The late afternoon sun cast long shadows through the tall windows of the conference room in the Hokage Building, its warm light contrasting starkly with the cold tension that permeated the air. The normally bustling administrative center of Konoha had fallen unusually quiet, as if the very walls sensed the gravity of what was about to unfold.
Two figures occupied the spacious room that typically hosted dozens during village council meetings. Nara Shikaku sat at his usual position near the head of the long mahogany table, his fingers steepled as he reviewed the preliminary reports spread before him. The shadows under his eyes spoke of sleepless nights spent analyzing intelligence that defied conventional understanding.
Beside him, Shiho adjusted her glasses nervously, her typically steady hands trembling slightly as she made final calibrations to the communication array. Originally recruited into Konoha's Code Squad for her exceptional analytical abilities, she had quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the village's most trusted intelligence specialists. Today, however, even her renowned composure was being tested.
Multiple television screens dominated the far wall, each displaying a different figure—the other Kage of the great ninja villages, their expressions uniformly grim. The advanced communication technology, developed in the three years since the Fourth Ninja War's end, had revolutionized how the villages coordinated, but never before had it been used to address a crisis of this magnitude.
At the foot of the conference table, almost hidden beneath the polished wood, an intricate black seal pattern had been carved into the floor. The Flying Thunder God marking pulsed with dormant chakra, waiting for its master's return.
Buzz!
The seal suddenly flared to life, emitting a brilliant golden light that filled the room. Space itself seemed to ripple and fold as two figures materialized in an instant—the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and beside him, the Fifth Mizukage, Terumi Mei.
"Hokage-sama! Mizukage-sama!" Shikaku and Shiho rose immediately, bowing respectfully despite the urgency of the situation.
Minato's piercing blue eyes swept the room, taking in every detail with the practiced efficiency of a seasoned leader. His golden hair caught the light from the screens as he nodded curtly to his subordinates. Mei Terumi, her auburn hair elegantly framed around her shoulders, maintained her composed demeanor even as concern flickered in her emerald eyes.
"My apologies for keeping you waiting," Minato said, his voice carrying the natural authority that had made him legendary both as a ninja and as Hokage. His gaze immediately shifted to the screens displaying the other three Kage, each waiting in their respective villages.
The weathered face of the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, appeared in the upper left screen, his diminutive stature belied by the weight of his presence. "Raikage," he said without preamble, "please explain the specific situation to our colleagues."
All eyes turned to the screen displaying the Fourth Raikage, A. Even through the digital transmission, his massive frame and intimidating presence filled the screen. His dark skin bore the ritual scars of his village, and his expression carried the weight of terrible knowledge.
The Raikage's voice, deep and rough like distant thunder, filled the conference room: "Three days ago, our surveillance teams were conducting field tests of a newly developed high-magnification telescope—part of our ongoing technological advancement initiatives. During routine lunar observations, they discovered something unprecedented."
He paused, allowing the gravity of his words to settle before continuing. "The moon's surface is developing massive fissures—cracks that span hundreds of kilometers and continue to expand at an alarming rate."
Terumi Mei leaned forward, her brow furrowed with concern. "Geological changes on the moon surface... while certainly unusual, how does this directly impact our world? The moon is nearly four hundred thousand kilometers away."
The Raikage's expression darkened further, his hands clenching into fists that could crush stone. "If the surface fractures were the only anomaly, Mizukage, you would be correct. However, our astronomical calculations have revealed something far more terrifying."
A chill seemed to fill the room despite the warm afternoon air.
"The moon is no longer maintaining its stable orbit," A continued, his voice carrying the weight of impending doom. "Some unknown force is pulling it toward Earth at an unprecedented velocity. Our projections indicate that if this acceleration continues, we have less than seventy-two hours before gravitational effects begin causing catastrophic changes to our planet."
"What?!" Minato's eyes widened, his legendary composure cracking for the first time in years. The implications hit him like a physical blow—this wasn't just a threat to the ninja world, but to all life on Earth.
The Fourth Hokage's mind raced through the calculations. While the moon possessed only one forty-ninth the volume of Earth, a direct collision would be absolutely catastrophic. The gravitational disruption alone would trigger massive tsunamis, earthquakes, and atmospheric disturbances. Even if the planet itself survived the impact, no living creature would endure the resulting apocalypse.
Gaara's voice crackled through the communication system from Sunagakure, his typically calm demeanor strained: "How is such a thing even possible? The moon has maintained its orbit for millennia. What force could be powerful enough to alter celestial mechanics on this scale?"
Each of the Kage wore expressions of barely controlled panic. In their long careers, they had faced rogue ninja, bijuu rampages, and world wars—but nothing had prepared them for a threat that transcended their understanding of the possible.
The Raikage's piercing gaze focused on Minato through the screen. "Our research teams are working around the clock to identify the source, but speculation won't save lives. If we cannot discover and neutralize whatever is causing this phenomenon, there is only one alternative."
Minato straightened, his analytical mind already reaching the same terrible conclusion. "Complete lunar destruction," he said quietly, the words heavy with implication. "Until we can determine why the moon is being drawn toward Earth, eliminating the threat entirely may be our only option for planetary survival."
"Precisely," A confirmed with grim approval.
Onoki stroked his beard thoughtfully, but his expression remained deeply troubled. "The logistics of such an undertaking are staggering. Even accounting for the incredible power possessed by shinobi like yourself, Hokage, and your son Naruto, and young Uchiha Sasuke, physically destroying a planet exceeds the capabilities of human chakra."
The old Tsuchikage's eyes narrowed as he considered the tactical challenges. "Furthermore, any assault team would need to reach the moon's surface while it remains beyond our atmosphere. Once gravitational effects begin affecting Earth directly, launching any kind of mission becomes impossible."
