Revitalizing the Uchiha clan starts with becoming a Kage.

344. I want them all

"Yes, I understand, Lord Tsuchikage!"

All power in the village still rests with the Kage, and Huang Tu is only slightly worried. The current situation is indeed a perfect opportunity for their village to take action. Even if the Fourth Shinobi World War were to break out again, Iwagakure could still handle it. The losses from the Third Shinobi World War have been largely recovered over the years, and the addition of the Uchiha clan has further propelled Iwagakure to new heights. The fact that their Tsuchikage father, Ren Han, was transferred here speaks volumes.

At that moment, Huang Tu did not hesitate at all. He bowed his head and answered, then left to make the necessary preparations. The operation of a large force of three thousand people required consideration of all aspects, especially the deployment of personnel and the allocation of logistical supplies. These had to be prepared in the shortest possible time.

Fortunately, Onoki had made some preparations in advance when Shoji and his group left the village for Konoha, which is a standard practice for major countries.

Of course, in addition, Onoki also immediately sent a message of 'alliance' to Kumogakure through official channels in his capacity as the Third Tsuchikage!

Just as his son said, even if their Iwagakure Village is now not afraid of any ninja village in a one-on-one fight, and could barely manage to take on two at once, the risk would be too high, the probability of winning would decrease, and the possibility of collapse would increase. They should be more cautious and choose the most stable approach!

Moreover, Onoki firmly believed that the Fourth Raikage would not miss such a golden opportunity, and it was time to turn the page on the era when Konoha was above the four great ninja villages!

"Konoha, this time I will crush you completely! The shame of the Third Shinobi World War will be washed away this time, and the regret of that time will be reclaimed this time!"

Deep in his mind, Onoki recalled the various impressions of the Third Shinobi World War from several years ago, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes as he spoke in a low voice.

Iwagakure takes immediate action.

This is yet another signal that war is on the horizon.

It was also at the time when the war machine of Iwagakure was fully operational that Kumogakure, located in the northeastern hinterland of the Land of Lightning, far to the east of the Land of Earth.

The Fourth Raikage, A, received the message from his own delegation sent to Konoha Village only half a day later than Onoki, although the official alliance message arranged by Onoki would take a little longer to reach Kumogakure.

However, since Shoji had already contacted and negotiated with Maya, the leader of the Kumogakure delegation, the night before, the information that was transmitted back in its entirety allowed the Fourth Raikage to understand the whole picture of this incident.

While feeling regret over the failure of the final step of his plan and slightly angry at the death of his capable subordinate, the Fourth Raikage, A, also had a glint of light in his eyes and a look of joy on his face!

film!

The interests of the village must be considered at the highest level.

no doubt.

This time, their plans for Kumogakure are all based on considerations of the present and future interests of their own ninja village.

Despite the failure of the second plan at the last step, the death of the deputy leader, Ritsuto, still provided the Hidden Cloud Village with an excellent reason. Shimura Danzo's attack on the Iwagakure delegation led by Uchiha Shoji was an even better opportunity for the Hidden Cloud Village.

"very good!"

The Fourth Raikage, who excitedly slammed his fist on his desk, immediately summoned his capable subordinates. By the time Tsuchida and the others arrived, they had already learned a little about the general course of events on the way.

After reviewing the more detailed information he had received from his own Raikage, a hint of joy appeared on Tsuchikage's face, a stark contrast to his usual composure.

"Tsuchidai, you won't stop me this time, will you!?"

The Fourth Raikage, A, stared intently at the earthen platform before him and spoke with a burning tone.

"Yes, Lord Raikage, this is indeed an excellent opportunity for our Hidden Cloud Village. The previous plan failed and could have had negative consequences, but the involvement of the Hidden Stone Village puts us in a very advantageous position. The attitude of the Hidden Leaf Village speaks volumes. We can immediately mobilize more troops to reinforce the Land of Hot Springs and be prepared to march south at any time."

