A great war never erupts because of a single cause.
The growing confrontation between Kumogakure and Konohagakure was no exception.
To most people, the conflict seemed to revolve around only one issue the deaths of Darui and the elite Kumogakure shinobi.
That was indeed the immediate trigger.
But it was far from the only reason.
And it certainly wasn't the root cause.
Only a handful of the shinobi world's true elites could see the political currents flowing beneath the surface.
As for everyone else…
They merely watched the spectacle unfold.
Konoha's uncompromising response to Kumogakure's demands only served to infuriate the Fourth Raikage further.
A had grown accustomed to overwhelming others through sheer strength.
How could he possibly tolerate such an unyielding reply from the Hidden Leaf?
Without hesitation, he ordered the frontline Kumogakure forces to begin creating constant friction along the border.
At the same time…
Another battlefield quietly opened.
The battlefield of information.
Rumors rapidly spread throughout the shinobi world.
According to Kumogakure's version of events, the Six-Tails' jinchūriki, Utakata, had already fallen into Konoha's hands.
Some versions went even further.
They claimed Konoha had secretly reclaimed the other half of the Nine-Tails as well, restoring the village's military strength to its former glory.
The rumors painted Konohagakure as a village preparing to bare its fangs and dominate the entire shinobi world once again.
Kumogakure openly encouraged the other hidden villages to unite against Konoha.
This wasn't because the Fourth Raikage feared the Hidden Leaf.
Quite the opposite.
If it were a direct confrontation between only Kumogakure and Konoha, A believed his village had nothing to fear.
Even though Tsunade and Jiraiya belonged to the legendary generation that had risen long before his own…
The Fourth Raikage had absolute confidence in himself.
What truly concerned him…
Was the possibility that other villages would exploit a prolonged war.
If Kumogakure exhausted itself fighting Konoha…
Someone else would inevitably reap the benefits.
The Raikage had no intention of making wedding clothes for another nation.
Thus…
Spreading those rumors served multiple purposes.
It muddied the waters.
It reignited the other villages' fear of Konoha.
And perhaps most importantly…
It reminded everyone exactly why the Hidden Leaf had always been viewed with equal measures of envy and suspicion.
Evidence?
Who needed evidence?
This wasn't a courtroom.
It was politics.
A conspiracy only needed to be believable.
As long as the accusation couldn't be conclusively disproven…
Many people would choose to believe it.
The reason was simple.
Konoha remained the richest…
The strongest…
And the most prosperous hidden village.
A man is innocent.
But possessing a priceless treasure invites disaster.
The prosperity of the Land of Fire had always attracted covetous eyes.
Likewise…
Konoha's overwhelming military strength had always inspired fear.
There were only two ways for Konoha to eliminate that fear.
Either dominate the entire shinobi world through absolute force…
Or willingly surrender much of its own prosperity to satisfy the ambitions of the other nations.
Only then could a superficial peace exist.
Yet even that peace would never truly last.
Because human greed could never be satisfied.
A world where everyone genuinely understood one another?
Such an ideal existed only in fantasy.
Even Hashirama Senju's dream of peace had ultimately rested upon overwhelming strength.
Naruto Uzumaki's vision in the future would be no different.
Before others listened…
They first had to acknowledge your power.
That kind of peace…
Was the most fragile of all.
Its existence depended entirely upon one person's continued survival.
The moment Hashirama died…
The First Shinobi World War became inevitable.
Likewise…
If Naruto and Sasuke were ever to disappear…
Another era of conflict would almost certainly follow.
As long as nations existed…
Conflicts of interest would remain inevitable.
Especially among rival hidden villages.
At present…
Konoha had become a thorn in everyone's side.
Not long after Kumogakure released its accusations and deliberately escalated tensions along the border…
Every major hidden village quietly began making preparations.
Even Sunagakure…
Which had renewed its alliance with Konoha less than half a year earlier…
Couldn't help turning its attention eastward.
This wasn't because the Hidden Sand had suddenly become ambitious.
Its wounds from previous wars had yet to heal.
Its military strength remained greatly diminished.
The Kazekage simply sought self-preservation.
If Konoha truly intended to use the tailed beasts to dominate the shinobi world…
Sunagakure would unquestionably stand against them.
