The plaza before the Hokage Building was filled with Konoha's shinobi.
There were Genin, Chunin, Jonin, civilian ninjas, clan ninjas, and members of the Anbu—about a thousand in total.
No one whispered or murmured. Everyone stood in complete silence.
The enemy about to invade felt like a heavy boulder pressing down on their hearts—not enough to crush them, but heavy nonetheless.
A thousand men wasn't a large number, especially considering Konoha's main forces were tied up across various battlefronts. The village's defenses were stretched thin.
After all, it was one against four, and the war had dragged on for so long that troop shortages were to be expected. Even summoning reinforcements from the borders would be too late.
If the Four Great Shinobi Villages didn't have deep-rooted grudges and were willing to unite, Konoha might have already fallen.
Then, on the top floor of the Hokage Building, a man stepped into view—wearing the Hokage robe and hat, around fifty years old, at the prime of his life: Hiruzen Sarutobi.
In the world of ninjas, fifty wasn't considered old. Thanks to the chakra nourishing their bodies, many were still at their peak.
The Hiruzen shown in the original story was far older, and aside from experience, his strength had clearly waned.
Hiruzen took a deep breath, removed his hat, and gave a deep bow…
The crowd below watched this "shocking" scene, and most were visibly shaken—except for a few like Uchiha Gen, who remained unfazed.
"Because of my misjudgment," Hiruzen began, "the forces of Kumogakure and Sunagakure have penetrated deep into the Land of Fire, placing Konoha in unprecedented danger. I bear undeniable responsibility."
"I know that a mere apology cannot make up for it. So, to atone, I will resign from my position as Hokage once the war ends, and allow a new leaf to guide the village forward."
"My death is of no consequence, but I ask you all—give everything you have to defend our home. We must not let the legacy of our predecessors be destroyed in our hands."
"I beg you!"
Hiruzen's voice, amplified with chakra, echoed across the plaza. After speaking, he bowed once more—and remained bowed.
Seeing this display, the dissatisfaction that many held deep in their hearts began to fade.
After all, the shinobi mindset—trained solely for completing missions—was relatively straightforward and not prone to civil unrest.
Well, except for "troublemakers" like Uchiha Gen. His dissatisfaction didn't vanish completely—just a bit.
He hated this sort of too-late-for-regret, justice-after-the-fact nonsense. Why hadn't Hiruzen acted sooner?
Still, regardless of whether his actions were sincere or forced, this level of humility from Hiruzen was at least somewhat acceptable.
Because even late justice is better than no justice. Nothing at all—that's what's truly terrifying.
"Swear to protect Konoha!"
No one knew who shouted it first, but the atmosphere changed.
"Swear to protect Konoha!"
"Swear to protect Konoha!"
"Swear to protect Konoha!"
More and more ninjas joined the chant. At first it was scattered, then unified. At first it was quiet, then it roared like thunder. Faces flushed with excitement and blood pumped hot in their veins.
Not wanting to stand out, Uchiha Gen shouted along with them, faking a passionate expression.
Swear to protect Konoha?
Yeah, right. He didn't feel any sense of belonging to Konoha. His own life was what mattered most.
Sure, Konoha would probably win in the end, but if things went south, he'd be the first to bolt.
Once the crowd calmed a bit, Hiruzen spoke again: "All shinobi, follow Shinnosuke to the southeast to prepare our defenses. I'll join you shortly after changing into my combat gear."
Shinnosuke Sarutobi—Hiruzen's son—was the head of Konoha's Anbu. His wife was the Anbu's vice commander.
"Yes!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh— countless figures leapt into the air, darting toward the southeast. Cliffs, forests, rugged terrain—they moved as easily as walking on flat ground, though their speeds varied.
Over a thousand of them had just passed the scenic northeastern area of Kikyō Castle and arrived at the outer mountain, Kikyo Hill, when four Anbu members appeared in front of the now-armored Hiruzen.
Kneeling on one knee, the squad leader—wearing a white animal mask and white cloak—reported, "Lord Hokage, the forces of Kumogakure and Sunagakure are less than 20 km away."
"What? That fast?"
Hiruzen's face darkened. "Damn it!"
"Relay this command: use Jonin and Special Jonin as the backbone to prepare for combat on the spot."
"Also, send a detachment to intercept the enemy—slow their advance as much as possible."
"Remember: do not get too caught up in the battle. Retreat when needed."
"Yes!"
The Anbu around Hiruzen—and even those who had just returned from missions without rest—vanished in an instant, leaving only the Anbu commander and vice commander behind.
Hiruzen stood on the mountain, gazing out at the vast forest that stretched like a sea of trees. Though worry clouded his mind, it was quickly replaced by determination.
There was no time for elaborate preparation. The enemy was simply moving too fast.
But no matter the cost, the enemy had to be defeated. Konoha must not fall under his watch!
Thanks to the Anbu's liberal use of chakra, all of Konoha's shinobi were quickly informed.
Under the leadership of Jonin and Special Jonin, they rapidly turned Kikyo Hill into their central battlefield, laying traps from the south to the northeast.
After surviving this long in the war, every ninja had been tempered by blood and fire. Once given orders, they executed them methodically.
Despite the heavy pressure, no one panicked.
Calmness was the most important trait for a ninja. Panic was the ultimate sin—something drilled into them from their academy days.
In the Uchiha clan's defense zone, on a patch of grass, ninjas were quickly heading out when Uchiha Hachidai suddenly called out.
"Gen, stay behind."
Uchiha Gen answered calmly, "Captain Hachidai, do you have orders for me?"
"Follow me," Hachidai said flatly. "And during combat, don't stray too far from me."
Uchiha Gen understood immediately. Hachidai planned to protect and support him during battle.
No wonder he wasn't given a team or mission earlier.
So this was the privilege of a 'genius,' huh?
Not bad, honestly. Though having Hachidai around would make it harder to use certain… methods.
The battlefield was the perfect place to reap souls. They were enemies, after all—no need for restraint!
"Thank you for the offer, Captain Hachidai, but I don't need special protection."
"The Uchiha are born for battle. I have no fear of war—I will survive!"
Uchiha Gen spoke righteously, full of confidence.
Though Gen had refused the offer, Hachidai wasn't angry—in fact, he admired Gen even more.
This was the mindset an Uchiha ninja should have!
"In that case, forget it," Hachidai said. "I'll assign you as a squad leader instead."
Gen hesitated. "Captain, I haven't… really recovered from last time. If something happens to my teammates again…"
He trailed off, lowering his head with a look of sorrow.
Hachidai knew exactly what Gen meant—how he'd awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan after the death of his teammates.
After a moment of thought, Hachidai said, "You've awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan, recovered from your injuries, and learned new clan techniques. Among Chunin, your strength is top-tier."
"You're capable of operating solo now—though you lack experience."
"Fighting alone against enemy squads puts you at a disadvantage. Are you sure?"
A Uchiha with the Sharingan was nearly unbeatable in one-on-one combat against peers—but against an entire team, the advantage was greatly diminished.
Gen nodded firmly. "I'm sure."
"If I face a Chunin-led team, I'll hold back. I'll strike hard against Genin squads."
"If I must fight, I'll use diversion, separation, ambush tactics—never head-on."
"If I encounter Jonin or Jonin-led teams, I'll run. No hesitation."
Hachidai gave an approving nod. "Good. You're thinking clearly."
"That eases my mind. Go—and stay safe."
"Yes."
Uchiha Gen gave a slight bow, then vanished.
He was off to choose his hunting ground.