Ever since the Fourth Shinobi World War in Konoha, the Ninja World had settled into peace. Sunagakure and Iwagakure were both working hard to consolidate their domestic resources, purge the powerful families, wealthy merchants, and others, completely reshuffle their countries, and bring as many of the resources hoarded by those factions as possible under their control.
With these resources as their foundation, they would be better able to govern and develop their ninja countries.
Kumogakure had developed the best, though—or rather, the Thundercloud Ninja Country. Kumogakure had not only taken over the Land of Fire, but had also occupied the Land of Water with the help of the surviving Kirigakure Ninja, including the island nations the Land of Water had conquered in the south over the years.
Apart from the area around the Land of Rainbows, which Konoha had seized, Kumogakure had occupied all the remaining territory.
There was no helping it. Shimura Danzō had wiped out all of Kirigakure, leaving fewer than three hundred Kirigakure Ninja alive outside the village.
Meanwhile, Konoha had settled in the Land of Rainbows. Though the Kirigakure Ninja were furious, they didn't dare confront Konoha head-on.
Kirigakure had become history. Even if they rebuilt it, they still wouldn't be able to stand against Konoha. They were better off joining Kumogakure while they had the chance. At least they'd be able to protect their lives, and in the future, they could rely on Kumogakure to destroy Konoha and avenge themselves.
Of course, there were some who opposed the move, but they were in the minority and were all driven away.
Swallowing two vast territories—the Land of Fire and the Land of Water—at once had been a strain even on Kumogakure, with its deep reserves. They had also pushed their original ten-year tree-planting plan back to