Land of Lightning, Kumogakure.
Once synonymous with strength and glory, now it had become a powder keg ready to explode at any moment.
The air was thick with the stench of gunpowder, blood, and suspicion.
On the streets, Iwa and Kiri shinobi patrolled in separate formations.
They resembled packs of vicious dogs, hostile and clearly demarcated, their expressions filled with tension and animosity.
"Stop! This is Iwa's patrol zone. You Kiri people crossed the line!" an Iwa shinobi with a face full of thick flesh snapped.
"What a joke!" the Kiri team leader sneered. "This commercial street is clearly marked as a joint zone in the treaty! Since when did it become your territory?"
"Joint management? Then why are your people keeping all the tax revenue from the shops? Spit it out!"
The Iwa shinobi's eyes gleamed with greed.
"Want the money?" The Kiri ninja grabbed the hilt of his blade. "Fine, come take it with your life."
Clang!
Clang!
The sound of kunai being drawn rang out.
A street brawl was about to erupt.
Nearby, the villagers of Kumogakure looked on coldly, their gazes filled with both hatred and numbness.
To them, the once-feared invaders were nothing more than squabbling fools.
Just then, from an inconspicuous alleyway, a kunai with an explosive tag was silently tossed into the middle of the two hostile groups.
The faint thud as it landed was lost in the shouting.
Boom!
A violent explosion engulfed the area.
Severed limbs and bloody flesh flew in every direction. Screams pierced the air.
"Enemy attack!"
"It's the remnants of Kumogakure!"
The surviving shinobi from Iwa and Kiri instantly turned their fury toward the nearby unarmed civilians.
But the attacker had long vanished into the maze of alleys, leaving no trace behind.
Scenes like this played out almost daily in Kumogakure.
Assassination. Sabotage. Provocation. The displaced Kumogakure shinobi, driven by mysterious rumors, had become deadly saboteurs.
Using every means at their disposal, they unleashed desperate revenge upon the invaders who had carved up their homeland.
Meanwhile, the Land of Earth, Land of Water, and Land of Wind, in their lust for profit, had long since abandoned any semblance of alliance.
While quelling the relentless resistance of Kumogakure, they also schemed against one another, clawing for territory and stealing resources.
Kumogakure had become a blood-soaked millstone, grinding away at their strength every moment.
At the same time.
Southern Land of Lightning. A fertile plain now under the control of the Land of Fire.
A completely different world from Kumogakure.
This was the defense zone of the Land of Fire, under the command of Uchiha Fugaku.
No looting. No oppression. Not even a raised voice.
Convoys of food and supplies from the Land of Fire rolled in continuously. Distribution stations had been set up in various towns to hand out supplies to locals free of charge.
Konoha's medical-nin opened free clinics, treating civilians injured in the war and saving countless lives.
During their breaks, even Konoha shinobi would hand out candy to wary children from the Land of Lightning.
"Eat. Don't be afraid."
A young Uchiha shinobi placed a piece of candy into the hand of a blonde-haired girl.
He didn't even notice the gentle smile on his face.
The little girl timidly accepted it, peeled off the wrapper, and carefully gave it a lick.
The sweetness melted on her tongue.
She looked up at the older shinobi in front of her, eyes clear, and gave an innocent smile.
Not far away, Fugaku stood atop a watchtower, observing everything.
His face remained calm, but inside, his thoughts churned.
He couldn't understand why the Daimyo would invest so much money and effort into pacifying people from enemy lands.
But did he need to understand?
No.
He only needed to carry out the Daimyo's orders to the letter.
That was enough.
Besides, he could feel it. The hostility that once filled this land was slowly dissolving.
Land of Fire, northeastern border fortress.
The most heavily guarded military restricted zone in the entire country.
Deep inside, a dungeon made of layered Sealing Jutsu and the strongest refined steel.
They said not even a Tailed Beast could escape.
In one of the cells—
Bang!
A loud crash echoed as a spiderweb of cracks spread across the hardened wall, only to quickly heal.
A retracted his fist, large as a cooking pot, veins bulging beneath his bronze skin, his chest heaving with rage.
"Bastard! Bastard!"
He roared, helpless and furious, like a lion trapped in a cage.
Since being brought here, he had done this every single day.
It was the only outlet for the rage burning inside him.
But it was useless.
Their chakra was tightly sealed by specialized shackles. They couldn't use even the smallest amount.
All they had was raw strength.
"Brother, save some energy," came a lazy voice.
Killer B lay on a bed nearby, a stalk of grass in his mouth, tapping a rhythm and muttering his rap, "Breaking walls, such a waste. Better nap and rest my case, yo yo!"
"Shut up!" A whipped his head around, eyes bloodshot. "Aren't you worried about the village at all?!"
"What good's worrying? We're prisoners, idiot. Bastard, yeah!" Killer B shifted into a more relaxed position.
His expression looked uncaring.
But behind his ever-present shades, his gaze stared out the tiny window at the sky over the Land of Fire. Deep worry lingered in his eyes.
"I heard..." Killer B's rap faded. His voice lowered. "The Konoha shinobi guarding us were talking."
"They said Iwa and Kiri have already started fighting... in our village."
A's body stiffened.
"They also said..." Killer B continued, "that the southern lands were occupied by the Land of Fire."
"That ordinary folks there get food from them every day. And when they see Konoha shinobi, it's like they're seeing family."
He paused, then added the final blow.
"They said... the people of the Land of Fire are very kind."
A felt something explode in his mind.
The people of the Land of Fire... kind?
Anyone who could become a Kage was no fool.
In that instant, he understood everything.
This was the Land of Fire's strategy.
Divide.
Stabilize.
Win hearts and minds.
And that Daimyo... he didn't care about money. Or land.
He wanted something far more terrifying.
The hearts of the people of the Land of Lightning.
He wanted the entire Land of Lightning.
First, weaken them. Then, use the corpses of three thousand Kumo shinobi to ignite hatred. Let Iwa and Kiri sink into endless conflict and consume each other.
And in the south, step in as the benevolent savior, offering food and kindness.
Bit by bit, the very roots of the Land of Lightning were being ripped away.
So ruthless.
"Land of Fire..." A could no longer suppress the fury in his chest. He roared at the ceiling, voice filled with monstrous hatred.
He regretted it.
Regretted losing his judgment back then.
He hated it.
Hated that he was powerless.
That he could only sit here like a caged dog, watching his homeland be devoured piece by piece.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)