"Achoo! Achoo!" Far away in Konoha, Danzo, who had been gazing at the peaceful sky, couldn't help but sneeze twice, his nose twitching in mild irritation.
He rubbed his nose, a frown tugging at his lips as he muttered under his breath, "Is winter coming? I can even feel the chill now."
Since Konoha had sealed its gates, Danzo had found himself growing increasingly bored. After an exhausting collapse not long ago, the medical ninjas had insisted that he take it easy, warning him not to push his already strained body too hard. As a result, he had spent most of his time soaking in the sun at the Shimura family home.
Despite his current situation, Danzo didn't feel old. He still held on to his ambitions and dreams, and the shame he had suffered because of Grass Village had not been washed away. His body might be tired, but he was far from giving up. In fact, once the village reopened, he would be ready to step back into the world of the ninja, stronger than ever.
Before the village was sealed, Danzo had already taken the necessary steps to ensure his future success. Though Gato might encounter some initial challenges, once they navigated through them, the markets of the Three Great Countries would be more than sufficient to solidify his position.
Simultaneously, Danzo was confident that Orochimaru would come to his aid once he heard the news. With Orochimaru's expertise, Danzo believed that any threats or difficulties that arose could be swiftly handled.
Furthermore, with Gato's support, Orochimaru's research would continue unhindered by financial concerns. Danzo's ultimate goal, however, was the power contained within the bloodline of the God of Ninjas and the Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan. If he could acquire such power, Danzo knew he would no longer be the passive figure he had been. He would rise to greater heights, ready to reshape the future of the ninja world.
Danzo narrowed his eyes, a cold smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "If Orochimaru knows how much I've helped him, even if he's a cold-blooded snake, he should at least be grateful to me, shouldn't he?"
With Orochimaru's assistance, Danzo believed his plans to lead Konoha back to greatness would become even more certain. Orochimaru, though unpredictable, wasn't a fool. He would undoubtedly lend his help when the time came.
However, Danzo wasn't one to sit idly by during this period of village closure. He was the shadow—the Darkness of Konoha—and certainly not old enough to step down just yet.
His body stiffened, and the familiar aura of Konoha's darkness surrounded him once more. Leaning on his cane, he rose slightly and turned, his clouded eyes narrowing as they gazed toward the Land of Waves. "I'll leave it to you from here."
The day the village reopened would mark his return. And by then, Grass Village—and the entire ninja world—would be left utterly stunned.
…
Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, two years had gone by. Over this period, the shifting dynamics of the Three Great Ninja Villages, coupled with the sealing of Konoha, left only two major villages actively participating in the ninja world, bringing a relative calm to the previously chaotic atmosphere.
When Konoha declared its closure, it was not an empty threat, they really meant it. For the past two years, aside from the Legendary Three Ninjas, there had been little to no sightings of Konoha ninjas traveling through the ninja world. Much like the situation with the Mist Village in the past, Konoha had effectively sealed itself off from the rest of the world.
In stark contrast, the Land of Wind was in turmoil. Following the fall of the Sand Village and the massive shifts in the balance of power, internal strife had only worsened, leaving the once formidable village in disarray.
But none of this concerned the Grass Village. For various reasons, Grass Village has experienced rapid technological development, including significant advancements in scientific ninja tools.
This progress was largely thanks to the efforts of ninjas 'working quietly' behind the scenes. Their contributions had propelled Grass Village's technology forward at an unprecedented pace.
Perhaps it was also due to these peaceful times that the quality of life and entertainment within the country had soared. The citizens of Grass Village enjoyed a period of prosperity and innovation.
Meanwhile, as time passed, the Sand Village slowly began to recover and reintegrate into the ninja world. With its own technological advancements, it eventually caught up and became an important hub for production and research.
In terms of technology, Sand Village had even surpassed the Rain Village. Had it not been for the hidden core technologies in Grass Village, Sand Village might have already become the leader in technology among the Three Villages.
Over the past two years, Tsunade had remained in Grass Ninja Village. Following the success of her movie filming and other ventures, she gained significant fame.
