Chapter 58: Iwagakure Steps In; Ohnoki Fans the Flames
The Hidden Stone Village.
Ohnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, sat suspended in mid-air, reading Konoha's diplomatic statement with a look of profound amusement.
After a moment, he handed the scroll to his son, Kitsuchi. "The pressure of being a Kage turns men into monsters, Kitsuchi. Look at this."
"Hiruzen Sarutobi was always a 'noble' soul—a bit too soft for my liking. But this wording? It's sharp enough to draw blood."
Ohnoki twisted his torso to stretch, and a series of loud, wet pops echoed from his lower back.
"Ouch! My back!"
Even at middle age, the "God of Earth" was beginning to feel the rust in his joints. In his view, the Cloud Village's recent provocations had finally done the impossible: they had managed to piss off the most patient man in the world.
"Father, the Hokage says the Third Raikage's succession was illegitimate," Kitsuchi noted, his brow furrowed. "Is there any truth to that?"
Ohnoki's back, which had just stopped aching, felt a fresh surge of pain from the sheer stupidity of the question.
"Kitsuchi, you're a titan on the battlefield, but you're a toddler in a boardroom," Ohnoki snapped, his white beard bristling. "Go read the history of the Great Ninja Wars ten more times! That's an order!"
Kitsuchi snapped to attention. "Yes, Lord Tsuchikage!"
Ohnoki sighed, shaking his head. His son was rock-solid, dependable, and fiercely loyal—but he was as simple as a boulder.
A leader needs more than raw power, Ohnoki thought. He needs a devious mind.
"Does anyone besides the Raikage know the truth of his predecessor's death? No. But look at the facts. The Second Raikage and the Second Hokage were at a peace summit. They were ambushed by the Gold and Silver brothers—who were high-ranking Cloud elites. The Kage die, and a 'Hawk' faction leader takes the hat. It's a perfect setup."
"A conspiracy theory doesn't need a logical chain of evidence, boy. It only needs a hook that benefits the audience. People want to believe the bad guy is a cheat."
Kitsuchi's face shifted. "Does this actually hurt the Cloud?"
"A little," Ohnoki said, floating back into a relaxed position. "The Raikage is a charismatic leader. Most of his people will ignore it. But that's not the point."
"The point is the Hidden Mist."
Ohnoki chuckled, explaining the messy history of the Mizukages to his son.
"Should we stay out of it, Father?"
"Stay out of it? Are you insane?" Ohnoki slammed his fist onto his desk—or he tried to, but since he was floating in the air, his hand met nothing but empty space. He wobbled awkwardly for a second.
Kitsuchi, with a deadpan expression, stepped forward and held the heavy stone desk up so his father could reach it. "Try again, Father."
Ohnoki slammed the desk for real this time. BANG!
"The Second Mizukage, Gengetsu, is the reason Lord Mu is dead! I hate those Mist-born bastards! They're animals!"
"Issue a global broadcast! State that Iwagakure is deeply 'concerned' about the stability of the Cloud's leadership. Mention that a leader who takes power through 'unclear circumstances'—like the Raikage—inevitably turns into a bloodthirsty tyrant because they don't trust their own clans."
"Say that such a leader is unfit for the title of 'Kage' and encourage the shinobi of the Cloud to... reconsider their loyalty for the sake of the world."
Kitsuchi's lip twitched. Wait, this isn't about the Raikage at all. He's practically pointing a finger directly at the Third Mizukage's nose.
Ohnoki stroked his beard, feeling quite refreshed. Being a professional "Troll" on the international stage was incredibly therapeutic, especially when the target was an old rival.
"But Hiruzen is bold to play this card," Ohnoki mused. "He had some succession drama of his own twenty years ago. The fact that he's shouting this now tells me Konoha is more unified than it's been in a decade. They've integrated their power."
Kitsuchi smirked. "At least your succession is undisputed, Father."
Ohnoki gave a proud, arrogant sniff. He was the most "legitimate" Kage on the board. He had been groomed by the First Tsuchikage since he was a child—he was the kid who was literally tasked with "polishing the stone" that represented the village's will.
But even with absolute control, he had his own headaches. Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, hated Ohnoki's stubbornness and had been "traveling" (refusing to come home) for months.
"The world is shifting. We can't fall behind."
"Kitsuchi, accelerate the formation of the Explosion Corps! And tell the clan heads to start encouraging their younger members to have children. If we find a genius among the new batch, I'll take them as a personal disciple!"
"That goes for you too, Kitsuchi!" Ohnoki barked, hitting his son on the head. "Stop looking at the sky and start looking for a wife! I need a grandson who actually has a brain for politics!"
A Few Days Later.
The Stone's statement hit the global wires.
In The Hidden Cloud, the response was one of confusion. Why is Ohnoki bringing up sixty-year-old rumors? Does he really think we're that stupid?
The Third Raikage's bravery in facing the Eight-Tails had already cemented his legend. No amount of "Illegitimate" talk would move his people. But the Raikage himself saw the subtext immediately.
"He's targeting the Mizukage," the Raikage grunted. "Ohnoki is a crafty old bastard. He's using Hiruzen's momentum to trigger a civil war in the Mist."
"Fine. If they want to play, let's add some fuel. Anything that weakens the Mist makes our future easier."
The Hidden Mist (Kirigakure).
The Third Mizukage nearly flipped his entire stone desk when the reports arrived.
What is the meaning of this?!
Konoha and the Cloud were supposed to be yelling at each other. Why was every single message ending with an "indirect" insult aimed at him?
The Mizukage's fists were clenched so hard his knuckles were white. His eyes burned with a paranoiac, icy rage. He had spent decades fighting the internal clans; being mocked by the entire world for his "unstable rule" was a trigger he couldn't ignore.
"The Cloud, the Stone, the Sand... and even the Leaf!"
"No... Hiruzen Sarutobi is the only one who didn't attack me directly," the Mizukage panted, trying to maintain some semblance of cold logic. "In fact, his statement about 'War Readiness' actually supports my own 'Bloody Mist' policy."
In a world where everyone was against him, the Mizukage saw Konoha's statement as a potential hand offered in cooperation.
"I'll deal with Ohnoki and the Raikage later. For now, the enemy is within!"
"Effective immediately, the Bloody Mist policy is fully active! We purge the dissenters! We cull the weak!"
While the Mist ascended into madness, the atmosphere in Konoha was decidedly more productive.
The Academy Training Grounds.
Asuma, Shisui, Kakashi, and the rest of the "Azure Dragon Brotherhood" were sitting in a circle in the high grass of the back mountains. It looked like a peaceful picnic.
But instead of snacks, they were all reaching into their shirts and pulling out Family Secret Scrolls.
"Alright, brothers," Asuma whispered, sounding like a junior mob boss. "The Azure Dragon's hoard is open. Let's trade."
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