The spring breeze came to a halt.
Night faded into dawn.
As the morning sunlight streamed through the window and fell across the floor, dust motes floated in the golden beams.
Mikoto's face was soft and serene, with a slight furrow between her brows. Finally able to rest, she turned lazily in her sleep, her body weary but her mind refreshed and strengthened.
She slept on her side with grace and composure.
Dignified and stunning.
Last night's whirlwind had, paradoxically, made her appear much younger, sweeping away the gloom that once lingered on her brow.
A unique and delicate fragrance lingered in the room.
"…."
Yu surveyed the "battlefield" strewn with chaos. From his storage space, he retrieved a clean set of black clothes and slowly walked to the private hot spring in the rear courtyard.
Right now, he felt completely energized. As he rose, his legs felt a little light.
Splash—
He stepped into the hot spring, relaxing both body and mind. Closing his eyes, he focused inward and assessed his mental energy. The chakra meridians in his mind gave feedback—his spiritual power had increased by 7%.
The increase in mental energy brought sharper senses, quicker thought processes, heightened focus, and faster reflexes.
All in all, the benefits were many—but the price… was a dull ache in his kidneys.
Pop—
A soft sound.
Yu raised his right hand and brought out a green potion—the one he always saved to drink before his daily refresh.
The cool, soothing natural energy of the liquid warmed his body. Gentle power, like soft and slender hands, wrapped around his kidneys, nourishing and replenishing them. Gradually, his overall strength rose slightly.
Once again, Yu realized why the green potion quest came before the pink one—and just how important green potion truly was.
Without a recovery-type elixir, trying to rapidly enhance his spiritual power would be like walking on a tightrope.
"Whew—"
Now back in peak condition, Yu exhaled. His eyes regained their calm, and after soaking for ten minutes, he put on his black clothes and returned to his room.
"Mm—"
Tsunade murmured softly in her sleep. Her phoenix-like eyes remained shut, her delicate facial features radiant and beautiful.
Her brows twitched between tension and relaxation, as if she were having a nightmare. Her graceful body occasionally trembled.
Her sleeping posture was casual.
Yet she exuded effortless charm.
"Not enough," Yu muttered with a shake of his head. He felt like he was good to go again.
He wasn't trying to break her in one night. Glancing at the situation, he turned and prepared to leave, intending to notify the Uchiha to delay departure by two hours. He also planned to stroll around the Land of Hot Water and maybe find a mission.
At the very least, let them both sleep peacefully a bit longer.
Creak—
The sliding door opened.
Just as he stepped out, he saw Mei Terumi walking out of the courtyard across the way. After a moment of awkwardness, she smiled faintly.
"…"
Yu gave a nod in greeting. They exchanged brief pleasantries and left together.
"Good morning. What a coincidence. Want to grab breakfast together?" Mei's smile was polite, though tinged with discomfort.
As they walked closer…
Even though Yu had soaked in the hot spring, his body still carried a lingering, subtle fragrance mixed with a stronger, more complex scent.
Mei's brows twitched slightly. Something felt off.
Yu noticed her reaction, subtly twitched his nose, and made a mental note to buy some green citrus later to mask the scent.
While Yu walked ahead, Mei instinctively stood on tiptoe and tried to peek into his room, only to see the sliding door was already shut.
"Morning."
Yu's face remained impassive as he suddenly spoke, startling Mei.
"Uh… the night wind rustling the bamboo was so loud last night… I didn't sleep well," she replied with a professional smile.
Quickly catching up, she wasn't sure what to talk about with Yu one-on-one, so she resorted to small talk.
"Yeah, it was loud. Let's go."
"Okay!"
Hearing that Yu didn't reject her invitation to breakfast, Mei's eyes lit up. She smiled and followed close behind.
The two passed through a hallway, turned right, and arrived at the Uchiha's shared lodging.
Just as Yu was about to knock on the door, the night patrol squad led by Nanfeng dropped from the eaves.
"Captain—!"
"Mm."
Yu briefly told Mei and Nanfeng about the delayed departure and asked them to inform the others.
Their current position was close to the coastal port of the Land of Hot Water. Once they set sail, they'd reach the Land of Waves and then quickly arrive at the Land of Water.
The Blood Mist era had lasted for years in Kirigakure, like a chronic illness. Countless rogue ninja had fled the village during that time—including members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Kirigakure hadn't completely collapsed thanks to its deep reserves.
Since Yu had agreed to go to Kirigakure and the others were on the move, Mei wasn't in a rush.
Suddenly, from the Uchiha male dormitory came the sounds of conversation:
"Tamao, you know your brother best. Does our captain… does he really like the clan matriarch?"
"Whether he likes her or not, I can't say. But with my brother's do-gooder personality, and the matriarch being a widow, there's no way he'd let her suffer through widowhood alone… I mean, come on—imagine how hard it'd be on Sasuke without a father!"
"That makes sense!"
