Chapter 548: Ninja World Reaction

mayiwsk

Land of Lightning.

Raikage Tower, conference room.

The Third Raikage sat imposingly at the head of the table, his stern face showing a rare, thoughtful expression.

The senior Kumogakure officials seated on either side also appeared frowning in contemplation.

"Regarding the recent heavy defeat of Iwagakure in the Land of Grass, what are your thoughts, Toroi?" The Third Raikage looked at a Kumogakure shinobi wearing glasses.

Toroi was the Raikage's Assistant of their Kumogakure village, the Third Raikage's deputy, and one of his most trusted men.

"My thoughts..." Toroi adjusted his glasses.

"According to the intelligence we've gathered, before their great defeat, Iwagakure actually won a considerable victory, once scattering the forces led by Jiraiya and sending them fleeing."

"From this piece of intelligence, we can derive two pieces of information: Iwagakure is not as weak as they previously appeared, and Konohagakure's actual strength is not as great as it once was."

"If Iwagakure were weak, they certainly could not have defeated the ninja forces led by Jiraiya in such a short time, and if Konohagakure were strong enough, naturally they would not have followed a crushing defeat with a great victory."

The Third Raikage and the other Kumogakure senior officials nodded in agreement.

"Although both sides have trade victories and defeats, this time it is clearly Iwagakure that suffered the greater loss, with heavy casualties to their ninja forces, forcing them to withdraw directly from the Land of Grass." Toroi said with some regret.

The great war between Konohagakure and Iwagakure came suddenly and ended just as suddenly.

If Kumogakure had obtained this intelligence in advance, this would have been a good opportunity for them to stir up trouble; handled properly, they could have made both Konohagakure and Iwagakure suffer heavy losses.

"So you think now is a good opportunity to attack Iwagakure Village?" The Third Raikage asked after a moment of thought.

Kumogakure was not picky now; as long as it was on the level of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, they would make a move if they had the chance.

Toroi shook his head. "Now is indeed an opportunity to send forces against Iwagakure, but it is an even better opportunity to send forces against Konohagakure."

The Third Raikage looked at Toroi with some confusion, thinking that hadn't he said Iwagakure Village's losses were greater.

"Although Iwagakure has suffered losses, they are not enough to cripple them. Both jinchuriki safely withdrew to the Land of Earth, and Iwagakure Village is deep in the mountains, easy to defend and hard to attack." Toroi explained.

For Kumogakure to attack Iwagakure, just the traveling was quite troublesome, unlike the simplicity of attacking the Land of Fire.

"If that's the case, shouldn't both have their strengths and weaknesses? Why would attacking Konohagakure be the better choice?" Dodai asked.

He didn't start from his own thoughts; even just reasoning from Toroi's words, he couldn't find that so-called good opportunity.

"Because if we don't attack Konohagakure now, we may never have this chance again." Toroi's expression turned serious.

"Konohagakure first thwarted Kirigakure's attack, and now has soundly defeated Iwagakure. In the eyes of those clients, Konohagakure is still the strongest ninja village it once was. Once the situation stabilizes, Konohagakure's commissions will surely increase greatly."

"Greater financial resources allow Konohagakure to develop more ninja. Coupled with the genius ninjas that emerged during the war, as both develop in tandem, how could Kumogakure possibly be a match for Konohagakure?"

Dodai looked at Toroi with surprise. That was really daring to say—so bluntly stating that Kumogakure's development potential was inferior to Konohagakure's.

Although it was true, some things, even if they existed, could not be said casually.

Dodai glanced at the Third Raikage.

The Third Raikage's expression showed no significant change compared to before.

"The current frequent wars have worn down Konohagakure's ninja strength, and have also caused Konohagakure to incur enmity with other ninja villages. If we make a move, the other ninja villages are very likely to follow suit and attack Konohagakure. They can't possibly fail to see the threat of Konohagakure." Toroi continued.

This was the real reason Toroi believed now was a good time to attack Konohagakure.

Since the start of the war, Kumogakure had also engaged three major ninja villages, but they had only made probing attacks against Konohagakure and Iwagakure; the only one they had truly fought fiercely was Sunagakure.

However, if Kumogakure wanted to attack Konohagakure, whether going through the Land of Hot Water or the Land of Grass, Sunagakure would find it very difficult to interfere.

As for Konohagakure, they had truly dealt harshly with both Kirigakure and Iwagakure. Kirigakure had not only lost many ninja but also had a jinchuriki killed, while Iwagakure had lost nearly a thousand-man force.

If Konohagakure showed a weakness, Toroi did not believe that Iwagakure and Kirigakure would not be motivated by revenge.

