Kumogakure and Iwagakure's Response

Kumogakure and Iwagakure received the news that Konoha had crippled Sunagakure and Kirigakure only half a day later than the two villages themselves.

That was perfectly normal. After all, Sunagakure and Kirigakure were the two villages that had been beaten.

Kumogakure and Iwagakure had obtained the news without knowing anything beforehand, so a certain time gap between them was understandable.

"Heh, Hiruzen Sarutobi. I really never expected it. You, who had always been known for being conservative, actually took the initiative to strike. That truly exceeded my expectations." Outside the Tsuchikage Office Building in Iwagakure of the Land of Earth, the Third Tsuchikage known as Ōnoki of Both Scales was floating in the air using the Light-Weight Rock Technique.

Though he was rather short and had a red nose that was easy for others to tease, tremendous power lay beneath that comical appearance.

Not only was he proficient in all kinds of Earth Style Ninjutsu, but he had also mastered Dust Release, a Kekkei Tōta that stood above Kekkei Genkai. He was also one of the few ninja among the Five Great Nations capable of flight.

Dust Release was especially renowned. Its terrifying white light could directly disintegrate anyone it struck into atoms, reducing them to nothing.

In the original story, he could even destroy all twenty-five Susanoo Shadow Clones summoned by Madara Uchiha in one go during the later stages.

If he had enough Chakra, Dust Release could even threaten a Complete Body Susanoo.

With such terrifying offensive power, combined with the ability to fly, the current Ōnoki—still in his prime and not yet constantly throwing out his back—could proudly say that in this era without Hashirama Senju or Madara Uchiha, he feared no one!

"Tsuchikage-sama, what should we do?" the ninja beside him asked respectfully.

After pondering for a while, Ōnoki gave his orders.

"Send someone to notify the Third Raikage of Kumogakure. Tell him that Iwagakure will launch an attack on Konoha's border in five days."

Ōnoki's decision had been made after careful consideration. The hawks throughout the village were all itching for a fight.

If he forcibly suppressed them, they might turn that pent-up energy against their own people.

Though he could suppress them all, he would definitely have to pay a price. That would be more trouble than it was worth, so he might as well redirect the conflict.

"Yes."

A ninja immediately left to carry out the mission.

"Tsuchikage-sama, is it really all right to directly tell Kumogakure the exact time we'll attack Konoha?"

Beside the Tsuchikage, a tall man wearing a Straw Hat, a brown mask over his mouth, and yellowish-brown armor spoke up.

"Han, you don't need to worry about that. The Third Raikage isn't that stupid. To begin with, the strength of our four great ninja villages is inferior to Konoha's. This time, we had tacitly agreed to attack together, yet before the war has even begun, Sunagakure and Kirigakure have already been crippled. If the Raikage lets us go in alone now, they won't be able to hold on once they're the only village left."

Ōnoki looked at the man beside him and spoke with confidence.

"It seems I was overthinking it. So Tsuchikage-sama had already made arrangements." The tall man named Han nodded.

This man was Iwagakure's Five-Tails Jinchuriki. He possessed Boiling Release and fought by using the power of steam to enhance his taijutsu. He could also strengthen his physical power and speed, earning him the title of the "Steam Ninja."

Though he was not a Perfect Jinchuriki, he could skillfully wield a portion of the Tailed Beast's power. At critical moments, he could also fight using Tailed Beast Transformation.

He was one of Iwagakure's three Kage-level powerhouses!

"Han, is there any news of Roshi? A major war is about to begin, yet that bastard has disappeared who knows where." Ōnoki asked.

The Roshi Ōnoki mentioned was Iwagakure's remaining Kage-level powerhouse and also the Four-Tails Jinchuriki.

However, because he was stubborn by nature and did not get along with Ōnoki, he often left the village to wander around the ninja world, somewhat like Konoha's Jiraiya.

"After Roshi left, he left behind a letter. It said that he was going to the Land of Iron to train for a while and would not return until the Ninja World War was over..." After hesitating for a moment, Han still told him what he knew.

"That bastard! When he comes back, I'll lock him in a cell and let him train properly in there for a month or two!"

Just as Han had expected, Ōnoki flew into a rage as soon as he heard this. His booming voice sounded nothing like that of a forty-five-year-old ninja.

Han had wisely covered his ears beforehand to spare them from the assault.

Since the Land of Iron was a permanently neutral nation, Ōnoki had no way to force Roshi. He could only send someone to try to persuade him.

As for whether Roshi would return, that depended entirely on his mood.

"Han, why didn't you tell me about this sooner? That bastard even deliberately ran off to the neutral Land of Iron. Is he trying to avoid participating in this war?" Still not over his anger, Ōnoki could only direct his fire at Han, another Jinchuriki.

"Tsuchikage-sama, you can't blame me for this. Roshi only sent word back after he arrived in the Land of Iron. By the time I got the news, before I could report it, the war had already broken out." Han spread his hands, showing just how innocent he was.

This was truly a case of being caught in the crossfire.

"Forget it. Let him stay there, then. But Han, you'll have to make up for Roshi's share. This time, you'll head to the front with the main force. No problem, right?"

Though it was phrased as a question, Ōnoki used a declarative tone, carrying the clear implication that Han could try refusing if he dared.

"Understood, my Tsuchikage-sama. I'll go make the arrangements first." Han had not planned to avoid this war in the first place, so his answer was straightforward.

Ōnoki nodded and signaled that he could leave.

The next day, in the Raikage's office in Kumogakure, A, the Third Raikage, received the envoy sent by the Third Tsuchikage.

In Kumogakure, not just anyone could use the name A.

That name belonged exclusively to the Raikage of every generation. Any ninja who inherited the position of Raikage automatically inherited that name as well, then ruled Kumogakure through powerful personal charisma.

