Hidden Leaf Village Camp.
Although most of the Hidden Leaf ninjas captured by the World Tree had been rescued, nearly all of them lost their qualifications to continue as ninjas.
Their Chakra had been drained, their physical constitutions destroyed, and their meridians were beyond recovery.
The camp atmosphere sank like a deep well.
Inside the tent, the lamplight flickered dimly.
Sakumo Hatake sat at the desk, his back straight as always. No matter how chaotic the outside world became, his expression remained calm.
Yet the tip of his pen trembled slightly.
He was writing a mission report.
About the failure, the retreat, and the Flame Gym.
[From beginning to end, the events in the Land of Rain seemed shrouded in an impenetrable fog.]
[Like a massive Rashomon gate, each layer pointing in a different direction.]
After a brief pause, Sakumo continued writing:
[The emergence, origin, and system of the Ninja Beasts... are far from simple Artificial Tailed Beast experiments.]
[Their root power runs much deeper than our understanding. Although the Uchiha's Sharingan appeared, it doesn't necessarily mean actual involvement from the Uchiha clan. There might be strong suspicions of misdirection and framing.]
The lamp flame wavered, casting his elongated shadow against the tent canvas.
Finally, he gently wrote these words:
[I choose to abandon the investigation. This mission ends in failure. My apologies, Lord Hokage.]
The words were written lightly, yet they carried enough weight to freeze the air.
Soon after, several Anbu members who had recovered minimal Chakra and could still move entered the tent.
Their faces were pale, their eyes hollow—clear signs that the pain from being drained by the World Tree still lingered.
Seeing Sakumo hand over the report, their expressions darkened further.
After a long silence, one Anbu finally spoke, his voice hoarse:
"Lord Sakumo... There should be many Uchiha clansmen in the Land of Rain, correct?"
Sakumo shook his head: "I don't know."
"Outside... there appeared six strange individuals with Sharingan... This can't be a coincidence."
"And in Hidden Leaf, someone from the Uchiha clan has awakened the Sunlight Power."
"If we connect these clues, it's likely that Uchiha Madara's descendants... are orchestrating a conspiracy in the Land of Rain!"
The camp atmosphere grew eerie and oppressive.
After a long while, Sakumo Hatake spoke: "Are you asking me to include these speculations in the report?"
The group remained silent.
Sakumo didn't argue.
From Hidden Leaf's perspective, such speculation was all too easy to believe.
The Uchiha were powerful yet difficult to control.
The Land of Rain had revealed the dark forces behind the Ninja Beast System.
Any clues would automatically point in one direction:
Uchiha Madara's descendants were executing a grand conspiracy.
Sakumo took a deep breath and could only say softly: "...I believe this matter might have nothing to do with the Uchiha."
The Anbu ninja stared at him for several seconds, as if trying to read something in Sakumo's eyes.
But Sakumo's gaze remained calm as still water.
Finally, the Anbu ninja collected the report and turned to leave.
After taking just one step, he suddenly stopped.
His silhouette trembled slightly in the lamplight.
Without turning back, he said in a low voice:
"...Actually, I should thank you."
Sakumo was slightly taken aback.
The Anbu ninja's voice was hoarse but sincere: "You... saved us."
After speaking, he quickly departed, as if afraid others might hear his weakness.
—
The tent fell quiet once more.
Sakumo Hatake sat by the fire, head lowered, fingers gently stroking the hilt of his White Fang Sword, his expression profound.
The failed mission, his comrades' angry shouts, the potential condemnation from the Hidden Leaf Village—everything weighed on his shoulders like invisible shackles.
He had saved his comrades but sacrificed the mission.
He protected others, only to bear the blame himself.
Yet, there wasn't a trace of regret in his heart.
"Why feel troubled? You... were always meant to protect your comrades."
A familiar voice emerged.
Might Duy, his head wrapped in bandages, still wore that dazzlingly bright smile.
"Sitting here alone—such an un-youthful atmosphere!!"
Sakumo looked up, somewhat resigned, yet feeling a warmth in his heart for a moment.
Duy plopped down cross-legged beside him, swinging his still-aching arm.
"They really laid into you... didn't they?"
As he spoke, Duy gestured exaggeratedly, "Those people just don't understand you!"
"A failed mission is a failure."
"Failure? You saved over a hundred comrades!!"
Duy slapped his thigh, his voice booming as if afraid no one would hear.
"Sakumo, what you did is more youthful and brilliant than any mission!!"
Sakumo was slightly taken aback.
Duy continued, his tone unusually earnest for the first time, without exaggeration:
"I, Might Duy, have little talent and often fail... but I know one thing: only a ninja who can protect those around them is truly strong!"
He smiled, his eyes pure:
"Sakumo, you saved lives, not a mission."
"I won't let anyone call you a failure... because in my heart, you are the Hidden Leaf's most radiant, most youthful White Fang!!"
After a long moment, Sakumo Hatake smiled.
"Thank you, Duy."
In that moment, he seemed a little less alone.
As soon as the words were spoken, the Ninja Beast Egg in Might Duy's arms began to hatch!
—
Deep within the Uchiha clan grounds, in the conference room.
A group of elders sat in a semicircle, their expressions more severe than usual.
The eldest elder lightly tapped his cane: "Recently, the Anbu patrols around the Hidden Leaf... have noticeably increased."
Another elder snorted coldly: "Hmph, they're just jealous that our Uchiha clan has given birth to the Sun. They're scared, aren't they?"
Despite these words, the atmosphere in the room did not lighten.
The leading elder frowned, shaking his head in denial:
"No, this goes far beyond Mikoto's awakening. Even with her Sunlight ability, the Hokage's faction wouldn't deploy the Anbu on such a large scale."
"It seems... something bigger has happened within the Hidden Leaf."
This statement silenced everyone.
The Uchiha clan had always been perceptive; they all understood:
The Hokage's faction wouldn't mobilize so many people to watch them without reason.
Moreover, with the Shimura, Senju, and Sarutobi clans also intensifying their surveillance, this was clearly more than mere jealousy.
"Could it be an attack from an external force?"
"Or has some internal incident occurred within the Hidden Leaf?"
"We'd best prepare for the worst."
Just as the tension continued to escalate, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door.
A young clansman rushed in, unable to conceal his excitement.
"Elders!"
The elders turned their gaze in unison.
"Young Master Fugaku's Ninja Beast Egg... is starting to hatch!!"
The conference room fell silent for a moment, then erupted into commotion the next instant.
The leading elder slowly rose to his feet, a barely suppressed glimmer shining in his eyes.
"Let's go!"
"To see Fugaku's Ninja Beast."
His voice was low yet carried undeniable pressure.
"Hidden Leaf Village wants to suppress us... but they'll have to see if we're willing to be suppressed."
The other elders stood up, carrying long-suppressed flames within them as they moved toward Fugaku's location.
Compared to Mikoto Uchiha's Sunlight, these old foxes of the Uchiha clan cared more about what powerful Nin
ja Beast their heir Fugaku could hatch.
The revival of the Uchiha was more important than anything!
Meanwhile, in the World Tree on the other side.
Shiroishi looked at the silent Red before him, fully aware of the dissatisfaction in his heart.
"Sorry for ruining your Gym assessment and Trainer development."