[Fire Country Noble]: "My lord, we can't just—"
[Daimyō of the Land of Fire]: "Enough. Stop panicking."
[Fire Country Minister]: "But my lord, we—"
[Daimyō of the Land of Fire]: "Silence. Are you the daimyō, or am I? Nagi —how do you intend to deal with us in the end?"
[ Nagi ]: "You are a wise man, my lord. And I am not one to slaughter the innocent."
[Daimyō of the Land of Fire]: "I understand."
The Fire Daimyō looked into the distance and let out a complicated sigh.
"Our era… is over."
Inside the room, Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan were too stunned to speak.
Nagi clapped his hands lightly.
"If their rule does not end, the true darkness of the Shinobi World will continue to thrive."
"The true darkness?" ×3
"Yes. Let me explain the root cause of the thousand years of turmoil in this world."
The three held their breath. They knew something explosive was coming.
Nagi stood.
"What is war fought for? Most people say 'for profit.' That's not entirely wrong—but it is incomplete, especially in the Shinobi World.
"The political structure here is… interesting.
"Before the First Hokage founded Konohagakure, shinobi clans functioned essentially as mercenary armies—each clan its own military force.
"After Hashirama Senju established the village system, the 'Kage' structure was born. Clans formed alliances, settled within nations, and built hidden villages.
"The relationship between nation and village was as follows:
"The 'nation,' led by its daimyō, provided protection from foreign invasion, along with financial and material support.
"In return, the 'village'—though administratively autonomous under its Kage—provided military force to the nation.
"The village's strength determined a country's standing among others. The nation relied on the village's military power, while the village relied on the nation for a stable homeland.
"For a time, this balance held."
He paused.
"But this arrangement is, in essence, a separation of military and political power.
"The hidden villages hold the military might. The daimyō hold political authority.
"Tell me—if you were a ruler, would you truly feel at ease knowing the strongest military force in your land was not directly under your command?"
Nagato and the others fell silent.
Nagi continued.
"The daimyō and the nobility feared the villages.
"To maintain balance—and to ensure the villages remained dependent on funding and supplies—they came up with a 'brilliant' solution.
"What do you think it was?"
The three lowered their heads in thought.
After a moment, Konan looked up.
"...War?"
Nagi nodded.
"Exactly. That is one of the true origins of war."
Silence.
The very wars they had despised all their lives…
Manufactured?
"War is an effective method for resolving domestic tensions," Nagi said calmly. "It diverts public dissatisfaction outward. At the same time, it weakens the hidden villages, reducing their threat to political authority.
"And then there are missions.
"S-Rank missions often involve state secrets—assassinations of key figures, theft of classified documents.
"A-Rank missions are frequently tied to wartime operations.
"But consider S-Rank missions from another angle. Assassinations fuel hatred between villages. Each killing deepens grudges, making coexistence increasingly difficult.
"As long as the villages hate and exhaust each other, the shinobi grow weaker.
"And when the shinobi weaken… the question of military authority becomes less important.
"After the Fourth Great Ninja War, even the Five Great Villages were severely weakened. The daimyō no longer needed to treat them with the same deference.
"In politics, shinobi are no match for daimyō."
Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan felt a chill crawl up their spines.
Nagi pressed further.
"So ask yourselves—who typically authorizes S-Rank missions?
"Who places bounties on Kakuzu's reward list?
"Who stands behind the Underground Exchange?
"The goal is simple: inflame shinobi conflict.
"War seizes resources, resolves internal tensions, weakens the military, and consolidates power.
"It is efficient.
"In the end, life becomes nothing more than a bargaining chip in the pursuit of profit.
"It all comes back to human greed."
The three finally understood.
The true source of darkness.
The true cause of tragedy.
The Shinobi World Reacts
Silence spread across the world.
Then—
[Chiyo]: "So that's why the Wind Daimyō slashed our military budget…"
[Rasa]: "He forced Sunagakure toward war to seize resources—while weakening us in the process. You bloated coward."
[Daimyō of the Land of Wind]: "How dare you speak to me like that! You are merely a Kazekage!"
[Rasa]: "I look forward to your final outcome."
[Madara Uchiha]: "So the boy truly understands the darkness of this world. Heh… I'm curious to see how spectacular the daimyō's defeat will be."
[Jiraiya]: "I never imagined the source of war lay here… Can the Child of Prophecy truly solve this?"
[Orochimaru]: "Still chasing your 'Child of Prophecy,' Jiraiya? What are you—searching for a father?"
[Jiraiya]: "Orochimaru—! Still, Nagi … achieving peace through upheaval will only breed more hatred."
[Hashirama Senju]: "Is my grand-disciple's head filled with water?"
[Madara Uchiha]: "If even you think that, it must be serious."
[Jiraiya]: "First Hokage, you agree with him? War will only—"
[Hashirama Senju]: "Ah, that? If things go wrong, Nagi can just revive us again. No need to worry. Let's watch."
[Hiruzen Sarutobi]: "Enough, Jiraiya. You're not a child anymore. The waters of peace run deep—leave this to your seniors."
[Jiraiya]: "..."
Nagi turned toward the three before him.
"What I seek to end is the darkness of this system.
"Human greed will never disappear entirely.
"But if the seed of peace can be planted in people's hearts, then light will always follow."
He removed the fox mask.
Extending his right hand, he spoke sincerely.
"This is why I wish to recruit you—not as tools, but as partners.
"Yahiko. Konan. Nagato.
"Will you help me?"
Without hesitation—hearts ignited by new conviction—the three stepped forward and clasped his hand firmly.
"We will advance and retreat together with you, sir." ×3
PS: I've been releasing chapters daily . Honestly, it hurts seeing almost no support on Patreon after all that work.If you're enjoying the fic, even a little, supporting me would mean a lot. It helps a student stay independent .
complete fic (all chapters ) are already up on Patreon → patreon.com/Chakraflow789
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Chakraflow789