The war between Konohagakure and Sunagakure had finally ended.
With a resounding victory, Konohagakure entered a period of prosperity. The village was bustling with life, and the streets were filled with villagers whose faces radiated joy.
Gaara, the jinchūriki of the One-Tail, had long since been freed from imprisonment by Tobirama Senju. Tobirama had placed him in a team with Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, hoping to strengthen the bonds between the three.
As for how much these three could grow now that they had diverged from their original fates, that was beyond even Tobirama's control.
Currently, Tobirama sat idly in the Hokage's office, seemingly focused on the stack of reports in his hand detailing Konohagakure's various affairs. In truth, his thoughts had wandered far from the mundane.
"What should I do next?"
"Eliminate the Akatsuki?"
"Or maybe bring back a couple more jinchūriki to the village?"
Shaking his head, Tobirama dismissed the idea. Capturing the One-Tail from Sunagakure could be framed as retribution for their attack on Konohagakure. But stealing jinchūriki from other villages would essentially be declaring his ambition to collect the tailed beasts outright.
Not only would the other villages become more vigilant, but such actions would inevitably draw hostility from all shinobi villages, sparking a Fourth Great Ninja War.
The Akatsuki would also likely take notice and retaliate, potentially targeting Konohagakure in secret.
Moreover, using aerial tactics like in the recent war wouldn't yield the same results against other villages. They had already started preparing countermeasures.
Kumogakure, situated in the Land of Lightning, experienced frequent thunderstorms. Flying high in such weather was asking to be struck by lightning.
Kirigakure's mastery of mist-based jutsu meant their ninjas could shroud the battlefield in water vapor, obscuring visibility entirely.
Iwagakure, of course, had Ōnoki, the Tsuchikage, who could fly himself and wield the Dust Release—a technique devastating to weaker aerial ninjas.
The war with Sunagakure had a clear justification—retaliation for their assault on Konohagakure. Any attack on other villages would be pure aggression, potentially dampening the morale of Konoha's shinobi.
Besides, Konohagakure's current strength wasn't sufficient to take on three major villages simultaneously—unless Tobirama himself took action.
If he did, though, none of the other villages would have effective counters. His immortality, combined with the Flying Thunder God Technique's unmatched mobility, meant he could infiltrate enemy villages, unleash a Tailed Beast Bomb with a jinchūriki, and escape unscathed.
But there were obstacles. Both Naruto and Gaara had yet to fully come to terms with their tailed beasts. Moreover, Tobirama knew the Akatsuki would move against the village the moment he left.
"Hokage-sama, the resources Sunagakure surrendered after their defeat have been organized. Please review this report," said Shikaku Nara, stepping into the office and handing Tobirama a stack of documents.
Tobirama glanced through the papers, nodded, and said, "No issues."
"Oh, Shikaku, about the Star Clan. Now that their entire village has joined Konohagakure and played a significant role in the war, make sure they're assigned good land for their settlement."
"Understood." Shikaku nodded but didn't leave immediately. Instead, he gave Tobirama a peculiar look.
"What? Is there something on my face?" Tobirama asked, running his hand over his cheek, only to feel cold, cracked skin.
"It's not that, Hokage-sama," Shikaku replied. "We've received word from the border. Itachi Uchiha has been spotted near the border of the Land of Fields. He seems to be in poor condition and is being pursued by several individuals in black cloaks with red clouds—likely the Akatsuki."
Shikaku's tone turned cautious as he observed Tobirama's reaction. Among the Hokage's apprentices, it was well-known that Tobirama wasn't particularly fond of the Uchiha. His decision to put the Uchiha in charge of the Konoha Police Force—a thankless role that often bred resentment—was a prime example of this.
However, recent revelations about Danzo's crimes had shed light on Itachi's tragic past. The truth of his role as a double agent and the circumstances behind the Uchiha massacre were now public knowledge. While the village's elders were either dead or detained, only Tobirama and the disgraced Hiruzen Sarutobi were fully aware of Itachi's covert mission.
Tobirama remained silent for a moment, processing the news.
"Itachi, being hunted by the Akatsuki?"
He couldn't help but wonder if the information was accurate. This deviated significantly from his knowledge of events. Then again, given his revival and the changes he'd wrought—such as defeating Sunagakure and capturing Gaara—such deviations were to be expected.
Still, with the Akatsuki so close to Konohagakure's borders, Tobirama had no choice but to intervene.
Despite his disdain for Itachi's extreme actions, Tobirama couldn't ignore the fact that the young Uchiha's loyalty lay with the village. And with Konohagakure currently short on high-level shinobi, bringing Itachi back into the fold could significantly strengthen their forces.
Making up his mind, Tobirama stood abruptly.
"Shikaku, I'm heading out to investigate this matter personally."
Before Shikaku could protest, a flash of blue light filled the room, and Tobirama vanished, leaving the Nara to sigh in resignation.
"Hokage-sama never changes… always acting on impulse," Shikaku muttered.
...
Land of Fire's Border
Amid a lush forest, a battered figure emerged from the undergrowth. It was none other than Itachi, his eyes blinded, with a black-feathered crow perched on his shoulder, serving as his guide.
Itachi was at his lowest point. His body was riddled with wounds, his tattered clothing barely covering him. His empty, black eye sockets had stopped bleeding, not because they had healed but because he had no blood left to bleed. His pallor rivaled that of Orochimaru himself.
Despite his blindness, the faint moisture in the air and the terrain underfoot told Itachi he had entered the Land of Fire.
Returning to this place was the last thing he wanted. How could he face Konohagakure—or his brother—in this state?
But relentless pursuit from the Akatsuki had driven him here, forcing him back to his homeland. Letting out a quiet sigh, Itachi followed the sound of running water to a stream, kneeling to drink from its cool waters.
The crow on his shoulder, equally exhausted, hopped down to the stream and drank greedily.
Unbeknownst to him, on the opposite bank, a figure emerged from the shadows of a tree—a figure cloaked in the unmistakable black-and-white visage of Zetsu.
A sinister chuckle echoed through the forest.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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