"Kumogakure?!!"
Uzumaki Chihaya's brows furrowed deeply, his fingers unconsciously tapping against the table.
"Yes, Father," said Uzumaki Chisawa, his face showing helplessness and a faint bitter smile. "Mori mentioned it specifically in his secret letter — he was worried that if word got out, it would cause panic throughout the village."
"Kumo's foreign policy has always been aggressively expansionist. Those dark-skinned savages are as shameless as they are brutal. Mori fears that the Third Raikage himself might lead a team across the Land of Hot Springs, launching a surprise seaborne attack on Uzushio…"
Even though Kumogakure had been relatively quiet since that so-called 'Alliance Ceremony', Senju Mori had never relaxed his vigilance toward those warmongers.
After all, these were the same people who, dissatisfied with a peace treaty, staged a coup, assassinated their own Kage during a major diplomatic event, and — worst of all — succeeded.
If the Uchiha had ever shown that kind of resolve, well…
They'd have been wiped out long ago.
Otherwise, what?
Madara had already left — and those few worthless remnants still dreamed of becoming Hokage? Ridiculous.
Anyway, back to the main point —
It was precisely because Mori feared Kumo might act that he had specifically warned Uzushio to tighten its defenses, recommending that all war-time barrier systems be activated ahead of time.
If Kumogakure really launched an assault, Mori would rush to their aid immediately — but the Uzumaki clan had to be able to hold out until Konoha's reinforcements arrived.
Fortunately, one of the reasons the Uzumaki clan had survived for so long — aside from their unique bloodline and their alliance with the powerful Senju — was their prudence and willingness to listen to reason.
Before nightfall, layer upon layer of barrier seals flared to life above Uzushio, forming a massive semi-transparent dome of light that enclosed the entire village.
From afar, it looked like a giant crystal egg standing upon the sea, gleaming with an otherworldly radiance beneath the setting sun.
As for the sudden activation of the village barrier, Chihaya didn't reveal the true fear of a Kumo invasion. Instead, he simply stated that the Great Ninja War wasn't yet fully over, and thus vigilance was still required.
The next morning, an eight-man delegation officially set out with Senju Tao's team on their journey to Konoha.
Since this was a formal diplomatic visit between allied villages, the Uzumaki sent not only Chisawa himself but also an elder of the clan, accompanied by six carefully selected elite jōnin.
Such a formation clearly demonstrated how seriously Uzushiogakure took their alliance with Konoha.
...
After just a day and a half, Uzumaki Chisawa once again reached the outskirts of Konohagakure.
When the faint outline of the village came into view, he saw — in the distance — a familiar figure.
Senju Mori, wearing the Hokage's hat, his ceremonial robe fluttering in the wind, the words "Third Hokage" emblazoned in fiery red on his back.
Behind him, the afternoon sunlight gilded the ever-green forests with a brilliant golden edge. The wind whispered through the leaves — like the murmurs of the earth itself.
The sight filled Chisawa's heart with deep emotion.
The forests surrounding Konoha hadn't changed; they were still as serene and peaceful as ever. Yet his circumstances between his first and second visits could not have been more different — as though heaven and earth had swapped places.
The first time, he had snuck in secretly, hiding from Fire Country patrols and avoiding Konoha's detection barriers, creeping like a rat through the shadows.
This time, he came as the official envoy of the Land of Whirlpools, welcomed as an honored guest, while his dearest friend Senju Mori — now the Hokage himself — stood waiting personally to greet him outside the village gates.
"Mori…" Chisawa whispered softly.
"Mori," he said aloud, a smile tugging at his lips.
Mori strode forward quickly, smiling brightly.
"Chisawa — you've finally arrived."
"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Lord Hokage~"
Uzumaki Chisawa greeted him with a teasing smile.
"Don't give me that—" Senju Mori's grin deepened as he leaned in slightly, lowering his voice so that only the two of them could hear.
"What, are you trying to remind me to start preparing your clan's congratulatory gift early?"
As he spoke, Mori stepped aside and gestured behind him.
"You came at just the right time — let me introduce you to my new students."
Only then did Chisawa notice the three small figures standing behind Mori.
During the few days Senju Tao had spent traveling between Konoha and Uzushio, Mori had already officially taken on three disciples, forming what would be known as Team Mori — with the Hokage himself serving as their jōnin instructor.
Mori reached out first and ruffled the hair of a blonde girl, her silky locks gleaming under the light, and said with an easy smile:
"You already know Tsunade, so I don't need to introduce her."
"Uncle Chisawa!~"
Tsunade, clearly familiar with him as well, waved cheerfully with one small hand, her grin bright and lively.
Mori's gaze then shifted to the boy standing beside her.
"This is Sakumo — Shuichi's son. He's shown remarkable talent with the sword."
Following his glance, Chisawa saw a white-haired boy with an ordinary short blade strapped to his back.
He was the shortest of the three, yet stood upright with perfect posture.
"Lord Chisawa."
Hatake Sakumo bowed slightly — polite and precise, every movement disciplined and respectful.
Finally, there was the third boy — his skin a bit pale, with long black hair and golden, slit-like eyes that gleamed like a serpent's. Dressed in a purple kimono, he stood silently, his gaze coolly taking in everything around him.
Seeing Chisawa's curious look, Mori explained:
"This is Orochimaru — this year's top student at the Academy. He reminds me a lot of Lord Tobirama when he was young. A true prodigy of ninjutsu."
"Lord Chisawa."
Orochimaru also bowed — his manners impeccable, though his voice was hoarse, carrying a faintly cold, distant tone.
"You… really—"
Chisawa gave a helpless chuckle and muttered under his breath, "You take on students this important and don't even tell me in advance? How am I supposed to prepare proper gifts when I'm rushing over like this?"
Even as he complained, his hand slipped into his ninja pouch, and after a brief moment of rummaging, he pulled out three talismans inscribed with the character "封" (Seal).
"Luckily, I still have these specially made sealing tags. They should be presentable enough."
At the sight of those tags, Mori's expression turned oddly complicated, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
The items were indeed exceptional — high-grade sealing tags crafted by the Uzumaki, among the finest in the entire shinobi world.
The only problem was that the reason Chisawa had just a few left in his pouch…
…was because he had already "gifted" the rest to a certain unlucky Uchiha Kagami during an incident best left unspoken.
"Thank you, Uncle Chisawa!~" Tsunade's eyes sparkled with recognition; she eagerly accepted the gift with both hands.
Sakumo and Orochimaru, however, didn't immediately reach out — instead, they both looked to Mori for approval.
Seeing this, Mori could only smile helplessly and nod, signaling for them to accept.
"We are deeply grateful for your generosity, Lord Chisawa." the two boys said in unison, bowing respectfully.
Laughing and chatting, the group of five continued down the forest path, sunlight filtering through the leaves as they walked toward the distant gates of Konohagakure.