Meanwhile, in Konoha, in the Land of Fire.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stared grimly at the intelligence on the desk before him.
"Danzo, was this your doing?"
Although there was no one else in the office, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke coldly, as though certain someone stood before him.
"Hiruzen, do you think it was me?"
Countless pitch-black butterflies flickered and fluttered between illusion and reality, and a figure leaning on a cane appeared among them.
Shimura Danzō, the legendary scapegoat known as the Darkness of the Shinobi World.
"I don't think so, but... you warrant suspicion."
Looking at Shimura Danzō, who had appeared before him, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke in a low voice, his expression unreadable.
"You should know it wasn't me. Although I'd very much like to do it, you know I wouldn't be that stupid. Eliminating a Kage so directly strikes me as an utterly foolish act.
If it were me, after eliminating the Kazekage, I would swiftly seize all authority in Sunagakure and suppress all information. Only after quietly taking complete control of Sunagakure would I install the Fourth Kazekage and present him to the Shinobi World."
Shimura Danzō's form remained insubstantial as he looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and spoke coldly.
"Stop these insane thoughts. What Konoha seeks is peace. Danzo... don't lose yourself in the dreams you've woven, whether sweet dreams... or nightmares. Don't forget what our teacher said."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at his old friend with a complicated expression.
"Of course I haven't forgotten our teacher's teachings. Or rather, I've remained clearheaded at all times. But... Hiruzen, have you?"
Shimura Danzō stepped forward, his form becoming completely solid as he stood before Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Me? Since taking over this position from our teacher, I naturally haven't slackened in the slightest. Danzo... what are you getting at?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned deeply at Shimura Danzō and spoke in a low voice.
"Heh, you know perfectly well. Let's end this subject here. I know you're the Hokage, so stop flaunting that position.
What do you intend to do this time? According to the information I've received, Sunagakure and Iwagakure spies have been appearing frequently along our Land of Fire's borders. War is coming again."
Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed about to resort to that ugly old trick again, Shimura Danzō immediately changed the subject and asked in a low voice.
"Sunagakure... they really never learn. Sunagakure..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke coldly, anger in his eyes.
It was one thing for Iwagakure to brazenly send spies into the Land of Fire, but Sunagakure, a defeated village... where did they get that confidence???
"Isn't this precisely the consequence of your weak decisions? How could a true alliance possibly exist among the Five Great Shinobi Villages? Hiruzen, I told you long ago that Sunagakure only sought an alliance to gain a chance to cling to life and recover.
Unfortunately, your weakness has brought about this impending war. If you'd listened to me back then, Sunagakure would never have dared bare its teeth at Konoha again. I could even have turned Sunagakure into Konoha's dog!
Look at things now!! This is what your weakness..."
Shimura Danzō raised his voice heatedly, his eyes full of disappointment and incomprehension as he looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He did not understand why his friend simply could not understand him.
"Shut up!"
Before Shimura Danzō could finish, however, Hiruzen Sarutobi cut him off with an angry shout.
"I. Am. The. Hokage!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Shimura Danzō and spoke coldly, stressing each word.
"...Heh. That's the only line you know anymore."
After a moment of silence, Shimura Danzō spoke coldly.
Another swarm of black butterflies flickered, and Shimura Danzō vanished from the office along with them.
"Danzo, peace is what Konoha truly seeks... and what our teacher and the others sought as well. So, as Hokage, I must make such decisions. However..."
Looking at the spot where Shimura Danzō had disappeared, Hiruzen Sarutobi murmured with a complicated expression. But after only a brief moment of murmuring, he raised his head again, a trace of killing intent in his eyes.
Though he pursued peace, that did not mean others could climb onto his head and shit on him.
"Issue the Hokage's orders! Have Orochimaru and Jiraiya come see me. Also, have the heads of all the major shinobi clans assemble in the meeting room in two hours. Tell them, war... is here!"
At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi once again lived up to his name as the Shinobi Hero.
"Yes!"
At Hiruzen Sarutobi's command, an Anbu ninja immediately appeared before him, acknowledged the order loudly, then instantly left the office using the Body Flicker Technique.
If you want to fight, then we'll fight!! Konoha has never been a pushover.
Hiruzen Sarutobi rose, his expression dark as he looked out the window at the lingering glow of sunset.
While the major shinobi villages actively prepared for war, Kumogakure had already finished its preparations.
Kumogakure's forces marched straight to the Land of Wind's border and proclaimed to the entire Shinobi World that Kumogakure was declaring war on three great shinobi villages at once: Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure.
At the very moment war was declared, Kumogakure's forces officially launched their attack on Sunagakure.
Kumogakure's attack also brought the news of the Third Kazekage's mysterious disappearance fully into the open before everyone in Sunagakure.
For a time, Sunagakure's leadership was in constant turmoil, and unease spread throughout the village.
At that moment, Sunagakure laid bare the full extent of its internal troubles and external threats.
Just as Sunagakure neared collapse, Rasa, whom the Third Kazekage had long since designated as his successor, stepped forward.
With Granny Chiyo overseeing matters and backing him to stabilize the village's factions, Rasa used powerful Magnet Release ninjutsu extremely similar to the Third Kazekage's to forcibly halt Kumogakure's fiercest initial assault.
That battle also completely stabilized Sunagakure's precarious situation.
It was also this battle that silenced every doubt, dispute, and voice of opposition toward Rasa within the village.
With tangible military achievements and Chiyo's support, Rasa naturally prevailed over the other Kazekage candidates, successfully took over all authority in Sunagakure, and formally succeeded as the Fourth Kazekage.
After succeeding as the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa immediately began a series of sweeping reshuffles within Sunagakure, suppressing every member of the leadership who harbored ill intentions.
After that, Rasa also firmly secured his position as the Fourth Kazekage.