Five shinobi stood gathered at the center. Hiruzen Sarutobi. Flanking him to his sides were:
Shinji Uchiha
Shisui Uchiha
Kakashi Hatake
Might Guy
An elite squad. Led by a former Kage. At the front Minato Namikaze stood behind his desk.
"You understand the objective," Minato said.
"Border stabilization. Suppress hostile movement. Avoid escalation if possible." "But if necessary" "End it quickly."
Hiruzen nodded once. "Understood."
But before they turned to leave "Hokage-sama."
Minato's eyes shifted. Shinji stepped forward slightly. "I ask something of you."
Minato didn't interrupt. "Go on."
Shinji's gaze didn't waver. "Watch over my clan."
"The last two weeks" Shinji continued. "I've sensed patrols. Hidden. Watching the compound." "I don't want them emboldened by my absence."
"These patrols are rooted in distrust."
"You have my word."
"Thank you."
They moved at sunrise. The gates of the village opened, and the five disappeared into the forest.
They traveled in formation. Hiruzen at the front. Shinji slightly behind and to the right. Shisui mirroring him on the left. Kakashi in the rear.
And Might Guy "This is it!" he whispered loudly. "A mission with Lord Third himself! The flames of youth burn brighter already!"
Kakashi didn't look back. "Try burning quieter."
Shisui snorted lightly.
After a while Hiruzen spoke. "Formations." "We're not dealing with random patrols," he continued. "These are organized units. Likely testing response patterns."
"They'll expect numbers. "They won't expect us."
Shinji nodded slightly. "Shock engagement."
"Exactly," Hiruzen replied.
"Roles." "Hear them once." "Shisui," Hiruzen said. "Disruption. Speed. You break their formation before they understand the battlefield."
Shisui grinned faintly. "Got it."
"Kakashi," Hiruzen continued. "Support and control. You adapt. Fill gaps. Don't overcommit."
Kakashi gave a small nod. "Understood."
"Guy."
Might Guy straightened instantly.
"You are pressure," Hiruzen said. "Once the line breaks you push. Hard."
Guy grinned. "Leave it to me!"
Hiruzen's gaze shifted. "Shinji." "You're with me."
Shinji nodded once. "Understood."
They reached the border by midday. The terrain had shifted.
Hiruzen raised a hand. They stopped instantly. "Twelve."
Kakashi's gaze shifted slightly. "Same count."
Shisui tilted his head. "Hidden well."
Hiruzen exhaled softly. "As expected." "We move."
The enemy never saw it coming. Shisui moved first. One moment nothing. The next chaos. He tore through their outer formation Confusion spread instantly.
"Where?! "Contact!"
Too late. Shinji and Hiruzen moved.
Hiruzen's hands flashed through seals
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bomb!"
A massive torrent of fire erupted. Engulfing the center of the enemy formation.
Forcing them together.
"Shinji."
His eyes flared. He stepped through the flames. The first shinobi barely turned before Shinji was already there.
One strike. And he was dead
Another came from the side blade drawn
Shinji pivoted and countered
Dead.
Behind him Hiruzen moved like a force of nature.
Staff spinning crushing through defenses
A shinobi lunged Earth Style rising beneath him Hiruzen shattered it mid-formation. Another tried to retreat. A clone intercepted. Driving him back into the chaos.
Within seconds the battlefield had collapsed.
Kakashi stood at the edge "We're not needed," he muttered.
Shisui landed beside him. "Not yet."
this wasn't a fight anymore. It was a demonstration. Of what happened when you pushed too far.
Hiruzen stepped forward. "Enough."
The bodies had been cleared. But not everything was gone. Two shinobi stood at the edge of the clearing.
"Why let us go?" one of them muttered. The other shook his head. "Doesn't matter." "We report."
Iwagakure
The Tsuchikage's office was carved from stone. Much like the man who stood within it. Onoki floated slightly above the ground, arms crossed, expression unreadable. The two jonin knelt before him.
"Say it again."
"The Third Hokage of the Leaf is at the border," one of them repeated.
"Along with four others. Elite-level shinobi."
"Among them, if our intelligence is to be believed. Is the current Uchiha clan head. Shinji the Red Eyed Reaper"
Onoki's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're certain."
"Yes, Tsuchikage-sama."
"Hiruzen Sarutobi" "That old monkey," Onoki muttered. His gaze drifted toward the window. Toward the distant direction of the Land of Fire.
"He comes himself"
"…Interesting."
This wasn't just reinforcement. This was a statement. And Onoki understood statements.
"Tell me," he said, glancing back at the jonin, "how did your squad fare?"
The answer was obvious. "We were overwhelmed."
"…Effortlessly."
Onoki's expression didn't change. But his mind was moving.
"If Hiruzen is there" he murmured, "then Konoha is either confident…" "or desperate."
"If that unit falls"
The jonin looked up slightly. "The message will be far louder than theirs."
Onoki lowered himself to the ground. Decision made. "Prepare a messenger."
Kumogakure
Lightning cracked across the sky. The Raikage's chamber stood high. Overlooking the village.
The message arrived quickly.
Read once. Then again.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi is on the front lines?"
A, the fourth Raikage leaned forward slightly. "That's bold."
A shinobi beside him spoke carefully.
"Onoki proposes a joint strike."
"Eliminate the unit."
That was escalation. The Raikage considered it. Then a grin formed. "If we kill the Third Hokage" "the Leaf bleeds." "Send word back."
"We accept."