Peace lasted for a long time.
Until four years later, in Konoha Year 47.
It had been four years. Fox had searched for Nagato and the others for a full four years, but they seemed to have vanished completely.
Was the pressure he exerted on them that strong? Fox pondered. He was too conspicuous. If he went personally, those people, intimidated by his reputation as "half of Senju Hashirama," wouldn't engage him head-on.
Perhaps he should establish an organization to act covertly and properly ambush them?
Late summer. The news of the Third Kazekage's disappearance suddenly spread across the ninja world!
Sunagakure's weakness was laid bare. The Land of Wind became a piece of fat meat, a piece of meat with no guard dog.
For a time, the number of spies within the Land of Wind increased dramatically.
Iwagakure sent people over the Kikkō Mountain Range. Kirigakure sent people into the Land of Wind's only seaport, Shapo Port.
Konoha, however, remained very calm.
Among the high command, neither the Third Hokage nor Tsunade had any desire to start a war.
As for Konoha's Anbu, their movements were unpredictable, so outsiders didn't know.
Autumn, Konoha Year 47.
Fox and Kyōi together sent their son, Yozora, to the Ninja Academy.
Since their son's birth, Kyōi had always been with him. Thinking she wouldn't see him all day, Kyōi felt secretly sad. However, for her son to adapt to life at the Ninja Academy, Kyōi couldn't show it. She didn't know if she couldn't bear to be apart from her son, or if her son couldn't bear to be apart from her.
Fox, however, was quietly worried. His son, Yozora, had inherited the Uchiha Bloodline Limit.
What if Yozora was too outstanding and awakened the Sharingan at the academy? Fox had fabricated an identity for himself; his mother had Senju lineage. But his father having Uchiha lineage was a bit problematic.
He watched his son run into the school, worriedly pinching the bridge of his nose.
Forget it, if his son awakened it, it would be years from now.
He and Kyōi had just turned around when they saw Yamanaka Ruri and her sister bringing a little girl to school.
That delicate, fair-skinned, golden-haired little girl was his daughter, Yamanaka Yae.
Yamanaka Ruri didn't even know that the person who had just passed by her was the Anbu Commander, Fox, Yae's father.
Besides his own two children, there were quite a few other somewhat famous students in this year's class: Uzuki Yūgao, Kamizuki Izumo, Kōtetsu, Gekkō Hayate, Idate, Iruka, and others.
The Special Jonin from around the time the "original story" began basically started at the academy around this time.
Fox saw an Uchiha child enter the Ninja Academy alone.
Uchiha Shisui also enrolled this year.
After Uchiha Mizukiku's death, Uchiha Shisui became an orphan.
"Kyōi, you go home first. I'm going to the Hokage Building to see if there are any good missions recently with little work, high pay, and close to home."
Kyōi quickly said, "I heard the Third Kazekage is missing. You absolutely must not go to the Land of Wind or the Land of Rivers. That direction is too dangerous!"
"Hmm, I know. I'm just a Chunin. I know my own limits."
After seeing Kyōi off, Fox used Body Flicker Technique to appear in a tree canopy. After changing into his fox mask and Anbu hooded robe, he appeared on the Ninja Academy rooftop.
A small figure wearing a mask was watching the children running wildly in the schoolyard.
"Kō, do you want to go study at the Ninja Academy?"
After Danzo's death, only one person remained in Root: Kō, also known as Yamato. Since Yamato could also use Wood Release, he was naturally assigned under Fox, becoming an Anbu ninja. His codename was still Kō.
Kō quickly turned his head. "My apologies, Lord. I am an Anbu ninja. I shouldn't think about such things."
"What's the big deal? Anyway, you're still young and not very useful right now. If you want to, go study at the Ninja Academy. After studying there for five years, you can return to serve in the Anbu."
Kō felt sad in his heart. Had he worked so hard, only to be considered useless in Lord Fox's eyes? His Wood Release and Lord Fox's Wood Release were practically two different techniques.
Fox said, "Kō, I'll give you a name. Yamato. You'll be called Yamato. I order you to remove your mask and come with me."
Yamato removed his mask, revealing a child's face. Patting Yamato's head, Fox led him toward the stairwell.
Konoha only having one person who mastered Wood Release was too singular. Sarutobi Hiruzen believed that if Yamato could grow quickly, the symbolic significance of Fox's Wood Release wouldn't be so absolute. The Third Hokage had Fox instruct Yamato and periodically checked Yamato's Wood Release proficiency.
But Yamato was still a child. There was no need for high-intensity training. Putting him in Root like in the original story, or forcing his growth now, would only harm Yamato.
The NinjaAcademy Principal was a Jonin from the Sarutobi clan. Seeing the Anbu Commander enter, he quickly stood up.
Fox brought Yamato, who was behind him, forward. "Principal Sarutobi, arrange for this Anbu ninja to enter the Ninja Academy."
He gave no explanation, nor was one needed.
The Principal quickly said, "Understood, Lord Fox! But how should I treat this special Anbu ninja? Please give clear instructions, Lord Fox."
"Treat him as an ordinary orphan would be fine. No need for special treatment," Fox said. "Principal, let me see the graduate class assignment handbook."
The Principal hurriedly brought the handbook.
