[NTU] [ARC-26] Chapter : 334

The sky hung low and heavy, as if a vast gray curtain had been drawn across the village, casting a somber shadow over Konoha.

Before the Memorial Stone, a quiet group stood in solemn silence, each person holding a white chrysanthemum. They had gathered to mourn the passing of an old man—once a revered leader, now a figure consigned to memory.

His life had been marked by both praise and controversy. He served as an exceptional Hokage, dedicating himself to the protection of the village and contributing greatly to its strength. Yet, like all men, he had made mistakes—decisions that sparked division and debate.

Standing before the mourners, Toshiro looked up at the elder’s portrait and spoke in a low, steady voice:

“Third Hokage, your contributions will be remembered in the annals of history. Though not all your choices were met with agreement, time has softened the edges of discontent. The past has faded into the wind. Rest in peace.”

In the original timeline, the Third Hokage had perished years earlier at the hands of his own student, Orochimaru. But thanks to Toshiro’s intervention, the old man had lived out his days in peace. His end had come naturally, without violence—an ending more fitting for someone who once bore the title of Hokage and always strove for peace no matter the situation.

The Third symbolized an era—the will of fire, the weight of tradition, and the values forged through war and peace. His life mirrored the evolution of the ninja world, and his legacy offered insight into its past, present, and possible future.

With his death, a generation’s spirit quietly faded, and the customs and ideals of his time would slowly begin to dissolve into history.

—

“Finally done!”

Toshiro’s voice emerged from behind a stack of paperwork on his desk, the mountain of documents nearly hiding him from view. Only his exhausted sigh gave him away.

“At this rate, I’ll have to consider early retirement,” he muttered, rubbing his sore wrists.

Since Tsunade had become pregnant, Toshiro—the not-so-heartless Hokage—had stopped assigning her the brunt of the paperwork. That left him buried in bureaucratic responsibilities.

“Shikaku, how are the preparations for the Allied Shinobi Forces coming along?” he asked, diving back into matters of war.

Following the funeral, Toshiro had shifted his focus to organizing the coalition army. Kisame’s intelligence on the growing White Zetsu army had only added urgency to the effort.

“Everything is progressing steadily,” Shikaku reported, “but…”

The hesitation in his voice caught Toshiro’s attention. He looked up, raising an eyebrow.

“But what?”

“The Daimyō of each nation... persuading them to evacuate or cooperate has proven difficult.”

Toshiro sighed, the corners of his mouth twitching in mild frustration. Unlike in the original timeline—where Obito publicly declared the Fourth Great Ninja War during the Five Kage Summit—this version of events was unfolding quietly, behind the scenes. And that silence had its drawbacks.

“Let them be. They have their own guardian shinobi. If they refuse, it’s on them.”

To Toshiro, the nobility were relics of a bygone age. As history had proven time and again, bloodlines didn’t guarantee survival—there were always others waiting in line to inherit the seat of power.

“What about funding?” he asked, shifting focus. War, after all, was expensive—especially one of this magnitude.

“No issues from the Fire, Earth, and Lightning nations,” Shikaku replied, “but we’re facing some resistance from the Wind and Water countries.”

“However, both the Kazekage and Mizukage have already given their support. We don’t expect major setbacks.”

Toshiro leaned back in his chair with a nod.

“That’s good to hear.”

He had spent considerable effort—and eye strain—securing the Fire Daimyō’s support during his visit to the capital. That gamble, at least, had paid off.

With the storm of war gathering on the horizon, he had no time for delays.

The future of the ninja world depended on what they did next.

The Land of Wind remained as impoverished as ever, while the Land of Water was still reeling—bled dry over the years by Obito’s manipulations and far from recovery.

“How are Naruto and Kushina holding up?” Toshiro asked, his tone calm but cautious.

While Obito hadn’t made any recent moves for the Nine-Tails, it would’ve been reckless to assume he had given up. Complacency was dangerous.

“They’ve remained with the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki. We’ve enforced strict confidentiality protocols around their location,” Shikaku reported.

Shikaku had proven to be more than capable—especially now, as he strove to make his mark and earn Toshiro’s trust. He had handled every task thrown at him with near-perfect efficiency.

And yet... the paperwork still piled up.

Well, procrastinators everywhere could relate.

“B, huh?”

That reckless guy had indeed slipped away, just as expected. By the time the Fourth Raikage tracked him down, Bee was already under siege—attacked by none other than Hidan and Kakuzu.

Had the Raikage arrived even a moment later, things might have ended much worse for his brother.

Fueled by rage and armed with new intelligence on Akatsuki’s members from the Five Kage Summit, the Raikage made quick work of the so-called immortal duo. Both were eliminated without hesitation.

Afterward, he personally escorted B back to the village. Given Akatsuki’s clear intent to target the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails, it was decided that both Jinchūriki would be hidden away on the remote Kame Island, under maximum security.

Elsewhere, a bound and chakra-sealed Deidara was experiencing a deeply awkward reunion—with the teacher he hadn't seen in years.

“Deidara, you fool,” Ohnoki scolded, frowning down at his disgraced student. “Running off and joining the Akatsuki? Look at the state you’re in. Captured like a common criminal—you’ve brought shame to the Stone Village.”

The aged Tsuchikage shook his head, clearly disappointed, but turned politely to Jiraiya.

“Thank you for showing restraint. I’ll take this disgrace of a student back to Iwagakure for interrogation.”

“Mmmph! Mmmph!”

Deidara thrashed against his restraints, the tape over his mouth muffling his protests. Judging by the fire in his eyes, he wasn’t taking his capture well—especially when his gaze landed on the smirking Kurotsuchi standing nearby.

His glare practically screamed betrayal.

“Deidara looks hungry,” Kurotsuchi teased sweetly, her tone dripping with mischief. Her black eyes sparkled as she pulled out a variety of "ingredients"—chunks of soil, stone, and even a slab of granite.

“Which would you prefer? This one? Or maybe... this tasty little rock?”

“...”

Deidara could only roll his eyes in frustration. This little brat was getting more and more devilish by the day. Did she really think he ate rocks? He needed clay—specialized, moldable, explosive clay. Not this gravel buffet.

Besides, clay wasn’t even filling.

“I suppose it’s fine,” Jiraiya muttered, scratching his head, reluctant but ultimately agreeable to Onoki's request.

Still, a lingering concern tugged at his thoughts.

“But we’re not going to have a repeat of last time, right? You know, the part where he ‘disappears’ from custody and ends up back with Akatsuki?”

Because once was an oversight.

Twice would be unforgivable.