from the cave, dragging one body with one hand and carrying another over his shoulder. One was Kisame Hoshigaki, unconscious and completely incapacitated. The other appeared to be Black Zetsu, lifeless and unmoving.
The ANBU watching him didn't bother to hide their astonishment.
"Still as terrifying as ever, Lord Hokage," murmured Crow, shaking his head.
"Fast doesn't even cover it. I swear, I blinked and it was over," added Hound, his voice a mix of admiration and mild exasperation.
"Some things never change," muttered Weasel, arms crossed. "He's been like this since our ANBU days. Clean, precise, and always ahead of the rest of us."
Might Guy, standing nearby, clenched his fists as his competitive spirit flared to life. "Kakashi, my eternal rival! Your power has reached an entirely new level!" His teeth gleamed as he struck a dramatic pose. "But worry not. I shall push myself beyond my limits. I refuse to be left behind!"
Boar sighed loudly. "And here we go again."
Kakashi, however, didn't appear triumphant. He dropped the supposed Black Zetsu onto the ground without ceremony and pressed his foot down. A crack followed. The body crumbled apart, revealing pale, lifeless flesh beneath.
A White Zetsu.
The ANBU immediately tensed.
"…Should've known it wouldn't be that easy," Wolf muttered.
"Damn. So the slippery bastard escaped again?" Viper asked, his voice laced with irritation.
Kakashi exhaled through his nose. "Yeah. He must've slipped underground at the last second and left this decoy behind. I didn't catch it in time."
Crow scoffed. "Classic Zetsu. Makes you wonder how Madara put up with him."
"Makes me wonder how we put up with him," Weasel added dryly.
One of them turned to Kakashi. "Orders, sir? Do we pursue?"
Kakashi shook his head. "No. He's long gone. But we've got what we came for. He won't get far while we're watching."
Rather than looking discouraged, Guy's grin stretched even wider. "Then the chase continues! This setback is nothing more than a test of our will! We will hunt him down, just as the springtime of youth never wavers!"
Boar groaned. "I am begging you, please don't start talking about youth."
Hound chuckled. "Come on, you should know by now that's a lost cause."
Kakashi rubbed his temple. "Right… I'll leave the youth part to you." He adjusted Kisame's weight on his shoulder. "For now, let's get this one back before he wakes up and decides to make things difficult."
The ANBU straightened, ready to move.
Guy gave a firm nod. "Onward, then! To Konoha! And to the next challenge that awaits us!"
With that, they turned toward the village, their mission only half-finished.
Meanwhile, in Hashirama's World
The First Hokage sat in his office, deep in thought. His usual lively energy was nowhere to be seen, replaced by an uncharacteristic silence. He hadn't left the office in hours.
Sensing something unusual, Tobirama entered.
"Brother, what's wrong with you?" he asked, frowning. "You seem… off."
Hashirama sighed, rubbing his temples.
"I've been thinking about development," he admitted. "It feels like everything is moving too slowly. How do we make the world progress faster?"
Tobirama blinked, momentarily taken aback.
Hashirama was thinking about something other than fighting or wandering the village. That was rare. Usually, Tobirama was the one handling matters of governance and progress, while his older brother preferred to leave the details to him.
"This… doesn't sound like you," Tobirama said carefully. "Since when do you worry about things like that?"
Hashirama groaned, clearly frustrated. He couldn't exactly explain that his concerns stemmed from the Hokage meetings, where his once-impressive ranking had begun to slip now that other worlds had caught up.
After a long pause, he waved a hand dismissively.
"You wouldn't understand even if I told you," he muttered. "Just focus on whatever you were doing."
Tobirama raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. There was plenty of work to be done in a unified world, and if Hashirama wanted to sit there brooding, so be it.
Left alone once more, Hashirama sighed again.
Before, he had always ranked near the top, his progress far outpacing others. But now?
Now, with everyone's world unified… he had fallen behind.
Tsunade stood at the front of the Hokage office, her usual fierce and commanding presence filling the room as she addressed the gathered shinobi and experts. The seriousness of the moment hung thick in the air. The world was on the brink of change, and Tsunade intended to lead that change with no hesitation.
