Chapter 110: We're Gonna Fight… No Matter What!
"Cousin~"
"The Daimyō has ruled the Ninja World for over a thousand years… yet throughout those millennia, challenges have never ceased."
"For instance, the Ninja Creed founded by the Six Paths Sage a thousand years ago… Now, a man in Hidden Sand Village bears the eyes of the Six Paths Sage. The great edifice may collapse—therefore I write to invite the Four Great Shinobi Villages to eliminate this scourge, all to secure my Daimyō's eternal reign!"
After the Land of Fire's Daimyō finished reading the letter that arrived from the Land of Wind…
He tore the envelope to shreds.
No one… must ever know of this!
"Attendant! I will compose a letter to Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
—
"Gentlemen, what do you make of the Daimyō's demand that we march on Hidden Sand Village?"
Inside the Hokage Office, the F4 were gathered.
After Hiruzen Sarutobi finished the Daimyō's letter, he passed it to the others.
He then spoke.
Soon, the rest had also finished reading.
"Hiruzen, this is excellent news!"
At the prospect of war, Danzō Shimura's face lit with hunger.
"After how Hidden Sand Village treated Konoha, we don't even need to invent a casus belli."
"And we can squeeze the Daimyō for a fat war-chest!"
"Hiruzen! My Root—"
"Enough—say no more."
Fearing the conversation would veer off-track, Hiruzen cut Danzō short.
He turned to the remaining two.
"Koharu, Homura, what do you think?"
"Hiruzen, something feels off," Mitokado Homura said after reading.
"Oh? What feels off?"
Relieved to hear something other than instant war, Hiruzen pressed quickly—before anyone could object.
"The Land of Fire owns the richest soil, the largest population, and collects the heaviest taxes…"
"What do we gain by hitting Hidden Sand Village?"
"Homura's right," Hiruzen nodded.
"There's definitely something fishy."
In the two previous Great Wars, the other four villages had always attacked Konoha.
Now the tables had turned—Konoha was being asked to strike Hidden Sand Village.
Sure, Hidden Sand Village had grown fast these past years… but so what?
The Land of Fire and Konoha lacked for nothing.
War would only shrink their profits.
"The Third Kazekage is a notorious womanizer—could the Daimyō have been…?"
"???"
"A-hem… I—I was only joking," Koharu Utatane murmured, retreating under everyone's stare.
How could she gossip about the Daimyō behind his back?
Forgive me, forgive me.
Expecting Hiruzen to chide her…
"Mmm… Koharu's guess isn't impossible."
"Indeed." ×2
"…"
…After half an hour of debate…
Hiruzen reached a decision.
We're gonna fight—no question.
But how we fight… that's negotiable.
First, the Darkness of the Shinobi would scout why the Daimyō wanted war.
If Hidden Sand Village's growth truly threatened the Land of Fire and Konoha—then crush them, and settle the score.
But if the Daimyō was merely in a huff—say, really seduced by the Third Kazekage, ahem—then put on a show and milk him for more funds.
—
That, of course, was Konoha's take on the declaration.
The other villages might differ—Hidden Stone Village.
Onoki hovered in the air, gazing at the village through his office window.
"Tsuchikage-sama, the Daimyō demands war—how do we respond?"
"What do you think, Kitsuchi?"
"Er… we fight."
"How?"
"With Ninja."
Onoki: "…"
Floating before his dim-witted son, Onoki flicked his forehead.
Then delivered a customary tongue-lashing.
Once the old man vented, he explained.
"We must fight—those are the Daimyō's orders."
"But how many we send… that's another matter."
"Hmm?" Kitsuchi sensed something.
"Tsuchikage-sama, are you afraid another village might hit us? The Daimyō only forbade attacking Konoha—he told us to pulverize Suna."
"Fool! Did he say other villages can't attack Iwa?"
"Er… no."
"Then, Tsuchikage-sama… we…"
"We fight, of course—such a legitimate chance, why waste it?"
"But we won't hit Suna."
"Not Suna? But the Daimyō—"
"He never said when to strike Suna."
"We'll hit the Land of Birds—and strip the Land of Grass bare."
"Birds borders Wind; when the Daimyō asks, we'll claim we're securing our rear for logistics."
"As for Grass, I bet the Third Raikage will loot it too—so we grab first."
—
Hidden Mist Village.
After wiping out the Yuki Clan, the other clans had behaved for years.
Absorbing the Yuki legacy, Mist enjoyed a boom.
"Mizukage-sama, a letter from the Daimyō."
Yagura Karatachi handed it to the Third Mizukage.
"Ah, Shikura. Let me see…"
A long pause. "The Daimyō wants us to attack Hidden Sand Village—and only Hidden Sand Village; we mustn't touch Konoha during the war."
"What? Hit Suna? Who'd waste time on that barren dust-heap? Did the Daimyō mis-write?"
Kukuri blurted.
In his mind Suna was poorer than Mist.
Mist's poverty came from isolation and bad roads—yet the sea gave plenty.
Suna was just destitute—nothing but sand.
Forcing them to strike Suna instead of Konoha…
Shikura's first thought: typo.
After all—what for?
Had the Daimyō never seen sand?
"Wrong or not, it's an opportunity."
"Opportunity?"
"Exactly. Mist is far from Suna; ships would stretch supply lines, so…"
"Seizing the Land of Tea as a staging base to attack Suna—perfectly reasonable, no?"
"Brilliant! Mizukage-sama, you're a genius!"
