"Can you hear what they're saying in there?"
Inside the Senju Compound, Nawaki watched Kushina, who was practically glued to the barrier surrounding the hall. His curiosity was reaching a fever pitch, making him fidget restlessly.
Kushina waved a hand dismissively in his direction, signaling him to shut up. She was focused on picking apart Uzumaki Mito's barrier; even the slightest distraction would ruin her concentration.
Inside the hall, shielded by the barrier, Uzumaki Mito cast a brief glance toward Kushina's direction. She didn't move to stop her. Instead, she turned her attention back to the ninja standing before her, who was currently delivering a report.
"...Sakamoto Tatsuma actually managed to kill two of Sunagakure's Jonin. It truly is a remarkable feat..."
Outside the barrier, Kushina finally caught a snippet of the conversation. Her expression shifted instantly from concentration to shock, followed by a wave of intense competitiveness. She began punching the air with her fists, her face flushed with indignation.
Seeing her reaction, Nawaki leaned in again. "What is it? What is it?! Did you hear something?"
"Hmph! Why don't you listen for yourself?!"
Kushina's tone was sharp, but Nawaki didn't take it to heart. He simply scratched his head and sighed. "I can't. I haven't learned how to do that yet. Just tell me—what is Uncle Takama talking to Grandma about?"
"Tatsuma killed two Jonin."
Despite her irritation, Kushina shared what she had heard. Nawaki's eyes widened, mirroring Kushina's earlier shock, which quickly transformed into pure admiration.
He performed a little hop, tugging at his tight green jumpsuit. "Just as Duy-gege predicted! Tatsuma was bound to achieve greatness. This is the hot-blooded flower of youth, blooming with every drop of effort!"
Kushina ignored Nawaki. He had changed drastically lately—his speech patterns and aesthetic choices were starting to veer into "youthful" territory—but she was too busy feeling the pressure.
She already couldn't beat Tatsuma or Minato. Now that Tatsuma had gone to the front lines and grown enough to slay Jonin... and that "goldilocks" Minato had also gone to the front... if he grew at the same rate, she'd be left in the dust.
Inside the hall, Takama looked at the serene face of Uzumaki Mito and couldn't help but ask, "Mito-sama, are you not surprised? At his age, to achieve such a thing... his future..."
Mito waved a hand. "I understand. It seems the village's younger generation is quite capable. Perhaps this war won't require my presence after all. As for Tatsuma... he is still just a child. Do not burden him with too many expectations or pressure. That is my view; pass it on to Hiruzen."
Takama nodded, marveling silently at Mito's composure. Only someone who had lived through the chaotic era of the Warring States could remain so calm in the face of such an impossible report.
Mito lifted the barrier and allowed Takama to leave. She then turned her gaze toward the spot outside where Kushina was hiding.
"If you only envy the power," she whispered to herself, "then you will never be able to control it. You must understand this soon, child."
Meanwhile, the higher-ups of the various ninja clans in the village had also caught wind of the battlefield details. They were equally stunned by the sudden rise of Sakamoto Tatsuma.
However, everyone maintained a silent consensus: no one spoke of it publicly. Hiruzen Sarutobi had yet to take an official stance.
In times of war, Konoha needed teenage heroes. War may be fought in the present, but it is a struggle for the future. Past grievances explode today so that one side can secure tomorrow.
A teenage genius appearing on the battlefield was a harbinger of the future. Tatsuma's demonstrated talent was enough to make him a key player in the next era of the shinobi world.
But there was a problem: Tatsuma was too young. Furthermore, neither the village council nor the clan leaders understood how he had defeated those Jonin. By all accounts, he shouldn't have had the power to do so—yet he had.
If Tatsuma were fifteen or sixteen with a stable, well-documented power level, the village wouldn't even wait for Hiruzen to speak. They would already be singing his praises from the rooftops, just as they had for Hatake Sakumo and the Sannin.
Hiruzen was currently wrestling with the same dilemma: whether or not to publicize Tatsuma's deeds. He had already confirmed the report with the front lines multiple times. Precisely because he knew it was true, he was hesitant.
"Lord Third, a letter of condemnation from Sunagakure."
Hatake Sakumo appeared, clad in his Anbu gear, and handed two scrolls to Hiruzen.
Hiruzen took them without hesitation. He trusted Sakumo's competence; anything that passed through his hands was guaranteed to be safe.
The first scroll was a formal condemnation, accusing Konoha shinobi of being "barbaric" and "torturing" the Suna ninja Sajin to death. The second scroll was an autopsy report—Sajin's autopsy report.
As Hiruzen scanned the details of the autopsy, he suddenly felt a phantom throb of pain in a very specific part of his body. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
According to the report, Sajin had died after undergoing what could only be described as "inhumane and brutal physical trauma." Suna's condemnation, while aggressive, was a perfectly reasonable diplomatic maneuver.
Of course, shinobi weren't exactly known for their kindness to enemies. Konoha even had methods of "spiritual interrogation" that were far more inhumane than physical torture. However... those things were never supposed to be brought into the light.
