After hours of movement, Kaji, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru finally returned to the forward camp, physically exhausted. Camping in Wind Country or the heart of Rain Country would have been suicidal—no sane shinobi would attempt it.
The Hokage had known of their success long before their return—his disciples had sent word via summons almost immediately.
As for what Hanzo would do with his newly opened front?
Nobody cared.
The commander of this camp was Sakumo Hatake. Unlike some stories, here he was still alive, and the reason was simple: Sarutobi Hiruzen had never lost his edge. Age seemed irrelevant to his decisions, and under the influence of Kaji's agricultural advancements, the Prime Hiruzen remained in his full glory.
Thus, the question of Hokage succession was never raised, even with the war's future outcome. The only way Hiruzen would step down was if he himself resigned—and that wasn't happening.
This didn't hinder Kakashi's path, however. For some reason, he retained his sharp personality, but the key difference was that his father was alive and fighting beside him.
-----
Kaji was nursing a light drink with his older brothers. The most resigned was Jiraiya, who had thought he'd performed well—only to pale in comparison to his monstrous siblings.
He just hoped they could keep this meeting a secret and keep Tsunade far away—that way, his savings might survive.
Sakumo, a shinobi of immense strength and discipline, took his role seriously. Being a few years older than the others, he often played the part of a strict but caring father to the trio.
"If you drink too much, what kind of shinobi can you call yourselves tomorrow? That's enough."
Kaji pouted.
Orochimaru frowned.
Jiraiya was lost in thought and didn't even react.
Orochimaru spoke first. "The optimal strategy now is to wear down Sand—not with direct assaults, but by striking their supply lines until they reinforce them. Then we stop. Let them stockpile. Then hit them again when they relax. Eventually, they'll break. The Wind Daimyo is petty and impatient."
Sakumo nodded. He had actually prepared a full-frontal assault plan, but maintaining economic attrition was smarter. Konoha already rotated shinobi every five months, keeping the front fresh and unpredictable.
Kaji added, "That old hag Chiyo is on the Iwa front. But if they move her here… we'll need to be careful."
"Either kill her in one operation, or we'll need the Medical Division to mobilize."
Jiraiya agreed. "Her poisons are notorious. And while Kaji's here, we're safe from toxins—but who knows how long he'll stay?"
"Kiri has been quiet. And Kumo, though attacking Iwa, isn't committing fully. They're just probing."
Orochimaru smirked. "Knowing the Raikage's temper, sooner or later, he'll personally march through the minor nations to reach Konoha. But if Kiri declares war on Kumo, I doubt he'll move against us."
Sakumo's voice was steady. "At the first opportunity, I'll execute a decapitation strike on Ebizo, Sand's strategic commander. Without him, they'll be vulnerable."
"And sooner or later, Rasa will become Kazekage."
"I fear Sand will face internal conflict soon."
Kaji, eyes closed, murmured, "Sand may seem like a beaten dog, but remember—80% of Wind Country is barren wasteland. Nobody cares about that dump."
"Hanzo is only making his move to weaken Sand and take that forest buffer zone. It's easier to defend Rain Country that way."
"I don't blame him."
Outside, torrential rain hammered the earth without end.
"This country feels cursed by the world," Kaji sighed.
Sakumo glanced out and couldn't help but agree. "Amegakure has an unnaturally high concentration of elite shinobi. Small as it is, beyond Hanzo, their average skill level surpasses Kiri and Sand combined."
-------
News of Konoha's operation rippled across the world like a lion's roar.
Orochimaru. Jiraiya. The Legendary Sannin. And their younger brother—Shikaji, the Shadow Monarch, direct disciple of Sarutobi Hiruzen, the God of Shinobi.
Together, they had annihilated 3,000 Sand-nin in a single battle.
In Kumo, a chilling weight hung in the war room.
The Raikage growled, "What do you think, Darui?"
Darui, analyzing the reports, spoke carefully. "Orochimaru and Jiraiya were nearly killed by Hanzo in the Second War. Now? They're entirely different beasts. And Shikaji—the Shadow Monarch—is confirmed Super-Kage level."
"Konoha has assembled a nightmare force of elites. There are even reports of them handling tailed beasts with ease. If they're on the battlefield, numbers and bijū won't matter."
He took a heavy breath. "If we go to war with Konoha, we'll suffer uncontrollable losses."
