Chapter 585: The Ninja World's Response
Land of Lightning.
Raikage Building, conference room.
The Third Raikage sat in the main seat, his stern face wearing a rare expression of deep thought.
The Hidden Cloud higher ups seated on both sides of the table were also frowning in contemplation.
"Toroi, what do you think about Iwagakure's recent defeat in the Land of Grass?" the Third Raikage asked, looking toward the bespectacled Kumo ninja.
Toroi was Kumogakure's Raikage advisor, the Third Raikage's right hand man, and one of the people he trusted most.
"My thoughts..." Toroi adjusted his glasses.
"According to the intelligence we've gathered, before suffering that major defeat, Iwagakure had actually won a significant battle. At one point, they had driven the forces led by Jiraiya into a full retreat."
"From that alone, we can draw two conclusions. First, Iwagakure is not as weak as it previously appeared. Second, Konoha's true strength is no longer as overwhelming as it once was."
"If Iwagakure were truly weak, they would never have been able to defeat a force led by Jiraiya in such a short time. And if Konoha were still strong enough, they would never have suffered such a crushing defeat before later turning the tables."
The Third Raikage and the other Kumo higher ups nodded slightly in agreement.
"Although both sides won one battle each, Iwagakure clearly paid the greater price this time. Their losses were so severe that they withdrew directly from the Land of Grass," Toroi continued, a trace of regret in his tone.
The war between Konoha and Iwagakure had come suddenly and ended just as suddenly.
If Kumogakure had received word earlier, it could have been a fine opportunity to stir up trouble. If handled well, both Konoha and Iwagakure might have ended up badly wounded.
"So you think now is a good time to attack Iwagakure?" the Third Raikage asked after a moment of thought.
Kumogakure was not picky. As long as the opponent was one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages and an opening existed, they were willing to strike.
Toroi shook his head.
"It is indeed an opportunity to attack Iwagakure. But it is an even better opportunity to attack Konoha."
The Third Raikage looked at him with some confusion. Hadn't he just said Iwagakure's losses were greater?
"Although Iwagakure suffered more casualties, their losses were not fatal. Both Jinchūriki retreated safely to the Land of Earth, and Iwagakure itself is buried deep among mountains, easy to defend and difficult to assault," Toroi explained.
For Kumogakure, merely reaching Iwagakure in force would already be troublesome. It was not like attacking the Land of Fire.
"If that is the case, then both sides have their own advantages and disadvantages. Why is attacking Konoha the better choice?" Dodai asked.
He was not objecting from his own standpoint. He simply had not yet seen the reason Toroi regarded Konoha as the superior target.
"Because if we do not attack Konoha now, we may not get another opportunity later." Toroi's expression turned serious.
"Konoha first repelled Kirigakure's attack, and now they have decisively crushed Iwagakure. In the eyes of the clients, Konoha is still the strongest great village it used to be. Once the situation stabilizes, the number of commissions flowing into Konoha will surely surge again."
"With stronger finances, Konoha will be able to train even more ninja. Add to that the geniuses they have produced during wartime, and if all of them continue to grow at the same time, how could Kumogakure possibly compete with Konoha in the future?"
Dodai looked at Toroi in surprise. He truly dared to say it so plainly, that Kumogakure's potential for development was inferior to Konoha's.
Even if it was true, some things were not meant to be said so directly.
Dodai glanced at the Third Raikage.
The Third Raikage's expression had barely changed.
"The constant wars have worn down Konoha's manpower and also left resentment between Konoha and the other villages. If Kumogakure makes a move now, it is highly likely the others will follow and attack Konoha as well. They cannot possibly fail to see Konoha's threat," Toroi continued.
That was the real reason he believed now was the ideal moment to strike Konoha.
Since the war began, Kumogakure had come into conflict with three major villages, but its attacks on Konoha and Iwagakure had mostly been probes. Only its battle with Sunagakure had escalated into a truly serious clash.
However, if Kumogakure launched an offensive against Konoha now, whether through the Land of Hot Water or the Land of Grass, Sunagakure would have difficulty interfering.
As for Konoha, it had genuinely dealt devastating blows to both Kirigakure and Iwagakure. Kirigakure had lost not only many ninja, but also a Jinchūriki. Iwagakure, meanwhile, had practically lost an army.
If Konoha revealed even the slightest weakness, Toroi did not believe Kirigakure and Iwagakure would pass up the chance for revenge.
