Last night.
An explosion occurred in a remote small town within the Land of Fire!
The damage at the scene was simply too extensive. But based on the ashes and the Explosive Tags, it could be determined... that a fierce battle had likely taken place there, followed by an explosion and a massive fire.
However.
Who exactly had been involved?
And why had a battle broken out within the Land of Fire?
There were too few clues.
As soon as he finished speaking.
A short while later.
After scanning the documents, everyone exchanged solemn looks.
Yet no one noticed that the Hokage's Assistant beside them—Shimura Danzō, whose face was somewhat gloomy—had trembled slightly.
"Explosive Tags, and the traces left at the scene. A large amount of paper seems to have been burned." Utatane Koharu, one of Konoha's advisers, spoke first, her expression equally grave. "Have you identified the enemy?"
"It's precisely because we haven't that it's giving me a headache. Recently, no Konoha ninja have gone there on missions." Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. "The Feudal Lord's Mansion hopes we can determine what happened as soon as possible. After all, everyone knows that the war only ended not long ago, and now such a large-scale attack has suddenly occurred." He paused slightly. "Everyone is quite concerned."
"Konoha has not dispatched any ninja outside on missions, while the explosion and flames destroyed everything." Mitokado Homura, another Konoha adviser known as Konoha's brilliant strategist, adjusted his glasses and said solemnly, "Then it seems likely that ninja from another village entered the Land of Fire, encountered enemies, and broke out into a fierce battle?"
As he spoke, he lowered his head and glanced at the intelligence again.
"Judging by the scale, there were quite a few people involved. Have the nearby civilians been questioned?"
"...Yes!" Hearing Mitokado Homura's words, the Third Hokage fell silent for a moment before saying, "A few days ago, a group of red-haired refugees suddenly appeared there!"
As soon as he said that.
Red hair?!
Everyone froze, then looked surprised.
Could it have been the Uzumaki Clan?
If it had been the Uzumaki Clan, then this battle was not difficult to understand.
After all, the Uzumaki Clan's current situation... was known to all.
Seeing everyone fall silent, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed helplessly and rubbed his forehead. "Forget it. In that case, I will personally inform the Feudal Lord's Mansion. Konoha's ninja will investigate this matter as quickly as possible! Next is the matter of the Kusagakure ninja."
As he spoke.
He clasped his hands beneath his chin and swept his gaze over everyone again.
The others also tacitly turned the page on the matter of the Uzumaki Clan.
After all, this matter involved too much. Before the truth had been investigated, it was difficult for them to say anything more.
As for Kusagakure...
"Kusagakure ninja are conducting normal commercial activities within the Land of Fire?" Utatane Koharu blinked. "Those people have stopped selling intelligence and started doing business? And they even registered it with the Land of Fire's Feudal Lord's Mansion?!"
Was it really that formal?
This...
Wasn't very Kusagakure-like!
Even the other higher-ups beside her were stunned when they saw it.
After all, everyone knew that Kusagakure's ninja forces were too weak, and few people commissioned missions within the Land of Grass. Therefore, Kusagakure could only sustain its ninja village by selling intelligence. Now... they were no longer selling intelligence?!
"Yes! They really did register it! They said it was some kind of movie." Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, raising an eyebrow as he said strangely, "According to Konoha's investigation, it is merely a new form of theater. However, it seems to contain plotlines that negatively allude to Konoha!"
He paused slightly.
"So, how do you think this should be handled?"
As soon as he finished speaking.
Everyone fell into thought again.
A form of theater.
And it contained allusions... Honestly, that was nothing unusual. After all, the Five Great Ninja Villages all took jabs at one another!
But.
A tiny Land of Grass actually dared to allude to Konoha. After rebuilding, the Land of Grass had certainly grown much bolder!
Utatane Koharu looked over the intelligence regarding the Land of Grass.
Kusana.
The new leader of the Land of Grass, who had ended the chaos in the Land of Grass single-handedly and rebuilt the country!
He seemed to be a fairly capable ninja.
That was right.
Fairly capable!
After all, a place like the Land of Grass... its ninja were only that strong. Otherwise, it would not have been wiped out so easily.