A knowing smile played at the corners of Minato's lips as he fixed his gaze on the Raikage. "I believe Lord Raikage may have already considered a solution to this particular obstacle."
The room fell silent as Minato continued, his voice carrying a hint of his legendary strategic brilliance. "Unless I'm mistaken, Kumogakure has been developing something quite remarkable in recent years—a large-scale chakra weapons project."
The subtle shift in the Raikage's expression confirmed Minato's suspicion. While the other Kage were aware of Kumo's technological initiatives, few had taken them seriously in an era where individual ninja power still dominated military thinking.
However, Minato had made it his business to stay informed about every significant development across the ninja world. The rapid technological advancement since the war's end had transformed daily life in ways that would have been unimaginable just five years earlier. The very fact that all five Kage could communicate simultaneously across vast distances was proof of this progression.
As Hokage, ignoring such developments would be dangerously shortsighted.
A nodded slowly, a mixture of pride and apprehension in his voice. "The Chakra Cannon project. When fully charged and properly calibrated, it possesses sufficient destructive force to obliterate the moon with a single concentrated blast."
The implications of this revelation struck the other Kage like physical blows. Gaara's eyes widened noticeably, while both Onoki and Mei Terumi stared at the Raikage with expressions mixing shock and newfound wariness.
A weapon capable of destroying the moon represented a paradigm shift in military power. If conflicts were to arise in the future, traditional ninja warfare would become obsolete in the face of such overwhelming destructive capability. This was force beyond anything in their conventional understanding—power that transcended even the legendary abilities of the most skilled shinobi.
Minato, however, remained outwardly calm. His intelligence network had provided him with detailed analysis of the chakra cannon's basic design principles and operational requirements. While the weapon's ultimate power was indeed staggering, its practical limitations were equally significant.
"As devastating as the cannon's potential may be," Minato observed, "I assume the energy accumulation requirements are substantial."
The Raikage nodded grimly. "When we first detected the lunar anomalies, I immediately ordered our technical teams to begin the charging sequence. However, reaching full operational capacity requires a minimum of seventy-two hours."
A heavy silence settled over the conference room as the temporal constraints became clear.
"During this charging period," A continued, his voice growing more ominous, "the moon will continue its accelerated approach toward Earth. Long before impact becomes imminent, gravitational disruption will cause massive debris fields to break away from the lunar surface."
The Raikage paused, allowing his next words to carry maximum impact: "Our astronomical projections indicate that the areas of Earth directly aligned with the moon's surface fractures will experience the highest concentration of meteorite bombardment."
His eyes locked onto Minato's through the screen. "Based on current orbital mechanics and crack formation patterns, the primary impact zone will be the Land of Fire."
The blood drained from Minato's face as the full scope of the crisis became clear. Not only was the entire world facing potential annihilation, but his own nation would bear the brunt of the initial catastrophe.
For several moments, the Fourth Hokage said nothing, his mind racing through countless scenarios and contingencies. When he finally spoke, his voice carried the steel of absolute determination.
"I understand the situation completely," he said quietly, inclining his head respectfully toward the Raikage. "Thank you for providing this critical intelligence so promptly. The people of the Land of Fire are in your debt."
Turning to address Mei Terumi directly, Minato's expression softened slightly. "It appears you'll need to return to your village immediately. Your people will require strong leadership during the evacuation and protective measures."
Mei nodded, her elegant features set with resolve. The Land of Water's island geography would indeed provide some natural protection from the meteorite bombardment, but coordinating refugee assistance and maintaining village defenses would demand her full attention.
"What support can the Hidden Mist provide?" she asked without hesitation. "Our naval capabilities and water-style techniques might prove valuable in disaster response efforts."
Gaara's voice joined the conversation from Sunagakure: "The Wind Country's desert terrain offers natural dispersal advantages for our population, and our sand manipulation abilities excel at defensive applications. Simply inform us what assistance you require, Hokage-sama, and Suna will respond immediately."
Even Onoki, despite his village's historically tense relationship with Konoha, offered his support: "Iwagakure's earth-style specialists and mountain fortress experience are at your disposal. We've weathered natural disasters before."
A profound sense of gratitude washed over Minato as he regarded his fellow Kage. Despite decades of conflict and mistrust between their villages, when faced with global extinction, old rivalries dissolved into unified purpose.
"Your offers of assistance honor both your villages and the shinobi way," Minato replied with genuine warmth. "If our situation becomes desperate enough to require international intervention, I will not hesitate to request your aid."
This represented more than mere diplomatic courtesy—it was recognition that the traditional barriers between nations meant nothing in the face of planetary annihilation. The unity forged during the Fourth Ninja War had evolved into something deeper: genuine mutual respect and shared responsibility for protecting their world.
With the immediate intelligence exchange complete, the emergency Kage conference concluded. Minato immediately activated his Flying Thunder God technique, the familiar golden light enveloping both himself and Mei Terumi as he transported her directly to the Hidden Mist Village in an instant.
Returning alone to the Hokage Building, Minato wasted no time in issuing emergency mobilization orders. Within minutes, every elite ninja in Konoha had been summoned for immediate deployment. The village's entire command structure shifted into crisis mode as messengers raced through the streets carrying urgent dispatch orders.
As the most powerful shinobi to emerge from the previous war, both Naruto and Sasuke received priority summons. Their unique abilities and unmatched combat experience would be essential for whatever desperate measures lay ahead.
The sun was beginning to set over Konoha as the emergency assembly concluded, casting long shadows across the village that seemed to mirror the darkness approaching from above. Time was running out with each passing moment.
An unprecedented crisis unlike anything in recorded history was descending upon their world, and even the combined might of all the great ninja villages might not be enough to prevent the complete annihilation of everything they had sworn to protect.