The Turbulent Ninja World

The turbulent Ninja World

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Atop the Kazekage Building, Yunqing began his succession ceremony, accompanied by Chiyo and the other elders.

"I will lead you all toward prosperous lives."

Looking at the crowd below, Yunqing spoke with a confident smile.

Behind him, Chiyo and the other elders immediately darkened with embarrassment.

"As expected, I set my expectations for him too high."

Chiyo murmured blankly, her eyes unfocused.

What kind of Kage said he would lead people toward prosperity? Shouldn't it have been glory?

As the saying went, looks were justice. Yunqing had already been fairly handsome, but after merging with Irene Belserion's template, his justice rating had practically exploded.

With those overwhelmingly righteous looks, coupled with Yunqing's suggestion magic, the civilians below unconsciously gained confidence in him.

It was still the same conference room. Yunqing sat around the round table with Sunagakure's elders and the heads of its major clans.

"Ahem. Everyone, the reality is right before us. We face troubles within and threats without. Daimyo City is dragging us down, while Konoha and Iwagakure are pressing closer step by step. My proposal is on the table. What do you all think?"

Yunqing spread his hands and spoke casually.

Yunqing's proposal was simple: withdraw troops on a large scale. So long as the Daimyo gave them no explanation, he did not care whether they lost territory or not.

"Lord Kazekage, isn't this going too far? It violates the First Hokage's One Country, One Village System."

An elder replied with an ugly expression.

"Violating the First Hokage's One Country, One Village System? Don't make me laugh, Elder. That's a funny thing to say.

Konoha is pressing us at every turn. Our shinobi are fighting on the front lines, yet the Daimyo offers no support and even sells military supplies.

How about you go fight for two days, Elder?"

Before Yunqing could answer, the head of one of Sunagakure's major clans took the lead in refuting him.

Over the next while, the Council of Elders and the heads of the major clans voiced their opinions one after another.

Some supported withdrawing, some supported continuing the war, and some even wanted to communicate with the Daimyo's Mansion.

In short, once there were a hundred people, there were a hundred different views. This conference room did not even hold a hundred people, yet an argument had already broken out.

"Enough! I support Yunqing's proposal. Withdraw the troops."

At last, as the argument continued, Chiyo's expression grew increasingly ugly. She slammed the table and roared.

"Sāmon is severely injured and still unconscious. Our supplies are also running low, while the Daimyo's Mansion has delayed endlessly. We can no longer hold on."

Ebizo spread his hands, using the facts to express his stance.

Fighting was fine, but everyone had better be prepared to pay out of their own pockets.

They would not only need to provide manpower, but money as well. And eighty percent of them would have to give their lives.

Faced with reality, the elders and clan heads could only compromise, returning to their seats one by one in a daze.

"Everyone, we have no choice. Either we withdraw our troops and stop the war, or we compromise with the Daimyo and let ourselves be constrained in everything from now on."

Seeing that some remained unconvinced, Yunqing continued persuading them with the facts.

Compromise with the Daimyo? What a joke. You stabbed us in the back, and we still had to compromise with you? How cheap would that make us?

The elders roared inwardly.

There was nothing more to say. Withdraw the troops. They had to withdraw. They would endure for a few years first, then fight again once they had sufficient strength.

After gaining the support of the elders and clan heads, Yunqing smiled helplessly. No one truly wanted to withdraw. As one of the Five Great Nations, no one wanted to admit defeat.

Besides, he was so strong. Why should he compromise?

But that was life. Individual strength could not turn everything around, especially when one had people behind them.

"Endure it. Let's recover for ten years first. Ten years from now, we'll settle this."

Yunqing clenched his fists and spoke through gritted teeth.

Thinking of Sunagakure's powerhouses from the original story, Yunqing was confident that he could win back their dignity.

Ten years from now, Chiyo would not be too old, Suke would be in his prime, and so long as Sasori's parents had not died, Sasori might not necessarily defect. There would also be the Fourth Kazekage and his wife, who could leave behind Chakra to protect Gaara, as well as Bunpuku.

Yunqing believed that he could unite these people and win back their dignity.

After receiving support, Yunqing decisively sent people to issue orders for a full contraction of the battle lines.

The Konoha-Sunagakure battlefield.

Suke watched the Konoha shinobi slowly retreat and breathed a sigh of relief.

Just moments ago, he had clashed with Hatake Sakumo, Orochimaru, and the others, barely managing to force a draw.

"Lord Suke, the Third Kazekage has sent orders. We are to contract our battle lines and retreat. Do not worry about using Sealing Scrolls; take all supplies with us."

A Jonin beside Suke informed him.

"Pull out twenty Jonin and fifty Chunin to cover the rear with me. Have Bunpuku lead the others back to Sunagakure."

Suke was also decisive. Without the slightest hesitation, he ordered a retreat.

Only those who stood on the very front lines could understand the cruelty of war.

The same scene was unfolding on the battlefield between Sunagakure and Iwagakure.

Before the astonished eyes of the Second Tsuchikage Mu and his disciple Ōnoki, Sunagakure rapidly retreated under the cover of numerous Jonin.

"Master, what exactly is going on? Why is Sunagakure retreating?"

Ōnoki floated in midair and asked Mu in confusion.

Iwagakure held the advantage, but it was not obvious. Before Yunqing led Sāmon away, he had also beaten Iwagakure until they were half-crippled.

"Something must have happened to Sāmon. Even if he is not dead, he must be crippled. Yunqing has succeeded to the position and cannot leave Sunagakure for long. The situation on the battlefield against Konoha cannot be very good either."

