Read my new story (CaveLeather)
Game of Thrones: The Sword King
Game of Thrones: From Deserter to Power
Game of Thrones: King of Harrenhal— Garth Greenhand Stat Panel
Early the next morning, a considerable stir rippled through the Chinoike settlement.
News of Jinji Chinoike's mysterious disappearance spread like wildfire. In this small clan of fewer than a hundred people, any disturbance reached every corner in moments.
Many clansmen gathered in front of the stone house where Jinji had been confined the previous night, staring into the empty room with faces full of shock and suspicion.
"Did you hear? Jinji vanished from a locked stone house last night!"
"I told you the Matriarch shouldn't use genjutsu on her own people..."
"Did the Uchiha or the Cloud ninjas come and take him away?"
Various speculations circulated among the clansmen. Some were convinced Jinji had successfully defected, others suspected he was abducted by external enemies, and some even whispered that Jinji had been secretly executed for angering the Matriarch.
Night, hidden in a rock crevice, used his Mind's Eye of the Kagura to clearly capture every whisper within the clan grounds.
This unexpected turmoil was even more ideal than he had anticipated.
Approaching noon, Momoe Chinoike finally stepped forward, summoning the entire clan for a meeting in the central clearing.
The Matriarch stood on high ground, exhaustion barely concealed in her eyes. She scanned the varied expressions of the clansmen below, her voice maintaining its authority. "I will investigate Jinji's matter thoroughly. But until then, I expect everyone to remain calm."
Silence fell over the crowd, but Night could clearly sense the dissatisfaction and suspicion lurking beneath the calm surface.
This clan, already teetering on the edge of madness, needed only a slight prod to trigger their sensitive, fragile nerves.
"The Cloud envoys will arrive any day now."
Momoe raised her voice. "This is our closest chance to leaving Hell Valley.
If we miss it, I fear that our generation—no! The entire Chinoike clan—will perish in this valley."
Her words moved many clansmen, but several older elders looked disdainful.
"Momoe, why should we pin our hopes on the Cloud?"
An elder with white hair and beard sneered. "Years ago, they were the ones who joined hands with the Uchiha to imprison us here. Would they be so kind as to let us out now?"
"The times have changed."
Momoe said solemnly, "The Third Raikage needs our power. That is our value. As long as we show enough strength and sincerity..."
"And then what? Become tools of war for the Cloud?"
Another elder interrupted sharply. "Draining our last drop of blood for the Cloud... how is that different from a slow death!"
The atmosphere in the clearing tensed up again.
Night noticed the eyes of several younger clansmen wavering. Clearly, the elders' words had struck at their deepest fears.
Just as a white-bearded elder prepared to rely on his seniority to say more, Momoe shot him a glance from the corner of her eye. The elder stiffened instantly, unable to utter another word.
"Enough!"
Momoe's Ketsuryūgan flared to life. A powerful mental pressure made everyone's breath hitch. Clearly, her patience had reached its limit.
Feeling the release of her dojutsu, the murmurs of the other clansmen gradually died down.
Her cold gaze swept over everyone present before she continued, "As Matriarch, I order you: before the Cloud envoys arrive, no one is to make a move. Even if you want to rebel, wait until the envoys leave!
This is an order, not a request. If anyone dares to sabotage this opportunity, don't blame me for enforcing clan law."
The meeting ended in oppressive silence.
Night watched Momoe's retreating figure, noting that her steps were much heavier than yesterday.
This Matriarch stood at a crossroads of fate. On one side was the freedom the clan craved; on the other, an abyss that looked more like eternal damnation.
And every decision she made would directly impact the future of the entire Chinoike clan.
Night watched quietly from the cliff face. His sensory ability captured the fluctuations of everyone's chakra: fear, anticipation, unwillingness, anger... various emotions interwoven in the crowd.
He also noticed that the young clansman he had identified as "En Oyashiro" actually looked quite hopeful about this, tightly holding the hand of a female clansman.
Knowing the eventual fate of the Chinoike clan in the future, Night guessed these negotiations were destined to fail. Perhaps this was one of the reasons for En's eventual descent into darkness.
"Looks like I don't need to do much more," Night whispered to himself.
This extreme clan was destined to go further down the road of self-destruction.
---
Meanwhile, Kumogakure (Hidden Cloud Village), Land of Lightning.
A burly young ninja was fully geared up and ready to go. His bronze skin almost reflected the sunlight, his muscular lines were distinct, and his short, light-blond hair looked exceptionally spirited.
"A (Ei), this mission is in your hands."
The Third Raikage looked at his son, who bore a striking resemblance to him, his tone filled with absolute trust. "Although the Chinoike clan has declined, the power of the Ketsuryūgan cannot be underestimated. Weigh the pros and cons carefully. Whether to bring them back is entirely your decision."
The young ninja, known as A, grinned broadly. "Don't worry, old man. I know what to do."
"Remember, keep an eye on the Uchiha too. They've guarded the Chinoike for so many years; they won't let go easily."
A waved his hand dismissively. "Uchiha? Shortsighted fools who only obsess over those eyes all day. If they dare to block me, I'll show them the might of the Cloud."
The Third Raikage shook his head helplessly, feeling both admiration and a headache over his impulsive son. "Don't underestimate the Sharingan. Also... I've received intel that Konoha seems to have sent someone to Hell Valley as well."
"Konoha?"
Interest flashed in A's eyes. "Then I'll just crush them all together!"
He shouldered his pack, turned, and strode away, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
The young man who would become the Fourth Raikage was embarking on his journey to Hell Valley with high ambitions.
Little did he know, what awaited him there was far more complicated than he imagined.
---
Hell Valley, Uchiha Camp.
"Is the Cloud finally on the move?"
Hachitsutsu Uchiha looked at the letter from the Cloud in his hand, murmuring to himself. "Sending the next Raikage candidate... they certainly attach importance to this."
After reading, he burned the letter leaving no trace, not informing his fellow captain, Yashiro Uchiha.
He had managed Hell Valley for years; no disturbance escaped his eyes.
Even the news reaching the Chinoike about the Cloud's arrival had been secretly spread by him, solely to agitate the sensitive clan's emotions.
As long as the Chinoike did anything out of line, freedom would be out of their reach.
And he himself could...
Hachitsutsu's Sharingan flashed for a moment, revealing a fanatical light. In this multi-party chess game, he had long since placed his own pieces.