The news of Fuguki's death spread swiftly through Konoha's main camp, sparking heated discussions among the gathered ninja.
Beyond Fuguki's special identity, much of the uproar came from the terror his squad had caused over the past week.
Their relentless harassment and overwhelming strength had forced Konoha's units to stay constantly on guard.
Whenever Fuguki's squad appeared, it almost always ended in death or severe injury.
Despite Konoha organizing multiple pursuit teams, Fuguki's squad had always managed to slip away unscathed.
But now, Kitazawa, leading a team to annihilate them, was akin to removing a venomous thorn from Konoha's side.
At the very least, Konoha's ninja no longer had to fear sudden ambushes mid-mission—ambushes that could spell tragedy.
With Fuguki's death, Kitazawa's name once again spread like wildfire among the Leaf's shinobi.
Previously, most only regarded him as "Tsunade's student." But now, the image of Kitazawa in their minds had shifted—from Tsunade's disciple to a powerful ninja in his own right.
The moment people began to think first of his strength rather than his teacher's name, it became clear his reputation was rapidly ascending.
In the original work, Asuma's youthful rebellion had stemmed from a similar frustration.
Everyone who saw him thought only of him as the son of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. Proud and ambitious, Asuma had left for the Land of Fire to change that perception.
Yet, despite his determination, his talent had never surpassed his father's. In time, Asuma came to understand—and returned to Konoha.
---
Meanwhile, on a distant island…
Compared to the joyous atmosphere at Konoha's camp, the Hidden Mist's main base was shrouded in silence.
"You said Fuguki-sama is dead? That's impossible!"
Kisame Hoshigaki's voice trembled with disbelief after hearing the Anbu's report.
At this time, he was still a member of the Hidden Mist's Anbu and one of Fuguki's most trusted subordinates.
Before Fuguki's betrayal of Hidden Mist's intelligence, Kisame had placed unwavering faith in him.
"Did you see it with your own eyes?" Mei Terumī asked, her brows furrowed.
Her tone was sharp but tinged with doubt. Fuguki had survived countless battles—how could he have been killed so easily?
"I didn't see it myself," the Anbu admitted, taking a deep breath, "but I went to the battlefield. There was blood everywhere. And more importantly… I've completely lost contact with Lord Fuguki and his team."
"I've already dispatched Anbu to gather intelligence from the Leaf's camp," Ao said slowly. "We'll soon know for sure."
But inwardly, his heart was far from calm.
In truth, Ao already believed the report. Fuguki's death was almost certain.
If Fuguki had been alive—let alone victorious—he would've returned long ago to claim credit, perhaps even using it to wrest greater command authority.
From that perspective, Ao almost felt Fuguki's death wasn't entirely a loss. Yet, it undeniably weakened the Hidden Mist's forces, further tipping the balance against them.
The main tent fell silent once more. Heavy tension filled the air.
The gathered Jonin, faces dark with thought, stood waiting. Even the usually arrogant Zabuza felt the oppressive atmosphere.
"Lord Ao!" Another Anbu burst into the tent, panting. "Lord Fuguki is confirmed dead!"
"Truly dead?" Ao instinctively stepped forward.
"The news has spread throughout Konoha's main camp," the Anbu said breathlessly.
"Leave us," Ao ordered after a short silence, waving his hand. The two Anbu bowed and withdrew from the tent.
"But that was Lord Fuguki…" one of the Mist Jonin muttered, unable to believe it.
"It seems we must re-evaluate Kitazawa's strength," Ao said heavily. "If he could kill Fuguki, then none of us can afford to underestimate him."
Fuguki, wielding Samehada, had been one of the village's top-tier powerhouses—second only to the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi.
In the current Mist camp, not even Ao, Zabuza, or Mei Terumī had the confidence to defeat him.
"How do we know if we don't try?" Zabuza said stubbornly. "Maybe Lord Fuguki was ambushed!"
"There's no such thing as 'ambush' on the battlefield," Mei replied coldly. "Kitazawa has already slain many of our elite ninja. His strength is unquestionable."
Despite possessing both Lava Release and Boil Release, Mei was not confident she could defeat Kitazawa herself.
"Indeed," Ao nodded gravely. "We must set aside arrogance and approach Kitazawa with utmost caution."
"So what now?" Mei asked, turning to him.
Ao rubbed his temples.
Their initial plan had been to pin down Konoha's forces while Mangetsu's team investigated the true reason behind Yagura's war declaration.
But half a month had passed with no progress. He needed to stall further.
Suddenly, a thought struck him. Perhaps Fuguki's death could be turned into an opportunity.
"Konoha's morale is soaring right now," Ao said after some thought. "We should avoid their edge for now. The Hidden Mist will retreat to the islands and stop engaging Konoha on land."
"Lord Ao!" Zabuza protested. "That's a blow to our honor! It'll look like we're running away!"
Several other Jonin nodded in agreement—retreating now would damage morale.
"I understand your anger," Ao said calmly, "but war isn't about a single battle. Retreating to the islands allows us to play to our true advantage."
