Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
----------
The closed-door meeting in the Land of Hot Water stirred up a silent earthquake.
When the contents of the meeting spread throughout the shinobi world in a semi-public manner through various channels, the entire world was silenced.
The Land of Lightning suffered a crushing defeat.
Fourth Raikage A and Eight-Tails jinchuriki Killer Bee were named as primary war criminals and would be jointly held by the four countries in Kumogakure.
Three thousand elite Kumogakure prisoners of war were quickly executed for rioting, their entire force wiped out.
Even more alarming was that the three countries of Wind, Earth, and Water would jointly send shinobi to station in Kumogakure to enforce permanent military supervision.
Each piece of news, like a clap of thunder, struck the hearts of everyone who heard it.
This meant that the Land of Lightning, one of the five great nations, would retain its government capacity.
But its military would be completely weakened.
Kumogakure, once a rival to Konoha, was now a mere shell of its former self.
And the one who controlled all of this was not a powerful shinobi village, nor a legendary shinobi.
It was the Land of Fire daimyo, Shin.
This daimyo, who had only risen to power half a year ago, overnight replaced all the kage, becoming the most important topic in the shinobi world.
People were guessing.
What methods did he use to make the other three countries willingly become his accomplices in carving up the Land of Lightning, a fellow five great nation?
No one knew that at the end of the meeting, the three countries of Wind, Earth, and Water were forced to pay an astronomical entrance fee of nine billion by Shin.
But this did not prevent everyone from realizing that the shinobi world's landscape had changed...
Land of Water, Kirigakure.
Inside the Mizukage's office.
Fourth Mizukage Yagura sat upright, still as carefully arranged as a puppet.
In the shadows behind him, a man wearing an orange Uzumaki mask stood.
Black Zetsu stood beside him, his hoarse voice carrying a lingering tremor.
"Obito, the scene we witnessed with our own eyes is now spreading throughout the shinobi world."
Uchiha Obito, wearing the mask, remained silent.
Beneath the mask, his single eye flickered with worry and madness.
He couldn't forget.
He couldn't forget the scene he glimpsed from afar in the forest on the outskirts of Konoha.
That man, simply by standing there, made the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails jinchuriki unable to move.
He couldn't understand that power and was deeply wary of it.
"He not only has power that crushes everything but also has the means to control people's hearts."
Obito's low voice sounded, carrying a hint of amusement, but more so, seriousness.
"Driving a tiger to swallow a wolf," Black Zetsu said in a deep voice, "making the other three countries bear the hatred for him, while he gains the benefits..."
"Such planning, coupled with that monstrous power..."
"When did such an existence appear in this world?"
Black Zetsu let out a cackling, cold laugh. "He disrupted our plan."
"Kumogakure lost the Eight-Tails, which, while convenient for us, also made this man named Shin a variable even greater than all the kage combined."
Obito slowly walked to the window, his scarlet Sharingan peering through the mask's holes, overlooking the village covered in the Blood Mist policy below.
"A monster who at the same time has absolute military might and top-tier political maneuvering..."
"The Eye of the Moon Plan must be sped up."
"Hmm!"
"What about those traitors?"
"We've already sent people to surround and wipe them out!"
"Good!"
...
Land of Fire, northeast front line.
Although the war had ended, the border camps remained heavily fortified.
Inside the commander's tent, Jiraiya and Uchiha Fugaku sat opposite each other, with a newly delivered top-secret information report laid out before them.
The atmosphere in the tent was somewhat strange.
Jiraiya put down the information report, let out a long sigh, his face filled with an unyielding sorrow and confusion.
The Great Toad Sage's prophecy constantly echoed in his mind.
"The world will run with blood, and also be at peace for all people..."
Run with blood... The lives of three thousand Kumogakure prisoners, the shattered Land of Lightning—isn't this running with blood?
But where was the peace for all people?
Exchanging slaughter for peace?
Forging quiet through control?
Jiraiya rubbed his temples. He couldn't understand, couldn't figure it out.
The young daimyo's actions perfectly aligned with this contradictory prophecy, making his heart beat fast.
"Fugaku, what do you think?" Jiraiya asked in a deep voice.
Uchiha Fugaku's face showed clear joy, his voice even trembling slightly.
"What do I think? A great victory! A victory like never before!"
"Lord Jiraiya, we've fought wars for so many years, have you ever seen such a brilliant outcome?"
Fugaku's chest heaved violently, his eyes burning with the flame of ambition.
They were all startled when they first learned that thousands of elite Kumogakure shinobi had suddenly appeared right in Konoha's face.
Who would have thought it would lead to the current situation?
And what made him even more joyful was another matter.
He picked up another secret letter from his family on the table, his smile growing even brighter.
News from the family reported that Kasumi, who had been taken into the daimyo's harem, seemed to show signs of pregnancy!
This was the truly huge joyous occasion!
This meant that his Uchiha clan was about to form the closest bloodline connection with the supreme power of the Land of Fire!
The glory of the Uchiha would no longer be an empty slogan but a real, unbreakable future!
Watching Fugaku's wild joy, Jiraiya's brows furrowed even deeper.
What he worried about was not the victory.
But the invisible hand behind the victory, controlling everything...
Konoha, Hokage's office.
Minato, along with Koharu and Homura, the three highest decision-makers of Konoha, were all present.
Even the retired Hiruzen sat nearby, listening in.
An Anbu had just finished reporting the information and then silently withdrew.
Leaving behind a room full of silence.
After a long while, Hiruzen took a deep drag from his pipe, the smoke rings he breathed out seemingly heavy.
His aged face was filled with tiredness and unease.
Three thousand lives.
Three thousand Kumogakure prisoners who had already laid down their weapons.
Although the execution order was issued by the daimyo, ultimately, it was through his hands, as the Third Hokage, that they were killed.
His hands were still trembling.
He had fought countless battles in his life, killed countless people, yet he had never felt such a bone-deep chill as he did now.
For the sake of stability, he became a butcher's knife, an accomplice.
"This is pushing the Land of Lightning to its doom," Hiruzen's voice was incredibly hoarse.
Minato's golden hair shone brightly in the sunlight.
He looked at the peaceful village outside the window, his heart filled with both joy and sorrow.
Joy at the disappearance of the great enemy, Kumogakure.
Sorrow for the Third Hokage's situation.
Three thousand prisoners!
He was always like this, always thinking of others.
"What's done is done. There's no point in saying more." Koharu said with a stern face. "The daimyo has gained unprecedented respect, which is ultimately a good thing for the Land of Fire and for Konoha."
Homura also nodded in agreement. "That's right, at least, in the short term, no other village will dare to provoke us easily."
Listening to the words of the two advisors, Minato and Hiruzen felt the same bitter taste in their hearts.