The air in the Hokage Office meeting room was thick enough to cut with a kunai. All eyes were locked on Mei Terumi's outstretched finger, pointing directly at Sasuke. The accusation hung heavy, a silent, deadly blow that stunned everyone.
Naruto stood frozen, his eyes wide with disbelief. 'Sasuke? Killed Chojuro?' His mind screamed, refusing to accept it. He looked at Sasuke, searching for some sign, any sign, that this wasn't true.
Sasuke, however, remained a statue of calm. His expression didn't change, even with every eye in the room burning into him. He simply met Mei's gaze, his own black eyes unreadable, absorbing the accusation without a flicker of surprise or fear. His stillness was unnerving, even to those who knew him well.
Shikamaru, standing beside Sasuke, felt a cold dread settle. His mind, usually so quick to analyze and strategize, was reeling. 'This is the worst-case scenario,' he thought. 'An accusation like this, from a former Kage... it could destroy everything Konoha has built.' He glanced at Sasuke, searching for some reaction, but found none.
Gaara's eyes, usually so peaceful, hardened with suspicion. Darui's relaxed posture had completely vanished, replaced by a tense readiness. Even Kakashi, the ever-composed former Hokage, had a visible shadow of shock cross his face. The Kage aids, Akatsuchi and Omoi, tensed, their hands hovering near their weapons, ready for anything.
Mei finally lowered her hand, but her gaze on Sasuke remained unyielding. "Uchiha Sasuke was seen in Kirigakure three nights ago," she stated, her voice clear and cutting through the suffocating silence. "He infiltrated the Mizukage's office, and shortly after, Rokudaime Mizukake, Chojuro was found dead."
Naruto's head snapped towards Mei. "That's impossible, Mizukage sama!" he burst out, his voice cracking with emotion. "Sasuke wouldn't do something like that! He's a Konoha shinobi, he's our ally! He was here, fighting the 'Rinnegan man' with us!"
Mei's expression was grim. "He was in Kirigakure, Naruto-kun. We have witnesses who saw him."
"Witnesses can be wrong!" Naruto argued, his frustration growing. "There must be a mistake, dattebayo! He was fighting for Konoha! He was with me the whole time."
"Indeed," Kakashi interjected, stepping forward slightly. "Sasuke was instrumental in defending Konoha tonight. He was here, battling the enemy. There must be some misunderstanding, Mizukage-sama."
Mei shook her head slowly. "There is no misunderstanding, Kakashi-San. The timeline is clear. He was seen leaving Kirigakure just hours before he appeared in Konoha. His chakra signature was confirmed by our sensory ninja. And the nature of Chojuro-kun's death... it bears the hallmarks of a Sharingan user."
A collective gasp went through the room from the aids. A few Kages exchanged worried glances. The accusation was becoming harder to deny.
Sasuke, who had remained silent through it all, finally spoke. His voice was calm, almost detached, cutting through the rising tension. "I was not in Kirigakure three nights ago," he stated, his words firm and clear. "I did not kill Chojuro."
Naruto's expression of shock immediately shifted to fierce relief. "See, Mizukage-sama! Sasuke said he wasn't there! He would never lie about something like this, dattebayo!" He looked at Gaara, his plea for support clear.
Gaara's intense gaze swept from Mei to Sasuke, then back to Naruto. His voice, usually calm, carried a heavy weight. "If Sasuke says he was not there, then I believe him," Gaara declared, his loyalty to Naruto and his trust in Sasuke evident. "Sunnagakure stands with Konoha on this."
Kurotsuchi's eyes flashed with anger. "Believe him?" she scoffed, her voice sharp. "An Uchiha? Hokage, Kazekage, you both let your personal feelings cloud your judgment! We have solid proof! The chakra signature, the sightings... how else could Chojuro have died with those wounds if not by a Sharingan user?"
"Iwagakure demands justice for the Mizukage!" Akatsuchi added, stepping forward slightly, his eyes narrowed at Sasuke.
