The Gathering Storm

In the operating room on the top floor of Konoha Hospital, the operating lights cast a stark white glow. The air was thick with the pungent smell of disinfectant mixed with the stench of blood, and the instruments emitted a monotonous beeping sound, like the rhythm of a life countdown.

Tsunade stood before the operating table, fine beads of sweat glistening on her forehead. Her hands, enveloped in pale green medical Chakra, precisely manipulated the nerve connections under the microscope—a surgery precise down to the micrometer level, allowing no room for error.

On the operating table, Kakashi was under deep anesthesia, his left eye held in place by a speculum, revealing its empty socket. In a special container beside him, his crimson Sharingan slowly rotated in the nutrient solution, the Mitsudomoe pattern seemingly gazing at the world with a life of its own.

"Tweezers," Tsunade whispered.

Shizune immediately handed over a pair of precision tweezers that had been rigorously sterilized. Tsunade a deep breath, carefully picked up the eye with the tweezers, and slowly moved it toward Kakashi's eye socket. The moment the eyeball touched the nerve endings, a tiny spark of electricity flashed—that was the resonance between the Sharingan's unique Chakra and the host's body.

"It has begun," Tsunade said in a deep voice.

Her hands began to move at lightning speed, medical Chakra extending like threads, guiding the optic nerve, oculomotor nerve, trochlear nerve... thousands of microscopic connections needed to be completed within minutes. This was no ordinary medical-nin's surgery; it was a miracle that only Tsunade had mastered the Creation Rebirth Strength of a Hundred, could accomplish.

Time ticked by. Outside the operating room, Shikaku leaned against the wall, his eyes closed in repose, but his slightly trembling eyelids betrayed his inner anxiety. At the end of the corridor, several Anbu Ninja stood guard silently, ensuring that no one could disturb this crucial surgery that would determine Konoha's future fighting strength.

"The last one..." Tsunade muttered to herself, sweat trickling down her face and dripping onto the sterile cloth, leaving dark stains.

Finally, she withdrew her hands, and the light of the medical Chakra gradually faded. The Sharingan was now firmly embedded in Kakashi's eye socket, the Mitsudomoe in the pupil slowly rotating, and then... coming to a stop. It had fallen asleep, waiting for the Chakra to awaken after its host awoke.

"It's a success." Tsunade let out a long breath, her body swaying slightly. Even she felt exhausted after several hours of intense concentration.

Shizune quickly stepped forward to support her. "Lady Tsunade, please go and rest. I'll take care of the rest of the stitching and bandaging."

Tsunade nodded, took off her blood-stained gloves, and walked to the sink. The cool water washed her hands, removing the sticky blood, but it couldn't remove the heaviness in her heart. She looked up at the mirror—the woman in the mirror had fine lines around her eyes, a few barely noticeable strands of silver in her blonde hair, and an unconcealable weariness in her eyes.

The Fifth Hokage... this position carries a heavier burden than she had imagined.

"Lady Tsunade." The operating room door was gently pushed open, and a Chunin the Intelligence Division stood in the doorway, his face grave. "Urgent intelligence."

Tsunade dried her hands and took the scroll that was handed to her. The moment she unfolded it, her pupils suddenly contracted.

The scroll's contents were concise yet chilling:

"This morning, the remnants of the Akatsuki simultaneously transmitted a threatening message to the four major nations: 'Within ten days, choose one of the following villages— Cloud Village, Iwagakure, Mist Village, Sand Village —and annihilate it as a warning. Konoha will be spared for now as a sign of mercy.' The intelligence was intercepted simultaneously by the Anbu of the four nations, and the content is consistent, confirming it is not forged."

Attached below is a stack of letters—urgent inquiries from the four great ninja villages. The Cloud Village's letter is forceful, demanding an immediate explanation from Konoha; the Iwagakure's tone is skeptical, questioning whether Konoha orchestrated the whole thing; the Mist Village's letter is the shortest, simply asking "Is it true?"; and the Sand Village...

