Two years passed quickly, and the Shinobi World remained relatively peaceful.
The only major event was that six months ago, the Raikage—backed by the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning—completely eradicated Kumogakure's Elder Council. This marked the full restoration of the one-village-one-kage system in Kumogakure.
However, the years of internal strife had left the village severely weakened.
Kumogakure, built atop steep cliffs and surrounded by towering mountains, looked as grand and imposing as ever.
A, having regained control, stood abruptly as he read the intelligence report delivered by his subordinates.
"Damn Konoha. I knew they were behind this... Otherwise, those old fools wouldn't have dared..."
Despite everything, the Raikage's temper hadn't mellowed over the years. He had suffered enough humiliation—despite his overwhelming strength, he had been powerless against the Elder Council.
"The power of the people," they had smugly called it.
"Send the order—no caravans from the Land of Fire are to enter the Land of Lightning."
"Raikage-sama, the Daimyo won't agree to that," his secretary reminded him cautiously.
A slowly sat back down, though the anger on his face didn't subside.
Even though the Elder Council had been eliminated, the problems they left behind remained unresolved. Many of the policies they had implemented had genuinely improved the lives of the villagers. However, much of the funding for those policies had come from deals similar to what Konoha had done.
Now that A had used the Daimyo's authority to overthrow them, the Daimyo had reclaimed control of the trade routes and towns that had been operating in secret. With the village's financial resources gone, the welfare policies were naturally scrapped, leading to widespread discontent.
A had considered adopting similar strategies himself, but the Daimyo—after witnessing Konoha's internal struggles—had become paranoid.
Any hint of unrest in Kumogakure resulted in the Daimyo slashing their funding and locking down trade routes around the village. This stranglehold forced A to compromise. He had no choice but to find other ways to ease the village's internal tensions.
...
Meanwhile, a Kumogakure envoy was en route to Konoha to sign a peace treaty.
News of the envoy spread like wildfire through Konoha's streets, accompanied by praise for the Third Hokage's efforts to promote peace. However, Konoha's major clans viewed it all with disdain.
Life hadn't changed much for the villagers, but the clans clearly felt Konoha's decline—whether in foreign relations or economic strength.
Yes, decline.
The once-revered Oversight Department—hailed as a beacon of justice during the Fourth Hokage's time—had fallen into irrelevance. Originally created to monitor the nobility, the department was now under the nobility's thumb.
When conflicts arose, the Third Hokage's conciliatory attitude disillusioned many of the department's shinobi. Those with any connections transferred out, leaving the department a hollow shell.
With oversight offices and enforcement squads losing their authority, Konoha's grip on the Land of Fire slipped. The once-thriving Shirakawa Town—Konoha's economic hub—was now under commercial blockade and constant pressure.
Over the past two years, Konoha had steadily retreated under the Land of Fire's control.
Yet despite all this, Konoha's leadership placed great importance on Kumogakure's envoy. The Third Hokage, flanked by the village elders, Uchiha Fugaku, Hyuga Hiashi, and other clan leaders, personally greeted the delegation at the Hokage Tower for peace negotiations.
The talks went smoothly, with both sides expressing their desire for peace and mourning the fallen shinobi from both villages. The Third Hokage signed the ceasefire agreement and the non-aggression pact, officially marking the end of their decade-long conflict and the start of a new era of peace.
Konoha's streets erupted in celebrations over the hard-won peace.
...
Late at night, in the Hyuga Clan's mansion...
"Brother, what's wrong?" Hyuga Hizashi asked, looking at Hiashi, who had been sitting in his room since the day's meeting ended.
"Ever since the Fourth passed, Konoha's problems have worsened. The Third can't hold the village together anymore... I'm worried about the Hyuga Clan."
The meeting was still fresh in Hiashi's mind.
When did Konoha fall this low?
The entire leadership had turned out to welcome a mere envoy. The delegation's attitude, once respectful, had gradually grown arrogant. The shift unsettled Hiashi deeply.
"The Third isn't getting any younger, and—"
Before he could finish, the brothers exchanged a look, leapt to their feet, and rushed outside. From the rooftop, they spotted a shadowy figure fleeing.
"Hinata!" Hiashi's sharp eyes caught sight of his daughter in the intruder's arms.
He charged forward, veins bulging around his Byakugan.
"Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!"
Chakra erupted from his tenketsu, striking the enemy's heart with pinpoint accuracy.
Hizashi, who arrived moments later, examined the corpse before turning to his brother, who was cradling his daughter.
"We have a serious problem..." he said grimly.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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