Iwagakure — Tsuchikage's Office
Even deep into the night, the Tsuchikage building remained lit.
When the urgent intelligence scroll—written in the highest-level cipher—was delivered by an ANBU, Ōnoki was reviewing reports on frontline supply lines.
These youngsters are useless… forcing an old man like me to work nonstop…
He rubbed his temples tiredly and casually unrolled the scroll out of habit.
But after only a few lines—
His eyes froze.
Silence filled the office.
The ANBU knelt on one knee, head lowered, barely daring to breathe.
A long moment passed.
Only then did Ōnoki slowly spread the scroll fully open and read it again—word by word.
Each character felt like a red-hot nail driven into his mind.
"…Confirmed by internal sources within the Land of Fire: the Third Raikage was struck head-on on the battlefield outside the capital by Konoha's hero, Might Dai, using the forbidden technique 'Eight Gates Formation'—final move 'Night Guy'… His upper body was completely obliterated and vaporized… Kumogakure's army collapsed shortly after, suffering heavy losses under pursuit…"
Ōnoki's voice turned dry.
In his mind appeared the violent figure he had clashed with many times—
A.
That man—
Who had honed Lightning Release and his body to their absolute peak—
Had fallen…
Like this?
Shock was only the first wave.
What followed—
Was a far deeper chill.
Ōnoki leaned back in his chair, brows tightly furrowed.
The lamplight carved deeper lines into his aged face, like weathered stone.
So Konoha still hides power like this…
Is that forbidden technique replicable?
How many more "one-use weapons" like this do they have?
A complicated mix of wariness—and reluctant admiration—passed through his mind.
That old monkey, Hiruzen Sarutobi… he's always held more cards than he shows.
Suppressing the thought, he shifted focus.
With the Raikage dead, Kumogakure would suffer a heavy blow in morale… but—
He recalled the intelligence mentioning rising young talents.
The new AB combination had already emerged.
They wouldn't collapse completely.
This… feels like history repeating itself.
He exhaled slowly.
No matter who won or lost—
Iwagakure would sit back and watch.
If Konoha grew too strong, they would "assist" Kumogakure…
If Konoha weakened—
They would tear a piece off them instead.
But then—
Another part of the report surfaced in his mind.
Ōnoki straightened.
His eyes locked onto a particular section.
"Eastern Pillar General."
"Mugen Castle Shogunate."
His scalp tingled.
What… is this?
This was no longer familiar.
Not nobles.
Not shinobi.
Not the world he knew.
Shinobi… standing above nobles?
A wild thought emerged—
Could it be… another Uchiha had awakened the Mangekyō and used genjutsu on the daimyō?
But he dismissed it immediately.
Too simple.
Too naive.
No—
The result was already real.
And its implications—
Far beyond the death of a Kage.
A Kage dying was normal.
It was still within the "ninja world."
But this—
Was different.
This meant—
Shinobi had officially stepped into rule.
Not as mercenaries.
Not as tools.
But as rulers.
Ōnoki's expression turned complex.
Shock.
Concern.
And deep within—
Something else.
A thought he didn't want to acknowledge.
…So this path… exists.
The Uchiha had walked a road no one had imagined.
And its end—
Might reshape the entire world.
Ōnoki rose, floating toward the window.
He looked southeast—
Toward the Land of Fire.
Toward Mugen Castle.
"Send orders to the eastern front," he said calmly.
"Shift to strategic defense. Consolidate positions."
"Do not provoke Konoha."
"Also—"
His voice lowered.
"Monitor the Mugen Castle Shogunate at the highest level."
"I want to know everything the Uchiha do."
"And…"
A pause.
"Watch the daimyō as well."
"Understood, Tsuchikage-sama."
The ANBU vanished.
Ōnoki stood alone in the moonlight.
The tides of a new era were rising.
And Iwagakure—
Had to endure.
Border of the Land of Grass, Waterfall, and Fire — Kumogakure Forward Camp
A hundred miles from the main battlefield.
Under the moonlight, shinobi cleaned their weapons, treated wounds, and discussed the day's skirmishes.
Inside the largest tent—
A—the future Fourth Raikage—was reviewing tactics with Killer B.
Both were sharp-eyed.
Eager.
Ready to prove themselves.
"B, you pushed too far today. The Hyūga's Byakugan isn't for show."
"And watch out for Jiraiya… especially Minato Namikaze—"
Before he could finish—
The tent flaps burst open.
"Emergency report!"
A shinobi stumbled in—
Face pale.
Hands shaking.
"The Raikage… he…"
A's heart dropped.
"What happened?! Speak clearly!"
He snatched the scroll open.
"…The Raikage… has fallen."
"The army… has collapsed."
Silence.
Then—
"What… did you say?"
His pupils shrank to pinpoints.
"My father… dead?"
"Bullshit! That's impossible!"
But the scroll—
Did not lie.
"Night Guy…"
"One kick…"
Reality shattered.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH—!!!"
Lightning exploded from his body.
The ground scorched black.
The tent shook violently.
"Old man—!!! Konoha—!!! I'll kill all of you!!!"
He turned—
Ready to charge out alone—
"To the capital!"
"Brother! Calm down, fool! Idiot!"
Killer B grabbed him from behind, locking him in place.
"You'll die if you go!"
"That technique… it'll kill us too!"
"We need to get stronger!"
"Stronger than him!"
"Then crush them—all of them!"
His voice trembled—
But burned with hatred.
Outside—
The news spread like wildfire.
"The Raikage… is dead?"
"No way…"
"Those damn Konoha bastards!"
Whispers turned into cries.
Into rage.
Into grief.
A's struggle slowly stopped.
The lightning faded.
But his eyes—
Had changed.
No more youth.
Only blood.
He raised the scroll.
And spoke.
"I swear…"
"My father's blood—Kumogakure's blood—"
"Will not be wasted!"
"For the rest of my life—"
"I will make Konoha pay."
"Blood for blood!"
"BLOOD FOR BLOOD!!!"
The entire camp roared.
Killer B stood beside him—
Silent.
In his inner world—
The Gyūki watched calmly.
Eyes closed.
Like a still lake.
To it—
This was nothing new.
It had seen it all before.
War.
Hatred.
Revenge.
Again.
And again.
And again.
The shinobi world—
Had always been like this.
It would always be like this.
Slaughter—
Ran through it all.
And the tailed beasts—
Would always remain—
What humans called them.
Disasters.
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