The Land of Fire, Iwa's main camp.
"Haven't you found them yet?!" Onoki asked his subordinates with emotion.
"Tsuchikage-sama, even with the sensor ninja, we can't find them." The ninja continued, "They're like ghosts."
The sensor ninja could have found Souji's shadow clones, they were just really vigilant. Their soul sensing was always active, and they easily realized or knew which Iwa ninja entered their radar.
"Do you know about them? The new Anbu unit from Konoha?" Onoki asked. Even though Konoha was weak and injured, they still had a card to play. Onoki didn't know anything about this unit.
"I don't know, Tsuchikage-sama. There were no reports about this unit in the previous war."
"So it's possible that this unit was just formed. They really managed to make me angry." Onoki asked, "What about Han? Have they arrived?"
"Han-sama is almost at Tanzaku gai." Onoki nodded. "After Han arrives and controls Tanzaku gai, We will attack the Konoha forces with full force, and with Han behind them, we can besiege Konoha Village."
Onoki had carefully prepared this plan. With Hiruzen's decision to end the war with Iwagakure in the previous Shinobi World War, without asking for anything in return for Konoha's losses, Iwagakure could quickly recover its strength.
Of course, Onoki still held a grudge against Kumo. After defeating Konoha, Kumo would be the next target.
Therefore, he placed Roshi in the Taki forces. However, Onoki made an agreement with him that, once the war was over, he would no longer interfere with Roshi's affairs in the village. He also agreed to withdraw the Anbu assigned to watch Roshi. Most importantly, he agreed to provide money.
"That damn Roshi..." How could he, a ninja from Iwagakure, ask for payment for doing something for his village?
If only Roshi weren't a Jinchuriki, Onoki would have made him a rogue ninja a long time ago.
He put Roshi in the Taki forces to anticipate Kumo's movements. If Kumo intended to attack like the Third Raikage from the previous war, they could intercept them in the Land of Waterfall.
"Heh! Everything is according to my plan." Onoki said, adjusting his invisible glasses.
"..."
The ninja with Onoki remained silent, taken aback by his Tsuchikage's strange behavior.
Cough
"Ahem... I want the problems with the supply lines resolved as soon as possible." Onoki added, "If necessary, bring more main forces to deal with them."
"We must resolve this quickly before Han moves toward Konoha village." Onoki said.
"Yes." The ninja responded.
"..."
"..."
———————————————————
Land of Fire, Kumo's main camp.
"What about the villages around here, Cee?" The Raikage asked his subordinate.
"Unfortunately, we didn't find anything, Raikage-sama." Cee continued, "It seems they evacuated somewhere, perhaps even before we arrived."
"Tch! How could we be held back by the Anbu from Konoha?!" The Raikage added, "We have a much larger force!"
"Raikage-sama, I received information that the Anbu we are facing now are led by Copy Ninja Kakashi." Cee said.
"Ha! So that's the guy."
Although Kumo's situation could be considered a victory, they could only push back the Konoha ANBU without inflicting significant losses upon them. In fact, the Kumo ninjas had to be careful when fighting the Konoha ANBU. They threw kunai with explosive tags attached to it, when Kumo forces tried to get close.
The Konoha ANBU kept their distance, which annoyed many Kumo ninjas, including the Raikage. When he fought Kakashi, Kakashi used various tricks to avoid fighting him directly. Even when the Raikage clashed with Kakashi in taijutsu, Kakashi could keep up, but he preferred to escape and use long-range attacks.
"Damn Konoha ANBU." the Raikage growled. "What about Darui and B?"
"They have arrived in the waters of the Land of Iron."
A certainly hadn't forgotten his grudge against Iwagakure, which is why, long before they attacked Konoha, Darui and B led the Kumo forces across the sea to the Land of Earth, to wait for the situation between Iwa and Konoha to escalate.
What's happening now is exactly the situation A wanted. Darui and B haven't reached the Land of Earth yet, so A and his forces are giving Konoha some leeway to prioritize Iwa first. While Iwa and Konoha are fighting, Kumo will wait for Darui and B to arrive. Then, they will attack the Iwa Village while A attacks the Konoha Village.
"Heh! Onoki, you'll regret this!"
"..."
"..."
———————————————————
Hokage's Office, daytime.
During the break, Iruka called Souji and said that he had been summoned to the Hokage's office. Iruka then escorted Souji to the office.
"Souji, I apologize for not being able to train you these past few days." Hiruzen said.
"Well, that's not a problem. I heard the Fourth Shinobi World War broke out, so I thought you'd be busy." Souji said to Hiruzen.
Hiruzen smiled and nodded upon hearing that.
"So, what did you call me for?" Souji asked, noticing that besides Hiruzen, Shikaku and an old man were also present.
Souji knew who the old man was, the Eternal Genin, Maruboshi Kosuke.
"There are a few things I want to tell you." Hiruzen continued. "First, I officially recognize your clan, the Tendou Clan, as a registered clan in Konoha. This automatically makes you the leader of the Tendou Clan."
"..."
"Old man, where did you hear that name?" Souji had said his name was Tendou Souji, it was just a boast to look cool.
"Yes, I heard it when you introduced yourself. I have to admit, it suits you very well." said Hiruzen, nodding in satisfaction.
"Wait. If I have a clan and I'm the leader, do I have my own land?"
"Hm... Unfortunately, you have to buy it from the village or request it based on your clan's services or achievements that benefit the village." Hiruzen explained.
"..."
"I see. Then I will collect more money."
