With the merger of Konohagakure and Sunagakure, the dynamics of the ninja world began to shift drastically.
The daimyo of various nations, fearing for their safety, started forming alliances and showing goodwill toward their ninjas. After all, the fates of the Fire and Wind Daimyo had made it clear—when ninja revolted, the daimyo were utterly powerless to resist.
In this tense climate, the Three Kage Summit, organized by the Fourth Raikage, A, was being hastily prepared.
...
Konohagakure. Hokage's Office.
Uchiha Mirai sat at the head of the table, a rare moment of focus as he tackled the mountain of paperwork before him. The merger of the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind had created countless issues, all requiring his judgment.
Even with the help of Yuhi Kurenai, Uchiha Mikoto, and Konan, Mirai found himself perpetually swamped. If not for his inhumanly strong constitution, the workload might have already broken him.
As noon approached, a lean young man entered the office. He wore a Konoha forehead protector, and his sharp, triangular eyes exuded a sinister aura—a man who clearly wasn't to be trifled with. Yet, upon approaching Mirai, he knelt respectfully.
"Hokage-sama, you called for me. What are your orders?"
The man's voice trembled slightly, betraying his attempt to remain calm.
"Shinnosuke," Uchiha Mirai said evenly, "do you harbor resentment toward the village?"
The question made cold sweat drip down Sarutobi Shinnosuke's back. He hurriedly shook his head.
"Hokage-sama, I have only love for the village. How could I possibly resent it?"
Mirai's expression remained neutral. "Good. The border situation is unstable. Intelligence suggests that Kirigakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure might attack us. The village is short-handed, so I want you to lead a thousand Sarutobi ninjas to reinforce the frontlines."
Shinnosuke's face darkened. The Sarutobi clan only had about a thousand members capable of fighting. Considering the fate of the Shimura, Mitokado, and Utatane clans, Mirai's intentions were obvious.
He took a deep breath and replied, "Hokage-sama, protecting the village is the duty of every Sarutobi ninja. However, sending a thousand of us at once… isn't that excessive? I could lead 200 to the frontlines instead."
Mirai's gaze turned cold. "Are you defying my orders? Do you think this is a negotiation? Or perhaps, in your eyes, the Sarutobi clan is more important than the village?"
His voice dropped, laced with menace. "Do you want to become a missing-nin?"
Shinnosuke immediately bowed his head.
"I wouldn't dare. I understand. Please give me some time—I will gather a thousand clan members to head to the frontlines."
Mirai's expression softened into a smile. "Good. It's all for the village. You're dismissed."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Once Shinnosuke left, Mirai chuckled. The sense of moral superiority felt quite satisfying.
Years ago, the Uchiha clan had faced similar oppression, forced to comply with Sarutobi Hiruzen and the elders despite knowing their true intentions.
Now, the tables had turned. Mirai couldn't help but wonder—how would the Sarutobi react when placed in the Uchiha's former position?
...
Sarutobi Clan Grounds.
Shinnosuke summoned the clan's elite in secret to relay Mirai's orders. Fury erupted among the gathered members.
"Unbelievable! That bastard Mirai is using us as cannon fodder!"
"He isn't even trying to hide it. This is clearly a move to eliminate the Sarutobi clan!"
"Shinnosuke-sama, we can't just sit here and take this. Why don't we escape while we still can?"
Shinnosuke clenched his fists, the weight of his decision bearing down on him. Finally, he spoke.
"Tomorrow at midnight, we leave the village."
A murmur of uncertainty rippled through the group. "What about the non-combatant members of the clan?" someone asked hesitantly.
Shinnosuke's eyes hardened. "Their sacrifice will buy us the chance to escape and rebuild. It's a necessary cost."
After hashing out the details, Shinnosuke returned to his quarters alone. Activating a barrier around his room, his eyes burned with hatred.
"Uchiha Mirai…
"You want the Sarutobi clan to be your pawns? Never! One day, I'll destroy you and your entire clan!"
...
Midnight.
Over a thousand Sarutobi clan members caused chaos throughout the village. Some were drunk and brawling, others vandalized shops, while others cursed loudly in the dark alleys.
The turmoil stretched Konoha's police force thin. Only the arrival of Namikaze Minato and his Anbu squad managed to bring the situation under control.
Meanwhile, Shinnosuke led hundreds of the clan's elite through the forest, far from the village.
"Move quickly!" he urged. "Once we reach the Land of Iron, we'll be safe!"
The Land of Iron, a samurai-led nation, had remained neutral in ninja conflicts. Since Uchiha Mirai had killed the daimyo, the Land of Iron had expressed open hostility toward him. Shinnosuke was confident they'd be welcomed.
But as they sped through the forest, the group came to an abrupt halt.
Ahead of them, a lone man stood on a tree branch, his black hair flowing in the wind. Arms crossed, he gazed down at them calmly.
"Uchiha Mirai?!"
Shinnosuke's heart sank. Despite all his preparations, despite sacrificing over a thousand clan members to create a distraction, Mirai was here.
Could he have known all along?
"Shinnosuke," Mirai said, his tone laced with disappointment. "You've truly let me down.
"To abandon the village rather than fight for it… The Sarutobi clan really is irredeemable."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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