Back in the city, Shigeo dropped the supplies, then returned to Sky Ninja Village. Everyone was busy building. He helped with ninjutsu. The Five Nations mess he shelved for now.
At dusk a summoning talisman from Jiraiya-sensei flashed. Shigeo sat up, then used Jikūkan Idō (Space–Time Transfer) to a valley in the Land of Fire.
Jiraiya stood on grass by the cliff. Seeing him, he waved. From behind a boulder, the Third walked out, hands clasped behind his back, eyes deep and fixed on Shigeo.
The three met. The air turned awkward.
"Come back to the village. I'll find people to examine you. If we can extract the bijū, good. If not, staying in the village protects you." Hiruzen's gaze was sharp. Calculation filled his eyes.
Shigeo understood. This summons was not only Jiraiya's idea. It was Hiruzen's.
He sneered. "Extract bijū? Since ancient times, any jinchūriki who had a bijū removed died. Are you trying to kill me, Third?"
Jiraiya glanced between them, tense. Shigeo's situation was a headache. The Third wanted to "help." Would Shigeo accept it?
"What are you saying? Why would I harm you? If I wanted to, I wouldn't wait till today. When I learned you had five bijū, I could have acted. Now every village is cordoning you off. Where do you think you can run?" Hiruzen's voice rose.
"Even if you had acted, you wouldn't have succeeded."
Shigeo turned his back and looked at the distant lights. He was not the boy from four years ago who could only hide to survive.
He was still fighting to live, but now he had leverage against anyone who meant him harm.
"You—Shigeo, don't be ungrateful. Iwagakure has issued a joint crusade call to the other four villages. If the other three agree, Konoha will have no choice. While you still have a chance, return to Konoha. We can mediate. You might keep your life." Hiruzen's pupils narrowed to pinpoints.
"I don't need anyone to keep me alive. If I return to Konoha I might die faster." Shigeo's voice was low and final.
"As a member of Konoha you've never listened. This time you've made enemies everywhere in Konoha's name. As the Third Hokage I will not allow anything that harms Konoha."
Hiruzen set his stance, eyes wide, voice rising. Chakra flared. He was preparing to fight.
From behind the rocks, several Anbu revealed themselves. They had come prepared.
"Hokage-sama, you promised you wouldn't lay a hand on him!" Jiraiya stepped in front of Shigeo.
"This is for his own good. Once I bring him back, he'll see I did it for the village."
"Those war letters weren't written by me. Each village received forgeries claiming to represent Sky Country. Even if war breaks out, it has nothing to do with Konoha, right?" Shigeo said.
Hiruzen's face twisted with anger. "Obstinate!"
His hands flashed through seals. "Doton: Doryūheki (Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall)!"
Hiruzen's rise to Hokage rested on strength. Unlike Danzo, who only schemed, Hiruzen's mastery of ninjutsu matched the limits of his chakra. Hence "Professor of Ninjutsu."
A huge circular wall rose around the valley. Several Anbu leapt up to its rim, taking positions to cut off escape.
"I hear your ninjutsu is strong. I believe you won't use Jikūkan Idō (Space–Time Transfer) to sneak away tonight. A gentleman is open and upright; a petty man skulks and frets. You won't be petty, will you?"
Hiruzen, afraid Shigeo would slip away, tried to provoke him.
Shigeo laughed. Hearing that from the village's leader was rich. "Relax. I won't run."
He formed a one-handed seal. Gusts roared from all sides. In the currents, black Jiton (Magnet Release) magnetic sand welled up.
Standing amid the magnetic sand, Shigeo said, "Didn't you want bijū? Come take them."
Hiruzen and the surrounding Anbu charged. These were elite jōnin handpicked by Hiruzen. One wore a mask—Kakashi.
From the day they entered Anbu they were taught to forget themselves. Only "obey orders" remained.
But in Wuwang Castle, Kakashi had seen more than anyone. Shigeo was not the type to conquer the world with power and drag Sky Country against the Five Villages.
He joked on the surface, seeming careless, but was warm within and never gave up easily.
Young as he was, he understood both the pettiness and the value of human nature.
In the joint exam at Bukei City he protected everyone and, after taking first place, didn't torment those who had mocked him. In the Wuwang crisis, even when none believed him, he didn't abandon the city and saved it alone with all its civilians.
How could such a person drag Sky Country into war with the Five Nations?
Obviously someone framed him. Yet… some people knew and still wouldn't let him go.
They didn't distrust Shigeo. They distrusted the seven bijū inside him.
Kakashi's eye behind the mask flickered with conflict. Was this right or wrong?
The Anbu attacked. Kakashi tried to copy Shigeo's jutsu with the Sharingan, but couldn't. Shigeo used kekkei genkai; some bloodline arts Kakashi could mimic with careful observation, but Shigeo added what most couldn't—one-handed seals.
Kakashi couldn't copy that. He could only join the others and attack with standard ninjutsu.
Seeing the Sharingan fail to replicate, Hiruzen knew that card was useless for now.
(End of Chapter)
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