Chapter 29: The Legend of Uchiha Hikari — Shadows over the Third Hokage

"Heh-heh!" Mito Uzumaki chuckled, her laughter light yet laced with irony. "So, now you've had a taste of what it means to be outmatched?"

Tsunade huffed, her pride still sore. "That woman... She seems calm. Soft-spoken. But she's terrifying."

"Don't let her gentleness fool you," Mito said, her smile fading into something more reverent. "Only those who lived through the Uchiha Civil Rebellion truly understand her strength. She crushed it alone—alone, Tsunade. A genius unlike any other. Her talent was said to rival mine… perhaps even exceed it."

Mito's eyes drifted toward the past, filled with unspoken memories.

"If it hadn't been for the development of the Forbidden Sharingan Technique, her soul and life force would never have been damaged. It cost her an eye. Without that price, her legend might have endured without interruption. And if that had happened… Hiruzen wouldn't have dared to suppress the Uchiha all these years."

Tsunade leaned in, listening intently. There was admiration in her eyes now—no longer the childish jealousy of comparison, but awe.

"She stood up to Tobirama, your second grandfather," Mito continued, voice lowering. "She challenged him on his discrimination against the Uchiha… and he had to back down. That's the kind of person she was."

Tsunade blinked. "She made Granduncle Tobirama back down...?"

Mito nodded solemnly. "Yes. She wasn't just strong—she was right. She saw what others were blind to."

A heavy silence followed, broken only by Tsunade's quiet voice.

"Then... no wonder the Third and his group were always careful with the Uchiha. Now that Hikari's power has returned, they must be terrified."

Mito chuckled. "Terrified enough that Hiruzen didn't interfere with the Uchiha Police Force's reforms. Instead, he came running to me, hoping I'd pressure Hikari into submission."

She leaned back, eyes gleaming with mischief.

"He thought I'd still be his loyal relic. But what he didn't expect—was that I'm building an alliance, not a leash."

Tsunade couldn't help but grin. "I can't wait to see his face when he finds out you're siding with Hikari, not against her."

That thought alone stoked the fire in her heart. Hiruzen Sarutobi—once her revered teacher, now the orchestrator of her clan's decline—would finally get what he deserved.

"Still," she added, brow furrowing, "why is Hikari making us wait twenty days? Isn't that too risky for the Uzumaki clan?"

Mito shook her head calmly. "There's a reason. She wouldn't delay without one. Besides, the great nations haven't mobilized yet. They're still gathering intelligence. We still have time. If things change, I'll go to her myself."

"But that could raise suspicions," Tsunade murmured. "If the Third finds out..."

"Exactly," Mito said. "That's why we wait—unless we have no choice."

Tsunade sighed in relief. "You've thought it all through… I feel better already."

Rising to her feet, she stretched. "If there's nothing else, I'll rest. It's been a long day."

Between endless hospital shifts, the emotional strain of Mito's revelations, and the sheer pressure of her legacy, Tsunade felt ready to collapse.

"Heh-heh, go on then," Mito said warmly. She watched Tsunade leave, her heart filled with both pride and worry.

"Let these shocks temper you," she thought. "You've relied on your grandmother too long. It's time you grow stronger—quickly."

Later That Night — The Hokage's Office

Word of Hikari's response reached the Third Hokage before sunset.

He moved quickly.

By nightfall, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood before Mito Uzumaki, the aged matriarch still seated with regal composure. Her expression was neutral, but her eyes sparkled with unreadable intent.

"She accepted the invitation," Mito said plainly. "But she'll meet you in twenty days. Until then—wait."

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "That long?"

"Tsunade confirmed it herself. Hikari has fully recovered. And she's far from weak. You know better than anyone—this is no woman you can manipulate easily."

Mito's voice was edged now, and there was no missing the gleam of amusement in her final words.

Something in her tone made Hiruzen's stomach knot. She knows.

"She's noticed what we've done to the Senju over the years…" he thought grimly. "I have to tread carefully."

Despite his power, Hiruzen was still only nine years into his reign. He was no god—not yet. Not while Mito Uzumaki still lived. Not while Hikari still breathed.

"Understood," he said with a forced smile. "We'll wait."

But as he turned to leave, thoughts churned behind his calm facade.

"If Hikari truly has returned to her peak… things could spiral out of control. I can't let Danzo know."

His jaw tightened.

Danzo was unpredictable. Dangerous. If he learned of this potential alliance, he might act on his own—sabotage the meeting, provoke Hikari, or worse.

Hiruzen shuddered at the thought.

"If Danzo ruins this... Mito might kill him outright. Or Hikari might. And if that happens—"

He didn't let himself finish the thought.

As he stepped out into the night, one thing was certain:

A storm was coming.