Half a month later.
Although news of Dragon Release Village's founding had not immediately sent towering waves through the entire Shinobi World, it drew the attention of some neighboring powers after circulating for a while.
Among them, two places reacted most directly.
The first was Takigakure, hidden behind an enormous waterfall.
Hearing the name "Dragon Release Village," Takigakure's leaders felt a little uneasy.
"Dragon Release Village? Doesn't that sound a little... too much like Takigakure?"
"I heard it was built on the old site of Uzushiogakure. Its leader is the Konoha Azure Dragon, who defected."
"Azure Dragon... so it seems to be a dragon-related bloodline ability or secret technique? Let's watch for now. As long as they don't encroach on our interests, a similar name doesn't matter."
Takigakure had always kept to its own corner, with the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki as its trump card. As long as the other side did not provoke them, they could not be bothered to stir up trouble.
More than anything, it was a subtle irritation at having a name that "matched" someone else's.
The other place, whose reaction was far more intense, was Kumogakure, far away in the Land of Lightning.
The Raikage's Office.
Bang!
The Third Raikage slammed his fist onto his desk, instantly covering its surface in cracks.
"Dragon Release Village? Azure Dragon?! Dodai, has the news been confirmed? Was it really founded by that damned brat from Konoha?"
The Third Raikage's voice boomed, filled with fury.
Whenever he thought of the "Konoha Azure Dragon," who had gotten the better of him during the Third Shinobi World War and killed many of Kumogakure's elite, he felt a fire burning in his chest.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had initially kept news of Lin Ze's defection from Konoha tightly under wraps.
But no secret stayed hidden forever.