War Lurked Around Every Corner

"[Flying Thunder God]"

Kaede appeared in an empty corner of the Uchiha Clan Grounds. A closer look revealed a lightning-shaped mark on the wood there—the mark of Kaede's Flying Thunder God Formula.

Several months had passed since Minato had taught him the Flying Thunder God. Just as Jiraiya had anticipated, the Third Hokage deeply resented Minato for teaching it to Kaede without permission. Even Minato's promise to record the unsealed Ninjutsu Thunder Flash and Rasengan in the Sealing Scroll couldn't appease the Third Hokage's anger.

In his eyes, only those in the Hokage's line were allowed to learn the Flying Thunder God. How could it possibly be passed on to an outsider?

Fortunately, Jiraiya knew the Third Hokage well and had taken precautions early. Once he stepped forward and acknowledged Kaede as his student, the Third Hokage's attitude changed completely.

With that recognition, Kaede became a favored figure in the Hokage's circle. In truth, being from the Uchiha Clan no longer weighed heavily against him. When people in the village heard his name, they no longer thought of him as an Uchiha boy, but as one of the Sannin's students—Jiraiya's apprentice.

"Senior Kaede."

Shisui appeared in front of Kaede. Kaede had seen him arrive; otherwise, he would already have used the Flying Thunder God to leave. He was getting used to the Ninjutsu and having a grand time playing around with it.

"Is something wrong, Shisui?" Seeing him in such a hurry, Kaede couldn't help asking.

"Lord Hokage has summoned us. The entire Anbu has been mobilized. Something serious must have happened." Shisui spoke quickly, showing just how anxious he was.

Kaede rested a hand on his head. A gentle pulse of Chakra soothed the turmoil within Shisui. "Calm yourself, Shisui. Don't get too worked up."

He already knew why Shisui had come. "Don't resist. I'll take you there. [Flying Thunder God]"

In an instant, the two of them became indistinct and vanished. When they reappeared, they were on Kage Rock, near the Hokage Building. Kaede had placed a Flying Thunder God Formula there. Beside his Thunder Technique mark were Minato's Ninja Love Blade and the Senju Clan crest from the Second Hokage.

This was a gathering place for users of the Flying Thunder God. Every shinobi who learned the technique left a mark here.

"So this is the Space-Time Ninjutsu, the Flying Thunder God? It's incredible." Shisui marveled as they arrived at Kage Rock in the blink of an eye. No wonder it was a Forbidden Jutsu famed throughout the Shinobi World. Being carried by the Flying Thunder God for the first time felt strange.

Kaede patted him while he was still taking it in. "Let's go see the Hokage first!"

When they reached the Hokage's office, they found it already under Anbu guard. Only Kaede was allowed inside; Shisui remained outside with Kabuto, guarding the Hokage Building.

Kaede knocked on the wooden door and went in. Dozens of pairs of eyes turned toward him, making even him feel a little uneasy. He had been quick, but apparently he was the last to arrive. He lowered his head and hid behind Minato.

He quietly observed everyone in the room. Apart from advisers like Danzo, there were representatives of the clans, such as Hyuga Hiashi and Uchiha Fugaku, followed by representatives from the Jonin Commander. Dozens of people in all filled the office.

These people represented Konoha's strongest forces, but he didn't see any of the Sannin among them.

The Third Hokage puffed on his pipe for a while, then put it away. "Now that everyone is here, let's begin. According to the latest intelligence, the Land of Lightning has invaded the Land of Wind. The Land of Wind was caught off guard because the Third Kazekage has gone missing, and it has suffered heavy losses in a very short time.

"After that, the Land of Lightning declared war on the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire. War has once again descended upon the Shinobi World. The Sannin have already gone to the front lines to direct the shinobi stationed there and buy us time."

As he spoke, the Third Hokage's manner grew increasingly stern. His restless Chakra gave him the imposing presence of the Hero of the Shinobi, proving that he was still in his prime and not yet old.

The Land of Lightning had struck swiftly. By the time the Land of Fire reacted, the Sand Village in the Land of Wind had already finished fighting Kumogakure and joined forces with them to wage war against Konoha in the Land of Fire.

The course of war was always unpredictable. The Sand Shinobi believed Konoha had killed the Third Kazekage, since among the neighboring nations, only Konoha had the power to kill him without a trace.

So they had readily joined forces with Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning and declared war on Konoha in the Land of Fire.

The two clan representatives remained cool and composed. Only the Jonin Commander's Jonin and Danzo spoke indignantly, demanding that shinobi be immediately conscripted to the battlefield to strike back.

"I didn't call you here to hear your opinions. I called you to inform you that war is coming. Starting today, the village is entering a state of war. The Military Police Force will guard against enemy infiltration. The other clans and shinobi are all subject to conscription and may be sent to the battlefield at any time." The Third Hokage's orders left no room for argument. Even the proud Uchiha and Hyuga lowered their heads.

"The first unit to head to the front lines will be led by Minato. It will depart in one day for the most dangerous border, between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire."

The Third Hokage had just received word that the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth were already fighting. They wouldn't have the strength to engage Konoha in the short term, so Konoha only needed to stay on guard along the Iron and Rice Fields border. The pressure there wasn't too great.

The Land of Wind was the real problem. It lay close to the Land of Fire, and the fighting there was the fiercest. The Sand Shinobi were also the weakest, so the Third Hokage decided to take them on first and demonstrate Konoha's strength.

Then he looked at Kaede, who was hiding behind Minato. "Kaede, I need you to send battlefield intelligence back to the village promptly. With the Flying Thunder God, you can do that."

"Yes, Lord Hokage." Kaede knew that was why he had been summoned.

But Kaede remembered that Iwagakure had fought Konoha the hardest during the Third Great Ninja War. Konoha had also clashed with Kirigakure and Kumogakure afterward, but the Sand Shinobi, who had made the most trouble at first, had been the most peaceful.

Should he warn the Third Hokage?

But he had no intelligence to back it up, and speaking out recklessly in such a solemn setting could backfire. A nobody like him was already lucky to be present at such a high-level meeting. He had no right to speak here.

If that was the case, then Konoha would just have to spend its shinobi's lives. Besides, the Uchiha Clan, the people he cared about, wouldn't be sent to the battlefield just yet.

Konoha would wait until it was surrounded on all sides and stretched too thin before sending the Uchiha—the clan it trusted least—out of the village.

Kaede's home...

Konoha had already begun mobilizing for war, but Kaede was busy playing with his little sister Quan, who had just learned to crawl. He held a teddy bear in front of her and waved it around. She instinctively followed the movements of his hand.

"Let's see if you can stand up. If you stand up by yourself, I'll give you the toy," Kaede teased with a smile.

"Quan's so little. How could she possibly stand up by herself?" Tong said from the side.

"Then she won't get her toy." Kaede pretended to take away the teddy bear she had managed to touch.

"Ah! Ah!" She let out incomprehensible sounds, tears glimmering in her eyes, but she refused to let go.

He'd heard that Itachi could already stand up. He really was a shinobi chosen by the times, gifted with a talent from childhood unlike anyone else's.