Chapter 58 - Hiruzen Sarutobi's Worries
News of Kirigakure's invasion into the Land of Fire spread quickly throughout the shinobi world.
When the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire received word that a large portion of his country had already fallen into enemy hands, he was furious.
Immediately, he ordered a messenger to deliver a letter to Hiruzen Sarutobi, demanding an explanation.
The message was clear—if the Mist Shinobi weren't driven out swiftly, the funding for Konoha's military would be cut in half.
Furthermore, if the Hokage failed to act, then perhaps he no longer deserved his title.
At this moment, the letter was still en route to Konoha, its ominous contents unknown to Hiruzen.
Early Morning – The Hatake Residence
As the first light of dawn broke over Konoha, Might Duy and his team of three young Genin arrived at the Hatake household.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The sound of knocking echoed through the quiet courtyard.
Inside, Kazane was already awake, performing his daily training regimen.
He had long since sensed their arrival.
With a smooth motion, he stepped away from his training area, opened the gate, and welcomed them inside.
"Uncle Duy, give me a moment. I'm almost done with my training. We'll head out shortly."
Kazane nodded at them before returning to his sword practice, continuing his unfinished strike count.
"Four thousand twelve… Four thousand thirteen…"
"Four thousand five hundred sixty-two… Four thousand five hundred sixty-three…"
Might Guy and the others watched in awe.
Despite already being so powerful, Kazane was still pushing himself relentlessly.
Their admiration for him only deepened.
Soon, Kazane completed his morning routine, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a towel before walking over to them.
"Kazane , do you always train like this?"
Shiranui Genma asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
Kazane glanced at him and, instead of giving a direct answer, he posed a question of his own:
"Have you ever seen the sun at four in the morning?"
Shiranui Genma was momentarily stunned by the question before realizing its meaning.
"…I see. So that's why you're so strong. It's because of your effort."
His voice carried a mix of understanding and admiration.
Kazane simply smiled faintly but said nothing more.
Only he truly knew how much he had sacrificed to attain his current strength.
"Alright, let's get going. The Hokage should already be in his office by now."
With that, the group set off for the Hokage's office.
Konoha Village – The Hokage's Office
At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at his desk, staring grimly at a sealed scroll in front of him.
It was a confidential letter—a direct message from the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire, which had arrived just ten minutes ago.
He took a slow drag from his smoking pipe, his brows deeply furrowed.
Kirigakure's sudden invasion had caught Konoha off guard.
Currently, only Danzo and his few hundred Root shinobi were holding the line at the border, and they were woefully outnumbered.
If this continued, it was only a matter of time before the entire front collapsed.
However, Konoha was spread too thin.
If it were just sending more standard troops, that would be manageable. Konoha could easily mobilize two to three thousand shinobi.
But the real issue was their lack of elite forces.
Kirigakure's invasion force wasn't just made up of ordinary shinobi.
The Mizukage himself was leading the charge, alongside the Kaguya Clan's Taketori Souchou, the Mizunoyuki Clan, and the Hozuki Clan.
Not to mention the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, who, despite their arrogance, were undeniably dangerous combatants.
Sending just mid-tier forces would only result in mass casualties.
Yet, as the Hokage, Hiruzen couldn't simply rush to the front lines himself.
The situation was dire.
"Hokage-sama, Hatake Kazane has arrived."
At that moment, an ANBU operative entered the office, bowing respectfully.
Hiruzen's eyes lit up.
"Kazane is back? Excellent! Let him in immediately."
His voice carried a hint of relief.
Kazane 's return couldn't have been more timely—he desperately needed someone of his caliber.
The ANBU ninja nodded before stepping out. Moments later, Kazane , Might Duy, and the others entered the office.
"Hokage-sama!"
The group saluted respectfully.
Hiruzen lifted his gaze.
When his eyes fell on Kazane , a warm smile spread across his face.
"Well, well, if it isn't Konoha's young hero! Even back in the village, word of your exploits on the front lines has reached my ears."
He stepped forward, clapping a hand on Kazane's shoulder.
"I knew from the moment you were in the Academy that you were a prodigy. And you've done us proud—you and your father both."
His tone was affectionate, as if speaking to his own child.
However, Kazane knew better.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was someone who could smile warmly at you one moment and stab you in the back the next.
Without hesitation, Kazane cut straight to the point.
"Hokage-sama, we have something urgent to report."
"On our way back, I encountered Uncle Duy and his team under attack by Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen."
"Jonin Hatano sacrificed himself to stop them… he didn't survive."
Hiruzen's expression changed instantly.
"Hatano is dead?!"
He clenched his fists.
And then—the next blow landed.
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen had already infiltrated Konoha's outskirts."
Kazane 's words struck like thunder, making Hiruzen's heart sink even further.
His mood, already grim, grew even heavier.
Hatano wasn't just a Jonin—he had been a loyal supporter, someone Hiruzen had deliberately kept close instead of sending to the battlefield.
To lose him in a low-level C-rank mission was an unacceptable disaster.
"Where are the Seven Ninja Swordsmen now?!"
Hiruzen demanded, his voice tense.
"Kazane … you're not injured, are you?"
He quickly added, as if just remembering to ask.
Kazane scoffed.
"With just those seven? They weren't even capable of injuring me."
"They should already be back in the Land of Water by now."
His words carried undisguised contempt.
At this moment, Hiruzen's gaze shifted toward Might Duy and his team.
"Duy, do you have something to report?"
Recognizing that the following conversation wasn't for Genin ears, Hiruzen wanted them dismissed.
Might Duy hesitated briefly before stepping forward.
"Hokage-sama, we—"
He then recounted everything that had happened before they met Kazane .
However, he deliberately hid the events after Kazane's arrival.
After all, it was Kazane who had taken down the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, so the credit belonged to him, and he should be the one to tell and claim it.
Hiruzen listened carefully.
As he pieced together Duy's information with what he already knew, a realization dawned upon him.
Kirigakure's true intentions were now clear.
A chill ran down his spine.
If not for Kazane 's timely intervention, the consequences could have been catastrophic.
"Understood. Thank you for your report. You should all rest for now. I'll call for you if you're needed."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
With that, Might Duy and his team left the office, leaving only Hiruzen and Kazane behind.