Chapter 50 – To Amegakure
Yusuke's boring days were about to come to an end.
That morning, an ANBU operative arrived at his training ground.
"Hatake Yusuke-sama, the Hokage has summoned you. Please come at once," the masked ninja said respectfully.
Upon arriving at the Hokage's office, Yusuke found Jiraiya and Tsunade already waiting. The sight of those two made him even more intrigued—if the mission involved this kind of lineup, it was clearly no ordinary task.
"Hokage-sama," Yusuke greeted politely.
"Yes, thank you for coming," Sarutobi Hiruzen replied with a kind smile.
"This mission concerns the Hidden Rain Village, Amegakure. Hanzo has made contact with Ōnoki. Your objective is to investigate Hanzo's true intentions and determine whether there's still a chance to form an alliance with him," Hiruzen explained, his expression turning serious.
Looks like the Third Great Ninja War is right around the corner, Yusuke thought.
"Sensei, if Hanzo's already aligned himself with Ōnoki, then what's the point of trying to negotiate?" Tsunade asked, clearly confused.
"Because of self-interest," Yusuke cut in before Hiruzen could respond.
"Oh?" Hiruzen turned to him, gesturing for him to continue.
"War is nothing more than blatant robbery. Small nations don't have the power to compete in full-scale wars. More often than not, they're just collateral damage. That's why they choose to side with whichever major power offers the most benefit," Yusuke explained calmly.
The three Sannin fell silent. None of them had expected such a sharp geopolitical analysis to come from Yusuke—the same young man known for his overwhelming strength.
Without pausing, Yusuke continued. "Amegakure is a perfect example. Surrounded by three major nations, their land will inevitably become a battlefield once war breaks out. Not even Hanzo can fully protect them. That's why Ōnoki reached out. He wants a strong ally and access to Amegakure's strategic position. But at the end of the day, it's all about gains. If our offer is better than Ōnoki's, Hanzo will side with Konoha."
He laid out his full analysis in one breath.
"You're exactly right," Hiruzen nodded. "But this mission won't be easy. That's why I can only entrust it to a team like yours. Just promise me—you won't get yourselves hurt."
Truthfully, Hiruzen had originally considered sending Danzo. But since Danzo held no official title, he ultimately chose the Sannin. Unfortunately, Orochimaru was away on another mission, so he brought in Yusuke instead—who, at this point, was considered one of Konoha's strongest assets. Even Hiruzen wasn't sure just how deep Yusuke's power truly ran.
"Yusuke, what do you think? Will Hanzo agree to an alliance with us?" Hiruzen asked.
"The chances are slim," Yusuke answered bluntly.
"Why's that?" Jiraiya asked.
"Because Konoha is too prosperous," Yusuke said plainly. "The Land of Fire has fertile land. Militarily, we're the strongest of the Five Great Nations. If a major war does break out, Konoha will become the primary target."
"Just because we're wealthy?" Tsunade frowned. She never really cared for politics.
"Exactly. Think about it—Sunagakure is all desert, Iwagakure is surrounded by mountains, and Kirigakure is made up of small islands. Sunagakure, in particular, is suffering badly. Meanwhile, Kumogakure experiences severe droughts year-round. If war begins, I'd bet Sunagakure will strike first. And their target will be Konoha."
"But wouldn't they suffer huge losses too?" Tsunade asked again.
"That's the point. If they don't act, they'll be left behind and eventually destroyed. Their best option is to strike while they still have a chance. Otherwise, Konoha will grow so strong and rich that the gap becomes impossible to close," Yusuke replied.
"…I get it now," Tsunade muttered, finally understanding.
Even Hiruzen remained silent, his face unreadable. Yusuke's insight ran deeper than he had anticipated. Not even Tobirama, the Second Hokage, may have thought that far ahead.
"That's why Konoha seeks peace… but the other four great nations are hungry for war," Yusuke concluded.
Jiraiya lowered his gaze. Only now did he realize why his teacher had been growing more exhausted day by day. The old flame of heroism that once burned bright in Hiruzen… had long faded.
He and Tsunade recalled their recent visit to Sunagakure. The villagers had barely enough food to eat. Even water was considered a luxury.
"If any one of the other four nations starts a war and suffers losses, the rest will jump in. And Konoha will become everyone's target—out of envy. Hanzo doesn't want to face all four of them," Yusuke added.
"So you think Hanzo will refuse?" Jiraiya asked.
"Not necessarily," Yusuke shook his head. "Like I said, if our offer is good enough, Hanzo might accept. Especially if we send a skilled negotiator."
"…And do you think you can be that negotiator?" Hiruzen asked with a subtle smile.
"I'm afraid not," Yusuke replied. His insights weren't from experience or training—they came from memories of watching the Naruto series in his past life. And now, with his growing knowledge of this world, he was able to form solid strategies and deductions. Take the Third Shinobi War for example: even though the official trigger was the Kazekage's death, Sunagakure still blamed Konoha without clear evidence. Politically, it never made sense.
"In that case, Tsunade will lead the team. Your focus is to investigate Hanzo—and look into potential ties with Sunagakure," Hiruzen decided.
"Understood, Sensei. We'll depart immediately," Tsunade said firmly.
"Good," Hiruzen replied with a tired wave of his hand. His head felt heavy. He had sensed the winds of war approaching for some time now, but he had hoped it was only paranoia. After hearing Yusuke's explanation, though… he knew the truth. War was inevitable.
"ANBU—summon Danzo and the two advisors."
"Yes, Hokage-sama." An ANBU emerged from the shadows and vanished just as quickly.
Meanwhile, far from the Hokage's office, Yusuke and the others were already making their way out of the village.
"Yusuke, why aren't we just using your abilities? Walking is too slow," Tsunade complained.
The moment she called his name like that, Yusuke immediately knew—she was asking for a favor.
Jiraiya, watching quietly, couldn't help but recall the time he sparred with Yusuke. That movement technique—so similar to the Flying Thunder God—wasn't exactly space-time ninjutsu. Only a handful of people knew the truth behind it.
"Fine. Let's head to Tanzaku Town first, sound good?" Yusuke offered.
He no longer saw the need to hide his abilities. Besides, someone like Danzo no longer scared him. In the world of shinobi, there were only two individuals he truly considered dangerous: Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama. Hiruzen was strong, yes, but at best, they were on equal footing. And even if someone managed to counter his Glint-Glint Fruit powers… he still had the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, which could shake the world. It wasn't quite at Whitebeard's level yet—but it was getting close.
"Hahaha, finally!" Tsunade burst out laughing, relieved.
"Air Door."
Yusuke sliced the air with his hand—opening a shimmering gateway through the fabric of space.
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