The village hidden in the clouds

The ninja village founded in the Land of Lightning was named Kumogakure because it stood among peaks that towered into the clouds. Mist shrouded them all year round, making the village seem hidden within the clouds. The First Raikage had chosen this location with great care. Its complex terrain made it easy to defend and difficult to attack, and even elite ninja struggled to infiltrate it.

Most people in the Land of Lightning had brown skin, and the First Raikage was no exception. Tall and powerfully built, he stood at the window, looking down over the village wreathed in mist.

The First Raikage was called A, though that had not been his original name. In the traditions of the Land of Lightning, the name A held a special meaning, symbolizing being first, being a leader, and so on. As the leader of Kumogakure Ninja Shinobi Village, he needed such a name. He also intended for it to be passed down through the generations, with every future Raikage taking the name A.

As the leader of the entire village, A naturally had to shoulder the responsibility of leading it to prosperity. That was part of a leader's dignity, something he believed must never be abandoned. Thus, when he saw Hashirama bow his head and plead with the others at the Five Kage Summit, he could not help rebuking him, saying that this was no way for a leader to behave.

Aside from that, A greatly admired the First Hokage. While ninja clans in other countries were still struggling to survive, Hashirama had been the first to unite other clans and negotiate cooperation with his country, becoming a major military force in one stroke and securing an independent position.

When news of Konoha Ninja Shinobi Village's founding reached the Land of Lightning, A immediately recognized it as the path his country's ninja should take. After a bitter struggle, he finally established Kumogakure Ninja Shinobi Village in the Land of Lightning. By helping the Daimyo expand the country's territory, he secured a status equal to that of Konoha Ninja Shinobi Village.

A acknowledged that Hashirama's influence was far-reaching. The peace the continent now enjoyed owed much to his pioneering actions. At some point, the First Hokage had come to be called the God of Shinobi, and after he captured the tailed beasts that had wreaked havoc across the continent since ancient times, that title became all the more deserved.

Yet alongside his respect, A remained wary of Konoha Ninja Shinobi Village. Ultimately, it still belonged to an enemy nation. They had been enemies from the beginning, and the more truth there was to the title God of Shinobi, the greater the danger he posed to the Land of Lightning.

Fortunately, Hashirama announced his retirement not long afterward. Only after gathering intelligence did they learn that illness had forced him to step down. Evidently, even the God of Shinobi could not escape aging, sickness, and death.

The newly appointed Second Hokage, Tobirama, was powerful as well, but he fell far short of his elder brother. The threat posed by Konoha Ninja Village had diminished considerably. Though it still could not be underestimated, at least the pressure was not as great as it had been under Hashirama. Back then, A had even considered forming an alliance of four nations to restrain the Land of Fire.

After the First Hokage retired, the leaders of the other Shinobi Villages happened to die one after another, leaving A as the sole survivor among those who had attended the Five Kage Summit. He could not help reflecting on the unpredictability of fate. Even so, he felt that he would soon follow in their footsteps.

Because of its geography, the Land of Lightning had always bred a fierce people who revered martial strength. During his campaign to unite them, A had faced formidable enemies, and years of fighting had left him with countless hidden injuries. At the time, there were no Medical Ninja skilled in maintaining one's health, so those injuries could not be healed.

One only had to look at the First Hokage and the other leaders who had suddenly died to understand how much these founders had sacrificed in devoting themselves to their Shinobi Villages.

A knock came at the door. A called for the visitor to enter, and a burly, brown-skinned man stepped inside. His name was Darui, and he had served as A's bodyguard for years. Though he appeared rough, he was intelligent and perceptive, and was the person A trusted most.

A had already decided that after his death, Darui would succeed him as Kumogakure Ninja Shinobi Village's second leader. He believed Darui could guide the village toward a better future.

"Darui, what is it?" A asked.

"Lord Raikage, we just received word from the Capital. The Daimyo rejected our request and ordered us to prepare a plan to invade the Land of Fire immediately," Darui said. "He hopes to attack before the Land of Fire's New Daimyo has consolidated his position, forcing them to cede some of their territory."

