The days passed by little by little. Aside from Mikoto and Kushina, who visited Uchiha Tatsumi daily, the only other frequent visitors were Yūshu and Minato.
Minato's conversations were always focused—discussing chakra applications and ninjutsu theory with Uchiha Tatsumi.
Meanwhile, the war had begun. Once Konoha's war machine started moving, no one could stop it. Konoha's ninja forces had already begun deployment toward Amegakure.
According to the official narrative, it was the Hidden Rain that provoked the war by infiltrating Konoha. But in reality, Konoha had taken the initiative, striking preemptively within the Land of Rain.
Of course, in the shinobi world, the one with the bigger fist decides what's right. Everyone knew that.
Tension quickly spread throughout the ninja world. All five great nations were preparing for large-scale conflict.
Although war had broken out, Tsunade and her team hadn't yet departed, and Kushina and Nawaki still visited often—though their visits gradually decreased.
One day, despite being under orders to keep quiet, Kushina tearfully told Uchiha Tatsumi that Granny Mito's condition had worsened.
She wasn't supposed to say it, of course—this was information tightly controlled by the village elders. But it must have come from Kushina's own heart.
Tatsumi couldn't do much except offer comfort. He had met Uzumaki Mito multiple times, and liked the dignified, graceful old kunoichi. He felt sorrow knowing her end was near.
Time moved on.
Half a month later, after being cleared by the hospital, Uchiha Tatsumi returned home.
Of course, he was still required to check in regularly for medical evaluations—there was still the risk of residual poison in his system.
A nine-year-old had killed two jōnin. A child who awakened his Sharingan's two tomoe in battle. When Orochimaru reported the details, the Third Hokage had immediately classified the incident as top secret.
More than ten days passed, and the Ninja Academy resumed.
Despite the Second Shinobi War already being underway, Konoha still felt relatively calm—at least within the borders of the Fire Country.
After all, the fighting hadn't reached the Land of Fire itself. At this stage, Konoha was still on the offensive, invading foreign territory.
Even so, ninja were strategic resources. As the war drained Konoha's manpower, the shortage of qualified personnel became clear—even at the Academy, where teacher numbers had dwindled.
Uchiha Tatsumi, having spent many days in a hospital bed, made sure to arrive early on the first day of school.
Instead of heading straight to class, he walked toward the Academy's main training ground.
As an "old-timer" of the Academy, he knew how these things went. The school year always began with a ceremony.
This "opening ceremony" was really a speech by the Hokage—part ideological indoctrination, part morale boost, and now, especially, a reinforcement of the Will of Fire in wartime.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, took such matters seriously. He often personally visited the families of fallen ninja to offer condolences. To him, nurturing the village's unity and purpose was critical—especially during war.
When Uchiha Tatsumi stepped onto the training field, all eyes turned to him.
He was the undisputed top student in the Academy. His feats had made him a legend in the eyes of his peers.
That exaggerated rumor from July had spiraled out of control. If Hanzō of the Salamander was "a demigod," then, supposedly, Uchiha Tatsumi had kicked the Sage of Six Paths to death.
Tatsumi noticed the stares and adjusted his cloak. He wanted to say something witty but kept his mouth shut.
These students were all "points" in his mental system. It was important to maintain good relations with his classmates.
Noticing Minato nearby, Tatsumi waved.
"Yo, you're here early, Chen—uh, I mean Tatsumi," Minato greeted with a smile as he approached.
"Where's Mikoto?" Minato asked, tilting his head. At the Academy, it was almost a given—where there was Tatsumi, Mikoto was sure to follow.
"She'll be here soon."
True enough, Mikoto arrived shortly after. But neither Kushina nor Nawaki showed up.
None of them seemed too surprised by their absence.
Time passed as Tatsumi and Minato chatted, until eventually the Third Hokage and his ANBU detail arrived on the training field.
The moment Hiruzen appeared, silence fell over the entire field.
Thousands of students stood below, their eyes fixed on the Hokage as he took the podium.
He coughed lightly before beginning his address—sharing, in his soft-spoken way, some of the thoughts and lessons that had come with age and battle.
"I believe most of you already know," Hiruzen began, "that not long ago, Hidden Rain's shinobi crossed our borders and launched an attack."
"Yes—they invaded the Land of Fire without warning."
It was a political move. The Hokage was framing the narrative. In truth, no Rain ninja had been found on Konoha soil, but there had been skirmishes involving Sunagakure. He didn't mention them.
Those in the know had already been silenced by information blackouts.
But Konoha didn't need evidence. Konoha was the evidence. The strongest hidden village dictated the truth.
As Tatsumi quietly zoned out near the back, Hiruzen continued.
"Yes, war has begun. It started the moment I gave the order. And war will take lives—I despise death."
"When someone dies, everything they are—everything they were—disappears. So many have died on missions, in conflict… and so easily. Was their sacrifice worth it?"
"I say yes."
"No matter who you are, there are people you care about—your parents, your siblings, your friends, your comrades. People worth protecting."
"We only live once. We don't have to walk a path we despise. Live or die as your heart decides—but never forget those you hold dear."
"This isn't about grand ideals. But those who cherish others… those are the ones willing to give everything. They're the people worth remembering."
"For me, all of you are people I want to protect."
"I want you to live, peacefully, here in this village. That is my dream."
"Your fathers and mothers are fighting right now—for this very dream. So please… don't hate me."
With that, the Third Hokage bowed deeply.
Applause erupted throughout the training ground.
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