One after another

The old Daimyo's funeral was held a few days later. As the ruler who had brought the Land of Fire this far, he naturally received the highest honors after his death, from his posthumous name to the scale of his tomb. For the ruler of a nation, reaching this point could be considered dying without regrets.

Although Kazemori Masaki and the others could not attend the old Daimyo's funeral in person, as subjects of the nation, they still had to express their grief elsewhere. They joined the memorial observances led by the abbot.

Even after the Daimyo's funeral ended, the Capital did not settle down. Matters large and small arose one after another, and in the edicts issued by the New Daimyo, Kazemori Masaki could faintly sense the young ruler's lofty ambitions.

The New Daimyo's father had been far too accomplished. As his son, he would naturally feel pressure standing before such a father. If he did not want to spend his days stifled beneath his father's shadow, his only option was to achieve even greater things.

Kazemori Masaki had already caught the scent of approaching war. Most nations still harbored ambitions of further expansion, and this was not something Hashirama could stop simply because he wished to. After all, shinobi were merely the Daimyo's subordinates. Given Hashirama's relationship with the old Daimyo, they might have been able to maintain stability, but the New Daimyo was another matter.

As the saying went, a new ruler brought new ministers, and there were reasons for that. Hashirama and the New Daimyo had no bond forged through shared struggles. If anything, they were merely familiar strangers. Few people could likely treat Hashirama as their father had.

Kazemori Masaki heard from the abbot that the New Daimyo treated Hashirama and Tobirama with great courtesy, but he did not believe the young ruler would regard them as his confidants. The New Daimyo was only in his early twenties, while Hashirama and Tobirama were both in their forties, veteran retainers who had helped his father build the nation.

Based on the historical knowledge Kazemori Masaki had acquired in another world, a young successor would certainly feel uneasy about such older men, especially when they led a major military force within the nation. He would worry that they might be difficult to control. A capable ruler would at least avoid an outright rupture. The real danger was an idiot who would leave both sides unable to back down.

Fortunately, the New Daimyo's actions so far showed that he was no idiot. He knew how to deal with Konoha Ninja Village. Still, it would likely be impossible for the village to enjoy the same complete trust it had received under the old Daimyo.

Once the personnel changes in the Capital and several other matters had been settled, Hashirama and Tobirama prepared to return. They went back to the Fire Temple to meet their students, then the former and current Hokage returned to Konoha Ninja Village under the protection of Kazemori Masaki and the others.

Despite their lengthy absence, Konoha Ninja Village remained peaceful. The Security Force and the Anbu formed the village's defense network, making it increasingly stable. After more than a decade of development, Konoha Ninja Village had finally found its footing. The Shinobi Village system was gradually stabilizing, and the clans were beginning to come under the village's authority.

Tobirama was very satisfied with this state of affairs and wasted no time launching new development plans. Just as Kazemori Masaki had expected, Tobirama had recognized the New Daimyo's intentions. As a Shinobi Village employed by the nation, it was only natural for them to serve as the sword in the Daimyo's hand, so he had to prepare early.

Even so, Tobirama did not believe war would break out so soon. The nations still needed time to prepare. The New Daimyo had only just taken the throne and still had domestic matters to address; war was not an immediate necessity. Meanwhile, Tobirama had extracted a substantial sum of money from the other nations, and they would need time to replenish their funds.

Although the Land of Wind had gained considerable wealth and territory, its land was barren. Even with those gains, it could not turn them into strength so quickly. Tobirama therefore did not believe they would immediately go to war either. He had plenty of time to prepare, and he hoped that period would last until after Hashirama's passing. At the very least, he did not want his elder brother to witness the outbreak of war.

To ensure a steady flow of information on the other nations, Tobirama began dispatching the Anbu abroad to gather intelligence so they would always have firsthand information ready. Yet before any news of war arrived, grim tidings from the other Shinobi Villages reached them first.

The first came from the Land of Wind. The First Kazekage, who had devoted himself tirelessly to his nation, died when his old injuries flared up. Shamon, the guard who had accompanied him to the Five Kage Summit, succeeded him as the Second Kazekage.

Next came the Land of Water and the Land of Earth. The First Mizukage and the First Tsuchikage died in succession. Hozuki Gengetsu, head of the Hozuki clan, and Mu, the First Tsuchikage's Guards, inherited their positions as Kage.

In that short span, four of the first-generation Kage who had once held the Five Kage Summit together had been replaced. Apart from Hashirama, who was recuperating, three had already passed away.

Even Kazemori Masaki was startled by how quickly the generation had changed. But after giving it some thought, he found it less unbelievable. During the Warring States Period, a shinobi's average lifespan had been only thirty years. Even those who survived accumulated countless hidden injuries through years of fighting, and it was perfectly normal for those injuries to flare up without warning. This was not the Shinobi Village era, with its ten or even twenty years of respite. During the Warring States Period, virtually every day had been spent fighting.

Of the three who had died, only the First Kazekage had been relatively young. The other two had been quite old, so their sudden deaths were hardly unusual. And considering the conditions the First Kazekage had faced in the Land of Wind, a relapse of his old injuries seemed just as natural.

Now only the First Raikage still held his position, but it seemed he would not live much longer either. Kazemori Masaki remembered that by the latter stages of the First Shinobi World War, the Land of Lightning already had its Second Raikage.

This was a distinctly ominous sign. Kazemori Masaki recalled what he knew about those three men. The rise of new leaders also meant that their villages' policies were about to change. After reviewing what he knew of them, he felt even more certain that war truly was coming.

Like Tobirama, the Second Kazekage, Shamon, was a leader skilled at development. Both the Puppet Technique and Secret Techniques that made effective use of sand had emerged in his hands. Sunagakure Ninja Village's policy had also shifted from securing resources to strengthening its military. Without question, it was preparing for war.

The Second Tsuchikage, Mu, was known as a brilliant strategist who carried out his duties as Kage through rational judgment. During the Fourth Shinobi World War, he had specifically reminded the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, that once the alliance won, he should ensure his own village's interests as one of the victors. This showed that he placed the village's interests above all else. Of course, he also hoped the Shinobi Villages could establish genuine peace, but the rational Mu would inevitably pursue that goal through pragmatic means.

The Second Mizukage was even more troublesome than the other two. Hozuki Gengetsu was a battle maniac who loved war. If a war truly began, he would undoubtedly be the first to join in.

The First Raikage was little better. Because of their environment, the people of the Land of Lightning were generally warlike and highly aggressive, even producing war-crazed men like Kinkaku and Ginkaku. Even in the peaceful times of later years, the Land of Lightning never stopped trying to seize Secret Techniques, leaving the other nations deeply uneasy. With national military forces being reduced, the Third Tsuchikage had been forced to hire the Akatsuki to protect his nation's interests, which in turn helped the organization grow powerful in secret.

Kazemori Masaki broke out in a cold sweat. By that reckoning, Konoha Ninja Village was now the only village on the continent still hoping to delay the war. All the others had begun preparing for it. He had to warn Tobirama. Although Tobirama was already making preparations, he believed the other nations would not launch a war so soon, so his preparations were proceeding far more slowly than theirs.

Under normal circumstances, even if the militant factions gained influence, war should not have begun so quickly. After all, war required preparation. Yet reality often took bizarre turns. The reasons behind this were probably complicated, and Kazemori Masaki could not untangle them all at once. But he knew war would break out soon.

After pondering for a long time, Kazemori Masaki decided to write a proposal to Tobirama, analyzing the continent's current situation and urging the village to prepare for war as early as possible.

(End of chapter)