Uchiha Fugaku, lost in thought, suddenly recalled a figure from not long ago, a man claiming to be Uchiha Madara.
"It can't be Tengen." Fugaku muttered, shaking his head. At that time, Tengen was only eight years old, an even younger age.
Though the difference between eight and nine seemed minor, it felt monumental.
Both ages could be deemed monstrous.
Tengen's strength had reached Kage-level.
A nine-year-old Kage-level ninja was unheard of.
Even Jinchūriki lacked such terrifying prowess.
While Jinchūriki relied on Tailed Beast power, Tengen's feats stemmed from his own abilities, augmented by his Bloodline Limit.
Yet, most in Konoha knew that even relying solely on ninjutsu, Tengen rivaled elite Jōnin.
What they didn't know was that with the Eight Gates and his taijutsu, Tengen could rank among the upper echelons of Kage-level fighters.
Now, with the Ki Cultivation Method, Tengen eagerly anticipated further growth.
Beyond the Hokage, Danzō, and the Uchiha clan, other Konoha clans, Hyūga, Inuzuka, Akimichi, and more, soon learned of Tengen's exploits.
While they admired him, they resolved to avoid friction or grievances with him.
His strength could easily overwhelm them.
The next day, all of Konoha buzzed with the news. Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen had deliberately spread word of Tengen's contributions, perhaps to deepen the bond between Tengen and the village's ninja and civilians.
From that day, Tengen's name echoed in every corner of Konoha, a true genius, a hero.
As for why he wielded Uchiha powers, it hardly mattered. Tengen wasn't an Uchiha, so it was merely a manifestation of his strength.
Some worried, but most dismissed it.
At the Kikyo Mountain battlefield, the sentiment was similar. The ninjas there, having directly benefited from Tengen's actions, held him in even higher esteem.
In Konoha's camp, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Tengen, and others gathered to discuss the next phase of the war.
"Should we press our advantage? The Suna-nins' morale is at its lowest. Now might be the time to strike." Jiraiya suggested.
"Not necessarily." Orochimaru countered, shaking his head. "First, after this defeat, the Suna-nins won't act recklessly. Second, we don't know where their main base is."
"That makes sense." Jiraiya nodded. "Perhaps we need to scout and locate their main forces."
As the ninjas debated, a voice called from outside. "Jiraiya-sama, Orochimaru-sama, a message from the Hokage!"
Orochimaru and Jiraiya exchanged glances. "Let him in." Orochimaru said.
"Yes, sir." the ninja replied. A masked Anbu with a cat-like face entered.
"Jiraiya-sama, Orochimaru-sama." the Anbu said urgently, "this is a letter from the Hokage."
"Just a letter? No further instructions?" Orochimaru asked, taking the envelope.
"The Hokage instructed to follow the letter's orders promptly." the Anbu replied.
"Understood. We'll send a reply soon. You're dismissed." Orochimaru said, shaking his head.
"Understood, sir." The Anbu bowed respectfully and left the tent.
Namikaze Minato, Kushina, Akimichi Chōza, and others exchanged puzzled looks. What could the Hokage's letter contain?
Orochimaru examined the letter, pausing before forming hand seals to undo its seal. Clearly, this was no ordinary message, Hiruzen had ensured its security.
Once unsealed, Orochimaru extracted the letter, its handwriting and sealing technique unmistakably the Third Hokage's.
As he read, Orochimaru's brow furrowed.
"What's wrong, Orochimaru?" Jiraiya asked, noting his expression.
"See for yourself." Orochimaru said, handing him the letter.
Jiraiya took it, his own brow creasing as he read.
"I'm sure everyone's curious about what's going on." Jiraiya said, scanning the gathered Konoha-nins. "Orochimaru, you tell them, or should I?"
"You do it." Orochimaru replied, shaking his head.
"Alright." Jiraiya nodded. "Iwagakure is advancing on the Land of Fire. Both Iwagakure and Sunagakure are now targeting our country."
"Iwagakure has joined the Shinobi World War."
"Their target is the Land of Fire, and Konoha."
"We're now facing two ninja villages."
The Konoha-nins exchanged grim looks. The situation was dire.
"The Hokage has ordered us to send a contingent of ninjas to reinforce the Konoha forces on the Iwagakure front." Jiraiya continued. "Around a hundred ninjas will form the first relief team."
"And the Hokage has appointed Tengen as the leader, not just of this team, but as one of the commanders of the Iwagakure battlefield." Jiraiya said slowly.
"Tengen's leading?" The ninjas remained silent.
A few days ago, some might have questioned his leadership.
But after yesterday's breathtaking battle, those doubts had vanished.
Tengen was more than qualified.
Among those present, including Jiraiya and Orochimaru, Tengen might well be the strongest.
***
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