By the time Guy and Kurenai reached the academy, it was already getting dark.
A crowd had gathered outside the school gates.
It wasn't the usual handful of students milling around after class. There were people everywhere.
Parents stood in small groups, speaking in hushed voices.
The children stood nearby. Some looked confused, while others had already been caught up in the tense atmosphere.
Guy glanced around.
He spotted Obito standing by the gate, on tiptoe as he looked this way.
"Over here!" Obito waved.
Guy and Kurenai squeezed through the crowd.
"What's going on?" Guy asked.
Obito shook his head and lowered his voice. "No idea. The gates were already packed when I got here. Rin hasn't arrived yet..."
As he spoke, Rin squeezed through the crowd, running out of breath.
"Here, here!"
She stopped, took a couple of breaths, and looked at Obito.
"Obito, do you know what's going on?"
Obito shook his head.
"How would I know? Where's Asuma? He's the Third's son, so he's bound to know more."
They turned to look for him.
Asuma stood not far away, leaning against a tree.
He had a matchstick between his lips.
His usual cocky expression was gone, replaced by a rare seriousness.
Obito walked over.
"Hey, Asuma, do you know what's going on?"
Asuma glanced at him.
He didn't say a word.
Obito blinked.
"I'm talking to you!"
Asuma still didn't answer.
He took the matchstick from his mouth and clenched it in his fist.
He squeezed it hard.
Guy watched him, and his heart sank.
That kid definitely knew something.
And it was bad news.
The crowd by the gate suddenly fell silent.
Someone called out, "Teacher Umino is here!"
The crowd parted automatically, making way.
Ikkaku Umino walked in from outside.
His face was grim.
It wasn't his usual warm, smiling expression. He looked as though he were suppressing something heavy.
He walked to the school gate and stopped.
He looked over the students gathered there.
"Is everyone here?"
Nobody answered.
He counted them himself.
"Good. Come inside with me."
He turned and walked in.
The students followed.
The parents tried to go after them, but a Chunin stopped them at the gate.
"Parents, please wait outside."
The school gates closed.
Inside the classroom.
More than twenty students sat scattered around the room.
Nobody spoke.
Obito, usually the loudest of them all, was sitting quietly with his eyes fixed on the lectern.
Ikkaku Umino stood at the front of the classroom.
He looked at the faces below him.
Six years old, seven years old.
The youngest was only six.
He was silent for a few seconds.
Then he began.
"I called you here today because there's something I need to tell you."
The classroom grew even quieter.
They could hear the wind stirring the leaves outside.
Ikkaku Umino took a deep breath.
"Three days ago."
He paused.
"The Third Kazekage went missing."
The classroom fell silent.
Then it immediately erupted into noise.
"The Kazekage? Isn't that the leader of Sunagakure?"
"Sunagakure? The place that's all desert?"
"What does him going missing have to do with us?"
"Could it be something we did..."
Whispers filled the room.
But soon, the students fell quiet again.
Guy sat in the last row by the window.
When he heard those words, his heart sank.
So it really was the Third Kazekage's disappearance!
Sunagakure's greatest fighting force had vanished just like that.
And this was the very incident that would ignite the Third Shinobi World War.
Sunagakure would mobilize all its forces and search everywhere.
Kumogakure, in the Land of Lightning, would seize the chance to launch a surprise attack.
Then it would declare war on the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire.
And then.
The war would begin.
Guy clenched his fist.
It had happened a little sooner than he expected.
But not by much.
He turned to look beside him.
Obito looked bewildered and was quietly asking Rin, "The Kazekage went missing. What does that have to do with us?"
Rin shook her head, her brows furrowed.
Guy looked toward the front.
Asuma had his head lowered, staring at his desk.
His shoulders were rigid.
As the Third's son, he clearly had a keener sense of the political situation.
"The Kazekage's disappearance is no small matter."
Ikkaku Umino looked around the classroom.
"Sunagakure is under lockdown throughout its territory. Every shinobi is searching. But—"
He paused.
"What will happen if they can't find him?"
Nobody answered.
Ikkaku Umino continued on his own.
"If something really has happened to the Kazekage, who will Sunagakure think is responsible?"
The classroom grew even quieter.
"Things are already tense between the Five Great Nations."
Ikkaku Umino's voice was calm, but every word landed like a stone.
"Iwagakure and Kumogakure have been reinforcing their forces along the borders. If Sunagakure falls into turmoil as well..."
He left the sentence unfinished.
But the meaning was clear.
War.
The word went around in everyone's mind.
Some went pale.
Some swallowed hard.
Others were still too bewildered to react.
Ikkaku Umino watched them for a few seconds in silence.
Then he softened his tone.
"Of course, this is only a notice for now. Konoha is still negotiating and investigating. War isn't inevitable."
He paused.
"But!"
"You're students at the Ninja Academy. One day, you'll all be sent to the battlefield."
"So be prepared."
With that, he turned around.
He wrote a few words on the blackboard.
[Starting today, training intensity will be doubled, and all leave is canceled.]
"Class dismissed."
Nobody moved in the classroom.
Ikkaku Umino walked out, his footsteps fading into the distance.
"What does that mean?" someone asked. "Double the training? That'll kill us!"
"Didn't you hear him? There's going to be a war!"
"A war? With who?"
"Sunagakure! The Kazekage went missing, so we must've done it!"
"That's nonsense! Why would we do that?"
"Who knows..."
The students started arguing.
But they weren't as loud as usual.
Their voices were hushed, as if they were afraid someone might hear them.
Guy stood up, and Kurenai came over anxiously.
"Guy, do you think... there really will be a war?"
Guy looked at her worried expression. He wanted to reassure her, but still nodded.
"There will."
Kurenai blinked, seemingly surprised by how certain Guy sounded.
Before she could speak, Guy placed a hand on her head, ruffled her hair, and flashed a toothy grin.
"But don't worry. I'll protect you!"
Kurenai's face turned bright red in an instant.
Her hands were so tense she didn't know where to put them.
This was the first time Guy had ever ruffled her hair.
Obito watched Guy with envy.
Then he coughed and cleared his throat.
He was just about to raise his hand and place it on Rin's head when she immediately dodged.
"Obito, what are you doing?"
Rin looked wary.
Obito winced awkwardly. "Haha, I just wanted to say that I'll protect you too, Rin!"
Rin rolled her eyes and ignored him.
Then she thought of Kakashi on the battlefield, and worry crept onto her face.
Guy walked over to her and said earnestly, "Kakashi will be fine. Besides, there's no point worrying right now."
Rin nodded. "I know. I just..."
Guy waved a hand, interrupting her.
"Instead of letting your mind run wild, you should focus on getting stronger."
"Only if we become stronger can we be there for each other when we meet again in the future, right?"
Rin was stunned.
Looking at Guy's earnest expression, she suddenly smiled.
"Guy, I'm so glad we're in the same class."
Kurenai quickly nodded along.
Guy laughed, then headed out without looking back.
"I'm going to train some more. Anyone who wants to come, follow me!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Obito, Kurenai, and Rin immediately followed him.
Ebisu, who had been eavesdropping nearby the whole time, hesitated for a moment before following them too.
Once they had all left, Asuma, who had barely said a word, finally turned to watch them go.
He still had his usual cocky look, but his eyes had changed.
"Being there for each other, huh..."
After a long while, he pursed his lips.
Although Asuma had been extremely annoyed when Guy put his hand on Kurenai's head,
he had to admit it.
He really agreed with what that guy had said.
"Hopefully, the war will hold off a little longer..."