Maintaining the existing balance remained in the Hidden Sand's best interests.
Iwagakure's attitude, meanwhile…
Appeared far more ambiguous.
Although the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, refrained from openly deploying large military forces to the border…
Iwagakure spies became noticeably more active throughout both the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning.
Their intentions required little explanation.
The village was watching.
Waiting.
Ready to move if an opportunity presented itself.
The strongest reaction, however…
Came from Kirigakure.
Long before Kumogakure's accusations spread across the continent, the Mist pursuit unit had already reported that Utakata's trail had vanished after encountering multiple hostile forces.
Among those forces…
Menma's appearance and his battle against Jiraiya had become one of the most significant pieces of intelligence.
Now…
With Kumogakure publicly insisting that Konoha had seized the Six-Tails…
The Hidden Mist naturally regarded it as further confirmation.
At this point in history…
Mei Terumī had not yet become the Fifth Mizukage.
Kirigakure's highest authority remained Elder Genji.
Even after Mei would eventually assume office, Genji's prestige and influence would continue to shape many of the village's decisions.
Although Kirigakure had only recently emerged from the Bloody Mist era…
Its overall military strength had declined considerably.
In many respects…
Its situation resembled Sunagakure's.
Ordinarily…
This should have been a period devoted entirely to rebuilding.
However…
This incident involved the Six-Tails.
One of Kirigakure's tailed beasts.
Genji might have been cautious…
But he was no coward.
After careful deliberation…
He dispatched official envoys to Konohagakure demanding an explanation.
At the same time…
Several thousand Mist shinobi were repositioned onto islands lying just offshore from the Land of Waves.
From those forward positions…
Kirigakure could easily launch operations against the eastern coast of the Land of Fire.
Unlike the era before Uzushiogakure's destruction…
Konoha no longer possessed its greatest natural maritime shield.
The Hidden Mist could now threaten the Land of Fire far more directly than before.
Compared with the Fourth Raikage's openly hostile declaration…
Genji's message appeared considerably more restrained.
Its wording remained polite.
Its meaning, however…
Was unmistakable.
Konohagakure must provide Kirigakure with a satisfactory explanation.
Either return Utakata…
Or produce irrefutable proof that the Six-Tails had not fallen under Konoha's control.
Otherwise…
For the sake of the village…
And for the dignity of one of the Five Great Nations…
Kirigakure would have no choice but to prepare for war.
When Tsunade received Kirigakure's official notice…
She nearly shattered her desk in frustration.
Konoha hadn't captured Utakata.
Yet everyone insisted on demanding proof of its innocence.
How was she supposed to prove something that hadn't happened?
It was an impossible position.
Nevertheless…
Kirigakure's approach remained significantly more diplomatic than Kumogakure's.
At least on the surface.
Because of that…
Tsunade had no choice but to respond with patience.
Along the northern border…
Small-scale clashes with Kumogakure had already begun.
Combined, both sides had committed well over three thousand shinobi.
Should those skirmishes escalate…
And should Kirigakure simultaneously open another front from the southeast…
Konoha would be forced into a disastrous two-front war.
This was no longer the age of the First Hokage.
Konoha's military strength had declined.
Its elite shinobi were fewer than before.
Its command structure no longer possessed the overwhelming dominance it once enjoyed.
Under such circumstances…
Stabilizing relations with Kirigakure became Tsunade's highest priority.
After weighing every option…
She ultimately disclosed Orochimaru's involvement to the Hidden Mist.
The safety of the village came before everything else.
Whether Kirigakure believed her…
Was beyond her control.
All she could do…
Was buy Konoha as much time as possible.
At the same time…
She sent urgent diplomatic messages to Sunagakure.
If war truly erupted…
Even an imperfect ally remained infinitely better than standing alone.
Perhaps the Hidden Sand lacked overwhelming military strength.
But its very presence would force other nations to divide their attention.
Especially Iwagakure.
Throughout the history of the Five Great Nations…
Strength alone had never determined victory.
Diplomacy mattered just as much.
After all…
No one alive today possessed the overwhelming might once displayed by Hashirama Senju or Madara Uchiha.
No single shinobi could dominate the entire world through force alone.
The road toward peace…
Had always been paved with blood.
As the three major nations continued reinforcing their borders…
A fresh wave of unrest swept across the shinobi world.
