Gold and Earth

The streets of Iwagakure were more bustling than Jingxin had imagined.

Houses built against the mountains lined the stone-paved roads, the grayish-white rock structures glowing warmly in the setting sun.

People wore earthy yellow or dark brown clothing, blending seamlessly into the village's color palette.

Jingxin carried his newly purchased supplies as he walked back to his new home.

In his left hand, he held a cloth bag filled with vegetables and dry rations, while his right hand carried training equipment.

Shuriken and kunai were wrapped in thick cloth, and ten kilograms of training weights were strapped around his waist.

Returning home, Jingxin set down his supplies and began to organize.

He stored the food in categories and placed the training gear in the corner of his bedroom.

The shuriken and kunai were wiped clean, and the steel wires were carefully coiled.

The ten-kilogram weights were not needed for the moment, but they had to be kept ready.

Outside the window, the sky grew dark, and the lights of Iwagakure flickered on one by one.

Jingxin stepped out of his house and headed straight for the Tsuchikage Office.

Konoha would not let this matter rest.

A man like Shimura Danzō would surely exhaust every resource to track him down.

Although Iwagakure was remote, it was not absolutely safe.

He needed to hide more thoroughly.

The Tsuchikage Building was the iconic landmark of Iwagakure.

It was rougher and heavier than the Hokage Building, rising from the ground like a mountain peak.

The guards at the entrance recognized Jingxin and nodded to let him pass.

Ōnoki's office was on the top floor.

When Jingxin knocked on the door, a familiar voice came from within: "Come in."

Upon entering, he saw the Third Tsuchikage sitting behind a wide stone desk.

"Jingxin," Ōnoki looked up. "Coming by so late, is something the matter?"

Jingxin walked up to the desk: "Lord Tsuchikage, as long as I am alive, Konoha will not be at ease."

Ōnoki set down his pen: "Hmm, this old man has already considered that."

He took a document from his drawer and pushed it toward Jingxin.

"This is a confidentiality plan I prepared long ago," Ōnoki said. "It includes the establishment of a new identity, guidelines for daily behavior, and contingency plans for potential risks. Take a look."

Jingxin untied the ribbon and unrolled the scroll.

The plan was more detailed than he had expected.

Every part was thoroughly considered; it was clearly the work of an experienced veteran like Ōnoki.

Ōnoki noticed Jingxin's surprise: "Since a child like you has come to Iwagakure, I naturally have to be thorough."

"There is one more thing for you to consider. I have thought of a new name for you to use for the time being."

"Kintsuchi, what do you think?"

The name was simple, perhaps even a bit rustic.

But it fit the naming conventions of Iwagakure, especially following the tradition of Ōnoki's lineage, making him sound like a true local.

Jingxin thought for a moment.

He was outstanding among his peers, but in the grand scale of the ninja world, he was still very weak.

Changing his name would indeed avoid a lot of trouble.

"I will follow Lord Tsuchikage's arrangements."

"Hahaha! Kintsuchi, from now on, don't call me Lord Tsuchikage; it's too distant. You are the future of Iwagakure, just like Kurotsuchi. Just call me Grandpa... hm? Just call me your foster grandfather."

Halfway through his sentence, he seemed to recall something and changed his words on the spot.

At the same time, in the Root base of Konoha.

Shimura Danzō stood in a dim basement, with three Root members kneeling before him.

"According to intelligence analysis, the target's most likely escape route is the Land of Earth," Danzō's voice echoed in the stone room. "Iwagakure is remote, easy to hide in, and has a delicate relationship with Konoha."

"Iwagakure is not one of those small nations; that old man Ōnoki will not allow Konoha ninja to enter at will."

He walked to his desk and picked up a pen and letterhead.

The tip of the pen scratched against the paper, each word carefully weighed.

The letter was a formal diplomatic document addressed to the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki.

The wording was polite, but the intent was clear.

Danzo, in his capacity as a member of the Konoha Council of Elders and head of the Anbu Training Department, requested permission for a squad to enter the territory of the Land of Earth.

The stated reason was to search for a genin who had gone missing during a mission.

No name was specified, but those in the know understood exactly who was being referred to.

After finishing the letter, Danzo pressed his personal seal onto the paper.

He placed the letter into an envelope and sealed it with wax.

"Deliver this to Iwagakure and hand it directly to the Third Tsuchikage." Danzo handed the envelope to a black-clad ninja. "Remember, your attitude must be respectful, but your stance must be firm. This is the will of the Third Hokage."

The three Root members bowed in unison. "Understood."

Three days later, inside the Tsuchikage Office of Iwagakure.

Ōnoki sat behind his desk, holding the letter sent from Konoha.

The messenger remained in the center of the room, maintaining a respectful posture, yet his eyes held an unquestionable persistence.

"Danzo?" After reading it, Ōnoki placed the letter on the desk. "Since when does he have the authority to represent Konoha in diplomatic negotiations?"

The messenger looked up. "Lord Danzo is a key member of the Konoha Council of Elders and has the authority to handle such matters."

"Furthermore, this is merely a standard request for cross-border cooperation; Konoha has no other intentions."

"No other intentions?" Ōnoki stood up. Though he was short in stature, the aura he radiated at that moment made the air in the room grow heavy. "I have no interest in dealing with your Konoha's messy affairs."

"Since when did Konoha become the police of the ninja world, coming and going as you please?"

"If Hiruzen Sarutobi truly wishes to enter the Land of Earth to search, let him bring sufficient sincerity and say it to me personally, rather than sending someone hiding in the shadows to test the bottom line of Iwagakure."

Ōnoki's weathered eyes narrowed. "If you dare to trespass, I wouldn't mind fighting for another ten or twenty years!"

Although his tone was harsh, the focus of Ōnoki's words was never centered on the so-called "genin."

From a diplomatic standpoint, he showed no trace of knowing about the existence of Jingxin.

He was simply playing the game, looking to seize the opportunity to extract some benefits from Konoha.

The messenger remained silent for a moment before finally bowing and departing.

After the office door closed, Ōnoki walked to the window.

He looked out at the scenery of Iwagakure, where the gray-white buildings appeared solid and firm under the sunlight.

"Sarutobi, you have finally reached this point as well." Ōnoki whispered, "To not even spare a child—is this the Will of Fire of your Konoha?"

He shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it further.

He turned back to his desk to continue processing documents.

One of them was a follow-up report regarding the settlement of the new villager, Kintsuchi.

Ōnoki picked up the report and read it carefully.

Kintsuchi, the child he had personally named, was slowly integrating into Iwagakure.

Although still a bit unfamiliar, the child was making an effort to adapt.

To make the act convincing, Kintsuchi would be treated like any other Iwagakure ninja.

All necessary records and identification documents would be provided, without exception.

After finishing the file, Ōnoki nodded with satisfaction, his heart filled with anticipation for the future.

Oh, Konoha, Konoha—no one could have imagined that in just these few short years, you would have fallen to such a degree.

To think you would actually hand over your sharpest sword to someone else.