And if they succeeded in bringing Konoha down, the gains would not be limited to settling old grudges. There would also be glory, prestige, and tangible benefits.
"In the best case, yes. But Konoha is still formidable. If Kumogakure commits fully to war against Konoha, we cannot guarantee the other great villages will not turn their attention toward us," Dodai reminded him.
Hatred was indeed a force, but compared to profit, it was far weaker.
If Kumogakure went all out against Konoha, it would be placing itself in a dangerous position. They themselves would also be taking a major risk.
"That is why we cannot begin with a full scale war," Toroi replied. "We should first display our momentum and give the impression that we are preparing to throw everything at Konoha. Then we observe the reactions of the other villages before deciding the next step."
Kumogakure was reckless, but not mindless.
They still did not know the exact details of Iwagakure's defeat, only that Konoha's casualty count in that battle had also been significant.
"Our Hidden Cloud did not send many people to the Youth Martial Arts Tournament organized by the Shinobi Sect, but Iwagakure and Kirigakure sent many elites, and the result was..."
Seeing that the Kumo higher ups were still considering the matter, Toroi continued emphasizing Konoha's threat, as though warning them that if they did not deal with Konoha now, it would not take many years before Konoha returned to the nearly invincible state it had enjoyed in its earliest era.
"You all should speak as well," the Third Raikage said after Toroi finished, sweeping his gaze across the other higher ups.
"I think Advisor Toroi is right. We should attack Konoha. Iwagakure is troublesome to reach, and the returns are not as great as hitting Konoha," one dark skinned, broad shouldered ninja said with folded arms, voicing full agreement.
"I think there is still something wrong with that plan. We can wait a little longer and continue observing the situation, especially Kirigakure's next move," an elderly Cloud elder with a white beard said, shaking his head.
After everyone had spoken, the Third Raikage realized the opinions were split evenly.
Two higher ups wanted to attack Konoha.
Two did not agree.
Of course, the ones opposing it were not against war itself. They simply believed that attacking Konoha right now was unwise.
"I think Toroi's reasoning makes sense. Explain the plan in greater detail," the Third Raikage finally said after thinking it over.
Clearly, he had chosen to consider war with Konoha.
There was certainly risk involved, but in his view, the gamble was worth taking.
...
At the same time, the Kirigakure that had been on the Kumo higher ups' minds was also holding a high level meeting.
Ever since Konoha had driven them out of the Land of Fire, Kirigakure had consolidated its forces while keeping a close watch on the Ninja World.
They were waiting for an opening.
An opening to restore their reputation.
Every Kirigakure higher up was deeply unwilling to accept what had happened. It was already rare enough for Kirigakure to take a serious role in a great war, only for them to be beaten so thoroughly by Konoha.
"Hayate Mugetsu is indeed not simple. No wonder Yagura lost back then. Besides Orochimaru, Konoha also prepared another hidden blade for us," the Third Mizukage said, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"It truly was unexpected."
Genji nodded, understanding that the Third Mizukage was still deliberately speaking in a way that protected Yagura's reputation.
More than a year had passed since Yagura's defeat, yet the Third Mizukage still casually found ways to excuse him. That alone showed how highly he still regarded Yagura.
The other Kirigakure higher ups also nodded in agreement.
"Although Iwagakure lost this time, they still caused Konoha significant trouble. I think we can send an assassination squad to intensify the conflict between Iwagakure and Konoha. If Iwagakure and Konoha are pushed into all out war, that would be a perfect opportunity for us to make our move," the Kirigakure ANBU commander suggested.
They understood their own position clearly. Kirigakure absolutely could not defeat Konoha by itself.
They had no intention of clashing head on with Konoha alone. But using others to drag Konoha into deeper war was an idea they were more than willing to pursue.
"Iwagakure suffered such a loss. Their hatred toward Konoha must already run deep."
"But their front line has already retreated. At a time like this, whether we disguise ourselves as Iwagakure ninja to kill Konoha ninja, or as Konoha ninja to kill Iwagakure ninja, it will be very easy to arouse suspicion," one Kirigakure advisor pointed out.
"Then we wait. Unless Iwagakure and Konoha sign a peace treaty, war between them will inevitably break out again," the Kirigakure ANBU commander replied.
"Actually, it does not have to begin with Iwagakure alone. We can start with the other villages too. Iwagakure is not the only great village currently entangled with Konoha."
"Wūjin's idea is very good. Our Kirigakure truly does need to act," the Third Mizukage praised him openly.
