Inside the wooden hut, the sound of rain tapping against the window grew clearer.
Chiya sat at the wooden table. Konan handed him a cup of tea, then sat down beside him.
Yahiko and Nagato sat across from them. All three wore different expressions on their faces.
Clearly none of them had expected Chiya to appear so suddenly.
"What is the situation in Amegakure right now?"
Chiya lifted the teacup and took a quiet sip, his gaze moving across the three of them.
Yahiko straightened up immediately, his tone heated.
"Amegakure is a complete mess right now! After Hanzo died, the village fell under the grip of a few people at the top. They are only interested in fighting over power. They do not care at all about the ordinary people!"
"Oh? Who specifically?"
Chiya set the cup down.
"The three most powerful are Amegakure's three elders. Aoki Iwa, Kurosawa Sen, and Morita Shin."
Yahiko counted them off on his fingers.
Hearing those three names, something stirred in Chiya's mind.
It seemed like whether the plan he had in mind for Amegakure could be carried out would likely come down to these three people.
"Do you know much about these three personally, Yahiko?"
Yahiko shook his head.
But Nagato suddenly spoke up.
"Aoki Iwa and Kurosawa Sen are both hardliners. They are hostile toward the Land of Fire and toward Konoha. They believe Amegakure should unite with other great nations against the Land of Fire.
Morita Shin, on the other hand, is more neutral. He only cares about the village's stability."
Chiya gave a small nod, his plan already taking shape in his mind.
The two who were hostile toward Konoha had to be removed. As for Morita Shin...
He could perhaps become an asset for Konoha.
"Do you want to change Amegakure?"
Chiya asked suddenly.
All three were taken aback. Yahiko then nodded without hesitation.
"Of course! We want to bring peace to Amegakure, so it will never be torn apart by war again!"
Chiya could not help but feel this wish was a little naive.
The Land of Rain's geographical position was uniquely and extremely sensitive.
It sat at the most critical point of geopolitical conflict and determined what the future held.
It was bound to become a site of conflict. That could not be avoided.
Unless the surrounding countries were all swept away and Amegakure became a great power itself.
But that would amount to Amegakure declaring war on every neighboring country, and such a small village could never sustain a war of that scale.
Besides, Hanzo had already tried something like that before, and he failed.
Nagato was quiet for a moment, then said quietly.
"But the strength we have now is still far from enough."
Konan looked at Chiya, hope in her eyes.
"Chiya-nii, can you... help us?"
The corner of Chiya's mouth lifted, his gaze deep.
Konan had said exactly what he was hoping to hear.
"I can help you. But the condition is that you come with me somewhere."
"Come with you? Where?"
Yahiko asked, puzzled.
"Do you know where Morita Shin is?"
"Yes."
"Then let us go pay that 'neutral' Morita Shin a visit."
Chiya stood and let his gaze move across the three of them.
"What do you say? Do you dare?"
Konan stood up without a moment's hesitation.
"I will go!"
Nagato and Yahiko exchanged a glance and rose as well.
"We will go too!"
Chiya smiled.
The rain continued to fall. Everyone made their way through the muddy path and came out of the valley.
Sakumo and the ANBU members had already been keeping watch nearby. When Sakumo saw Chiya coming out with the three of them, his brow furrowed slightly.
"Who are they?"
"Allies."
Chiya gave a short answer, then looked at Yahiko.
"Lead the way."
Yahiko nodded and pulled out a map from inside his coat.
He confirmed the direction and led everyone in a sprint toward the distance.
They pushed through the forest. The rain grew heavier.
At last they stopped at a cluster of inhabited structures.
"Right there!"
Yahiko pointed toward a large iron pipe structure in the distance and said to Chiya and the others.
Chiya looked at Sakumo. Sakumo gave a nod of understanding.
He waved to his subordinates. The ANBU members fanned out and moved to surround the iron pipe structure.
Shortly after, one ANBU ninja came back out of the pipe entrance and signaled to Sakumo.
"Move."
Sakumo said simply.
Everyone entered the pipe structure.
Shortly after they found a lean middle-aged man.
He wore a grey robe common in Amegakure, his bearing calm, his eyes alert.
"Yahiko? What is going on!"
His gaze came to rest on Chiya and Sakumo, then finally settled on Yahiko, and he called out in a cold voice.
"Morita-dono, they are Konoha ninja. They are here to help us!"
Yahiko explained quickly.
Morita Shin's expression remained hard.
"Konoha ninja? What do you want here?"
