Naruto: Starting with Snatching the Mangekyō Sharingan

"Come in!" Hiruzen's deep voice resonated through the room.

The door creaked open, and a masked ANBU entered, carrying a scroll. Dropping to one knee behind Hiruzen, the ANBU reported, "Hokage-sama, an urgent message from the border!"

Hiruzen's expression darkened as he swiftly took the scroll. Unrolling it, his eyes darted across its contents.

"Good... good... GOOD!" He slammed the scroll on the table, his face contorting with fury. "Damn you, Ōnoki! So this is why that Raikage brat dared to launch a surprise attack—because you've been colluding with him behind the scenes all along!"

The room erupted into chaos. The anger that had barely subsided now flared up again, hotter than before.

"Calm down!" Hiruzen exhaled deeply, forcing himself to suppress the storm within. "As you've just heard, Iwagakure has made its move. Ōnoki himself is leading five thousand elite shinobi into the Land of Grass. They'll cross into the Land of Fire any moment now."

His voice grew colder, filled with unyielding resolve. "This might very well mark the start of the Fourth Great Ninja War."

"Those bastards!" someone growled. "Looks like the Fourth Hokage was too soft on them during the last war."

"This time, we must strike hard! Show no mercy!"

"Exactly. We need to crush them—break their bones so they finally learn their lesson. Iwagakure always stirs up trouble; they're the ones who start every war!"

"What a joke! Do Iwa and Kumo think they can take us on together? Even against two villages, Konoha holds the upper hand. Remember, during the Third War, we fought four villages at once—and still came out on top!"

Voices filled with fury echoed through the room.

Hiruzen raised a hand, signaling for silence. "Enough. Don't underestimate our enemies. Both Iwagakure and Kumogakure are formidable, and we must proceed with caution."

As the room quieted, he continued, "Kumo's forces are already within the Land of Fire, dangerously close to Konoha. We must act swiftly, or the consequences will be dire."

"Then let's not waste time, Hiruzen," Koharu urged. "Make the necessary arrangements now."

Homura nodded in agreement, his expression grave. "Kumo and Iwa are making a strong push. We can't just sit back and watch. We need to step in and do our part."

Ignoring Homura's remark, Hiruzen scanned the room before fixing his gaze on the Uchiha clan's section. His voice was firm as he addressed Uchiha Akira: "Kumo's forces are advancing rapidly. The situation is critical. Akira, you and I will lead the main shinobi force to intercept them on the frontlines. Do you have any objections?"

The assembled jonin turned to Uchiha Akira, waiting for his response. Akira shook his head, his expression calm. "No objections, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction. "Good."

He then addressed the others, "Fugaku, Shisui, Hizashi, Chōza, Shikaku, and Inoichi—you will each lead units to hold off Iwa's forces."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," they replied in unison.

Koharu interjected with concern. "Hiruzen, are you sure you and Akira alone can handle Kumo's forces? This time, they're bringing the Raikage and two Jinchūriki!"

Homura frowned. "If necessary, Koharu and I can join you. Our skills may not be what they once were, but we're still capable of fighting."

"No," Hiruzen said firmly. "You two must stay in Konoha to oversee logistics and secure the village. Deploying on two fronts will strain our resources, and our supply lines cannot afford any mistakes. Leave Kumo to me."

Homura sighed but relented. "Understood."

"Then we'll handle the logistics," Koharu said with a resigned tone, though her eyes betrayed her unease. How far we've fallen... To think Konoha would ever face such a shortage of capable hands...

Not long ago, Konoha boasted immense strength with the likes of the Fourth Hokage, the Sannin, and Might Duy. Now, it seemed, fate had turned against them.

Taking a deep breath, Hiruzen outlined the detailed personnel arrangements, his voice unwavering.

"This is a race against time. If there are no objections, everyone must be ready within two days. Assemble your forces and move out to intercept Kumo and Iwa. The goal is to achieve victory as swiftly as possible."

As the meeting concluded, news of the imminent conflict spread like wildfire throughout Konoha. Shinobi darted across rooftops and through streets, heading toward the assembly points outside the village.

For most villagers, the initial reaction wasn't panic—it was anger. Sitting atop the throne as the strongest ninja village for so long, they had grown confident in their strength.

"Damn those Iwa and Kumo scum! This time, the Hokage won't let them off easy!"

"Right! After the losses we've suffered, the Hokage owes us an explanation—or he won't stay in power for long."

"Honestly, the Hokage's slipping. Didn't he step down after the early failures of the last war? Why are we seeing the same thing now?"

"I heard from my cousin in the ANBU—it's probably the intel team's fault. They're not doing their job!"

The streets buzzed with frustrated whispers and speculation.

In the Uchiha clan's compound, inside the patriarch's study, Akira and Shisui stood before Fugaku.

"Akira," Fugaku began gravely. "This mission won't be easy. Kumo is not to be underestimated. The Raikage has grown even stronger—strong enough to defeat Jiraiya. And the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki is a perfect Jinchūriki, more powerful than the Raikage himself. You must be cautious."

"I understand," Akira replied calmly. "I won't underestimate them."

Though his words were confident, Akira felt no fear for himself. What concerned him more were Fugaku and Shisui's assignments. The pressure they faced against Iwa would be immense.

Iwagakure lacked a perfect Jinchūriki, but their two Jinchūriki were still capable of wielding their tailed beasts' power and even the devastating Bijūdama. Add to that Ōnoki's Dust Release, and the threat was undeniable.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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