Tsunade's fingers lingered longest on the letter from Sand Village. It was Gaara's handwriting, neat yet trembling with suppressed emotion. "Kazekage Gaara Hokage Tsunade — Sand Village is willing to stand with Konoha, and regardless of the veracity of the information, requests an immediate meeting to discuss matters."

"Shizune," Tsunade's voice was a little hoarse, "Go and fetch Mr. Shikaku... Also, once Kakashi wakes up, have him come to the Hokage Office immediately."

"Yes."

An hour later, in the Hokage Office.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting dappled shadows on the polished floor. Yet, the atmosphere in the room was as heavy as the stillness before a storm.

Tsunade sat behind her desk, a mountain of interrogation letters from the four great nations piled up in front of her. Shikaku stood by the window, a copy of an intelligence scroll in his hand, his brow furrowed. Kakashi —who had just woken up from anesthesia, his left eye still wrapped in thick bandages, only his right eye showing—sat in a guest chair, his face pale but his eyes sharp.

"That's the situation." Tsunade pushed the scroll to the center of the table. "The Akatsuki didn't attack us directly, but instead chose to threaten the other four great nations. What's their purpose? To sow discord? To exert pressure? Or..."

"A feint," Kakashi interjected, his voice slightly low due to weakness from the surgery. "Their real target is likely Naruto. Spreading this rumor, creating panic, forcing us to divert our forces to support other ninja villages, or... forcing Neji to leave Konoha to deal with it. Either way, Konoha's defenses will be compromised."

Shikaku turned around, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the windowsill. "Kakashi is right. But the problem is, if we remain inactive and Akatsuki really wipes out a ninja village, what will the surviving village think? They'll think Konoha abandoned them, that we're colluding with Akatsuki, or... to protect themselves, they'll choose to submit to Akatsuki and turn their guns on us."

He walked to his desk, placed his hands on the surface, and leaned forward. "This is a dilemma. If we act, we might fall into a trap; if we don't act, we'll lose all our allies and even make more enemies."

Tsunade rubbed her temples, asking wearily, "What's the reaction from Neji's side?"

"According to the latest report from the Intelligence Division," Shikaku said, "Neji went to see Naruto this morning and stayed for about twenty minutes. Afterwards, he was with Tenten, and the two of them are currently strolling around the shopping district, looking... very relaxed."

"Shopping..." Tsunade repeated the word, a hint of absurd amusement in her voice, "The entire Shinobi World is about to descend into chaos, and he's out shopping."

Silence fell over the room. All three were pondering the same question—what was that boy, that "god" who had already reached the Six Paths Tier and possessed the power to change everything, thinking? Why wasn't he making a move? What was he waiting for?

"Lady Tsunade," there was a gentle knock on the office door, "Kazekage Gaara requests an audience."

Tsunade and Shikaku exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes. According to standard procedure, meetings between Kage Level figures require prior appointments, arrangements for meeting venues and security. Gaara's direct visit clearly indicated that the urgency had rendered etiquette insignificant.

"Let him in."

The door opened. Gaara walked into the room without any guards following him. He was wearing a simple Kazekage robe, his short red hair was a little messy, and he had obvious dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating that he had not slept all night.

"I apologize for coming uninvited." Gaara's voice was calm, but deep within his blue eyes lay an undeniable heaviness. "But I need to speak with you immediately, Lady Tsunade."

His gaze swept over Shikaku and Kakashi, he nodded slightly in acknowledgment, then refocused on Tsunade: "Sand Village has received information about the Akatsuki threat. Furthermore, we've intercepted other intelligence— Cloud Village, Iwagakure, and Mist Village have all received the same threat."

Tsunade gestured for him to sit down. "We just received the news too. How does Sand Village plan to respond?"

Gaara didn't sit. He stood there, his back ramrod straight, like a javelin that would never bend. But his voice was unusually deep:

"Sand Village... intends to submit to Konoha."