"From now on, you all treat the matriarch with more respect. This is all Itachi's fault anyway. If you need to vent, blame him!"
"…"
Outside the dorm, Mei and Minami expressions subtly changed. They turned to look at Yu—only to realize he had walked a few steps ahead, his back to them, speaking coldly:
"Tamao seems energetic. Give him night patrol duty for the next month."
"Yes—!"
Minami beamed with joy at the order.
Inside the dorm:
"Wait, wasn't that my brother's voice?"
"You must be hearing things, Tamao. Come on, tell us more about the captain!"
…
Mei followed Yu away.
Suddenly—
Clack clack clack— Footsteps approached quickly.
Shizune appeared, panic written all over her face. She hugged Tonton tightly as she rushed through the corridor, scanning left and right.
"Yu! Everyone! Lady Tsunade didn't come back last night! Has anyone seen her?"
Everyone behind shook their heads.
Yu paused and replied calmly, "She'll be back soon."
"Huh?" Shizune blinked in confusion. "Yu, did you see Lady Tsunade last night?"
Yu nodded. "I found her and asked her to help me analyze a new potion. I was also helping treat her hemophobia."
"Hm?"
Mei suddenly gave Yu a strange look. Something seemed… off, though she couldn't quite pinpoint what.
"I see… no wonder you smell like her," Shizune frowned and added, as if realizing something, "But when did you learn to treat that condition?"
"Ask her when she wakes up," Yu replied, realizing he couldn't keep up the lie, and quickly walked off.
"Oh—"
Shizune stood there blankly, muttering to herself, "Maybe Lady Tsunade went out drinking to ease her emotions after the treatment… yeah, that makes sense. If she disappeared for real, Yu would definitely drag her back."
Snort-snort—
Tonton wiggled her sensitive snout. Her tiny piggy eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if deep in thought.
Leaving the inn, Yu strolled down the street. As daylight grew stronger, many shop doors opened.
Izakayas, kitchens, and small diners all started opening early for business.
The once-quiet street became lively with more and more people.
Looking around—
Steam from the hot springs still drifted softly through the air, and the row of traditional wooden houses faded in and out behind it.
The scent of fried and steamed food filled the air. Yu felt a strange déjà vu, like walking through a foggy alley from his previous life.
"Extra, extra! Iwagakure officially declares war on Konoha! The cause dates back to the aftermath of the Third Great Ninja War—Konoha failed to fulfill its war reparations to Iwagakure…"
A newspaper-selling ninja's loud cry echoed through the street, abruptly shattering Uchiha Yu's moment of quiet immersion.
Looking back, Yu noticed that the early-rising civilians of the Land of Hot Water showed no interest in the newspaper's headline about "war."
Several pedestrians passed the news ninja without a glance, indifferent even after hearing the headline.
Yu began walking toward the newspaper seller.
Only then did Mei Terumi catch up to him, hurrying out from the inn behind them, marked with a large "Hot Spring Lodge" sign.
As he glanced around at the buildings untouched by war, Yu's thoughts stirred.
The Land of Hot Water, located on the edge of the ninja world and along the coastline, was never directly involved in the major conflicts between Kirigakure, Sunagakure, and Konoha. Even if enemies landed nearby, they would only come via the Land of Waves.
During the first three great ninja wars, this nation and its small ninja villages had remained unscathed by conflict.
This resulted in a local civilian population largely indifferent to war. Even if fighting broke out at their doorsteps, they would likely believe it to be nothing more than an accident.
Aside from hot springs, the Land of Hot Water had nothing else of value. There was no convincing these people that the Five Great Ninja Villages would go to war over their thermal baths or make a move on the neutral Hot Spring Village.
"Extra, extra! Kumo's rapper 'Lil Kin' releases a new album with his disciple 'Bee'—!"
Just as the news ninja switched to reading the entertainment headlines, a group of curvy fangirls swarmed over, scrambling to buy newspapers.
"…."
Yu hadn't expected Killer Bee—the Eight-Tails jinchūriki—to have such a dedicated fan base across the ninja world.
"One morning edition, please."
Wearing black, accompanied by Mei Terumi, and without any disguise, Yu approached the news vendor. No one paid the pair any mind.
Titles like "S-rank missing-nin" or "Future Mizukage of Kirigakure" meant nothing here in this peaceful land. People just didn't care.
"Here you go, have a nice day!"
The newspaper ninja accepted the payment and offered the paper with a mechanical politeness and smile.
Yu took the paper, reading it as he walked toward a nearby eatery. His gaze passed briefly over the entertainment headlines before turning to the wartime news.
Mei, who had been carefully observing, hesitated, then asked curiously, "Do you… usually like rap music?"
"Not really—"
Yu replied casually while scanning the main headline.
It was concise and direct.
Iwagakure had broken through Konoha's second line of border defense and was on the verge of taking Kikyo Castle.
