"So you've got a plan? But Kumogakure probably won't go to war with us anymore, right? After all, we probably can't keep our cooperation with Kirigakure secret for long..."
After saying that, Shikaku was rather curious himself. Kirigakure would certainly open its borders, after all.
Although the prolonged blood mist policy had left it rotten to the core internally.
There was still Kirigakure's location to consider.
Generally speaking, Iwagakure and Kumogakure had little interest in that place.
Sunagakure, the only village with a grudge against it, was struggling itself.
How could it possibly go looking for trouble with Kirigakure?!
So, with no external threats and a need to rebuild Kirigakure, wouldn't they have to start by spreading word about its situation?!
Otherwise, nobody would dare go there.
Besides, with so many merchants heading over, how could anyone remain ignorant of what Kirigakure was really like?!
With the two villages cooperating and Sunagakure crippled, Iwagakure and Kumogakure each had their own agendas.
The grudges between those two hadn't been settled yet, either.
So if either side prepared to go to war now, it could easily end up getting stabbed in the back.
As long as the other villages stayed out of it.
Kumogakure would probably exercise some restraint.
Things were no longer like they had been under Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Back then, the first response to any problem had been to compromise.
Now, the first thought of everyone else in the village would probably be to go straight to war, wouldn't it?!
Shikaku understood that, as far as Konoha was concerned.
War probably wasn't going to break out just yet.
"But it should happen soon. I figure that once this year is over, the shinobi world will fall into turmoil next year. Our coming expansion will definitely draw the attention of the