"Our best move is to keep pressing the Land of Earth, seize the river valleys, then retake the Land of Hot Springs. But under no circumstances should we declare war on Konoha."
"The other nations tried to force us—just like Hanzo manipulated Sand into attacking them. And look how that ended."
"Konoha profited massively from the minor nations' war, while we bled against Iwa."
The Raikage nodded, staring at the map before muttering, "Iwa…"
Then, gruffly, he asked, "And if Kiri declares war on us for mainland territory?"
Darui frowned. "Though we hold the advantage, I fear Ōnoki won't miss the chance to march straight for our village the moment we're distracted."
The Raikage's jaw tightened. "If Kiri attacks us and Iwa pushes our disadvantage… contact Konoha. Offer a serious, no-games alliance."
"In exchange… we give them our Jinchūriki training methods."
The room fell silent.
Then, one by one, they nodded—and returned to their duties.
The world was shifting.
And Konoha stood at the center of the storm.
Danzo had waited patiently all this time—and finally, his moment came.
Two major clans in Kirigakure made a fatal misstep. Seizing the opportunity, Danzo eliminated their patriarchs, throwing the clans into chaos. The Third Mizukage, never one to waste an advantage, swiftly crushed the dissent and fully unified Kiri under his rule.
The news shook the world—Kirigakure had officially declared war on Kumogakure.
With his mission complete, Danzo and his Root operatives withdrew, returning home for a well-earned rest.
-------------
In Konoha, the F3 (Hiruzen, Danzo e Nara Shikaku) discussed the shifting political landscape.
Kumo seeking an alliance? Expected.
Sand begging for help against Iwa? Possible—but Konoha deemed the cost too high. Instead, they kept covert operations active, including Sakumo's relentless strikes on Sand's supply lines.
Meanwhile, an elite ANBU squad was dispatched to the Land of Earth, tasked with severing Iwa's maritime supply routes. With Kiri now attacking Kumo, Ōnoki could no longer sit idle—his ambitions stretched beyond the skies, and Konoha intended to exploit that.
These maneuvers gave the Land of Wind breathing room, and finally—Rasa ascended as Kazekage.
His only true enemy now? Hanzo the Salamander.
Unlike the original timeline, the war between Suna and Ame had bred deep, unrelenting hatred.
A Change of Guard – Minato and Tsunade Enter the Fray
With Minato now mastering the Flying Thunder God, Hiruzen recalled his disciples from the frontlines—they had been at war for 1 year and 5 months. It was time to rotate.
This time, Tsunade and Minato took their place.
Minato, 16 years old, was officially a Jonin by rank—but in actual strength? Far beyond.
Tsunade, ever the titan, brought her medical mastery and raw power to the battlefield.
When they arrived to relieve Sakumo, Kaji, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru finally made their way back to the village.
----
Days later, three exhausted men soaked in a natural hot spring in Konoha, savoring the peace.
Kaji sighed. "My little brother must've missed me…"
Young Asuma had been three years old when Kaji left for war. Now, after a year and a half apart, the separation weighed on him.
Kaji stood abruptly. "I'm going to see Father, Mother, and my brother. We'll talk later."
And with that—he vanished.
A Reunion Long Overdue
Asuma was playing with his ninja toys in the courtyard, Biwako watching fondly from a distance.
Then—a whisper.
"Asuma-chan…"
The voice of his big brother.
Asuma's head snapped up, eyes wide—but he saw no one. For a terrifying moment, he thought he had hallucinated, that something terrible had happened to Kaji.
Then—silent tears fell.
A warm chuckle sounded behind him.
"Ara ara… why is my little Asuma crying?"
Asuma spun—and there he was. Kaji.
With a loud sob, Asuma leaped into his arms, clinging like a koala.
Biwako joined them, embracing her beloved sons. "I missed you, Saji-chan."
They smiled.
Asuma was overjoyed.
A grand feast was prepared, and Asuma chattered endlessly about his "great adventures" in Kaji's absence.
Kaji played along, giving dramatic, cinematic reactions, much to Asuma's delight.
"Big Brother, I'm FOUR now! When can I start ninja training?" Asuma blurted, eyes shining.
Kaji ruffled his hair. "Tomorrow, I'll make some adjustments… and then your training begins, Asuma-chan."
With a joyous shout, the little Sarutobi raced through the clan compound, declaring to anyone who would listen:
"I'M GONNA BE A GREAT NINJA!"