Sajin's experience was now a matter of public record between villages. As a Great Hidden Village, Konoha needed to maintain a positive image. They could never acknowledge or admit to such things.
Just as Hiruzen was wondering how to respond, Takama arrived and delivered Uzumaki Mito's opinion.
Hearing the report, the worry vanished from Hiruzen's face. He pushed the scrolls aside, his tone turning light and dismissive. "Sunagakure's condemnation is utter nonsense! Tatsuma is just an ordinary Genin of the Leaf. How could he possibly be capable of such things? Suna is clearly stage-managing their own drama to save face. It's laughable. Tell them that war is won on the battlefield, not with these cheap political tricks!"
Hidden Sand Village, Wind Shadow Building
The conference room was heavy with a suffocating silence. The highest-ranking officials of Sunagakure were all present.
Not long ago, Konoha's diplomatic response had arrived. Their "deny everything, admit nothing, and counter-accuse" attitude had left the Suna elders fuming.
SLAM!
A ninja with a white head-wrap was the first to snap. He slammed his fist onto the table. "Are we really going to let that brat keep running around?! Sajin was the village's best hope for developing Human Puppets—maybe even living puppets! His death has set back our puppetry research by at least a decade! I suspect some people intentionally left Sajin to die just to protect their own status as the 'number one puppeteer' in the village! Why else would he have been left alone?!"
Sajin wasn't famous for his combat record, but the council knew his talent for puppet engineering was rivaled only by the Second Kazekage, Shamon. He had been the first to experiment with integrating human components into puppets. With his talent and youth, he was the future of their core art.
"Fanding! Are you really going to twist the truth just to slander my sister?!"
A middle-aged man roared back. This was Ebizo, Chiyo's younger brother and head of Suna's Intelligence Division.
"What do you mean 'left alone'? He was the squad leader! He led dozens of Chunin into a death trap because of his own poor command!"
Fanding sneered at Ebizo's rebuttal. "The intelligence was summarized and submitted by your department. Who knows if you doctored the reports to protect your sister..."
"ENOUGH!"
The youngest figure at the head of the table cut him off. It was the Third Kazekage. As the leader of the village, he knew which lines could be crossed and which couldn't.
He was mourning his disciple, but at this critical juncture, he couldn't allow the village to fracture. Fanding's suspicion was the limit; going any further would be a false accusation that would destabilize the entire internal structure.
You must never say anything that undermines unity.
Fanding fell silent, though he was clearly unsatisfied. He could have brought up the fact that the Third Kazekage himself had been elevated with Chiyo's support, but that was a card from years ago. Today, the Third Kazekage had fully come into his own power. He wasn't someone Fanding could openly challenge.
Ebizo gave the Kazekage a grateful look and wisely stopped talking. The Third Kazekage scanned the room, his eyes burning with suppressed fury.
"Konoha must pay for what they've done. They claim we are playing political games? Then let's give them what they want. Tsunade, Orochimaru, Hatake Sakumo, Sakamoto Tatsuma... it's time to update the Black Market bounties."
The elders understood his intent immediately. An elderly official frowned. "Lord Kazekage, the village budget..."
"Sajin was the sole heir to the Second Kazekage's estate. Now... I believe the Second Lord and Sajin would both be willing to give everything for the village."
The Third Kazekage's calm voice sent a ripple through the room. The implication was clear: the lineage of Shamon was extinct. His vast estate and heritage now belonged to the village.
It wasn't a noble act, but no one voiced an objection. Sunagakure's finances were stretched to the breaking point. The Second Kazekage's legacy would be a vital lifeline for the war effort. After the bounties were paid, there would still be plenty left over...
"For the rise of Sunagakure, I agree," the head of finance said, being the first to break the silence.
The others quickly followed suit.
"The Second Lord always cared for the village; we are simply following his unspoken will." "This is to give an account to the heroic spirits of our village." "Sajin inherited the Will of Sand; he would surely want this."
Hypocritical justifications filled the air. Once the consensus was reached, the Third Kazekage nodded.
"Konoha used a declaration of war as a pretext for a cowardly ambush. We must respond. Hiruzen says he wants a total war? Then we shall give him one! Mobilize every Sand ninja! To the front lines! We will have vengeance for Sajin and the others! Let the world see the true face of the Leaf! And as for Sakamoto Tatsuma... mark him as a priority target. He must pay for his atrocities! Should the wind and sand be violated, the wind and sand shall swallow them whole!"
"SHOUD THE WIND AND SAND BE VIOLATED, THE WIND AND SAND SHALL SWALLOW THEM WHOLE!" the council echoed in unison.
Looking at the ignited passion of the elders, the Third Kazekage felt he had the people's mandate. Ebizo, however, kept his brow furrowed. Regardless of how this turned out, his sister's reputation was going to take a hit.
Seeing Ebizo's worry, the Kazekage offered a small comfort. "Chiyo-sama's will is beyond doubt. I will not change the frontline command. As long as she continues to serve the village, she will remain a hero."
Ebizo nodded, but the worry didn't leave his face. Even if his sister performed perfectly, she was now merely fighting to keep what she already had.