Chapter 56: Reverse Heavenly Gang
Konoha.
Hokage's Office Building.
"Hiruzen, this time White Fang's actions were too risky. If this provokes Iwa's full-scale war against Konoha, who will take responsibility?"
Koharu Utatane frowned, clearly furious at White Fang's independent decision to mobilize troops and threaten Iwa. Such a move, if mishandled, could lead another major nation to join the war.
On the side, Homura Mitokado adjusted his glasses, also frowning as he spoke sternly, "Hiruzen, you are the Hokage. The repercussions of White Fang's unauthorized mobilization are severe."
The two of them, Homura and Koharu, both looked highly concerned, and Sarutobi Hiruzen, seated at the desk, puffing on his pipe, was also frowning with a serious expression.
"Though White Fang may have overstepped this time, fortunately, Iwa did not engage directly. Right now, the Rain Country battlefield is our primary concern. White Fang must act with restraint."
"Hiruzen!"
Faced with their intense reaction, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, laid out his plan in a low voice.
"This Second Shinobi World War cannot drag on. We must end the Rain Country conflict as swiftly as possible, or else Iwa's ambitions could only be the beginning. What about Kumo and Kirigakure?"
"I plan to have White Fang lead the main force to handle the Sand battlefront, while Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade will be responsible for the Rain Country."
Hiruzen's strategy was simple: resolve both battlefronts quickly, forcing the Rain and Sand villages to retreat from the war. By then, any other villages contemplating joining would think twice.
Although he, too, was unhappy with White Fang's recent actions.
"Hiruzen! White Fang is taking action against another major nation without the Hokage's order—what is he trying to do? Is he dissatisfied, or has he been swayed by others?"
At that moment, the door was flung open, and Danzo Shimura stormed in, furious, loudly denouncing White Fang's behavior.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's appointment as Hokage had already enraged Danzo. In Danzo's eyes, if Sarutobi stepped down, the Hokage position should naturally go to him! White Fang was nothing compared to him!
"Danzo!"
Watching Danzo charge in angrily, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a rare warmth in his heart, and his eyes softened with nostalgia. As expected, they were comrades. Even at this critical moment, Danzo stood up to protect his authority as Hokage.
In their eyes, White Fang's move to stabilize the Grass Country situation was clearly a signal to win favor from the major clans to position himself as a potential Hokage. This was exactly why they resisted White Fang so fiercely.
Who was White Fang, anyway?
A shinobi with no connection to them, of samurai lineage, who had emerged suddenly as an elite and was now supported by the Senju and other major clans.
The clans, wary of producing another like Tobirama Senju, didn't want a Hokage solely devoted to maintaining the upper echelons' interests. Thus, White Fang was the ideal choice for them.
"Hiruzen! White Fang went too far this time!"
Danzo angrily slammed the desk and glared at Sarutobi, as if expecting him to eliminate White Fang himself.
The Hokage seat was his, after all. Who was White Fang to threaten that?
"Danzo, I understand your feelings, but the Rain Country frontlines are in urgent need. I need your Root division's full support to end the Rain Country battle swiftly; otherwise, the four great nations could descend again, as they did in the First Shinobi World War!"
The Third Hokage's eyes held earnestness as he looked at Danzo, who hesitated for a moment, his rage diminishing.
That look of trust!
Danzo, regaining his composure, let out a cold snort. In his view, Sarutobi was affirming him and not White Fang, which eased his anger somewhat.
"Hiruzen, understood. Root will do everything to end the Rain Country battle."
For once, Danzo sat silently, nodding with a hoarse voice. Koharu and Homura exchanged glances and smiled with relief.
They were comrades who had endured together over the years. When it mattered, they knew they could rely on each other.
"Hiruzen, go ahead!"
"Exactly!"
In that moment, the four members of Konoha's leadership looked at each other, their eyes reflecting the determination of their younger years.
With the support of his old friends, Hiruzen's face softened with a smile. The vigor of his youth returned.
"This Shinobi World War will end in Konoha's victory once more!"
End the Rain Country conflict! Once those two nations withdraw, who would dare continue?
---
**Uchiha Clan Grounds.**
"Kid, what's this all about?!"
In his home, Tsunade coldly toyed with a brown-green scroll in her hands, a playful glint in her eyes.
Under Uchiha Yosuke's embarrassed look, Tsunade slowly unrolled the scroll with a mocking smile.
"Wow, our genius is really something. Not only did you go on a suicide mission, but you also left instructions behind, even handing over your own self-created A-Rank jutsu. Quite the charmer, aren't you, kid?"
With a teasing smile, Tsunade's words made Yosuke lower his head in embarrassment, stammering, "C-Captain Tsunade, I… I…!"
Before he could finish, Tsunade snorted.
"A birthday present on August 2nd: the Uchiha pup gifts the Senju princess his self-made A-Rank jutsu. Wow, the folks in Konoha will be buzzing about this one."
Though she sounded mocking, her eyes held a complicated look.
This kid had prepared this scroll with Katsuyu's help even before heading deep into the Grass Country to save him.
A birthday present?! Or rather, a will!
Seeing the scroll Katsuyu had delivered to her had made Tsunade furious.
"Kid, is this your idea of an apology? What do you mean by telling the Senju to stay vigilant in the latter part of the scroll? And for White Fang to be careful after the war—what does that mean?"
This scroll was essentially Uchiha Yosuke's farewell letter, made with the worst outcome in mind.
This was why Tsunade was so angry—what else was this kid hiding from her?
Damn it!
How old is this kid, really? And how long has it been? And already, he's hiding things from her—what will he do in the future?
Faced with Tsunade's questioning, Yosuke kept his head down in shame, and Tsunade felt both anger and a pang of heartache.
"I'm sorry."
Hearing another apology, Tsunade felt a surge of anger rise.
Back in the Grass Country cave, all he'd said was "sorry" while holding her at kunai-point!
She'd lived this long, and no one had ever dared to point a kunai at her before—much less a brat from the Uchiha.
***
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