In the spring of the fortieth year of Konoha, a terrifying piece of news spread from the borders of the Land of Wind across the entire ninja world.
The Third Kazekage had vanished without a trace.
This was no ordinary shinobi, but the leader of Sunagakure. A figure of that level disappearing so suddenly defied belief.
Yet with the earlier disappearance of the Mizukage still fresh in memory, the world found it slightly easier to accept.
Sunagakure remained silent regarding the rumors.
But in times like these, silence was no different from confirmation.
Suspicion immediately turned toward Iwagakure.
The two villages were already at war, and Iwagakure was the most logical suspect.
However, Ōnoki quickly issued a denial, stating clearly that Iwagakure had nothing to do with the Third Kazekage's disappearance.
Sunagakure still did not respond. Neither confirmation nor denial came from them.
That silence only deepened suspicion.
Unlike Kirigakure, which quickly tried to shift blame onto Konoha, Sunagakure's reaction was unreadable.
---
Land of Birds, Sunagakure Command Tent
After the disappearance of the Third Kazekage, Chiyo, the most respected elder in Sunagakure, temporarily assumed command.
The atmosphere inside the command tent was suffocating.
Chiyo's face, once sharp and composed, now carried a heavy sorrow that she could not fully conceal.
Ebizo stood nearby, watching her carefully. He almost regretted telling her the truth so soon.
Before he could speak, Chiyo slammed her hand on the table.
"Shut up."
Her voice was trembling with anger.
Her fingers curled tightly against the wooden surface, her knuckles pale. Her expression twisted between grief and fury.
For a long moment, she said nothing.
Then she covered her face with both hands.
Outside the tent, the wind howled like a grieving spirit.
Time passed.
When she finally lowered her hands, she quietly fixed her hair, the black and white streaks falling back into place.
"It is fine," she said in a low voice. "Since he is gone, treat it as if everything is already over."
Ebizo remained silent.
After a pause, he asked, "What do we do next?"
He was not referring to Sasori, but to Sunagakure itself.
The village now faced two urgent problems. First, selecting the Fourth Kazekage. Second, deciding whether to continue the war or pursue peace.
Both issues were inseparable. The choice of Kazekage would decide the village's direction.
Both Chiyo and Ebizo leaned toward peace.
They had opposed the Third Kazekage's decision to break agreements and go to war with Iwagakure from the beginning.
Now that he was gone, uncertainty spread through the village leadership.
If they chose war, they would blame the disappearance of the Kazekage on Iwagakure and rally the shinobi through hatred.
If they chose peace, that narrative would collapse.
Ebizo spoke quietly, "Many factions are already approaching me. Rasa came again last night. He expressed support for ending the war."
Sunagakure had no shortage of talent, but only a few were truly qualified to become the Fourth Kazekage.
Among them, Pakura and Rasa stood out the most.
Pakura, a hero of Sunagakure, possessed Scorch Release and had strong support from the military faction. She firmly believed in continuing the war.
Rasa, on the other hand, possessed Magnet Release.
In Sunagakure, Magnet Release carried immense symbolic weight, similar to Wood Release in Konoha.
However, his battlefield achievements were limited, and with the Third Kazekage gone, his backing had weakened.
He now relied heavily on political support.
Chiyo made her decision without hesitation.
"Then we support Rasa."
Ebizo looked at her in silence.
Chiyo's expression had hardened. "Sunagakure does not need a war-driven Kazekage right now. We need recovery. Rasa has Magnet Release. He is suitable for leadership in this era."
"And Iwagakure?" Ebizo asked.
Choosing Rasa meant choosing peace, but peace was never simple.
Even if Sunagakure wanted it, Iwagakure would not let them off easily.
Chiyo's tone turned cold.
"Then we use Pakura as a bargaining piece."
Ebizo's eyes narrowed slightly.
Chiyo continued without hesitation. "A so-called hero should be prepared to sacrifice for the village when necessary."
"Tell Rasa. He will accept. Eliminating Pakura also clears his path to becoming Kazekage."
Ebizo said nothing.
It was not a pleasant decision.
But perhaps it was the most practical one.
---
Somewhere in the Shadows of the Ninja World
The fortieth year of Konoha unfolded like a stage play reaching its climax.
The disappearance of the Third Kazekage would later become the spark of greater conflict.
Originally, the catalyst had been the Mizukage's disappearance, but fate had shifted again.
Hayashi already understood the truth behind the situation.
Sasori was undoubtedly involved in the Kazekage's disappearance.
Yet Sunagakure had not yet labeled him a missing-nin.
At this stage, declaring it publicly would be equivalent to confirming internal betrayal.
Chiyo would never make such a reckless move.
So Sasori remained in the shadows, unmarked, unbothered.
Soon, everything changed.
Sunagakure's so-called hero, Pakura of Scorch Release, was killed during a covert mission to investigate the Kazekage's disappearance.
The official report described it as an ambush by an unknown force.
Unknown force.
Such wording reminded Hayashi of similar political cover-ups in the past.
There was no doubt.
Pakura had been sacrificed.
Just like many before her.
The village even held a funeral in her honor, despite no body being recovered.
A symbolic farewell.
And with her death, the balance inside Sunagakure collapsed.
Seven days later, Rasa was appointed the Fourth Kazekage.
His first action was to initiate peace talks with Iwagakure.
And so, the war in the Land of Birds came to an end.
---
Aftermath of the War
The collapse of Sunagakure's war effort caused a chain reaction across the ninja world.
The alliance between Kumogakure and Sunagakure disintegrated.
Without Sunagakure's pressure, Kumogakure could not sustain a two-front war.
Especially with Konoha's Lightning Flash deployed on the battlefield.
In practice, Hayashi barely needed to act. His presence alone forced Kumogakure to retreat toward their borders.
The Fourth Raikage, A, was furious, but political limitations prevented him from continuing.
Bee, the Eight-Tails jinchūriki, was confined within the village.
Facing two great villages alone was impossible.
So Kumogakure withdrew.
Not in surrender, but in retreat.
A principle passed down from the Third Raikage: withdraw, but never submit.
Even Danzo's aggressive tendencies were suppressed by direct orders from Konoha's leadership.
The war was effectively over.
---
Uchiha Compound, Evening
Within the Uchiha compound, two figures sat facing each other in an old pavilion.
It was said the structure had once been used by Madara himself.
From here, the First Hokage's stone face could be seen in the distance.
Orochimaru spoke softly, "So the war ends like this."
Hayashi exhaled slowly. "It is over."
Orochimaru remained silent for a moment.
"Ten years of war," he said quietly, "for ten years of peace. Was it worth it?"
Hayashi shook his head. "It was not."
Orochimaru nodded slightly. "I suppose it was not."
After a pause, he asked, "Then what does peace mean to you?"
Hayashi answered without hesitation.
"A world governed by a single authority. No daimyo, no villages, no Kage, and no shinobi system as it exists now."
Orochimaru closed his eyes in thought.
When he opened them again, his tone had shifted.
"The Uchiha clan has changed."
Hayashi replied calmly, "You have been in your lab too long. You have missed too much."
Orochimaru blinked slowly, as if realizing how much time had passed.
Then he asked, "Hayashi, do you want to become Hokage?"
Hayashi repeated the word quietly.
"Hokage…"
He looked toward the distant monument.
The First Hokage's face was lit by the setting sun, its expression almost serene.
For a moment, everything fell silent.
Then the world continued turning.
End of Volume
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