The sun filtered through the blinds, casting soft rays over the Grayson mansion kitchen. It was still early, but the house was already buzzing. Naruto and Obito were bickering over pancake toppings, Kakashi was reading the newspaper with a cup of coffee, and Minato was trying to stop Sasuke from using Chidori to toast bread.
Nolan walked in, still wearing his sparring clothes, and sat at the table with a tired grunt. Battle Beast followed, slamming a jug of orange juice onto the table like it was a war trophy.
"Morning," Mark said groggily, entering last, rubbing his eyes. "Why are you all so awake?"
Naruto grinned. "Because some of us aren't half-dead from fighting Viltrimites yesterday."
"Low blow," Mark muttered, pouring himself cereal.
Kakashi looked up from his paper. "Speaking of yesterday… we need to talk about it."
"About Anissa?" Nolan asked, instantly serious.
Mark nodded. "She said something. About Earth paying the price… I can't stop thinking about it."
"She meant it," Obito said, his voice low. "The way she looked at you, the way she left—it wasn't a warning. It was a promise."
"I still don't get it," Naruto said. "You're her ally, right? Same people, same blood. Why attack you?"
"Because Mark didn't fall in line," Nolan said. "That makes him dangerous to the empire. They don't care about family—they care about obedience."
Battle Beast grunted. "Then we destroy them before they come again."
Minato glanced over. "It's not that simple. They're a war-hardened race. They don't send their strongest right away. They test. Probe. Let us show our strength."
"Anissa was a test," Kakashi added. "A warning shot."
Mark looked down. "And I failed it."
"You didn't fail," Nolan said firmly. "You lived. You learned. And next time, you'll be ready."
Naruto put a hand on Mark's shoulder. "He's right. You got us now."
Sasuke nodded, folding his arms. "I've seen you fight. You're holding back."
"Because I'm scared!" Mark finally snapped. "You think I want to hold back? I'm scared I'll lose control. That I'll go too far—like my dad did in the beginning."
The room got quiet. Nolan looked down at his hands.
Minato finally said, "Mark… fear is human. What matters is what you do with it."
"Exactly," Gebbie's voice came from behind them as she walked in. "You think any of us had a normal day since you all moved in? My backyard's a ninja arena, my living room's a war council, and I don't even want to talk about the bathroom damage."
Everyone chuckled.
"But," she continued, "what I've seen in this house isn't just chaos. It's growth. All of you—you're learning to trust each other. You're a family now. That means when the next battle comes, Mark… you won't be alone."
Mark swallowed hard. "Thanks, Gebbie."
"Now," she clapped her hands, "if anyone wants breakfast, help me set the table. I'm not your maid."
Backyard – Later That Day
The sun was high now. Everyone was out back, the lawn buzzing with quiet conversation as Nolan drew something in the dirt.
"A rough layout of how a mid-tier Viltrimit team moves," he explained, drawing arrows. "They hit fast, hard, and they coordinate. That's their biggest strength."
Obito squatted beside him. "You want us to split them up?"
"Yes. Isolate, confuse, overwhelm. Battle Beast, you take the lead when the biggest one shows."
Battle Beast nodded. "I will make it quick."
Minato rubbed his chin. "And what about the others? Distraction teams?"
Nolan nodded. "Naruto, clones everywhere. Confusion. Sasuke, use your Sharingan to break their patterns. Kakashi, keep your Kamui for emergencies only—do not burn it on a random grunt."
Gebbie brought out lemonade, sighing. "I've been watching war councils all morning. Anyone want cookies again?"
"Yes!" Naruto shouted, instantly running over.
Mark stood in the back, looking at the strategy drawing. "So… this is it, huh? War games in the backyard?"
Nolan stood and walked over to him. "You thought war would only happen on battlefields?"
Mark looked around at his brothers, his team, his family.
"No. I just didn't expect to feel this ready."
Nolan smiled faintly. "Good. Then let's be ready for when they come next. Because they will come."
And as the sun began to set behind them, the family gathered again—this time, not just for dinner… but for something greater.
They were preparing for war. And they would be ready.