Not long after the people of Konoha hurried away, an eerie rain mist quietly lingered among the mountain woods, where not a trace of rain had ever fallen. One figure after another appeared, their eyes cruel and bloodthirsty.
"Just now, a bunch of rats slipped away from here. Konoha Genin, perhaps?"
"What does it matter? Let's show those Konoha fools just how strong the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist really are!"
The Mist Hidden Ninja, each with teeth like sharp fangs, wore expressions hungry for blood as the forces of Mist Hidden, one of the Five Great Shinobi Countries, crossed into the Land of Fire.
The Land of Water, which had been observing from the sidelines, was slowly baring Mist Hidden's fangs toward Konoha.
A night passed. As the distant horizon gradually turned pale with the first light of dawn, Uchiha Hanazuki slowly opened his eyes in a bed at Konoha Medical Hospital. The long, deep-yellow hair hanging before his face swayed slightly.
"Please don't move around. You've only used up too much chakra. You just need to rest for a few days. You must have been through an unimaginable battle."
Her gentle, composed smile seemed to hold the glow of a compassionate mother. The Toad Goggles she wore and her soft features made it hard not to let one's guard down.
"The hospital, huh? That's fine. At least I don't have to go to the battlefield. I suppose I've been lucky to make it out alive. What happened to the others?"
"Your friends? They've already gone back. Those two girls were very worried about you. Come to think of it, none of your family has come to visit. Are they busy with a mission?"
Her voice was gentle. Hanazuki looked up at the spotless ceiling and answered softly.
"My family? They're dead. They died on a mission. That's why I hate this stuff—ninja who send little kids onto the battlefield. It's such a pain."
"I'm sorry. I suppose I brought up something I shouldn't have. Please get some rest, and live a healthy life, carrying your father and mother's love with you."
The petite woman smiled warmly and gently touched Uchiha Hanazuki's forehead. The message that appeared made him pause.
[Character Check-In: Yakushi Nonō] [Abilities: Mystical Palm Technique, Chakra Blade, Healing Resuscitation Regeneration Technique, Delicate Illness Extraction Technique...] [Random draw in progress... Check-in successful. Today's reward: Chakra Blade!]
More than the attack methods of a medical ninja, Hanazuki was interested in the name.
Yakushi Nonō, current head of the Medical Team, was known as the Wandering Miko. Her intelligence-gathering ability and Medical Ninjutsu could certainly be counted among the top five in Konoha.
Most importantly, she was Yakushi Kabuto's adoptive mother, one of the few people in Konoha willing to take in orphans. She was a kind woman who was willing to risk her life so the children could survive.
Unfortunately, Danzo still never trusted her in the end, and arranged a scheme in which son would kill mother. It led to extremely serious consequences, indirectly helping bring about the Fourth Shinobi World War and adding many elite fighters to the Shinobi Allied Forces.
Her figure gradually left the hospital room. She moved gently and quietly closed the door behind her.
After a moment of silence, Hanazuki sighed.
"What a wonderful woman! She's already worn herself out like this. Good thing I went to the trouble of pretending to be sick. Now I won't have to go to the battlefield, right?"
At a thought, bags of snacks rained down onto the pale-blue water's surface, earning a satisfied nod from the Black Nine-Tails.
"Since you're showing such sincerity, I'll forgive you. Is that forbidden technique any good? Back in the day, when Menma collected Kekkei Genkai and forbidden techniques, he relied on foxes with me as their source! Wahahaha..."
"More or less. It's pretty good for scouting, at least. But compared to Nine Mask Svāhā, I'd still rather have that scroll in your belly. When are you going to take it out?"
The bizarre, intricate Mangekyō stared at the Black Nine-Tails' belly. Hanazuki probed quietly, prompting an immediate retort.
"Damn Uchiha brat, are you dreaming? That's my hope of returning to the world! You may be pretty sensible for a brat, but I still want my freedom back."
"If it weren't for that thing, my chakra would've already resonated with the Nine-Tails here. Then you'd have been captured too, brat. If you know what's good for you—"
"If Konoha dares reach its claws toward me, I'll chop off every one that comes. My life and safety come first. They matter more than some so-called village."
The Black Nine-Tails stared blankly for a moment, then burst out laughing, sending ripples across the water.
"Ha ha ha! I knew I wasn't wrong about you! You're not as conventional as I thought. You're just as ruthless as Menma, who killed his own father and teacher without the slightest hesitation!"
Ignoring the Black Nine-Tails as he devoured the snacks, Uchiha Hanazuki closed his eyes to rest. His claim that he had used up too much chakra was entirely an excuse to avoid going to the battlefield.
What Jinchuriki would end up lying in a hospital bed because of chakra depletion? Even Jinchuriki who hadn't reconciled with their Tailed Beast had several times as much chakra as an ordinary person.
That was even more true for Hanazuki, who had received the largest share of the Nine-Tails Fox's chakra. Although his Nine-Tails was the opposite one, the amount of chakra was no different.
"I can't believe I ran into the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki and the Fourth Raikage of all people. My luck's as terrible as ever. I hope I didn't attract too much attention, or else..."
He raised an eyebrow and instinctively covered his eyes. If you used the Mangekyō Sharingan for too long, you really would go blind.
In Konoha, inside the Hokage Office.
Looking over the mission report in his hands, Konoha's true leaders—the Konoha F4—exchanged glances. At last, Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke first.
"You encountered the AB Duo—the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki—and came through without a single casualty. Was it all thanks to Uchiha Hanazuki's Flying Thunder God Technique?"
Sarutobi Hina nodded solemnly, while Hatake Kakashi, who had been summoned to corroborate the account, gave a slight nod.
Sarutobi Hiruzen reviewed the mission report again and exhaled purple smoke. As the tobacco slowly burned, his thoughts returned to the young man who had looked down on the prewar speech.
"In any case, we know that Uchiha Hanazuki protected his comrades on the battlefield, completed the mission successfully, and indirectly foiled Cloud Hidden's plans. You two should rest up and prepare for your next mission."
After the two left, the gloomy old man, whose face was mostly hidden beneath bandages, finally spoke.
"He's only ten years old, yet he managed to come through unscathed in front of the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki and the Fourth Raikage, and even saved a group of fellow ninja. His only injury was chakra depletion?"
"Any other clan's ninja with that kind of talent would be a priority for the village to cultivate. But of all people, he's an Uchiha..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly rose to his feet and sighed.
"Uchiha Hanazuki was willing to save his comrades. That means he still identifies with the Will of Fire. He's worth cultivating, and he could serve as a bridge to ease relations with the Uchiha Clan..."
"Don't be naive, Hiruzen! What if this brat chooses the same path as that man? We should follow the Second Hokage's final instructions and eliminate threats before they take root. Kill him."