Chapter 14: How to Respond [Part 2]
"Konoha is indeed in an awkward position with a shortage of high-level fighters, but Third Hokage, have you ever considered Kumogakure's situation?" Sakura reminded him. "The Third Great Ninja War ended only a few years ago, and while Konoha is still recuperating, doesn't Kumogakure need rest too? Konoha occupies the best land in the ninja world, blessed with favorable weather, yet we haven't fully recovered. The environment around Kumogakure is far harsher—wouldn't it take them even longer to rebuild?"
"So you mean Kumogakure is just barely holding on?" The Third Hokage took a drag of his pipe, his eyes flickering with insight. Indeed, Konoha had the best territory but was still not fully recovered. There was no way Kumogakure had bounced back already, considering their harsh environment.
"More or less," Sakura nodded. "To be exact, Kumogakure is counting on your personality. They know that without an extreme provocation, you would never start a war, so they're pushing hard, testing the limits."
"Is that so?" The Third Hokage hesitated. "But what if Kumogakure launches a full-scale attack? The Great Ninja War we just ended might flare up again."
"I once heard a great man say: 'War in pursuit of peace leads to lasting peace; peace through compromise leads to peace's demise.'" Sakura said solemnly, then broke down the current situation. "Truth is, given the present circumstances, a full-scale Ninja World War is impossible. At most, Kumogakure will fight only us."
"Why?" The Third Hokage asked in confusion.
"The Third Great Ninja War itself was triggered by the disappearance of the Third Kazekage. The newly appointed Fourth Kazekage then shifted blame onto Konoha, sparking the conflict. Sunagakure was the weakest of all the villages, and after that war, plus the strain of their own internal issues, they simply lack the strength for another big fight."
Sakura counted off on her fingers.
"The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, is quite old, and his personality is stubborn and conservative. He won't risk anything uncertain. Even if Konoha and Kumogakure clash, without absolute certainty, they won't get involved."
"As for Kirigakure," she sighed, "they've nearly been crushed by a certain man with a reckless past…"
Thinking of Kirigakure made Sakura feel sorrowful. Their village had suffered grievous losses: Rin was killed under the control of Uchiha Madara; Obito nearly destroyed the entire village; their kekkei genkai were almost wiped out. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist lost four members to Might Duy, and two defected later. The last one was killed by Kakashi, who took his sword. The subsequent swordsmen lacked real power.
"So, that means we only really need to worry about Kumogakure, right?" The Third Hokage mused, then asked, "But Sakura, how do you know all these things?"
This intelligence was top secret among villages. Moreover, Sakura was only four years old—how could she know so much?
"Because I can see it," Sakura said, raising her head to meet the Third's gaze. Her emerald eyes shone like flawless jade. "Time is like a river, and I stand on its bank, watching the flow."
"???" The Third Hokage was baffled. Why the sudden cryptic talk?
"Simply put, everything that happened in the past is recorded by time, and I can clearly see all of it," Sakura said quietly, a faint smile playing on her lips. "For example, the Nine-Tails' attack, Naruto's origins, the death of the Second Hokage, the battle between the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara—even how Konoha came to be. I know it all."
The air seemed to freeze. The Third Hokage stood there, stunned. What Sakura had just said was utterly unbelievable. If someone truly had the power to manipulate time, how terrifying would that be?
"If you don't believe me, Third Hokage… then let me show you—time…"
Snap.
Sakura snapped her fingers with her left hand. Her emerald eyes deepened, and an invisible force radiated out, directly enveloping the Third Hokage.
"What is this...?" His pupils suddenly contracted. He knew his body well—years of overwork had worn him down; his strength was far from what it once was.
But just after Sakura snapped her fingers, he felt as if his body had returned to how it was years ago. At first, he thought it was a trick of the mind. But when he sensed the chakra within him surging like a mighty river, he realized it was real.
"My power can only restore your body to its state from five years ago. It's not your peak, but it's far better than how you are now."
Sakura's voice echoed in the silent office. The hidden Anbu guards nearby, all personal protectors of the Third Hokage, couldn't help but feel their emotions ripple. They didn't suspect anything ill—only shock.
Though it was just a five-year difference, the gap in strength was immense. During the Nine-Tails' attack, the Third could push the beast far away with a single strike. Yet during Naruto's Chunin Exams, he barely lasted a short while in battle. Clearly, resuming the Hokage role had taken a toll on his power.
It was like Naruto in the original story—before becoming Hokage, he was energetic and lively, but after taking the position, even a legendary figure like him seemed to lose his vitality.
"Kumogakure, huh? If they want to fight, then let them come at us!"
With his body restored to how it was five years ago, the Third Hokage's mindset shifted. He felt as if he had become young again, back when he was called the 'Ninja Hero.'
"And Third Hokage, no need to worry too much. If a war breaks out, I can just drop a few meteors from the sky on Kumogakure and flatten the whole village!"
Sakura's tone was calm and unshaken. She admitted she couldn't defeat Kumogakure in a direct fight, but destroying it didn't require a frontal assault. Using the power of the Infinity Stones, she could easily pull a few meteors down from space to crush Kumogakure. She didn't have Thanos-level power to move planets, but small meteors? No problem. Raikage might block one or two, but could he stop dozens?