The Chūnin Exams had finally drawn to a close. Thanks to the presence of Uchiha Hikaru, Konoha had unsurprisingly secured first place.
However, the village that took second place caught many off guard.
Although Sunagakure had only two participants left—Akasuna and Kurosuna—they displayed remarkable strength and tenacity, pushing themselves to the limit and claiming second place.
In particular, Kurosuna's Iron Sand World Method had left the other villages struggling.
And as for Kumogakure, known for its aggressive stance, they only managed to secure fourth place—barely ranking above the last-place Kirigakure.
When the results were announced, the Third Raikage flew into a rage and left Konoha immediately.
A few days after the three Kage returned to their respective villages, another shocking piece of news shattered the fragile peace of the Five Great Nations.
Taking advantage of Konoha's distraction during the Chūnin Exams, Kirigakure launched an invasion of the Land of Whirlpools.
But the operation ended in utter failure. The entire Kirigakure force was annihilated—and even the Third Mizukage was confirmed to have died in the battle.
Uchiha Hikaru had wiped out the Mist ninja, but the city within the Land of Whirlpools wasn't solely inhabited by the Uzumaki Clan.
Naturally, news of the battle spread.
In fact, Hikaru had no intention of hiding it.
Part of his purpose in taking action was to intimidate the Five Great Nations—to let them know that Konoha's stance toward the outside world had shifted.
If they knew nothing, how could they be intimidated?
And the results were clear: not only did Kirigakure refrain from demanding explanations, their newly appointed Fourth Mizukage even sent an official letter of apology to Konoha.
After that, whenever ninja from other nations encountered those from Konoha during missions, they'd choose to avoid them.
When Madara Uchiha heard the news, he laughed hysterically.
He kept muttering things like:
"This brat really does take after me."
"Hashirama, did you see that? I was right all along!"
...
Meanwhile, in Konoha, Tsunade, Nonō Yakushi, and Uchiha Chiri were all training relentlessly.
Uchiha Hikaru stood to the side, watching them with a complicated expression.
Their training had become unreasonably intense.
Ever since he rescued them that day, they had been in this state.
Tsunade and Chiri were pushing far beyond human limits, as if in a desperate struggle with themselves.
Even Nonō, usually the most composed, was constantly pushing against her own boundaries.
Hikaru had mixed feelings about their transformation.
He knew that Chiri's madness stemmed from witnessing Uchiha Ang's death firsthand.
But the changes in Tsunade and Nonō baffled him.
Fortunately, Hikaru had always been a straightforward person—so he decided to just ask.
He walked over and looked at their sweat-drenched figures.
"Your training lately seems a bit… extreme. Can you tell me why?"
His voice was calm and firm, cutting straight to the heart of their inner chaos.
The three girls paused what they were doing and turned to look at him.
Their faces all held complicated expressions, as if unsure how to respond.
Chiri bit her lip, staying silent for a moment before finally saying:
"I want to become stronger. I want to protect the people around me."
Nonō nodded and added:
"I want to protect myself… so it's not always Hikaru-kun saving me."
Tsunade looked hesitant, her brows tightly knit as if struggling to put her feelings into words.
She opened her mouth but couldn't speak right away.
Uchiha Hikaru waited patiently. He didn't rush her—just watched quietly.
He knew she needed time to collect herself.
Tsunade took a deep breath and finally said what was in her heart:
"I want to stand beside you, Hikaru—not be a burden. I don't want others using me to threaten you."
Though she was still young, Tsunade had already learned to distinguish right from wrong.
Ever since learning that Madara Uchiha was behind the attack, she had been haunted by a painful realization.
None of the three of them were famed geniuses. None had shown any remarkable talent. So why had Madara targeted them?
After eliminating every other possibility, she reached a terrifying conclusion: because of Uchiha Hikaru.
Madara wanted to use them to manipulate Hikaru—and that thought filled her with fear and guilt.
She understood that if they weren't strong enough, they would be nothing but burdens—and might even bring danger to him.
This idea gnawed at her constantly, making her feel helpless and ashamed.
But she also knew that guilt alone wouldn't solve anything.
Only by becoming stronger could she truly protect herself—and the ones she cared about.
Tsunade's words surprised Hikaru. He hadn't expected her to be thinking about things so deeply.
It also made him realize something—he was the source of the pressure and pain she'd been carrying.
He was at a loss for words. This kind of self-blame couldn't be soothed with mere comfort.
So he did what came most naturally to him—he chose the most sincere way to console her.
He quietly walked over and gently embraced her.
Caught off guard by the hug, Tsunade froze—and then her face turned bright red.
"I've got your back. I believe in you, Tsunade. You'll stand beside me one day—I know it."
Her eyes reddened instantly.
She bit her lip hard, trying to hold back the tears.
But the fear of being taken by Madara, the days of helplessness, the bottled-up guilt—it all burst out like a dam breaking.
She couldn't hold it in anymore—and began to cry.
Her sobs grew louder and louder, as if trying to pour out all the pain and frustration of the past days.
Hikaru didn't let go. He just hugged her tighter, letting her feel that he was there.
Meanwhile, Mito Uzumaki sat in her office at the Hokage Tower, watching everything through a crystal ball.
This sphere allowed her to view faraway scenes.
Right now, she was watching the scene with Tsunade and the others.
A faint, content smile curved at her lips.
She had noticed the changes in Tsunade long ago and had been silently observing.
But she never stepped in, because she trusted that Uchiha Hikaru would handle it properly.
And now, watching Tsunade sobbing in his arms, she knew her trust was well-placed.
Hikaru had comforted her in the most direct, sincere way possible.
Their bond filled Mito Uzumaki with deep satisfaction.
She stopped channeling her chakra into the orb and walked to the window.
Sunlight poured over her, warm and soothing.
She looked out at the now-lively Konoha and thought to herself—
A new era is about to begin.