Sunagakure Declares War!

"Brother, I think you've been in a really bad state lately. Is it because you have too many worries on your mind? I think you should take a break for a while."

The smile on Mikoto Uchiha's face gradually faded. She was very worried about Hikaru. His condition had truly been getting worse and worse lately. Mikoto Uchiha did not know why he was like this. If it was because of Sunagakure and the Third Hokage, that should not have been enough.

If it was not those matters, then what was it? Aside from being easily angered lately, Hikaru would occasionally reveal an irritated, restless expression. He seemed unable to sit still, and he no longer paid much attention to village affairs.

As for the Anbu's various matters, aside from taking a few extra looks at those that absolutely required handling, he could not be bothered with the rest and left them entirely to Nara Shikaku.

"I'm fine. Maybe there have just been a few too many troublesome matters lately, making me more sensitive. Don't worry." Hikaru waved his hand, indicating that she need not worry about him. After extinguishing his cigarette, he forced himself to pull himself together and continued handling official business.

Mikoto Uchiha saw all of this, and her heart ached terribly. But Hikaru would not listen to her advice, so what could she do? Once Hikaru became stubborn, even Tsunade would be powerless, much less Mikoto Uchiha.

The Third Hokage was still hesitating, but on the other side, Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, would not hesitate. In the shortest possible time, Rasa became Sunagakure's Fourth Kazekage. From the moment he began building momentum until he took office, he had continuously stirred up one particularly sharp issue: Konoha.

Without Konoha serving as a target, it would have been