"If I'd known earlier, I shouldn't have taken over the position of Sorcerer Supreme. Letting Strange handle it would have been the best choice. The Time Stone could have been dealt with when Thanos showed up," Daniel sighed as he restored time to normal.
After accepting the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme, Daniel fully realized just how dangerous Earth's universe in Marvel was. It was no wonder the Ancient One grew weary. She constantly saved the world, while humanity continuously courted disaster.
A few years of such responsibility wouldn't be too bad, but after a millennium, Daniel was sure he'd flee faster than the Ancient One did—especially considering the dark forces' curse still weighing on her.
The saying "power corrupts" certainly wasn't unfounded.
"At least Strange isn't the only backup; there's also the Scarlet Witch." The only thing that gave Daniel some relief was knowing that Scarlet Witch could become a powerful force in the future, possibly rivaling Captain Marvel. With such a powerhouse on Earth, as long as no entity like Dormammu showed up, things would remain under control.
"It's time to head back, and they should be returning too." With that thought, Daniel used the Flying Thunder God technique to return to his room at the steel tower in Amegakure.
The steel tower in Amegakure, standing nineteen stories high, was the tallest building in the entire shinobi world. Other places, including the five great ninja villages, had their tallest structures reach about seven stories in this era. After Daniel's series of upgrades, the tower's defenses had been significantly strengthened, not just with enhanced materials, but also reinforced with protective barriers.
While this tower had previously been off-limits to outsiders as Amegakure's secret facility, it was now open as the administrative headquarters for the Nation of Akatsuki. However, access was restricted from the tenth floor upward, reserved only for members of Akatsuki.
"You do realize that this news is now known throughout the entire shinobi world, don't you?" In the Hokage's office, Tsunade furiously tossed a copy of Akatsuki's newspaper at the Fire Daimyo's emissary, glaring coldly at the two Konoha advisors, Koharu and Homura, as well as Danzo.
Due to the pressure from Akatsuki, Danzo had been released, and he quickly aligned himself with the Fire Daimyo's emissary. Together, they pressured Tsunade to take action against Amegakure.
Their goal was clear: to push Tsunade's faction into a life-or-death struggle with Amegakure. Whether Tsunade won or lost didn't matter to them. If she won, her forces would be weakened, making it easier for Danzo to seize power. If she lost, the power grab would be even simpler. It was a win-win situation for them.
The Fire Daimyo had grown frustrated with Konoha's lack of immediate action against Akatsuki, and Danzo saw an opportunity to act in concert with the Daimyo.
"They're just civilians. What's the big deal?" Danzo sneered as he glanced at the newspaper. He had already seen it earlier and dismissed its significance. In his eyes, sacrificing some civilians was a small price to pay for wiping out Amegakure, even if it meant ten times the casualties.
"Danzo!" Before he could continue, Koharu cut him off sharply. One of the main reasons Danzo had never become Hokage was because of his desire to govern the village's public sphere with the same methods he used to manage the underworld. That was his biggest flaw.
Koharu and Homura supported Danzo in opposing Tsunade, but they had no intention of making him Hokage. Leaders like the Third Hokage and Tsunade still left the advisors with significant power, but if Danzo became Hokage, their influence would diminish. They had experienced firsthand how ruthless Danzo could be during his brief tenure as interim Sixth Hokage after the Pain invasion.
"This is slander, all of it fabricated!" the Fire Daimyo's emissary snapped. Admitting to the accusations in the newspaper would lead to widespread panic in the Land of Fire. The Fire Daimyo had already gone into hiding after Amegakure's attacks. If this news spread further, his opponents would surely exploit the situation.
Though the five great shinobi villages had no interest in the Daimyo's position, some powerful factions in the Land of Fire were very much interested in seizing the Daimyo's power. Just as Tsunade faced rivals for the Hokage position, there were those who coveted the Daimyo's seat.
"Tsunade, we can't trust information coming from the enemy," Koharu said, trying to calm the situation.
"Hmph." Tsunade shot a fierce glare at Koharu but didn't say more. While she knew the information in the newspaper was accurate, confronting the Daimyo wasn't in Konoha's best interests right now. Both sides had a common enemy in Akatsuki, and any internal conflict would only weaken their position.
Knock knock knock.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Before the ANBU could even speak, Tsunade interrupted, "What's the situation?"
For ANBU to interrupt a high-level meeting, the matter had to be critical.
"ANBU has reported that the Fire Temple and the Ruri clan have been annihilated by Akatsuki," the ANBU agent said, handing the scroll to Shizune before promptly leaving.
"The Rain ninjas are too arrogant!" Koharu's face turned grim upon hearing the report, glancing at Danzo and Homura. The audacity of Amegakure to wage war against the entire shinobi world, crippling the Fire Temple and inflicting heavy losses on the great nations, unsettled her.
"It's not just the Fire Temple. The Wind Temple and several ninja clans in the Land of Wind have also been destroyed by Akatsuki." By now, Akatsuki's cloaks had become infamous. There were even reports of people impersonating Akatsuki members to intimidate others.
"Holding back any longer isn't an option. We must act now. Do you want to see the village that the First Hokage built fall into the hands of these villains?" Koharu pressed, her eyes falling on Danzo. "Danzo, your Root forces must join the battle. Whatever plans you have, the priority now is to destroy Amegakure."
"I understand." Danzo's expression remained unreadable as he replied.
