In Uzushiogakure, inside a mysterious underground chamber.
"Chihana, your plan worked just as you expected."
Uzumaki Motoumi sat in the seat of honor and spoke slowly, his voice low. "After today's debacle, that fool Suigen has completely trampled Konoha's dignity underfoot.
Tobirama is fiercely protective of his own. He'll never give Suigen another chance. The rift between him and Konoha can never be mended now."
"I only gave him a push. He chose his own path."
Chihana gave a cold snort, her fingers lightly caressing the rim of her still-warm teacup.
"All these years, he's done nothing but roar at clan meetings and act like a tyrant.
For the sake of his pathetic pride, the village has steadily declined, until even getting enough to eat has become a pipe dream for the young.
If we let him stay in that seat, Uzushiogakure will eventually be buried with him. Stripping him of power is self-preservation, not a lust for authority."
As she spoke, she shifted topics and cast a sharp look at Longya.
"Longya, you went to Konoha in person this time, so you're the one most qualified to speak.
Tell us about Uchiha Ao. I heard he's a kid who's never even taken the Jonin exam?
Can someone like him really help us wipe out a Kumogakure outpost?"
"Believe it or not."
Longya raised his head to meet their gazes and said gravely:
"Just this afternoon, the two elite guards who were always at Suigen's side couldn't withstand even one of his attacks."
"One strike?"
A deathly silence fell over the chamber. Chihana and Motoumi exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in the other's eyes.
Though Suigen was incompetent, the ninja sent to serve as his guards were among the finest in all of Uzushiogakure.
And yet even they