After Advisor Danzo's sacrifice, Konoha had not added any new high-ranking officials for four years. Konoha's high command still consisted of the Third Hokage, Nara Rokaku, Tsunade, and Fox.
The Hokage's stance was that those with insufficient strength becoming advisors would only get killed by enemy villages.
Lord Fox's orders were something the Principal wished to complete instantly, immediately, at once. He quickly fetched the class assignment handbook.
Handing the handbook to Lord Fox, the Principal said, "Lord, the war surrounding the Land of Wind has been going on for half a year. I wonder if this is a precursor to a Great Ninja War, or when the flames of war will spread to our Konoha."
Fox said, "A war without Konoha's participation, how can it be called the Third Great Ninja War? They've been fighting for half a year; it's just friction between Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kumogakure."
Principal Sarutobi nodded repeatedly. Yes, a war without Konoha's participation was, at most, a regional conflict.
Fox looked through the class assignment handbook.
Kakashi had graduated. Namikaze Minato became Kakashi's Jonin Sensei. Hatake Sakumo was Minato's Jonin Sensei. This father-son, master-disciple legacy continued.
In Minato's team were Kakashi, Rin, and an Uchiha ninja named Uchiha Yōmomo.
Uchiha Mikoto and Uzumaki Kushina were close friends. Mikoto facilitated Minato leading an Uchiha clan Genin. Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Fugaku, Uzumaki Kushina, and Namikaze Minato—these four had a very good relationship.
Uchiha Mikoto married and had children early, giving birth to Uchiha Itachi just this year.
Fox stared at the name "Uchiha Yōmomo." Without Uchiha Madara's designs, this Uchiha ninja probably wouldn't go astray.
Kakashi's growth rate was fast. He didn't need someone else's Sharingan, so his foundational strength was stronger than in the original story. If Kakashi could learn Hatake Sakumo's Lightning Release Chakra Crystallization Refinement, while its upper power limit might not match Kamui, it would be enough for him to grow into a Kage-level ninja.
Orochimaru also became a Jonin Sensei.
After Sarutobi Shinnosuke's death, the Third Hokage invested more attention in Sarutobi Asuma. In Orochimaru's team were Asuma, Kurenai, and Mitarashi Anko.
After reading the handbook, Fox used Body Flicker Technique and vanished.
Principal Sarutobi looked at the somewhat awkward Yamato, quickly called a first-year teacher, and had the teacher take Yamato to register.
In the distant Land of Hot Water.
Hidan, his muscles bulging, stepped out of the hot spring.
Having finished his Eight Gates training, Hidan walked towards the large hall beside the spring.
Deep inside the hall were three deity statues.
In the center was the Vidyārāja. On the left was the Shinigami. On the right was the Evil God.
This was the hall he had built with his own hands, brick by brick, tile by tile—the Hall of the Three Gods Religion. Even the statues were carved by him.
Over these four years, he had diligently practiced the Eight Gates while piously praying to the Three Gods.
Hidan was bowing his head in prayer when his eyes suddenly flickered.
The leader was summoning him!
Forming hand seals, he used the Phantom Blood Shadow Technique. His consciousness appeared in the Divine Realm.
In the form of a blood shadow, he appeared in the temple hall. To the left was an endless expanse of gray mist. To the right was an endless expanse of blood pool.
Three colossal deity statues—Vidyārāja, Evil God, Shinigami—stood within the temple hall.
At the feet of the central Vidyārāja statue, another blood shadow also appeared.
That was the organization's leader: Thunder.
The leader received more favor from the Three Gods and possessed higher authority.
The leader had established an organization—the Calamity Organization—to serve the Three Gods.
The Calamity Organization used the Three Great Calamities (Thunder, Wind, Fire) and the Three Lesser Calamities (Blade, Pestilence, Famine) as codenames.
Currently, the Calamity Organization only had the leader 'Thunder' and Hidan 'Pestilence'.
Why Thunder was the leader, Hidan didn't know. In any case, the Evil God told him to recognize Thunder as the leader, so he followed the Evil God's will.
"Pestilence, the Third Kazekage has disappeared. The Land of Wind has become the source of turmoil in the ninja world. It will soon become a hell. It is time to begin spreading the faith of the Three Gods Religion, to offer sacrifices to the Gods! Pestilence, proceed now to the Land of Wind. Spread the faith of the Three Gods Religion amidst the suffering!"
"Finally time for action?" Hidan said excitedly, "All who do evil must repent! Use pain to cleanse sin, use blood to please the Gods! I will go to the Land of Wind now and offer sacrifices to the Three Gods!"
Thunder—that is, Fox's blood shadow—said, "If anything happens, communicate using the Phantom Blood Shadow Technique bestowed by the Three Gods."
With that, Fox's blood shadow vanished.
In the real world, Fox lowered his hand seals and opened his eyes in his office in the Anbu base.
"Lord Fox, the Hokage requests your presence in the Hokage's Office."
Fox stretched lazily and said, "Probably about the Third Kazekage's disappearance. Even such a strong Kage has gone missing. The ninja world is not far from war."
***
Next Bonus Chapter goal=300 Powerstones
Dive deeper into the story with 50+ advance chapters, available now on Patreon!patreon.com/CNBLUE
If you're enjoying the novel, please consider leaving a review. Your support is crucial and helps the story grow immensely. Thank you!
(End of Chapter)