The lightning danced across the stormy skies of Kumogakure, mirroring the tension in the Raikage's council chamber
The room was filled with elite shinobi, advisors, and clan representatives, all gathered in response to the news from Konoha
A storm brewed inside the room just as fiercely as it did outside
"Now's our chance"
The Raikage declared, his voice a low growl as his fists clenched atop the table
"Konoha is in shambles
Their Hokage is dead
We should strike before they recover"
Some of the shinobi around him murmured in agreement, but one of his advisors, a wiry man with calculating eyes, leaned forward
"With all due respect, Raikage sama, we cannot"
The Raikage's sharp gaze snapped to him
"Explain"
"The peace treaty binds us
An attack now would unite the other villages against us
Even Iwa would side with Konoha if it meant punishing us for breaking the agreement"
The room fell silent
The Raikage's scowl deepened, but after a moment, his frustration faded into thoughtfulness
"Hnn... If the treaty restrains us, that means it restrains Konoha, too"
"Exactly"
The advisor nodded
"They are weak, but they cannot move freely
If we cannot strike with force, we must strike with strategy"
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the room
"What about their military structure?"
A Jonin asked
"The Uchiha are still a major threat
If we make any moves, they'll be the first to respond"
The Raikage exhaled sharply, folding his arms
"Then we make them our problem
Keep watch on their movements
We don't need to break Konoha's walls to weaken them
We just have to make sure they crumble from the inside"
A slow, dangerous smirk spread across his lips
"Start looking for pressure points"
-=-
Laughter echoed through the council chambers of Iwagakure
Sake was poured freely, and voices rose in celebration
"The Yellow Flash is dead!"
A Jonin cheered, slamming his cup onto the table
"Finally, that bastard got what was coming to him!"
"Serves Konoha right"
Another shinobi scoffed
"For all their arrogance, not even their so-called strongest Hokage could protect them"
Ohnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, remained seated at the head of the room, observing the festivities with a neutral expression
He allowed them their moment of joy, after all, Iwa had suffered more than enough under Minato Namikaze's reign of terror
But when the doors swung open and a scout rushed in, his expression darkened
"Tsuchikage-sama"
The shinobi panted, bowing hastily
"The Nine-Tails... it wasn't killed
It's been resealed"
The room fell silent
The celebrations ceased in an instant, cups halting mid-air, voices cutting off as if a blade had severed them
"What?"
The sharp edge in Ohnoki's voice made the scout stiffen
"The Kyubi still exists
Konoha managed to seal it away before Minato's death"
Murmurs rippled through the room, but this time, there was no laughter
No cheers
Just unease
Ohnoki leaned back in his seat, stroking his beard
"Hnn... That complicates things"
Konoha was weak, yes, but the Nine-Tails was still a weapon in their arsenal
And if history had taught him anything, it was that underestimating a Jinchuriki could cost entire armies
His back twinged painfully, and his scowl deepened
His old wounds from the war with Madara Uchiha, wounds that should have long since healed, seemed to ache at the mere thought
Of course, it wasn't just the Kyubi that made him wary
Konoha still had the Uchiha
And he was in no rush to be reminded why people called them the cursed clan
"Let Kumo and Kiri scheme all they want"
Ohnoki muttered
"We'll wait
Let's see how the dust settles before we make our move"
His shinobi nodded in agreement
But the celebration was over
-=-
The air in the Mizukage's chambers was thick with silence
A group of Kiri's highest, ranking shinobi stood before Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage, awaiting his verdict
"Konoha is wounded"
One of the elders stated
"Their Hokage is dead
Their village is in ruins
If we strike now-"
"No"
The single word, spoken in an eerie monotone, silenced the room
Yagura's crimson eyes glowed in the dim light, his face unreadable
"We will not waste our resources on a pointless attack"
The gathered shinobi exchanged uncertain glances
This wasn't the Yagura they once knew
His rule had grown harsher, his reasoning colder
There was no room for debate
"Yes, Mizukage-sama"
They bowed and withdrew, leaving their leader alone in the flickering candlelight
Except... he wasn't alone
From the shadows, a single figure observed through the reflection in a pool of water
Obito Uchiha
He had listened to their entire exchange, his expression hidden behind his spiraled mask
Yagura's words were his own
His will
Minato is dead
The thought echoed in his mind, but there was no satisfaction in it
Only irony
The man who believed in me had to die for this dream to take shape
Minato Namikaze, the man who once called him a prodigy, who smiled at him with genuine pride, had fallen
And yet, even with that loss, there was no room for doubt
There was no turning back
The world needed to be reshaped
And Kiri... would be the first step
-=-
The council chamber of Sunagakure was heavy with unease
The death of Minato Namikaze had shaken the balance of the world, and none felt that more keenly than the Sand
"Troubling news"
The Kazekage, Rasa, murmured, his fingers steepled as he listened to the reports
"Konoha is vulnerable"
"That should be their problem"
One councilor scoffed
"Not ours"
"You're mistaken"
Baki countered, his expression grim
"Konoha is our ally, our stabilizing force
If they weaken too much, we become the next easy target for the other nations"
A silence followed his words
They all knew the truth, Sunagakure had never been the strongest village
Its military paled in comparison to Konoha's, and its economy relied heavily on its alliance with the Leaf
If that alliance crumbled, Suna's survival would be at risk
Rasa tapped his fingers against the table, his golden eyes unreadable
"We must prepare
If Konoha falls into chaos, we need to ensure Suna does not become collateral damage"
From the far end of the room, an elderly voice spoke, laced with old bitterness
"Why should we care for Konoha's stability when they have never cared for ours?"
