Compared to the confidence of Kumogakure, Sunagakure and Iwagakure were in a state of despair.
In the dimly lit Tsuchikage's office, Onoki sat motionless in the center, his expression heavy.
The devastating war in the Land of Rain had ended just a week ago, yet he looked as if he had aged five years in that short time.
"Tsuchikage-sama..."
The voice belonged to a female ninja standing beside him Atsutchi, one of Iwagakure's most elite Jōnin.
But the fact that she was among their best now only highlighted how dire the village's situation had become.
The Third Ninja War had left Iwagakure in ruins.
Its once-feared demolition and stealth units key pillars of Iwa's military strength had been nearly wiped out by a single man: Hanyu Simu.
The few survivors were so scattered and weakened that they were no longer a real force.
To make matters worse, promising ninjas like Kitsuchi and Explosion Style Gari, once Onoki's greatest hopes, had died in battle.
And as if that weren't enough…
Iwagakure had even lost both of its tailed beasts.
Tens of thousands of Iwa shinobi had fallen at the hands of Hanyu Simu.
The mere thought of it made Onoki's head throb.
Iwagakure now had fewer than 20,000 soldiers fit for battle many of them inexperienced ninjas, hastily thrown onto the battlefield.
Their combat strength was practically nonexistent.
He let out a deep sigh.
The crushing defeat in the Land of Rain hadn't just weakened Iwa's forces it had cast a shadow of despair over the entire village.
Konoha stood before them like an impenetrable wall, an unshakable force that left them with no path forward.
Even with the recent losses of Orochimaru and Danzo, Onoki felt no relief.
As long as Hanyu Simu was still alive, there was no peace of mind.
His power, his presence was too familiar.
Not the gentle strength of the "Ninja God" that Onoki once admired…
But the other man who had once stood beside him.
The only one to ever challenge Hashirama Senju.
The man who built Konoha… and later turned against it.
Uchiha Madara.
This was a man who could paralyze him with just a glance.
Onoki sat in silence, his mind clouded with grim thoughts about the future of the Iwagakure
A sudden knock on the door pulled him from his worries.
"Tsuchikage-sama, the delegation from Sunagakure has arrived."
Onoki's expression darkened.
"Sunagakure..."
A flicker of irritation crossed his face.
He was still bitter that Rasa had refused to join the siege against Hanyu Simu.
If the Fourth Kazekage had participated, maybe just maybe the battle would have turned out differently.
Iwagakure wouldn't be in this desperate situation.
But desperation aside, Sunagakure was still one of the great nations.
Even the Tsuchikage couldn't afford to ignore an envoy from such a power.
"Bring them in."
Moments later, the delegation from the Wind Daimyo and Sunagakure stepped into the office.
Onoki rose from his seat out of politeness.
But he couldn't help but wonder
Who had they sent this time?
Cracks suddenly spread across the leader's face.
Onoki's expression hardened instantly.
He rose into the air, ready to counterattack at a moment's notice.
Around him, Iwa Anbu sprang into position, surrounding the delegation.
If the Sunagakure representatives made the slightest hostile move, they would be buried under a barrage of jutsu.
Iwagakure had suffered heavy losses, but they were more than capable of handling a Wind Country delegation.
"Tsuchikage-sama, don't be anxious. I mean no harm."
The voice was too young for a typical envoy.
Onoki narrowed his eyes.
"You… Rasa?"
As he spoke, faint traces of gold dust seeped from the cracks, dispersing into the air.
Finally, the false face crumbled, revealing the man beneath.
Indeed, it was Rasa.
In his youth, he could almost be called handsome
Short light red hair, fair skin, and sharp features.
And of course, he possessed the rare ability to manipulate gold dust a skill that, under normal circumstances, would make him one of the wealthiest men alive.
Unfortunately, the Sunagakure was anything but rich.
Unlike other Kage, Rasa often had to scavenge for gold in the desert just to keep Sunagakure afloat.
Seeing this man personally travel all the way to Iwagakure only reinforced how dire the situation must be.
Onoki's guard eased slightly, but his tone remained sharp.
"What urgent matter requires Kazekage-sama to come here in person?"
It was a test, a reminder that Rasa had sat out the battle in Amegakure.
Rasa lowered his head slightly, a hint of shame in his expression.
"The battle in Amegakure… that was my failure. I believed that our combined forces, your army, Hanzo, and our agreement would be enough to win."
After all, they had over ten thousand ninjas and two Kage-level ninja.
By all logic, even the strongest opponent should have fallen.