The current Third Raikage, A, had dark skin, long pale-yellow hair, and a long beard, with half his upper body bare.

His muscles were solid, a lightning-shaped scar marked his chest, and the character for "lightning" was tattooed on his right shoulder. His entire body radiated a fierce and imposing aura.

"Raikage-sama, this is the letter the Tsuchikage-sama instructed me to deliver to you. Please examine it." The Tsuchikage's envoy respectfully handed the letter he carried to the Third Raikage.

"Mm. I understand the contents of Ōnoki's letter. Go rest first. I need to consider this. At the latest, I'll give you my reply tomorrow." After waving his hand and having someone escort the Iwagakure envoy away, the Third Raikage immediately sent for his adviser, Dodai.

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"Raikage-sama, what business did you call me for?"

After arriving, Dodai, who wore a black hat, immediately got to the point and asked the Raikage.

After all, they had already discussed their upcoming strategic objective yesterday. He did not think there was anything else in the village that would trouble the Third Raikage.

The Raikage briefly told Dodai why the Iwagakure envoy had come.

After hearing the Raikage's account, Dodai fell into deep thought. Their original plan from yesterday had been to attack Konoha in ten days.

But Ōnoki was asking Kumogakure to send troops with Iwagakure to attack Konoha in five days. Including the envoy's one-day journey, that meant four days from now.

Though the preparation time was somewhat tight, it was not impossible. The main question was whether they should agree to the Third Tsuchikage's request.

If Iwagakure attacked first and they attacked afterward, Iwagakure would undoubtedly bear more of the pressure. But there was also the risk that Iwagakure might withdraw early.

After a long while, Dodai gave his answer.

"Raikage-sama, I think we can agree to the Third Tsuchikage's request to attack Konoha simultaneously in five days." Dodai spoke with certainty.

"Oh? Tell me your reasoning, Dodai." The Third Raikage showed neither joy nor anger, making it impossible to tell whether he agreed or opposed it.

"Raikage-sama, may I ask what our purpose is in attacking Konoha?" Dodai replied with a question instead of an answer.

"Mm? At the beginning, when our four great nations planned to attack Konoha together, it was for the fertile land of the Land of Fire—for profit. But now..."

As he spoke, a sharp glint flashed in the Third Raikage's eyes.

With Dodai's slight reminder, A immediately realized something.

Although A had always relied on Dodai's wisdom, he was not a fool himself. If he had only strength and no brains, he would never have been able to sit in the Raikage's seat.

The situation was now laid bare and clear. With Sunagakure and Kirigakure defeated, they could only protect themselves and no longer had the leisure to attack.

With four great nations—or even three—joining hands, they might have had a chance of defeating Konoha. But with only Kumogakure and Iwagakure left, that possibility was truly slim.

If the two sides could maintain a stalemate, that would already count as a strategic victory.

Yes, the conclusion reached yesterday by the Raikage and Dodai was the same as that of Iwagakure's Third Tsuchikage.

The nature of the war had changed. It was no longer about gaining benefits.

Now, it was merely about redirecting the internal conflicts within the village.

The hawks in the village were growing more aggressive by the day. Continuing to suppress them would definitely not be good for the village.

This was especially true of the clans led by the Gold and Silver Brothers back then. They were the most militant among Kumogakure's hawks.

The only ones comparable to them were Kirigakure's Kaguya Clan. Both were clans of war maniacs.

Back when the Second Raikage invited the Second Hokage to the village to establish a peace treaty,

the hawks led by the Gold and Silver Brothers brazenly launched a surprise attack.

No one knew whether the two brothers had lost their minds, but they not only killed the Second Hokage—they also took care of their own Second Raikage while they were at it.

Anyone with even a normal brain would not have pulled off such an absurd stunt.

Killing the Second Hokage would have been enough to destroy the peace treaty. They could even have made the Second Raikage take the blame afterward, removed him from the Raikage position, and taken power themselves.

Yet they insisted on killing both sides. How could Konoha and Kumogakure possibly tolerate that?

Kumogakure immediately made Kinkaku and Ginkaku the scapegoats. After all, the Second Raikage had also died in the surprise attack, so Kumogakure was a victim too.

That left Konoha with absolutely no reason to fly into a rage.

Why?

Because Kumogakure did not take the blame.

Then, after the heavily wounded Second Hokage covered his disciples' retreat, the Gold and Silver Brothers, who had been made scapegoats, were killed by the Second Hokage in turn.

Though in the end, the Second Hokage also died immediately from his severe injuries.

Fearing Konoha's retaliation, Kumogakure's higher-ups did not punish the Gold and Silver Brothers' clans or the hawks they led.

Further weakening the village's military strength would have been too dangerous for Kumogakure at that time.

Fortunately, the ninja world did not know what bizarre events had happened at the time.

The Second Tsuchikage and the Second Mizukage had also perished together.

The Second Kazekage had spent years researching Puppet Technique, allowing toxins to accumulate too deeply in his body until he eventually died of illness.

Then every village, without prior agreement, cautiously resolved its internal conflicts while smoothly transitioning to the Third Kage.

And now, Kumogakure no longer had any other hidden dangers. All that remained was the cancerous growth left behind from back then.

It was time to deal with it.

Hadn't they always been shouting about war, about expanding their territory, about making Kumogakure the number one village in the ninja world?

Then let the hawks take the lead into battle, so that after being suppressed for so long, they would not stage another Raikage assassination.

If something like that happened again, Kumogakure would truly lose all face!

In the end, the Third Raikage and Dodai discussed it for a while longer and agreed to the Tsuchikage's request.

The next day, they sent someone to inform the Iwagakure envoy. The envoy returned to the village that same day and relayed Kumogakure's response to the Tsuchikage.