At that time, successfully defeating Konohagakure would yield not only the satisfaction of revenge but also fame and wealth.

"In an ideal state, that would be the case. However, Konohagakure's strength is still great. If Kumogakure goes all-out in war with Konohagakure, we cannot guarantee that other major ninja villages won't target Kumogakure." Dodai reminded.

Hatred is indeed a considerable driving force, but compared to profit, it falls far short.

For Kumogakure to attack Konohagakure with full force is essentially to throw themselves into the fray, carrying great risk themselves.

"Therefore, we cannot launch a full-scale attack on Konoha from the start. First, we display our momentum, giving people the impression that we are going all out against Konoha, and then observe the reactions of the other ninja villages before making a decision," Tori I explained.

Cloud (Kumogakure) was reckless, but not blindly reckless.

They still didn't know the details of Rock's defeat, only that Konoha's kill count in this battle was astonishing.

"As for the Youth Martial Arts Tournament hosted by the Ninja Sect, our Cloud didn't send many ninja, but Rock and Mist both dispatched quite a few elites, and yet the result was…"

Seeing that the Cloud higher-ups were still thinking, Tori I further promoted his Konoha Threat Theory, as if if Konoha were not dealt with, in a few years it would return to its invincible posture from the early days of the village's founding.

"You all share your own thoughts too," after waiting for Tori I to finish, the Third Raikage swept his gaze over the other Cloud higher-ups and said.

"I think Assistant Tori I makes sense. We should attack Konoha. Fighting Rock is troublesome, and the gains from attacking Konoha are greater," a burly dark-skinned man said with his arms crossed, looking approving.

"I think it's somewhat inappropriate. We can wait a bit longer, continue observing the situation, and see what Mist will do," a white-bearded Cloud elder shook his head in negation.

After all the Cloud higher-ups had spoken, the Third Raikage found it was exactly two to two.

Two higher-ups agreed to attack Konoha, and the other two did not agree.

Of course, the other two higher-ups only thought it was not good to fight Konoha now, not that they opposed war.

"I think what Tori I said makes a lot of sense. Explain your plan in more detail," the Third Raikage said after pondering.

Obviously, he chose to go to war with Konoha.

This plan indeed had risks, but the Third Raikage thought it was worth a try.

On the other side, the Mist Village, which the Cloud higher-ups had been thinking about, was also holding a high-level meeting.

Since being driven out of the Land of Fire by Konoha last time, although Mist had retracted its forces, it had been closely monitoring the situation in the ninja world.

They were waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity to make their name known.

Every Mist higher-up was unwilling to accept it. Their Mist, which rarely took action to participate in the ninja world war, ended up getting a sound thrashing from Konoha.

"This Hanyu Muyue is indeed not simple. No wonder Yagura lost back then. Besides Orochimaru, Konoha had also prepared a trump card hidden in the shadows for us," the Third Mizukage said with his eyes narrowed.

"It's truly unexpected."

Genji nodded, understanding that the Third Mizukage was determined to have Yagura succeed him.

Over a year had passed since Yagura's defeat, yet the Third Mizukage still casually defended Yagura, enough to show the importance he placed on him.

The rest of the Mist higher-ups chimed in agreement one after another.

"Although Rock was defeated this time, it also gave Konoha some trouble. I think we can send assassination squads to intensify the conflict between Rock and Konoha. If Rock can start an all-out war with Konoha, that would be a great opportunity for us to make a move," the Mist Jonin Squad Leader expressed his thoughts.

One knows one's own affairs. Mist alone certainly couldn't defeat Konoha.

They had no intention of fighting Konoha head-on, but their desire to provoke other ninja villages to go to war with Konoha was not only present but also strong.

"Rock lost so many people; they must be very hostile toward Konoha now."

"But the Rock forces have retreated now. At this time, whether we disguise ourselves as Rock ninja to kill Konoha ninja or disguise ourselves as Konoha ninja to kill Rock ninja, it will easily arouse suspicion," a Mist advisor pointed out the difficulty.

"Then we wait. Unless Rock and Konoha sign a peace treaty, war will break out again sooner or later," the Mist Jonin Squad Leader replied.

"Actually, not only Rock, we can also start with other ninja villages. The great ninja villages that have fought against Konoha are not limited to just Rock."

"Bujin's thinking is very good. Our Mist indeed needs to take action," the Third Mizukage specifically praised Toda Bujin.

Although he might not necessarily adopt Toda Bujin's plan, Mist indeed could no longer just watch.

If they kept watching, what if Konoha defeated Rock and then Cloud, becoming the ultimate victor all the way? Then Mist would really have no hope of revenge.

