A week vanished in the blink of an eye.
On the bridge connecting the Land of Waves to the mainland, the sea breeze carried the scent of salt and commerce. Standing at the bustling entrance with a squad of Hidden Cloud chunin, Samui stared at the endless stream of traffic.
"The Land of Waves has really changed," he said, his voice low.
The bridge swarmed with activity. Rows of merchant ships bobbed in the harbor, and the distant shoreline was lined with shops and teahouses. He could hardly believe this was once a poor, impoverished nation.
Karui, the dark-skinned girl, looked around in astonishment. "We passed through here last year and it was completely deserted. In just one year? It's changed this much?"
"This is even more lively than the Hidden Cloud Village," Omoi muttered around his lollipop. He stood with his hands in his pockets, looking pessimistic. "This is where they sell those high-yield grain seeds. It's drawing in merchants and speculators like flies. I heard the prices double the moment you take them elsewhere."
Omoi shook his head. "Coming here without permission was a bad idea. If we mess up the trade quota we set up with the Land of Lightning, the Daimyo will blame us. The Raikage will definitely beat us up, and our teacher will call us idiots..."
Bang!
"Shut up!" Karui punched Omoi on the head. "You're so annoying! Can't you say something nice for once?"
Samui glanced at Omoi, unfazed. "It's fine. It's just a new ninja village in a small nation. They don't have the guts to cut off trade with them. If they try, it gives the Hidden Cloud an excuse to send in troops. Then the other villages will jump in to take a bite out of this fat piece of meat."
"Of course, it's tempting," Samui finished, "but we're here to see just how hard it is to actually bite."
While Konoha knew the truth, the other four Great Nations were still in the dark. They assumed Four-Star Village was just a small ninja village backed by a shipping company—no real foundation, no real strength. They were already thinking of crooked ways to get a piece of the action.
Samui's group moved through the local area until they found the village proper, located on the island's interior.
Looking up at the towering, modern high-rises, Karui gasped. "Hiss—look at this paved road. And those buildings? Four-Star Village is rolling in cash."
Samui eyed the infrastructure with a mix of envy and disdain. "Just a vanity project by a bunch of nouveaux riche."
"Stop gawking," he said, picking up the pace. "Let's get inside."
They headed for the open gate, but two guards immediately stepped forward to block their path.
"This is Four-Star Village territory," one guard said, his voice flat. "We don't welcome outsiders. Leave immediately."
Samui held up a hand, stopping his team. He produced a visiting card. "We aren't tourists. We're envoys from Hidden Cloud in the Land of Lightning. We're here to establish friendly relations. Please notify your superiors."
The two guards exchanged a glance but didn't reach for the card. "We haven't received any notification. You can't enter."
Four-Star Village operated much like the old Hidden Mist—essentially isolated. Outsiders weren't allowed in without high-level authorization.
Karui's temper flared. She grabbed the nearest guard by the collar. "Damn it, didn't you hear me? We're envoys from the Hidden Cloud! If you delay us, can a lowly gatekeeper like you pay for the consequences?"
The guard didn't flinch. He looked at her coldly. "Are you trying to force your way in?"
"Force my way in... Ugh!"
Before she could finish, a heavy impact slammed into Karui's gut. She launched backward in a black blur.
"Karui!" Samui reached out, catching her hoodie and stopping her fall just before she hit the ground.
Omoi dropped his lollipop, eyes wide as he stared at the two guards. "That chakra... that's Killer Bee's Tailed Beast Cloak!"
"Could they be... jinchuriki?" Omoi immediately shook his head. "No, that's impossible! Who puts a jinchuriki on gate duty?"
"Tailed Beast Cloak? Jinchuriki?" Samui and Karui froze.
Sure enough, the two guards were wreathed in pale red chakra. A massive, single chakra tail extended from their backs, swaying like a whip.
"It's real," Karui whispered, recognizing the power instantly. "Just like when Master Bee uses the Eight-Tails' power."
Samui frowned. This village had just become a lot more dangerous than he'd anticipated.
"What's all this noise at the gate?"
A male voice cut through the tension. The two guards instantly retracted their chakra tails and bowed deeply.
"Lord Madara," one said. "Outsiders from Hidden Cloud are causing trouble."
Madara?
Among the Hidden Cloud ninjas, one inconspicuous figure swayed violently at the sight of the man walking out. His face paled, eyes wide with utter disbelief, as if he'd seen a ghost. The expression vanished a second later, unnoticed by anyone but him.
Samui stepped forward, suppressing his confusion. "Lord Madara, we aren't here to cause trouble. We are here on the Raikage's orders to establish diplomatic relations."
He held out a letter. "This is a formal invitation from the Raikage."
The Nine-Tails Madara scratched his head, then crossed his arms with a look of utter disdain.
"So," he sneered, "the sand wants to dance?"
He smirked. "Then... entertain me."
Whoosh!
Crimson chakra exploded outward. A gigantic fox claw materialized instantly, half a body of swirling energy manifesting behind him.
"Susanoo!"
Samui and his team stared up at the terrifying construct. The air grew heavy, pressing down on them like a physical weight.
The guards stepped aside, leaving the envoys face-to-face with the legend himself.
Madara's Susanoo loomed over them, its hollow eyes glowing with malicious power. "You want to talk diplomacy?" his voice boomed, layered and distorted by the chakra armor. "Then prove you're worth talking to."
Karui, clutching her stomach, gritted her teeth. "We're envoys, not combatants!"
"Envoys who pick fights with gatekeepers are fair game," Madara retorted. "Show me the fangs of the Hidden Cloud, or get off my bridge."
Samui exchanged a look with Omoi. They had no choice. If they backed down now, the Hidden Cloud would lose all leverage.
"Prepare yourselves!" Samui shouted, dropping into a combat stance.
Madara laughed. "Good. At least you aren't cowards."
The Susanoo arm swung down, carrying the force of a natural disaster. Samui and his team scattered, the bridge cracking and splintering under the impact.
"We need to regroup!" Omoi yelled, weaving hand seals. "Water Release: Water Shark Bullet!"
A shark made of water surged toward the Susanoo, but Madara simply swatted it aside with his chakra arm.
"Pathetic!" Madara laughed. "Is this the best the Land of Lightning has to offer?"
Behind them, the inconspicuous ninja—the one who had looked like he'd seen a ghost—was trembling. His eyes darted between the Susanoo and the guards. It can't be... that armor... that power... but Madara Uchiha is dead. Unless... is this a clone? Or is this Menma's doing?
He clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay calm. I need to report this. The situation is far worse than we thought.
Samui dodged another swing, his mind racing. They were outclassed. This "Lord Madara" was on a completely different level.
"Listen!" Samui shouted over the roar of chakra. "We came to talk, not to die! If you kill us, you make an enemy of the Hidden Cloud!"
Madara paused. The Susanoo's head tilted. "Enemy? I'm already enemies with the world. What's one more village?"
He let the Susanoo dissolve, the chakra retreating back into his body. He landed lightly on the ground, arms still crossed.
"But fine," he said, his voice dropping to a casual, dangerous tone. "I'll give you a break. Mostly because watching you scramble was amusing."
He turned his back to them, walking toward the village entrance. "If you want to talk, follow me. But touch a hair on a gatekeeper's head again, and I'll turn this bridge into your graveyard."
Samui let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "We'll follow."
As they walked behind the man in the bright red armor, Omoi whispered, "Samui... what are we walking into? If they have jinchuriki guarding the gates and Madara Uchiha as their welcoming committee..."
"Shut up and keep your eyes open," Samui muttered. "We're not in the Land of Waves anymore. We're in the dragon's den."
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