Author Note:
Here's the BONUS CHAPTER as promised—thanks for the support, and let's keep this energy going!
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By the ti Guts arrived at the Hokage's office, most of the Jōnin had already gathered.
Familiar faces filled the room—Tsunade, White Fang, Yuhi Shinku, Namikaze Minato, and even Orochimaru, who had been MIA for a while, was here.
Without saying a word, Guts snuck up behind Tsunade and gave her shoulder a pat.
She stiffened instantly. Whoever dared touch her like that clearly had a death wish.
Her body moved on instinct—ready to slam the offender with a textbook shoulder throw.
But her arms didn't budge him an inch.
"…What the—?"
Tsunade turned, eyes narrowing—only to find Guts standing there with a smug grin.
"You little punk."
She didn't hold back. Her fist landed squarely in his side. Not enough to hospitalize, but definitely enough to leave a bruise.
Before things got too playful, two dry coughs echoed through the room.
Ahem! Ahem!
Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped forward, commanding the attention of every Jōnin present with a solemn expression.
"I've just received a ssage from Sunagakure," he began.
"The Third Kazekage has gone missing."
The room went dead silent, then erupted into hushed murmurs.
Even Orochimaru, usually unfazed by anything short of an actual corpse, furrowed his brows slightly.
Since the end of the Second Ninja War, the Third Kazekage had worked hard to repair relations with Konoha, eventually forming a fragile alliance between the two villages.
The move wasn't without controversy. Many within the Sand, especially hardliners like Chiyo—before she retired—were against it.
But no one could deny the power behind the alliance. After all, it was ford under the will of the man known as
"The Strongest Kazekage in History."
Guts remained quiet, his expression unreadable.
So this is it… he thought. This is where it begins.
He knew exactly what had happened.
Sasori.
The boy who lost his parents in the last war, orphaned by the blade of Konoha's White Fang. The one who smiled too little and learned too fast.
Of course he wouldn't accept an alliance with the village that took his family. Killing the Kazekage? Betraying the village? It fit too perfectly.
Still… no way I'm telling them that. I'm not stupid.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice brought Guts back to the present.
"The Kazekage's disappearance is no small matter. Sunagakure has asked us for assistance—specifically, to help search within the Land of Fire for any signs of him. We'll need to send a small unit to investigate."
The atmosphere grew heavier by the second.
"And we must be cautious," Hiruzen added, eyes sharp.
"Once this news leaks—and it will—the other nations won't sit still. We have to be prepared."
Nas were called, assignnts handed out. Only a few Jōnin were sent to the field; most were ordered to remain in Konoha, ready to respond to whatever storm was about to break.
When the eting finally ended, Guts leaned over and gave Minato a friendly slap on the shoulder.
"Man, being a Jōnin isn't all it's cracked up to be. Hey, Minato, got any idea how to demote back to Chūnin?"
Minato was stunned for a mont and then asked hesitatingly.
"…You want to what?"
"I'm serious. Being high-rank ans getting dragged into every ss. I liked it better when I could sleep in."
Minato rubbed his temples and sighed.
"That kind of thing's… up to Lord Hokage, not ."
"Right, right," Guts nodded, unconcerned.
"But when you beco Hokage, rember what I said."
Minato's expression froze, then he quickly said nervously.
"Wha—hey, wait a second. The next Hokage's supposed to be one of the Sannin—like Tsunade-sama or—"
"Eh, who knows? Stranger things have happened."
Guts waved him off, then turned to follow Tsunade, who was already halfway to the door.
"Oi! Tsunade, wait up! We're heading back together."
---
The sudden disappearance of the Kazekage had turned the Hokage's desk into a paper battlefield.
For three days straight, Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't leave his office.
He buried himself in endless mission reports, diplomatic updates, and war assessnts. In all that chaos, he sohow forgot a rather important detail:
His youngest son had run away from ho.
It wasn't until Sarutobi Biwako, his ever-patient wife, stord into the Hokage's office with fire in her eyes that he even rembered.
"You forgot your own child went missing!?"
She snapped, arms crossed and glaring daggers.
Hiruzen scratched the back of his head, awkwardly mumbling sothing about
"urgent national security matters."
Biwako wasn't impressed.
After a scolding that echoed through the walls of the Hokage building, Hiruzen finally sighed and delegated the search to an old Chūnin team.
No Jōnin could be spared—not now. With the Kazekage missing under mysterious circumstances, every high-rank shinobi in Konoha was considered a potential first responder for war.
Still, a part of him couldn't help but worry. Despite all his missteps—the Senju decline, the Uchiha's eventual fate, Naruto's lonely childhood—he was, at his core, a man who cared. Flawed? Certainly. But not indifferent.
Just like Minato, who would one day seal the Nine Tails inside himself for the village's sake, Hiruzen bore the weight of the village on his shoulders—even if it bent him.
Seeing the weight on her husband's face, Biwako didn't push further. She simply turned and left, whispering a quiet wish:
"I hope our son's alright."
anwhile, the political balance of the entire ninja world had begun to shift.
The disappearance of the Third Kazekage wasn't just a mystery—it was a spark.
The fuse had been lit.
The Third Great Ninja War was no longer a matter of if, but when.
At that mont, instead of heading ho, Guts was trailing behind Tsunade through the busy streets of Konoha. But he had a different destination in mind.
Rather than rest, he turned into one of the largest weapon forges in the village—a place filled with the clang of hamrs and the sll of molten steel. Blades, shuriken, kunai... it was a shinobi's toy store.
Guts and the boss of this shop were already familiar with each other.
He once heard this young boss say that he wants to have a daughter in the future, and he would na her Tenten…
"Seriously?" Tsunade arched a brow as she followed him in.
"You don't even use weapons."
She wasn't wrong. Aside from that one infamous incident with a massive shuriken years ago, Guts hadn't relied on tools at all. His fists had always been more than enough.
He just grinned at her.
"You'll see."
"Acting all mysterious again. Hmph."
Tsunade waved off the heat and ducked back outside, the forge air not agreeing with her one bit.
Guts made his way to the back, where the shop owner greeted him with a knowing smile.
"Lord Ninja! Been waiting for you,"
The young blacksmith said, wiping his hands on a cloth. He reached behind the counter and hoisted up a massive scroll.
"Just like you asked—one thousand units. Not one short."
Guts took the scroll, but the blacksmith couldn't help but admire the odd request again.
"I still can't believe you ca up with that. Fireworks… as weapons? Genius."
Guts chuckled.
"I just had the idea. You're the one who actually made it work. I'm impressed."
He unrolled the scroll slightly and checked the seals inside. His eyes lit up in satisfaction.
Everything was perfectly in place.
(PS: Guess what's inside that scroll… Any ideas? Feel free to share your theories — I'm curious to see what you co up with!)
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