But Hanyu Simu defied all logic.
Onoki's face darkened.
"Enough. What's done is done."
Talking about past mistakes wouldn't reverse the damage to Iwagakure or Sunagakure.
Rasa nodded, unfazed by Onoki's cold demeanor.
Onoki narrowed his eyes.
"You didn't come all this way just to apologize, did you?"
Iwagakure was struggling, but the Sunagakure was in no better shape.
Already barren and resource-starved, Sunagakure had now lost key figures like Ebizō, the Third Kazekage, Pakura, and others.
With enemies outside and instability within, the situation was dire.
Rasa took a deep breath and spoke firmly.
"I have come on behalf of the Daimyo of the Land of Wind and all the shinobi of Sunagakure… to propose a full alliance with Iwagakure."
Onoki's eyes narrowed.
"A full alliance?"
This wasn't just some temporary wartime cooperation.
A true alliance meant open borders, economic collaboration, and unified military command in times of war.
But the history between Sunagakure and Iwagakure was far from friendly the Second Ninja War had seen plenty of bloodshed between them.
For Sunagakure to take the initiative like this…
"Hanyu Simu must have truly driven them to the edge of the cliff."
"Konoha is stronger than ever. Kumogakure can still defend itself. Kirigakure remains isolated, its situation unknown."
"But Suna, Iwa, and Ame… all suffered devastating losses in the war."
"Hanyu Simu is Hokage now. He won't just let things slide. You and I have few choices left."
In truth, an alliance between Sunagakure and Iwagakure made sense.
After all, if the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold.
Both nations had deep, irreconcilable hatred toward the Land of Fire. There was no turning back.
At least in that regard, trust wasn't an issue.
Onoki tapped his fingers against the table. "An alliance isn't impossible, but what about wartime command?"
A full alliance meant they couldn't fight separately—someone had to lead.
Rasa didn't hesitate.
"Tsuchikage-sama is far more experienced. Naturally, you should be the supreme commander."
Onoki was a veteran who had survived the First Ninja War.
It was unthinkable for him to take orders from a younger man like Rasa.
Rasa understood this and played his cards well—his straightforward attitude earned Onoki's approval.
"In that case, I will report this alliance to the Daimyo."
"Then, to a successful partnership." Rasa extended his hand.
Onoki shook it firmly.
But neither of them noticed…
In the corner of the meeting room, a tiny spore quietly hatched.
White Zetsu, who had been listening the entire time, immediately relayed the information to others hiding in Kusagakure.
The message reached an old man with gray hair.
"Hanyu Simu… I never expected someone like him to rise from the commoners."
Uchiha Madara's gaze seemed to pierce through layers of rock, landing on the bustling village of Konoha.
He then turned to Uchiha Obito, who was training outside, and murmured:
"It seems our plan will have to begin sooner than expected."
From the shadows, a figure emerged from the wall half white, half black.
Zetsu.
"Madara-sama, are you sure that brat outside is the right choice?" Black Zetsu asked skeptically.
No matter how he looked at it, Obito didn't seem like someone worthy of inheriting Madara's will.
A naïve, foolish Uchiha…
He didn't resemble Madara's successor at all—if anything, he was more like Hashirama's descendant.
"Exactly!" White Zetsu chimed in.
"Last time, he refused to show me his poop and called me disgusting. He said I didn't understand art at all!"
Madara ignored White Zetsu's bizarre complaint and said flatly:
"The brighter a person's heart, the darker it becomes when their hope is shattered."
Black Zetsu stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Hmm…"
"Hey! You can think all you want, but don't touch my chin! Or I'll make you eat shit!" White Zetsu snapped.
Madara sighed as the two continued their ridiculous bickering.
"Enough. Get on with the plan."
The moment he spoke, both of them fell silent.
"Understood!"
After Black and White Zetsu left, Obito came running over from outside.
"Grandpa, my training is almost done! When can I go back to Konoha? I kinda miss my friends…"
Madara lazily lifted his gaze.
"You miss Rin, don't you?"
"Hehe…" Obito scratched his head, blushing, too embarrassed to admit it.
Madara closed his eyes again.
"Don't worry, soon. You'll see her very soon."
Hearing this, Obito lit up with excitement.
"Really?! Haha, Rin's gonna be so surprised when she sees how strong I've gotten!"
Despite the old man's strange temper, he had been good to him.
Not only had he healed Obito's injuries, but he had also taught him Hashirama's Wood Style.
.
.
TO BE CONTINUED
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