"Graduating soon?"
Obito stared blankly at the graduation confirmation form in his hand and muttered, "Time really flies."
He hadn't realized that six years of compulsory education would pass so quickly.
Although...
He had always been the academy's dead-last. Even now, he still couldn't perform the basic ninjutsu taught by the academy and his clan smoothly, let alone awaken his clan's Sharingan.
But Obito wasn't afraid.
He firmly believed in the words Jun-sama had hung in the academy...
"Every person has their own talent!"
Even if his ninjutsu was unpolished and he hadn't awakened the Sharingan, he believed he would succeed.
At the very least...
The police force in Uzushiogakure didn't necessarily require ninja skills, and he...
His clan's shuriken-throwing techniques were quite proficient—when nothing went wrong, at least.
Obito patted his waist pouch and sighed helplessly. "As expected, I forgot to bring my shuriken again today."
But...
Whatever. There was no danger in Uzushiogakure anyway.
So Obito didn't dwell on it, keeping a smile on his face as he checked the sky.
He should hurry home.
After dinner, he would go out to train.
Today, he had to at least master his clan's Great Fireball Technique.
Otherwise, with his current skills...
He probably wouldn't graduate.
And without a graduation certificate, how could he apply for a position in the Public Security Bureau?
Obito clenched his right fist, psyching himself up internally, then raised his head and froze when he saw the traffic light ahead. He quickly called out, "Wait a second!"
He jogged toward the intersection, placing his hands on the back of a wheelchair where an elderly man with white hair and a wrinkled face sat.
With a smile, he said, "Let me push you across, Grandpa."
This intersection was dangerous. Why was this old man here alone? Where was his family?
Seriously, no matter how busy they were, they shouldn't let such an elderly person go out by himself.
The old man lifted his head and silently stared at the boy in front of him. Suddenly, he seemed to sense something. Then, expressionless, he nodded and said, "Fine."
A Five-Year Plan, Long Overdue
Uzumaki Jun handed the meeting materials to Uzumaki Hibiki for distribution and said, "This five-year plan mainly includes the Uzushiogakure Eastern Sea Reclamation Project and the Uzushiogakure Nationwide Communication Coverage Plan discussed a few days ago."
"The details are all written down. Take a look."
For such major construction projects, a proper plan was necessary to ensure completion within five years—enough reclaimed land for living space and nationwide communication coverage.
"Mobile phones?!" The clan head looked at the description and sighed in amazement. "I never thought they'd actually be invented."
Such a small box could really enable communication? If he hadn't seen it now, he would've thought Jun was lying.
"Large-scale communication across the ninja world isn't feasible yet," Jun shook his head. "But I believe it will be possible in the future."
He had already given Chiro the technology for satellite launches and communication satellites. He was confident Chiro would overcome the challenges and develop communication technology unique to the ninja world.
But...
He wondered how the Ōtsutsuki on the moon would react when they saw a new little object in the sky.
If they decided to shoot it down...
Jun narrowed his eyes and murmured, "I guess I'll have to go up there and talk to them."
If possible...
He might as well ask them to maintain the satellite regularly.
Perhaps future space stations would depend on these Ōtsutsuki clan members from the moon.
After listening to Jun's words, Uzumaki Riki nodded. "Understood. I'll have the construction team coordinate."
He had been dragged into this meeting early in the morning without even setting sail. He thought it was something urgent, but if it was just this, couldn't Jun have just told him directly?
What a waste of time.
If Jun was so busy, couldn't he at least visit Kushina?
However...
"No, this isn't the main point today," Jun shook his head solemnly. "There's something more important that requires your cooperation."
The five-year plan was just for convenience. What came next was the real issue.
"Just say it," the clan head frowned. "Tell us what needs to be done, and we'll arrange it."
"Alright then." Jun nodded. "I'll get straight to it." He sighed, his gaze profound. "War..."
"Is about to begin again."
!
Everyone stared at Jun in disbelief. The last war had just ended not long ago. How could another one be starting already?
And...
If it was war, couldn't Uzushiogakure just lay low like last time?
"No." Jun shook his head bitterly. "This time, Uzushiogakure can't avoid it."
"Haven't you noticed..."
"Kakuzu isn't here today?"
How had no one asked about him since the meeting started?
...
At Jun's words, everyone froze, looking at the empty seat.
Right...
How had they forgotten about Uzushiogakure's stingy, ruthless, and unreasonable finance minister?
"Uh..." The clan head smiled awkwardly. "Where is the finance minister?"
They really had forgotten.
...
They were all colleagues. Even if none of them owed him money, they shouldn't have ignored him like that.
But...
Whatever. Kakuzu wasn't here anyway, so he wouldn't be upset.
Jun sighed helplessly. "Kakuzu is out on a mission right now."
Jiraiya's departure wasn't a joke. Worried about the mysterious organization and the swords, he had left a few days ago, and Kakuzu had gone with him. However, Kakuzu wouldn't accompany Jiraiya all the way to Konoha. He would detour to the Land of Iron midway because bringing the swords to Konoha...
Would probably make it impossible for him to ever say "I fought the God of Shinobi" again.
And...
Uzushiogakure would need a new finance minister.
"You all know the real situation in Uzushiogakure."
They had gathered so many bloodline limits, and with the country open to outsiders, countless civilians and shinobi had poured in. If other villages still hadn't noticed these bloodline limits after all these years, Jun wouldn't believe it.
"So..." Jun narrowed his eyes. "We can only buy more time by muddying the waters."
Uzushiogakure's current situation wasn't suited for fighting on home soil. If war was declared, they had to keep the enemy outside.
With so many people, so many buildings, so many communication towers...
Fighting in Uzushiogakure would mean devastating losses, even in victory.
"But we can't delay for long." Jun shook his head. "At most two years, at least three months—war will begin."
How long they could stall depended on how determined Black Zetsu was.
"So we must start preparing now."
"All supplies, equipment, and plans must be ready."
Jun looked at the clan head and the others seriously. "Uzushiogakure can only win. We cannot lose."
If they lost, Uzushiogakure would be annihilated, and everything they had built would become spoils for other nations and villages.
So...
It's all up to you now...
Zetsu!!
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