Mei nodded, her face grim. " Tsuchikage-sama is correct. We have evidence. We need to investigate this properly, and the prime suspect is standing right before us."
Darui, the Raikage, remained still, his dark eyes observing everyone. He hadn't yet spoken a word, his expression unreadable, showing no clear side. Omoi, his aid, also stood silently, watching the heated exchange.
The room was now split, with Konoha and Sunna on one side, and Iwa and Kiri on the other, all glaring at each other over the grave accusation.
The room was very tense. It felt heavy, like a real weight on everyone.
Kakashi was usually calm, but now he looked a bit angry. "Mizukage-sama," he said, his voice sharp, "with all respect, are you sure you checked everything carefully? To blame a Konoha ninja, someone who helped us fight, so quickly... you need to be completely sure.
We can't just agree to these claims without looking closer."
Mei looked even tougher. "Are you saying that Kirigakure didn't do a good job, Kakashi-San?" she shot back, her voice cold. "We lost our Mizukage! We have a right to demand answers, and the proof points clearly to Uchiha Sasuke!"
"The proof is not strong at all!" Naruto exclaimed, hitting the table with his fist. "Sasuke was here, fighting alongside us! He wouldn't betray Konoha like that, dattebayo!" He felt very frustrated, seeing his friend blamed so unfairly. 'How can they just blame him without looking deeper?' he thought, his blue eyes flashing.
Shikamaru had been quiet. He let the first anger calm down. Then he spoke. His voice was calm but had a strong, serious feeling. He took a small step forward. Everyone looked at him. "There's something else you should think about," he said, looking at the Kages.
"Konoha was also attacked tonight. By an Uchiha. One who beared both the Sharingan and the Rinnegan."
The room became silent. Even Mei and Kurotsuchi looked surprised. Darui's eyes got narrower. Gaara watched Shikamaru closely, seeing how smart his words were.
"And," Shikamaru continued, his voice careful, "he looked exactly like Sasuke."
A gasp went through the room from the helpers. A few Kages looked at each other with worry. The meaning of Shikamaru's words hung heavily in the air.
Kurotsuchi's face turned red with anger. She quickly wanted to defend her village and its blame. "Are you saying," she spat out, her voice full of anger and disbelief, "that Sasuke was not the one who attacked Konoha? Are you trying to say that the person we saw in the Kirigakure was this other Uchiha, and not your own ally?" She looked from Shikamaru to Naruto, a sneer on her face. 'They're just trying to move the blame away,' she thought, feeling angry again.
Sasuke had been watching silently through the whole angry talk. Now, he finally reacted. He took a small step forward. His voice, when he spoke, was low and dangerous. It was full of cold anger. Even the Kages moved back a little.
"How dare you," he said. His voice was a low growl. It filled the quiet room. Each word was said slowly. "How dare you say I'm not loyal? I have fought for Konoha, bled for Konoha, and you," he looked straight at Kurotsuchi, a silent threat coming from him, "just a Tsuchikage, dare to point at me that I'm a traitor? Choose your next words wisely Tsuchikage."
Kurotsuchi, even with her anger, clearly pulled back from Sasuke's strong presence and the raw power coming from him. Her face went pale. She spoke with stutters. She could not speak for a moment under his strong, cold stare. The pressure in the room became too much to handle.
Mei's eyes blazed with a new kind of anger, even more intense than before. "Enough!" she shouted, her voice booming through the room, cutting through the heavy air. "We will settle this matter peacefully! Kirigakure wants nothing from Konohagakure. We just want Uchiha Sasuke!" Her words were like a direct punch to the gut for Naruto and Kakashi.
"Never!" Naruto immediately yelled back, slamming his hand on the table again. His face was set in a hard line. "We will not hand Sasuke over to you! He is a Konoha shinobi! He is our comrade!"
"We will not allow it, Mizukage sama," Kakashi added, his voice firm and unwavering, standing his ground. 'She can't be serious,' he thought, 'this is madness.'
Mei's eyes narrowed, a dark, cold look on her face. "Then," she said, her voice dropping, filled with a dangerous calm, "Wewill rage War."
