The peaks of Kumogakure loomed high, shrouded in thick clouds as if the heavens themselves were bracing for what was to come.
The Raikage's Tower, a monolithic structure standing at the highest peak in the heart of the village, pulsed with tension. Inside, the war council had gathered, summoned on urgent notice.
Seated at the head of the table was the young Third Raikage, A, his sharp gaze sweeping across the assembled shinobi.
Though still in his youth, his towering frame and hardened muscles already exuded the raw power that would one day make him a legend across the Five Nations.
Despite his relative inexperience compared to the past Raikage, there was no mistaking the commanding presence he carried, one befitting the leader of Kumogakure.
Before him, an intelligence officer knelt, his voice steady despite the weight of his message.
"The Second Tsuchikage, Mū, has fallen."
The words struck like a thunderclap.
A murmur rippled through the room. Some of the Jōnin exchanged glances, while others sat rigid, waiting for the Raikage's reaction.
A's expression didn't change but his eyes darkened. "And the circumstances?"
The scout took a deep breath. "It appears he fell to the Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hōzuki. However, Gengetsu perished in the battle as well."
For a brief moment, silence hung over the war table.
Then, one of the senior Jōnin scoffed. "So the ghosts of the Mist and Stone have taken each other down? That's one less problem for us."
Another Jōnin, an older shinobi with a scar tracing down his jaw, leaned forward. "Or one more opportunity."
A remained still, contemplating. Then he spoke. "What of the battlefield movements?"
The intelligence officer continued. "Kirigakure has suffered heavy casualties. With the Mizukage gone, their forces are uncertain, but we expect them to retreat in order to stabilize. As for Iwagakure… they are keeping Mū's death a secret, but our spies report that Ōnoki has taken command."
A took I'm a sharp inhale. That name—Ōnoki.
The young prodigy of Iwa, the inheritor of Mū's fearsome Dust Release and grandson to the first Tsuchikage was now leading his forces.
He was not his predecessor, but he was dangerous.
Ay exhaled through his nose. "And what of Konoha?"
The officer hesitated. "Uncertain. The battle between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Ōnoki ended with no clear victor being determined. Konoha forces retreated first. It is possible they received intelligence before we did."
The muscle in A's jaw twitched. If Konoha already knew about Mū's death, they would not waste time. He didn't believe they'd let this opportunity slip out of their fingers.
One of the commanders, a powerfully built man with dark skin and a deep voice, leaned forward. "This war has reached a turning point, Raikage-sama."
A's fingers tapped against the war table.
They all knew what this meant.
With Iwagakure's leader dead, their chain of command had been shaken. Kirigakure was momentarily crippled, though they would regroup in time. Konoha, the ever-cunning Leaf, had been fighting Iwa on the western front and could now press forward with renewed force.
That left Kumogakure with a choice.
Would they watch from the sidelines? Or would they strike?
A's eyes burned with intensity. He was not a man who let opportunities slip away.
One Jōnin spoke cautiously. "If we move now, we could seize key territory and resources while Iwa is weakened. But Konoha might have the same idea. If we wait too long, they will act first."
Another chimed in, "And if we move too soon, we risk making enemies of both Konoha and Iwa at once. We do not know their next move."
A's grip tightened.
This was the war that would decide where Kumogakure would stand on the world's stage. The other villages had history, bloodlines, and legends, but Kumogakure had resolve.
If Kumogakure was to stand among the great villages, it would not be by hesitation, but by strength tempered with judgment.
But this was no ordinary war.
This was a war that would define the future of the Five Great Nations. The First of its Kind.
A finally rose to his feet, his powerful frame casting a long shadow over the room. "Then we must ensure we have the upper hand."
The commanders straightened on their seats.
He turned to one of his most trusted Jōnin, a woman with sharp eyes and a reputation for deception.
"Send our fastest messengers to the Lightning Daimyō. He must be informed immediately. Tell him we may need additional resources if we are to make a decisive move."
The woman bowed. "At once, Raikage-sama."
He then turned to another commander, his voice firm. "Increase our patrols along the border with Iwagakure. If they show weakness, I want to know the moment it happens."
A nod.
His gaze then settled on one of his most ruthless strategists. "And send word to our hidden operatives within Konoha. I want to know exactly what Sarutobi and his war council are planning."
A dangerous glint flickered in the strategist's eyes. "I will see it done."
Ay took a slow breath, lightning flickering faintly around his fingertips. They would not move blindly.
Kumogakure would wait, observe, and strike when the moment was right.
And when they did, they would make sure the world remembered the might of the Hidden Cloud.
…
…
Location: Sunagakure
The air in Sunagakure's council chamber was thick with tension, not one caused due to the war but due to the unsettling news reaching them.
Around a large, sand-worn table, Sunagakure's top officials gathered, an assembly of military strategists, elite jōnin, and the Council of Elders, their expressions varying.
At the head of the table sat the Second Kazekage, Shamon.
He was a man of cold logic, a shinobi who believed in strategy over brute force, and one who had worked tirelessly to cement Sunagakure's place among the Great Nations.
Before him lay the latest intelligence reports.
The news had spread quickly, Mū, the Second Tsuchikage, had fallen and his opponent, the Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hōzuki, had perished alongside him.
Iwagakure had lost its leader, Kirigakure too, but that was less concern.
A quiet murmur spread through the room as the council absorbed the weight of the situation.