Sakumo stepped forward, his tone measured.
"Morita-san, we are not your enemies. The chaos in Amegakure right now is not good for either the Land of Fire or the Land of Rain."
"Hmph. Since when did Konoha start caring about Amegakure's future?"
Morita Shin gave a cold laugh. He clearly had not a shred of belief in what Chiya was saying.
Chiya did not rush to explain. He said slowly.
"Morita-san, would you rather see Amegakure continue to tear itself apart, or see it return to order?"
Morita Shin had spent years clawing his way through Amegakure's world. He knew there was no such thing as a free meal.
He was silent for a moment, then finally spoke.
"...What exactly do you want?"
"Cooperation."
Chiya looked Morita Shin directly in the eyes.
"We can help you remove Aoki Iwa and Kurosawa Sen and put control of Amegakure in your hands."
Morita Shin's pupils contracted slightly.
"Both of them have the backing of other countries behind them. Removing them will not be so simple!"
"Besides, why would Konoha be so generous?"
"There are naturally conditions."
Chiya smiled faintly.
"Amegakure must maintain a friendly relationship with Konoha going forward.
And these three young ones have a very genuine desire for peace. I hope you will guide and cultivate them."
Morita Shin stared at Chiya.
Then his gaze shifted to the three behind Chiya, as if gauging how truthful his words were.
Just maintaining a friendly relationship?
That was all?
Even he was a little surprised by how simple the terms were.
After a long pause, he took a deep breath.
"I... need to think about it."
"Time does not wait."
Chiya said evenly.
"Aoki Iwa and Kurosawa Sen will not give you much time."
Morita Shin thought it over. In the end he bit down on the decision and finally nodded.
As long as those two were around, he could never truly rule Amegakure.
If what these Konoha people were saying was true, then he would let them try.
"Very well. I agree to cooperate."
That night, Amegakure was shrouded in a curtain of heavy rain.
Chiya and three Uchiha elites slipped into Aoki Iwa's residence.
The estate was heavily guarded. Beyond Amegakure's own forces, there was also an elite unit stationed there.
But under the genjutsu of the Uchiha Sharingan led by Chiya, the guards were controlled as easily as puppets.
Aoki Iwa was reviewing documents in his study.
Suddenly, a dark figure appeared before him.
"Who?!"
He jerked his head up, only to meet a pair of crimson Mangekyō Sharingan eyes.
"Aoki Iwa, your ambitions end here."
Chiya's voice was cold.
Aoki Iwa tried to call out, but found he could produce no sound from his throat.
In the next instant, his consciousness plunged into darkness and his body crumpled to the floor.
At the same time, Sakumo led his team in a strike on Kurosawa Sen's stronghold.
Kurosawa Sen was a ninja by training and reacted with great speed, but under Sakumo's White Fang blade, he had no chance to resist at all and was silenced with a single cut to the throat.
A night of killing came to its end.
The following morning, the villagers of Amegakure were shocked to find that leadership of the village had changed overnight.
Morita Shin stood before Amegakure's administrative tower, his face barely concealing his excitement.
He announced that Aoki Iwa and Kurosawa Sen had been executed for "betraying the village and defecting to outside forces."
And that he would become the new leader.
In the crowd, Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato stood beside Chiya, watching Morita Shin's eyes gleaming with pride.
Complex emotions flickered in their own eyes.
"Chiya-nii, is this what you wanted?"
Konan asked quietly.
Chiya looked at her and smiled faintly.
"No. This is what you wanted."
"Us?"
"The future of Amegakure must ultimately be decided by you."
Chiya patted her on the shoulder.
"Whatever the case, Amegakure has now truly settled down.
In the time ahead, follow Morita Shin and learn well.
One day, you will stand in that position.
When that day comes, that is when you will truly begin working toward peace."
Yahiko clenched his fist, a fighting spirit kindling in his eyes.
"We will get there!"
Nagato said nothing, but a quiet resolve flickered through his Rinnegan eyes.
Chiya nodded with satisfaction and turned to Sakumo.
"Mission complete. Time to head back."
Sakumo looked out at Amegakure in the distance and said softly.
"The game you are playing is bigger than I imagined."
Chiya smiled and said nothing.
The group wasted no time. They sprinted back toward the Land of Fire.
As time passed, the rain grew lighter.
And finally, it stopped.
[青木岩 - Aoki Iwa]
[黑澤川 - Kurosawa Sen]
[森田信 - Morita Shin]