Akihito's reason for slaughtering the Kumo delegation was simple—
He wanted to cut off Kumogakure's path of retreat.
Kumo had acted arrogantly, but if Konoha truly prepared for war, they might not have dared to follow through.
When two great powers clash, the real beneficiaries are often the third parties watching from the sidelines.
If Konoha and Kumo fell into stalemate, the other three great villages could easily seize the opportunity.
Even if Kumo won, the cost might outweigh the gains.
If they lost, the consequences would be even worse.
Akihito's strike ensured there would be no half-measures.
The original fault lay with Kumo.
But now?
Now blood had been spilled.
With the Fourth Raikage's temper, there was no way he would swallow this humiliation.
Kumogakure — Raikage's Office
Upon hearing the report, the Fourth Raikage smashed his desk into splinters.
"Konoha has gone too far!"
"I'll make them pay!"
His secretary, Mabui, silently sighed.
Replacing broken furniture had become routine.
The surviving Kumo chūnin knelt with tears in his eyes.
"Raikage-sama! That Uchiha—Uchiha Akihito—wiped out the delegation in a single strike!"
"We beg you for justice!"
The Raikage punched through two walls before finally calming down.
"Issue the order."
"Kumogakure formally declares war."
"I will personally lead the campaign."
Originally, he had only meant to pressure Konoha while they were weakened.
Even if they refused, war was not certain.
But now?
Konoha had slapped him in the face.
Retreat was impossible.
"If they want war—then war it is!"
Konoha — Hokage Tower
ANBU-masked Kakashi knelt before Hiruzen.
"Third-sama. The mission failed."
"You found Jiraiya?" Hiruzen asked.
"Yes. But he refused to return."
Kakashi's mission had been to retrieve one of the Sannin.
Jiraiya declined.
If Konoha's situation became dire, he said, he would consider coming back.
Hiruzen sighed.
He had hoped Jiraiya would command the front lines.
He himself could not leave the village.
Danzō? Unreliable.
Kakashi? Too young.
He certainly could not let an Uchiha take supreme command.
Jiraiya was the ideal choice.
But that hope was dashed.
The elders entered, faces grim.
"Forget Jiraiya for now," they said. "The real issue is Uchiha and Hyūga."
Reports had reached them.
After the meeting, Hiashi and Akihito had spoken privately.
Two great dōjutsu clans showing signs of unity?
That was dangerous.
Before Hiruzen could respond—
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Danzō entered, cane striking the floor.
"I'll handle it."
His eyes gleamed coldly.
If Uchiha and Hyūga sought alliance, he would break it.
He proposed that Root join the war effort.
On the surface: to strengthen Konoha's forces.
In truth:
To monitor both clans.
And on the battlefield, "accidents" were easy to arrange.
A disrupted formation here.
A delayed reinforcement there.
Suspicion would grow.
Trust would fracture.
At the same time, war provided opportunity.
Opportunity to collect Sharingan.
Opportunity to amass merit.
If Root played a decisive role in ending the war—
No matter how hard Uchiha and Hyūga fought,
The glory would belong to him.
Danzō's lips curled faintly.
War was chaos.
And chaos was fertile ground for ambition.
✨ Want to read ahead?
You can access advanced chapters on Patreon ♥
patreon.com/c/InkWhispers151
Every bit of support helps unlock bonus chapters and keeps the story moving.
💬 10 reviews → extra chapter
💙 100 Power Stones → extra chapter
Thank you for supporting my work! 💫