Chapter 139: An Alliance with the Third Tsuchikage and Raikage
"But… it's still not enough."
The Third Hokage furrowed his brow. Even with Sarutobi Tsukishi, they were still two Kage-level powerhouses short.
Konoha wasn't exactly lacking in Kage-level strength — Uzumaki Mito, for example — but she was already on the brink of death. The real reason Hiruzen didn't dare leave Konoha for too long was her.
If he were gone too long, and Lady Mito passed before transferring the Nine-Tails into Kushina, the consequences would be dire.
Simply put, he didn't trust the Uchiha's discipline.
So Mito was off the table. It was already her limit to provide sealing scrolls for the Four Red Yang Formation.
Aside from her, there were others — the Hyuga clan head, the Akimichi clan head, and even Danzo.
Konoha had no shortage of strong shinobi at the Kage level, but none who could break through Li Yao's defense — and more importantly, none who could resist his genjutsu.
Hiruzen shook his head. Even he couldn't resist Li Yao's genjutsu without Dan Kato's spiritual possession. Guys like Danzo? Definitely not.
And if they couldn't resist the genjutsu, it didn't matter how many they brought.
"Damn it. Just two more…"
He cursed inwardly. After thinking long and hard, he still couldn't find two more Kage-level shinobi capable of resisting Li Yao's illusions.
At that moment, his secretary Chiba Megumi gently ran her soft, white hands through his hair. As if she could hear his thoughts, she smiled and said, "Lord Hokage, you could always join forces with the Third Tsuchikage and the Third Raikage. With the three of you together, there's no one in the shinobi world you couldn't kill — not even Li Yao."
She knew everything — even Biwako's letters. Hiruzen hadn't hidden a thing from her.
On their own, Konoha couldn't deal with someone like Li Yao, whose jutsu had no apparent weakness.
If it weren't wartime, they could overwhelm him with sheer numbers. Never underestimate the might of a great nation's shinobi village.
But it was wartime, and Konoha couldn't spare the manpower.
So forming an alliance with the Raikage and Tsuchikage was the most efficient — and most reliable — way to kill Li Yao.
Even if they didn't succeed, it would drag Kumo and Iwa into the conflict, relieving pressure on Konoha. Why not?
"An alliance with the Raikage and Tsuchikage?"
Hiruzen was stunned. He had never even considered the idea.
After all, the three villages were currently at war. They were mortal enemies. For the three village leaders to meet and not fight was already a miracle. Working together? Impossible.
From any perspective — identity, rank, strength — no person or situation could justify an alliance.
Except… Li Yao.
Hiruzen's expression shifted into deep thought. A few seconds later, his eyes lit up and his lips curled into a broad smile.
"Haha… yes, we can ally with the Raikage and Tsuchikage."
Smack! Hiruzen spun around and gave his curvy secretary's rear a sharp slap, beaming. "You really are my best secretary."
Chiba Megumi smiled, leaned forward, wrapped her arms around his head, and whispered warmly, "As long as I can help you, that's all that matters."
"You really helped me this time." Hiruzen kissed her, then winked. "Tonight, at your place."
Megumi's eyes sparkled with delight. She said gently, "Then I'll cook dinner and wait for your… arrival."
"Haha!" Hiruzen laughed and nodded. Then he turned back to his desk, pulled out a sheet of stationery, and began writing to the Daimyō of the Land of Fire.
To reach the Raikage and Tsuchikage, he first had to contact them.
But during wartime, sending someone from Konoha directly wouldn't work — their emissary would be killed before even reaching Iwagakure or Kumogakure.
The only option was to go through the daimyō. Hiruzen would ask the Land of Fire's daimyō to contact the daimyō of the Lands of Earth and Lightning, and through them, convey his proposal.
Despite all the fighting, the battles were still confined to the shinobi villages. Until one village was destroyed, the conflict hadn't yet reached the daimyō or noble class.
Still, just in case, all daimyō were guarded by elite shinobi during wartime.
And since the source of the hatred fueling the war was always the shinobi themselves, the daimyō and nobles were generally safe. It had been decades since they'd felt any real fear for their lives.
This was one reason why Hashirama Senju was known as the "God of Shinobi."
Not just for his strength, but because he ended the Warring States period and brought peace to the shinobi world — peace that allowed daimyō and commoners alike to live in relative security.
Thanks to the shinobi village system Hashirama had created, trade between nations and communication among daimyō never ceased — even during war.
Having the daimyō deliver the message would lend it both authenticity and weight.
Soon, Hiruzen finished the letter to the daimyō. He then wrote two more — one to the Raikage, one to the Tsuchikage — attempting to persuade them to join him in eliminating Li Yao.
Until now, the idea of a triple-Kage alliance had never occurred to him. There simply hadn't been anyone worthy of such a move.
But Megumi's reminder had changed his mind. The more he thought about it, the more he realized: Li Yao fit the bill perfectly.
His strength… and, well — heh.
As for the Tsuchikage, Hiruzen wasn't sure.
But the Raikage? He was confident he could persuade him to join.
And the Tsuchikage? Hiruzen grinned coldly.
He trusted the Land of Earth's daimyō would force him to agree.
After sealing the letters, Hiruzen summoned an ANBU and handed him the three envelopes, instructing him to personally deliver them to Mitokado Homura.
At the same time, he had a messenger hawk fly to Homura, directing him to deliver the letters to the daimyō.
Because this was about forming an alliance with the Tsuchikage and Raikage, only someone with weight — like a Konoha elder — could adequately present the case to the daimyō.
Aside from Hiruzen himself, only Mitokado Homura was qualified.
Three days later.
Nightfall. In a side hall of the Fire Daimyō's residence, brightly lit, the graying lord sat in the main seat, reading the Hokage's classified message delivered by Homura.
In the letter, Hiruzen emphasized that Li Yao would one day possess Wood Release powers comparable to the First Hokage — and that if they didn't eliminate him now, the entire shinobi world would be in peril.
As he read, the daimyō recalled the battle between Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara.
That godlike clash had obliterated entire regions — and the mere memory of it still made him tremble.
People respect gods, but no one wants to live alongside one.
Least of all daimyō who enjoy supreme power.
But unfortunately, Hashirama had been human — and all humans die eventually. No one escapes time.
And now, another "god" like him was rising. The daimyō didn't like it. Still, the idea of personally asking the daimyō of Earth and Lightning to form an alliance?
That, he could not accept.
Wouldn't that be admitting that the Land of Fire couldn't handle one rogue shinobi?
Requesting an alliance would only highlight their weakness.
Daimyōs had always had a complicated relationship with shinobi.
Unlike civilians — who could be completely dominated through political and military power — shinobi were different. They possessed techniques that could kill a daimyō instantly.
No number of soldiers could guarantee protection from even a single genin.
One transformation or invisibility jutsu, and a daimyō would never see the blade coming.
The only defense they had was to hire morally upright shinobi for protection.
Otherwise, they were just as vulnerable as peasants.
This fundamental reality made daimyō fear shinobi deeply — but also look down on them as brutish killers.
Even though they feared Hashirama's power, they still disdained him at heart.
And now Hiruzen wanted the daimyō to humble himself and ask two rival nations for help — all because of one shinobi.
That would only make them seem even weaker.
(END CHAPTER)
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