Wind Shadow Missing

As time flowed on, beneath the surface-level calm of the Hidden Leaf Village, the undercurrents grew increasingly turbulent.

The Military Police Force reforms led by Uchiha Ling had already begun to show results; elite ninja from several small and medium-sized clans, along with a batch of high-performing civilian ninja, had been vetted and integrated into the force.

Although core power and the majority of captain positions remained firmly in the hands of Uchiha Ling and his confidants.

This move had indeed significantly eased the tension between the Uchiha and other factions within the village, even winning Uchiha Ling some potential supporters.

Uchiha Ling also cleverly utilized the resources and authority at his disposal to cultivate these new members into reliable subordinates.

Under his control, the machine that was the Military Police Force ran more smoothly and exerted greater influence.

However, this hard-won internal easing was shattered by increasingly frequent friction and rising tensions along the borders.

On this day, Uchiha Ling was in the Military Police Force office reviewing documents submitted by Uchiha Tekka.

Suddenly, a moderate commotion erupted outside the window, accompanied by the faint cheers of villagers.

"It's the Sannin!"

"Lord Jiraiya, Lady Tsunade, and Lord Orochimaru have returned!"

"It seems the borders really aren't peaceful if even Master Tsunade and the others have returned."

Uchiha Ling set down the scroll in his hand and walked to the window. He saw three ninja, each with a distinct aura yet all radiating immense power, walking toward the Hokage Building.

Their return was, in itself, a powerful signal.

The situation had become severe enough that the Hidden Leaf's top combatants needed to return to the village to deliberate or prepare for deployment.

Uchiha Ling's gaze narrowed, his heart clear.

The storm of the Third Shinobi World War was finally arriving.

This was both a crisis he had anticipated and the opportunity he had long awaited—a chance to shatter the existing order and truly step onto the stage of the shinobi world.

Meanwhile, inside the Hokage Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at his three beloved disciples, who had returned covered in the dust of travel; his face held little joy, filled instead with solemnity.

"You've worked hard, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru. How is the situation at the border?"

Jiraiya suppressed the playful grin on his face and spoke first, his tone heavy:

"Old man, things aren't looking good. Sunagakure has been acting like madmen lately; their patrol numbers have more than tripled, and the frequency of conflicts has skyrocketed.

Our people captured a few tongues, and the results of the interrogations were vague, yet they all pointed in the same direction—they are looking for something, or rather, someone."

Tsunade interjected: "We utilized all our intelligence channels, including some secret assets planted within Sunagakure, and finally confirmed a shocking piece of news: the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure has been missing for over a month!"

This news exploded in the Hokage Office like a thunderclap on a clear day.

Even the usually composed Hiruzen Sarutobi felt his hand, gripping his pipe, tighten involuntarily, his pupils constricting.

"The Third Kazekage is missing?!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice carried disbelief.

That was a man hailed as the strongest Kazekage in history, possessing the terrifying Kekkei Genkai of "Magnet Release: Iron Sand," whose strength was renowned throughout the entire shinobi world.

How could such a Kage-level powerhouse suddenly vanish without a trace?

Orochimaru added in his characteristically hoarse and cold voice: "That is correct, Teacher Hiruzen.

Sunagakure has kept this matter a secret, trying their best to cover it up, but the Kazekage's prolonged absence has already sparked internal suspicion and unrest.

They are now searching frantically along the borders and within the Land of Fire like headless flies; their extreme behavior likely stems from the fear that the Kazekage's disappearance is linked to us, the Hidden Leaf, or other major powers."

Jiraiya scratched his white hair and said irritably: "What's more troublesome is that with Sunagakure moving like this, the other major powers won't just sit by and watch.

Those blockheads in Iwagakure, those hot-headed guys in the Cloud Village, and those vipers hiding in the water in Kirigakure—they must have all caught the scent.

Right now, there are more spies from various factions along the border than there are flies!"

The atmosphere in the office dropped to freezing.

The disappearance of a Kage, especially one as renowned for his power as the Third Kazekage, was a bombshell capable of detonating the balance of the entire shinobi world!

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag of his pipe and slowly exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, attempting to calm his inner agitation.

His wise gaze swept over his three disciples, and he said in a deep voice: "Sunagakure is leaderless, and their internal situation must be unstable.

To divert internal conflict, or perhaps to seize the initiative and grab resources during a potential chaotic situation.

They are very likely to choose to turn their blades outward and launch a war!"

This was the most logical deduction, and the one that best fit Sunagakure's current predicament.

The danger posed by an out-of-control major shinobi village with powerful military strength was self-evident.

"Furthermore," Tsunade said, crossing her arms with a stern expression.

"Once Sunagakure makes a move against our Hidden Leaf, the other major powers watching like tigers will never let this opportunity pass. The Third Shinobi World War will likely be unavoidable."

This conclusion made everyone present feel a heavy weight in their hearts.

The clouds of war had never, until this moment, loomed so tangibly over the Hidden Leaf.

"Immediately summon representatives from the Nara, Hyuga, Uchiha... all the major clans, as well as the two advisors and Danzo, for an emergency meeting!"

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, turned around, his voice low and resolute, "It is time for the village to prepare for the coming storm."

Expanded High-Level Meeting

Shortly after, in the confidential meeting room of the Hokage Building, the atmosphere was even more oppressive than before.

The long table was filled with the heads or key representatives of every major clan in Konoha.

The Nara Clan Head furrowed his brows, the Yamanaka Clan Head and Akimichi Clan Head wore calm expressions that could not hide their underlying anxiety, and the Hyuga Clan Head, Hyuga Sosuke, sat upright with the veins around his Byakugan slightly bulging, revealing his inner turmoil.

Representatives from the Inuzuka, Aburame, and other clans were also fully in attendance.

Shimura Danzō sat near the Hokage, his single eye lowered as he calculated something in silence.

As for Uchiha Ling, representing the Uchiha Clan and serving as the captain of the Military Police Force, he sat beside Hyuga Sosuke; his youthful appearance stood out among the clan heads, yet no one dared to underestimate him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not have his disciples repeat the report; instead, he personally delivered the news in the most concise and grave terms, informing everyone present of a development just confirmed that was enough to shake the entire ninja world:

"It has just been confirmed: the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure has been missing for over a month."

"The Kazekage is missing!"

"Could the Third Ninja World War be about to break out?"

Even the clan representatives, who had seen their fair share of storms, could not help but cry out in alarm, their faces etched with shock and disbelief.

The meeting room erupted into an instant uproar.