Hokage's Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was heavy. "The Mizukage has gone mad. For no good reason, he suddenly dispatched a large force of elites to ambush Konoha. They even deployed the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Several of our border outposts have been wiped out."
This plot… I know this one, Chiba thought to himself. No need to call for backup. Just send a single Might Dai over there. A precision strike.
"Chiba," Hiruzen said, taking a drag from his pipe before slamming his hand on the desk in anger. "You will lead the team personally. Crush the Mist's momentum. Make them understand the consequences of crossing Konoha!"
"Yes, Lord Third."
Chiba acknowledged the order and left the office, heading to gather personnel from ANBU and Root.
It wasn't long after Nagato and the others arrived in Konoha that the Mist started making moves. If this wasn't Madara Uchiha pulling the strings behind the scenes, Chiba would swear off women for a… whole day!
But it doesn't matter. I'll have to deal with that old fossil eventually anyway. Might as well try making contact ahead of schedule.
With his current strength, Chiba wasn't afraid of the aged Madara. He just needed to be careful.
…
Southeastern Border of the Land of Fire. Deep Woods.
A squad of Mist shinobi raced soundlessly through the dense forest. A pure white paper seal drifted into their line of sight.
The lead Mist ninja froze, his face paling. "Damn it, retreat! That's the White Flash's Flying Thunder God—!"
Shhht!
Before he could finish, a white blur cut through the air. The entire squad froze mid-motion, as if someone had hit pause.
The next instant, thin red lines appeared on all four of their necks.
Blood sprayed.
Splatter—
Chiba's form materialized in mid-air. He glanced at the four fallen Mist ninja and coldly recalled the Flying Thunder God seal.
That's right. They called him the White Flash now. Together with Minato Namikaze, they were the new generation's "Platinum Stars."
"Lord Chiba, your skills have improved again," a member of his squad said, finally catching up and offering some flattery.
"Flattery is useless. Keep searching. This is only the third squad. Our efficiency is too low. Don't let the other teams outdo us." Chiba glanced at his subordinates with a mock-scolding grin. These were his trusted men, promoted by him. They were never stiff around him.
"Yes, sir!"
They were deep within Fire Country territory. There was no need to dispose of the bodies urgently. Their figures melted back into the trees, hunting for the next Mist squad.
Shhht! Shhht! Shhht!
Using the night's cover, they moved silently through the canopy. Suddenly, Chiba raised his hand, halting the squad. His expression turned serious.
Is it him?
In Chiba's sharp perception, a terrifying chakra blazed like a bonfire in the darkness, closing in on their position at incredible speed.
"Lord Chiba, enemy ahead?" a teammate whispered.
"Yeah. A troublesome one has arrived." Chiba's eyes remained locked forward. "Go. Inform the others nearby to stay clear of this area. Hunt Mist nin elsewhere for now."
"Yes, sir!"
In Root, Chiba's orders were absolute. The squad turned and vanished without a moment's hesitation or question.
Whoosh!
Minutes later, a torrent of water crashed down in front of Chiba, coalescing into a human form—the "Third Mizukage" who had pursued him before.
"Oh?" The Mizukage raised an eyebrow, a playful tone in his voice as he saw Chiba's complete lack of surprise. "You seemed to have expected I was coming for you. Even waited here specifically?"
"Correct." Chiba nodded. Having read the script, he chose to be direct. "You are not the real Third Mizukage. Or rather, the Mizukage is under your control."
"And for someone to be capable of controlling a Kage… I'd guess your true identity is a certain senior from my Uchiha clan."
Only those of Uchiha blood could freely activate and deactivate the Sharingan. Chiba wasn't worried about his bloodline being questioned, boldly claiming the "Uchiha clan" as his own. As for how he got that bloodline, he didn't need to explain. The other party would naturally concoct a reasonable explanation.
"You are clever. Indeed, we share the same clan." A flicker of surprise crossed the Mizukage's face at Chiba's "guess," but it was quickly replaced by calm amusement. He looked Chiba up and down with interest. "So, tell me. Who exactly am I?"
"I… I can't guess." Chiba shook his head, feigning ignorance. "I am not of pure Uchiha blood, and I know little of the clan's affairs. But from what I understand, among the living Uchiha powerhouses, none match your description, Senior."
"Ha… Ha ha ha ha ha!"
The Mizukage threw his head back and laughed, the sound shaking the leaves nearby. His true self was stuck in a dark cave all day. Meeting an interesting junior was a rare treat. He was in an unexpectedly good mood, feeling an impulse to toy with this kid.
"Then open your eyes wide and see! Who… I truly am!"
As the word "I" faded, the Mizukage's form shifted.
A handsome man with wild, untamed hair appeared before Chiba. He wore a black combat outfit with a distinctive red, layered armor.
"You… you are…!!!"
Seeing the face every Naruto fan would recognize, Chiba appropriately donned an expression of utter shock.
He trembled from head to toe, nearly collapsing on the spot. A trembling finger pointed at the figure.
"You… you're the one who founded Konoha with the First Hokage! The legendary shinobi… the Asura of the ninja world… Madara Uchiha!"
"Ha ha ha! Kid, you know your history." Madara was immensely satisfied with Chiba's reaction. Seeing the awe and fear on the boy's face as he recited his titles, a mischievous grin spread across his features.
What Madara didn't know was that the one being played for a fool was himself.
For every step Madara took forward, Chiba took two back, as if terrified Madara would strike. Madara laughed even louder.
"L-Lord… Lord Madara." Chiba seemed to gather his courage, speaking through gritted teeth. "I… I heard you have no children. If… if you don't mind… I would like to provide for you in your old age."
"…What did you just say?!"
The smile vanished from Madara's face. For a moment, he doubted his own hearing. In all his years, with all his power and status, he never imagined he would hear those words.
Provide for him? In his old age? Him? Madara Uchiha?
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Read up to (100+ ) advanced chapters on Patre\on
Visit us here: patreon.com/BingeInk
Happy reading, everyone!