The air in the office seemed to freeze.

Tsunade, resting on the table, paused slightly. Shikaku's fingers, which had been tapping on the windowsill, stopped in mid-air. Even Kakashi, who had just undergone eye surgery, involuntarily sat up straight.

"What did you say?" Tsunade thought she had misheard.

"Sunagakure, willingly becoming a subordinate village of Konoha," Gaara repeated, each word seemingly forced out of his throat. "In exchange, we beg Konoha... we beg Neji to protect Sand Village."

He lowered his head. This always proud Kazekage was making the most difficult decision of his life. "I know this is sudden, and... humiliating. But as Kazekage, my first duty is to protect the village and its people. If the Akatsuki threat is real, if there truly is an enemy surpassing Obito Uchiha, then Sand Village alone will only face certain death."

He raised his head, his blue-green eyes meeting Tsunade: "But if Sand Village becomes part of Konoha, then an enemy attacking Sand Village is tantamount to attacking Konoha. In that case, Lord Neji will have no choice but to intervene—at least, that's what the villagers of Sand Village believe."

Tsunade looked at the young figure before her. Gaara was only sixteen, nearly thirty years younger than her, but at this moment, his eyes held a responsibility and decisiveness beyond his years. It was the resolve of a leader in dire straits, willing to lower his noble head for the survival of his people.

A complex mix of emotions welled up within her—admiration, sympathy, and a deep sense of helplessness.

"Gaara ..." Tsunade stood up, walked around the desk, and stood in front of him. "Konoha and Sand Village will always be the strongest allies. But don't say things like that again."

She reached out and gently patted the young Kazekage's shoulder, her tone gentle yet firm. "Sand Village doesn't need to submit to anyone. If Akatsuki dares to come, Konoha won't stand idly by—I assure you in the name of Hokage."

But Gaara's gaze didn't relax. "Lady Tsunade, can you guarantee that Lord Neji will intervene?"

This question is like a needle, puncturing all the comforting Utakata.

Tsunade fell silent. She couldn't be sure. She didn't even know if Neji would care. Although the boy was in Konoha, his heart seemed to have soared to a height they couldn't comprehend, overlooking the Shinobi World like a god looking down upon humanity.

"We haven't figured out who the enemy is this time," Tsunade finally said, avoiding a direct answer. "But Konoha will do everything in its power to find out the truth. Until then, please have Sand Village strengthen its defenses, and at the same time... maintain close contact with Konoha. If anything changes, we will provide support immediately."

She paused, then added, "As for the matter of submission, consider it a joke. Sand Village is Konoha's ally, not its vassal. That will never change."

Gaara looked at Tsunade for a long time, then bowed deeply. "I understand. Thank you for your honesty."

He straightened up, regaining his calm and composed Kazekage as the Kazekage, but the heaviness in his eyes remained. "Well then, I'll take my leave. Sand Village will make all necessary preparations for battle, and... we look forward to sharing information with Konoha. Also, I won't be able to attend Temari's wedding; Kankuro will represent Sand Village."

"Good."

After Gaara left, the office fell silent again. Tsunade sat back in her chair, covered her face with her hands, and let out a long sigh.

"Lady Tsunade..." Shikaku hesitated, then stopped himself from speaking.

"I know." Tsunade, her eyes sharpening again. "Gaara's concerns are valid. If we cannot provide concrete guarantees, Sand Village ... and even other ninja villages, may very well choose other ways to survive."

Kakashi slowly began, "While you were discussing this, I kept thinking about one question—who exactly is the Akatsuki's so-called 'greater enemy'?"

Shikaku and Tsunade both looked at him.

"Currently, it seems that only Neji is stronger than Obito," Kakashi continued. "But Neji's stance... is very subtle. He seems to be following some kind of rule we don't know, or rather, playing a game we don't understand. So, excluding Neji, who else can give the Akatsuki the confidence to destroy a ninja village?"

