After arriving at the Hokage Building, Hyuga Kagami realized the place was already filled with shinobi. A rough count suggested nearly a hundred were present, all of them chunin and jonin—there wasn't a single genin among them.
The Third Hokage summoning so many elite shinobi at once left no doubt about the seriousness of the situation.
Without a word, Hyuga Kagami quietly moved toward Team Eleven, standing in the corner.
Guy greeted him with his usual loud enthusiasm. "You're late! We've been waiting forever!"
Kagami didn't bother explaining he had come straight from the Forest of Death. Instead, he asked, "What's this emergency meeting all about?"
Everyone in Team Eleven shook their heads.
Clearly, not even their captain, Kakashi, knew the reason for the sudden summon.
"Maybe it's something to do with Iwagakure," Shisui speculated.
Kakashi nodded slightly in agreement.
Their recent clash with Iwagakure's assassination squad in the Land of Bears gave the Stone Village an excuse to retaliate. Everyone had mentally prepared for this possibility.
Due to the confidentiality order, they dropped the topic and started chatting about unrelated matters.
Before long, the Third Hokage arrived, accompanied by his advisors Mitokado Homura and Koharu Utatane, along with the clan heads of the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka families, and Hiashi Hyuga from the Hyuga clan.
The room fell silent the moment the Third Hokage appeared.
He stepped forward and addressed the gathered shinobi. "Two hours ago, we received word from the border: three days ago, Kumogakure launched a surprise attack on our Fire Country borders."
The sudden news turned the previously quiet room into a chaotic buzz.
Everyone immediately recalled the recently concluded Third Great Ninja War. Its brutal memories still haunted them, and the prospect of another war stirred deep unease.
The four members of Team Eleven were stunned and confused.
"Wasn't it supposed to be Iwagakure? Why is it Kumo now?" Guy muttered.
Kakashi frowned deeply. "This isn't good."
"You don't think Kumo and Iwa have teamed up, do you?" Shisui said quietly. "If they did..."
He trailed off. He didn't need to say more—they all understood. In Konoha's current state, they could never withstand a joint assault by both villages.
Recalling memories from his past life, Hyuga Kagami shook his head. "It's not that bad. The Third Raikage died at the hands of Iwagakure. Kumo won't ally with them, and Iwa won't trust Kumo either. Even if Iwa intended to attack us, they'll likely hold off after seeing Kumo move first, hoping both sides wear each other down."
He remembered that after the Third War, Konoha and Kumo did have a significant clash.
In fact, it was during Kumo's visit to sign a peace agreement that the incident with Hinata's attempted abduction and Hiashi's lethal response occurred.
That very incident led to Hizashi's eventual death.
Given all that, Kagami believed this conflict with Kumo could escalate but wouldn't reach the scale of a full-blown Great Ninja War.
After hearing Kagami's analysis, the members of Team Eleven sighed with some relief.
The Third Hokage raised his hand to quiet the crowd before continuing, "Based on current intel, the Kumo commanders are the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Killer B, and the Storm Release kekkei genkai jonin Aida. Also, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki Yugito Nii is among the assault force."
The revelation that Kumo had dispatched *two* Jinchuriki at once filled the room with outrage and concern.
Seeing the shaken crowd, the Third Hokage's tone turned firm and commanding. "You will be organized into advance units to intercept Kumo's invasion."
"Yes, sir!" the shinobi responded in unison, regaining some of their composure.
The Hokage continued, "Shikaku, until Jiraiya arrives, you will command the vanguard. Hiashi, you will serve as deputy commander."
Shikaku Nara and Hiashi Hyuga immediately stepped forward to accept their orders.
After casting a stern gaze across the crowd, the Third Hokage announced, "ANBU stay behind. Everyone else, prepare yourselves."
With a flurry of movement, shadow after shadow vanished from the hall.
Soon, only the Third Hokage, his advisors, and sixteen ANBU shinobi remained, including Team Eleven.
From Homura, the Third took four scrolls and distributed them to the ANBU captains. "Your missions are detailed in these scrolls. These assignments concern the village's safety. Give it your all."
All sixteen ANBU kneeled and answered in unison, "Understood, Hokage-sama. We will not fail."
The Third nodded. "Team Eleven, stay. The rest of you, go prepare."
After the other three ANBU squads left, the Third led Team Eleven alone to his office.
Lighting his pipe and taking a long puff, he finally said, "Normally, an ANBU member must serve at least a year before applying to learn advanced jutsu. But due to the severity of this mission, I, the Third Hokage, grant you special permission to apply for one advanced jutsu."
This privilege was granted to Hyuga Kagami, Guy, and Shisui.
Their captain Kakashi, already a veteran ANBU, wasn't included in the offer.
Caught off guard by the benefit, Kagami paused to think before asking, "What level of jutsu are we allowed to learn, Hokage-sama?"
The Third puffed his pipe. "Some A-rank, and the vast majority of B-rank jutsu."
Kagami began to seriously consider his options...
---
At the Fire Country's border with the Land of Rain.
A sharp screech cut through the air as a swift and majestic Konoha messenger hawk soared over the valleys, headed toward the Land of Rain.
These hawks, specially trained by Konoha, were apex predators of the skies—fast, fearless, and with few natural threats. They were reserved for only the most urgent communications.
Suddenly, from an unknown direction, a shuriken shot through the air, striking the hawk in mid-flight with deadly precision.
*Boom!*
The hawk plummeted, crashing hard against a cliffside.
The air twisted unnaturally on the cliff, and a swirling vortex formed. From it emerged a mysterious masked man with a single eyehole.
He casually picked up the fallen hawk and removed a small scroll tied to its leg. Unfurling it, he scanned its contents and chuckled.
"Looks like Jiraiya won't be receiving this message after all."