Chapter 483 - Dawn of WAR!!!

In the Hokage's office.

As soon as Konan saw him appear, she silently handed over a document.

Kitazawa opened the file and skimmed through it.

Iwagakure had successfully completed construction of a second chakra cannon.

He wasn't surprised.

Iwagakure's overall strength was no weaker than Kumogakure's.

For them to assemble another Chakra Cannon in such a short time was only natural.

On the other hand, Kirigakure and Sunagakure were progressing much more slowly.

Kirigakure in particular was short on funds and had been forced to borrow money from Iwagakure and Kumogakure.

Kitazawa set the document down and gave the Hokage's desk a pat.

Konan immediately leaned over it.

Her long legs wrapped in black stockings stayed perfectly straight as she bent forward, her hips tilting up.

The tight skirt hugging her waist and hips curved into an enticing line.

Kitazawa reached out and slipped an arm around her waist.

For the two of them, this had already become part of their daily routine.

At night, Kitazawa belonged to Tsunade and Kurenai.

He could only spend time with Konan during the day.

So whenever there was a lull in work, the two would "discuss" things in the Hokage's office.

Time flowed by.

By the end of September, a wintry chill had already settled over Konoha, and the temperature had dropped sharply.

It didn't affect Kitazawa at all.

He bore the Yin Seal.

The Yin Seal could regulate the body, including its tolerance to heat and cold.

The Yang Seal he had modified on the basis of the Yin Seal had a similar effect.

When the first snowflakes drifted down, the calendar had already turned to December.

December marked the year's end.

All over the village, people were already preparing early for the New Year.

But the liveliest place was the Hyuga compound.

Because December 27th was Hyuga Hinata's birthday.

Hinata's status was no longer what it used to be.

As the personal disciple of the Sixth Hokage, Kitazawa, there was no way her birthday would be treated lightly.

Early morning.

Snow still fell steadily outside the window.

"Wow!"

Hanabi beamed, eyes sparkling. "Sister, you look so beautiful!"

Because it was both her birthday and close to the New Year, Hinata had changed into a white kimono.

"If Sister had longer hair, it would look even better with that kimono," Hanabi said, tilting her head as she considered it.

"Then I'll grow my hair out from now on," Hinata replied softly, gently stroking Hanabi's head.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

"I'll get it!"

Hanabi dashed over and pulled the door open.

When she saw who was standing outside, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Kitazawa-sensei!"

Hinata hurriedly straightened her kimono, stepped forward, and bowed slightly.

"Happy birthday. This is for you," Kitazawa said, taking out a gift box.

"Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei," Hinata answered, her cheeks flushing. "You didn't have to come all this way yourself."

"It's better to give this one in person," Kitazawa replied. "It's a pair of gauntlets I crafted."

Almost without thinking, Hinata lifted the lid of the box.

Inside lay a pair of white gauntlets, resting quietly against the lining.

"Kitazawa-sensei, you're really amazing!" Hanabi exclaimed, full of admiration.

Even at a glance, the Gauntlets looked anything but ordinary. She could faintly sense a dangerous aura radiating from them.

She had visited many ninja tool shops, yet had rarely seen a ninja tool that could compare to this.

And these had been crafted personally by Kitazawa.

His image in Hanabi's heart grew even more towering—

Though in her eyes, he had already been nearly omnipotent.

In truth, these Gauntlets had been created through Yin–Yang Release.

Although Hinata mainly relied on the Moon Chasing Bow now, she would still occasionally use the Gentle Fist.

"The next time it's your birthday, I'll give you a pair too."

Kitazawa said as he reached out and pinched Hanabi's small cheek.

"It's a promise then!"

Hanabi's eyes lit up. "Kitazawa-sensei, you're not allowed to go back on your word!"

"I'm the Hokage. I don't break my promises." Kitazawa replied, lightly tapping her forehead.

With his power, creating two pairs of gauntlets with Yin–Yang Release was hardly any effort.

"Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei!"

Hanabi's voice was full of delight.

"I won't bother you anymore. I'll come back in the evening."

Kitazawa didn't linger and turned to leave.

Hinata's birthday banquet would be held that evening.

There was no need for him to wait around all day.

By the time the sun was sinking in the west, Kitazawa pushed open the door to the Konoha Casino.

Even though work hours were over, the place was still packed.

He headed straight upstairs.

It was much quieter on the upper floor.

Sweeping his gaze across the room, he quickly spotted Tsunade sitting in front of a slot machine.

Kitazawa walked up behind her and pulled her soft, full body into his arms.

"There are outsiders here!"

Tsunade shot him a glare.

"Relax. No one will notice."

Kitazawa said with a grin.

They were tucked away in a secluded corner, and he had casually set up a barrier around them.

"Don't make trouble."

Tsunade huffed.

Kitazawa's hands were already "helping" her clothes ease some of their burden.

"Tsunade-sensei."

Feeling the weight in his palms, Kitazawa reminded her, "We still have to go to Hinata's birthday banquet tonight."

"It's still early, isn't it?"

Tsunade curled her lip. "I'll play for another hour."

"Then I'll 'play' for an hour too."

