(T/N: Here's an extra chapter, just because I felt like it.)
Night had fallen over Konoha.
Inside the Hokage Tower, in the dimly lit office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was carefully drafting a peace agreement with Kumogakure.
If both sides signed it, the village would enjoy a temporary period of peace.
"Sigh…"
Hiruzen let out a weary sigh, setting his brush down for a moment.
Of his three students—one had defected, one was wandering the world, and one had gone missing.
The Fourth Hokage, whom he had placed his hopes in, had perished during the Nine-Tails attack.
Even his own son had yet to mature into a capable leader.
As a result, his faction faced a troubling future, lacking a clear successor.
Within his own ranks, Danzo continued to covet the Hokage position.
Meanwhile, within the village, the Uchiha Clan's resentment toward Konoha's higher-ups had reached dangerous levels.
Just thinking about all these problems gave Hiruzen a headache.
'Once the peace agreement with Kumo is settled, I'll need to focus on the village's internal issues... especially the Uchiha problem.'
As he pondered his next course of action, a sudden knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in," he said, his brows furrowing slightly.
The door opened, revealing a masked ANBU kneeling before him.
"Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen subtly shifted the peace agreement under a paperweight before looking directly at the ANBU.
"It's late. What is it?"
Despite the mask, Hiruzen immediately recognized the shinobi before him—one of his operatives stationed near the Uchiha district, assigned to monitor their movements.
For him to report at this hour…
Something must have happened.
And at the worst possible time.
(Sometime Ago Anbu POV)
He stood silently in the shadows, observing the Uchiha compound from a distance as he had done countless times before. His mask, a blank expressionless face, barely revealed any emotion. He had grown accustomed to watching the Uchiha Clan, always alert for any signs of unrest. Another ANBU member, wearing a different mask, approached and stood beside him.
"Anything new?" the other asked quietly.
"Same as usual," the first ANBU replied, his gaze fixed on the compound. "Just the usual routine. The Uchiha are as quiet as ever."
The two exchanged a few more words when, without warning, a blinding flash of lightning tore through the night sky above the Uchiha station. The intensity of the strike was so sudden and powerful that both ANBU were momentarily stunned. The lightning struck the Uchiha clan leader's house, shattering a third of the roof into ash.
"What the—?" the second ANBU gasped, his hand instinctively going to his ninja bag.
"We need to investigate!" the first ANBU said urgently, but then he froze, noticing something in the distance.
The Uchiha clan members were beginning to gather at the site of the destruction, their movements quick and purposeful. A wave of unease washed over the ANBU.
"No... it's too risky," he continued, his voice sharp with caution. "If we investigate now, we risk alerting them. Retreating is our best option."
Without a word, the second ANBU nodded, and both melted into the shadows, disappearing from the scene as if they were never there.
(Hokage's Office)
"One thing is certain," the ANBU said, lowering his head as he shared his thoughts. "The ninja who released this lightning jutsu is very strong." He paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "When the lightning jutsu tore through the sky, I was nearby. The diameter alone was four to five meters, and the length exceeded ten meters. It traveled several dozen meters down the street, destroying Fugaku's roof in an instant."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face changed in surprise. His mind raced as he recalled hearing the loud crash moments ago. The Uchiha had been pushed to the outskirts after the Nine-Tails Incident, and whoever had done this, their strength was undoubtedly formidable.
"Considering the lightning jutsu alone..." the ANBU continued, his tone grave. "The person behind this is definitely not inferior to Captain Kakashi."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's thoughts raced. "The Raikage is set to sign the peace agreement with us in two days. He wouldn't jeopardize it now. Could it be Danzo...?"
(T/N: That's right, Just blame Danzo)
The thought of his "friend" made his stomach churn. Danzo's views on the Uchiha were radical, and he had even suggested eliminating the entire clan if necessary for the village's stability. Now, with the destruction of Fugaku's roof, Hiruzen felt an uneasy weight in the pit of his stomach.
"Could this be a warning from Danzo?" Sarutobi Hiruzen mused to himself.
"Danzo, Danzo..." He shook his head, quickly dispelling that thought.
(T/N: I wonder what image popped into his mind when he thought of Danzo.)
But then another possibility emerged.
What if the person who released the lightning jutsu wasn't Danzo, but someone from the Uchiha Clan?
Sarutobi Hiruzen paused for a moment, considering the implications of that. If the Uchiha were testing their strength like this... it could be a dangerous signal.
"Anyway... we need to closely monitor the Uchiha Clan's movements," Hiruzen decided after a moment of deep thought. He then turned his attention back to the ANBU. "Go and call Uchiha Itachi. Let's see what he knows about this."
Meanwhile, at the Uchiha district...
After confirming that the person who had destroyed his roof was none other than Kaze, Fugaku Uchiha had lifted the security measures around the compound.
He reminded Kaze to be more cautious in the future, especially when developing new jutsu.
"It's best to try these techniques in a place where no one is around. Don't experiment in such a populated area," Fugaku advised.
"Luckily, you were living on the third floor. If you'd been on the first floor... this could've caused a lot more damage, or even hurt innocent people!"
Kaze nodded repeatedly, accepting the advice without argument.
Once Fugaku and the others had left, Kaze sat down on the tatami mat, leaning back and stretching out on the floor, letting his body relax.
As for the hole he'd blown in the wall... that could wait until daylight. He'd need someone to fix it, but for now, he just enjoyed the cool air coming in from the broken wall. Summer had its perks, after all.
Still, no matter how comfortable he tried to make himself, Kaze couldn't shake the unease gnawing at his mind. Something about tonight's events didn't sit right with him.
(T/N: Bro's danger senses are going off.)
The more he pondered it, the more the idea of taking action seemed unrealistic. Even with the power of the natural fruit at his disposal, Kaze knew better than to underestimate the high-ranking officials of Konoha.
Shisui and Itachi, both elites in their own right, had already firmly aligned with Konoha. If things escalated into a true conflict, the entire village would be against them. Even if he could somehow rally some of the Uchiha to his cause, the risks were enormous. Once certain steps were taken, there would be no turning back.
But the thought of surviving the Uchiha massacre night kept nagging at him. He could feel the weight of the situation pressing on him, as if the events were already set in motion.
"What if... what if I simply leave the Uchiha clan behind?" he thought suddenly. "I could avoid the massacre, but at what cost?"
His gaze drifted to the hole in his wall, a reminder of the explosive power at his disposal. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Maybe... maybe I'll make my own path."
But that was a decision for later. For now, he needed to focus on the immediate challenges and figure out a way to navigate through the storm brewing in the shadows of Konoha.
But just then, a lightbulb went off in Kaze's mind.
He was, after all, a person who had lived a past life.
Not only did he have a good understanding of the future trajectory of this world, but he also had a grasp of various political strategies that could be applied here.
Previously, he hadn't used them because, in the face of absolute power, any scheme seemed frivolous.
But now, with the power of the Thunder Fruit in his hands, his strength had increased dramatically!
"Right, I don't necessarily need to resort to a bloody coup to rise to power."
"I can align myself with other forces and openly run for the position of the Fifth Hokage."
"The day the peace agreement is signed with Kumo is also the day their leader kidnaps Hinata."
"Perhaps..."
The more he thought about it, the more his mind raced.
He could use the opportunity of saving Hinata to gain the support of the Hyuga clan!
(T/N: And so the political games have officially begun! I swapped out the Chinese elements in the last part to make it more neutral. What do you think of the change? Would love to hear your thoughts! Hope you enjoyed the chapter—stick around for more twists ahead!)