Unlike the previous crisis…
Which had ultimately passed without major conflict…
This time, blood had already been spilled.
Kumogakure and Konoha were exchanging blows along the northern frontier.
Reconnaissance units from both Kirigakure and Iwagakure had begun infiltrating the Land of Fire.
Konohagakure entered its highest state of military readiness.
Jiraiya's training journey with Naruto came to an abrupt end.
Originally, the two had intended to leave the village again.
Now…
That was impossible.
If war erupted…
Konoha desperately needed one of the Legendary Sannin on the battlefield.
Tsunade alone could not shoulder every front.
Without Jiraiya…
Neither Kakashi, Nara Shikaku, Akimichi Chōza, nor the other senior jōnin could fully stabilize the situation.
Dark clouds of war had completely engulfed the Hidden Leaf.
All because of the battle over the Six-Tails' jinchūriki.
Two days before open conflict erupted between the three great nations…
Along the southwestern coast of the Land of Tea…
Within one of Orochimaru's hidden bases
Since Menma had already promised to provide Orochimaru with additional tailed beast chakra for his research…
And because Sasuke's future also required further discussion…
He naturally made a detour to Orochimaru's base before continuing his journey.
Deep within the enormous underground chamber…
The atmosphere remained dimly lit.
Orochimaru slowly examined the specially prepared sealing scroll in his hand.
Then…
His golden, slit-shaped eyes shifted toward Menma and Utakata, who sat quietly opposite him.
A faint smile spread across his lips.
"Menma-kun…"
"I must admit…"
"You've exceeded even my expectations."
"So quickly…"
"You've managed to obtain not only Kurama's chakra…"
"But also chakra from both the Six-Tails and the Seven-Tails."
His voice carried unmistakable amusement.
Menma smiled calmly.
"After all…"
"This was part of our agreement from the beginning, wasn't it, Orochimaru-san?"
"Besides…"
"Helping your research ultimately benefits me as well."
"You understand better than anyone how relentlessly the Five Great Nations pursue the tailed beasts."
"And…"
Menma's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You also understand that organization's true objective."
Beside him…
Utakata frowned faintly.
It wasn't merely because of the gloomy atmosphere.
Rather…
He instinctively disliked Orochimaru himself.
The Sannin's sinister aura made him deeply uncomfortable.
"True enough."
Orochimaru chuckled softly.
"However…"
"Your recent actions have attracted an extraordinary amount of attention."
"You possess a rather… special identity, Menma-kun."
"You never know when certain people might decide to pay you a visit."
His snake-like eyes gleamed with hidden meaning.
Menma met his gaze directly.
"Which is precisely why…"
"I'll need a little assistance from you, Orochimaru-san."
"It doesn't have to be much."
"I simply need enough time to complete my preparations."
"I'm sure…"
"You'll find that arrangement acceptable."
Paper could never hide fire forever.
Sooner or later…
The truth about Utakata joining Menma would inevitably become public knowledge.
Especially after so many people had already witnessed Menma's appearance in the Land of Spring.
Even without concrete evidence…
Suspicion alone was enough.
That was precisely why Menma needed another layer of concealment.
Orochimaru…
Was the perfect smokescreen.
"Heh…"
Orochimaru laughed quietly.
"Working with you certainly proves expensive, Menma-kun."
Menma smiled.
"But equally rewarding."
"Isn't that right?"
"We're both pursuing truth."
"Our paths may diverge someday."
"But for now…"
"We're still walking the same road."
"In fact…"
"It could even be said that among everyone in this world…"
"I'm the only one capable of truly walking beside you."
No one understood Orochimaru's ambitions better than Menma.
Immortality.
Ultimate power.
And the hidden truths of the shinobi world.
Those were the things Orochimaru desired above all else.
Coincidentally…
Those were also the things Menma alone could bargain with.
After all…
In the current shinobi world…
No one possessed more knowledge than he did.
Not Uchiha Obito.
Not Nagato.
Not Uchiha Madara.
Not even the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku.
As a traveler who possessed knowledge of future events…
His greatest advantage had never been overwhelming power.
It was information.
Even though countless events had already changed…
The truths Orochimaru sought still existed.
And many of those truths…
Could only be revealed by Menma.
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