Uchiha Sasuke's home had never been so lively. The air was thick with the scent of fresh tea, the hum of whispered conversations, and the occasional burst of laughter from the unlikeliest of people.
Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara sat across from each other, sipping tea with the kind of casual familiarity that only the strongest of rivals could share. Meanwhile, Senju Tobirama found himself surrounded by the eager, wide-eyed faces of Konoha's next generation. It was an unusual sight—one that the Second Hokage himself hadn't expected.
Twelve young shinobi, each with their own ambitions and talents, fired off question after question about ninjutsu, tactics, and the true nature of chakra. Despite his initial reluctance, Tobirama couldn't help but be impressed. Their potential was undeniable—these were not just ordinary students. They were prodigies, each capable of surpassing their predecessors if given the right guidance.
Souta Kazuki stood slightly apart from the others, observing quietly. Unlike the rest, he didn't bombard Tobirama with questions. Instead, he listened, analyzing each answer, breaking down every word to extract hidden meaning. His father, Haruto, had always told him that true power lay in understanding, not just in brute force. Souta took those words to heart.
Tobirama caught Souta's eyes for a brief moment and nodded in approval. This boy was different.
On the other side of the room, Uchiha Madara leaned back, arms crossed as he watched the younger generation with mild amusement. His gaze flickered to Sasuke, who still stood tall despite the overwhelming presence of his legendary ancestor.
"Heh… Not bad," Madara murmured, the slightest smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
Sasuke, though his body was still tense, exhaled slowly. That was as close to praise as he was ever going to get from Madara Uchiha himself.
Across the village, in the Hokage's office, things were far less harmonious.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, exhausted from the night's events, was about to rest when a group of frantic, wealthy villagers burst into his office. Each of them had the same complaint—robbery. And the worst part? This wasn't the first time.
After sending the desperate rich men away, Hiruzen barely had a moment to take a breath before another unwanted guest arrived. The heavy sound of a cane striking the floor announced the presence of Shimura Danzo.
Hiruzen didn't even bother looking up. He simply exhaled a slow cloud of smoke from his pipe.
"Sarutobi," Danzo began, his one visible eye narrowing. "You owe me an explanation."
"For what?" Hiruzen muttered, irritation lacing his voice.
"The Scroll of Seals was stolen. And it was stolen by a group of children," Danzo snapped. "You, as Hokage, have allowed such incompetence to—"
Bang!
Hiruzen slammed his hand on the desk, his patience officially gone.
"Danzo," he said slowly, dangerously. "You are an elder of Konoha. I am the Hokage. You do not demand explanations from me. I do not answer to you."
Danzo's lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn't back down. "Then perhaps the Scroll of Seals would be safer under my care. My Root can—"
"Enough!" Hiruzen barked. "Your Root seems to have too much free time. Perhaps I should disband it entirely."
Danzo's fingers tightened around his cane. For the first time, his expression wavered. "You will regret this, Sarutobi."
"I am the Hokage," Hiruzen repeated, his voice like steel. "And this conversation is over."
Danzo stood still for a moment, then turned sharply on his heel and left, slamming the door behind him.
But the real storm was brewing far from the village.
In a distant town, away from Konoha, two men walked side by side under the cover of night.
They weren't ordinary men.
Namikaze Minato and Uchiha Fugaku, both once thought dead, had spent the last two weeks executing a highly unorthodox plan. Under assumed identities, they had been systematically targeting the wealthiest figures in various towns, relieving them of their excess ryo.
"Xiao Hei," Minato said casually, glancing at his companion. "How much do we have now?"
Uchiha Fugaku sighed. "Da Huang, I just counted. A little over 1.3 billion ryo."
Minato twitched at the ridiculous codenames they had come up with to avoid recognition. Xiao Hei and Da Huang? They sounded more like dog names than aliases for two legendary shinobi.
"It should be enough," Minato muttered. "We have enough to bring Kushina and Mikoto back."
Fugaku nodded solemnly. "I've been gone for half a month. I want to see Sasuke."
"And I want to see Naruto," Minato added, his voice tinged with longing. "Let's head back."
But Fugaku's sharp eyes flickered to the shadows. "We should deal with our little tail first."
Minato's face darkened. They had noticed it yesterday—someone had been following them. And not just any ninja.
A figure lurked in the distance, barely visible under the moonlight. The chakra signature was strong, but nowhere near their level.
"He's been tracking us since yesterday," Fugaku mused. "What do you think? A bounty hunter? A rival thief?"
Minato narrowed his eyes. "Something tells me he's after more than just money."
The figure stepped into the faint glow of a streetlamp. The high-collared cloak, the ominous red clouds—there was no mistaking it.
"A member of Akatsuki," Fugaku muttered.
Minato didn't hesitate. He placed a hand on Fugaku's shoulder, and in an instant, the world around them blurred as they vanished.
The hunt was about to begin.