"Hmph!" The Third Raikage snorted, but he did not refuse. Kumogakure's original plan had been to strike Konoha without warning and secure benefits for itself. But he was not opposed to working with Konoha against the other villages.
Konoha had managed to capture Jirabi. Its strength was clearly nothing to scoff at. Having a village like that as an ally might not be so bad.
What the Third Raikage had not expected was that, after all their maneuvering, Kumogakure would end up joining forces with Konoha after all—perhaps even forming an alliance.
Hopefully, nothing goes wrong this time.
Seeing that the Third Raikage had not refused, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled knowingly. Hanzō was not such a bad fellow after all. Konoha would still have to condemn him, of course, but when it came time to fight him, they could go through the motions. They only needed to keep the Land of Rain from annexing the Land of Iron.
The alliance between Konoha and Kumogakure was announced quickly. Its foundations were settled that very day, leaving only the details to negotiate.
"Konoha joined forces with Kumogakure?" Kushina Uzumaki's little face scrunched up when she heard the news.
She had no fondness for Kumogakure. The bad man they had caught recently had come from there.
She had also heard that Kumogakure might have played a part in the destruction of the Uzumaki Clan. And it was not just Kumogakure; the other villages might have been involved too.
How could Konoha join forces with Kumogakure?
"It's politics." Uchiha Yi thought for a moment before reassuring her. "Right now, working with Kumogakure is Konoha's best option.
"Konoha can't afford to take on every other village alone."
Kushina Uzumaki pressed her lips together. She wanted to say something, but no words came.
"Kumogakure probably took