Kitazawa replied, face completely straight.

"…"

Tsunade couldn't help but grab his wrist.

If this kept up, there was no way she could focus on the slot machine.

"To the Hyuga Clan!"

Tsunade stood up and stomped on his foot as she spoke.

Kitazawa only smiled, not taking it to heart, and followed her out of the Casino.

By the time they arrived at the Hyuga compound, many guests were already there.

After all, Hinata was no longer the timid girl she once was.

On top of that, word had spread that Kitazawa would be attending, so everyone had hurried to join Hinata's birthday celebration.

Hiashi welcomed everyone without turning anyone away.

After all, the weakest guests present were Special Jonin.

Jonin after jonin came forward to show goodwill, which was undoubtedly a boon for the Hyuga Clan.

Just as Kitazawa and Tsunade reached the entrance, Hiashi was already there to greet them personally.

After exchanging a few polite words, they stepped into the courtyard.

"Over here!"

Kurenai waved when she saw them.

Kitazawa and Tsunade walked over.

Besides Kurenai, Shizune, Asuma, Kakashi, and a few others were gathered there as well.

Kitazawa swept his gaze around.

Not far away, he spotted Neji, Sasuke, Naruto, Konohamaru, and the others.

"You're the Hokage. You should really sit at the head table."

Tsunade reminded him.

By "head table," she meant the one where Fugaku and the other clan heads were seated.

"I'm the Hokage. I can sit wherever I want."

Kitazawa replied casually.

"Suit yourself then."

Tsunade had no love for formality either.

She didn't insist, instead casually picking up a bottle of sake from the table and giving it a sniff.

Her eyes brightened, and she nodded, satisfied.

This sake was quite good.

"Lady Tsunade…"

Seeing that look, Shizune couldn't help but say, "Please drink a little less."

"Mind your own business."

Tsunade leaned her weight against Kitazawa and muttered, "If I get drunk, he'll take me back."

"..."

Shizune could only stare, at a loss for words.

Not long after, Hinata's birthday banquet officially began.

As expected, Tsunade drank to her heart's content—and, in the end, Kitazawa carried her back.

The next morning marked both a new day and the start of the New Year holiday.

Kitazawa's plans for the break were simple: spend a few relaxing days having fun with Tsunade, Kurenai, Konan, and the others.

But the plan was ruined on the second day.

Kumogakure, Sunagakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure jointly issued a public notice demanding the return of the Tailed Beasts.

If Konohagakure refused, they would immediately initiate the Fourth Great Ninja War.

Hokage Office.

Kitazawa unrolled the scroll and began to read.

It bore the seals of Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure.

The Fourth Raikage, Ōnoki, Mei Terumī, and Rasa had all signed their names.

"This is basically a declaration of war," Kitazawa said with a faint smile after he finished.

Konan frowned slightly.

She didn't recognize the exact term "declaration of war," but she understood the intent behind the scroll.

On the surface, it was a demand for the Tailed Beasts. In essence, it was no different from the four great ninja villages declaring war on Konoha.

If it were anyone else in this position, they would probably already be restless with anxiety.

But the moment she thought of Kitazawa's strength, Konan's heart settled, and she grew as calm as he was.

"Notify everyone that we'll convene a jonin meeting after the New Year holiday ends," Kitazawa said after a moment's thought.

A war involving all five Great Ninja Villages wouldn't erupt within a single week.

Besides, judging from the wording of the scroll, the four villages still held onto a sliver of hope:

They were still waiting to see if Konoha would return the Tailed Beasts.

If Konoha truly handed them back, the Fourth Great Ninja War might very well be called off.

More importantly, Konoha had White Zetsu on its side, allowing it to monitor enemy movements at all times.

If the four great villages tried to launch a surprise attack during the New Year holiday, there was no way it would succeed.

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

Konan responded immediately and withdrew.

After she left, Kitazawa laced his fingers together and rested his chin on them, sinking into thought.

He began to consider what attack routes the four villages might choose.

Konoha sat at the center of the ninja world.

That meant the four great villages couldn't simply replicate the original timeline's strategy of gathering a united Shinobi Alliance in one place. No matter where they tried to assemble, it would be almost impossible to avoid passing through the Land of Fire.

Even if they somehow managed it, bringing together so many shinobi from four different villages would be no easy feat.

Konoha could easily disrupt any large-scale assembly.

So the most probable strategy was obvious: the four great villages would surround Konoha from all directions and attack from four sides.

That way, they wouldn't need any detours; they could march straight toward the village.

Kitazawa casually pulled out a map of the ninja world and spread it open.

Iwagakure and Sunagakure were relatively close to Konoha and would likely arrive first.

Kumogakure was at a middle distance, while Kirigakure was the farthest away.

After a short consideration, Kitazawa decided that Konoha would also split its forces into four directions.

In other words, all shinobi would be divided into four units to meet the four great villages head-on.

The commanders of each unit would be critical.

In addition, seven ninja squads had been organized under Sasuke and Neji.

Each of their teams now included a Jinchuriki, making their combined strength truly formidable.

It was no exaggeration to say that any one of these squads could shift the course of a battlefield.

