The entire Shinobi World had been in turmoil lately.
The Sky Screen finally appeared again.
Whoosh-
Whether they were ninja hurrying along the road, patrol teams standing watch in their villages, senior officials discussing affairs in their offices, or students training at school, everyone stopped at once and instinctively looked up.
The noisy, chaotic Shinobi World fell utterly silent the instant the Sky Screen lit up.
Everyone's gaze locked onto the images high in the sky.
The picture slowly sharpened, revealing the inside of a great hall.
Several red-haired elders stood inside, their faces aged and solemn, their brows heavy with exhaustion and despair.
In the hall, one elder spoke quietly, his face deathly pale and his hoarse voice filled with sorrow and resentment.
"Clan leader, it seems Konoha really does intend to abandon us."
Another red-haired elder clenched his fists, anger filling his eyes as he let out a series of bitter chuckles.
"We've sent several groups of ninja to ask for aid. Every last one vanished without a trace. Not a single reply."
"The answer is already clear."
"Damn them!" an elder beside him growled through gritted teeth, seething with indignation. "We've been allies with Konoha for generations! The Senju and the Uzumaki are blood relatives and allies! Yet Konoha refuses to save us in our hour of need!"
"This is betrayal! Outright betrayal!"
The elders spoke over one another, filled with bitter disappointment, anger, and despair.
Only the clan leader remained seated at the head of the hall, his expression dark and grim. He stayed silent throughout, an immense weight buried in his eyes, neither defending Konoha nor agreeing with the others.
Watching the Sky Screen, everyone in the Shinobi World immediately recognized the timeline.
"This was before the Second Shinobi World War!"
"This was right before