Shikura beamed.
"Arrange it—you'll lead."
"Yes, my lord! I'll crush Hidden Sand Village!"
"No. You'll take Tea; Suna can wait."
"Why, Mizukage-sama?"
"Suna is one of the Five Greats—not easy prey.
But Tea is different; once you hold it, your logistics record will secure you the Mizukage seat.
I'll send someone else for Suna."
If the war goes smoothly, your logistics duty will still earn you some credit.
But if the war goes badly, you can rush in as reinforcements and still claim merit.
No matter what happens, your position won't be affected.
Lord Third!
Listening to the Third Mizukage's explanation, Yagura Karatachi was overwhelmed with gratitude.
He never expected the Third Mizukage to have already mapped out every step for him.
Go. Just don't disappoint me.
Yes, Lord Third! I will bring back news of victory!
Unlike the other three Great Shinobi Villages, which always hold councils after receiving word from their daimyo,
Hidden Cloud Village needs no discussion at all.
The militant Kumogakure instantly agreed the moment the daimyo's letter arrived.
They didn't even have to invent a reason.
Right now, the Third Raikage was on his way to visit his son.
This time he intended to make the boy the vanguard.
As the next Raikage, he needed to start shouldering responsibility
instead of spending every day in the gym… feeling each other up!!!
Bee, feel my pecs—getting harder, right?
Then feel my butt—getting perkier, right?
Bee, look at my kid: 500 one-arm push-ups. Could you do that when you were young?
Ay, look at my son: 500 squats while holding yours. Ever hold me like that when we were young?
The Third Raikage hadn't even entered the gym before he heard the unspeakable scene from the doorway.
His good mood about the coming fight vanished on the spot.
Then… another hole appeared in the already patched, off-color wall.
You two bastards like groping each other? Then grope mine!!!
With that, the Third Raikage activated his Chakra mode and lunged at them.
In an underground cavern,
a pitch-black shape burrowed out of the earth.
Lord Madara, I'm back.
Mm.
Not even glancing at Black Zetsu, Uchiha Madara gave a grunt.
Is everything done?
It's done, Lord Madara. I delivered the Wind Country daimyo's letters to the other four daimyo; the four nations should march on Hidden Sand Village soon.
Excellent.
And the intelligence we dug up—has it been leaked?
Not yet. The four Great Villages just got their daimyo's orders; they haven't started spying.
I'll spread the word once they begin.
After all…
they trust information they gather themselves. It's just…
Mm? Just what?
Er… Lord Madara, are we really going to leak news of the Rinnegan?
If we don't, how will we stir their greed?
Hidden Sand Village has grown too quickly these years; if the other four villages don't get serious…
I doubt they could beat Hidden Sand Village.
So we need something that'll drive them mad. What good is money?
Before the Rinnegan that governs life and death, everyone will lose their minds.
Once the four nations attack Hidden Sand Village with everything they've got, the village—fast-growing but shallow-rooted—will fall.
When Hidden Sand Village is gone, his love for it will turn to hatred for the four villages…
Even without our guidance, he won't spare them.
How strong is the vessel now?
Very strong, Lord Madara—far stronger than we first predicted. By our original estimate, he shouldn't have reached this level for another ten years.
Is that so? Heh… the Third Kazekage has done me a great favor.
And this plan is far simpler than our previous one.
Indeed, Lord Madara. Now we only need to destroy Hidden Sand Village and kill the Third Kazekage. It's just… they say the Kazekage isn't easy prey; rumor has it he's mastered Sage Mode. He won't die simply.
Oh—Sage Mode? I never thought anyone besides Hashirama in this world would attain it.
No matter. If the four villages can't handle it… I'll act myself.
Go. Keep an eye on the four villages.
Yes, Lord Madara!
With that, Black Zetsu sank back into the earth and vanished.
Heh… soon, very soon, I'll be rid of this wretched body!
Three days later, news swept the Ninja World and shattered every village's image of Hidden Sand Village as poor.
Shukaku's Strongest Service Area earns Hidden Sand Village more than two billion a year!
How much—how much did you say a year?!
Hiruzen Sarutobi was sitting—no, was now standing.
Startled by the report, he had jumped from his office chair.
Over two billion. According to Root's intel and calculations, the figure is between 2.3 and 2.6 billion.
Good grief… with money like that, what heights could Konoha reach!
There's more, Hiruzen! Don't forget the Rain Country trade zone—doesn't that earn a fortune too?
Oh—right, that place! And if we add the Rain trade zone…
Root estimates at least four billion profit a year.
Four billion… four billion…
Hearing Danzo's report, Hiruzen's mind emptied of everything else.
All he could think of was the alien number: four billion.
If Konoha had those four billion… even that white-haired sage in the Pure Land would call him teacher!
Hiruzen!
Seeing Hiruzen stare blankly,
Danzo secretly cursed the fool, yet kindly shook him awake.
Ah—Danzo!
Hiruzen! Send troops! Give me three thousand Ninja and I'll bring back those four billion!
Then, with that fortune, we can glorify Konoha together!
Danzo…
Hiruzen studied him for a long moment,
then lowered his head, lit his pipe, and after a long pause said, I'll give you three thousand men and Jiraiya as support. I have only one demand.
One billion—bring back one billion in profit.
Heh, rest easy, Hiruzen! You know what I'm capable of!
When Hiruzen finally relented, Danzo accepted with delight.
Whether he could actually do it… he never gave it a second thought.
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