"However, I personally suggest that, if possible, we should let Iwagakure take the lead. We can use this to put pressure on Konoha. Iwagakure probably has the same intention, but we already have the upper hand in this regard. Konoha's attitude is the most important factor. As long as we grasp this point, we can extract many benefits from Konoha. The area around Mount Hōzui in the Land of Hot Springs that we agreed to leave behind, the allocation of mission shares, trade routes, the deployment of border forces, compensation for various supplies, and most importantly, the Byakugan bloodline limit. We can also obtain this by pressuring Konoha to hand over the culprit—Hyuga Hiashi. Only then will Kumogakure agree to continue the previous peace negotiations!"

This was an incredibly clear line of thought from the very beginning.

Tsuchikage looked up at his Raikage and spoke very quickly.

The various conditions proposed in this speech can be summarized in one sentence: demand them relentlessly, but of course, they can't really force Konoha to the point of fighting them to the death. There must be a limit. This is something that Kumogakure needs to actively investigate and then steadily advance on. But as long as the overall situation doesn't change, Tsuchidae has considerable confidence and certainty that he can easily obtain these benefits from Konoha without any investment!

Then they can leisurely watch the great battle between Konoha and Iwagakure from the sidelines. If necessary, Kumogakure can choose which side to stab. Of course, in most cases, they will definitely stab Konoha in the back, unless Iwagakure achieves a crushing victory over Konoha in the war between the two countries. In that case, Kumogakure will definitely help Konoha.

However, in Tsuchikage's view, such a possibility was undoubtedly a pipe dream. No matter how weak Konoha was, it was still the strongest of the five great ninja villages in terms of its foundation. The Land of Fire was far richer than the other four countries. As long as there were no major changes, the Hidden Cloud Village's primary target would always be Konoha, and it would still be eyeing the fertile land of the Land of Fire.

The only difference is that the scale needs to be controlled. The best option is to let Konoha and Iwa ninja fight each other first, and then let them pick up the scraps.

After hearing Tsuchikage's words, the Fourth Raikage, A, also showed a thoughtful expression. According to the personality of the Raikage, it is the Raikage's usual way of thinking to directly push forward and use violence to obtain what they want and achieve their goals.

But this doesn't mean they're really stubborn. Ultimately, it's a symbol of their confidence in their own strength. Because all the Raikage in history have been confident that they can solve all problems with their own power, they are naturally too lazy to complicate things. Their philosophy is to end everything with the purest violent aesthetics.

However, there is a premise here: they themselves feel that this is the best way to deal with the problem. If there are other better solutions, the Raikage will still consider them. For example, the suggestion that Tsuchida made at this moment, although it is not so much to the Fourth Raikage's liking when he considers it, is indeed the best solution for their Hidden Cloud Village at this moment.

The most direct benefit is that if this plan can be successfully implemented, not to mention the huge profits that can be obtained, it can also greatly reduce the losses of our own ninja village. It is a plan that kills two birds with one stone.

After considering it for a short while, the Fourth Raikage slowly nodded.

"But how do we know that the one who killed Ritsu-san was definitely the head of the Hyuga clan? Normally, it's highly likely that it was one of the other patrol and guard personnel from the Hyuga clan, right? If the Hyuga clan just randomly handed over someone, especially someone from the branch family, wouldn't we be..."

Darui, who still looked quite young, asked with a hint of doubt in his eyes, but he hadn't finished speaking.

"Darui, whether it was Hiashi Hyuga who killed Ritsudo is not important. What is important is that our Hidden Cloud Village should advocate this. The rest is not for us to consider, but for Konoha to consider. Either agree, or it's war!"

The Fourth Raikage, A, looked at Darui with a cold expression and said that as the most talented person in the next generation of his village, the Fourth Raikage, A, valued Darui highly and always kept him by his side. This was evident from the fact that he would try his best to involve Darui in any major events that occurred in the village.

Although Darui is still very young at this time and far from being as mature and powerful as he is in the later part of the original work, the talent he has shown at this stage is enough for the Fourth Raikage, A, to include him in the list of key candidates.

For a young person who has the potential to become the next generation of core leaders in the village.