The words hit everyone like a physical blow. A stunned silence fell over the room. Everyone's eyes went wide with shock. 'War?' Naruto thought, his mind reeling. 'She can't mean that! Not over thus mere topic!'
He looked around at the other Kages, their faces pale with disbelief. Gaara's eyes were wide, and even Darui's usually calm expression was replaced by open shock. 'What is wrong with her?' everyone seemed to be thinking. 'How can she say such a thing? After so much peace, after all the world has been through?'
Naruto pushed himself up from his chair. "Mizukage-sama, please!" he pleaded, his voice filled with urgency, trying to reach her.
"Don't take such a path! The ninja world has finally found peace after so long! A small misunderstanding like this cannot lead to war between two friendly nations! We are allies!"
He truly believed they could talk through this.
Mei's response was sharp and unyielding.
"We were friendly, Naruto-kun," she said, her eyes fixed on him. "And we can be friendly again. If you will simply hand Uchiha Sasuke to us." Her tone made it clear there was no other way.
Kakashi tried again, his voice calm, trying to reason with her. "Mizukage-sama, please cool down. Calm yourself and think properly and carefully. This is a huge decision. Don't let your grief cloud your judgment."
But Mei refused to hear any of their talk. She shook her head, her jaw tight. "It was the doing of Uchiha Sasuke," she repeated, her voice firm. "We have our proof."
Gaara spoke then, his voice cutting through the tension. "Mizukage-sama," he said, "Shikamaru has made a valid point. It is possible this was the doing of the Rinnegan man, who looks exactly like Sasuke. You must consider this!"
Shikamaru nodded, stepping forward slightly. "Yes, Mizukage-sama. We just fought a powerful enemy who had Sasuke's appearance. It's a critical detail that needs to be investigated, not ignored!"
But Mei would not listen to them. Her gaze snapped back to Sasuke. "Confess your crime, Uchiha Sasuke!" she demanded, her voice rising again. "Do not hide the truth!"
Sasuke's eyes, dark and piercing, met hers. His voice was cold, hard, and unforgiving, cutting through the air like ice. "I have not killed anyone," he stated, his harsh tone leaving no room for doubt or compromise. "So I will not confess to a crime I did not commit."
Mei's rage finally broke free. She slammed her hand down on the table, her face contorted with fury. "Then listen...Hokage-sama!" she snarled, her voice trembling with barely controlled anger. "I give you one day. You will hand Uchiha Sasuke over to us within that time. Or else, the next time we meet will be on the battlefield!" Her words were a final, chilling threat.
She then looked around the room, her eyes burning as she addressed the other Kages. "Kazekage-sama, Tsuchikage-sama, Raikage-sama! Who amongst you supports Kirigakure in this matter?"
Gaara quickly stood, his expression resolute. "I am with Naruto," he declared, his voice firm. "Sunnagakure stands with Konoha."
Kurotsuchi also stood, her gaze hard. "Iwagakure supports Mizukage-sama and Kirigakure. We demand justice for the Mizukage."
Naruto and Mei both turned, their eyes falling on Darui, the Raikage. He sat quietly for a moment, then sighed, his posture still relaxed despite the overwhelming tension. He looked at each of them in turn, his expression unreadable.
"Kumogakure," Darui stated, his voice calm and even, "does not wish to participate in any way. We will not meddle in other nations' matters."
With that, the Five Kage Summit was over. The Chunin Exams, lost in the shadow of this new crisis, were officially postponed.
_THREE HOURS LATER_
A few hours later, the Hokage's Office was quiet again, but the heavy mood remained.
Naruto sat at his large desk, his head resting in one hand, looking tired. Sasuke and Kakashi were sitting on the couch in the corner, their faces serious. Shikamaru stood behind Naruto, his arms crossed, his usual thoughtful look deeper than before.
Naruto looked up at Sai, who stood nearby.
"Sai," he began, his voice weary, "have we found anything about Hikaru's location, or the 'turtle'?
Sai shook his head. "No, Naruto. We've searched everywhere. There's still no trace."