[Current Mission: Defeat the Four Great Ninja Villages.]

[Mission Reward: 80% of a physique identical to Senju Hashirama's. ]

[Accept?]

A soft sound of surprise escaped Kitazawa as the system interface suddenly appeared before him.

He hadn't expected the reward to be 80% of a physique identical to Senju Hashirama's.

Previously, the system had given him a mission to help Uzumaki Naruto become a Perfect Jinchuriki.

The reward for that had been 20% of a physique identical to Senju Hashirama's.

In other words, once he completed both missions, he would possess 100% of a physique identical to Senju Hashirama's.

Kitazawa thought it over for a moment and quickly grasped the reasoning behind it.

Back in the Warring States Period, before the village system even existed, it was Senju Hashirama's sudden rise that brought an end to the age of chaos.

And ending that chaos was, in essence, the same as defeating the other ninja factions.

So it was only natural that Kitazawa would trigger this kind of mission.

He already had no shortage of chakra, but there was no such thing as too much.

Before long, noon arrived.

After a full morning of deliberation, Kitazawa had roughly settled the arrangements for the four units.

All that remained was to wait for next week's Jonin meeting.

"I'll take you back."

Kitazawa rose to his feet as he spoke.

It was the New Year holiday; if not for the sudden declaration from the four great villages, he wouldn't have bothered coming in at all.

At his words, Konan immediately ran over and planted herself in front of him.

She just stood there and looked up at him.

In her cool eyes, a faint glimmer of anticipation could be seen.

Kitazawa couldn't stop himself from giving her buttocks a light pat.

He bent down, slipped his hands under her black-stockinged thighs, and lifted her into a princess carry.

In the next instant, Kitazawa appeared in Konan's Anbu dormitory.

"Will you have lunch here today?"

Konan leaned against him, her voice soft.

"Since you're asking like that, of course I'll have lunch here."

Kitazawa lowered his head and captured her soft lips in a kiss.

After a long, heated kiss, he set her back on her feet.

"I'll cook," Konan said, steadying her breath.

"Mm."

Kitazawa nodded.

Konan turned and walked toward the kitchen.

Kitazawa sat down on the sofa, gaze naturally following her.

Since it was a single-person dorm, the space wasn't large. The kitchen and bathroom in particular felt a bit cramped.

But for someone living alone, it was more than enough.

Then Kitazawa's eyes widened.

As she stepped into the kitchen, Konan slipped off her women's suit jacket and pencil skirt.

She kept only her black stockings on and put on an apron.

The apron was held up by thin straps, baring her pale shoulders, and its hem only reached her thighs.

Viewed from the side, the sight was… overwhelmingly seductive.

Yet Konan's expression didn't change at all. She remained as cool and composed as ever.

It made Kitazawa feel as if this outfit were perfectly normal for her.

That sharp contrast made it impossible for him to stay seated.

He stood and walked into the kitchen.

What greeted him was Konan's smooth back, her full curves, and those long legs wrapped in black stockings.

Kitazawa couldn't help thinking she was doing this on purpose.

No—there was no need to guess. She definitely was.

The longer Konan stayed with him, the better she understood him.

Most of the time, she didn't need many words to know exactly what he wanted.

Kitazawa stepped forward and pulled Konan into his arms, embracing her soft, delicately fragrant body.

He lowered his head and gently bit her slender, pale shoulder.

Konan's body trembled, but she continued cooking as if Kitazawa weren't there at all.

Kitazawa smiled.

This kind of experience was completely new to him.

He glanced at Konan's impassive profile, his hands slowly sliding upward.

Her breathing caught for a moment, then smoothed out again.

But it didn't last. In the next instant, her breathing turned shallow and quick.

Konan felt her heart begin to stir.

Even so, she didn't let go of her task: cooking.

Then, all of a sudden, the flame beneath the pot went out.

Konan was briefly taken aback. Just as she reached out to relight the stove, a pair of hands closed firmly around her slender waist.

Her snow-white toes lifted from the floor.

Konan instinctively grabbed the edge of the table in front of her.

Her long hair spilled down around her, and the corners of her lips curved faintly upward.

Because she had won this little contest.

However, victory was short-lived. Before long, she was like willow catkins in the wind, endlessly swaying.

After lunch, Kitazawa returned home.

A week passed in a flash.

Although it was the New Year holiday, the joint proclamation from the Four Great Villages had already spread throughout Konoha.

Every ninja knew what was happening.

Many were uneasy.

But even more of them were fired up with excitement and anticipation.

They believed in Kitazawa's strength, convinced that even against four villages at once, they could still win.

Clan heads like Fugaku and Hiashi, in particular, saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

War meant merit.

In every war, some shinobi rose above the rest—some even became Hokage.

Just like Minato, who had made his name in the Third Shinobi World War.

This time, even more ninjas needed to carve their names into history in this Shinobi World War.

Ninja such as Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuga Hinata, and Uzumaki Naruto, among others.

The people standing behind them knew that if they didn't make a name for themselves in this war, there might never be another chance like this—there might never be another Shinobi World War.

After all, if Konoha won, they could unify the entire ninja world.

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