After the Third Raikage formulated his strategic withdrawal, he led the Hidden Cloud forces on their return, while the ninja world descended into uproar. The sudden news of the battle in the Land of Whirlpools reached the major ninja villages, leaving them enraged and bewildered.
As Tamura Hao and Dodai had anticipated, the Hidden Mist Village fell into internal conflict. The rift between the Third Mizukage and the noble clans deepened into open hostility.
Though they had not begun an overt civil war, secret operations had already commenced—especially over control of the Three-Tails and Six-Tails. Each faction was determined to claim the tailed beasts as leverage.
In the Sand Village, fury boiled. The thousands of elite troops they dispatched failed to retrieve a single sealing technique. Nearly all perished, with only four survivors limping home. Even the legendary siblings, Chiyo and Ebizō, were left crippled and would need years to recover.
Furious, the Third Kazekage personally led a vanguard of shinobi to the border, prepared to punish Konoha's army with a devastating reprisal.
The situation in Iwagakure was no different. The loss of their spy, Xi Shi Ren, in the Land of Whirlpools—supposedly poisoned by Konoha—was taken as an act of war.
Though the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, did not go to the front lines himself, he dispatched a massive military force toward the Land of Fire.
Naturally, the Hidden Cloud moved in step. Even before Konoha could mobilize its elite Uchiha detachment, the Third Raikage had already sent troops into the Land of Hot Springs, using the mountain passes to establish fortified defensive lines.
Meanwhile, Hanzo of the Rain declared formal hostilities against Konoha. The Amegakure dictator aligned his forces with both Iwagakure and Sunagakure, escalating the situation into a multi-front war.
The Fire Daimyo and Konoha descended into chaos. Although the village still held significant military power, even the mighty Konoha could not easily withstand the combined pressure of three Great Villages—not to mention Hanzo, a demigod-level shinobi, who had already defeated the Sannin in their youth.
What made matters worse for Sarutobi Hiruzen was the exposure of the true events in the Land of Whirlpools. He now faced external aggression and mounting internal backlash.
Lady Mito, the widow of the First Hokage and former Nine-Tails jinchūriki, had summoned him for a private audience.
This, even as he mourned the annihilation of his elite squad—and the possible death of his son, Shinnosuke.
The political situation in the village had to be suppressed swiftly. If unrest spread, it would all be over.
"Is this what you call support?"
Hiruzen glared furiously at the old comrade seated across from him. He had entrusted Danzo to stabilize Konoha's position, not throw it into deeper turmoil.
To make matters worse, Danzo's secret Sharingan transplant had been exposed, prompting a formal demand for explanation from the Uchiha clan's acting leader.
With most Uchiha away on the front lines, no immediate retaliation had occurred—but if they were in the village, a civil confrontation would have erupted.
Tampering with kekkei genkai—especially the Sharingan—was an unforgivable transgression.
Danzo Shimura remained silent, his face cold. The assault on the Land of Whirlpools had been a disaster. The greatest miscalculation was underestimating the Uzumaki clan's alliance with Hidden Cloud and their covert evacuation of key members.
Now, part of the Uzumaki clan had safely reached Kumogakure by sea, and the narrative could no longer be controlled.
Worse yet, the elite Root detachment Danzo had led was decimated. This loss not only weakened his position, but also severely crippled their faction's overall strength.
Mitokado Homura removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Hiruzen, anger won't change anything. We must issue a blanket denial. Claim Kumogakure is spreading misinformation. Given Mito-sama's current health, she may refrain from pursuing it."
"But the Sharingan issue must be addressed immediately," he added gravely. "If word spreads to the Uchiha stationed at the border, they might abandon their posts and return in revolt."
Sarutobi's voice was ice. "Danzo, prepare a fallback explanation."
This matter could not escalate. Danzo was not just a Root commander—he was Hiruzen's political ally. To the wider shinobi public, they were indistinguishable.
If Danzo were to fall under suspicion, Hiruzen would also be implicated.
Worse, if the other clans lost faith, Hiruzen could be pressured to abdicate as Hokage.
After a long pause, Danzo slowly peeled off the bandages covering his eye. Beneath it was a strange dōjutsu.
"This is not the Sharingan," he said flatly. "It's the Blood Dragon Eye—taken from the Land of Lightning."
He had foreseen the danger of his Sharingan transplant being discovered and had already prepared a substitute: a powerful eye from the ancient Blood Pond Clan of the Lightning Country. Though not as renowned as the Sharingan, it was known for its potent genjutsu and ominous chakra.
"The Blood Pond Clan? The one suppressed by the Uchiha long ago?" Hiruzen asked, eyes narrowing. "They were exiled after crossing the Lightning Daimyō. The Uchiha were tasked with guarding them, under Lightning's special authorization—no interference from Hidden Cloud."
He recalled fragments of history. The Blood Pond Clan's dōjutsu was rumored to rival the Sharingan in its genjutsu capabilities.
"Its chakra is indeed sinister," Utatane Koharu noted as she examined Danzo's eye. "But convincing enough. We can publicly declare it a Blood Dragon Eye and accuse Kumogakure of lying."
Their strategy was clear. Frame the incident as an act of psychological warfare. Claim Kumogakure fabricated the story to shake Uchiha morale and sow discord.
How underhanded.
"Come with me. First, we speak with the Senju."
Hiruzen rose. The only way forward was to deny, discredit, and control the damage. Once that was done, they would visit the Uchiha and try to cool tensions.
Only after both fires were doused could he turn to the matter of his son.
Kumogakure had no reason to kill Shinnosuke. There was still room for negotiation.
Danzo gave no reply. He simply followed Hiruzen out.
Before long, they arrived at the Senju compound. Under sharp, cold gazes from the few remaining Senju, they proceeded to the quarters of Uzumaki Mito.
Mito said nothing. She simply stared.
The weight of her gaze—calm but soul-piercing—was suffocating. Neither Hiruzen nor Danzo could utter the justifications they had prepared.
Only by facing the First Hokage's wife—holder of the Nine-Tails for decades—could one understand her true might.
After nearly an hour of silence, Mito finally spoke, her voice weary and sorrowful.
"The Uzumaki have chosen Kumogakure. We are no longer Konoha's allies. Remove every Uzumaki emblem from this village."
She had seen the rise and fall of eras—from the Warring States to the present. She had carried the burden of her clan's alliance with Konoha and the Nine-Tails for a lifetime.
She had sacrificed everything for peace and watched as her people were hunted because of that very alliance.
She knew Sarutobi's tactics, and she had no interest in hearing him spin lies.
It was her loyalty to Hashirama that brought her to Konoha. She became its jinchūriki. She fought in the First Great Ninja War. All for Konoha.
And now, her clan had nearly perished at the hands of Tobirama's disciples.
The only solace was that the survivors had found safety in the Cloud.
But the bond between the Uzumaki and Konoha was severed.
Some ties, no matter how deep, had to be cut.