"The Land of Earth is demanding that we return the body of 'Gari' from the Second Shinobi World War."
"The Land of Lightning is requesting the release of Yotsuki Akira from our prison."
"The Land of Moon wants an explanation for the disturbance you caused last time, Lord Kakuzu."
"The Land of Birds has issued a unilateral diplomatic notice, banning its citizens from entering our Dragon Country."
In just a few days, an overwhelming stack of official documents had been slammed onto Kakuzu's desk. Sitting at his desk, Kakuzu calmly glanced at the towering pile of diplomatic letters, his expression unreadable.
Standing below him, "Ni," Hatake Sakumo, and the others were lined up on either side.
"Lord Kakuzu, these are the recent diplomatic messages directed at our Dragon Country. There are more than ten in total, from both major and minor nations. Not only do the great nations have grievances against us, but even smaller ones have jumped in on the matter." Ni summarized the situation and then delivered his final assessment. "This is a conspiracy against our Dragon Country."
His words earned unanimous agreement from those present.
Despite Dragon Country's relatively small territory and limited overall power—especially in terms of its ninja population, which was far from posing a serious threat to other nations—it now found itself seemingly besieged by nearly the entire shinobi world. Major and minor countries alike were coming up with various excuses to cause trouble.
Only the Land of Fire and the neutral Land of Iron had remained uninvolved, the rest had all joined in.
"I believe our top priority is to find a way to handle these diplomatic conflicts," proposed Heisei Rokuno.
Hatake Sakumo shot him a glance and shook his head.
"No, this is clearly a conspiracy. If we go about addressing each nation's demands one by one, how long would that take? We need to find the mastermind behind this and eliminate them—that will put an end to most of these problems."
Ever since Kakuzu had stopped him from committing seppuku and brought him back to Ryūgakure, Hatake Sakumo had undergone a change. Now in his thirties, he had once firmly believed in the Will of Fire. But after experiencing many things, Kakuzu had taught him that the world was not just light but also darkness. To navigate this world, one needed both strategy and power.
Relying solely on brute force or instinct was insufficient. This world was built on human interactions, and humans were the most complex beings of all.
As a result, Hatake Sakumo now considered things far more carefully than before.
Kakuzu listened to their discussion without interrupting, instead focusing on the documents in his hands, lost in deep thought.
Ryūgakure had been keeping a low profile. For it to suddenly provoke more than 80% of the shinobi world—who had such influence and power to orchestrate this?
If Kakuzu had to guess, it would likely be Uchiha Madara.
Madara had demonstrated his ability to manipulate the Third Mizukage with his Sharingan. If he wanted to, he could probably control the leaders of other villages as well.
But on second thought, that seemed unlikely. Madara's health had deteriorated significantly, and he wouldn't expose himself so easily. Controlling multiple Kage-level figures simultaneously would place an immense strain on his eyes, reducing the effectiveness of his genjutsu.
If someone was orchestrating this behind the scenes, then it was likely Black Zetsu aiding Madara.
Regardless, Madara's plan was working.
As Heisei Rokuno and Hatake Sakumo debated without reaching a conclusion, all eyes eventually turned to Kakuzu. Ultimately, the decision rested with him.
Kakuzu tapped his fingers lightly against the desk. After a brief silence, he finally spoke.
"Since every nation is so eager to test us, let's respond to them one by one. A decade of peace has made too many people restless. It's time to remind them what Ryūgakure is capable of."
His words sent a chill through the room.
The message was clear—an eye for an eye.
He had no intention of groveling before these nations to mend relations. If they thought Ryūgakure was an easy target, then he would make them regret it.
"Lord Kakuzu, should we start with Kirigakure?" Hatake Sakumo, gripping his White Fang short sword, took a step forward, battle spirit igniting in his gaze.
While taking on a major village seemed reckless, Sakumo was prepared to personally visit Kirigakure and make them understand Ryūgakure's might.
"No," Kakuzu shook his head, rejecting the idea.
After consuming the Hero Water, Hatake Sakumo's chakra reserves had increased substantially. He could likely take down Kirigakure's forces single-handedly. Even if they released their tailed beast, he would probably be able to handle it.
Among Kirigakure's forces, perhaps only one individual could match him in combat.
But even so, Kakuzu wasn't about to let Sakumo take the risk. He hadn't forgotten that Black Zetsu and Uchiha Madara were lurking in the shadows.
"Ni, you will manage all governmental affairs while I'm away."
"Sakumo, you are Ryūgakure's strongest combatant. You don't need to act unless absolutely necessary, but ensure key locations like our research facilities remain protected."
"Rokuno, our village's mobile ninja force has been expanded to 500. You will oversee their deployment. Prioritize village defense, and if you encounter an enemy too powerful to handle, retreat and alert Sakumo and Ni. Our main priority is preserving our forces. Understood?"
As Kakuzu swiftly laid out his plans, his subordinates were momentarily stunned.
"Lord Kakuzu… are you planning to go personally?" Ni asked, concern evident in his voice.
Kakuzu nodded and slowly rose from his seat.
Who else could represent Ryūgakure's ultimate strength but him?
...
Half a month later.
The sky was a murky gray, and a light drizzle continuously fell upon the ground.
Holding out a hand, one could feel the rain's force—it wasn't ordinary. The droplets carried an unusual weight, striking the skin with a strange sensation. But for those who had spent time here, it was something they eventually adapted to.
After all, in this place, it never stopped raining.
Within the Land of Rain stood a towering statue resembling an ancient deity, perched atop the highest spire in the country. The most striking feature of the statue was its long, grotesque tongue, protruding outward in an eerie and unsettling manner.
Kakuzu stood at the tip of this tongue, gazing at the man before him—a middle-aged warrior with fierce, penetrating eyes.
The man was none other than the one known as the "Demi-God" of the shinobi world—Hanzō of the Salamander.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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