They glared at each other in silence for a long while.
But in the end, no one stepped forward to apologize.
Perhaps, in their minds, it was nothing more than idle talk.
Such was the ignorance of the common folk—repeating what they heard without thinking, never considering the consequences of their words.
Still, after Sakumo Hatake's death, the gossip in Konoha died down.
It was as though a man's death truly extinguished his light.
But at the same time, Sakumo's death became the spark that reignited the flames of war.
Sunagakure, which had been showing signs of surrender, suddenly declared war on Konoha once more.
The Second Shinobi World War raged on.
---
"Danzo!"
Inside the Hokage's Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed his hand on the desk, glaring furiously at Danzo Shimura.
Sakumo Hatake is dead… just like that.
Hiruzen had never intended things to go this far.
"Who could have known," Danzo replied coldly, shrugging off Hiruzen's fury, "that the great White Fang of Konoha would be so weak in spirit?"
The casual cruelty in his tone made Hiruzen's jaw tighten.
"...You—!"
Words failed him. His anger was beyond expression.
Beside them, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, members of the Konoha Council, stepped forward to mediate.
"Enough, Hiruzen," Koharu said sternly. "We can't afford internal disputes. What we should be focusing on is the battlefield—Sunagakure has resumed hostilities."
"Hmph."
Hiruzen snorted but accepted their intervention, suppressing his temper.
The truth was, Danzo's tactics—his whispered propaganda, his manipulation of public opinion—had directly led to Sakumo's death. But Hiruzen couldn't act against him without destabilizing Konoha's leadership further.
Still, the fury in his heart remained.
"Those jackals from the Sand…" Hiruzen muttered, voice heavy. "While Sakumo lived, his blade alone was enough to make them hesitate. But now…"
Kiba's swordsmanship had been devastating against Sunagakure's puppet masters. With him gone, the Sand's confidence had returned.
Danzo stood silently with arms crossed, expression unreadable. To him, Sunagakure was nothing to fear.
Just attack them, he thought coldly.
For Konoha. For power. For his vision of strength.
Danzo's arrogance—his unshakable belief that Konoha was the world's mightiest village, and that he alone understood its true path—had become his greatest delusion.
It was that same pride that would one day destroy him.
By contrast, Hiruzen was more pragmatic. He understood that Konoha's power meant nothing without stability.
"Summon Jiraiya and the others," Hiruzen ordered after a moment.
If the Sand wanted war, Konoha would answer.
Outside, the ANBU moved quickly to carry out his command.
---
At Aoyama Ryuyun's home, the same call had arrived.
"Lady Tsunade, Lord Ryuyun—Hokage-sama has ordered all available shinobi to gather at the Hokage Building immediately!"
"Understood," Tsunade replied. "You may go ahead. We'll be right behind you."
Ryuyun fastened his swords at his waist and waved dismissively.
"Yes!" The ANBU saluted and vanished in a blur.
Moments later, Tsunade and Kurenai Yuhi approached.
"Ryuyun!" Kurenai called, voice filled with concern.
He smiled softly and patted her on the head. "Stay home and don't worry. I'll be back soon."
"Mhm!" Kurenai nodded earnestly, her young face full of trust.
"Ryuyun," she said seriously, "I'll always wait for you to come back."
Ryuyun chuckled quietly. "Seems I've made myself far too guilty in this life."
---
Scene Transition
"It looks like something big has happened," Tsunade muttered as she and Ryuyun walked side by side toward the Hokage Building.
All around them, ANBU operatives were gathering shinobi from every corner of the village.
If it were a minor issue, Hiruzen would never call for full mobilization.
Ryuyun crossed his arms, his tone casual. "Can't you tell? War's about to break out again."
"What?" Tsunade blinked, caught off guard.
She hadn't considered the possibility. "Didn't the Shinobi World War just end?"
Ryuyun sighed inwardly. The Tsunade beside him was still far from the hardened woman who would one day crush Susanoo with her bare fists.
"Kiba's gone," he said simply. "Without him, Sunagakure no longer feels threatened. They see an opening—and they're taking it."
Tsunade's expression darkened.
Any shinobi who had seen war never wanted to return to it. Tsunade was no different.
But deep down, she knew Ryuyun was right.
"It's all those damned elders," she hissed, clenching her fists. "If it weren't for them, Kiba wouldn't have died—and none of this would've happened."
Her anger was raw, untempered by politics.
Ryuyun placed his hand gently over her clenched fist.
"If you don't have the strength to change things, don't waste energy on ambition."
His tone wasn't mocking—just blunt.
When ambition exceeds ability, it only leads to ruin.
Just like Danzo—driven by his hunger for the Hokage's seat, yet lacking the true strength to bear it.
In the end, his arrogance destroyed him.
"Uh…"
Tsunade froze as she felt his hand resting lightly on hers.
Turning her head, she found herself staring at his profile—arrogant, fearless, utterly unconcerned with the world.
He really did resemble a proud lion.
"What's wrong?" Ryuyun asked when she didn't speak.
"Nothing!" she snapped, quickly pulling her hand back and clasping it behind her back, pretending composure.
Ryuyun smirked but said nothing more.