The Movement of Iwagakure and Kumogakure
With the passage of time, the battle between Uzumaki Mianma, the leader of the reformed Uzushio Village, and Pain, the figurehead of the Akatsuki organization, spread across various intelligence networks.
Many within the shinobi world remained skeptical about reports claiming that Mianma and Pain possessed strength surpassing the Five Kage. After all, throughout history, only a handful of individuals—such as Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara, and Namikaze Minato—had truly eclipsed the collective might of the Kage.
Yet despite the disbelief, the undisputed power of both leaders was recognized unanimously by spies, who relayed the intelligence to their respective villages.
Inside the Tsuchikage's Office
In the administrative center of Iwagakure, Third Tsuchikage Onoki sat behind his desk, drowning in paperwork. The constant workload, coupled with his advanced age, aggravated his chronic back pain.
At that moment, Kurotsuchi pushed open the door, urgency in her voice. "Grandpa, this is the latest intelligence from the Land of Waves."
Onoki skimmed the report and furrowed his brows.
Kurotsuchi peeked over his shoulder. "Uzushio Village has taken over the Land of Waves? Could their leader really be as strong as you, Grandpa?"
"I don't know…" Onoki admitted, his voice laced with doubt. "But if these reports are true, the leader of Uzushio Village could be a major threat. The name Uzumaki Mianma brings back memories of the Uzumaki Clan—wiped out decades ago."
"The Uzumaki were feared for their fūinjutsu, rivaling even the Uchiha during the Warring States Period. If they had fully allied with Konoha back then, the balance of power might have shifted even further in their favor."
Kurotsuchi frowned. "The intel also mentions Uchiha involvement. Could Uzushio Village be a proxy force for Konoha? Maybe they're using the Uzumaki name to secretly annex smaller nations."
It wasn't an unreasonable assumption. The sight of both Uzumaki and Uchiha shinobi immediately invoked the image of Konoha.
Onoki, however, shook his head. "Unlikely. If Konoha wanted to absorb smaller nations, they would've done so long ago. The Five Great Nations use these small countries as buffer zones. Besides Raikage, none of the Kage would take such reckless action."
He sighed. "And I know Hiruzen Sarutobi. He wouldn't approve of such a move—unless it was orchestrated in secret by Danzo."
Kurotsuchi hesitated. "Then… what should Iwagakure do? Should we align with Konoha to counter Uzushio's rise? Or consider them a hidden enemy and suppress them?"
"Neither."
Onoki made his decision. "For now, we'll observe. Uzushio and the Land of Waves are far from the Land of Earth. Any potential conflict will concern Konoha and Kumogakure more than us."
What truly unsettled Onoki, however, was the growing strength of the Akatsuki leader.
Akatsuki had started as a mercenary group, and Iwagakure had frequently hired them to destabilize minor nations. It had been a mutually beneficial arrangement—until now.
Originally, Akatsuki had been tied to Amegakure's interests. If its members were merely elite jōnin, they could be used as a tool for war. But if Pain truly possessed Kage-level strength, Amegakure would now have two Kage-tier shinobi.
A single Kage was usually enough to maintain a village's independence, but two? That meant Amegakure could shift from defense to offense, threatening its neighboring nations.
For Iwagakure, this was a problem. If Amegakure rose in power, it would create a four-way threat between Iwa, Konoha, Kumo, and Ame. Iwagakure's geographical advantage would be weakened.
With a sigh, Onoki gave an order. "Kurotsuchi, tell Kitsuchi to monitor the Land of Rain closely."
"Why? Hanzo the Salamander has been inactive for years."
Onoki's expression remained serious. "That's exactly why I'm worried."
Kurotsuchi nodded, trusting her grandfather's judgment.
Just then, Onoki's mind wandered. "By the way, where has that brat Deidara gone? It's been unusually quiet—no explosions lately."
Kurotsuchi's face darkened. "Grandpa, you locked him up two weeks ago."
"…Has it been that long?" Onoki scratched his head, chuckling. "Maybe it's time to let him out. He's talented. A prodigy in explosive-style ninjutsu. Once he matures, I'll teach him Dust Release so he can succeed me as Tsuchikage."
Kurotsuchi frowned. "But, Grandpa—"
"No arguments. You should get along with him better."
Unlike Konoha, where power struggles were common, Iwagakure's main problem was the lack of successors. Though its shinobi were competent, few had the potential to reach Kage level. Deidara was their best bet.
Onoki stood up. "Come on, let's check on him. See if he's learned anything from his time in confinement."
---
In Kumogakure
Atop the training grounds of Kumogakure, the Fourth Raikage was personally sparring with his jōnin. One by one, his subordinates fell in friendly yet intense combat, their bodies aching but their spirits high.
Between fights, some shinobi challenged the Raikage to arm wrestling—only to be effortlessly overpowered by his monstrous strength.
It was a typical day in Kumogakure.
Unlike the other Great Villages, Kumo thrived without internal strife. The Yotsuki Clan had long established a firm grip on leadership, preventing factional conflicts. Their only major setbacks had been the betrayals of Kinkaku and Ginkaku, but those rogue shinobi had been dealt with decades ago.
As Raikage enjoyed the sparring, his assistant, Mabui, approached in high heels, carrying a report.
"Lord Raikage, intelligence from the Land of Waves."
The Fourth Raikage took the document, scanning it briefly. His eyes narrowed. "So, two new powerhouses have emerged, huh? I'd like to test their strength myself."
Mabui sighed, adjusting her glasses. "Raikage-sama, this could affect the village's future. We must proceed with caution."
The Raikage smirked. "They haven't encroached on Kumogakure's interests yet, so I see no reason to act. Besides, our real enemies remain Iwagakure and Konoha."
After a pause, he continued, "Konoha is always playing the hero, pretending to uphold peace while secretly expanding its influence. And as for Akatsuki… they're just a tool for Ame and Iwa to stir trouble."
He clenched his fist. "We should settle this the shinobi way—pick a battlefield, fight, and let the strongest claim the land."
Mabui exhaled sharply. "Raikage-sama, please maintain your dignity."
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