The Gathering Storm

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Meanwhile, in the Land of Fire, Konoha village bustled with the activities of a large number of ninjas.

They were all busy preparing for the upcoming war, which was sure to be one of the deadliest and most brutal.

More than 2,000 of them were already assembled, waiting patiently for the remaining ninjas to arrive so that they could finalize their plans and begin their march towards the battlefield.

To ensure their strength and vitality, they spared no expense in their preparations. They bought ninja tools, stocked up on food, and even hired chefs.

In a move that surprised many, Fugaku proposed the idea of hiring chefs to ensure their meals were not only nutritious but also healthy.

"Ninjas need strength to combat, and they have to eat well," he explained. "They are not going on missions, but to war. When we have our own camp, why should we eat those bland ninja pills?"

With their bodies fueled by nutritious food, they would surely be better equipped to face the challenges ahead.

Soldier pills are a type of military ration that was historically consumed by ninjas. They were made of various ingredients, such as rice, wheat, yams, ginseng, sugar, and pickled plum.

They were designed to nourish the body, replenish one's chakra, and allow the user to keep fighting for several days without rest. However, they also had some drawbacks, such as causing exhaustion and having a bad taste. Soldier pills are described as tasting like wax and having no enjoyment from eating them.

Fugaku even went a step further; he ordered them to bring in cooks—they seemed like they were about to embark on a vacation, not a war!

Everyone knew that the Uchiha was the primary force, with the ino-shika-cho clan assisting them. There was even a rumor circulating that it was the Uchiha's patriarch who took the initiative to request the third hokage, increasing the favorable impression of the villagers towards the Uchiha clan.

However, these rumors were also Fugaku's doing.

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"Akihiko..." Mikoto held baby Itachi in her arms as she called out to Akihiko, who was busy preparing.

Akihiko turned around and asked, "What's happened, sister-in-law?"

"Please pass this letter to Fugaku," Mikoto said, holding out an envelope with a happy smile. "This is the photo that Fugaku asked for."

Akihiko smiled and nodded. "Don't worry, sister-in-law; leave it to me."

"Thank you," Mikoto said.

Although she wanted to participate in the war alongside her husband, she knew that she had to look after their child.

For the sake of the next generation, pregnant women were not allowed to take on missions, much less go to war. As a ninja, she understood that it was necessary to ensure their future.

Akihiko Embarrassingly, he scratched his head and asked, "Okay, but sister-in-law, you have a child, right? How can you walk yourself? Why not ask Megumi to deliver it?"

"She went grocery shopping!" Mikoto responded with a smile. "Besides, I'm fine after a week."

Akihiko's eyes looked at the surroundings, worried about Mikoto walking so far with the baby. Suddenly, his gaze halted on an Uchiha kid who was watching the commotion nearby.

"Hey, you there, come here," Akihiko called out to the kid. Shisui walked over to them, looking respectful, and asked him, "What can I do for you?"

"Can you help me send my sister-in-law back?" Akihiko asked. "Is that okay?"

"No problem," Shisui replied respectfully as he was distracted by baby Itachi.

Mikoto wanted to decline the offer, but looking at how excited the kid was, she changed her mind. Though he looked young, she could see maturity in his eyes, which set him apart from his age. She realized who he was and why her husband mentioned him about once.

At nine years old, Shisui was not allowed to go to war, so he took on other duties in the village.

"Your name is Uchiha Shisui?" Mikoto asked with a smile as she held Itachi and walked home with the kid next to her.

"Yes, Aunt Mikoto. And is this... Itachi, the clan head's son?" Shisui looks at the child in her arms.

"Yes, that's right. Itachi." Mikoto.

He was proof of their love in this world. When she thought of her husband, she couldn't help but wonder: if he were still at the border, would he be with Tsunade-sama?

"Uchiha Itachi?" Shisui looked at the sleeping baby and spoke with a smile. "So cute!"

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In the forest of Kawanokoku.

A man sprinted through the shadows of trees, adorned in a green vest that bore the symbol of Konoha Village. His blood-red eyes scanned the surroundings as he hunted for his prey.

However, to his dismay, Shinobi's enemy forces were more large than he expected, as they had infiltrated the border line.

With caution, he halted abruptly when he noticed two thin wires at his feet, crafted in black and gray to blend in with the shade of the trees—only someone with keen eyesight could spot them.

As he surveyed his surroundings, it became evident that these wires were part of a trap. It seemed that Shinobi had set up many traps along the way.

Fugaku, being a keen observer, knew that for the trap to be effective, someone would usually hide near it.

He had learned from some people he met on the road that in this kind of forest, it was easy to trigger a trap. Fugaku's sharigen surveyed the area and quickly identified several possible hiding spots.

"So there you are," Fugaku murmured, wondering if they were lurking in the woods, ready to pounce.

He didn't bother looking for them. Fugaku formed a hand seal and molded his chakra.

"Wood Release: Underground Roots Technique."

This was not a desert, but green woods. With control of the chakra, roots began to grow wildly.

With a rustle, five figures in yellow vests emerged from the woods. Seeing Fugaku, they charged at him.

"Five more to go," Fugaku mutters, knowing that he is one step ahead of his opponents.