Naruto: Rise of the Fallen Princess

The Hokage's office was steeped in heavy silence, broken only by the soft patter of rain against the windows. Tsunade, her brow furrowed and eyes fixed on an open scroll across her desk, barely looked up when the door creaked open.

Shikaku Nara entered with his usual relaxed bearing, a thick folder tucked under one arm and a gaze marked by gravity. One glance at Tsunade's tense expression told him he wasn't the only bearer of troubling news today.

"Tsunade-sama," he greeted respectfully, placing the documents on her desk. "I've brought the reports you requested. Though... it seems you've already received other urgent information."

Tsunade sighed, leaning back slightly in her chair.

"I was contacted a few hours ago by Katsuyu from Shikkotsu Forest. She rarely reaches out directly... but this time she did, to warn me about disturbances in the Sage Lands. Apparently, there's a new player shifting the balance in the shinobi world. Something... unusual. Something that could destabilize everything."

She cast a sharp glance at Shikaku, expecting surprise. Yet, the experienced Nara simply nodded calmly.

"Sounds familiar," Shikaku said as he unrolled a scroll from one of his folders. "This is a recently decrypted report from Jiraiya. He and Naruto were taken to Mount Myōboku and received the exact same warning from the toads."

Tsunade's brow furrowed. "So the Sage Lands are all stirring."

"Indeed. And that wasn't the only thing in the report. Jiraiya mentioned a cult. One that caught his attention."

"What do we know about it?" she asked quickly, cutting him off.

Without missing a beat, Shikaku pulled out a second folder. "We've been receiving scattered reports. Small villages. People dream of a 'white world' with a silver tree. In every case, the day before or after, a woman passed through. Described as a moon-priestess. She sings, listens, advises. Then she disappears, and soon after, the dreams begin. The locals seem... content afterward."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "You think this is the same group Takigakure put a bounty on? The one they blame for interfering with their jinchūriki?"

Shikaku nodded. "The so-called Silver Lady. According to our sources, she originated in the Land of Iron."

He set another folder down and then opened a second, placing a photograph on the desk. It was of a young girl—pale eyes, unmistakably Hyūga. "And speaking of the Land of Iron... their newly recognized daimyō's adopted daughter arrived recently in the village. Invited by the Sarutobi clan."

Tsunade remained silent, gesturing for him to continue.

"Jiraiya's report mentions a recent encounter with her—Hinata Hyūga. Now going by Hinata Gin. She crossed paths with Jiraiya and Naruto in Mizukusa, a border town between the Land of Fire, Rain, and Taki. She admitted to Naruto that she met with Orochimaru and Sasuke, and even promised to help bring Sasuke back. supposedly she is here attending Asuma and Kurenai's future wedding."

Tsunade's expression grew colder. "The Hyūga incident happened when I was away. I know she was expelled due to a cursed seal malfunction. Declared blind and chakra-less. Discharged from duty. Then adopted by a samurai from the Iron leadership... who rose to become daimyō. That conflict—civilized or not—reshaped that region. We allowed Kurenai and Asuma and a specific escort as a diplomatic gesture. But now? The ties to Orochimaru... the speed of her new father's ascent... it's too much to be coincidence. What else do we know about Hinata?"

"She's only been in the village two days," Shikaku said, flipping through a few pages. "Spotted shopping, reportedly due to a growth spurt. Jōnin Kurenai, currently relieved of duty, escorted her. Sensors confirm she now has an active chakra system. She's trying to hide it, though poorly. It's described as heavy and dense."

"And the companions?"

"Seven in total. One ninken—Reportedly the size of a horse, but now small as a puppy. Its chakra is untraceable even by Byakugan. A serpent with chakra comparable to high-level summons. Elusive signature, but clingy and highly loyal. Then three younger companions and two older. Four of them have chakra levels equal to a Jōnin, which is unusual for samurai. They all wear stylized variations of a crest she now bears on her forehead."

Tsunade exhaled slowly. "So... daughter to a rising daimyō, ties to Orochimaru, and chakra she shouldn't possess. I suspect Orochimaru's influence runs deeper than expected. What do we learn about the rise of the daimyō after we sent Kurenai and Asuma off in their diplomatic role?"

Shikaku looked tired but pressed on. "Takigakure tried to extend their reach through the daimyō's court using the Takikage's apprentice, influencing one of the sons of the former daimyo. That expansion was halted abruptly—by the Silver Lady. No confirmed details, except a late clash with the jinchūriki in a town near Taki."

