Chapter 294: The Iron Fist of the Alliance
Ōnoki, the Sandaime Tsuchikage (Third Tsuchikage), floated slightly from his seat, his small, ancient form scanning everyone present. His eyes held the cold, calculating intensity of a predator.
His expression was grim and absolutely serious. This was the moment of political sacrifice and commitment.
"Therefore," Ōnoki declared, his voice echoing with the authority of his office, "this old man proposes the immediate formation of a Shinobi Alliance!"
"We must consolidate all our fragmented strength! We must eliminate all internal division and indecision!"
"We must jointly, and immediately, resist the tyranny of Konoha!"
As Ōnoki's words fell, the atmosphere in the meeting hall instantly became heavy and tense.
The representatives of many small Ninja Villages understood the grim reality instantly.
An alliance? That sounded noble and protective!
But wasn't it just the act of tying their small, weak Villages to the powerful war chariots of Iwagakure (Village Hidden in the Stones) and Kumogakure (Village Hidden in the Clouds)? They would be used as disposable cannon fodder against the overwhelming power of Uchiha Akira.
Yet, refusing... the brutal fate of Sunagakure (Hidden Sand Village) was still starkly, devastatingly before their eyes.
Just then, a leader from Kusagakure (Hidden Grass Village), a man with a thin goatee, timidly stood up, clutching his robes.
"Tsuchikage-sama… Raikage-sama…"
"This matter… this matter concerns the very survival of our entire Village. May we… may we return home to formally discuss it further with our council of elders?"
His desperate words instantly echoed the desperate sentiments of all the small Village representatives present. No one wanted to make this fatal choice under duress. They craved time to stall.
However, the hot-tempered Raikage A would not grant them the luxury of time.
Boom!!
A deafening crash brutally interrupted the Kusagakure leader's plea!
The Yondaime Raikage A's massive, chakra-enhanced fist once again slammed onto the stone conference table!
Crack—!
The already cracked tabletop could no longer withstand the sheer, immense brute force. It shattered violently into countless fragments of rock and dust!
"Discuss?!"
A suddenly stood up, his huge, intimidating, muscular form dominating the room. He stared directly at the trembling Kusagakure leader, his eyes blazing with Raiton (Lightning Release) chakra.
The terrifying pressure of his released lightning chakra made the small leader's legs go weak. He almost collapsed to his knees right there.
"By the time you've discussed a result, Uchiha Akira's army will probably have already flattened your Village and salted the earth!" A roared, his voice a thunderclap.
"A bunch of useless, cowardly fools!"
"Can't you see the situation clearly even now?! Are you blind?!"
A fiercely scanned the entire room, his eyes sharp and merciless.
"I'm telling you now! You only have two choices today!"
"Either join the Alliance! And we all work together to consolidate power, resist Konoha, and find a path to survival!"
"Or…"
A grinned, his smile savage, brutal, and terrifying—the smile of a man who loved a fight.
"Die here!"
"My Kumogakure (Hidden Cloud Village) hates fence-sitters the most! We despise indecision and weakness!"
"No one can guarantee that you who don't join won't turn around and sell us out to Uchiha Akira for a good price!"
"So, I'm laying out the terms right here and now!"
"Today, any Village that doesn't sign up for this Shinobi Alliance... once it leaves this door, my Kumogakure forces will be the first to 'visit' you!"
"I guarantee, we will wipe your Village clean off the map before Konoha even knows you existed!"
At these harsh, terrible, undeniable words, the entire room fell into a terrified silence!
The faces of the representatives from many small Ninja Villages instantly turned incredibly grim. They were utterly trapped between two tyrants.
Madman! This Raikage A is a complete and utter madman!
If we don't fight Konoha with you, you'll kill us first? How is that any different from Konoha's tyranny and atrocities?!
"Raikage-sama…" The Kusagakure leader wanted to try and plead once more.
But meeting A's wide, murderous, cannibalistic eyes, the rest of his words were stuck hopelessly in his throat. He couldn't utter a single sound.
Just then, Ōnoki, who had been silently observing the sheer force of A's intimidation, slowly floated up from the floor.
He flew calmly to the Raikage's side, seemingly trying to mediate, but his words were, in fact, even more final and despairing than the Raikage's direct threat.
"Heh heh," Ōnoki's dry chuckle was humorless, echoing in the tension. "Though Raikage A's temper is a bit fiery, what he says, my friends, is the absolute truth of our situation."
"Everyone, this is wartime. This is not child's play. This is not political maneuvering."
"You've seen Uchiha Akira's limitless ambition. He is not seeking peace. He will not leave any of our small Villages a way out. He will devour us all, one by one."
Ōnoki's eyes narrowed. "To prevent anyone from stabbing the Alliance in the back—to prevent weakness—Raikage A and I have reached a clear consensus."
"Those unwilling to join the Shinobi Alliance... are our enemies."
"Regarding enemies, I believe you are all painfully aware of Iwagakure's methods."
"We will cooperate with Kumogakure to eliminate all unstable, disloyal factors before Konoha makes its next move."
It's over! The terrifying thought screamed in the heads of the small Village representatives.
Joining the alliance meant facing the now unstoppable Konoha head-on.
Not joining the alliance meant being immediately annihilated by the combined, focused forces of Kumogakure and Iwagakure!
A long, suffocating, terrible silence fell over the meeting hall.
The leader of Kusagakure slumped back into his chair, his eyes hollow, defeated. The fate of his Village was sealed.
In this suffocating silence...
A clear, cold, indifferent female voice suddenly rang out.
"Amegakure (Village Hidden in the Rain) agrees to join the Alliance."
Whoosh—!
Everyone's gaze instantly focused on the woman who spoke: Konan.
Ōnoki's cloudy old eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion and surprise.
A trace of astonishment also flashed across A's volatile face.
Both of them simultaneously turned to look at the woman in the black cloak with red clouds—the ominous Akatsuki cloak.
They had originally thought that the toughest, most neutral nut to crack would be Amegakure, given its isolation and the power of Hanzō's legacy.
They never expected that the Amegakure envoy would be the very first to agree? This completely exceeded Ōnoki and A's expectations.
(For Konan, this choice was the result of a cold discussion with Nagato before her departure. Joining this so-called Shinobi Alliance was all beneficial to the Akatsuki Organization, with zero harm. They could use this force to secretly check the growing power of Konoha, buying crucial time for their own world-altering plan, while legitimately infiltrating various Ninja Villages to gather intelligence on the Jinchūriki.)
"Very good."
A sharp, calculating glint instantly flashed in Ōnoki's cloudy old eyes.
"It seems the Amegakure envoy is a smart person who knows how to adapt to the new, harsh reality."
With one major, powerful village taking the lead, the rest would be much easier to herd and intimidate.
After speaking, Ōnoki's gaze once again turned to the pale-faced, trembling representatives of the small Ninja Villages.
"Amegakure has made its choice."
"Now, it's your turn."
Ōnoki's voice grew increasingly cold, filled with finality.
"This old man's patience is severely limited. I will not give you much time to discuss or weigh the nonexistent pros and cons."
Ōnoki then extended a single finger.
"Thirty counts."
"After thirty counts, any Village that has not given a definitive answer..."
Ōnoki did not finish his sentence, but his chilling tone and the sight of A's crackling Raiton chakra already said it all: annihilation awaited.
The Fourth Raikage A, standing to the side, cooperatively grinned widely. Blue electrical arcs crackled and snapped on his massive arm, ready to execute judgment on the fence-sitters.
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