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  "Maki, why haven't you packed?" Temari asked.

  "Advisojo said I should—decide after seeing our sensei," Maki replied, her voice ft. The news of Pakura's disappearance had—brokehe ninja world held little appeal now.

  But then, her eyes widened. Pakura, her sensei, was walking towards them.

  "Sensei…" she whispered, her voice trembling.

  "Huh?" Temari, too, stared in disbelief.

  ...

  Pakura looked at them, her heart filled with a mix of emotions.

  She'd thought, after being a—ghost in Konoha, she'd never see her student, or the Suna princess, again.

  A, here they were.

  Gojo Kaigetsu could have—kept her locked away in his b, a—pything.

  But he hadn't. He'd made her an Avenger, given her a purpose. And now—this.

  'He's—kind,' she thought, a warmth spreading through her.

  'Is this—the Will of Fire?'

  To be stationed in Otogakure, to care for Temari, to see Maki again—it was a dream e true.

  And the price?

  She'd agreed to bee the Sixth Kazekage, and—to this.

  Pakura blushed, her voice barely a whisper. "Temari—while you're in Otogakure, I'll be—looking after you. You call me—Mother. Or—Pakura-sensei."

  "M-Mother?!"

  "Sensei!" Maki rushed forward, throwing her arms around Pakura. Pakura smiled, her touch gentle, maternal. "I'm here, Maki. I'm always here."

  …

  …

  [Konoha Times Annou: The ninja world faces a growing threat of assassination. To address this crisis, Konoha is ung a new initiative: The Avengers Initiative. We urge all citizens of the Land of Fire, and all ninja vilges, to provide any intel regarding bounty ninja and underground exge offices. Let us work together to create a safer ninja world. Please send all information to: Konoha – Aveower.]

  [Kumogakure Annou: Assassinations are rampant. Elder Advisor is dead…]

  [Sunagakure Annou: The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, is dead—A new bounty has been pced on Sasori of the Red Sand, along with all ninja wearing bck cloaks with red clouds.]

  [Kirigakure Annou: The Fourth Mizukage is gravely injured…]

  Konoha's decration sparked a—movement.

  With the Freat Vilges seemingly united, even Iwagakure offered symbolic support.

  [Iwagakure Annou: The Third Tsuchikage has—thrown out his back.]

  The five vilges, united against a on enemy. A rare occurrence. A historient.

  But aside from Konoha, none had actually itted t their own Avengers. They offered only words of support and—vague promises of intelligence sharing.

  If they discovered any underground ninja activity within their borders, they'd—inform Konoha.

  Who would deploy their stro ninja for such a—risky endeavor?

  And Kirigakure—they no longer had any truly powerful ninja.

  Still, Konoha had achieved its primary objective.

  They'd gained—some intel, and the Konoha Avengers, nnized as a—legitimate force, could operate more freely.

  That's all Gojo Kaigetsu wanted. A title.

  Ohe Avengers' reputation was established, with Konoha's bag—they could operate anywhere, targeting anyone.

  They'd crush those who opposed them, while aid to the—less fortunate. A carrot and stick approach to—world domination.

  Gojo Kaigetsu, satisfied, set the reports aside.

  "What's , Kaigetsu-kun?" Minato asked.

  "We tinue as pnned. Purge the Land of Fire, then—expand."

  The Akatsuki was still in its—preparatory phase. If their funding was disrupted, their operations would be—hindered.

  They'd be forced to—act. And then—they'd be exposed.

  A desperate Akatsuki was far more dangerous than one hiding in Amegakure.

  Even if he gathered the Five Kage and expihe Akatsuki's threat, they wouldn't believe him. They'd likely accuse him of—fearm.

  He he Akatsuki to—reveal themselves. Perhaps—crash a Five Kage Summit, decre, "Stop interfering with our business! We o—make a living!" and then unleash a Shinra Tehen they'd uand.

  "Excellent." Minato hen asked, "Hiashi Hyuga came to my office earlier, to—donate a ninja tool factory to the vilge. Any idea why?"

  "No idea. Just—accept it. It's a generous donation. Have the Konoha Times publicize it."

  Each vilge had its own—quirks.

  Kumogakure's elders were like—warlords, their s vying for trol, their ninja interfering in the vilge's ey. The Raikage, the stro among them, had to—maintain a delicate bance.