Naruto sighed, running a hand through his hair. "What about the villagers? How are they doing?"
"Many are in bad shape," Sai replied, his voice calm but sad. "But they are all getting treated by the medical-nin. The recovery efforts are ongoing."
Naruto then turned his head slightly to look at Shikamaru. "Shikamaru," he said, "did you inform the village about the Chunin Exams being postponed?"
"Yes, Naruto," Shikamaru confirmed with a nod. "The message has been sent to all the clans and villagers."
Naruto looked back at Sai. "And the construction? Are the teams making progress on repairs?"
"Yes, Naruto," Sai answered. "The reconstruction efforts have begun. Teams are already working to clear debris and secure damaged buildings."
Kakashi, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke, his voice low. "Naruto," he began, his eye fixed on him, "what about the war? Mizukage seemed very serious about it."
Naruto's face tightened. He looked deeply troubled. "Konoha is not in a condition to fight a war, Kakashi-sensei," he admitted, his voice full of worry. "So many lives have already been lost because of the 'Rinnegan man' incident.
And now, with a war, many more lives will be lost again. It's just not right."
Sasuke, from the couch, spoke with his usual calm, almost detached tone. "They'll surely cool their heads after a while," he said, his voice flat. "We shouldn't pay too much attention to their empty threats."
Shikamaru, however, shook his head. "No, Sasuke," he said, his voice serious. "Mizukage-sama looked very serious about this matter. I don't think she was just making empty threats. Anything could happen."
Kakashi nodded slowly. "Shikamaru's right. This isn't like the old days. We should first have a look at Kirigakure's witnesses. We need to understand their proof."
Everyone in the room agreed. It was a crucial first step.
Sai then spoke up, his suggestion practical. "Naruto," he said, "just in case, for precaution, we should inform the clan heads about the scenario that could occur. They should be prepared for what might come."
Naruto's eyes brightened slightly. "Right!" he said, slamming his hand on the desk, a new focus in his eyes. "Shikamaru, please arrange for a clan meeting immediately. We need to talk to them."
_HALF AN HOUR LATER_
Later that evening, a different meeting room in the Hokage Office building felt tight and quiet.
It was a big room with dark wooden walls. A long, shiny wooden table sat in the middle.
Heavy chairs lined both sides, waiting for Konoha's important leaders. The Hokage's own chair was at the very end of the table.
Two chairs near the Hokage's seat were empty. These were usually for the village elders, Homura and Koharu. No one talked about why they weren't there. No one even tried to call them. The huge problem they were facing now just pushed thoughts of the old advisors away. It was a small detail no one noticed in the rush.
Naruto sat at the head of the table. His face looked serious and tired. Next to him, Kakashi sat, his eyes sharp and watching. On the other side was Sai, his face calm but serious, ready with information. Sakura sat further down, looking tired but focused. She was thinking about the injured people and what the village's hospitals could handle.
Around the table sat the leaders of Konoha's famous clans. Their faces showed a mix of surprise, anger, and deep worry. Each one worried about their own people, their homes, and the future of their dear village:
Shikamaru looked very tired but still smart. He sat ready to help Naruto. He felt how heavy the news was that Naruto was about to share. He knew everything. Ino, the head of the Yamanaka Clan and The Konoha Sensory Division, sat with her arms crossed. Her eyes were serious. Chōji, the head of the Akimichi Clan, sat quietly. His usual happy mood was gone. Now he looked serious and worried.
Hanabi, the young head of the Hyulga Clan, sat straight and tall. She was calm and watchful. Shino, the head of the Aburame Clan, was quiet as always. He sat very still.
Kiba, the head of the Inuzuka Clan, sat with his fists clenched.
Sasuke, sat quietly. He was the main reason for this urgent meeting. Nobody could tell what he was thinking. His black eyes looked straight ahead, taking in every word. He already knew all the scary details Naruto was about to tell.
His quietness showed he understood the deep danger. Konohamaru, the temporary head of the Sarutobi Clan, looked serious and ready. He was very worried for Naruto and the village.
