Two days later, in the main conference room of Iwagakure.
A section of Jonin whispered amongst themselves. The Tsuchikage's disheveled return from Sunagakure yesterday had sparked much discussion.
"Is everyone present? Let the meeting begin." Onoki spoke in a solemn tone, "During this trip to Sunagakure, I made a mistake. I was deceived by Sunagakure's despicable methods."
"They told me the Kazekage had been assassinated by Konoha and asked me to uphold justice. To maintain order in the Ninja World, I naturally couldn't refuse. So, I joined forces with Sunagakure to attack Konoha. However, it was then revealed that the Kazekage was actually killed by one of their own."
"The Kazekage is dead!"
"I never expected something so major to happen."
The Jonin were visibly moved but didn't seem overly concerned. Relations between Konoha and Iwagakure were already poor, and a misunderstanding was just a misunderstanding.
Onoki continued, "The Daimyo of the Land of Wind ordered Sunagakure to continue their attack on Konoha's Ninja. At the time, I also felt that since hostilities had begun, we couldn't retreat easily and had to secure a victory."
Many Jonin nodded internally, knowing they would have done the same.
Onoki's tone grew heavy. "But we all underestimated one person: Konoha Genin, Chiaki Setsuna."
"Konoha's Genin?" The Jonin were stunned, wondering if the Tsuchikage had misspoken.
"I know your doubts, but he truly was a Genin participating in the Chunin Exams. And he is a Genin approaching the level of the God of Ninja!" Onoki transformed into a 'Setsuna Praiser'. Only by exaggerating the opponent's strength could he better conceal his own failure.
"Approaching the God of Ninja?"
"That First Hokage, Senju Hashirama?"
Everyone was shocked, 'Wasn't Tsuchikage-sama exaggerating too much?'
Onoki pressed on, "First, he summoned a serpentine summon a thousand meters long. Even the One-Tail's Jinchuriki couldn't suppress it. But he didn't use the giant serpent in battle. Instead, he had it swallow the Konoha's Ninjas and carry them back to Konoha. He intended to fight me and the entire Sunagakure forces alone!"
"And then, we lost. We lost badly. The entire Sunagakure was destroyed!"
A Jonin swallowed hard. "Tsuchikage-sama, when you say 'destroyed', you mean...?"
Onoki stated, "The entire Sunagakure was razed to the ground. He gathered power in his left hand and fought us using only one hand. Even so, after twenty minutes, the Sunagakure's leadership and I not only failed to stop him, but were suppressed by him. In the end, we could only watch as he destroyed Sunagakure."
The Iwagakure's Ninjas listened as if hearing a tall tale, their eyes filled with disbelief.
"Tsuchikage-sama, are you sure this isn't a joke?"
"How could any human be that powerful?"
"This isn't a question of possibility. This is the reality we must face. Otherwise, Sunagakure's fate will be our tomorrow!" Onoki's voice was stern and severe.
Seeing Onoki so severe, the Iwagakure's Jonin had no choice but to accept this reality.
"We've offended Konoha this time. Konoha will certainly retaliate."
"They will most likely send that Chiaki Setsuna again. How are we supposed to stop him then?"
"If Tsuchikage-sama and all of Sunagakure couldn't manage it, how can we possibly do it?"
Seeing the panic below, Onoki tried to reassure them. "There's no need to be overly fearful. Iwagakure is different from Sunagakure. We not only have my Dust Release but also Roshi and Han's Tailed Beast Bombs. He cannot casually come to Iwagakure's skies to charge his attack. What we need to worry about is Namikaze Minato's Flying Thunder God Technique. The combination of those two is the most terrifying force in the world."
Everyone nodded gravely. A saying had been circulating since the time of the Second Hokage: guard against fire, guard against theft, guard against the Flying Thunder God.
"Starting today, the Sensory Division will be split into three shifts, patrolling Iwagakure day and night… no, extend the patrol radius another ten miles out! There must be absolutely no Flying Thunder God's marks!"
A Jonin couldn't help but ask, "If the entire Sensory Division stays in the village, and Konoha formally declares war, won't our armies be deployed without Sensory Ninja?"
"This is an unavoidable compromise. We have to make a choice." Onoki pondered. "From now on, our large forces will only operate in open plains with clear lines of sight. This will minimize the losses from lacking Sensory Ninja."
Everyone was speechless. Operating only in open plains meant sacrificing the Ninja's greatest asset: mobility. How was that different from a regular army?
Even so, they couldn't think of a better solution.
Onoki added, "Besides that, the most important thing is an alliance. I've already sent the intelligence to Kumogakure and Kirigakure. If they aren't fools, they should understand that an alliance is the most advantageous situation for us."
Someone asked, "What about Sunagakure?"
Onoki shook his head slightly, "Sunagakure's spirit has been broken. They likely lack the courage to oppose that man again."
Everyone felt a sense of melancholic reflection. A powerful Ninja Village had its backbone broken by a single individual.
Meanwhile, in the meeting hall of Kumogakure, the air was filled with sounds of shock and sharp intakes of breath.
"Chiaki Setsuna? That Konoha's Genin who single-handedly routed our Kumogakure's battalion last time?"
"To hell with 'Konoha's Genin'! How can a monster like that call himself a Genin?"
"He actually destroyed Sunagakure single-handedly? If the Tsuchikage hadn't sent the information, I wouldn't dare believe it."
"Although I knew his name would spread throughout the ninja world, I never imagined it would be like this." A's expression was complex.
On one hand, he was shocked by Setsuna's power, which seemed even greater than during their last encounter.
On the other hand, he felt a hidden sense of relief. Although his previous defeat hadn't shaken his position, it had subjected him to some strange looks.
Now, it was fine. That man had defeated the Tsuchikage and the whole Sunagakure by himself.
With that comparison, his own defeat became more acceptable, even honorable in a way.
"So that's the situation. A, you will become the Raikage." The Third Raikage stated abruptly.
"Old man, what are you saying?" A asked, shocked.
"It's rare to encounter such a powerful Taijutsu specialist. I can't wait to fight that brat. But the duties of the Raikage don't allow for that. So, I've decided to pass the title of Raikage to you." The Third Raikage rubbed his hands together, his eyes full of fighting spirit.
A vein throbbed on A's temple, 'Damn old man, are you even listening to yourself?'
'You want to go fight, so you're dumping all the Raikage's responsibilities on me?'
A smirked coldly. "Fine. My first order as Raikage will be for you to stay in the village and defend it."
The Third Raikage's eyes widened. "You ungrateful son! I'm your father!"
A's face remained impassive as he stated woodenly, "During work hours, use official titles. Don't appeal to personal relationships. What should you call me?"