All eyes turned toward Chiyo, the former advisor, her gaze sharp with resentment
"They let the White Fang butcher my son, my family
They let Iwagakure slaughter our forces in the last war
And yet, we cling to them like beggars in the desert, hoping they will shield us when the next storm comes"
Rasa's expression remained neutral, but the weight of her words settled over the chamber
Suna had long been at the mercy of stronger nations
And now, their greatest ally was bleeding
The Kazekage exhaled slowly
"I will take the necessary measures"
A plan was already forming in his mind
One that would ensure Suna's survival, whether Konoha endured or not
He glanced toward the sealed chamber where a single unborn child lay within his wife's womb
If we cannot rely on alliances, then we will create a weapon of our own
-=-
The rain fell in a constant, rhythmic patter over the metallic structures of Amegakure, its endless drizzle a silent witness to the storm brewing beyond its borders
High above the city, within a dimly lit chamber, the self proclaimed god of this forsaken land observed the world through countless pairs of eyes
Pain sat upon his throne, his Rinnegan reflecting the flickering holographic images before him
Reports had already arrived, the Fourth Hokage was dead, Konoha had barely survived, and the Nine Tails had been unleashed upon the world
It was proof of what he had always known
Even the strongest village could be brought to its knees
"Do you see now, Konan?"
His voice was quiet, almost contemplative
"Even Konoha, the so-called mightiest of the five great nations, was powerless before true strength"
Konan stood beside him, her expression unreadable
"Minato Namikaze was a formidable opponent, yet he could not prevent his own village's devastation"
"Because power is all that dictates survival"
Pain continued, his voice unwavering
"Their will of fire, their peace, it crumbled the moment true devastation stood before them
The world will only understand pain"
Konan remained silent
She had long since learned that arguing against his ideology was futile
A ripple in the rain
A dark presence stirred at the edge of the chamber
From the shadows, Black Zetsu emerged
"I assume you wish for information?"
Pain's gaze remained impassive
"The Nine Tails
Was it killed or resealed?"
"It was sealed once more"
Zetsu's voice slithered through the air
"I am still uncovering the identity of its new vessel, but... I have a suspicion"
Pain narrowed his eyes
"Find out for certain
And once you do... ensure the world knows what Konoha has done"
A twisted chuckle
"Ah, of course
Rumors have such a delightful way of spreading, after all"
As the shadows swallowed Zetsu once more, Pain turned back to the endless rain
The world was already beginning to move
And soon, Konoha would know true suffering
-=-
The council chamber of Takigakure was dimly lit, the flickering lanterns casting long shadows across the aged wooden walls
Unlike the sprawling halls of the five great nations, the Hidden Waterfall's leadership met in a modest, enclosed space, one built for practicality, not grandeur
A group of shinobi sat in quiet contemplation, the air thick with tension
Minato Namikaze was dead
The Kyubi had ravaged Konoha
The balance of power had shifted
"This is an opportunity"
One of the elders murmured, his fingers tapping lightly against the table
"With Konoha weakened, their reach across the continent will falter"
"And what good does that do for us?"
Another elder countered
"We are not strong enough to take advantage of their vulnerability
If anything, we should be wary
When giants stumble, the ones crushed beneath them are those who stand too close"
A younger shinobi scoffed
"You act as if we are helpless
Takigakure has its own strengths
We possess the Hero Water
We have our Jinchuriki
If war comes, we will not be easy prey"
The room fell silent at his words
None could deny the power of their sacred water, nor the might of the Seven Tails' vessel
Even so, war was not something they could afford
A weary sigh broke the quiet
The village head, an older man with a calculating gaze, folded his hands together
"We will not act rashly
Konoha's fall does not guarantee our rise
We must observe, measure our steps carefully"
A pause
"However, we must also think ahead
The world is changing
If we are to survive, we must not simply rely on old strengths
We must seek... alternatives"
A subtle shift in the room
A ripple of understanding
For years, Takigakure had remained isolated, hidden in the shadows of greater nations
But if the great villages were faltering, then perhaps it was time to reconsider their path
Perhaps it was time to look beyond
To new allies
To new weapons
To the future
-=-
The first light of dawn crept over the horizon, casting long shadows across the village
The remnants of destruction still scarred the land, but amidst the ruin, Konoha remained
The Hokage Monument stood tall once more, its surface newly restored, the cracks of battle erased as if they had never existed
The sun's golden glow bathed the stone faces, illuminating them against the backdrop of a slowly waking sky
For many, it was a symbol, an unspoken promise that no matter how deep the wounds, Konoha would endure
Yet, below that monument, the village still lay in shambles
The streets, once bustling with life, now carried only weary footsteps
The survivors moved with dull eyes, their bodies dragging forward on instinct alone
Conversations were hushed, spoken in tired murmurs between those who had lost too much
Mikoto walked among them, Yuzuki nestled securely in her arms
Even in her infant state, Yuzuki could feel it
The air was heavy, thick with exhaustion and something deeper, something frayed at the edges
Konoha had survived
But survival was not the same as living
She watched the people pass by, taking in the blank expressions, the hesitant steps
A child sat near the remains of a collapsed shop, staring at the rubble as if willing it to become whole again
A shinobi leaned against a broken wall, his hands trembling as he unwrapped bandages, revealing fresh wounds beneath
Others sifted through the wreckage of their homes, some searching for belongings, others simply standing in place, as if lost
{This is what they call a great village?}
Indra's voice broke through her thoughts, laced with skepticism
{They scramble to their feet, patching stone before flesh
How admirable}
His words carried a mocking edge, but Yuzuki didn't reply
She wasn't ignoring him, she was just... watching
Not pitying, not mourning
Just observing
Konoha still stood
But that did not mean it had healed
And perhaps, it never truly would
-=Chapter End=-
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