"To be honest, I really didn't expect it to be you this time."
At the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning, Hizashi Hyūga looked at the vast army of reinforcements before him, feeling a wave of emotion.
The Uchiha clan.
He never imagined the reinforcements would be them.
As one of Konoha's great Dōjutsu clans, the Uchiha had always been a special case within the village. Though their combat power was impressive, they had never been fully trusted since Madara Uchiha's departure.
Both the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, maintained a cautious attitude toward them. Anyone with a bit of insight could see it.
It was also the main reason the Uchiha had grown isolated—few major clans were willing to associate with them.
They understood well the saying: when the city gate burns, the fish in the moat suffer.
Yet the current Hokage seemed determined to change this situation.
"Once we step onto the battlefield, we are all ninja of Konoha."
Fugaku shook his head. He wasn't sure whether Minato's leadership could truly change the relationship between Konoha and the Uchiha, but he had at least seen a genuine sign of trust from the Hokage.
That was a good start.
So he came—standing here as a ninja of Konoha.
Perhaps Konoha harbored its own darkness, one that people despised. But whenever the village was pushed to the brink, someone would always rise to defend it.
More than power or strength, it was this spirit of sacrifice that made Konoha the foremost hidden village in the world.
"That's right. We are all ninja of Konoha."
As they reached out, the hands of the Hyūga branch family head and the Uchiha clan leader met firmly in a rare gesture of unity.
Such a scene was uncommon.
For two clans long locked in rivalry, letting go of old grudges was no easy task.
Trust was more than just a word—it required effort from both sides.
Hizashi already knew about Minato's plan.
There was no doubt that the Night Owl Squad's deep infiltration behind enemy lines had played a crucial role.
Now, with the Uchiha reinforcements arriving at the border, he could finally let out a breath of relief.
"Hizashi, any word on the Night Owl Squad?"
After a brief meeting, the two men entered the operations command room.
Fugaku's eyes carried a hint of concern as he finally voiced the question that had been weighing on his mind.
"The Night Owl Squad, huh."
Hizashi let out a thoughtful sigh. "They're all heroes of Konoha."
"According to the intelligence we've gathered, they've sabotaged Kumogakure's supply routes at least six times in recent days, leaving the enemy's front-line forces crippled."
"At this rate, those guys might not even have ration pills left to eat in a few days."
"On top of that, they've attacked the outposts Kumogakure set up within the Land of Lightning, throwing the entire village into chaos and leaving them too exhausted to focus on the main battlefield."
"Those kids truly are heroes."
Admiration filled Hizashi's expression as he spoke without holding back his praise.
A single squad had completely turned the tide of the border war.
They were heroes—without question.
"Do we know where they are now, within the Land of Lightning?"
Their accomplishments were undeniable, yet Fugaku no longer cared about such details.
His son—his six-year-old son—was among that squad.
It had been Itachi's choice. Before his departure, Fugaku had asked if he truly had the resolve to go deep behind enemy lines.
If Itachi had wavered even slightly, Fugaku would have stopped him without hesitation.
But his son's firm answer had erased all doubt.
Trusting his child—that was all he could do now, as a father.
"I'm afraid no one knows exactly where they are," Hizashi said. "But that's a good thing. Kumogakure is searching for them too, so the lack of information means they're still safe."
After glancing at the map, Hizashi shook his head.
They were doing an excellent job of hiding their movements.
"Hizashi-sama! Fugaku-sama!"
As the two spoke, a messenger ninja burst into the command room. Judging by his excitement, something significant had happened.
"They're back!"
In an instant, both men darted out of the command room.
...
At the entrance to the Konoha encampment, traces of battle still scarred the land, but the oppressive atmosphere that had lingered over the border was gone.
In its place were the hopeful gazes of countless ninja.
The situation had completely changed.
As four figures appeared at the edge of the camp, every pair of eyes turned toward them.
Seeing the blood that still stained their clothes, the surrounding ninja could only look on with deep respect.
The only surprise came from the occasional angry meow coming from the sack slung over one of their shoulders.
"This all feels kind of unreal," Shisui muttered with a foolish grin, scratching his head as he took in the sight around him.
When he'd raised his blade and unleashed the terror of "Shisui of the Body Flicker" upon Kumogakure, he'd felt nothing but resistance in his heart.
But now, seeing the looks in everyone's eyes, he couldn't help but feel a rush of pride.
Unlike his days in Root, where he'd quietly sacrificed for the village without acknowledgment, this time he truly felt the joy of protecting the land beneath his feet.
"Hm?"
Itachi was just about to speak when a figure running toward them made him freeze.
That was...
Father?!
"You've returned."
Hizashi's voice trembled slightly as he looked at the four of them. Then, before everyone present, he bowed deeply.
They had earned it.
When the Night Owl Squad first departed, he hadn't believed these children could accomplish such a daunting mission. Yet they had—and not just accomplished it, but done it brilliantly, almost flawlessly.
"What are you standing there for?"
Hakken patted Itachi on the shoulder, looking at him oddly.
"You're seeing your father—shouldn't you be a little excited?"
Encouraged, Itachi nodded and stepped forward. Under Hizashi's astonished gaze, he knelt before Fugaku.
"Father."
Father?!
That's the son of Clan Head Fugaku Uchiha—Itachi Uchiha?!
Hizashi's jaw dropped in awe.
To send his own son into such danger... what incredible resolve that must have taken!
"Well done."
Fugaku pulled Itachi to his feet. Though the usually stern clan leader offered few words, the relief in his eyes and the firm, calloused hand gripping Itachi's conveyed a father's quiet pride.
"Meow!"
The furious cry of a cat snapped everyone back to their senses.
"What's that?"
Hizashi glanced curiously at the sack slung over Hakken's shoulder.
"Caught a cat. That's why we made it back early," Hakken said with a grin, lifting the bag slightly. "Let's talk inside, Uncle Fugaku. Looks like your trip might've been for nothing."
Because—
They had captured the Two-Tails Jinchūriki!