They Who Hunt the Forest

As a rule of nature, breaking a wave before it peaks halts and disperses built-up energy. Unfortunately, Fate doesn't play by the rules of nature. The cost of a Fourth war: an equal number of lives, a thousand thousand generations of lost futures, and one infinitely unspeakably tortured soul of a child never given chance to be one. Alt. summary within, AU ANBU OC, 3/4th Hokage era.