The Aftermath of the Bullying Incident

Ōnoki and the others were naturally unwilling to let Konoha sit back and reap the benefits. They gathered every small nation they could, along with rogue ninja who refused to join the Akatsuki Organization, preparing to use them as cannon fodder on the front lines.

At the same time, they called on Konoha to take responsibility as the power behind a major nation and enter the war!

Konoha, of course, gave no reply. Uchiha Genya had no opinion on the war.

Go on wearing each other down. Konoha has more important things to do right now.

Major powers had their own difficulties.

You don't get to decide when we enter the war. We do.

Recently, something had happened in Konoha. It was neither a major affair nor a trivial one.

Sasuke and Naruto, a pair of close friends, had been bullied by older students on their way home from school.

It was something of an old tradition. Even when Xuanye was Captain of the Security Division, he had not bothered with minor scuffles between schoolchildren.

The problem was that Sasuke and Naruto had grown up together, even if they did not seem particularly close on an ordinary day.

Or perhaps they were so close that each cared deeply about the other. Both believed no one else had the right to be his rival.

When those older students saw two such talented youngsters, their urge to throw their weight around immediately stirred.

First, they mocked Sasuke, saying he only had such good opportunities at school because he belonged to The Shogun's clan. Then they got in Naruto's face and said he looked like a fox demon.

They even bullied Hinata and Karin, who were with them!

As far as Sasuke and Naruto were concerned, *You can bully me. I can ignore