He handed her one final envelope.

"All our compiled intelligence on the Land of Iron. For your review."

Tsunade took the folder and studied it in silence.

"Looks like I'll have to meet this... Iron Princess myself. There are too many unanswered questions. You've done well, Shikaku. Review this with care, and raise our intelligence priority. Track any unusual activity across all Five Nations. If something is disturbing the Sage Lands, it must take precedence."

As Shikaku turned to leave, his voice was almost a sigh.

"Troublesome..."

<<<< o >>>>

Kuro watched hidden from all of them in the tiled rooftop above them, tail twitching once with quiet amusement. The humans were always so serious—so fragile in their balance of fear and order.

She didn't mind being misunderstood. After all, Hinata had been misunderstood here too.

This place reeked of rigidity. Ceremonies over kindness. Appearances over truth.

She padded soundlessly into the main courtyard, each pawstep precise.

Near the statue of Hyūga Haruki—the Branch member who had died protecting the Main House—Kuro dropped a torn strip of ceremonial cloth. It was just old enough, faded just enough, that no one could tell exactly where it came from.

It would leave them confused. But not those who remembered her.

<<<< o >>>>

The gray midday sky tinted the Hokage's office windows with silver. A soft breeze rustled the piles of reports on her desk as I was called to enter. There she stood—Tsunade-sama—by the window, the weight of the village pressing down on her shoulders. When she finally turned to face me, her amber eyes pierced straight through me, as if she could read my soul. But unfortunately for her, I could also see beyond the visible.

"According to your entry records, you now possess an active chakra reserve once again. However, my notes show that you were officially discharged from Konoha's ninja roster due to a disability that left you without access to chakra. Care to explain?"

It wasn't just the question—it was how she said it. Laced with suspicion, with judgment. Her gaze shifted to Mitsue, coiled peacefully around my shoulders. Tsunade's expression visibly tensed. So did her soul. I saw a flicker of discomfort, of distrust—but also a trace of curiosity. It was obvious Jiraiya had already told her about my contact with Orochimaru. She didn't fear me. Not yet. She was simply preparing for the worst.

I took a deep breath and held her gaze.

"It's true that I had no chakra... but that changed recently. It was thanks to an agreement my father made with Orochimaru."

The room chilled. I could feel her killing intent press against my skin like a blade of pure chakra. She didn't speak it. She didn't yell. But her soul roared with fury. It wasn't a physical strike, but a clear warning of what she was capable of.

"Orochimaru? So that's the reason behind the disappearances of Hyūga clan members... and the attack on their compound during Sasuke's abduction night..."

I furrowed my brow, genuinely surprised. I hadn't known any of that. The weight of her words crashed over me—but I didn't back down.

"I wasn't aware of those events. But I beg you to listen, Hokage-sama. My father was desperate. Of all the shinobi with the knowledge needed, Orochimaru may have been the only one with the experience to attempt to repair my condition. That his methods were... questionable, was his choice. Not mine. Not my father's. But what's done is done."

I saw the doubt in her soul. A fracture in her armor. It wasn't indifference—it was conflict. And where there is conflict, there is opportunity.

Calmly, I retrieved a small lacquered wooden case from within my robes. I opened it before her, revealing the amulet inside. Ancient spiral engravings, and a dense, pulsing energy barely perceptible to anyone who didn't know how to feel it.

"My father has risen to the position of Daimyō, as you likely know. That position brought certain privileges... one of them is this object. An amulet created by the former Uzumaki Clan, crafted specifically to protect Jinchūriki. This one in particular was designed for the Kyūbi."

I made sure she heard the honesty in my words. I wasn't seeking favors. Only truth.

"It has two properties. First, it helps the bearer recover after using Bijū chakra. Second, and most importantly... it offers a real chance of survival if the Bijū is extracted. It is bound to a life force still shrouded in mystery."

She took it in silence. Her soul, once tense like a storm held back, began to release pressure. For a moment, I caught a flicker in her spirit—one that made me think of Naruto. Her mind remembered, and her soul reacted. The possibility that this object could be another shield to protect him... That, for her, was enough.

"Originally, I intended to offer it as a gift... but perhaps it could also be seen as a way to compensate for what's happened. A gesture. A sign of good faith to leave the past behind."

Her eyes fell once more on the amulet, then returned to mine. The fury inside her hadn't vanished... but it had been replaced by something stronger: hope.

"If what you say is true... then I believe I can agree to leave the past where it belongs."

And for the first time, she said it not as a threat—but with respect.