The thunder outside the Kumo administrative tower rolled endlessly, like the growl of a mountain beast pacing in its cage.
Inside, the new Raikage,Ay,sat behind his massive desk, arms crossed, a sharp grin pulling at his lips.
"So," he said, his deep voice rumbling across the chamber, "Konoha's Hokage has been given our message."
He looked around at the council seated before him,hardened shinobi and old advisors, the scars of the Third War still faint beneath their robes.
"They'll fold," Ay said flatly. "They always fold. That's what peace does to a village,softens the belly, dulls the claws."
A few of the younger jonin chuckled.
Ay slammed his fist on the desk, cracking the polished wood. "The Leaf has grown fat under its own pride. They'll hand us the Hyuga head if it means keeping their streets safe and their markets open. When that happens, the world will see what Konoha really is , just a toothless tiger."
He rose to his feet, pacing like the storm itself.
"When that happens," he went on, voice rising, "Iwagakure, Sunagakure, even Kirigakure - they'll all start snapping at their heels. And we...." he jabbed a thumb at his chest "we'll be the ones who brought the mighty Konoha to its knees."
But the grin didn't spread through the room the way he expected.
Across the table, the oldest of the council, an elderly strategist who had served under the Third Raikage cleared his throat. "Raikage-sama," he said, his tone cautious, "your words carry the fire of youth, but not enough caution."
Ay frowned, folding his arms again. "Instead of beating around the bush, speak plainly."
The old man nodded. "Kumo is not unscarred. We lost our Raikage, half our elite forces, and much of our influence after the last war. Iwagakure may look toward Konoha now, but if they sense weakness here, they will not hesitate to strike us instead. Ohnoki is not a fool, he'll take advantage of anyone who stumbles."
Another councilor, a woman with a jagged scar down her cheek, joined in. "And Konoha's Hokage,Hiruzen Sarutobi is no child. Nor is his shadow, Danzo Shimura. Both are old foxes who've survived more wars than you've read about."
There was a murmur of uneasy agreement.
Ay's jaw tightened. "You think they'll fight back? Over one man?"
The woman shrugged slightly. "It's not about one man. It's about pride. If you poke at their pride, you invite war. And Konoha still has the Uchiha, the Hyūga. They may bleed, but they'll bleed standing."
Ay clicked his tongue in irritation and at that moment, a knock came at the door.
"Enter," he barked.
A messenger hurried in, rain dripping from his cloak, a sealed scroll clutched in his hands. "Message from Konoha, Raikage-sama. Direct from their Hokage."
Ay gestured him to wait, and spoke to his council-
" The Hokage has replied. See for yourself how he'll compromise,showing how weak Konoha actually is. I'll let him read it aloud for you old fogeys to hear.
I'll remind you once more, my decision is to continue the aggression,and I expect,you'll agree too when you hear Konoha 's cowardice.
I don't want you people delaying any proceedings,once the decision has been finalised.
Am I clear?"
Ay gestured for the messenger to read it aloud.
The messenger broke the seal, and scanned it quickly. His expression shifted, he stayed quiet, sneaking glances at the new Raikage.
" What are you waiting for? Read it aloud!!" The impatient Raikage barked.
He read aloud, voice echoing through the hall:
"To the esteemed Raikage of Kumogakure,
The Hidden Leaf condemns the cowardly act of attempted abduction committed under the guise of peace.
Such actions are despicable and paint the perfect image of how a village should not act.
Konoha seeks peace, but we are not spineless.
Should Kumogakure choose the path of deception and blackmail, know this:
The Will of Fire burns still — and it does not fear war.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Third Hokage."
The words hung heavy in the room.
One of the younger jonin shifted uneasily. "They're… threatening war."
Ay stayed petrified at the unexpected response, then his anger surged. He roared, his muscles twitching. "They're bluffing!!"
But even as he said it, doubt crept into the crowd listening.
The old strategist leaned forward. "If they were bluffing, they'd have sent a letter of condemnation, not a declaration of defiance, at least not this aggressive."
Another added quietly, "The Fire Daimyo won't want this war. But neither will ours. We're in no position for a full-scale conflict."
Ay's eyes flicked between them , the fire in his chest warring with the harshness of reality.
Finally, he dropped the crumpled letter back onto his desk. "Fine," he muttered, his tone low but sharp. "Then we wait. We watch. But this isn't over."
The elder nodded slowly.
The council rose, murmuring agreements as they filed out.
Before leaving,the elder turned to Ay- "Raikage sama, I've watched you grow up. I know you wish to prove yourself and is always trying the best for our village.
But remember - a toothless tiger is still a tiger."
and once the door closed, they could hear the new Raikage raging inside.
.....
Far away in the stony halls of Iwagakure, the rain was replaced by a low, humming wind. The mountain village sat shrouded in mist - silent, patient, ancient.
Inside the Tsuchikage's office, the Tsuchikage, Onoki of Both Scales, sat behind his desk, reading the freshly delivered scroll bearing the seal of Konohagakure.
His sharp eyes flicked across the parchment, the candlelight dancing off the lines in his aged face. The messenger bowed low, waiting for a reaction that didn't come.
"Leave it," Onoki said at last. The man bowed again and left the chamber quietly.
Onoki unrolled the letter once more, scanning it, muttering to himself.
" So, Sarutobi… you've changed your tune."
He leaned back gently, settling into his chair, the parchment still between his fingers.
This was not the cautious, peace-loving Hiruzen he knew, the man who once advocated restraint and diplomacy during the Third War. The words were sharper, the tone colder.
He let out a long breath. "Hmph… what happened to make the Monkey bare his fangs again?"
A chuckle escaped him, though it carried no humor.
He thought back to the days of the Second and Third Shinobi Wars, to the calm, patient strategist Hiruzen had always been. Even when cornered, Sarutobi preferred to talk his way out rather than swing first.
Yet this letter… it sounded like the words of someone ready to drag the world down with him.
Onoki leaned back, fingers steepled. "Could it be… the Danzo whispering in his ear again? Or something else entirely?"
He stared out the wide window at the stone cliffs beyond. The mist shifted slowly like the uncertain tide of politics itself.
"Kumo's pride will make them reckless," he muttered, half to himself. "And Konoha's newfound fire makes them dangerous."
For the first time in a while, the old Tsuchikage didn't like the feel of the balance.
He called out, "Bring me reports on troop movements along the Fire–Lightning border. And keep our scouts in the neutral zones quiet, no interference, no provocations."
His attendant nodded and hurried off.
Onoki watched the clouds drift between the mountain peaks.
He whispered, "If they clash, Iwagakure will watch.…"
A thin, knowing smile crept onto his lips. "…then we'll decide which ember to step on and which to keep alive."