Imminent
Kushina Uzumaki, nestled in Chiba's arms, had dozed off again, her head resting gently against his chest.
Feeling Kushina's steady, even breathing, Chiba felt as if a surge of vitality coursed through his veins—his entire body ignited with renewed strength, light as a feather. It was as if happiness itself had been injected directly into his soul.
When Chiba returned to Konoha, the journey had felt like mere moments, yet the swift passage of time weighed heavily on him. He sighed silently, aware of how quickly the days slipped away.
Back within the protective walls of Konoha, Chiba's warm smile vanished like mist in sunlight, replaced by an impenetrable, cold demeanor.
The handful of jonin stationed at the village gate immediately noticed Kushina in Chiba's arms and hurried to surround them.
"Chiba, what's going on? Why are you returning with Kushina Uzumaki from outside the village without prior notice?"
Konoha's strict security protocols mandated registration for any departures or returns—especially during turbulent times.
Chiba's gaze, icy and sharp, swept over the gathered ninjas. "Kushina was kidnapped from Konoha by ninjas from the Hidden Cloud Village. Haven't you noticed yet?"
The words landed like a thunderclap. The shock on the ninjas' faces was palpable.
It wasn't just that Kushina had been kidnapped—it was that she had been taken from Konoha's very heart. That was an unforgivable breach.
One of the jonin immediately sprinted toward the Hokage's office to report the grave news to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Chiba ignored the flurry of questions and pressed onward alone.
One of the ninjas, growing frustrated, called out sharply, "Hey, Chiba! Answer us! You can't just walk away!"
Without looking back, Chiba's voice cut through the air like a blade: "What good would it do? You guard this village, yet you remain blind to what's happening under your noses. Whether it's incompetence or negligence, I have no obligation to answer you. You are not my superiors."
The stunned ninjas could only watch as Chiba disappeared into the village's depths.
---
Chiba reached Mito Uzumaki's residence.
Mito had already returned home, worried sick.
When she learned that Kushina—who should have long since completed her mission—was missing, Mito wasted no time and rushed to inform Hokage Sarutobi.
Hiruzen immediately dispatched Anbu operatives to locate Kushina's two companions and gather any intelligence on her whereabouts.
Upon confirming Kushina had left long ago but not returned, Hiruzen mobilized nearly the entire Anbu force for a full-scale search.
Mito paced anxiously inside her home, her heart pounding with worry.
At the sound of movement at the door, she hurried to open it.
Her breath caught as she saw Kushina, peacefully asleep, cradled in Chiba's arms. Relief flooded her chest, momentarily lifting the weight from her soul.
Chiba's expression remained unreadable as he spoke, "Lady Mito, I've brought Kushina back. She's exhausted. Please take her to her room to rest."
Gently, Mito took Kushina into her care. Only then did she notice the bruises and scorch marks decorating Chiba's battle-worn clothes and body.
Concerned, she asked quietly, "Chiba, are you hurt?"
"I'm fine. I must report to the Hokage immediately. Excuse me." With a brief bow, Chiba turned and departed.
Mito watched him go, eyes flickering with a mix of worry and calculation.
---
Chiba had not gone far before an Anbu appeared, blocking his path.
"Chiba, the Hokage requests your immediate presence."
Without hesitation, Chiba followed the Anbu to the Hokage's office.
Inside, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood alongside Orochimaru.
Chiba bowed respectfully. "Lord Hokage, Master Orochimaru."
Hiruzen's eyes darkened with gravity as he stepped forward. "Chiba, tell me everything."
Chiba recounted the mission and Kushina's kidnapping.
Hiruzen's face hardened with a grimace. Orochimaru's usual calm demeanor shifted to one of serious contemplation.
Hiruzen turned to Orochimaru. "What do you make of this?"
Orochimaru pondered briefly before answering, "One fact is clear: enemy operatives have infiltrated Konoha. Otherwise, such an abduction would have been impossible."
Hiruzen's expression grew even more somber. "So they are losing patience."
Chiba continued, "Lord Hokage, I have returned with the heads of the three Cloud Village ninjas responsible."
He presented a scroll to Hiruzen.
A flicker of hope returned to the Hokage's eyes. "Excellent work, Chiba. The sensory ninjas can extract intelligence from their memories."
Without delay, Hiruzen summoned Anbu to deliver the scroll to the sensory team.
Chiba pressed on, "There is more. During a mission to eliminate pirates, I discovered three disguised ninjas among them."
"Because I could not confirm their identities but suspected they were infiltrators targeting the Land of Fire, I captured them alive."
Chiba summoned the massive White Snake with his summoning jutsu.
"White Snake, expel those ninjas."
The great serpent writhed, disgorging the three captives.
One ninja, whose spine Chiba's sword had severed, was crushed inside the narrow belly of the snake—unfortunately dead upon release.
The other two, bruised but conscious, recoiled in terror as their captors' gazes fell upon them.
Hiruzen ordered another Anbu to remove the deceased and the scroll for sensory analysis, while the living captives were taken for interrogation.
Hiruzen then approached the map on his desk. "Chiba, where did you encounter these pirates?"
Chiba pointed to a coastal region.
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed.
Orochimaru's dry voice broke the silence. "It seems the Hidden Mist Village is entering the fray."
The location bordered the Land of Waves, itself a neighbor to the Land of Water.
While Konoha had little contact with the Land of Waves, that land maintained strong ties with the Land of Water.
Any Mist Village operatives seeking to infiltrate the Land of Fire's coast must pass through the Land of Waves.
Hiruzen's face grew increasingly grim. With Mist now involved, four of the five Great Ninja Villages stood opposed to Konoha.
When war erupted, Konoha would be forced to face the combined might of Cloud, Rock, Sand, and Mist.
And this conflict would engulf the entire Land of Fire, placing Konoha itself in the eye of the storm.