"Hokage-sama!"
Tsunade spotted Uchiha Ren and jogged over, greeting him with a bright smile.
"Tsunade? What are you doing here?"
Ren instinctively reached out and ruffled her light-blonde hair. Tsunade narrowed her eyes, clearly enjoying it.
"Grandma said you reserved the whole restaurant for the Uzumaki… so I came along."
Ren was about to reply when a sharp sense of hostility prickled his instincts. He looked up—
And met the piercing gaze of Mito Uzumaki.
…This is bad.
How are you so practiced at this?!
Touching her hair the moment you meet—such intimacy!
What exactly have you been doing behind my back?!
"Tsunade, come sit over here."
Mito grabbed Tsunade's arm, shooting Ren a cold glare. She seated herself beside Ren, placing Tsunade on the other side.
Hold it in.
Mito forced herself to stay composed. With so many Uzumaki children watching, she absolutely couldn't lose her temper here.
If she wanted answers—
It would have to be in private.
When did Tsunade get so close to him?
Was Ren targeting Tsunade… or trying to reach Uzumaki Yōgetsu through her?
…Or both?
No.
Surely not that shameless.
If it was merely to ease relations with the Senju—
That would be acceptable.
After all, Ren was already Hokage—and a capable one.
The Senju had to accept it.
Mito's thoughts raced.
But no matter how she turned it over—
She couldn't pin down his intent.
Ren, meanwhile, ignored her entirely.
This old woman was always overthinking.
—
Far away.
Land of Water, Kirigakure.
"Where did these articles come from?!"
"Find out—NOW!"
Mizuto slammed his desk, roaring.
Ever since returning from the last mission—
His relationship with the Bloodline clans had collapsed.
Rumors spread like wildfire.
And no matter what he did—
Nothing worked.
Even the Daimyō had begun to hesitate.
"I'll help clarify… but next time, avoid assigning Bloodline shinobi."
"…It's just a precaution."
Precaution?
It was distrust.
And it was spreading.
Merchants.
Nobles.
All avoiding Bloodline ninja.
Their income plummeted.
Their resentment—
Boiled over.
Mizuto stared at the stack of pamphlets:
"Kirigakure Bloodline Human Rights Report""Kill That Kaguya Clan Member""Twenty Years as Slaves"
"…Damn it."
He felt it clearly now.
He was sitting on a powder keg.
One spark—
And everything would explode.
Suppress them?
Or strike first?
His expression twisted.
Back then—
He had been the chosen successor.
But the Bloodline clans had stolen that from him.
Now—
They wanted to take everything again?
No.
Never.
—
Inside the territory of the Hōzuki Clan.
Representatives of three clans gathered:
Hōzuki ClanYuki ClanKaguya Clan
The atmosphere was tense.
"These articles… someone is stirring unrest," said Hōzuki Taygetsu.
"What's there to think about?" Kaguya Kotsuzuki replied coldly. "They're right."
"Mizuto is suppressing us."
The Yuki clan head nodded grimly.
Tasks reduced.
Income cut.
Resources withheld.
They were being squeezed.
"We negotiate first," Taygetsu said.
"If that fails?"
Silence.
"…Then we act."
Kotsuzuki leaned forward.
"How many can each clan deploy?"
A pause.
Then—
"Kaguya clan: three hundred available. Two hundred can be mobilized."
"…Yuki clan: one hundred fifty."
"…Hōzuki clan: two hundred fifty."
The room fell quiet.
Then—
"Six hundred."
Kotsuzuki's eyes gleamed.
"Six hundred it is."
"We strike first."
"We turn Kirigakure upside down."
Taygetsu frowned.
This was madness.
All-in like this—
There was no turning back.
"We plan carefully," he said firmly.
"Elites only. Jōnin for the assassination."
"No reckless moves."
"…First, we negotiate."
Because once they crossed that line—
There would be no survivors.
No retreat.
Only annihilation.
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