**Hokage Building**
The thick smoke filled the dense air of the office as Hiruzen Sarutobi, the legendary Third Hokage, maintained a solemn and tranquil expression. The pipe clamped between his lips seemed to be his only distraction as he contemplated the weight of the words he had just heard.
Before him, Asuma Sarutobi knelt with two chunin by his side, while Yakushi Kabuto stood a step behind. Close to them, Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuga Neji waited in silence, alert to every movement of their superiors.
After a long silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi's deep voice echoed through the smoke that danced around the room:
"This matter is of immense gravity."
Though Asuma was his son, he was also an elite jounin, loyal to the Leaf Village. The Hokage, despite feeling the burden of paternal concern, knew that the village came first. He had to remain skeptical until concrete evidence surfaced. This was the mentality required of the leaders of the most powerful village in the ninja world.
Still kneeling, Asuma extended his hand. A faint white light glowed around his fingers, and in the blink of an eye, a novice dagger appeared before them.
"There is no fluctuation of chakra..." Hiruzen Sarutobi murmured, frowning as he examined the dagger closely.
In the ninja world, objects appearing out of thin air were nothing new. Techniques involving seals or storage scrolls were common, but all depended on the use of chakra. The existence of a tool that appeared without this mysterious energy was baffling, even to someone as experienced as Hiruzen.
"A game that can transport people to another world, a marketplace capable of offering even bloodline limits... and the power to grow stronger by fighting corrupted monsters." Hiruzen's words carried a heavy burden of concern and fascination.
Ninjas had been sent to investigate the mysterious black tower that had appeared out of nowhere, but attempts to touch it were in vain. Though visible, the tower seemed to exist in a separate dimension, separated by an abyss between time and space.
Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled the smoke with a heavy sigh and concluded, "If all of this is true, you know what that means?"
War.
He didn't need to say anything else. His eyes clearly conveyed his thoughts. The delicate balance of peace between the ninja nations was on the verge of collapsing. The emergence of something as powerful as the *Reincarnation Game*—with the ability to surpass natural limitations of talent and training—was both a threat and a temptation too great to resist.
He knew that the other four great nations would not hold back for long. The ninja world was on the brink of a new era, an era of uncertainties.
Hiruzen turned to Asuma with a firm, determined look. "Sarutobi Asuma, the S-class mission you secured has been established. You will serve as the captain of this mission."
"The objective is to establish contact with the civilians and nobles of the Land of Fire who are involved in the reincarnation game. We must bring them to our side."
"If anything arises, report immediately."
For an event of such magnitude, an elite team of experienced jounin would typically be assembled. But for now, none of the players had become ninjas. Asuma would have to take the genin team for the initial investigation.
"Yes, sir!" Asuma responded firmly.
Yakushi Kabuto remained silent, his eyes hidden behind the reflection of his glasses. He knew that under normal circumstances, his presence so close to the Hokage could be risky. But fortunately, Hiruzen's attention was completely focused on the reincarnation game.
---
**Training Ground**
Elsewhere, Sakura looked curiously at Naruto, her eyes full of questions. "Idiot, what kind of mission is this?"
Uchiha Sasuke, a short distance away, threw shuriken with surgical precision, pretending to be disinterested but listening carefully to every word.
Naruto, eager to show off, opened his mouth to speak but was quickly interrupted. Kakashi Hatake, with his usual laid-back demeanor, appeared next to Naruto, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"S-class missions are highly confidential," Kakashi said with a slight smile under his mask. "We can't talk about them."
Naruto nodded, visibly disappointed. He turned to Sasuke with a defiant face. "I'll be stronger than you soon!"
Sasuke merely rolled his eyes with his customary air of superiority. "Idiot."
Frustrated, Naruto pulled a shuriken from his ninja pouch and hurled it with force. The projectile missed the target entirely, lodging itself in a tree trunk.
Sakura stifled a giggle as she looked at Sasuke with admiration. "Naruto, you'll never be as good as Sasuke."
Kakashi, with a playful air, approached and pulled the shuriken from the trunk, handing it back to Naruto. "Don't worry. The S-class mission might be dangerous, but I trust you."
Naruto smiled, touched by his sensei's kindness. "Thank you, Kakashi-sensei."
Meanwhile, Sasuke observed the tree trunk intently. The marks left by Naruto's shuriken were deeper than expected. "Could he have... gotten stronger?" Sasuke thought, frowning.
---
At the same time, the other four great ninja villages were also on high alert. Civilians with player qualifications had been identified and taken in by local forces. The sense that a great war was about to break out in the ninja world began to spread.
The *Reincarnation Game* had not yet fully revealed itself, but its influence was already being felt in every corner.
**End of Chapter**