Hidden Mist specialized in Water Release. Fighting Konoha on land meant abandoning the power of the sea.
"I agree." Terumī Mei's tone was calm, but her eyes reflected understanding.
She knew Ao's true intent—he wanted to buy time. And truthfully, with Hidden Mist's chances of defeating Konoha so slim, retreating to the island to preserve their remaining strength was the wisest choice.
Once they uncovered the truth behind Fourth Mizukage Yagura's strange actions, they could reassess their strategy.
"Konoha will likely seize the momentum and press their advantage," Ao continued. "When that happens, we'll use the sea to launch a counterattack—and avenge Fuguki. That much isn't impossible."
"Lord Ao makes a fair point," several Jonin murmured in agreement.
"Good." Ao exhaled quietly in relief, then ordered, "Inform all Hidden Mist forces still on the mainland—evacuate tonight."
The moon rose and fell.
---
A new day dawned.
Warm sunlight blanketed the peaceful streets of Konoha Village.
Apart from the occasional delivery of triumphant war reports, the villagers hardly felt as though a war was even raging. The Hidden Mist had proven too weak to pose any real threat.
At six in the morning, Sarutobi Hiruzen arrived at the Hokage's Office even before breakfast. The reason was the battle report Tsunade had sent late in the night.
The decrypted report had just reached his desk.
Konoha's intelligence network used strict encryption on all transmissions—the greater the importance, the tighter the safeguards.
To prevent interception and enemy decryption, encryption was an absolute necessity. Battle reports, among the most vital documents, were heavily encoded.
Hiruzen opened the scroll, scanning its contents with anticipation.
Moments later, he couldn't help but laugh aloud.
"News of victory is always good," he said with a satisfied nod.
Since the war with Hidden Mist began, Konoha's forces had maintained steady momentum, completely dominating the battlefield.
Now, with the loss of powerhouses like Fuguki and Ringo Ameyuri—along with the fall of Kurosuki Raiga—three of Hidden Mist's elite were gone. It was a devastating blow.
Hiruzen rolled up the scroll with a quiet smile.
If nothing unexpected happened, this war was as good as won.
Still, he knew better than to grow complacent. The Mist wouldn't have started a war without some hidden card to play. They would reveal it sooner or later—and Konoha had to be ready.
Besides that, there was also the matter of Kumogakure, ever opportunistic and eager to exploit another's distraction.
"Zou," Hiruzen called.
An Anbu operative entered the room, kneeling respectfully. With Haru currently stationed under Tsunade's command, Zou was now serving as his replacement.
(He was the same Anbu who, in the original work, had stood outside the Four Violet Flames Formation during the Konoha Crush.)
"Deliver this message," Hiruzen said, handing him the battle report.
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Zou accepted the scroll and swiftly departed.
As he watched him leave, Hiruzen leaned back slightly and mused, "This time, Kitazawa will truly make a name for himself—not just in Konoha, but across the entire Shinobi World."
The greatest achievements in this war so far—slaying Fuguki and Ringo Ameyuri—were both Kitazawa's doing.
Hiruzen could already foresee it: Kitazawa's fame would soon soar, just as Minato Namikaze's once had.
That was a good thing.
Kitazawa was Tsunade's student—an heir of the Hokage lineage. His glory reflected upon them all. And for Tsunade, it was the best kind of validation.
Even though Kitazawa's fame now came from his Water Release and swordsmanship rather than Medical Ninjutsu, the world would still credit Tsunade for nurturing him.
After all, in their eyes, without her, he wouldn't have mastered so many arts.
But Hiruzen knew the truth—Kitazawa's prowess came not only from Tsunade's tutelage but from his own relentless effort and merit.
Completing missions beyond expectation, exchanging accomplishments for newly created jutsu—his progress was hard-earned.
Tsunade herself, once one of the most renowned ninja in the world, had faded from the spotlight in recent years because of her hemophobia.
Now, Kitazawa's meteoric rise had brought her name back to the forefront. In a way, they had both returned.
And when the war ended, Tsunade's path to the Hokage's seat would be nearly inevitable.
Konoha could hardly find a shinobi more famed—or more fitting—than her.
---
Meanwhile, at the Shimura compound…
Beside a quiet artificial lake, Danzo Shimura sat motionless, fishing rod in hand. The still water reflected his weathered face, his eyes lost in thought.
These days, this was how he spent his time—fishing, waiting, and watching.
Suddenly, an Anbu operative appeared behind him, kneeling.
"Lord Danzo," he said respectfully.
Ever since Root's disbandment, many of its former operatives had joined Anbu. This man was one of them.
Even with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal lifted, his loyalty to Danzo remained unshaken.
"What is it?" Danzo asked without turning.
"A battle report just came in. Kitazawa has killed Fuguki."
Danzo's hand froze mid-motion. His expression hardened. Kitazawa again…
Every time that boy's name appeared in a report, Tsunade's chances of becoming Hokage grew stronger.
Danzo remained silent for a long moment, then waved his hand.
The Anbu disappeared as quietly as he had come, leaving Danzo alone with the rippling lake.
Danzo lightly touched his right eye.
