Whether it was being used, or if the rift with the village had truly healed, none of that mattered much to Fugaku right now. What mattered was the chance to see his sons again, and beyond that, to meet his future granddaughter. That alone was enough. He felt deeply content.
"I hope Itachi can return soon," Fugaku mused aloud.
Sasuke's voice was firm. "He needs to return soon."
Hearing this, Fugaku sensed an underlying worry in Sasuke's tone. "Sasuke, is something troubling you?"
"What troubles me? It's this entire situation, naturally!" Sasuke replied.
This situation... does he mean people like us, from the past, arriving in this era? Fugaku wondered.
"Chaos," Sasuke stated, looking towards the distance. "The exact cause of this chaos isn't clear yet, but one can guess." He paused. "It's likely related to that thing."
That thing... the Karma seal.
"And now, large numbers of Uchiha clansmen from the past have arrived in the present. It's not just the Uchiha clan, either!"
As Sasuke spoke, realization dawned on Fugaku. "The Yamanaka, Nara, Akimichi, Aburame, Inuzuka... essentially, numerous members from almost all of Konoha's major clans have come from the past to this time!" Fugaku looked at Sasuke. "So, you're worried that the appearance of so many people will lead to even greater chaos?"
"Greater chaos might be preventable," Sasuke conceded. "After all, we still have Naruto, the Sage of Six Paths, and even the Second and Third Hokage who just arrived in this world, among others." With them present, Konoha was, for the time being, managing to hold things together, albeit precariously.
However!
It was likely the same situation in the other villages. If so, the upcoming Kage Summit could become incredibly problematic.
"Before you all arrived," Sasuke continued, "Konoha had just sent out invitations to all the ninja villages for a summit."
"The original intention was to gather all the Kage who have come from the past to the present, so we could discuss things properly," he explained. "To ensure they understand the gravity of the situation."
"After all, if the current ninja world experiences even slight turmoil now, the consequences could be unimaginable!"
This era now held heroes from various ages. While many of them might seem insignificant compared to Sasuke's current strength, the real danger lay in their individual thoughts and ambitions. If these powerful figures from the past decided to act recklessly in this era, even a ninja of Sasuke's caliber would face immense headaches.
The likely outcome would be an endless cascade of trouble. Even Sasuke wouldn't be able to fully control such a situation.
There were already enough problems. Madara Uchiha and Indra alone were cause for significant concern. If things became even more complex, it would be disastrous.
Fugaku, as the head of the Uchiha clan, hadn't thought too deeply about the wider implications until now. He had been more focused on reuniting with his sons. But now, snapping back to the reality of the situation, he immediately sensed the danger.
Large numbers of people often meant trouble. A single misstep could incite riots or worse.
"Sasuke, you..."
"Naruto will handle the other problems," Sasuke stated calmly.
Hearing this, a small smile touched Fugaku's lips. "You and the Hokage have a good relationship?"
"We were Genin together on Team 7."
That single sentence told Fugaku everything he needed to know. Bonds forged during their Genin days were exceptionally strong and reliable. No wonder the Uchiha clan and the village seemed so harmonious now. So that's how it is. A sense of relief washed over him.
"Regarding the Uchiha clan members here... Father, can you help manage them?" Sasuke asked.
Fugaku glanced down at his granddaughter, Sarada. "Of course," he affirmed, his voice regaining its familiar authority. "I am, after all, the last official head of the Uchiha clan!" He looked up, meeting Sasuke's gaze. "Besides, among the Uchiha, strength has always commanded respect!"
Suddenly, Fugaku's eyes transformed, revealing a pair of Mangekyou Sharingan.
Sasuke wasn't surprised by this; he had known for a long time. Weren't the eyes Itachi currently possessed originally their father's?
"Then I'll leave it to you, Father," Sasuke said. He glanced at Sarada. "Spend some time with her."
Fugaku nodded. He certainly intended to cherish this precious opportunity to bond with the granddaughter he had never met. While he might struggle to show overt affection towards Sasuke and Itachi now, his love for his granddaughter was overwhelming. He didn't need to maintain the typical stoic fatherly pride; he could express his affection for Sarada freely and without reservation.
Sasuke offered a faint smile. His words hadn't been solely for Fugaku; they were also meant for Sarada.
Sarada seemed to understand. Her grandfather apparently hadn't had much time with her father and uncle Itachi in the past. Perhaps they both felt some guilt towards Fugaku, and hoped she, as his granddaughter, could help bridge that gap.
She gave Sasuke a confirming nod.
In the next instant, Sasuke vanished.
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage's office, Naruto stared grimly at the intelligence report in his hand.
"Sasuke, you're here!"
Sasuke, having just appeared, walked directly towards Naruto. "I sensed a fluctuation in your chakra. I figured something must have happened," he stated. "So I came to see."
Naruto handed the report to Sasuke, his expression heavy. "Just as we feared. This situation isn't limited to Konoha. All the ninja villages in the Five Great Nations, even the smaller villages..." His voice trailed off ominously.
"The ninja world... it's truly heading for complete chaos this time!"
Sasuke quickly scanned the report. The information was rough, not meticulously detailed, but the implications between the lines were clear: vast numbers of ninja from the past were appearing, often in clan units. The sheer quantity was staggering. It was impossible to get an exact count in such a short time.
A rough, conservative estimate suggested that in less than three hours, well over one hundred thousand ninja from past eras had materialized across the ninja world.
One hundred thousand ninja. What did that even mean? Even in previous eras, such a number was sufficient to launch a war capable of destroying entire nations. Under the right circumstances, it could easily trigger another Great Ninja World War. If these numerous ninja weren't carefully managed, the repercussions would be catastrophic.
Right now, there seemed to be only one way to exert some control over the situation.
"The importance of the Kage Summit... it goes without saying now," Naruto said, his voice tight with the weight of responsibility. "Sasuke, I need your strength!"
Sasuke nodded in understanding. Initially, he hadn't planned on getting involved in something like the Kage Summit; he had his own matters to attend to. But now... it seemed unavoidable. If left unchecked, the summit would undoubtedly be tumultuous. What might happen there was anyone's guess.
At the same time, the prospect of meeting the Kage from various eras held a certain appeal.
"The last Five Kage Summit... I rather made a mess of things, didn't I?" Sasuke remarked dryly. "Aren't you afraid I'll cause a repeat performance?"
Naruto, who had been looking deeply troubled, suddenly broke into a grin at Sasuke's words. "If it comes down to it, Sasuke... I might even hope you do cause a scene this time!"
Sometimes, reason and diplomacy weren't enough. Sometimes, you needed to show your strength, flex your muscles. As the Hokage of Konoha, Naruto couldn't simply resort to force; his actions represented the entire village and the Land of Fire.
Therefore...
Someone needed to demonstrate that power on Naruto's behalf.
And Sasuke was clearly the best candidate for the job.
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