The Fourth Raikage, A, had to ensure these kids developed in all aspects and pass on some very important things to them.

For example, the domineering nature that should belong to their Hidden Cloud Village!

When Darui heard his Raikage's words, he was first taken aback, then nodded slowly as if he had just understood.

"Yes, Konoha only has two choices; they have no right to negotiate!"

Tu Tai nodded slightly and said.

“Very well, then let’s proceed according to your plan. Tsuchidai, put pressure on Konoha, and also make contact with that old man from Iwagakure. In addition, immediately send someone to Asanobu to inform Yugito to come back! Since we’re going to do it anyway, let’s see it through to the end! Let Konoha, and also Iwagakure, see the determination of Kumogakure!”

The Fourth Raikage, A, narrowed his eyes slightly and spoke in a cold voice with a hint of ruthlessness.

"Eh? Yes, Lord Raikage, I understand!"

Tu Tai was slightly taken aback at first, then a look of understanding appeared on his face, and he nodded emphatically in response.

Even if it's just for show, it has to be the whole thing.

Not to mention that their Hidden Cloud Village is not just putting on an act at all.

Ultimately, the Fourth Raikage wants to suppress Konoha, weaken Iwagakure, and then seize the benefits that Kumogakure desires—they want it all!

Step by step, they climbed to the pinnacle of the ninja world!

This is the goal that major powers have been tirelessly pursuing.

With Kirigakure now in hiding and Sunagakure completely in decline, Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Konoha are each other's greatest enemies. The common goal of the Fourth Raikage A and the Third Tsuchikage Onoki is to completely suppress the other two villages and then make their own village rise again!

In this respect, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had long since lost all ambition, was no match for these two at all!

---Aside---

It's another busy day. I'll upload this much for now. I'll see how much I can upload when I get back tonight!

345. Initial Pressure

The two ninja villages began to implement their own plans.

The two Kage, Onoki and A, each with their own agendas, shared a tacit understanding in many ways. The two ninja villages, which were putting pressure on the northwest and northeast sides of the Land of Fire respectively, reached a preliminary agreement in the subsequent official negotiations!

This is practically a game of cards played openly by both sides.

It can be said that they were very clear about each other's intentions from the very beginning. Everyone can make a calculation, but who will ultimately come out on top depends on the adaptability of both sides in the game and what choices Konoha will make. At least in this initial stage, the actions of the two great ninja villages must remain consistent!

Only if the Hidden Cloud Village and the Hidden Stone Village work together to put pressure on the Leaf Village can the desired effect be achieved.

Then it all comes down to their individual methods.

The Land of Fire, Konoha Village.

This is the third day since the Cloud Village incident and the Iwa Village incident.

During this period, Hiruzen Sarutobi and his companions were busy preparing for various war-related matters. Although they hoped to resolve the current situation peacefully, they still had to prepare for the worst.

Hiruzen Sarutobi even dispatched his direct ANBU members to summon Jiraiya back. If a war were to break out with the two great ninja villages, his own village would need a heavyweight figure to lead the charge. Knowing full well that his other disciple, Tsunade, was unwilling and unable to return to the battlefield, Hiruzen Sarutobi could only rely on Jiraiya!

It is truly ironic and tragic that Konoha Village, once a place teeming with talent and capable of dominating nations at the Kage level, has fallen to this state.

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi and others from Konoha had made corresponding mental preparations, when the military pressure from the two great ninja villages occurred simultaneously, a heavy gloom still shrouded their hearts. Even though the initial feedback clearly indicated that the forces dispatched by the two great ninja villages to the Land of Hot Springs and the Land of Grass had reached the number of five thousand each!

The leaders of the two major ninja villages are, respectively, the son of the Third Tsuchikage, Tsuchida, and the person highly regarded by two consecutive Raikages, Tsuchida. Most importantly, the intelligence shows that, along with the arrival of the front-line army, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki of Iwagakure and the Two-Tails Jinchuriki of Kumogakure are both present in the front-line area.