"Orochimaru," Tsunade started, her sharp eyes locking onto the former Sannin, who stood with an ever-curious glint in his eyes. "I need you to focus on pushing technological development forward. Use your skills, your knowledge of... unconventional methods. We need to combine chakra with innovation and create something that will change everything. The future of the world is in our hands."
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, a rare expression of intrigue crossing his usually impassive face. "Hm. You want me to work on this... integration, do you? Very well, Tsunade. I'll need full access to the necessary resources, and of course, full autonomy on how I proceed."
Tsunade shot him a glare. "Just get it done, Orochimaru. We don't have time for your usual delays. You've seen what other worlds can do, and now it's our turn. We're not waiting for anyone else to catch up."
"Understood," Orochimaru replied, his voice calm, but the undercurrent of excitement in his words was unmistakable. "I'll make sure you're pleased with the results." His eyes gleamed with the potential of what he could create, and Tsunade didn't have to worry about his commitment. He was all too eager to prove his brilliance.
Turning her attention to the team of tech specialists, Tsunade's voice grew more commanding. "You'll be working directly with Orochimaru. I want you all to create the prototypes, the designs. Every single one of you needs to put everything you've got into this. The sooner we have working models, the sooner we can start implementing them into Konoha's infrastructure. I want those results now."
One of the specialists, a young woman from the Yamanaka clan, nervously nodded, her pen already poised on her notebook. "We'll get right to work, Tsunade-sama."
But Tsunade wasn't done. She turned to the clan leaders, her gaze intense. "This isn't just for Konoha. I want every shinobi clan involved. This is going to spread to every corner of the world. The technology and chakra fusion we're developing will become the backbone of the new era. You will take these advancements to your clans and to the other villages. We need them to get on board and move quickly. The strength of the entire shinobi world will rise with this. You can't afford to be left behind."
The Inuzuka clan leader, always quick to speak, stepped forward. "You're asking us to push this tech on other villages, Hokage-sama? We've never done anything like this before."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "This isn't a request. This is a demand. It's time we evolved past our old ways. We've all seen what happens when we stagnate, when we let the world around us pass us by. We need to catch up, and we need to do it fast."
The Hyuga clan leader, normally reserved, added, "We'll ensure it spreads. We can reach across the land, Tsunade-sama."
Tsunade gave them both a nod, pleased. "Good. I don't want any delays. You'll coordinate with Orochimaru and the tech specialists. This is your mission, too. Now, go."
The clan leaders bowed before leaving, their footsteps fading into the hallway as they prepared to spread the word to their respective clans.
Orochimaru, still standing near the back, glanced toward Tsunade. "I trust you won't be disappointed in my progress. You'll have what you need sooner than you expect."
Tsunade shot him a sharp look, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'll be watching closely, Orochimaru. Don't think I won't hold you accountable if you slack off."
He gave a knowing smile. "Of course, Tsunade. I wouldn't dream of disappointing you." His voice was thick with sarcasm, but Tsunade knew his commitment. He'd always been dangerous, but also undeniably capable when it came to innovation.
With a deep breath, Tsunade turned to the window, her gaze sweeping over Konoha. The village had always been a beacon of strength, but now? It was on the precipice of something even greater. The world would change, and Konoha would lead that charge.
"Alright," Tsunade muttered to herself, determination burning in her eyes. "It's time to push this world forward." She turned back to the room full of tech experts, her voice once again sharp and commanding. "Get to work. We're not waiting for anyone anymore."
And with that, Konoha's transformation into a beacon of technological advancement began.
In Naruto's World, the Seventh Hokage had been on high alert upon his return, expecting some kind of catastrophe. Alien invasions, rogue Ōtsutsuki... something. His world had always been at the forefront of danger and progress, yet…
Nothing happened.
Time passed, and the peace held. Sure, minor incidents popped up here and there, but nothing beyond what the regular forces could handle. There was no need for him to personally intervene.
And that, for Naruto, was unbearable.
Being Hokage meant endless paperwork, countless meetings, and no fighting. He had long since come to terms with his duty, but this level of monotony? It was driving him crazy.
In the Hokage Chat Group, the silence of peace was beginning to drive everyone crazy. Naruto's frustrated sigh echoed in his message, and his words summed up the mood perfectly.
"Ugh… this is the worst. When's the next Hokage meeting? I'm gonna lose it." He leaned back in his chair, typing with one hand while the other was lazily draped over the backrest. His frustration was palpable even through the screen.
