"Ebizo, could you stop pacing back and forth in front of me? I'm already worried enough as it is. Can't you sit still for a while?" The speaker was a slender kunoichi dressed in black, her long hair tied up.
This woman was Chiyo, one of Sunagakure's most powerful elders.
Ebizo scratched what little hair he had left with his Puppet Arm and said, "It's been a whole month. Why haven't we heard anything yet?
"Where did little Sasori go? We've searched everywhere around Sunagakure.
"How could someone just disappear without a trace?" Ebizo paced as he spoke.
Chiyo slapped the table. "Keep pacing and I'll throw you out. Do you think I'm not worried? But what good will worrying do?
"If you hadn't been careless and lost that fight, we wouldn't be stuck at home waiting for news. We could've sent out plenty of people to look for him already.
"And I have no idea what Ryunosuke is doing, either. He hasn't shown his face in ages. What could he possibly be busy with? Does he even want to be Kazekage anymore? None of them ever make things easy for me."
"Knock, knock."
Suddenly, someone knocked. Ebizo opened the door, and a ninja dressed in ANBU uniform entered.
"Lady Chiyo, an urgent report from the front."
As he spoke, he handed Chiyo two bloodstained scrolls. She took them and opened them with Hand Seals. Her face turned ashen.
Chiyo had just stood up, but now she slumped back into her seat, the scroll slipping from her hand.
"Big Sister, what happened?" Ebizo hurried over to support Chiyo as she went limp. His eyes fell on the scroll, and he cried out, "How could this be? General Tachibana..."
One of the scrolls read: "March 18, 14:00. General Tachibana Muneshige died of exhaustion in Konoha. His wife, Koizumi Munetaku, wrote this as her final message."
The handwriting was neat and precise, clearly the work of someone composed and steady.
Obviously, after delivering the message, the others had gone back to fight and all died in battle.
Ebizo picked up the scroll with trembling hands and roared, "I've been saying for ages that Kumaichi, the Daimyo of the Land of Wind, isn't a benevolent ruler and shouldn't have taken the throne.
"None of you would listen. Shamon died without anyone knowing why, and now even General Tachibana has been driven to his death."
"Enough! Send out the order: mobilize every ninja capable of fighting and avenge General Tachibana.
"Anyone who delays or obstructs us will be killed without mercy!" Chiyo shouted at the ANBU ninja by the door. Then her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.
Ebizo hurried to help her. In an instant, the entire Chiyo residence was thrown into chaos.
That night, at the Hokage Building in Konoha.
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, rubbed his aching lower back and stood up.
Watching the two children still studying the first jutsu in the Sealing Scroll, Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction.
The Sealing Scroll wasn't like it would be later, when Naruto stole it.
Every jutsu in it was S-rank, from beginning to end. They were either forbidden techniques that could cost the user their life or jutsu with tremendous drawbacks.
The first jutsu was the Second Hokage's signature technique: Water Release: Hard Nest Water Blade.
Before the instructions for learning it, someone had written in red ink: "If your Chakra reserves are insufficient or your physical condition does not meet the requirements, attempting this jutsu will drain you dry or tear you apart."
The danger of the jutsu in the Scroll of Seals was plain to see.
Then there were techniques like Darkness and Movement, Flying Thunder God, Exploding Tag Chain Reaction, and Impure World Reincarnation.
There wasn't a single one they could learn. They couldn't even understand them, as if someone had handed an elementary school student an advanced math exam.
Bingsan had tried indirectly asking about Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, but Sarutobi Hiruzen had simply tossed him a scroll.
Then the Third Hokage had said curiously, "Little Bingsan, this technique isn't very useful and puts quite a strain on you. Why are you looking for it?"
Bingsan could only laugh awkwardly. Then he discovered the technique really wasn't very useful.
Each clone required at least as much Chakra as a C-rank jutsu. The clones would disappear once their Chakra ran out, and they'd shatter at the slightest touch.
With Bingsan's Chakra reserves, he could make five or six at once without any trouble, but they'd only last about fifteen minutes.
In a fight, they might not even hold up for three minutes, and he'd have to endure the sensations fed back by the clones.
Maybe only a Jinchuriki like Naruto or someone like the First Hokage could use it for fun.
As for learning jutsu, forget it. Bingsan already got a headache from having one intellectual clone study jutsu every day. A whole squad of them would crash on the spot.
Even if he didn't develop a split personality, he'd be listless for a long time.
Afterward, Bingsan had a clone copy down a technique and then returned the scroll. Why bother with that when he could keep studying the Second Hokage's Water Release?
The Second Hokage's Water Release really had just one defining feature: "plentiful and filling."
As for the Water Release jutsu recorded in the Scroll of Seals, just about any one of them would drain the Chakra of a Jonin.
Perhaps that was why no one after the Second Hokage could use them. But Bingsan had Water Release Mastery, so wasn't this the perfect chance to try them out?
The Third Hokage watched them for a while, then said, "You see? This is the most powerful jutsu there is.
"You've been studying it for three days now. As talented as you are, you must have learned it by now.
"Go back and get some rest. Stop fooling around."
After saying that, the Third Hokage rolled up the scroll and put it away, without waiting for the children to respond.
In his view, three days was enough to memorize one jutsu. He'd consider it a reward for Danzo's injury.
Besides, Bingsan wasn't allowed to copy it in front of him, and no one was teaching him. Whether he could even memorize a jutsu was still in question.
As for Asuma, well, he was his son.
Neither child had actually memorized a single jutsu, but Bingsan had given the Third Hokage a pleasant surprise.
"Knock, knock." Someone knocked. The Third Hokage gave Zixiao a look, and Zixiao opened the door. Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura entered.
After closing the door, the two ignored the children and said, "Hiruzen, the public opinion campaign is underway. We're just waiting for you to give your speech tomorrow.
"The supplies are ready, too. They'll leave with the first batch of ninjas."
The Third Hokage fell silent for a while, then said, "Koharu, Homura, are we really doing the right thing? We should give up one line of defense.
"Otherwise, once the war starts, rivers of blood will flow."
Just then, Danzo pushed in through the door, looking fired up. "Monkey, you're too soft! If you ask me, we should attack with the whole army and crush Sunagakure, instead of all this nonsense about strengthening our defenses!"
The Third Hokage interrupted him. "Danzo, you're being too aggressive.
"If we fail to win quickly, the war could drag on indefinitely. Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure could all get involved.
"Then we'd have another Ninja World War. How many more promising young people would fall in a war like that?"
Mitokado Homura pushed up his glasses and chimed in. "That's right. We only need to hold out against three waves of attacks at most. Once the Land of Wind withdraws its troops, we can maintain the status quo. Peace is hard-won."
Utatane Koharu didn't care about saving face. She cut straight in, spittle flying all over Danzo's face. "Hmph. Danzo, don't send young people to die for your unrealistic ambitions.
"Drop that hypocritical act. We've been teammates for years; we've seen through your evil intentions."
Danzo trembled with rage. Why couldn't anyone understand that he was doing everything for Konoha?
Unable to argue with the three of them, Danzo swept out, dragging Bingsan along. He threw out one last, "You'll all regret this!" and slammed the door behind him.
Before you continue