  Kirigakure's elders were like—a heir caste system stifling the vilge, h its resources. The Mizukage was a figurehead, a glimmer of hope to the ordinary ninja. "See? If you're as strong as the Mizukage, you'll be free!"

  Sunagakure's elders cked true bag. The Kazekage held most of the power. The elders represented various is: water, eic development, puppetry, military expansion.

  And Konoha—Konoha was different.

  Uhe other vilges, with their rge cils, Konoha had only three elders. And they were the only vilge whose elders had—sacrificed their own s for the vilge.

  Konoha's s could only send representatives to the Hokage Tower, with no real voting power.

  Perhaps due to the Will of Fire, perhaps because the first three Hokage had been exceptionally powerful and respected figures, the Hokage's authority had never been truly challenged.

  In Konoha, the Hokage and the elders were—supreme. The s had to—obey.

  The Hokage's power was absolute.

  And the elders' influence depended on their retionship with the Hokage.

  In this system, the s weren't leeches, but rather—cash cows, regurly—milked for their resources. That's why the Uchiha had been so eager to gain influehin the Hokage's inner circle.

  And now, the Hyuga, eager to please, had donated a ninja tool factory.

  If even the Hyuga, Konoha's "premier" , had donated, wouldn't the others have to follow suit? If a single couldn't afford it, they could—pool their resources.

  The more the s dohe strohe Hokage's authority became. And the strohe Hokage's authority, the more the s had to—tribute.

  "Report!"

  "Kakashi? What is it?"

  Kakashi, after a half-month vacation, had finally returo active duty. His mind, it seemed, had grid, aced to the structure of the Anbu.

  "A group g to be Uzumaki members is at the vilge gate. They don't have Green Cards. They're waiting in the reception area."

  "Red hair?"

  "Yes."

  "Then what are you waiting for? Bring them in! No, I'll go myself. Escort them to the Uzumaki pound."

  …

  …

  Uzumaki Shūkan appeared to be in his early forties, his temples streaked with gray, his eyes dull, his face lined with wrinkles.

  Behind him stood seven other red-haired individuals of varying ages.

  Since Uzushiogakure's destru, they'd been wandering. Their distinctive hair ade them—targets. Shūkan had led a small group to the Land of Bears, a small, isoted nation without a Hidden Vilge. They'd survived by—manual bor.

  Establishing a business was too risky. Their wealth, their hair color—it would attrawatention.

  They'd lived in fear.

  Especially after hearing rumors of Uzumaki survivors being captured by smaller vilges and used as—ingredients—their fear had intensified.

  The Uzumaki bloodli was a curse. They'd either live in hiding or—fade away, like the Senju.

  But then, a glimmer of hope.

  An Uzumaki survivor had married the Uchiha Head!

  Fugaku Uchiha! He hadn't even cared about her past, had held a public wedding, and paid a massive dowry.

  The news seemed too good to be true.

  They were—cautious, like wounded animals.

  Could this be a trap? Would Konoha lure them bad thehem?

  Though unlikely, Konoha had a—history.

  To firm, Shūkan had gathered intel from merts who traveled between Konoha and the Land of Bears.

  The wedding was real. Surely Konoha wouldn't lie about their Head's marriage?

  And then, Konoha's atta the Land of Lightning, the war with Kumogakure—it was the final push.

  The ninja world was in chaos. Kumogakure might—target Uzumaki survivors.

  They needed—prote.

  Shūkan and his small group had traveled to Konoha.

  They'd been stopped at the gate, then—escorted inside.

  The vilge's prosperity was—overwhelming.

  The roads—they weren't even made of dirt. And the smells—even Uzushiogakure at its peak hadn't been this—vibrant.

  Konoha—it was—a city.

  The more they saw, the more—intimidated they became. They walked carefully, afraid of—breaking something.

  A young woman with braided hair tugged at Shūkan's sleeve. "Father—how much do these houses cost?"

  "I don't know," Shūkan replied, his voice heavy with—resignation. "But—more than we could ever afford."

  "This is the new Uzumaki pound. Your—home. The elders will be here shortly. Please wait." The Konoha escort hahem a stack of green cards. "These are Konoha identification cards. Show them to the Military Police if you're—stopped."

  "Yes—sir." Shūkan instinctively bowed.

  The escort, startled, paled. If Advisojo saw this—he'd be in trouble. The st ninja who'd—displeased Advisojo had bee home.

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