At this point, his only remaining trump card was Kotoamatsukami. But even that wouldn't solve the core problem — Konoha couldn't keep winning so effortlessly.
The difference between a glorious victory and a tragic one was vast.
The former would elevate Tsunade's prestige to an unreachable height; the latter could wound her reputation, making her easier to control.
Danzo's greatest fear was that Tsunade's fame would soar after another overwhelming victory.
Even if he used Kotoamatsukami to subtly manipulate her and make her support him, Sarutobi Hiruzen and the rest of the old guard would surely resist. He couldn't possibly control all of them.
For Danzo, the ideal outcome was a tragic victory — Konoha would win, but at a heavy cost.
The losses could be pinned on Tsunade, weakening her standing without collapsing Konoha's morale.
But an outright defeat was unacceptable. If Konoha fell, Kumogakure and the other villages would pounce like vultures.
Becoming Hokage amidst that chaos would be near impossible, and the risk of death intolerably high.
Danzo fell into deep contemplation, calculating silently.
How could he steer the war toward that delicate balance — a victory shrouded in tragedy?
Leaking intelligence to the Hidden Mist would be the simplest method. But it had to be done flawlessly. A single mistake would destroy him forever.
Fortunately, even though Root had been officially disbanded, the shadows he'd trained remained scattered throughout the village — silent, loyal, and waiting.
===
8:30 AM.
There was still half an hour before the Ninja Academy classes began, yet the Genius Class had already gathered at the training field, warming up for the day.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura called out cheerfully, waving as always.
Sasuke ignored her, his focus fixed on the rhythmic swish of his blade as he practiced Konoha-Style: Willow.
"Sakura, good morning."
Ino's voice drew her attention. She turned to see Ino and Hinata walking side by side.
"Did you two just come from Kitazawa-sensei's office again?" Sakura asked, her eyes narrowing playfully.
"Mhm." Ino sighed. "It still feels strange not seeing Kitazawa-sensei in class anymore."
Hinata nodded softly.
"You're all here already!" Kiba came running over, panting. His face lit up with excitement. "Guess what I just heard?"
Shikamaru, lying lazily on the ground, replied without looking up, "It's obviously about Kitazawa-sensei."
"Don't act smart when no one asked you to!" Kiba snapped.
"Kitazawa-sensei?" Naruto leaned forward eagerly. "Kiba, tell us already!"
Even Sasuke paused mid-swing, his gaze shifting toward Kiba.
"Strange," Ino muttered. "How come we didn't hear anything about Kitazawa-sensei?"
"You came too early," Kiba said proudly. "I overslept, but when I woke up, I heard the news!"
"Stop bragging and just say it!" Ino clenched her fists. "Or you'll regret it!"
"Do you know Suikazan Fuguki?" Kiba asked.
"One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist," Tenten answered instantly. "He was Kurosuki Raiga's former teammate."
"Exactly," Kiba said, chest puffed up. "Kitazawa-sensei killed him in battle!"
Gasps erupted.
"As expected of Kitazawa-sensei!" Ino cheered.
"Fuguki was far stronger than Raiga," Kiba added proudly. "And he was also the deputy commander of the Hidden Mist forces."
Everyone understood the weight of that accomplishment. These were future clan heirs — they grasped what that meant strategically and politically.
"I wish I could fight alongside Kitazawa-sensei one day," Naruto said, eyes shining.
"That depends on whether he's your team leader after graduation," Neji remarked coolly.
"He will be!" Naruto grinned, giving a thumbs-up. "We share the bond of youth!"
Hinata clasped her hands nervously, praying silently that she too would be on Kitazawa-sensei's team.
"Don't get ahead of yourself," Shikamaru yawned. "Each Jonin gets three students. The odds aren't in your favor."
"He's right!" Ino declared confidently. "But I've learned several Ninjutsu created by Kitazawa-sensei himself, so my chances are higher!"
Shikamaru sighed. Everyone had dreams — but not everyone knew the rules.
The Ino–Shika–Chō trio's squad leader had always come from the Sarutobi clan. That tradition wouldn't change.
"You're not the only one who learned from him!" Kiba reminded her.
"Hmph. Kitazawa-sensei is Tsunade-sama's disciple," Sakura said proudly. "Since I've been learning Medical Ninjutsu, I have the best chance!"
"Kitazawa-sensei sure is popular," Yakumo said with a soft laugh.
Karin tilted her head. "You don't want him as your squad leader?"
"Of course I do," Yakumo smiled. "If I could choose, it'd be him."
"But doesn't he already have three students?" Sasuke asked suddenly.
Hinata blinked. "You mean Kabuto-senpai and the others?"
Naruto frowned. "Then… do we still have a chance?"
"By the time we graduate, he'll probably take new students," Shikamaru reasoned.
"It's too early to worry about that," Neji said calmly. "It's almost nine. Everyone, prepare for training."
"Mhm." Sasuke sheathed his blade. "Kakashi-sensei's here. I'm going to practice Lightning Release."
His Konoha-Style: Willow had just reached the entry stage. It was time for him to take the next step — Lightning Release: Chidori.