It's over, he's coming for me!
After hearing the Anbu's report, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt his head spin, and he could barely catch his breath.
Who am I!
What am I doing!
Weren't we just discussing whether or not to buy shinobi flak jackets?
How did it turn into me betraying the Will of Fire!
It's over, I can't explain this away.
I only wanted to nurture the next generation; how did it turn into me poisoning them?
Damn Sunagakure!
They have no martial ethics!
Coming here to steal! To deceive!
He's digging up my very roots!
"Hiruzen! Hiruzen! Are you okay, Hiruzen!"
"Hokage-sama! Hokage-sama!..."
"Quick, come here! Medical-nin! Hokage-sama has fainted!"
...Inside a ward in Konoha.
Under the emergency treatment of the Medical-nin and three big slaps from Utatane Koharu.
Sarutobi Hiruzen finally woke up slowly.
"Koharu!"
"I'm here! Speak, Hiruzen."
"Equip the front lines with flak jackets, use the best ones!"
"Alright, on my end... I'll squeeze some out, grit my teeth... I'll definitely scrape the money together for you."
"Good. In that case, assemble another group of shinobi forces. I will go there personally when the time comes."
"This... Hiruzen, isn't it too dangerous? What if someone attacks the village in the meantime..."
"Say no more. In this situation, only by personally going to kill Hanzō and explaining that it wasn't that I refused to act, but that Hanzō was only good enough for the younger generation to use as practice! Only then can I restore Konoha's reputation! Restore my reputation as Hokage!"
Utatane Koharu looked at the determined Hiruzen. She knew the person talking to her now wasn't just her friend Sarutobi Hiruzen, but the Shinobi no Yū (Hero of the Shinobi) who dominated the battlefield—Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Alright, I'll arrange it."
"Waaaah, Hiruzen, my dear Hiruzen! I heard you fainted; you can't just kick the bucket like this! If you pass away, what will become of the Hokage position? Hehehe..."
The sound of hurried footsteps along with Danzō's wailing came from the hallway.
But when Shimura Danzō stepped through the door, he found Sarutobi Hiruzen, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura looking at him speechlessly.
"Hehe, Hiruzen, you're not dead?"
"Hehe, I won't be dying for a while yet."
"By the way, Koharu."
"What is it, Hiruzen?"
"Take Danzō with you on the expedition, otherwise I won't feel at ease."
"Alright."
"One more thing!"
"What is it, Hiruzen? Tell me."
"Why does my face feel like it's burning?"
"Erm... maybe you're just too tired, Hiruzen!"
"Is that so!"
"Perhaps."
"Sigh~ I do everything... for Konoha!"
Meanwhile.
Over at Sunagakure.
"Grandpa, are we almost there?"
A little girl with red hair looked at the gate appearing in the distance amidst the yellow sand. A hint of life flickered in her dim, large eyes. She lifted her dirty face and looked up at the old man beside her.
"Once we reach Sunagakure, will Kyōko not have to run anymore? Will I be able to eat my fill and sleep?"
As she spoke.
Beside Kyōko, the old man with withered red hair who looked exceptionally aged trembled. He looked down at his granddaughter, who only reached his knees. A smile appeared on his equally dirty face as he nodded.
"Yes, Kyōko won't have to run anymore! You'll be able to sleep well from now on! You'll never have to run again!"
Maybe!
They couldn't run anymore anyway!
From the moment they were found by the Sand, their fate was no longer in their own hands.
Uzumaki Rumei.
That was his name. He was once the Third Elder of the Uzumaki Clan!
Once!
When the Land of Whirlpools was besieged by various forces, they had also resisted tenaciously.
Unfortunately, they were no match.
In the end, the Clan Head and the Grand Elder ordered them to flee for their lives, to scatter!
Each led clan members away from the Land of Whirlpools, solely to ensure the survival of the Uzumaki Clan.
However.
Those people were unwilling to let the Uzumaki Clan go easily and pursued all the fleeing clan members.
Originally, he and the Fifth Elder had escaped with over two hundred clan members. In the end... only about thirty people remained.
Including him, there were only six shinobi left—six Jōnin in poor condition with withered hair. The rest were mostly half-grown children!
Whatever!
Actually, this is fine too!
After experiencing so much, his heart had long since grown numb. The deaths of clan members, their final requests... even Konoha, who was as close as a brother, only took away one Uzumaki Clan member, saying it was to ensure the clan's continuation!
Hehe! What was the truth? Had he not seen through it after living so many years!
If not for these children, he might have already taken the remaining shinobi to seek revenge.
To take revenge on this Ninja World!
A Ninja World that cannot accommodate our Uzumaki Clan... hehe, there's no need for it to exist!
But, there are still many children! Hope still remains!
As long as... as long as the Sand is willing to take in the children... that will be enough!
Uzumaki Rumei sighed inwardly and reached out to pat Kyōko's small head.
This was his granddaughter.
As for his son and daughter-in-law... they had long since... disappeared while fleeing!
Uzumaki Rumei looked at the approaching gate of Sunagakure, then at the Sand shinobi surrounding them. His heart began to feel anxious again.
What exactly did these Sand shinobi, who hadn't harmed them along the way, want?
The constitution of the Uzumaki Clan?
Or the Uzumaki Clan's Fūinjutsu (Sealing Techniques)?
It didn't matter. As long as they let these children survive, any condition... didn't matter! Even the copy of the Scroll of Seals left by Hashirama-sama back then didn't matter!
After all, Hashirama-sama was dead. If the Sand could protect these children, what was the harm in giving it to them!
He wondered how the other clan members were doing. Had they found a place to take refuge?
While Uzumaki Rumei's mind was wandering, a commotion suddenly broke out at the front gate of Sunagakure.
Uzumaki Rumei and the other Uzumaki Clan members snapped back to reality. As if knowing what was about to happen, their dim eyes looked forward.
Their hearts were filled with fear and a sliver of expectation.
Fearing the arrival of the final moment and hoping for that sliver of hope.
Then, their eyes widened in unison.
Simply because they saw a large crowd of people pouring out from the gate.
Leading them was a blond youth wearing the Kazekage hat.
But what surprised the Uzumaki crowd wasn't the youth, but... the three red-haired people following behind him—two women and a child.
Could they be from the Uzumaki Clan?
No, that's... He seemed to see a familiar figure, yet it felt unbelievable. Uzumaki Rumei was momentarily speechless.
But the youth's words ahead came as expected.
"Welcome home!" Sayan had already walked up to them. He opened his arms, and behind him, a banner was unfurled at the entrance of Sunagakure: [Welcome the Uzumaki Clan Home!].
"From today on, Sunagakure is your home! Here, you no longer need to live in fear! You no longer have to endure hunger and cold! You can sleep in peace!"
However, the expected cheering didn't happen.
They were still staring intently behind him.
To be precise, at Uzumaki Kana.