Whether or not he would ultimately use Wūjin's exact plan, Kirigakure could not keep sitting on the sidelines.
If they remained idle while Konoha defeated Iwagakure and then Kumogakure, becoming the final victor, then Kirigakure would have no hope of taking revenge.
It was only after facing Konoha directly that the Third Mizukage realized something he had not wanted to admit.
Among the Five Great Shinobi Villages, Kirigakure was on the weaker side.
Now that they knew they were lagging behind, the next step had to be closing the gap quickly.
Even if they could not elevate themselves, they had to drag Konoha down and prevent Konoha from rising further.
After the meeting, Genji returned home.
As he instructed Mei Terumī and Zabuza, he also warned them:
"You two must make good use of your time to train. Kirigakure rejoining the war is only a matter of time, and when it comes, the fighting may be even fiercer than before."
Mei was stunned.
Judging from Genji's words, the high level officials had already decided that Kirigakure would enter another war. Only the exact timing had not yet been fixed.
"It can't be Konoha again, can it?" Mei wanted to ask, but in the end she held back.
This was not something an ordinary Kiri Jōnin was qualified to know.
Still, Mei felt deeply uneasy.
If Kirigakure chose Konoha as its opponent again, she found it very difficult to imagine Kirigakure actually winning.
It was not that Mei was belittling her own village or exaggerating Konoha's strength.
She had simply gained a very clear understanding of reality through the Chūnin Exams and the Martial Arts Tournament.
The top geniuses of Kirigakure could only be considered somewhat exceptional if placed in Konoha.
They were nowhere near people like Might Guy or Kakashi Hatake.
...
Land of Wind, Sunagakure.
"Ōnoki, you old bastard, you finally got what was coming to you."
Looking at the intelligence report of Iwagakure's crushing defeat, Rasa could not help laughing out loud.
Iwagakure and Sunagakure were long standing rivals.
The Land of Earth and the Land of Wind bordered one another across three small nations, forming one long stretch of adjacent territory.
If not for the harsh and unique geography on both sides, the strain between them would have been even greater.
Rasa had not forgotten that Iwagakure force positioned near the Land of Rain when Kumogakure had launched its major offensive against Sunagakure.
If Sunagakure had not endured Kumogakure's assault, the chaotic three way conflict between the great villages would not have erupted in the Land of Rain.
It would have broken out in the Land of Wind, and in Sunagakure itself.
"Should we take this opportunity to send troops?" Rasa pondered.
If they could deal Iwagakure a decisive blow now, then Sunagakure would not only avenge itself, it could also restore its standing as one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Then Rasa thought about Sunagakure's actual state and shook his head.
Even if he wanted to fight, the other Sunagakure higher ups would never agree.
Because Sunagakure was now in its weakest state since the day it was founded.
The disappearance of the Third Kazekage had not merely cost the village a top tier powerhouse.
It had plunged the entire village into fierce internal struggle.
The major ninja clans and the higher ups had all used whatever means they could to contend for the position of Kazekage.
At its peak, assassination attempts were normal. Leaders of rival factions even openly led groups of ninja against one another.
In a sense, Rasa had Kumogakure to thank.
Without the external threat Kumogakure posed, he would never have become the Fourth Kazekage so quickly.
Compared to the village elders and clan leaders who had been entrenched in Sunagakure for years, Rasa's only advantage was his identity.
He was the disciple of the Third Kazekage.
He was the one who had inherited the Third Kazekage's Magnet Release.
He was the most legitimate successor.
Whether they were elders or clan heads, all of their foundations were tied to Sunagakure. If Sunagakure fell, everything they possessed would collapse with it.
Under the life and death pressure Kumogakure created, those factions had no choice but to compromise and allow Rasa, the most legitimate candidate, to take the Kazekage seat and unify Sunagakure's power.
That was precisely why Rasa was so irritated by people like Pakura, individuals who possessed the potential to become Kazekage themselves.
He feared that once the war was over, the same elders and clans who had compromised before would once again join hands to depose him and raise someone else to the office.
After all, the circumstances of his ascension were so unusual that they might have been unique in the entire Ninja World.
"If only Iwagakure and Konoha would fight each other to mutual destruction," Rasa could not help fantasizing.
Sunagakure was indeed damaged.
But if the other great villages were equally damaged, then suddenly Sunagakure would no longer seem so weak.
Rasa longed for a victory.
A victory in war against another village of equal rank.
Only then would the others lose their excuse to challenge his position as Kazekage.
.....
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