Uchiha Naruto: The Strongest

Chapter 38

Before this chapter begins, I'd like to apologize for the long wait. There's a multitude of excuses I could give, but it mostly comes down to laziness at this point. I do have a plan to consistently get chapters out without burning myself out, so I should be good for the next few months. Don't take this as a promise that you'll get a chapter the week after this comes out, but whenever the following chapter does come, a minimum of seven are guaranteed after it.

Oh yeah, also, just so you know, for this chapter and any future chapters until it changes, the Madara outside of Konoha is the TRUE Madara and the Madara in Konoha is a CLONE. I'm not gonna keep writing that so remember it. 

—Chapter Begin—

The Hokage's office felt heavier than usual, the familiar scent of polished wood and parchment mingling with an unspoken tension. Madara's sandals met the creaking floorboards with measured intent, his gray mantle, finally clean, hugging his imposing frame. The slow, hypnotic rotation of the three tomoe Sharingan in his eyes cast a subtle red glow that made his already imposing demeanor all the more chilling.

Behind him, Hinata and Naori stood in quiet unity. Hinata's pale eyes were steady. Naori's presence was sharper, her gaze darting over the room like a blade, every movement and glance calculated, every muscle poised for action.

Further back, three strangers lingered with a composed confidence that made their presence impossible to ignore. The tall blonde woman's icy blue eyes reflected no emotion as she crossed her arms under her sizeable bust, her demeanor detached but commanding. Beside her, the white-haired young man leaned casually against the wall, the sugary tang of his lollipop faint in the air. Yet his fingers brushed the hilt of the blade strapped across his back, betraying a readiness to act at a moment's notice. The fiery red-haired woman, by contrast, made no attempt to conceal her impatience, her sharp amber eyes darting between Madara and Minato with barely contained hostility.

At the far end of the room, Minato sat behind his desk, his Hokage robe catching the light of the afternoon sun streaming in from the window. His hands were clasped loosely, but the tautness in his shoulders spoke volumes. His gaze locked with Madara's, not wavering under the weight of the Uchiha's stare.

The silence pressed tighter. Madara tilted his head slightly, his voice cutting through the oppressive quiet with a calm that only deepened the unease. "I assume this meeting pertains to my mission."

Minato gave a measured nod. "It does." He gestured toward the three unfamiliar figures behind Madara, his tone steady. "This is Team Samui from Kumogakure. They were nearly assigned the task of your assassination. They've come to discuss reparation for your actions. You'll also be tasked with escorting them back to Kumogakure as part of the terms."

Madara's lips curled faintly, a subtle twitch that might have been amusement—or disdain. The silence stretched as his Sharingan flicked toward the group behind him.

The red-haired woman took a deliberate step forward, her voice sharp and cutting. "You're lucky we don't—"

The blonde's arm moved with practiced ease, cutting her off mid-sentence. "Not yet," she said, her voice calm but firm, a cold authority that left no room for argument.

The red-haired woman's jaw tightened, her shoulders rising and falling with a sharp breath as she stepped back into place, though her narrowed eyes lingered on Madara, smoldering with unspoken ire.

Madara didn't acknowledge the exchange, his gaze shifting lazily back to Minato as if the outburst had been little more than a trivial interruption. The Sharingan spun once more. "When will we leave?"

"Now," Minato replied, his tone as crisp as the snap of a drawn blade.

Before the final syllable had settled, the room emptied in a blur of chakra-infused movement. The faint hum of displaced air and the whisper of fabric marked their reappearance at Konoha's front gate. The towering wooden gates stood like sentinels, their shadows stretching across the ground as the group moved forward, stepping into the dense forests of Hi no Kuni.