A stretch of trees stood at the very border of the Leaf. The air felt pure—the wind flowed gently, ruffling through the camp that was situated on the edge.
Origani Sezuro was a simple ninja, a Chunin in his twenties. He smiled as he shook his head, thinking of his family back home.
As a ninja, one never expected to live long. Marrying young and finding love was done early on—a tradition in the ninja world.
He smiled fondly as he thought of his daughter, 'Well... this would be my last mission. After this, I'll try to find some desk job.'
He gripped the guard rails. Origani was currently at the top of a ninja outpost. Despite his lack of Kekkei Genkai, his eyes were sharp.
He looked down at the trees, his lips tugging upwards. 'Just one more day left.'
SWISH
Yet, reality had other plans for the twenty-seven-year-old ninja. He suddenly saw something peculiar among the trees.
'Is something moving?'
His eyes sharpened as he looked toward the horizon, wondering what had the gall to attack the strongest village in the world.
He turned toward his companion. "Senki, look there... is that movement?"
His companion, a forty-year-old shinobi, joined in—squinting at the minute silhouettes shifting through the trees.
Soon, more and more figures began to appear. Origani couldn't help but panic. He ran toward the bell.
RINGRING
He beat it with enough force to wake the entire camp. "Attack! Enemy attack!"
Senki shouted beside him, "There are so many!" His voice trembled.
Origani's jaw tightened. He turned toward his companion, his mind flashing with memories of his home, his wife, and his daughter. "Hey... if I die after this, please tell my family I loved them a lot."
Senki's eyes widened before a solemn acceptance appeared on his face. "I hope you do the same for me."
Origani nodded.
The next second, both ran down. Hordes of shinobi gathered in front of the camp—thirty of Konoha's ninja stood with kunai withdrawn. Some were ready to fling jutsus, while others had their swords out.
Origani joined in, a kunai in hand. However, his eyes widened the moment the enemy entered.
Hordes and hordes of Iwa shinobi came one after another. A sinking feeling appeared in his gut as he looked at the overwhelming force of Iwa.
Origani didn't know it that day... but thirty-five Konoha shinobi were up against one hundred and twenty from Iwa.
...
"Huff."
Hiruzen Sarutobi let out another puff of air, his eyes scanning the report of losses.He read the name in the file—'Origani Sezuro... a civilian.'
He sighed and signed the document—'Deceased.'
His hands clenched under the desk. Hiruzen had expected a small attack, but Iwagakure had surprised him. Their border post was now seized by his old rival—Onoki.
He placed the file on the growing pile of documents on his desk. Turning toward the ceiling, he called out, "Boar, bring me Minato Namikaze."
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened. 'Konoha never attacks first... but when it does—' he looked outside the window toward the mountain faces of the Hokage, 'we never lose.'
...
The Third Raikage leaned closer to his desk, his eyes widening as he heard about the attack on Konoha. He smirked as he learned that all the shinobi from Konoha's post had died.
"Ha ha ha ha!" He stroked his white beard and turned toward his beloved son. "What do you think will come of this?"
The son of the Raikage, A, stood up. "I believe Konoha will strike back harder—reclaiming their post." His gruff voice echoed through the room.
Killer B grinned. "Konoha lost big, bakayaro! Iwa's time will tick, konoyaro!"
The Third Raikage nodded. "Good, good," his voice deepening. "But this isn't just a simple tug of war, son."
He turned toward the open window, overlooking the Village of Lightning—Kumogakure. "This is what we've been preparing for."
A huge smile spread across his face. "This is the start of the Third Great Ninja War."
...
While the world was busy plotting against one another, a simple blond-haired fool stood by himself, overlooking an entire room full of scrolls.
Kyojiro's eyes glinted as he looked at the plethora of Fire Style jutsus. 'Our clan,' he pondered in wonder, 'has this many jutsus?'
For a moment, greed bloomed within him. If he could somehow steal all of these—including Izanagi and Izanami—there was no way he would remain weak.
Yet he stopped himself. 'Not now... I'll learn them anyway once I get stronger.'
"Be quick, I don't have all day," a scruffy voice echoed beside him.
Kyojiro nodded at the attendant who had brought him to the Uchiha's jutsu library.
He walked in—the smell of paper wafting through the air. Turning toward the B-rank section, his eyes widened at the massive collection stacked before him.
Rows upon rows of B-rank jutsus filled the shelves. He read through the names, his mind racing with their practical applications.
'Fire Cloud Jutsu.''Fire Serpent Jutsu.''Fire Tornado Jutsu.'
Kyojiro smiled as he read through ten more names. 'After seventeen years... I finally have enough recognition in the clan to get something other than a simple Fireball.'
Kyojiro knew what he wanted. 'Something fast...' A small smirk appeared on his face. 'My breathing technique will already make it far more powerful and big.'
His eyes locked onto a scroll. He read the description on top—a huge smile blooming across his face. 'Speed and power... while the jutsu might be B-rank, I have the skills to bring it to A.'
He took the scroll, walking back and presenting it to the attendant. "This is the one I want."
The man glanced at the jutsu's name and rank before nodding. "Good choice," he muttered under his breath.
Kyojiro had found his ace—
'Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson.'