The doors slammed open.
A red-haired Uzumaki clansman stumbled into the room, his breath ragged, clothes drenched in sweat, and panic written across his face. His chest heaved as though he had sprinted all the way from the gates.
"Alright, calm down first. Take a seat."
He gestured toward a chair nearby. A young woman standing at the corner—Yuki—stepped forward.
"Yuki, bring him some water," he added.
But the man shook his head wildly, voice trembling. "T-There's no time to waste, patriarch. It's urgent. Very urgent!"
Renji eyes sharpened. "Then speak. What happened?"
The clansman opened his mouth, still catching his breath. He spoke in halting, uneven bursts.
"We… we just received intelligence… from one of our informants... The Sand Ninja Village, the Cloud Ninja Village, and the Water Ninja Village…" He paused only to inhale sharply. "They've formed a coalition. Against us!"
The last words came out in a single breath, rushed and full of dread.
Renji's body stiffened.
"They've already gathered an army. At least ten thousand strong. And they're marching toward us."
His words dropped like a thunderclap in the room.
"If we're lucky…" he continued, voice now quieter. "They'll reach our borders by tomorrow."
A long, suffocating silence followed.
Renji stood up slowly, a solemn expression settling over his features. His voice, now louder, echoed with disbelief and intensity.
"What…?!"
His fists clenched at his sides. Anger, confusion, and even a touch of fear twisted across his face. He began to pace, boots tapping anxiously on the wooden floor.
His heart pounded in his chest like a war drum. How could this happen? So suddenly? So soon? He gritted his teeth, mind racing for answers.
But then, everything came to a sudden stop.
A small voice called out from behind.
"Kenji?"
He turned around, startled.
His wife, who had quietly entered the room. Her gaze locked onto his with deep concern.
In that moment, the storm within Patraic faded, as though pulled into the sea of her steady gaze.
Right. He had almost forgotten.
There was a tiger in this house—and his name was Elric.
And here I am, worrying about some stray dogs barking outside the gate…
Most of the clan had no idea just how powerful Elric truly was. Even his wife, even her father—the clan elder—didn't fully grasp the scale of his strength.
But He did.
He knew, because he had fought him before. Many times.
He understood the sheer, terrifying gulf between them now. For Elric, defeating Kenji must feel like how he once casually beat him before the awakening of his chakra.
He took a deep breath and regained his composure.
Clearing his throat, he sat back down and looked calmly at the still-panicked clansman.
"There's no need to worry," he said, voice now smooth and steady. "I'll take care of it."
The clansman blinked in disbelief.
"And don't let this news spread throughout the clan," Kenji added. "We don't need a panic."
The man hesitated, clearly confused by the calm tone.
Had he misheard?
Did patriarch—did he really say he would take care of three of the Five Great Nations?
His mouth opened slightly, but seeing Patraic's unwavering expression, he couldn't bring himself to question it. The aura of confidence radiating from the clan head left no room for doubt.
Still, as he turned to leave, he paused mid-step. A thought struck him.
He turned back around, uncertain.
"Should we send a request for help… to Konoha?"
Before patriarch could respond, a voice echoed through the room.
"No need."
It was Elric.
He stepped forward, his tone firm and absolute.
"No," he repeated. "No need to inform them."
The clansman glanced at Elric, then back at Kenji. he didn't refute it—his expression remained as calm as still water.
The messenger finally gave a respectful bow and quietly left the room, still confused, but unwilling to question further.
Meanwhile — Land of Fire, Konoha
In the Hokage's Office, within the towering walls of Konoha...
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, flipping through a mountain of paperwork. His hand moved mechanically, signing documents and issuing approvals, the endless bureaucracy of running a shinobi village wearing down even the great Professor himself.
At last, he put down his pen with a weary sigh and leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms. Glancing around, he opened a drawer and pulled out a crystal ball.
A small smile crossed his lips.
"Finally, a moment of peace," he murmured.
But just as he was about to start his moment of relaxation—
Knock knock!
The door rapped loudly, cutting through the silence.
Sarutobi quickly stuffed the crystal ball back into the drawer like a guilty child caught with sweets and sat upright.
"Enter," he said, voice shifting to its usual gruff, authoritative tone.
The door opened, and an ANBU ninja stepped inside, face hidden behind a pig mask, body wrapped in a dark combat suit. He knelt down swiftly.
"Hokage-sama. Intelligence confirms—the allied ninja villages have begun marching toward Uzushiogakure."
Sarutobi's eyes narrowed slightly. He folded his hands before him.
"I see."
His voice was calm, showing no signs of surprise or worry.
After all, he had known.
He had known of their plan to attack the Uzumaki for over a week.