Naruto cleared his throat. His voice cut through the quiet tension. "Thank you all for coming so quickly," he began. He looked at each worried face. "I know many of you are still dealing with what happened. Our village is damaged. I wouldn't call this meeting unless it was super important, dattebayo." He stopped.
He took a deep, heavy breath. He was clearly trying hard to say the next words. "Earlier today, we had an emergency Five Kage Summit."
He stopped again, letting his words sink in.
"What happened there... it's very bad. Kirigakure has accused Konoha of killing their Mizukage, Chojuro."
A low noise of surprise went through the room. Kiba hit the table lightly with his fist. He couldn't hold back his anger. "What?!" he yelled. "That's crazy! Why would we do that?! We're allies!"
Sakura's forehead wrinkled with worry. Her mind immediately jumped to bigger problems. 'Killing the Mizukage? This could make everything unstable just when we need to stick together. Our village is already so weak.'
"They have pointed their fingers right at Sasuke," Naruto went on. His voice was firm. His eyes quickly met Sasuke's unreadable stare. "Terumi Mei, the former Mizukage, is making the accusation. She says Sasuke was in their village three nights ago."
Sakura's breath caught. Her eyes grew wide with disbelief. She instantly looked at Sasuke, who stayed perfectly still. Her face, already tired, seemed to lose all color. A cold wave of personal shock hit her. 'Three nights ago? But that's... that's impossible!' she thought. Her heart squeezed painfully. 'He was here! He wouldn't betray Konoha, not after everything!'
The accusation felt like a direct attack on her husband and on her own belief in him.
Ino's eyes widened. A flash of disbelief crossed her face as she looked at Sasuke. 'Sasuke kun? Three nights ago? No, he was here, in Konoha, or on a mission for the village then!' she thought, her mind racing. Chōji just looked shocked. Konohamaru clenched his fists under the table, angry at such an unfair accusation.
"But that's impossible, Naruto!" Kiba burst out again. "Sasuke was here! He wouldn't do something like that! He's loyal to Konoha now!"
Shikamaru spoke up. His voice was calm but firm. He cut through the growing noise. "We agree it seems impossible, Kiba. But Terumi Mei says they have proof. Chakra signs, people who saw him... It all looks very convincing from their side. But we have reason to believe this is the work of the 'Rinneganman' who attacked us recently."
A new wave of murmurs went through the room. This time, people recognized the name and felt worried. The Rinnegan man, the one who caused so much damage and looked exactly like Sasuke.
Shikamaru continued, his eyes sharp. "He's an Uchiha with powers just like Sasuke's. He has both the Sharingan and the Rinnegan. It's very likely he is pretending to be Sasuke to cause trouble between the Great Nations. His goal is to make us weaker."
Shino adjusted his glasses. His thinking mind now focused on this new piece of information. 'The 'Rinnegan man' pretending to be him... His chakra signature could be very similar if he has the same family blood or can change his looks very well. This makes their 'proof' senseful, even if it's wrong.'
"So what do we do, Naruto nii-sama?" Hanabi asked. Her voice was clear. She sounded very practical. "Do they have proof? How strong is it, if it's based on someone pretending to be him?"
"It's very important that their proof is looked carefully," Shino added. His voice was exact. "A false accusation, especially one planned by someone else, could still badly hurt our relationship with Kirigakure if we don't prove it wrong."
Naruto took another deep breath. The true heavy burden of the situation was now clear on his face. He looked serious. His next words fell like heavy stones into the quiet room.
Sasuke's face did not change, but his eyes watched how the clan leaders reacted.
"It's worse than just being accused, everyone," he said. His voice was quiet but carried a huge weight. "They... they gave us a final demand. They want us to hand Sasuke over to them within a day. If we say no..." He swallowed hard, the word sticking in his throat. "...they threaten to start a war against Konoha."
Gasps, scared whispers, and angry shouts filled the air. It was much louder and more panicked than before. This was not just an accusation; it was a threat of war. The truth of it hit them hard, like a cold, painful punch.
