Chapter 12: Chapter 12: The Shinobi World’s Shifting Tides
"Yes, yes, I'm sorry, I'll be more careful next time."
"Don't worry, it won't happen again."
"Got it, I'll watch the time."
Hirakawa Yuuki finally let out a sigh of relief as he watched the squad of Anbu disappear across the rooftops.
After about half an hour of practicing his Lightning Release techniques, a group of Anbu had suddenly appeared and questioned him.
This was Yuuki's first real encounter with Konoha's Anbu.
According to them, his early morning training had disturbed the nearby villagers.
That excuse... Yuuki could only think how flimsy it sounded.
Anbu were directly under the Hokage's command. They handled the most sensitive and critical missions in the village.
Would they really be sent out for something as trivial as noise complaints?
Even the Uchiha Police Force probably wouldn't bother with something like this.
Yuuki thought for a moment. Considering how tense the situation with the Land of Rain had become, the real reason was easy to figure out.
It was obvious. Konoha had shifted into a state of outward calm but inward tension.
The village was tightening its defenses. Even the Anbu had been assigned patrol duties to keep order at home.
"War really isn't far off now..."
Yuuki couldn't help but mutter as he looked up at the sky.
The sun had fully risen, casting its dazzling light across the land.
"What a waste of time."
Because of that inspection, he'd lost nearly half an hour of precious training time.
Judging by the light, it was now about the time he usually finished his morning routine.
Without further delay, Yuuki launched into his exercises.
Sprints, squats, push-ups...
An hour and a half passed in a flash.
Finally, Yuuki collapsed onto the ground for a short rest, then grabbed his bag and ran toward the academy.
"Sigh, Shikaku, did you hear? Starting today, the sixth-year students are taking their graduation exams early."
"Yeah yeah, I know. So what? Just sit down and take a break."
Seated at his desk, Yuuki overheard classmates chatting and picked up on the news.
The sixth years were being made to graduate six months ahead of schedule.
The higher-ups weren't even trying to hide their preparations for war anymore.
The tension gripped Yuuki too.
When the war began, it would only be a matter of time before fifth-year elite students like him were sent to the front.
He took a deep breath, resolving to double his training.
A sudden screech of a chair scraping across the floor jolted him from his thoughts.
He turned and saw Uzumaki Kushina plop down beside him.
"Yuuki, is it true? Is war really coming?"
She didn't bother lowering her voice.
Given that everyone here was a shinobi-in-training, with senses sharper than ordinary people, her question drew the attention of the entire room.
Yuuki felt the atmosphere still around him.
He looked around and saw that everyone was watching him.
Shikaku Nara, Choza Akimichi, Inoichi Yamanaka, Fugaku Uchiha, Minato Namikaze...
Clearly, the tension had been weighing on all of them too.
"Why are you all looking at me? Just because I say it doesn't mean it'll come true."
Yuuki didn't want the spotlight. He shot a look at Kushina.
"Come on, just say it. You're the smartest person I know, always full of ideas. You might not act like it most of the time, but I know you have your own thoughts about this."
Yuuki blinked, caught off guard by Kushina's unexpected praise.
When he glanced around, he saw everyone nodding in agreement.
Lowering his head in thought, Yuuki considered what he knew.
The early graduation orders were blatant. The village wasn't even trying to hide its preparations for war.
Since there was no point sugarcoating it, Yuuki decided to speak honestly but carefully.
"It's been nearly twenty years since the last great shinobi war.
In that time, all the villages have been building their strength, testing each other in secret.
The only reason peace lasted this long is because no one wanted to be the first to break it."
"But now, the situation in the Land of Rain is getting worse by the day.
I don't think it'll calm down. If anything, the conflict will keep escalating.
And it could easily be the spark that sets off the Second Great Shinobi War."
He let his words hang in the air and looked around at his classmates.
They all lowered their heads, lost in their own thoughts.
Yuuki didn't wait for a response. He turned back to his desk and started pulling out the books he'd need for the next lesson.
Inside the Hokage's office.
The room was thick with smoke.
Sitting at his desk, the Third Hokage was a vague silhouette behind the haze.
He raised his pipe, took a long draw, and exhaled another cloud.
Then he turned his gaze to the crystal ball on his desk.
The usually clear sphere now displayed an image.
If one looked closely, they would see the scene in Yuuki's classroom.
"So the boy has thoughts about the state of the shinobi world after all."
There was a note of admiration in Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice.
Most of the students in the elite class were from shinobi clans.
They had parents who could give them insights into current affairs.
But Hirakawa Yuuki came from a civilian family.
For him to see the situation so clearly was remarkable.
It spoke to a natural gift for observing and understanding the world.
Hiruzen's mind wandered to the reports he'd had compiled on Yuuki.
"Senju bloodline, both parents alive, an elite student, good relations with the heirs of major clans, close to Kushina too.
Talented, hardworking, bound to the village by genuine ties, aware of the bigger picture.
He's worth investing in."
"And Namikaze Minato as well. Both of them are students to watch."
"When they graduate, I'll need to choose the right teachers for them."
Then a darker thought crept in.
The warmth he felt for these promising young people cooled in an instant.
"It's a pity. The war is coming too soon. There won't be time for them to grow."
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