One of the elders, an aged shinobi with a face weathered by years in the desert, finally spoke. "Iwagakure is currently in turmoil. They will be scrambling to determine their next Tsuchikage. If there was ever a time to strike, it is now."
A younger jōnin, seated to the Kazekage's right, shook his head. "You underestimate Iwagakure. They are like the mountains they inhabit, even if you cut them down, they do not fall easily."
The Second Kazekage lifted his gaze, scanning the faces of his assembled subordinates. "We would not strike blindly then," he said, his voice carrying the weight of leadership. "Mū's death will shift the balance and direction of this war, but not necessarily in our favor. Iwagakure will not sit idle in mourning. Their commanders will look for stability, and once they have it, they will push harder."
Silence fell upon the room.
They all understood that fact.
Iwagakure-nin were just that unreasonable.
A shinobi from the Puppet Brigade, draped in the traditional desert robes of the Sunagakure elite, folded his arms. "Then what course of action do we take, Kazekage-sama?"
The Second Kazekage tapped a finger against the map laid out before them. "First, we confirm who takes control in Iwagakure. Without knowing their next leader, we cannot predict their next move." He turned his gaze toward the head of the intelligence division. "Send spies. I want a full report on who inherits the title of Tsuchikage and whether their forces are repositioning."
The elder from before nodded. "And what of Kirigakure?"
"The Mizukage's death is just as significant," another council member remarked. "The Land of Water does not function like the Land of Earth. Their political instability is much greater. If their next leader is weak, Iwagakure may seek to punish them first instead of focusing on us."
The Second Kazekage narrowed his eyes. "We cannot rely on Kirigakure's weakness. If the new Mizukage is strong, then Kirigakure will still be a threat. If he is weak, then Iwagakure will turn its full force elsewhere."
A calculated pause.
"Perhaps," the Kazekage continued, "toward us."
The weight of his words sank in.
Iwagakure had always been Sunagakure's closest rival. Unlike Konoha or Kumo, who fought across vast distances, Iwagakure and Sunagakure shared a contested border, an area where conflicts had flared even before this war.
If the new Tsuchikage saw Sunagakure as an easy target, then Iwa's forces could shift in their direction.
One of the jōnin commanders exhaled. "If Iwagakure turns on us, we'll need to be prepared."
"We should reinforce our defensive lines now," suggested another.
The Second Kazekage nodded. "Agreed. Increase our border patrols. Strengthen our forward positions. But do not appear aggressive. If we make any sudden movements, it may be seen as provocation."
The Council of Elders murmured in agreement. Sunagakure did not have the luxury of brute force like some of the other villages.
Their strength came from tactical precision, the use of puppetry, poisons, and ambush warfare.
If they were to survive in this war, they needed to strike at the right moment, never too soon, never too late.
Then, a new concern was raised.
"If Iwagakure falls into chaos, the other villages may move against them," said one of the senior strategists. "Including Konoha."
The Second Kazekage's gaze sharpened. The Hidden Leaf.
Unlike the brutal, head-on tactics of Iwagakure or the unpredictability of Kirigakure, Konoha fought with a mix of adaptability and overwhelming force.
If they sensed weakness in the Land of Earth, they might push forward and claim territory. If that happened, the balance of power in the war would shift drastically.
A dangerous prospect.
"We will watch Konoha as closely as we watch Iwagakure," the Kazekage declared. "If they push forward, we must decide whether to support them or prepare to counter them."
It was a game of shifting alliances. In war, there were no true friends or foes, only opportunities.
The Second Kazekage rose to his feet. His cloak, emblazoned with Sunagakure's emblem, swayed slightly as he addressed the room.
"Send word to our outposts," he commanded. "Reinforce our positions, but do not engage unless provoked. I want intelligence on Iwagakure's next leader immediately. As for Kirigakure, we will watch and wait."
The room nodded in agreement.
Sunagakure would not rush into battle blindly.
Unlike the reckless might of Iwagakure or the violent unpredictability of Kirigakure, they would wait in the shadows, choosing their moment carefully.
For in the desert, survival belonged to those who knew when to strike.
'Perhaps it's time I picked up on my research.' Shamon thought as he watched everyone leave the room. 'Utilising the strength of the tailed beast would bolster our military might.'
***
A/N: Finally guys, I did it. This is where the last book ended before I decided to rewrite it. There are of course over a 100 chapters on my patreon but those too will be rewritten.
Anyway, I really hope you're really enjoying this novel so far cause since I started reading Fanfics on Webnovel, I've never read a Naruto Fanfic that doesn't make it's MC unique in one way or the other.
I want to write this so readers will understand that although the Fanfic is about the SI MC, there is still so much going on outside of him and he isn't at the center of the world and will never really be.
If you have been paying attention to my world building, you'd understand from how I mentioned Mū being a genius despite being clanless, the same will apply to our MC.
Not that he's a "genius" like the Uchihas, but he knows what he wants and understands how far he needs to go to get it.
The way he gains his strength is methodical and without plotholes...so far at least.
He doesn't just try creating the Rasengan and boom, one week in, he's learnt it. That's completely illogical but hey, writers own the right to write whatever they want.
I've explained how Rasengan is a technique born from direct Shape Manipulation just like Murakami's Chakra threads.
Anyways, I'm just venting since I've come this far. Thanks for the support so far guys. Much love.
I haven't really gotten much review on this Novel so I hope after reading this, you go write a nice and honest review.
Much love.