Twitch
Hiruzen's face twitched at that. Souji was truly a combination of his three students.
He likes to gamble, and always won, and is an expert in medical jutsu.
He cares about his friends and a writer too.
He is also a genius orphan from the civilian ninja who likes to create and have a sharp insight to ninjutsu.
Souji is the best of all his previous students.
Hiruzen knew that Souji gambled because he received reports from a gambling place in the village. They wanted a ninja from the village to investigate someone suspected of cheating. And because the payout was high, Hiruzen sent the Intelligence and Interrogation Division to complete the mission and even used the Telescope Jutsu to monitor the suspect.
Even the division team he sent didn't find anything strange about the person. After examining and watching him play, they once again concluded that he wasn't using any tricks to win.
In the end, the team returned to receive their payment, and the person left with a considerable amount of money.
But before Hiruzen deactivated his telescope jutsu, he saw the person turn into someone he knew, his student.
Seeing that made him sigh and smile.
Regarding Souji becoming a writer, Hiruzen found out when someone named Honda tried to confirm whether Souji was his student. There, Hiruzen learned that his student had written a book and that it was selling well.
Hiruzen read it and thought, 'How could he have such an imagination?' He thought that his student had taken the names Senjuuichi and Uchiwa from the Senju and Uchiha clans.
He was a genius in ninjutsu. Hiruzen didn't need to explain why he acknowledged Souji as a genius in ninjutsu. Of course, he hoped that Souji didn't have their bad traits as well.
'Hopefully.' Hiruzen thought.
Cough
"Second, Souji, I have decided that you will replace me as leader of the village while I lead on the front lines." Hiruzen said.
"..."
'This isn't the Hiruzen I know...' Souji thought doubtfully. Was the Hiruzen in front of him real? Or was he a White Zetsu in disguise?
"..."
The Hiruzen that Souji knew was a Hokage who never wanted to give up his seat, even until he died, and a Hokage who never wanted to lead troops on the front lines.
'Is this an AU? This must be an AU." Souji thought, nodding his head.
"So, I will be the temporary Hokage?" Souji asked.
"Yes." Hiruzen answered.
"Wait, old man. What if you die on the front lines?"
Twitch
Hiruzen's face twitched again upon hearing his student's words. 'Do you wish for me to die?' he thought.
Cough
"For that reason, I have decided that you will be the next Hokage." Hiruzen said, watching Shikaku and Kosuke nod.
"All right, I won't refuse that." Souji said.
"Of course. I hope you will return safely, old man."
Hiruzen nodded upon hearing that. "When I leave, I will also leave you with Shikaku and Kosuke. They will help you manage and secure the village."
"Also, Itachi and his team will be under your command." Hiruzen said.
Souji nodded. "Thank you for your help, Shikaku-san and Kosuke-san."
Both of them nodded their head.
"What about my school, old man?" Souji asked.
"As long as you're the village leader, you don't need to go to school." Hiruzen said.
"All right." Souji added. "Is there anything else?"
"No, you can go now."
"All right, goodbye, everyone." Souji said goodbye and left.
"..."
"What do you think, Kosuke?" Hiruzen asked.
"..."
"I'm not sure if I'm wrong, but I sense a powerful and dominant aura from him." Kosuke continued, "It's like I'm seeing Nidaime-sama when he was alive."
"Sensei... huh?" When Hiruzen saw Souji, he was reminded of his sensei from the past.
"I hope, you will help him if he has difficulties." Hiruzen said.
"Don't worry. I will help him."
"..."
"..."
———————————————————
Somewhere in the Land of Fire.
"Mm..."
Mariko felt her body grow lighter, and her weakness disappeared.
'Have I died?' She thought. Then, she opened her eyes.
She was in a small tent and saw people wearing all black and masks with oni faces.
'Am I in hell?' Mariko thought.
Maybe it was because she wasn't a good mother. She couldn't protect her daughter, Karin, who was now suffering as Mariko had.
"So, what is your name?" asked clone number one.
"Mariko." Mariko answered briefly.
"Uzumaki Mariko?"
"..."
Mariko thought. Maybe they knew she was an Uzumaki because of her hair color.
Realizing that dodging the question would be useless, she decided to be honest. "Yes, my name is Uzumaki Mariko."
Clone Number One nodded his head.
"Do you want to save your child?"
Mariko didn't know who they were, and they didn't seem to be from Kusa either. She didn't know if moving would improve or worsen her situation, but she chose to save her child first. At least she wouldn't leave Karin to suffer alone.
Mariko moved slowly and prostrated herself. "I beg you, please save my child." she said.
"..."
"What can you offer?"
"Anything."
"Hm? Even yourself?"
"Yes." Mariko answered with certainty.
"..."
"All right, I will save your child." Clone Number One looked at the other two clones, who nodded and then left the tent.
"Don't worry. We'll bring your child to you." Clone Number 1 added, "But first, you must eat." Then, clone number one gave Mariko food.
Shadow Clone Souji had many advantages, not only money from Kusa, but also supplies from Iwa. They planned to leave some shadow clones here to enter the Land of Earth and empty the supplies from Iwa.
How did they transport them? Iwa used storage scrolls to carry their supplies, that's how they could carry so much. Even if there were many scrolls, they could still carry them.
"..."
'What about Kumo?' Clone Number 1 thought. 'If I don't empty their supplies, Iwa will be jealous of Kumo.'
He also thought about using transformation jutsu to become an Iwa ninja who steals supplies from Kumo.
'Heh? I want to see how they react.'
"..."
"..."