"War?!" Kiba yelled. He jumped completely to his feet. His mouth hung open. "Are they crazy?! Konoha can barely stand! Our people are still buried under broken buildings! How can they even think of such a thing right now?!" His eyes were wide with shock and anger.
Sakura's face turned completely white. Her hands shook on the table. 'War?' she thought. Her mind instantly saw endless lines of injured people, the screams of those dying.
'Our hospital is already full. The deaths would be too many to count. We are not ready for this. We simply cannot go through another big war.' Her heart ached for every civilian and ninja already suffering.
Shikamaru closed his eyes for a longer time this time. A deep, tired sigh came from him.
'This is a disaster,' he mumbled. He rubbed his head harder. 'Just when we were trying to rebuild... what a pain. Every choice here is a bad one, and now time is running out.'
"Sunnagakure is with us," Naruto quickly added. He tried to bring some calm, some hope into the tense room. "Kazekage Gaara believes Sasuke and supports Konoha. But Iwagakure supports Kirigakure. And Kumogakure... they chose to stay out of it. So, we are looking at a possible war between Konoha and Sunna against Kiri and Iwa."
A heavy, thick quiet filled the room again. Everyone felt the terrifying truth of the situation. Each person began to think about what this truly meant for their clan, their homes, their families, and the future of their beloved village. The idea of another Great Ninja War, after they had worked so hard for peace, was horrifying.
Konohamaru thought, his fists clenched tight. 'A war against two Great Nations... Can Konoha, after last night's brutal attack, with so many injured and so much damage, even fight one? Is this what being Hokage means? Making such impossible choices?'
Shino adjusted his glasses. His calm outside hid many thinking thoughts. 'Their proof involves a chakra sign and people seeing him. But Shikamaru's point about the 'Rinneganman' is key. It means someone else is pretending to be Sasuke. If not, the bad results for our alliance will be terrible. We only have a day.'
Ino's mind went to her family, to Sai, and to the huge burden on Naruto. 'Poor Naruto, first the attack, now this. A war... it's too much. The stress on him must be immense. And the thought of possibly having to talk about battle plans and dead people... it's scary. We need to act, fast.'
"Naruto," Ino finally spoke. Her voice was serious. "Do we have any more information about this 'Rinneganman' Shikamaru talked about, who looks like Sasuke?"
Sai, always giving facts, stepped forward a little. "Our information on the 'Rinneganman' is still very little. He showed powers just like Sasuke's, including both the Sharingan and the Rinnegan. He looked exactly like Sasuke, which makes it very likely that they mistook him for Sasuke."
Kakashi added, his voice clear and logical. "That's why we need to check their claims. We decided in the smaller meeting that we should first send someone to check Kirigakure's 'witnesses' and their proof directly. We cannot let them declare war because of what could be a big mistake. Or worse, a trick by the real enemy trying to make the Great Nations even weaker. We need more time."
A tense quiet filled the room. The clan heads knew how hard this would be.
"But what if they don't listen?" Kiba asked, his voice rough. "What if they still want war?"
Naruto slammed his fist on the table, showing his strong will. "Then we will do what we must," he said, his voice firm. "But first, we fight with truth. We will protect Konoha! We will not let them divide us!"
Sakura looked at Naruto, then at Sasuke. She knew they were both ready for anything. Her job was to make sure Konoha was ready too, even if it meant preparing for the worst.
"For now," Naruto said, his voice getting softer, "I need everyone to stay strong. Go back to your clans. Tell them what happened, but keep them calm. Tell them we are working on it. Prepare your defenses, just in case. But most importantly, keep an eye out for any strange activity. Report anything unusual."
Shikamaru nodded. "We need to work together," he said. "This is not just about Sasuke; it's about Konoha's future. We will meet again tomorrow to discuss our next steps after we gather more information."
With heavy hearts, the clan heads slowly stood up. The meeting was over, but the burden of the coming days weighed heavily on them all. They left the room, the quiet tension now mixed with a new sense of purpose and deep worry. The clock for Konoha had truly begun to tick.