We Must Never Betray Lord Hokage's Trust!

Iwagakure, the Tsuchikage Building.

"...Konoha will maintain a permanent garrison in the Land of Grass, control the key border routes, oversee the Grass Ninja, and bar Iwagakure from entering."

The report ended.

Crack!

Ōnoki smashed the corner off his stone desk with one palm. Fragments flew everywhere.

"Useless! Jianyan, that useless fool! And those fence-sitters in the Land of Grass!"

Ōnoki seethed with rage. "There goes the plan I worked so hard to set up!"

His chest heaved, and fury burned in his eyes, but he forced it down.

He knew full well that Iwagakure would gain nothing by starting a war now.

The Jinchūriki Plan for the Four-Tails and Five-Tails was not yet complete, and that boy Murasaki refused to follow orders...

Konoha, meanwhile, was at the height of its power.

Even setting Kagami Uchiha and the others aside, that old woman Mito Uzumaki was still around. She was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and came from the Uzumaki Clan, masters of the Sealing Technique. Her command of a Tailed Beast's power was no small thing...

After a moment's thought, Ōnoki said grimly, "Recall everyone from Blackstone Fortress. The Land of Grass has made its choice. Sending more people won't change a thing."

"And station the reinforcements at the border between the Land of Earth and the Land of Grass. Have them receive our ninja on their way back."

Hmph! Kagami Uchiha, you won this time. Next time, I'll make sure...

Ōnoki turned away, hiding his restraint and ruthlessness deep in his eyes.

The Land of Wind, Sunagakure.

The Kazekage Building was crude and rough, its surfaces scarred by windblown sand.

The Second Kazekage, Shamon, sat with an intelligence report between his fingers, staring past the hall at the endless yellow sands.

A Sand Ninja beside him reported quietly, "Lord