In the Hidden Leaf Village.
"Hurry, go check it out! Yakumo's challenging Shinji again!"
"What?!"
"Yakumo really doesn't give up, does she…"
Groups of ninja academy students were heading toward the training field next to the academy in twos and threes.
Along the way, rumors spread like wildfire, drawing even more students who had been resting at home into the crowd.
Some shinobi, intrigued by Shinji's recent fame, also decided to tag along and see the spectacle.
At the training field.
Shinji rubbed his wrist as he walked to the center of the field.
Yakumo, already waiting, bowed to him. "Shinji, please guide me!"
"Hm."
Shinji nodded.
Contrary to the rumors, this wasn't Yakumo challenging Shinji but a mutual agreement for a friendly spar.
Having lost her Koryugan, Yakumo was striving to rediscover herself, while Shinji, having shed his burdens, was reassessing his own path. Thus, this spar was arranged.
As Shinji stepped onto the field, the surrounding students buzzed with excitement.
Ino asked, "Shinji's got this, right?"
Kiba shook his head. "Who knows? But Shinji took down an Akatsuki member. Yakumo's probably no match for him!"
Choji stuffed snacks in his mouth. "I don't know either."
Shikamaru, arms crossed and chin propped, said, "I'm finding it harder and harder to read Shinji. That guy's like a monster—no one knows his limits! So, I think Shinji will win this spar."
On the other side.
Sakura grabbed Shion's arm. "What's going on? Just watching Shinji and Yakumo step onto the field is making me nervous!"
Shion replied, "It's just a spar. What's there to be nervous about?"
Sakura asked, "Shion, who do you think will win?"
Before Shion could answer, Naruto butted in. "I think Shinji's stronger!"
Sakura ignored Naruto, turning to Sasuke, who leaned against a tree with arms crossed. "Sasuke, what do you think?"
Sasuke didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the field.
His mind flashed back to that night under the darkness when he defeated Shinji and awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan!
He couldn't understand why, despite awakening his Mangekyo Sharingan, the gap between him and Shinji only seemed to widen.
Now, he realized he no longer had the courage to face Shinji directly.
"Why?!"
Irritation, frustration, and unwillingness swirled in Sasuke's heart. But what unsettled him most was the doubt he kept buried deep: "That night, did I really defeat Shinji?"
On the field.
Shinji beckoned to Yakumo. "Let's start!"
Swoosh!
Yakumo wasted no time, launching an attack at Shinji.
Her battles with various strong opponents had honed her combat instincts. She had transformed from the frail, sickly girl of the past into a sharp-eyed, imposing fighter.
In the Hokage Building's meeting room.
The Five Kage were still discussing how to counter the Akatsuki. Over the past few days, they had covered everything from military alliances to intelligence sharing and personnel training. The sheer scope of their discussions showed just how much pressure the Akatsuki had placed on the five great shinobi villages.
The Third Hokage set down his documents. "Next, we should discuss matters related to uniting with other shinobi villages."
The Fourth Raikage asked impatiently, "When will the leaders of those minor villages arrive? We've been waiting for days!"
The Third Hokage replied calmly, "Based on their travel distances, they should arrive in the next few days."
The Fourth Kazekage asked, "How many villages have agreed to join our alliance?"
The Third Hokage answered, "The Hidden Waterfall Village's representative is expected to arrive tomorrow. The Hidden Grass, Hidden Snow, and Hidden Star Villages' representatives are already on their way. The faction loyal to Hanzō in the Hidden Rain Village has sent a representative to join the alliance. Additionally, the newly formed Hidden Sound Village in the Land of Rice Fields will also send someone."
The Fourth Raikage raised an eyebrow dismissively.
Among these minor villages, only Hanzō of the Hidden Rain Village had ever earned his respect. The rest, in his eyes, were insignificant—mere small fry. Ultimately, resisting the Akatsuki would rely on the five great shinobi villages.
The Third Tsuchikage also showed a look of indifference.
He had agreed to the Third Hokage's plan to unite with minor villages partly to use their manpower to wear down the Akatsuki and partly to leverage their intelligence networks to fill gaps in the five great villages' information.
The Third Hokage noted the expressions of the other Kage but felt compelled to stress the importance of uniting with the minor villages, as he had spearheaded the initiative.
Boom!
Just as he prepared to speak, a loud explosion sounded outside, followed by a slight tremor in the meeting room.
The Kage's faces shifted.
The Third Hokage stood abruptly, demanding, "What's going on?"
Whoosh!
An Anbu appeared beside him, bowing. "Reporting to Lord Hokage, the noise has been investigated. It was… it was…"
The Third Hokage's brow furrowed as he glared at the hesitant Anbu. "Speak!"
"The noise was caused by the First Chair sparring with Kurama Yakumo!"
The Anbu answered reluctantly.
Interrupting the Five Kage meeting was a serious matter, but the culprits weren't ordinary.
One was the village's hottest prodigy, the ninja academy's First Chair, and the carefully groomed successor of the advisor elders. The other was the Kurama clan's heiress, wielder of Wood Release and Tsunade's personal disciple.
Both were the village's rising stars, and even the Hokage's direct Anbu didn't want to offend them needlessly.
"What?"
Learning the commotion was just Shinji and Yakumo's spar, the Third Hokage walked to the window, puzzled, and looked toward the source of the noise.
The other Kage followed, gathering at the window.
The Third Tsuchikage asked curiously, "This First Chair—is he the Uchiha Shinji who killed Kurosuki Raiga?"
The Third Hokage nodded slightly.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In that moment, a series of rapid explosions echoed from the same direction, causing a stir in the village.
"I want to see just how strong this Uchiha kid who took down an Akatsuki member is!"
With that, the Third Tsuchikage leaped out the window toward the training field.
The Mizukage, Raikage, and Kazekage followed suit.
"Sigh!"
With everyone gone, the Five Kage meeting couldn't continue. The Third Hokage could only let out a helpless sigh.