The responses came almost immediately, as if everyone had been waiting for the same thing.
"Agreed!" Minato chimed in, his usual calm demeanor replaced with a note of impatience. "I know peace is great, but a little action wouldn't hurt. I'm getting a bit restless myself."
"I'm dying of boredom over here," Tsunade added, clearly unimpressed by the lull. "A peaceful world is nice and all, but it's too quiet. There's nothing to keep our spirits fired up. We need a challenge."
Madara's words appeared next, as sharp and unbothered as ever. "A peaceful world? Pathetic. This is no time for idle chatter. The true strength of a shinobi lies in battle. We've seen enough peace; what we need are real opponents, strong ones, people worth our time."
Hashirama, ever the optimist, disagreed. "You all talk about fighting, but I say we make the world better in other ways. We've had our share of wars. How about we focus on creating a legacy of peace for once?"
Naruto immediately shot back, his message full of energy: "Nah, we've had enough peace! It's too quiet around here. What's the point of being strong if we don't get to test it out every once in a while?"
"You really don't know how to sit still, do you?" Kakashi's dry comment appeared next. "Some of us are perfectly content to relax for a bit."
Sasuke's reply was quick and direct, cutting through the banter. "I agree with Naruto. I'd rather face a real fight than sit here endlessly discussing strategy with no actual action."
"Ha! There's the old Sasuke!" Naruto grinned as he read the message. "You and me both! But I want some serious action, not just random skirmishes."
"Of course," Kakashi added with a chuckle, his tone playful but resigned. "Nothing ever satisfies you, does it?"
"We've got the energy for it," Naruto said, almost defiantly. "It's just... we've got too many peaceful things to deal with right now. All these meetings and discussions... boring."
Tobirama jumped in with a more tactical outlook, his words clipped and sharp. "Peace is what we make of it. But I won't deny that the lack of challenge does make things... dull. I'd rather be testing my strategies than dealing with paperwork."
The tension between the desire for peace and the need for action lingered in the chat, but it was clear that they were all looking for something to break the monotony. As usual, Guy's message was full of raw enthusiasm, his tone louder than all the rest.
"I say we train harder! There's always room to push the limits of youth! We can always find ways to challenge ourselves, even without enemies!" Guy's message burst onto the screen like a jolt of energy. "Youth never rests, after all!"
Naruto couldn't help but laugh at Guy's typical optimism. "Yeah, sure. But even you have to admit, a little action wouldn't hurt."
A brief silence followed before Obito's message appeared, light but with a hint of seriousness. "Sounds like a good idea to me. I've spent enough time being 'good.' Maybe it's time to switch things up."
Naruto grinned. "Exactly! Let's make it interesting. Just once. We need something to sink our teeth into."
The chat buzzed with replies, some agreeing, others still holding onto the idea of peace, but there was no denying the shared restlessness that now filled the room. Every Hokage, past and present, knew the thirst for battle, the drive to be tested.
Tsunade's message popped up last, her tone as commanding as ever. "Fine. But when we find this action, it better be worthy of us. No weaklings this time. I'm done dealing with minor nuisances. We need something that truly challenges us."
The group fell silent for a moment before Naruto's final message flashed across the screen.
"You've got it. Let's make the next Hokage meeting one for the ages."
The chat exploded with similar sentiments.
Ryan, observing the conversation, couldn't help but chuckle.
In Ryan's World, he sat in his Hokage office, scanning a recently compiled report. The rate of progress in his world was astonishing, practically accelerating by the day. To say things were evolving at a rapid pace would be an understatement.
As he mulled over the steady advancements, he glanced back at the chat group messages. A thought crossed his mind.
"Has it really been half a year already? No wonder everyone's getting restless."
If even he was thinking about it, then it was definitely time.
And just as the idea took root, a familiar mechanical chime echoed in his mind.
Ryan's eyes sharpened.
"The chat group? That was fast."
The familiar sound of a notification echoed in the room.
[Ding! The chat group meeting has been reset.]
[An early meeting can now be initiated.]
[Do you wish to begin?]
Ryan blinked.
He had just been complaining about this, and now the meeting could be held earlier than expected?
"Heh. Talk about good timing."
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