The makeshift logistics tent of Iwagakure was filled with the dry smell of military ration pills and the faint scent of gunpowder. Two chunin in the sturdy uniforms of Iwagakure, with Earth-Protector forehead protectors, sat in the corner. The packaging of the field rations in their hands had been paused for quite some time.
One of the thin chunin leaned in very close, his voice trembling but unable to hide the excitement of gossip: "Did you hear? The Third Raikage of Kumogakure is dead. Killed by Konoha."
The other, a plump ninja, sneered, tossed the rope in his hand to the ground, and curled his lips in disdain: "Hah? You're joking. He's a Kage! I haven't heard of any major moves from Konoha. Where did you get that fake news? Don't get scared and confused by battlefield rumors."
The thin chunin got excited, took half a step forward, and unconsciously gestured with his fingers, his voice very determined: "My friend's second aunt's third nephew's brother-in-law lives in the Land of Tang. They said Konoha and Kumogakure had them deliver the body of the Third Raikage A. I heard the old man died horribly—his whole body wasn't intact!"
The plump ninja wrapped his arms around himself, shook his head like a rattle, and looked at him with mockery: "You're boasting. How did you even come up with such a ridiculous connection? People who can't even hit eight poles with a stick—can you believe what they say? I think you've got ghosts in your head."
"It's true!" The thin chunin's face turned red. He slapped his chest, his voice rising slightly before he quickly lowered it again: "If you don't believe me, I'll bet all my money for this month. Do you want to take the bet or not?!"
The eyes of the plump ninja lit up. He immediately straightened up, picked up the rope from the ground, shook it, and said with a laugh: "It's a bet! Why wouldn't I want free money? Thank you. I'll be able to send more money home."
They were about to make the bet when a cold rebuke suddenly came from the tent entrance, carrying the oppressive aura unique to a jonin: "What are you two doing? Got nothing better to do than slack off with your military rations?"
The two chunin tensed up, instantly snapping to attention. Their heads hung low, their hands pressed against the seams of their pants. Their voices were full of panic as they answered in unison: "Sorry, Jonin Yamamoto! It won't happen again!"
Yamamoto Shinobu wore a jonin uniform embroidered with Iwagakure's patterns. His brows were furrowed, and his gaze swept over the ration pills stacked to the side. His tone was slightly slower but still stern: "Forget it. This batch of military grain pills probably isn't in a hurry to be sent to the Land of Grass anyway."
The plump chunin secretly raised his eyes to glance at Jonin Yamamoto, then quickly lowered his head and asked timidly: "Huh? Oh, Jonin Yamamoto."
Yamamoto Shinobu sighed, his tone a bit strange. He slowed his voice and said: "You don't know. Lord Han just received news that the Third Raikage has fallen at the hands of Konoha. The ten thousand troops we sent to raid Kumogakure are about to withdraw."
"Ah?!"
The plump chunin was stunned, his mouth open wide enough to fit a fist, his face full of disbelief. The thin chunin beside him nudged him with his elbow and teased:
"Thank you. I can send another sum home."
The news of the Third Raikage A's death spread through the ninja world like wildfire. Similar discussions were happening one after another on the borders of various countries and in the camps of the ninja villages.
You have to understand that aside from the missing Third Kazekage, who had triggered the war, the Third Raikage A was the only powerful Kage-level figure to have fallen in battle at this point in the Third Ninja World War.
Just as the ninja world was talking about A's death in battle, a new question arose.
How did A die?
At the same time, in the Land of Tang—a small ninja village on the border of Fire and Lightning—it had managed to survive in the cracks of the Third Ninja World War by providing neutral mediation services to the ninja villages of the two great powers.
But at this moment, the entire village was shrouded in an icy solemnity. Even the wind that swept through the streets and alleys carried a stagnant chill. In the official neutral negotiation hall, the negotiators of Konoha and Kumogakure sat opposite each other. The air in the room became stiff, as if condensed into substance, not daring to make the slightest ripple.
A, who had not yet officially become the heir to the Fourth Raikage, was already covered in a terrifying lightning aura. His gloomy face sat opposite Akimichi Choza. Behind him stood the Eight-Tails jinchuriki, Killer Bee, and several Kumogakure elders with serious expressions and sharp eyes. All of them had tense breaths and fierce looks.
On Akimichi's side, Hyūga Hizashi also had a serious expression, quietly confronting the other side. Locke, on the other hand, looked much more relaxed, leaning against the wall and casually observing the opposite side, not taking them seriously.
Locke's behavior infuriated everyone in Kumogakure, but given the current situation, they still held back and didn't explode, though their already dark faces looked even gloomier at this moment.
After Choza handed over the letter of authorization given by the Third Hokage to the Kumogakure side for verification one by one, the temporary ceasefire agreement on the Fire-Lightning border was signed extremely smoothly.
Due to the loss of the Third Raikage and most of their elite jonin, Kumogakure's combat power was severely imbalanced compared to Konoha's current strength. They were forced to withdraw from the game called war.
As the defeated side, Kumogakure should have paid a heavy price in territorial concessions and resource transfers. But Konoha was in a hurry to transfer its combat power from the Fire-Lightning border to other fronts, so it agreed to only extract monetary compensation and let Kumogakure go.
Choza breathed a sigh of relief. But just when the dust had finally settled on the negotiations and there was no unfinished business, A, who had been conducting business with a cold, hard, lightning aura, suddenly spoke in a deep voice.
"Commander Akimichi, is the jonin behind you the Nara who killed my father?"
The heart that had just been lowered suddenly caught in his throat. Akimichi Choza sighed quietly in his heart, but his face showed no panic. He maintained a cold, solemn, business-like tone: "That's correct. This is Konoha's new shinobi, Nara Locke. He is the strong man who recently faced your father on the battlefield and defeated him head-on."
After that, he deliberately emphasized the words "head-on," staring at A with heavy eyes, exerting silent pressure.
A immediately clenched his fists upon hearing this. His pale knuckles gleamed coldly. Under his rage, his entire body filled with lightning-release chakra. His crimson eyes met Locke's, and the murderous intent surging beneath his eyes nearly condensed into substance, as if he would tear the man before him to pieces in the next second.
Seeing this, Locke suddenly let out a low laugh. The corners of his mouth curled into a casual, provocative arc. His eyes looked at A with amusement, as if saying— I like seeing you so angry and unable to kill me.
A clearly understood Locke's expression, but he hadn't expected the man to dare provoke him like this. His mind went blank for a moment, leaving only a few words.
He... was provoking me!!