"Looks like Kumogakure and Iwagakure didn't come out of this lightly either…"
Inside the Hokage's office in Konohagakure—
Namikaze Minato looked at the growing number of mission requests, a faint smile on his face.
All of this…
Was thanks to his student.
If Ning Feng hadn't defeated that army of ten thousand in Kirigakure, Konoha wouldn't be experiencing such rapid growth right now.
Both Kumogakure and Iwagakure were already showing signs of decline.
As long as Konoha seized this opportunity—alongside the Hidden Rain—to divide up the resources that once belonged to them…
It would take those villages far greater effort to reclaim them later.
After all, resources in the ninja world were limited.
That was why the Five Great Nations strictly controlled emerging powers.
If the Hidden Rain Village hadn't been under Uchiha Feng's control…
Minato would never have allowed a village at the intersection of three nations to rise and compete for resources.
But now—
The Hidden Rain had effectively replaced Kirigakure's position and seized a significant share of Kumogakure and Iwagakure's resources.
Konoha, in turn, had gained far more from Ning Feng than it had ever given.
"It seems Feng's side went very smoothly…"
Hatake Kakashi narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint smile hidden beneath his mask.
He hadn't expected his junior brother to grow to the point of challenging an entire great village alone.
"However… this time, Feng went a bit too far."
Minato frowned, concern filling his blue eyes.
Conflicts between great villages were common.
Wars had happened countless times.
But this—
This involved the collapse of an entire great village.
And the deaths of thousands of elite shinobi.
He worried that A and Ōnoki might resort to underhanded methods against the Hidden Rain… or directly target Ning Feng.
Open attacks could be defended against.
But covert ones?
Much harder.
Even if Ning Feng now stood among the strongest in the world—
A well-planned assassination could still succeed.
Given Ōnoki's past resentment and A's dissatisfaction…
It was very possible they might unite.
"Should I send some personnel to protect Feng?"
The thought crossed Minato's mind.
Though Kumogakure and Iwagakure had suffered heavy losses—
If they focused all their strength on an assassination plan, the chances of success wouldn't be low.
Meanwhile, the Hidden Rain was still in a growth phase.
Many of its shinobi had been dispatched on missions.
There were very few left to guard Ning Feng.
Even Uchiha Itachi had repeatedly suggested requesting reinforcements from Konoha.
But—
Konoha itself was stretched thin.
They were busy seizing missions and resources from Kumogakure and Iwagakure.
After a long moment of thought—
Minato decided against it.
Ning Feng could likely handle himself.
And more importantly—
The Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth might not cooperate.
Their priority would still be rebuilding their own villages.
…
Meanwhile—
At a secret outpost along the border between Kumogakure and Iwagakure—
A and Ōnoki sat across from each other, each flanked by their guards.
Their expressions were grave as they stared at two intelligence reports on the table.
Reports detailing each other's recent mission activity.
Clearly—
Both villages had suffered a sharp decline.
Kumogakure was hit especially hard.
Its remote terrain already limited opportunities—
Now, with so many elite shinobi lost, even accepted missions were being delayed.
Many clients had withdrawn and turned to Konoha or the Hidden Rain.
The losses were devastating.
And yet—
They couldn't openly blame the Hidden Rain.
After all, their deployment had no legitimate justification.
Now that their elites were dead, any retaliation would lack proper cause.
"So… forming this assassination unit will further reduce our income…"
Ōnoki frowned, the wrinkles on his face deepening.
His condition was visibly deteriorating.
Already advanced in age, and repeatedly angered by Ning Feng—
His body was beginning to fail him.
"It's precisely because of Uchiha Feng that our villages are declining like this!"
The Raikage slammed his hand on the table, unable to contain his fury.
Ōnoki's guards immediately drew their blades, wary of the lightning chakra surging around A.
A exhaled deeply, calming himself.
"That was inappropriate."
"But if we don't act now—while the Hidden Rain is expanding and Konoha is too busy competing with us to help him—"
"We'll suffer even greater losses later!"
Ōnoki's eyes flickered with a dangerous light.
He understood.
Ever since Ning Feng became the Third Amekage—
Iwagakure had suffered continuous economic losses.
Setting aside stolen techniques—
The sheer financial tribute alone amounted to hundreds of millions of ryō annually.
And the hidden losses—
Those were even worse.
A slow erosion that would eventually cripple the village.
Ōnoki was not a fool.
He had seen this long ago.
But he was old.
He no longer wished to entangle himself further in the chaos of the ninja world.
Even during the last campaign, he had sent the minimum number of troops—just enough to vent his resentment toward Ning Feng.
He had only intended to push Ning Feng back.
But instead—
Every shinobi he sent had died.
That…
Was unacceptable.
And for the first time in a long while—
He felt anger.
He was nearing the end of his tenure.
Soon, the position of Tsuchikage would pass on.
But after this incident—
He doubted his successor would possess the strength, experience, or resolve to deal with Ning Feng.
If this problem were left to the next generation…
It would only worsen.
So—
While he still held power—
He had to eliminate this threat.
For the sake of Iwagakure's future.
Across from him, A waited silently.
Gone was his usual impatience.
He knew—
Ōnoki had the keenest instincts among the Kage.
His hesitation came from one thing—
A reluctance to risk mutual destruction with the Hidden Rain.
But now—
Ning Feng had slaughtered their forces.
This was humiliation.
A direct insult.
As one of the Five Great Nations—
Neither the Land of Lightning nor the Land of Earth had suffered such disgrace in a long time.
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