"Hey, Gen, you're back! Captain Yashiro's been looking for you."
Uchiha Gen had just stepped into clan territory when one of the patrolling Uchiha dropped from a nearby rooftop, landing lightly in his path.
"What does captain Yashiro want with me?" Gen asked, a faint smile on his lips.
"You'll know when you get there. Not a bad thing, though." Hiro's tone was teasing, but his expression gave nothing away.
Gen sighed. So they were keeping it a secret. "Alright. Thanks, Hiro!"
Hiro gave a brief nod before vanishing in a flicker of movement, leaping away over the tiled roofs.
Gen turned toward the western edge of Konoha, where the Police building stood near the prison. The Nine-Tails' attack was still years away, so the Uchiha district was closer to the heart of the village; a fair walk from the station. He could've made the trip in minutes by rooftop, but within the village walls only Anbu, the Police Force, or the Root could move that way without cause. Everyone else walked.
The streets of Konoha bustled around him. The village wasn't huge — four hundred thousand square meters, about fifty-five football fields — but it was large enough for the twenty-minute walk to feel unhurried.
When Gen finally reached the Police Department, he went straight upstairs and knocked on Yashiro's office door.
"Come in," came the reply.
Gen entered, bowing slightly. "Captain."
Yashiro's stern expression softened into a smile. "Perfect timing, Gen. Take this... it's yours." He reached across the desk and tossed a green vest to him.
Gen caught it one-handed. The upper pocket felt weighted; he reached in and found a rolled parchment. Unfurling it, he read the heading: Chunin Appointment Letter.
"Thank you, Captain Yashiro."
"You've earned it." Yashiro leaned back in his chair. "Thirty-four confirmed kills; four of them Chunin, and all with just a two-tomoe Sharingan, in wartime. Frankly, if it were up to me, I'd have made you a Special Jonin."
Gen didn't mention the battle records he'd hidden, nor the bodies he'd buried with earth-style ninjutsu. Even after halving his reported kills, the numbers had drawn Sarutobi Hiruzen's personal attention — enough for the Hokage to send Anbu to verify the reports.
As far as chakra nature went, Gen had tested himself shortly after unlocking his second tomoe. Alongside the Uchiha's natural fire, he'd discovered both earth and the rare wind affinity. Not the fivefold versatility of a true prodigy, but three elements were more than enough to give him an edge over most opponents.
Yashiro studied him for a moment. "Don't worry, Jonin rank will come... soon!"
Gen only nodded, expression flat, as if the promotion were an expected step rather than an achievement. The captain's smile deepened; that pride suited an Uchiha.
"Keep it up, Gen."
With another bow, Gen left, vest in hand. As he made his way out of the building, every clan member he passed offered congratulations. He returned each greeting with polite nods and brief words before stepping back into the village streets.
Far from Konoha, in Kumogakure, Sunagakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure, news of the Battle of Mount Kikyo had already spread.
The Hidden Cloud, Sand, and Mist each saw the missed opportunity, but none were eager to gamble on another costly offensive. Instead, they tightened their lines, opting for a steady war of attrition.
In Iwagakure's Tsuchikage Building, Onoki sat behind his desk, leafing through the battle reports. The short, broad-nosed Tsuchikage, in his red apron, green-striped vest, and ceremonial hat, might have looked comical to an outsider — but no one in the Five Great Nations underestimated him. Even in his later years, Onoki remained cunning, unyielding, and dangerous. And now, in the late prime of his life, his reputation was enough to make even Sarutobi Hiruzen wary.
"Someone, come," he called.
A masked Anbu appeared instantly, kneeling. "Lord Tsuchikage."
"Summon the elders for a meeting."
"Yes."
Fifteen minutes later, Onoki stood at the head of a long conference table in the bright meeting hall, elders seated along either side. A stack of fresh intelligence reports sat before each of them.
"Read," Onoki ordered.
Papers rustled as the elders scanned the documents. When enough time had passed, Onoki's gravelly voice cut in. "Well? What do you see?"
"Konoha's strength is as fearsome as ever," one elder admitted. "Four fronts at once, and they still repelled the joint assault of Kumogakure and Sunagakure. Truly, the number one village."
A murmur of agreement followed — until Onoki's palm slammed the table. The crack of wood silenced the room.
"I didn't bring this here to hear defeatist drivel," he snapped. "Don't just look at appearances."
He jabbed a finger at the reports. "Konoha suffered heavy casualties — even with the Hokage himself stepping in. The fact that the Cloud and Sand forces reached their very gates means something. It means they are stretched thin. Strong on the outside, weak within."
A glint lit the eyes of one elder. "If another attack reached that far, Konoha might fall. Even if it didn't, they couldn't keep sole control of the Fire Country's wealth."
Onoki's expression eased into approval. "Exactly, Elder Matsumoto. That's why I propose this... we send a force through the Land of Grass, bypass the main battlefield, and strike directly into the Fire Country, all the way to Konoha itself."
Excited whispers broke out, though a few elders raised caution.
"Tsuchikage-sama, the idea has merit, but our strength is already divided. The Third Raikage's death cost us dearly. We face Konoha head-on, and still must guard against Cloud and Sand. Mustering another army will be difficult."
Onoki shook his head. "Kumogakure may hate us, but they won't throw away reason. The Fire Country is the fattest prey in the world — rich, fertile, worth the risk. The Earth Country? A small, lean prize by comparison. And they are separated from us by sea. Even if they wanted to attack, mobilizing ships would be slow."
He looked around the table, voice low but certain. "We can shift troops from the Cloud front to the minimum needed for defense. If Cloud loses its mind, we withdraw, lure them deeper, and crush them."
His gaze swept the elders. "So. What say you?"