Mu was covered in bandages, and only his exposed eyes gleamed with wisdom.

"Ōnoki, I need to return. I'll leave this place to you. Once Sunagakure withdraws from the battlefield, our war with Konoha should enter its climax."

Watching the Sand Shinobi retreat in an orderly manner, Mu spoke with emotion.

"Master, don't we have a treaty with Konoha?"

Ōnoki was somewhat bewildered.

Sunagakure had produced a genius named Yunqing. By himself, he had crushed a thousand-man shinobi coalition, earning fame throughout the Ninja World in the early days of the Second Ninja World War. He had also given Sunagakure the capital to fight two opponents at once while still holding the advantage.

Mu and Ōnoki had both seen Madara Uchiha and had been fortunate enough to survive his hands.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had even met the First Hokage and served as his disciple for several days.

They all understood the strength of those two monsters. In their eyes, Yunqing possessed the potential to become one as well.

That was also why Iwagakure could fight on three fronts at once and still send both Kekkei Tōta users and two Jinchuriki here.

Because they had a secret alliance: together, they would drive Sunagakure out first.

"A treaty? Once Sunagakure withdraws from this Ninja World War and agrees to compensate us, that will be when we go to war. Those barbarians from Kumogakure are still watching us greedily from behind."

Mu had never taken so-called treaties seriously.

What were shinobi? They were people who would use any means necessary for a mission. A treaty was merely waiting for the right time to be torn up.

Unlike the endless yellow sands of Sunagakure, Konoha was green like spring all year round, with four normal seasons.

Inside the Hokage Office Building, Hiruzen Sarutobi, now in his prime, was discussing matters with his "classmates."

"The newly appointed Third Kazekage is very clever. He chose the most correct path."

Kagami Uchiha glanced around the room and chuckled.

"That is the hardest part. According to the news from Danzo and Homura, that Magnet Release Bloodline Limit user has already withdrawn. It seems Sunagakure is very united internally."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a headache.

A change in the Kage position would affect many people's interests. Like him, he had only barely secured his position through the support of a group of classmates.

It was not until the end of the First Great Ninja War that he had truly stabilized his position.

The unity Sunagakure was displaying now made him very uncomfortable.

The strength and resources required to break a united one of the Five Great Ninja Villages were beyond imagination.

"There is no choice but to give up. Kumogakure and Iwagakure are also very hostile toward us, especially Kumogakure. Their losses have not been great."

Utatane Koharu frowned as she offered her suggestion.

Because the parties had jointly signed an agreement to drive out Sunagakure, which had Yunqing, first, Kumogakure had stated that since it did not border Sunagakure, it would not attack. The rest was up to them.

As a result, Kumogakure's strength had not suffered much loss.

Hiruzen exhaled a cloud of smoke that spread through the entire room. Through the haze, his sharp eyes swept over the others.

"Tell Danzo and Homura to apply strategic pressure. We must win with the bearing of victors."

Hiruzen Sarutobi, still in his prime, feared no challenge.

"What about Kumogakure and Iwagakure?"

Utatane Koharu asked helplessly.

She knew this would be the outcome. After being attacked, refusing to strike back was not young Hiruzen's style.

In the early stages of the war, Sunagakure had directly broken through their defenses and invaded the Land of Fire. When they left, they had taken a large number of civilians, craftsmen, food, and supplies.

Kirigakure had long stood isolated overseas, occupying favorable terrain and maintaining a strategic position where it could advance to attack or retreat to defend.

Inside the Mizukage Building, the Second Mizukage, Hozuki Gengetsu, was laughing wildly.

"Haha! That trash Mu only barely suppressed Sunagakure by joining forces with Konoha. With his disciple and two Jinchuriki, he only managed to suppress Sunagakure's Yunqing. He's getting worse with age."

"Lord Mizukage, that Yunqing broke an army by himself. He is a figure comparable to Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha."

The young man beside him tried to persuade him helplessly.

"No, Kuchiki, you are wrong. Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha are not human. I do not know how those two did it, but it absolutely exceeded the scope of ninjutsu and Bloodline Limits. So long as a person's ninjutsu remains within the range of understanding, they can be suppressed."

Hozuki Gengetsu spoke disdainfully.

Many people praised Kekkei Tōta, but Hozuki Gengetsu disdained it. Then he beat Mu until he was covered in bandages.

He believed that he had already reached the pinnacle of humanity. As for Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju, they were simply not human.

"Lord Mizukage, what should we do about the Jinchuriki? Konoha has Mito Uzumaki, Sunagakure displayed the One-Tail's power this time, and Iwagakure's Jinchuriki also have considerable combat ability. Shouldn't we research this as well?"

Kuchiki ignored Hozuki Gengetsu's mad ramblings and changed the subject.

"Is there still no direction for research into Sealing Techniques? What about research into the Tailed Beasts' attributes?"

Hozuki Gengetsu was deeply dissatisfied. Were his own people really so weak? Others had already deployed them on the battlefield, while they had not even taken the first step.

"Sealing Techniques are not our specialty, and there is nothing we can do. We have always been isolated overseas. Our geographical position is advantageous, but we lack sufficient exchanges, so our progress has been relatively slow."

Every advantage had its disadvantages. Kuchiki indicated that there was nothing he could do either.

"Forget it. Choose the Ninja Swords first, and we can discuss the rest later. Wait a little longer. We may be bad at Sealing Techniques, but our neighbors are good at them. We can go borrow some ideas."

A cruel smile appeared at the corner of his lips as Hozuki Gengetsu gazed into the distance.