Outside the Village of Konoha
Sarutobi Hiruzen clutched his Adamantine Staff, his old body staggering as he finally leapt beyond the village gates and landed on the dirt path beyond.
"Pffft!"
Another mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips.
"That damn Hyuga Naraku... he didn't hold back at all!"
Just moments ago, Naraku's Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm had struck true, violently disrupting Hiruzen's internal organs.
But still—
He didn't dare stop.
Even though he had narrowly escaped the village, danger lurked behind him. At any moment, someone might come chasing.
"That bastard... he's been against me since the start!" Hiruzen muttered, face twisted with resentment.
The heads of the major clans had already turned their backs on him. Even the Anbu, once under his direct command, had moved to arrest him—their Hokage!
Now, there was nowhere left to go. No safe haven.
As he staggered forward, blood dripping from his chin, a sudden bang! echoed behind him.
The Adamantine Staff trembled in his grip—before transforming back into its true form: the Monkey King Enma.
The old monkey spirit stood there, gaze ice cold.
When Hiruzen saw the familiar face, a foreboding chill crawled down his spine.
That same cold gaze...
He had seen it on the clan leaders.
And now on his own summon.
Enma's voice was firm and emotionless.
"Sarutobi... this will be the last time I ever help you."
"You—" Hiruzen lifted a trembling finger but couldn't form the words.
"This mess... it's all your doing," Enma said sharply. "I won't stand with you anymore. From now on, you're on your own."
With a loud puff, the Monkey King vanished, leaving behind a cloud of smoke and silence.
"Urgh!"
Hiruzen vomited blood again—this time, not from injury, but from rage.
The village turned its back on him.
The clans abandoned him.
The Anbu betrayed him.
And now even his lifelong summoning beast had left him.
"Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!"His voice cracked in fury, echoed only by the wind.
But he refused to fall.
No, he would not let it end this way.
He would have his revenge.
Suddenly, an idea struck him.
Kumogakure.The Village Hidden in the Clouds. Already at war. Already hostile.
Hiruzen's eyes gleamed with venomous intent.
If Konoha doesn't want me... I'll burn it down with foreign flames.
He turned, clutching his wound, and began limping toward the Land of Lightning.
Meanwhile, outside the Hokage Tower…
A fresh notice had just been posted on the public board.
The villagers stood, reading silently.
But there was no panic.
No confusion.
Just... disbelief.
"Hokage... defected?"
Someone scoffed, "Must be fake. No way that actually happened."
But another pointed up at the tower."The window's still shattered. Looks like something went down."
A third person read the full announcement aloud:
"'Due to former Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen's refusal to prepare for the looming war and his attempts to hand over Hyuga Naraku to the enemy, he was to be taken into custody for questioning. During this process, the former Hokage resisted capture and fled the village.'"
People fell into hushed conversation.
"So... he tried to give away one of our own to Cloud just to avoid war?"
"He even tried to kill Naraku."
"And White Fang's death... was part of his plot?!"
Faces darkened.
"That bastard!"
"I always knew the Sarutobi clan was rotten! Just because he was Hokage, they acted like kings!"
"Cowardly to the end. The enemy comes knocking, and he wanted to offer up our own ninja?!"
"At least now we've got Hyuga Naraku in command."
"Damn right! Should've been that way from the start!"
At the Village Gates
Nara Shikaku stood in awe, gazing at the massive black eagle perched before him.
More were forming up behind it—dozens, no, hundreds of them—ink-formed beasts, brought to life by chakra.
"...What kind of jutsu is this?" he asked, half in admiration.
Naraku stood nearby, adjusting his flak vest, ready to depart.
"A Yin-Yang based technique: Super Beast Imitating Drawing."He gave a relaxed smile. "You three from the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clans could easily study it. All your clan arts are Yin Release based, right?"
Shikaku nodded thoughtfully.
But what truly intrigued him wasn't the technique itself—it was its strategic power.
Massive travel speed.
No exhaustion.
And most importantly, air superiority.
Cloud Shinobi had no known anti-air jutsu. These eagles could strike from above, a pure battlefield advantage.
Shikaku's eyes gleamed with hope.
We might just win this war decisively...
"All units, prepare for deployment!"
Naraku's voice rang out, full of commanding force.
The giant ink eagles beat their wings as thousands of ninja boarded row by row.
The skies darkened under the sheer number of colossal birds.
Unlike matters inside the village, where diplomacy still had a place—on the battlefield, there was only war.
And Cloud Shinobi had crossed the line.
"Hey! Over here!"
A sudden cheer erupted from behind them.
Villagers had gathered, drawn by the sight of the army departing.
They had come to see off their defenders.
To show that the will of fire still burned bright.
"Crush those bastards from Cloud!" someone shouted.
"Make them regret ever messing with Konoha!"
"That old traitor Hiruzen—bring his head back too!"
Emotion spread like wildfire.
These people had seen their Hokage betray them.
Now, they pinned their hope on the one who stood firm—Hyuga Naraku.
Above them, black wings spread wide.
The giant ink eagles took off in unison, obscuring the sun.
Shadow blanketed the earth like the arrival of a god's judgment.
The people watched with clenched fists and hopeful hearts.
Naraku stood at the head of it all, eyes locked on the east.
"Depart!"
His voice echoed through the sky.
And with a thunderous beat of wings, the black legion soared toward the Land of Lightning—Ready to bring down fury upon those who dared touch Konoha.