Even the best relationships could grow distant because of distance and differing positions.
The Hyuga Clan and the Kaguya Clan were like that.
During the Warring States Period, the two clans had been close. Unfortunately, the Kaguya Clan had been too reckless. While the Uchiha and Senju were at war, they had actually stabbed them in the back.
They had thoroughly enraged both clans, who then joined forces and drove them out of the Land of Fire.
"Hehe."
Kushina laughed happily. "Oh, right, the Nine-Tails sensed a lot of hostile gazes hidden in the dark. How strange. We don't have any grudges against the people of this village."
Who showed hostility to guests visiting for the first time?
In the entire Shinobi World, Kirigakure was probably the only place where such a thing could be seen.
"Because the environment is closed off, the people here are very hostile toward outsiders. Whenever Kirigakure's higher-ups undergo a change, the village erupts into conflict. The root cause is the competition between outside clans and local clans. It's a problem that has existed since the village was founded, and it's very difficult to eliminate."
In the original timeline, this problem in Kirigakure had indeed been eliminated.
But it hadn't been because everyone shook hands, calmly sat down, and reached an agreement. Rather, the opposition had basically all died out.
Coupled with the turmoil of the Blood Mist Era, Kirigakure had fallen into prolonged weakness. Only when Mei Terumi forcefully rose to power did she unite Kirigakure into a single force and completely resolve the village's long-standing problem.
Without the ruthless purges carried out by the Third Mizukage, Yagura, Madara Uchiha, and Obito Uchiha, Mei Terumi's dream of uniting Kirigakure into one force would have been nothing more than a fantasy.
"So, there's no need