In the early morning, as dawn barely broke, the faint morning light pierced through the dark clouds, casting a warm hue over the deep blue sky.
Kagami rubbed his eyes as he stepped out of the tent, having recovered most of his energy after several hours of rest.
He stretched with a yawn in the crisp, chilly air, exhaling puffs of white mist.
Outside the tent, people came and went in a flurry, all Konoha shinobi moving with urgency. Last night, Kinkaku's Tailed Beast Bomb had destroyed the food stores and armory, with part of the barracks also affected. Repair tasks and cleanup operations were now in full swing.
Kagami rubbed his eyes, doubting what he saw.
The camp now held many more people, with hundreds of new camping tents added to the barracks. Familiar clan crests caught his eye one after another.
Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Hyuga, Aburame...
Reinforcements? If it's just backup, this lineup is a bit too luxurious.
"Is the village really okay with this?" Kagami was full of doubts. "Damn it, I accidentally rested for too long."
In the distance, Homura and Koharu, who were in charge of the cleanup, were swamped with work. Danzo's head was wrapped in thick bandages, his face dark and silent, lost in thought.
Fortunately, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was assisting with moving supplies, noticed him and quickly ran over. "Kagami, how's your recovery going?"
"Almost there, but I need to finish writing the mission report first before I can help you all organize the camp." Kagami nodded, suddenly looking somewhat ashamed. "I'm sorry... Last night, I could have taken the chance to kill Kinkaku, but I hesitated..."
"Don't blame yourself. You gave up the 'decapitation strike' for the sake of everyone in the camp. We all understand."
Hiruzen's expression shifted slightly as he pressed further, "Any unusual movements from the Cloud ninja...?"
"Overall, nothing much has changed, except..." Kagami frowned deeply. "Ginkaku seems to have disappeared. Normally, when those two brothers join forces, I wouldn't stand a chance against them. But for some reason, Ginkaku never made a move last night..."
Is there another scheme at play? Or is this just a smokescreen?
"No, I must get this intelligence back to Konoha..." With that thought, he immediately turned and entered the tent, preparing to write his mission report.
Hiruzen seemed to remember something and quickly called out to him, "Kagami, the intelligence squad sent an urgent message this morning. The Hokage wants you to return to the village."
"Back to the village?"
Kagami was slightly taken aback, but quickly pieced together the sequence of events. The additional reinforcements that had appeared in the camp this morning were likely there to replace him in guarding the base.
With that thought, he didn't dare delay and immediately activated the 'Flying Thunder God Technique,' returning to Konoha.
In front of the Hokage Building, beside the stone lions at the entrance, Uchiha Kagami appeared out of thin air and hurriedly entered the Hokage's office.
"You're back." Tobirama Senju turned slowly, looking noticeably older after just a few days apart.
Kagami nodded. "Sensei, the frontlines are in dire straits. To summon me back during such critical times—has something happened in the village?"
Tobirama let out a light sigh and recounted everything that had transpired in the meeting room the previous day in full detail.
Only then did Kagami realize that the reason he hadn't seen Ginkaku last night was because the latter had been secretly transferred to another front—traveling by sea with Kumogakure's surprise attack force to invade the Land of Fire. Moreover, the Second Raikage was also part of this unit!
Just as the Konoha forces were at their lowest, Lady Mito stepped forward. Shedding her loose everyday attire, she tied up her hair, donned a helmet, and armored herself for battle. Leading the troops as the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki, she displayed the true demeanor of a heroine.
According to Tobirama's account, on the eastern battlefield, she leveraged the Seven-Tails' unique aerial dominance to single-handedly hold off two enemy surprise attack units.
With the special abilities of the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki, her Scale Powder Stealth Technique proved highly effective on the battlefield, blinding entire groups of enemies. Combined with aerial Tailed Beast Bomb strikes, she inflicted significant damage on the opposing forces.
They beat the Second Raikage into cursing and swearing, and forced Ginkaku to cower underground, not daring to show his face.
Her heroic figure also boosted morale. The Konoha ninja fought valiantly, not only halting the advance of the Kumogakure surprise attack force but also pushing the front lines back, reclaiming some of their lost positions.
"Lady Mito truly lives up to being Lord Hashirama's wife. Such courage and resolve are beyond what us younger generation can compare to..."
Kagami couldn't help but sigh in admiration, his face unconsciously showing a look of deep respect.
"Then, teacher, you called me back to..."
Tobirama paced over to stand before Kagami, who only then noticed how utterly exhausted he appeared. The sharp, decisive aura he once carried was gone, replaced instead by a faint, almost imperceptible air of weariness and age.
"Kagami, I must admit, you are my most outstanding disciple and the true inheritor of the Will of Fire. For the future of Konoha, are you prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice?"
"Of course!" Sensing the gravity in Tobirama's tone, Kagami immediately pointed to the forehead protector on his head. "From the day I first wore this, I've been ready to lay down my life at any moment."
"If one day you had to choose between the lives of your clan and the village, what would you choose?" Tobirama reached out, pressing his hand against the back of his head, forcing him to meet his gaze. "Look into my eyes and give me your answer."
Without any hesitation, Kagami replied, "Clansmen are also comrades. The village I envision is a true family where there are no barriers between people, filled with peace. In my eyes, clansmen and comrades are no different—I will treat them equally."
"What if one day, you must choose between great power and your comrades?" Tobirama paused, "Don't answer me right away. Remember, great power is also a prerequisite for protecting the village."
Kagami smiled faintly, his expression serene. "This has never been a choice. If the price of saving the village is giving up power, doesn't that precisely prove my power has protected the village?"
Tobirama's expression froze for a moment. For some reason, the smile of the person before him bore an uncanny resemblance to his elder brother that day—so much so that for an instant, he even hallucinated Hashirama's face.
Years of combat experience and instinct told him he wasn't under a genjutsu. If that was the case... then Kagami truly was the inheritor of Hashirama's will, already possessing the potential of a Hokage!
For a fleeting moment, his gaze was filled with complexity.
After all these years since Konoha's founding, the first junior with such potential and ability actually comes from the Uchiha clan!
With an inscrutable gaze, he asked the final question in a grave tone:
"If one day, you had to sacrifice the village's interests to save your comrades, what would you choose?"
"Only with comrades can there be a village. Otherwise, Konoha would just be an empty shell full of schemes—this is absolutely not the peace I envision!" Kagami responded immediately, voicing his innermost thoughts. "I would choose to save my comrades without hesitation, and that's exactly what I've always done!"
Tobirama took a deep breath and stepped back twice.
To Kagami's astonishment, the Second Hokage—a seasoned warrior with meticulous judgment—actually patted his shoulder with visible approval.
"Kagami, I now declare to you in my capacity as the Second Hokage: should the day come when I am no longer here, you shall be the Third Hokage of Konohagakure!"
———— 🌟 ————
ps:Support and join my Patreon
patreon.c@om/chenc11 Remove @
You can read up to 20 premium chapters.