A glint suddenly flashed in Shikaku's eyes. He strode to his desk, pulled out paper and pen, and began to write rapidly:

"Known condition 1: The Akatsuki has Obito Uchiha, who possesses a single Rinnegan and can control the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path."

"Second known condition: Neji took Obito's right Mangekyo Sharingan, but Obito's fate is unknown."

"Known condition three: The Akatsuki claims to have an 'even more powerful enemy'."

"Given condition four: This enemy does not directly attack Konoha, indicating that he knows he is no match for Neji."

He stopped writing, looked up at Tsunade and Kakashi: "If we dare to speculate... if Neji only took Obito's eyes and didn't kill him, what would Obito have done?"

Kakashi felt a sudden, sharp pain in his left eye beneath the bandage—not a physical pain, but a piercing, instinctive sensation. He blurted out:

"Heretical Path - Reincarnation Heavenly Life Technique..."

"To resurrect someone," Shikaku interjected, his voice low, "Someone stronger than Obito, possessing the complete Rinnegan, and perhaps even...having the potential to defeat Neji."

The three looked at each other, and a name simultaneously surfaced in their minds:

"Uchiha Clan... Madara."

The office temperature seemed to drop several degrees. The sun was still shining brightly outside the window, but a shadow fell over the hearts of the three of them.

If Madara Uchiha really has been resurrected... if the strongest man of the Uchiha Clan has truly returned to this world...

"But Madara still can't defeat Neji," Kakashi calmly analyzed. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have used this roundabout tactic; he would have come directly to Konoha. He's wary of Neji, so he's trying to lure Neji away, or waiting for a certain opportunity..."

"For example, becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki," Shikaku said, his expression growing increasingly grim. "If Madara really does revive, he will definitely continue Obito's unfinished plan—collecting the Tailed Beast, synthesizing the Ten-Tails, becoming its Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, and reaching the Six Paths Tier. At that time..."

By then, Madara will have the resources to confront Neji head-on.

Tsunade abruptly stood up, the chair scraping against the floor with a harsh sound. She walked to the window and looked down at the bustling streets of Konoha —children were playing, vendors were hawking their wares, and ninjas were hurrying by. No one knew that a crisis, perhaps even more terrifying than the Fourth Shinobi World War, was quietly approaching.

"Shikaku," she said, her back to the two of them, her voice eerily calm, "Immediately mobilize all intelligence resources to focus on investigating the border areas of the Land of Rain, the Land of Grass, and the Land of Rivers, searching for traces of a large underground base. At the same time, strengthen Naruto's protection—no, not openly, as that would only expose his importance. Secretly increase patrols and expand the perimeter."

"Yes."

"Kakashi," Tsunade turned around, her gaze sharp, "How long will it take for your eyes to fully adjust?"

Kakashi estimated, "Lady Tsunade's Medical Ninjutsu is superb, and the nerve connection is perfect. I'll probably be able to try using this eye in about three days. But to fully master it, it will take at least a week."

"Speed up the process," Tsunade said. "I'll have the scroll of the Yin Seal: Strength of a Hundred delivered to your house this afternoon. Starting tomorrow, you'll be training around the clock. If you need anything, just contact me."

"Clear."

Tsunade looked out the window one last time, towards the shopping street. In that direction, Neji was strolling around with Tenten, eating dango and enjoying a rare moment of leisure.

She took a deep breath and made a decision:

"Tonight, the two of you will come with me to visit Neji."

Shikaku and Kakashi looked up at the same time, surprise flashing in their eyes, but quickly turning into understanding.

It's time for a showdown. We can't wait passively any longer, we can't let that boy wander unchecked any longer. Konoha needs answers, the Shinobi World needs direction, and they... need a definite promise.

Even if that promise may never be fulfilled.

As the sun set, the Hokage Rock was dyed blood red. Tsunade stood by the window, gazing at the crimson expanse, a premonition rising within her—

A storm is really coming.