Akatsuki's attacks had not been limited to the temples. Any ninja clans involved in the attack on Amegakure were also targeted.
"The surrounding territories are responding positively. Soon, they will fall under our control." Daniel's propaganda efforts, mainly through newspapers and broadcasts, weren't aimed at the five great nations. News spread slowly in the ninja world, especially in more isolated regions. He didn't expect the paper to incite rebellion within the great nations. Instead, his goal was to sway territories like Grass and Bird Country, which had already been subdued by Akatsuki.
Convincing enemies to surrender through rhetoric alone was impossible. Even Naruto, the master of persuasion, needed to defeat opponents in battle before his words had any effect. Similarly, Akatsuki needed to demonstrate its strength by crushing the five great nations before the message of peace would resonate. For now, Daniel's propaganda was aimed at easing the annexation of already conquered territories, reducing resistance.
Despite having the power to overthrow the entire shinobi world, Akatsuki had refrained from launching large-scale offensives. Part of the reason was that Daniel and the others were perfecting the internal structure of Amegakure and the territories they had annexed. But the more critical reason was that they were training the next generation of ninja and civilians who could manage these lands.
Merely conquering enemy territory wasn't enough. Without capable administrators, Akatsuki risked facing rebellion from within, much like how Qin Shi Huang struggled to maintain control over the six states he had unified. Relying on local elites could lead to deceit and treachery.
"Hello there. Should I call you Fujikaze Yukie, or Fuun Hime?" In Amegakure's steel tower meeting room, Daniel greeted the famous movie star Fujikaze Yukie with a smile.
Daniel had intercepted them on their way from the Land of Fire to Konoha, using the pretext of investing in their latest film, Princess Gale.
"Princess Yukie." Her agent and bodyguard, Asama Sandayu, immediately drew his concealed dagger, stepping in front of Yukie to protect her.
"Asama, relax. I mean no harm. Akatsuki is dedicated to bringing peace to the ninja world. You've seen for yourself what Amegakure looks like these past few days. I'll make you a deal: We'll help you reclaim the Land of Snow. But once we incorporate Snow Country into our territories, it will become part of Akatsuki's domain—either as Snow Village or Snow Town. You'll still be in charge, but the title of Daimyo will be abolished. Our system guarantees the safety of civilians and prevents rogue ninjas from killing indiscriminately."
Daniel had allowed them to roam freely in Amegakure for a few days, even treating them to the latest movie screenings in the newly established theaters.
"You can take your time to consider. After all, our borders don't yet reach the Land of Snow," Daniel said as he stood to leave, his curiosity about their decision sated for the moment.
"Why come to me? With your power, you don't need me to conquer the Land of Snow," Yukie suddenly asked as Daniel prepared to depart.
"It's simple: because you're a kind person. Akatsuki's goal isn't to rule
the world but to bring peace. We recruit those who share our ideals. If you don't believe in our governance, you can visit Grass Village or Bird Village and see for yourself."
"I accept. You can have the Daimyo's position," Yukie replied abruptly, cutting off whatever Daniel was about to say.
"Princess Yukie, you can't agree to this! Have you forgotten Lord Kazahana's wishes?" Sandayu shouted, horrified at her decision to abandon the title of Daimyo.
"My father's wish was for his people to live better lives, not to cling to a title." Yukie dismissed Sandayu's protests.
"Take some time to rest here in the village. We'll contact you soon about Snow Country." Daniel's interest in Snow Country lay partly in its strategic location and resources, but also in its technological innovations, particularly the Chakra Armor.
He had long been interested in integrating such technology into Akatsuki's forces. While personal missions required stealth and mobility, large-scale battles were a different matter. Equipping soldiers with Chakra Armor could significantly enhance their combat effectiveness.
The great ninja villages typically didn't issue equipment for personal missions, instead requiring ninjas to buy their own gear. Only during wartime did they distribute basic supplies like kunai and shuriken, with a few explosive tags thrown in. In essence, ninja were mercenaries, responsible for their own provisions.
Akatsuki had changed all of that.
"Sasuke, I have a mission for you: Snow Country," Daniel said after considering various factors. Instead of sending Akatsuki's own ninjas to escort Yukie, he chose to assign the task to Sasuke.
Due to its cold environment, the Land of Snow wasn't ideal for many Amegakure ninjas, who were more adept at water techniques. Furthermore, Doto Kazahana, the usurper of the Land of Snow, was strong, especially with his Chakra Armor. Sending regular jonin might not be enough, and using Akatsuki's elite members seemed like overkill.
In the end, Daniel decided Sasuke was the perfect fit for this mission.
"Snow Country? That place is freezing," Suigetsu immediately objected. As a water-style user, he had no interest in such a cold environment.
"This mission is straightforward: eliminate the enemy and bring back information on the Chakra Armor." The Land of Snow had developed advanced technology, including a functional train system, but Daniel wasn't particularly interested in that. What intrigued him most was the Chakra Armor, which could greatly enhance Akatsuki's ninja forces.
While ninjas excelled in personal stealth missions, large-scale conflicts were a different story. Chakra Armor could provide them with much-needed protection and power in battle.
"Prepare yourself after this mission, Sasuke. The war is coming soon. When it starts, Itachi won't be able to resist siding with Konoha. That's when you'll have to step in." Although the timeline was still ahead of the original three-year period from the manga, Sasuke had made rapid progress. He was now much stronger than his canon counterpart, wielding the powers of the Uchiha clan, Wood Style, and Sage Techniques.
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