Konoha. Hokage's Office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Tsunade, and Nara Shikakaku—the three senior leaders—waited until Fox arrived.
Hiruzen already had a bad feeling in his heart.
"Fox, how did the investigation go?"
"The situation is bad. Very bad," Yako said. "With the Third Kazekage missing, every other ninja village wants to test Sunagakure's strength.
Kirigakure's invasion of Sabaku Port in the Land of Wind had a very simple goal—they just wanted to kick Sunagakure while it was down and seize the port.
But the Mist ninja were too weak. They withdrew quickly.
The real problem is Iwagakure.
Based on the intelligence I gathered, I believe Iwagakure's attack on northern Wind Country was only a feint.
The Iwa ninja pulled back very quickly. My guess is that Ōnoki and Rasa have already met.
Ōnoki used threats in one hand and persuasion in the other, and the two sides reached some kind of agreement."
The moment he said that, everyone in the room tensed.
Compared to the still-inexperienced Rasa and the unstable Kirigakure, every move Ōnoki made pulled much harder at Konoha's nerves.
"Kirigakure has been moving too," Yako continued. "Our spies sent back intelligence that Kirigakure elder Gensui met with leaders from other villages in the Land of Waves."
His voice dropped lower.
"All signs point to the same thing. The other villages are secretly joining hands. They're preparing for war in secret.
Their target is us—Konoha.
It looks like an anti-Konoha alliance is taking shape across the shinobi world."
Hiruzen's bad feeling had become reality.
Just as he feared, the other villages—led by Ōnoki—really were plotting against Konoha.
Shikakaku thought for a moment before speaking.
"I once believed that after Commander Fox proved capable of killing a Tailed Beast, no other village would dare provoke Konoha lightly again.
I never expected Ōnoki and the Raikage to set aside their differences and cooperate.
If an anti-Konoha alliance truly exists, then its core must be those two.
If even they are willing to join hands because of Konoha's pressure, then people like Rasa and Gensui won't miss the chance to challenge the current order of the ninja world.
It may not be long before we see all four great villages moving against Konoha together."
Yako said, "I've developed one spy inside Sunagakure. That person is strong. They may be able to delay—or even prevent—Sunagakure from joining the anti-Konoha alliance.
If all four great villages join forces, that could bring disaster upon us.
But there's another force that may be just as dangerous..."
Everyone looked at Fox, unsure who could possibly be more dangerous than the combined might of four great ninja villages.
Yako said, "After Uchiha Madara's death, he left behind several extremely dangerous subordinates.
Spiral Zetsu. Nagato Uzumaki. Uchiha Obito. Sarutobi Kanosuke. And others.
After being personally cultivated by Madara, every one of them has Kage-level strength.
For the past four years, I've been searching for them. But they've hidden themselves well. I still can't find them.
Spiral Zetsu has Mangekyō Sharingan, Wood Release, and the Mayfly Technique, which lets him move underground at will.
Nagato Uzumaki possesses the legendary Rinnegan.
And if Madara's subordinates join forces with the four great villages, then..."
Shikakaku's eyes changed at once.
In an instant, he saw the worst possible future.
More than fifty thousand shinobi from the four great villages invading the Land of Fire.
The Kage of each village, along with Madara's surviving subordinates and their Jinchūriki, rampaging across different fronts within the Land of Fire.
Konoha itself facing destruction.
The Third Hokage was strong.
Fox was strong.
But Konoha simply had too few true powerhouses.
Hiruzen said, "Fox, continue gathering intelligence from the enemy villages. Pay special attention to the anti-Konoha alliance.
Tsunade, prepare war supplies. Prepare on the scale of a full shinobi world war.
Shikakaku, sort through Konoha's shinobi forces and organize several ninja divisions.
If Ōnoki and the others want war, then let them have it.
Since when has Konoha ever feared war?"
Shikakaku rose to his feet.
As he looked at the Hokage—who had suddenly regained that sharp, cutting presence—much of the unease in his heart faded.
Tsunade and Fox exchanged a glance.
Since becoming part of Konoha's leadership, this was the first true test that concerned the village's survival.
As the others prepared to leave, Hiruzen stopped Yako.
"Fox, stay a moment."
Soon, only Hiruzen and Yako remained in the office.
"Fox, I should thank you for helping cover for Orochimaru."
Yako had expected something more serious. So it was Orochimaru.
The forbidden techniques Orochimaru was currently researching were all extremely dangerous.
Living Corpse Reincarnation. Impure World Reincarnation. Forbidden arts that wandered between life and death, all requiring large numbers of test subjects.
Orochimaru's subordinates had been collecting those subjects for him all along.
Even Black Ant's unit, which answered directly to Hiruzen, had been helping him.
Hiruzen said, "Orochimaru is very important to the village.
In the coming Third Shinobi World War, I want Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade to stand together again and fight as one."
Yako nodded.
"Tsunade is much more mature now. With her watching Orochimaru and Jiraiya, I don't think anything will go wrong."
Hiruzen said, "I'll call Jiraiya back to the village, and I'll have Orochimaru slow down his experiments.
The three of them should start training together again.
Konoha must face the Third Shinobi World War with everything it has.
We'll show the shinobi world that even an anti-Konoha alliance won't be enough to destroy Konoha."
Yako thought to himself that once Jiraiya returned, he probably wouldn't start targeting him, would he?
First it had been Katō Dan.
Then Fox.
Poor Jiraiya. He really never got a turn.
After leaving the Hokage's office, Yako used Body Flicker and arrived at the training ground behind the Senju compound.
The moment Kushina Uzumaki saw the ANBU Commander, she immediately stopped sparring with Namikaze Minato.
"Fox-sama, are you taking me out for special training again? I'm ready anytime. We can leave now."
Yako looked at Kushina and thought, Ōnoki, Kushina is going to give all of you quite the surprise.
The Barrier Team and the Sealing Team quickly appeared.
Yamanaka Inoen saw Fox nod at him and immediately understood—Fox was going to train the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki again.
The group moved to a hidden valley outside the village.
After briefly confirming the state of the seal, Yako had Kushina draw on the Nine-Tails' chakra.
Tsunade had specifically instructed Kushina that she was only allowed to loosen the seal when Fox was present.
Six translucent tails appeared behind Kushina.
Inside each tail was an Adamantine Sealing Chain.
Even in that translucent chakra-cloak state, Kushina's mind remained fully intact.
She began with Tailed Beast Ball training.
Tilting her head back, a translucent Nine-Tails head formed around her, and red and blue chakra began gathering within it.
The chakra quickly condensed into a Tailed Beast Ball the size of a human head.
Once he confirmed that the Nine-Tails' chakra remained stable, Yako had Kushina continue drawing out more chakra while he himself flickered onto a nearby ridge.
From atop the ridge, he glanced at the visibly tense Minato.
All the other preparations for war were secondary.
Konoha's real preparation for war would be giving Namikaze Minato Flying Thunder God.
But Yako was not the sort of person who gave things away selflessly.
At present, he and Minato were more like colleagues within Konoha.
At most, they were a protective senior and a grateful junior.
So how exactly was he supposed to hand Minato a forbidden technique... while also pulling him under his own banner?