"It's true!"
Uchiha Nobuhiko's eyes lit up. "If there's no backlash, there's no time to waste! We must notify Master Mito immediately! I'll call the elites and have someone alert the Third Hokage."
"Got it!" Ren Takashi nodded and vanished with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
In an instant, he reappeared in the courtyard where Uzumaki Mito was enjoying tea.
"Hm? Xiaotian? You never teleport here without reason. What happened?" she asked.
"Something urgent." He handed her a scroll. "Please read this first."
Uzumaki Mito unrolled the scroll—and her face darkened with shock and fury. "The Land of Whirlpools is being besieged by Cloud, Mist, and Rock Shinobi?"
"Yes. We discovered that Cloud was preparing to attack to steal sealing techniques and enhance their Jinchūriki experiments. I suggested to Father that we dispatch covert teams to investigate—and this confirmed it."
"Then we must move immediately," Mito snapped.
"Wait," Ren Takashi warned. "Don't place too much hope in the Third Hokage."
She frowned. "You think it's still about our old disagreements?"
"No," Ren Takashi said gravely. "He may have known and chosen to hide it."
Mito was silent for a moment. "...That bastard monkey..."
"Even if you ask for support, the forces he sends might be few and slow. We shouldn't count on him. I can teleport us directly to the battlefield—my Flying Thunder God Technique has been improved. We can take the Senju elites and go now."
She stared at him, astonished. "You've advanced the Flying Thunder God that far? Over a thousand kilometers?"
Ren Takashi nodded confidently. "I can build a teleportation array that draws on the chakra of others. It's stable, even over great distances."
"Then we move. I'll gather everyone now."
Within minutes, over twenty Senju elites had assembled, including Tsunade—some from the traditional clan, others long assimilated into civilian life.
"You're ready?" Mito asked.
"Let's meet Father at the Uchiha gates and teleport from there."
Kushina ran up. "Brother Ren Takashi, Grandma—please be careful."
"Wait here. We'll return soon," Ren Takashi said with a smile.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office:
Uchiha Seventh reported to Sarutobi Hiruzen: "Our scouts found signs of invasion. Mito-sama and Uchiha Nobuhiko are assembling elite squads to assist."
Hiruzen's heart dropped. They know?! Already?!
He had secretly agreed with the daimyo to delay support, assuming the invasion would destroy the Uzumaki before anyone could react.
But now...
Still, they're far away. Even if they leave now, it'll take days.
He adopted a somber expression. "You've done well. I will prepare elite forces immediately—give me half a day."
Uchiha Seventh bowed, but inwardly sneered. You just want to delay. We see through you.
As he left, he passed Danzo.
This snake has a nose for anything suspicious, Uchiha Seventh thought.
Danzo entered the office. "Hiruzen! Uchiha Nobuhiko has rallied hundreds of elites. What's going on? And what was Uchiha Seventh doing here?"
Hiruzen sighed. "They know. About the Whirlpool attack. They're moving to intercept."
Danzo's eyes narrowed. "How? Who leaked it?"
"They claim it was an accidental discovery."
"You believe that?"
"Of course not. But the question is: do we delay further, or act with them?"
Danzo scoffed. "Delay. Sabotage them if possible. If the Uzumaki, Senju, and Uchiha form an alliance, we'll lose our grip on the village."
"But if Mito suspects we knew and did nothing—"
"She already suspects. There's no saving that now. All we can do is minimize their power."
Hiruzen rubbed his temples. "It's getting harder to maintain control..."
"Then step aside and let me handle it," Danzo sneered.
Hiruzen laughed bitterly. "You? Never. My teacher knew you were unfit. I won't hand you my title."
Danzo clenched his fists. One day, it will be mine.