Night.
Stars dotted the sky.
Several Cloud shinobi sat together. One was powerfully built and dark-skinned, with the character for lightning tattooed on one shoulder.
He was Kumogakure's Third Raikage. The moment news of the Staircase Mountain Treaty reached Kumogakure, he had been unable to sit still.
Konoha's resilience had caught him off guard, especially when he learned that the Third Hokage had personally taken command in the Land of the Moon.
The Raikage had hastily put Kumogakure's affairs in order and set out for the Land of the Moon.
Their campsite was now close to the Land of the Moon. They would reach the camp by the following afternoon.
"Lord Raikage, the fighting in the Land of the Moon is deadlocked. If it goes on, we'll be trapped in a war of attrition for years.
"That's nothing like our original plan to strike quickly into the Land of Fire. And now the Third Hokage is there in person.
"With Fugaku Uchiha and the others supporting him, breaking through their defensive line head-on is even less likely," said a senior Kumogakure official.
The Raikage nodded. "I thought Konoha was on its last legs. I didn't expect things to turn out this way. Does anyone have a good plan?"
"Lord Raikage, Konoha's main elite forces are all concentrated in the Land of the Moon. The Land of Fire and Konoha itself are lightly defended.
"We could send a force by sea straight to the Land of Fire and attack Konoha. Once we take the village, the Land of Fire will surrender without a fight.
"Konoha forced Sunagakure to sign the Staircase Mountain Treaty. We can force Konoha to sign a series of treaties in turn.
"Not only would Konoha have to give up everything it gained from Sunagakure, the Land of