Not fighting made them unaware; after fighting, the Third Mizukage realized that their Mist ranked relatively low among the five great ninja villages.

Now that they knew they were behind, what they had to do next was strive to catch up.

Even if they themselves did not improve, they had to hold Konoha back and not allow Konoha to continue growing stronger.

After the meeting ended, Genji returned home.

While instructing Terumi Mei and Zabuza, Genji reminded them:

"You need to hurry up and train. It's only a matter of time before our Mist enters the war again. The next war might be even more intense than the last."

Terumi Mei was stunned. According to Genji's words, the higher-ups had already decided to go to war with some ninja village, just without setting a specific time.

"Could it still be Konoha?" Mei Terumi thought about asking, but ultimately did not speak.

This was a high-level secret; as an ordinary Kirigakure jōnin, she was not qualified to know such matters.

However, Mei Terumi was very worried, because she felt that if Konoha were the opponent, Kirigakure would indeed have great difficulty winning.

It wasn't that Mei Terumi was boosting others' morale and deflating her own; rather, through the Chunin Exam and the Martial Arts Tournament, she had gained a very clear self-awareness.

Their Kirigakure's top geniuses, when placed in Konoha, were merely slightly more outstanding geniuses, incomparable to the likes of Might Guy and Kakashi Hatake.

Land of Wind, Sunagakure.

"Ōnoki, you old bastard, your day has come."

Looking at the news of Iwagakure's great defeat in the intelligence report, Rasa couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Iwagakure and Sunagakure were old rivals; the small countries bordering both the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind numbered as many as three, forming a long line.

If not for the somewhat special geographical conditions on both sides, both would truly have a headache.

Rasa had not forgotten the Iwagakure ninja forces that were stirring near the Land of Rain when Kumogakure launched a massive attack on Sunagakure.

If Sunagakure had not withstood Kumogakure's offensive, the three-great-village free-for-all would not have taken place in the Land of Rain, but in the Land of Wind, at Sunagakure itself.

"Should we take the opportunity to send troops?" Rasa showed a thoughtful expression.

If they could inflict a crushing defeat on Iwagakure, then Sunagakure could not only avenge itself but also re-establish its prestige as one of the Five Great Ninja Villages.

Rasa recalled the current state of Sunagakure, and finally shook his head.

Even if he wanted to fight, the other Sunagakure higher-ups would never agree.

Because the current state of Sunagakure was extremely dire—it was the weakest period since the village's founding.

The disappearance of the Third Kazekage brought to Sunagakure not merely the loss of a top-level powerhouse.

After the Third Kazekage disappeared, Sunagakure fell into severe internal turmoil.

Powerful ninja clans and Sunagakure's higher-ups resorted to all kinds of means in their struggle for the position of Kazekage.

At its peak, even assassinations were nothing; the leaders of various factions openly led squads of ninja into battle.

In a sense, Rasa even had to thank Kumogakure.

Because without the external pressure imposed by Kumogakure, Rasa could not have become the Fourth Kazekage so quickly.

Compared to those Sunagakure higher-ups and powerful ninja clans that had operated in Sunagakure for years, Rasa's only advantage was his status as a disciple of the Third Kazekage.

He was the disciple who inherited the Third Kazekage's Magnet Release, the most orthodox heir to the Kazekage.

Whether the Sunagakure higher-ups or the ninja clans, everything they had was in Sunagakure; if Sunagakure perished, everything of theirs would disappear.

Under the life-or-death pressure brought by Kumogakure, the ninja clans and higher-ups had to compromise, allowing the most orthodox Rasa to assume the role of Kazekage and consolidate the power of Sunagakure to face the crisis.

Therefore, Rasa was very annoyed by people like Pakura who had the potential to become Kazekage.

He was very worried that one day, after the war was over, those compromising higher-ups and ninja clans would join forces to drive him out of office and support another ninja to become Kazekage.

After all, the circumstances of his rise to power were so special that they were probably unique in the entire ninja world.

"If only Iwagakure and Konoha could fight each other to a mutual ruin."

Sand Hidden Village was crippled, that's true, but if other major ninja villages were also crippled, then Sand Hidden Village would be as good as not crippled.

Rasa longed for a victory, a victory in a war against a ninja village of the same rank.

That way, when the time came, the other higher-ups would have no way to oust him from the position of Kazekage.

Yesterday, a college classmate came to find Xiao Ju, so I accompanied them for a late-night snack and didn't fall asleep until after four in the morning.

Not sure if it's because I haven't stayed up late for a while, but today while writing I felt inexplicably sleepy. If there are any issues, you can leave comments at the end of the chapter.

I originally wanted to take a leave, but since I've persisted for so many days, I still want to keep going until the end of the month.