Several Months Later
The First Shinobi War had ended months ago, but the world had not yet recovered from its shock.
Across the shinobi nations, one name continued to echo through war and frightened whispers among civilians.
Malenia.
The woman who had slain two Kage with her own hands.
The person who had forced four-tailed beasts into submission.
The ruler of Uzushio.
Her actions during the war had shaken the balance of power that had existed and new power was already established.
Many leaders now believed a new threat had emerged—greater than any single village.
Uzushiogakure.
Yet despite the fear spreading across the world, the great nations themselves were in no position to act.
The war had taken a devastating toll.
The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, had been killed in battle.
In the Land of Lightning, the Second Raikage, A, had fallen to assassination by the notorious brothers Kinkaku and Ginkaku.
Every nation had suffered massive losses. Armies were depleted. Cities were rebuilding.
No one wanted another war again at this moment.
Uzushio
Inside the grand hall of the Uzumaki clan, silence filled the chamber.
At the far end of the hall stood a raised throne.
Seated upon it was Malenia.
Her posture was calm and composed, her presence suffocating. She wore formal robes befitting the head of the Uzumaki clan, though the faint aura of danger around her had never faded since the war.
Below her stood the elders of the clan and several high-ranking shinobi.
One elder stepped forward.
"Since the end of the war, refugees have been arriving from multiple lands," he reported. "Many villages were destroyed during the conflict. Civilians and shinobi alike are seeking shelter within Uzushio."
The hall remained quiet as everyone waited for Malenia's decision.
After a moment, she spoke.
"Allow them entry."
Several elders nodded slightly, but Malenia continued.
"They will settle in the outer districts of Uzushio."
Her gaze hardened slightly.
"Any shinobi among the refugees will have their chakra sealed."
Malenia did not explain further.
One of the elders bowed.
"It will be done."
The council dispersed quickly, already moving to carry out the orders of their clan leader.
Deep Beneath the Earth
Far away from Uzushio, hidden deep beneath layers of rock and soil, a strange presence stirred.
The ground shifted slightly.
From the earth itself, a white figure slowly emerged.
Its body resembled a humanoid plant, its surface pale and unnatural.
The creature tilted its head slightly.
"There has been… a slight change in the plan," it muttered.
Before it sat an old man resting on a stone seat.
The man's eyes were closed.
Yet the moment the report was spoken, his eyelids slowly lifted.
Within them spun the unmistakable pattern of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
The white creature continued.
"The head of the Uzumaki clan, Malenia, has personally killed both the Mizukage and the Tsuchikage."
It paused briefly.
"And she now holds four-tailed beasts under her control."
For a moment, silence filled the cavern.
Then the old man gave a quiet, amused breath.
"I did not expect the red-haired clan to produce a warrior of such calibre."
"If circumstances were different… I would have liked to dance with her."
His fingers tapped slowly against the stone.
"But my Rinnegan has not awakened yet."
His gaze turned distant.
"So for now… we will wait."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"The other nations' fear will do our work for us"
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Konoha
After the death of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, the position of Hokage had passed to the man Tobirama personally chose as his successor—his student, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Despite his calm exterior, Hiruzen had been in a sour mood lately.
Nearly twenty years had passed since the founding of the hidden villages, yet one fact had become increasingly clear to him.
Uzushiogakure was growing far too strong.
Although Konoha is allied with Uzumaki, human greed doesn't know limits
And Uzushio now possessed both power and influence.
Hiruzen would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted by the knowledge the Uzumaki clan possessed—especially their legendary sealing techniques.
The Uzumaki were masters of Fūinjutsu, and their techniques were unmatched anywhere in the world.
If such power fully belonged to Konoha…
It would secure the village's future for generations.
But there was another factor.
Within Konoha lived Mito Uzumaki, the wife of the First Hokage and the jinchūriki of the nine tails.
She wouldn't let Konoha attack Uzushio.
She would at most survive 20 years more then konoha would need another uzumaki for nine tail.
Still, despite these concerns, Hiruzen believed the future of Konoha remained bright.
The new generation was rising quickly.
He himself had taken three students under his wing—promising shinobi who would one day shape the village's future.
Iwagakure
The Land of Earth had suffered one of the greatest losses during the war.
Their leader, the Second Tsuchikage Mū (Second Tsuchikage), had been killed.
His student, Onoki, had now taken the seat as the new Tsuchikage.
But the victory of survival came at a heavy cost.
Nearly three thousand shinobi had died during the war.
Another six thousand were injured.
Entire battalions had been wiped out.
And they lost their both tailed beast.
Iwagakure was now at one of the weakest.
Because of this, Ōnoki had no intention of provoking another war anytime soon.
Instead, his attention remained fixed on protecting the village's borders.
Their greatest concern was Sunagakure.
The Land of Wind had suffered far fewer losses during the war, and the two nations shared a long and tense border.
For now, Iwa could only strengthen its defenses and rebuild.
Kumogakure
The situation in the Land of Lightning was not much better.
Their leader, the Second Raikage A (Second Raikage), had been assasinted by the infamous brothers Kinkaku and Ginkaku.
Now the title of Raikage had passed to A (Third Raikage).
But the war had left deep scars in Kumogakure.
Many elite shinobi had become s-rank rouge shinobi with kinkau and Ginkaku brothers
Even so, the Third Raikage was prepared for the next war.
The rising of Uzushio was a great threat to all the elemental nations now.
Uzushiogakure.
The village that now holds multiple tailed beasts.
The village ruled by the woman who had killed two Kage.
For now, no one wished to start another war.
But everyone knew the truth.
Peace in the ninja world never lasted long.
And sooner or later…
Someone would make the first move.
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Um, Japanese-style apology for being sooo late. Well, things didn't go as planned after exam. Felt too empty to write another chapter. Thanks, Shadow Fox, for donating Powerstone even if there was no update. T_T I owe you an apology. I will try to be more regular.\
Filler will be dropped for later. I put it in seperate section