Meanwhile, a reporter stationed in the Land of Hot Water, embedded with Kumogakure's forces, reported that the Hidden Cloud was mobilizing forces at the border after learning of Iwagakure's attack—hinting at a major move.
Yu handed the paper to Mei Terumi. Her eyes widened slightly as she took it and skimmed through the contents.
"Would Kumogakure really set aside their old grudge over Iwa's ambush of the Third Raikage… and join forces with Iwagakure to seize Konoha's rich territory?"
Mei couldn't see the full picture.
What she was sure of was that Kirigakure was in no condition to join any war effort.
As for Sunagakure… that was another unknown factor. Regardless, with Iwagakure's offensive, the balance of power among the Five Great Nations would inevitably shift.
In Mei's view, this could very well be the start of the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Yu shook his head.
Mei sighed. "You… can't see the situation clearly either?"
"No, what I'm saying is—regardless of whether Kumogakure moves against Konoha, it's already too late to make a difference."
"You mean… Konoha still has enough cards to withstand simultaneous attacks from both Iwa and Kumo without being destroyed?!"
Mei's face was filled with disbelief.
"More or less."
Yu looked over the peaceful streets of Hot Spring Village.
He thought to himself:
When the Land of Fire and Konoha truly face annihilation, Hiruzen Sarutobi and those two Hokage advisors…
They might really go mad with desperation—releasing the Nine-Tails, violating all ethics by using the forbidden Edo Tensei, summoning past Hokage, and dragging other nations into total ruin along with Konoha.
One must never underestimate Konoha's power just by what's visible on the surface. Even without enhanced bodies, basic reanimation could still yield tremendous strength when using Konoha's deep roster of deceased elites.
In fact, a full-scale Edo Tensei army of Konoha's dead could hold off the combined might of Iwa and Kumo.
Of course, Yu was referring to a true doomsday scenario. And without Danzō… he wasn't sure if the remaining leadership still had the guts.
As for Iwagakure's current offensive—
Yu suspected its main goal was to exploit Konoha's weakened state and extract territorial concessions—maybe get the Land of Fire to give up some land and pay heavy reparations.
Ōnoki's intentions were clear: if he could destroy Konoha, great. If not, he'd at least try to draw out all of Konoha's trump cards.
He wanted Kumo, Suna, and Kiri to see just how much strength remained in what was once the First Great Ninja Village.
It was simple, really.
If the Land of Earth truly wanted to swallow the Land of Fire whole, Ōnoki wouldn't just be sending a limited Iwa force—he would've declared all-out war.
Still—
Yu was looking forward to seeing how far Ōnoki would push Konoha… and whether they'd finally resort to Edo Tensei.
At this point, Yu's own offensive against Konoha could be just as effective as Iwa and Kumo's joint assault.
But even if he destroyed Konoha, with his green potions exhausted, he'd still have to face Iwa, Kumo, the Akatsuki, and Obito… and in the end, he'd only pave the way for others.
Rather than working for someone else's gain, it was better to build his strength first. Once he captured the two tailed beasts from Kirigakure, he could return and reap everything.
---
Land of Fire.
Konoha.
At the Hokage Tower, the ninjas of the major clans had assembled. With Mount Myōboku agreeing to join the battle and Hiruzen Sarutobi personally leading the defense against Ōnoki, morale was high.
Konoha's ninjas were eagerly awaiting the order to march.
Meanwhile—
At the Root Organization's base, in an underground laboratory where corpses were stored…
The air was stale, filled with the lingering stench of embalming chemicals.
Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado, and Hiruzen Sarutobi stood in a triangle formation.
Hiruzen had changed into a black combat uniform and wore a ninja helm. His presence radiated the aura of a warrior king about to march to war.
"Hiruzen, others might not understand Konoha's current situation—but you do. Think this through. Even if it means experimenting on Danzō…"
Koharu tried to persuade him earnestly.
Clutched in her hand was a black forbidden scroll passed down from the Second Hokage: Edo Tensei.
Homura, gazing solemnly through his glasses, added,
"Hiruzen… think again. If you revive Danzō, he'll be grateful to you!"
Hiruzen fell silent, heavy with doubt. He finally replied:
"Not for now. We have Mount Myōboku's support. If we repel Iwa, we can stall Kumo through negotiation."
The two Hokage advisors exchanged a glance.
"Sigh…"
Koharu relented, then added solemnly:
"Fine. But I need your promise. If we suffer defeat—or if Kumo brings unbearable pressure—and the Land of Fire and Konoha are on the brink of destruction, you must approve the use of this forbidden technique."
"…"
A flicker of hesitation passed through Hiruzen's aged eyes. After a moment, he turned to look at Danzō's corpse—now transformed into a tree.
If Danzō were still alive, none of this would be necessary. He wouldn't have to bear the blame himself.
After a long pause—
Hiruzen left the room where the Hokage corpses were stored in Root's base. His voice echoed firmly:
"All right."
°°°
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