As for the Land of Eddies...
The Land of Grass and the Land of Eddies were not the same.
She raised her head and looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi. "What aspect are they alluding to?"
"The destruction of the Land of Eddies!"
"???"
That was it?
Everyone was surprised again. After the destruction of the Land of Eddies, quite a few ninja villages had indeed pinned the blame on Konoha.
But everyone in the village knew...
That was impossible!
Konoha and the Land of Eddies had been as close as brothers!
They could never have done such a thing!
That allusion did not hurt at all!
Even Shimura Danzō, the Hokage's Assistant, merely snorted coldly. "Neglecting their proper duties! Ninja should only do what ninja are supposed to do!"
"Ahem!"
At that moment.
Mitokado Homura, Konoha's so-called brilliant strategist, gave two false coughs and said with a stern expression, "Regarding this! Konoha must condemn the Land of Grass! And demand that they stop showing that... theater!"
However.
As soon as he finished speaking.
The other higher-ups hesitated before saying.
"...Is that really appropriate? The Land of Grass has now formed an alliance with Konoha! And it serves as a buffer between Konoha and Iwagakure. If we are too forceful... what if Kusagakure turns around and sides with Iwagakure?"
"Is that the point?"
"How is that not the point? The Land of Grass can effectively defend Konoha against Iwagakure's attacks!"
"No! What I mean is, does our condemnation have anything to do with whether the Land of Grass will defect to Iwagakure?"
As soon as those words fell.
Everyone, who had been discussing things all at once, suddenly fell silent.
That was right!
Did it matter?
It had nothing to do with it at all!
It was as though if they did not condemn them, the Land of Grass would not side with the other side.
One had to know...
Kusagakure was infamous throughout the ninja world for having no ninja ethics. Once danger arose... they would sell out their allies without hesitation!
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi's mouth twitched.
Though Konoha and Kusagakure were now allies, he would not find it strange even if they sold Konoha's intelligence directly later!
"Let's proceed as Homura said!" Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded with a sigh, his expression turning stern. "At the same time, Kusagakure must ensure that its ninja do not approach Konoha without cause!"
He paused slightly, as though remembering something.
No matter what, they were currently Konoha's allies. After hesitating, he added, "And they must not conduct any ninja operations within the Land of Fire! As for other commercial activities, they only need to register them with the Feudal Lord's Mansion!"
"Understood!"
Very quickly.
Kusagakure also received the condemnation.
However, everyone merely looked it over and stopped paying attention to it.
After all, Kusagakure had received far too many condemnations because of selling intelligence.
The most serious instance had been near the end of the First Great Ninja War, when they had been directly wiped out.
So they were used to it.
It was no big deal!
Therefore.
Got it!
Those three simple words would do.
Mujie accepted the reply written by the leader. When he saw those two words, he immediately fell silent. "That's it?"
"That's right!" Kusana looked at Mujie in confusion. "That's right. Otherwise, what else do you want to do?"
"Just those three words? Leader, the Land of Grass is still a country, big or small. We can't be this careless!"
"Of course it can't be that simple! Add to it yourself after you leave." Kusana pondered for a moment, then said, "Write something like... Kusagakure and Konoha share close ties; Kusagakure deeply apologizes for the trouble this incident has caused Konoha; we have already learned of this matter; we hope Konoha will trust Kusagakure; the relationship between Kusagakure and Konoha goes back a long way and can be traced to the founding of the ninja villages... Write it like that. Understand?"
"...Understood!" Mujie sighed emotionally and nodded. "A leader truly is a leader. I've learned it! I've learned it! You can stretch it into so many words! But..." He hesitated. "Are we going to change?"
As soon as he said that.
Kusana rolled his eyes. "The Land of Grass has been selling intelligence for so many years and has been condemned so many times. Have you ever changed?"
"I... understand! So shameless... Leader, you truly are an outstanding Kusagakure ninja!"
"..."
Who was this guy insulting?
Could relations between countries be called shameless?
Kusana glared at Mujie, then said with a stern expression, "Next is the matter of the Uzumaki Clan and the Chinoike Clan joining..."
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