A knew that the Land of Fire had recently changed rulers and had suspected that the Daimyo might make a move. He had not expected him to order an outright invasion. Feeling that the time was not yet right, A had asked the Daimyo to postpone it. However, the Daimyo had flatly refused and ordered them to draw up an operational plan at once.

Seeing A frown, Darui continued, "The brothers Kinkaku and Ginkaku have heard about this as well. They told me they firmly support the Daimyo's decision and will raise it themselves at the next meeting. Lord Raikage, it seems we have no way to refuse."

"Indeed." A let out a quiet sigh.

Kinkaku and Ginkaku were powerful ninja who commanded great respect within Kumogakure Ninja Shinobi Village. They were said to be descendants of the Sage of Six Paths. After they ate the flesh of the Nine-Tails and not only survived but gained his power, that rumor seemed all the more credible—if they were not descendants of the Sage of Six Paths, how could they have adapted to a tailed beast's power?

For that very reason, Kinkaku and Ginkaku's prestige came very close to A's as the village's leader. He could not disregard their opinions. Since the people of Kumogakure Ninja Village revered strength, many favored war and hoped to keep chipping away at other countries' territory as they had in the past. They were unlikely to reject the Daimyo's demands either. There had already been voices of discontent when the Five Kage Agreement was signed.

A wanted to refuse not because he feared the Land of Fire, but because he believed the village was not sufficiently prepared. Launching a war rashly would leave them without adequate logistical support. The funds the Second Hokage, Tobirama, had taken from them still had not been replenished, and they could not sustain a prolonged war.

But with the Daimyo insisting so firmly and Kinkaku and Ginkaku declaring their support, A considered the situation and concluded that he had no choice but to launch a war against the Land of Fire immediately.

A was a decisive man. Once he resolved to act, he cast all other thoughts aside and focused solely on what battle plan they should adopt.

After Kumogakure Ninja Shinobi Village was founded, A had worked tirelessly to integrate its ninja clans, establishing the authority of "A" and uniting the entire village under that name. Meanwhile, another man who had contributed to the village's development was Darui. This burly fellow had proved surprisingly adept at innovation.

Drawing on the Land of Lightning's traditions and the properties of Lightning Release, Darui had developed a succession of swordsmanship and Taijutsu techniques. What A praised most was a secret technique called Lightning Release Chakra Mode. Methods of strengthening the body with lightning release chakra had existed since ancient times, but a secret technique like Lightning Release Chakra Mode, which combined offense and defense, was unprecedented.

Its only flaw was that it placed tremendous demands on the body. Most people could not use it for very long. Darui admitted that he had tailored it to his own student's physical strength. A also knew how powerful that young man's body was and believed the secret technique could reach its full potential in his hands.

Recently, Darui had been trying to train their jinchūriki so they could play a role in the war. Unfortunately, the Land of Lightning had no jinchūriki who could compare to Mito. Far from being able to use their tailed beasts' power, they were still suffering the mental effects of having the beasts sealed inside them. The slightest misstep could send them into a rampage.

Given more time, Darui might have achieved better results. For now, however, they could not count on the jinchūriki's power and would have to rely on Kumogakure Ninja Village's own strength.

As A considered their battle plan, he could not help thinking of the Five Kage Agreement they had signed a year earlier. He had not expected it to be torn up so soon. Still, the First Hokage himself had understood that the agreement might become meaningless at any time, so he could hardly blame them.

In the end, we are all ninja. We must obey our employers' orders. Our own wishes mean nothing, do they?

Even you, Hashirama Senju—when the Daimyo of the Land of Fire orders you to mobilize, can you really refuse him?

As the leader of a Shinobi Village, all I must do is obey the Daimyo's orders and demonstrate our village's value, making him rely on us even more. Both sides will benefit and support each other. This will be my final battle.

These thoughts passed silently through A's mind.

(End of chapter)