The Demigod's Antidote

Konoha Year 23, winter. Heavy snow fell.

A sudden snowfall blanketed the Land of River in a thick layer of white.

It snowed for three full days. By the time it finally stopped, the snow across the Land of River was already deep enough to reach one's knees.

The winding paths had been buried completely. The storm affected not only ordinary people's caravans but even the shinobi's movements.

And so, the war drums fell silent, and the fighting ceased.

The flames of war that had swept across the southwestern Shinobi World were finally forced to die down, if only temporarily, before the power of nature.

At the Konoha camp, inside the hastily assembled wartime command tent.

"For the past three and a half months, we've been in constant combat with Amegakure. Over this period, Konoha and Sunagakure have each lost roughly forty percent of our forces. Our losses have been severe, but the good news is that Amegakure and Iwagakure have suffered far more."

Hatake Sakumo, the overall commander of this shinobi war, stood at the head of the room and briefed the Konoha jōnin present on the results.

"Amegakure in particular. The Small Nations Alliance, led by Amegakure, has been battered to the brink of collapse in these three months of war. This so-called alliance against the Five Great Nations is now little more than a name, everyone!"

"Heh. That sly old fox, Ōnoki, hid behind the Small Nations Alliance and let them take the lead in everything."

Orochimaru gave a sinister laugh. "After all this fighting, Iwagakure has suffered the least among the four sides."

"I've only just realized it. This must have been his plan from the start."

Hatake Sakumo nodded. "The old man colluded with the Small Nations Alliance from the beginning. He never intended to wage a full-scale war against us. He had only one goal... to make this hastily assembled alliance of small nations die—die completely!"

"After all, nobody wants to see a new monster emerge, one even larger than the Five Great Nations."

Jiraiya nodded in agreement with Hatake Sakumo. "The Small Nations Alliance had no choice but to accept Iwagakure's offer. If they refused, Amegakure would have to fight three great nations at once. It was a masterstroke."

"Ōnoki of Both Scales, the Third Tsuchikage... what a terrifying man."

Orochimaru sighed. "If there's another Shinobi World War... that old Ōnoki will surely be a major threat to Konoha."

"Another Third Shinobi World War? It won't happen anytime soon."

Hatake Sakumo said, "Every side has suffered considerable losses in this war, but nothing they can't bear. Once we deal with the Small Nations Alliance, the three great nations can all go home, lick their wounds, and recover. If Ōnoki tried to start another war now, he'd be facing an alliance between Sunagakure and Konoha, while Kumogakure and Kirigakure watched like tigers waiting to pounce."

"If he made a move, the four great nations would join forces to encircle and devour him. That old Ōnoki would never do anything so foolish."

Hatake Sakumo smiled at the others. "My prediction is that the next great war is still a long way off. We have at least eight years."

He truly lived up to his name as the White Fang of Konoha.

Sakuya, sitting silently off to the side, glanced at Hatake Sakumo and nodded to himself.

A man who had nearly become the Fourth Hokage through his own efforts, without anyone's support.

His grasp of the situation was astonishing, as if he had the Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan, capable of seeing through everything.

According to the original Naruto storyline, the Third Shinobi World War began ten years after the Second Shinobi World War ended—almost exactly when Hatake Sakumo had predicted.

If he hadn't killed himself after being bullied by Konoha's ungrateful villagers, perhaps the Fourth Hokage would have been chosen early, instead of Minato Namikaze...

"Before then, Sakuya."

Hatake Sakumo's words interrupted Sakuya's thoughts.

He raised his head and met the White Fang's gaze.

"You've worked hard during this time."

The White Fang continued, "The battlefield on the western side of the Land of River, the assassinations of the Small Nations Alliance's leaders, the severing of Iwagakure's supply lines... over these past few months, you've done so much for the village. Without you, the Small Nations Alliance wouldn't have collapsed so easily."

"No, you give me too much credit, Sakumo-senpai."

Sakuya shook his head. "I only did what I was supposed to. Compared to that, you're the one who deserves to be called the great hero of this war, Sakumo-senpai. You held the Demigod back on the front lines, pinning him down so completely that he couldn't take a single step beyond the Land of Rain."

"Haha, not at all. I couldn't hold the Demigod back alone. The jōnin from the village's various clans helped me."

Hatake Sakumo shook his head.

Strangely enough, over these past few months, the Demigod Hanzo of the Salamander had stayed within the borders of the Land of Rain without taking a single step outside.

Sakuya had prepared to face the Demigod with his Mangekyō, but they had never crossed paths.

Though Hatake Sakumo and the others had kept the Demigod pinned within the borders of the Land of Rain, in truth, they had only fought him from a distance, using poisonous smoke to suppress him. They had never once faced him directly.

It was anyone's guess what Hanzo of the Salamander was plotting.

"Speaking of which, Orochimaru."

Hatake Sakumo turned to Orochimaru again. "How are things in the Land of Pupil?"

"Everything is fine."

Orochimaru replied, "Ever since you stopped Sunagakure's infiltration of the Land of Pupil, they've behaved themselves and kept the battle line stable."

"And the Toxin Research Institute?"

"Everything is going smoothly."

"...Is that so?"

During that operation, he had killed Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law on the spot as a warning. Yet Chiyo had obediently stayed at the research institute to study toxins, even after he had killed her only son?

"I'm guessing Miss Pakura suppressed the news."

Seeing Hatake Sakumo's doubtful expression, Orochimaru explained, "That brilliant young prodigy of Sunagakure, who's only just over a dozen years old."

Pakura of Scorch Release was Sunagakure's most famous prodigy of the Second Shinobi World War.

Together with Rasa of Magnet Release, she was one of the two most renowned kekkei genkai users of Sunagakure's younger generation.

Miss Pakura was especially impressive. She was highly capable in both politics and combat, and even had a remarkable knack for managing those under her. Though barely twelve, she had already become the deputy commander of Sunagakure's allied forces. She hardly seemed like someone of her age.

No... that was just how the Shinobi World was. Like leeks, whenever a bunch of prodigies died, another batch of young geniuses would spring up.

Wasn't Konoha full of people like that?

Orochimaru looked at Sakuya.

Our Red Flash was far more impressive than the Scorch Release user.

"Whoosh!"

As everyone was lost in thought, someone abruptly flung open the tent flap.

"Commander! Everyone!"

The newcomer shouted excitedly, "The toxins at the research institute have yielded results!"