They tried to stop him. They failed. The war marched on—while Alaric overslept.
"No!!!" ×2
Alaric had barely kicked the Hokage Office door off its hinges before his request detonated the room.
The moment he shouted that he was going to the battlefield, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo rejected it in unison—without even thinking.
"Absolutely not!"
"The battlefield is no joke!"
"You haven't even graduated from the Ninja Academy!"
"You're not even a genin!"
"What are you going to do out there? Sightseeing?!"
"Does Konoha really lack people so badly that we need to send a child to war?!"
A barrage of reasons came crashing down on him.
Their stance was crystal clear:
Alaric going to war was non-negotiable.
Unfortunately for them—
Alaric had never been the type to ask for permission.
"I'm just informing you," he said lazily.
"I'm not asking for your approval."
And with that—
He turned around and walked out of the Hokage Tower without a second glance.
Silence filled the room.
Hiruzen and Danzo stared at the broken doorway, speechless.
That brat…
Everything about him was excellent—
Except his personality.
Why couldn't he just behave like a proper spoiled noble and enjoy life?
Why insist on running headfirst into a battlefield?
The mood was completely ruined.
Any desire to continue discussing battle plans evaporated.
Danzo's expression darkened.
If something really happened to Alaric…
Forget Hiruzen—
Danzo alone would lose half his soul.
At that moment, Uchiha Fugaku stepped forward decisively.
"Hokage-sama, please rest assured!"
"If Alaric insists on going, then let him accompany us!"
"The Uchiha clan will personally ensure his safety!"
"If anything happens to him—"
"I, Uchiha Fugaku, will present my head in apology!"
Those words finally eased the tension in the room.
With the Uchiha guarding him, Alaric should be safe.
After all, the Uchiha reputation wasn't built on rumors—
it was forged through blood in multiple Great Ninja Wars.
"Very well," Hiruzen said after a pause.
"Fugaku—Alaric is in your hands."
"Protect that damn brat. At all costs."
Fugaku straightened instantly, heart pounding.
This wasn't just responsibility—
This was trust.
Beside him, Hiashi Hyūga didn't contest the task.
The Hyūga excelled at reconnaissance;
pure protection wasn't their strongest suit compared to the Uchiha.
That said—
There was no chance the Hyūga would sit this out.
After all, Hiashi had already betrothed his daughter to Alaric.
If anything happened to that boy—
His daughter would be widowed before marriage.
Unacceptable.
"Clan Head Fugaku," Hiashi said calmly,
"I will also dispatch elite jōnin to guard Alaric."
"Multiple layers of protection will ensure nothing goes wrong."
Fugaku welcomed the support wholeheartedly.
More guards meant more safety.
And with Byakugan users watching the surroundings, the risk dropped even further.
While the elders were earnestly discussing how to protect Alaric—
The person in question had already returned home.
And if Alaric knew what they were planning?
He'd probably laugh so hard his teeth would fall out.
Protection?
On the battlefield, it wasn't clear who would be protecting whom.
After all—
Even the Nine-Tails wasn't his match anymore.
Soon, Kumogakure's troops at the border began to grow restless.
They were only waiting for supplies to arrive before launching a full assault.
Meanwhile, in Konoha—
The allied forces assembled rapidly.
Uchiha Fugaku led a large contingent of Uchiha shinobi.
Hiashi Hyūga dispatched branch-family elites.
The Ino–Shika–Chō clans contributed their finest members.
Other clans followed suit.
Supplies had already been secured from the Daimyō in advance.
The army was ready.
Standing before the assembled forces, Hiruzen Sarutobi adjusted his Hokage robes.
For a fleeting moment—
It felt like he'd returned to his youth.
He raised his voice.
"Everyone!!!"
"Kumogakure presses closer with each step!"
"They've placed their blade at Konoha's throat!"
"This battle is not only for us—"
"But for our children and the generations to come!!!"
He swept his arm forward.
"Where the leaves fly—"
"The Will of Fire shall burn forever!!!"
"Advance!!!"
"ROOOAAAR—!!!"
A thunderous roar erupted from the army.
Morale skyrocketed.
Under Fugaku's command, the Konoha forces surged toward the border like a tidal wave.
As the army departed, Hiruzen scanned the ranks—
And frowned.
"Hmm?"
"Where's that brat?"
"…Did he finally think better of it?"
Relief washed over him.
As long as Alaric wasn't going to the battlefield, anything was fine.
Meanwhile—
Back at the Sarutobi compound.
The army had already marched.
The boy who swore he'd go to war?
Still asleep.
In the courtyard, the shinobi assigned to guard him—
including Uchiha Itachi—stood there with dark expressions.
"So… is Alaric-sama still coming?"
"You ask me, who do I ask?"
"Just wait."
They had been sent to escort him to the battlefield—
And yet the main character hadn't even woken up.
As the sun climbed higher, patience wore thin.
Finally—
Alaric bolted upright in bed.
"…Damn."
"I overslept."
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