This news was clearly leaked by the two great ninja villages on purpose, to increase their leverage at the border and further intimidate Konoha. In fact, this strategy was obviously effective, and the mood of Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others became increasingly heavy upon learning of this news.

At this moment, summoned by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and Danzo Shimura also appeared here, and none of them had a solemn expression on their faces.

Everyone knows how critical the current situation is. The combined forces deployed by the two major ninja villages, Kumogakure and Iwagakure, to the border already exceed ten thousand ninjas, plus two tailed beast jinchūriki. To put it bluntly, if Konoha were to withstand this pressure now, the pressure would be unprecedented. One wrong move and it would be an avalanche!

Not to mention that no one can guarantee that the two great ninja villages won't deploy even more forces, which is an outcome that Hiruzen Sarutobi and others from Konoha don't want to see.

The forces deployed at the border right now are enough to give Konoha a run for its money.

"You should all be well aware of the situation. Both major ninja villages have put forward their own demands, declaring that if Konoha does not meet their demands, they will directly declare war on us. What are your thoughts on how to handle this?"

The Third Hokage looked at the people below with obvious exhaustion and spoke in a very heavy tone.

Along with the arrival of military pressure from the two major ninja villages.

The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, and the Fourth Raikage, A, also issued an official notice of accountability to Konoha through official channels. In the notice, they severely condemned Konoha's despicable behavior and put forward the following compensation demands. Only if Konoha met their demands would the two great ninja villages be willing to cease hostilities. Otherwise, only war could quell their anger!

These demands include, but are not limited to, the cession of territory, the redistribution of mission shares, and compensation for supplies. Both ninja villages have put forward these obviously excessive terms based on the maximum ratio. Although these conditions are negotiable, even reducing them by half would be enough to severely damage Konoha.

Not to mention that both Kumogakure and Iwagakure put forward a condition that Konoha could hardly accept: that Konoha hand over the culprit of this incident. Kumogakure demanded that Hiashi Hyuga, while Iwagakure naturally demanded that Danzo Shimura be brought to justice!

This is a condition that Konoha absolutely cannot and will never agree to. Let's not even mention Shimura Danzo; he was the Second Hokage's direct disciple, one of Konoha's four pillars, and a true high-ranking figure. Regardless of whether Shimura Danzo was at fault, if Konoha were to hand him over, it wouldn't just be a matter of face; it would involve a major crisis of trust within the entire village. On this point, it's not that Hiruzen Sarutobi, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane are desperately protecting their close friends, but rather that from Konoha's perspective, this is something that absolutely cannot be agreed to.

Even if Danzo's actions were made public to the entire village, it's safe to say that the vast majority of people, even if they hated Danzo to the core and even hoped that their Hokage would severely punish him, would absolutely not agree to hand him over.

It's acceptable to handle things internally, but handing over the high-ranking members of one's own ninja village to an enemy country to quell the war is absolutely unacceptable.

Onoki and Shoji, the members of Iwagakure, understood this as well. While Konoha could negotiate other conditions, this was absolutely non-negotiable. However, the conditions that needed to be raised still had to be raised!

Moreover, whether it's Onoki or Shoji, they are really determined to weaken Konoha. In other words, it would be better if Konoha refused, and it would be more logical to start a war first!

On the contrary, there is a slight possibility that the demands of the Hidden Cloud Village can be met, but that is only in relation to Danzo Shimura's status.

Overall.

Handing over Hiashi Hyuga is also an impossible event.

Just the fact that it would cause disunity within the Hyuga clan and allow the Hidden Cloud Village to gain the Byakugan bloodline for no reason is something that Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others cannot accept. Moreover, there is an even more important point: the crisis of trust within the village mentioned earlier!

Today you can choose to hand over the head of a prestigious ninja clan like Hyuga Hiashi in order to appease the anger of the Cloud Ninja, but tomorrow, can you choose to hand over anyone except the higher-ups for other reasons?

With even a powerful clan leader like Hyuga Hiashi unable to escape punishment and Konoha unable to protect him, the entire Hidden Leaf Village is bound to fall into a state of panic.