Who is the enemy?
Terumi Mei paused in thought before answering, her tone measured and analytical.
"The Land of Water borders the Land of Fire. If we must name a potential enemy, then logically, it would be Konoha Village in the Land of Fire."
She folded her arms, her voice steady.
"However, Konoha's Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, is getting old. With Danzo's sudden death, the village is plagued by both internal instability and external threats. It's weakening by the day. He's not worth worrying about."
She continued, shifting the conversation to other villages.
"Iwagakure and Sunagakure.
The former's Tsuchikage is aging as well, but unlike Sarutobi, he's far more cunning and reserved. Iwagakure has adopted a reclusive strategy, keeping a low profile while training their forces. But so far, I haven't heard of any exceptional talent among their newer generation.
As for Sunagakure, they're under heavy financial strain. Their resources are stretched so thin, the Kazekage himself has resorted to panning for gold and selling ninjutsu just to keep the village running.
Neither of them is a significant threat."
Her voice was calm, confident—she had clearly thought this through.
Kirigakure had just emerged from the chaos of the Blood Mist era. The village was rebuilding, piece by piece. Terumi Mei had good reason to be wary of foreign interference during such a vulnerable time, which is why she'd gathered intelligence in advance.
"The last one is the Cloud Village. Since the Fourth Raikage, A, took power, they've been aggressively expanding their military. And geographically speaking, the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water are separated only by sea—making them relatively close."
She tapped the table for emphasis.
"Military expansion on that scale requires an enormous investment of manpower and money. And wherever there's investment, there's an expectation of return. For a military, that return often comes in the form of conquest and war."
Her tone turned grim.
"If we're naming enemies, then Cloud Village is the most likely one."
Logan smiled and shook his head slightly.
Terumi Mei raised an eyebrow. "No? Then who? The Akatsuki? The masked man? Or the new Daimyo of the Land of Water?"
She sighed.
"It's said the daimyo's second son will inherit the position. There haven't been any major policy changes yet, but if you killed his father, he's going to have to 'make a statement' to uphold the authority of the daimyo."
Still, Logan smiled and shook his head again.
"That's not it either."
With a playful frown, Terumi Mei picked up a slice of orange and tossed it at him. "Then what is it? Don't keep us guessing."
Logan caught the orange midair and popped it into his mouth.
"To answer that question, we need to stop looking at the present. We need to look to the past—back hundreds of years, to the era of the ninja clans."
He leaned forward, his expression serious.
"Back then, ninjas operated as families. They were mercenaries, hired by daimyo, nobles, or powerful business clans. It wasn't a stable form of employment. They served whoever paid them. Fighting, running missions, and risking their lives—all to feed their clan."
"In truth, they weren't warriors. They were beggars with weapons."
Terumi Mei nodded. She knew the stories. Before the ninja villages, the world had been a brutal and chaotic place.
"Then came Senju Hashirama."
Logan's voice grew firmer.
"He was unmatched. He united the scattered clans and founded the first village—Konoha. He showed the world that ninjas didn't have to live like that."
Everyone in the room nodded slowly. It was a well-known story, told to every child in every village. The legend of Senju Hashirama was the foundation of modern ninja history.
"Other nations followed suit, forming their own villages."
Logan's tone turned thoughtful.
"Then Hashirama distributed the tailed beasts. What do you think of that decision?"
Konan answered first, shaking her head. "Naive."
Terumi Mei agreed. "Too idealistic. If Konoha had kept all the tailed beasts, they'd never have lost the later ninja wars."
Logan nodded. "That's a reasonable conclusion—but it's based on hindsight. At that time, I believe Hashirama had no choice but to share the tailed beasts."
Konan leaned in, curious. "Why?"
"Because the villages didn't create the need for the tailed beasts—the tailed beasts created the conditions for the villages to survive."
He explained further.
"Konoha had Hashirama—a true pillar. But the other new villages didn't have anyone like him. Their loyalty still lay with their clans. In times of crisis or temptation, they could easily fall apart.
The tailed beasts acted as anchors—symbols of power strong enough to stabilize a village and keep its people united."
"In Hashirama's eyes, these villages weren't rivals. They were allies—comrades who would stand with him against the old power structures, the daimyo, and the feudal system. He couldn't fight history alone.
So he gave them power. He gave them the ability to stand up—to become equals. That way, all ninjas could one day live with dignity, no longer tools or pawns for the wealthy and the powerful."
The room fell quiet. Everyone took a moment to absorb what Logan had said.
Compared to the chaotic past, the lives of modern ninjas really were better. Even if they still bowed to daimyo in public, many treated them like cash dispensers behind closed doors.
"But..." Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "If Hashirama was so powerful and respected, why didn't he just overthrow the daimyo and unify the world?"
Logan had considered this too. It was part of the reason he had refused Danzo's offer during his last visit to Konoha—the proposal for "great unification."
"There are three reasons."
He raised three fingers.
"First, the ninjas of that era were still killers at heart. They lacked the education and structure to govern a nation. If they took over, they would plunge the land into chaos.
Second, even if the first generation had good intentions, the second and third would eventually fall into the same traps—replacing the daimyo with new daimyo in different clothes. It would change nothing.
And third, the nation's wealth was limited. If ninja leaders took power and redistributed resources to their own, the only way to increase wealth would be to exploit civilians even more."
He paused.
"That wasn't what Hashirama wanted. It's not what I want either."
Faced with the temptation of power, both men—one from the past and one from the present—had made the same choice: to walk away.
Terumi Mei exhaled slowly. "So... the only path forward was to share the tailed beasts and build a village system."
Logan nodded.
"With villages, ninjas could stand toe-to-toe with daimyo. They could pursue knowledge, invest in technology, and—over time—solve the very problems that had plagued them for generations."
Konan folded her arms.
"But Hashirama died. His ideals died with him. Wars didn't stop. They only grew bigger. More civilians suffered."
Logan sipped his tea thoughtfully.
"That's because the daimyo—and the officials who support them—aren't fools. They saw what the ninja villages were trying to do, and they adapted. They found new ways to maintain their grip on power."
The conversation had now shifted from history to the present.
Terumi Mei asked the inevitable question: "So... our enemy is the daimyo?"
Logan nodded. "Yes. But not just them."
He looked around the room, voice growing resolute.
"Our enemies are the daimyo, the bureaucrats behind them, the systems and rules that prop up their power, the inequalities that remain unsolved—and most dangerous of all..."
He pointed to himself.
"...us. If we ever become corrupted by the same systems we hope to destroy, then we become the enemy."
The room went completely still. Everyone stared at Logan, feeling something stir deep within their chests.
A rush of emotion. A sudden clarity.
It wasn't a bell ringing they heard—it was the sound of their own hearts, pounding like war drums.
"World Deflection Triggered. +1,000 Soul Fragments Acquired..."
"Obtained: Ascending Star Core."
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
pàtreøn (Gk31)