Her fame in Grass Village grew so much that directors in the region began sending her numerous invitations, and her participation in gambling-themed films kept her so busy that she hardly had time for herself. No one dared treat her as the lazy supporting actress she once was; Tsunade had firmly established herself as a major figure in Grass Village's entertainment industry.
However, due to Tsunade's peculiar nature, she always seemed to lose no matter what hand she was dealt. It became a mystery that no one could explain, and some even began to believe she was cursed by the God of Gambling, adding yet another unsolved enigma.
This consistent streak of bad luck led Tsunade to quit acting for a few days in frustration. Yet, ironically, there was a silver lining. Her inability to win meant that post-production had to be relied on to 'alter' the outcomes, giving a significant boost to the post-production market. It was, in a way, a blessing in disguise.
Speaking of which, because of her booming movie career, Tsunade no longer had time to gamble, which was a great relief to both Shizune and Kushina. They were deeply grateful to Akihiko for helping to keep Tsunade's focus away from gambling.
Now, Shizune had become Tsunade's assistant and manager, diligently working within the Grass Village Film Land or also known as 'Grasswood' as a whole, ensuring everything ran smoothly.
As for Akihiko's side, things remained just as complicated, if not more so.
Sasuke and Naruto continued their studies with determination. Their battles against Black Zetsu, which initially seemed to only end in defeat, finally culminated in a hard-earned victory during the first semester of their sixth year. Although it had been a narrow win, it was still a victory to celebrate.
At this stage, the technology they were working with had its limitations. It simply couldn't match the power of Naruto and Sasuke, who had already achieved jonin-level skills. Despite these technological setbacks, their growth has been undeniable.
Thanks to the trials Black Zetsu had put them through, Sasuke and Naruto had advanced at an astonishing pace, and that was definitely something to be proud of.
For Akihiko, seeing his children grow into powerful ninjas was a source of immense pride and joy. As a special reward for their efforts, he gave the two kids a massive pile of exam papers. After all, according to Akihiko, if they were spending so much time fighting at school, it meant they hadn't been studying enough. And if they weren't studying enough, that could only mean one thing: they needed more homework.
As for Karin, under the guidance of her mother, Kushina, she quickly became a little tyrant at the academy. She was the boss, leading her own gang with impressive authority. Naruto, watching from the sidelines, started to wonder if Karin was truly his mother's biological daughter.
He was deeply troubled by this. When Karin was younger, she had been so sweet and obedient. But now, she had turned into a violent force to be reckoned with.
It was already hard enough dealing with his own mother, but now there was a sister just like her. As her older brother, Naruto, found himself extremely distressed. One night, unable to bear the thought of a little sister growing up like their mother, he went to Akihiko and solemnly said, "If Mom has another daughter, make sure she doesn't raise her like this."
He even patted his chest and promised to take care of his sister himself if it came to that, ensuring she wouldn't become as violent as their mom.
However, Kushina happened to overhear this conversation while standing by the door. Needless to say, Naruto received another beating. In other words, it was the same old story.
Of course, some things had changed. For example, Mikoto had to stop working due to her pregnancy, and the same was true for Mrs. Fuso…
As a result, Nagato, hearing the news, was overjoyed and made a special trip back home, even going so far as to pat his Uncle Akihiko on the back in gratitude.
However, when Akihiko casually remarked, "You can call me dad now," Nagato nearly sent him flying with a Shinra Tensei.
Akihiko couldn't help but sigh, thinking about how children develop their own tempers as they grow up. It almost strained their 'father-son relationship.' Sasuke, too, now had his own thoughts on things, often sighing with a faint smile. It left 'Uncle Akihiko' feeling quite troubled.
Of course, his current worry wasn't about that, but rather...
"Kakuzu and Hanzo cut off the railroad? But Chiyo, along with the academy's puppet teacher, laid tracks themselves and drove a train over?" Akihiko looked at the document handed to him with a speechless expression, then covered his face, "These guys… as troublesome as ever."