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  "Brother, are you alright?"

  "Hmph…" A clutched his bleeding wounds and shook his head. His dark skin seemed paler than usual due to blood loss.

  Seven cuts, fourteen holes—Elder Advisor's parting gift, courtesy of the Two-Fingered Lance Hand.

  Though not individually fatal, their bined effect had weakened him siderably.

  He'd uimated Elder Advisor. His frail appearance had beeive. To end the fight quickly, A had been forced to adopt a reckless, damage-trading strategy. Even with Killer B's help, he'd still been injured.

  Strangely, before dying, Elder Advisor had stared at something behind A, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Third Raikage—why—is your chakra, your will—here…?"

  A closed his eyes, his face a mask of pain as he looked at the corpse at his feet.

  Kumogakure had been—a family. When— had Elder Advisor's desires bee so twisted, so obsessed with power?

  He hadn't been like this before.

  A loyal warrior of the Cloud, willing to give his life for the vilge. Trusted by the Third Raikage.

  If he'd eled his strength against Konoha—what might he have aplished?

  A, such a powerful elder, practically Kage-level, had beeed by the bonds of brotherhood.

  A felt a pang of uainty. Had he dohe right thing? Could he, as Raikage, truly pensate for the loss of such a powerful ninja?

  His fusion was more painful than his physical wounds.

  Killer B, oblivious to his brother's turmoil, bounced around, rapping, "Yo, bro, what about the body? What do we do with it?"

  "A proper burial. He was—trusted by Father," A said, his voice strained. He walked to the medical et and began bandaging his wounds. "B, hahe—funeral arras. Eliminating Elder Advisor was just the first step. The Elder cil—they're waiting."

  "And don't do anything—weird with the body. I've heard you've been reading—strange books tely."

  "Yo, don't worry, bro. sider it done."

  Seeing his brother's—retively normal behavior, A smiled.

  Kumogakure's future rested on their shoulders. They had to stand together.

  The vilge had suffered enough. There was no more time for Killer B's—fi.

  He had to step up, take responsibility.

  They csped hands. "Atsui, let's go. Time to meet with the elders."

  "Yes, Raikage-sama!"

  …

  …

  Raikage Tower – Meeting Room.

  "Where's Elder Advisor? He's te."

  "We checked his office. He wasn't there."

  "At a time like this—with everyone waiting—how he simply be absent?"

  Kumogakure was in a precarious position. Border patrol ninja had reported a rge Konoha force mobiliziheir border.

  What was Konoha pnning?

  Such a rge-scale deployment—it was uling.

  They'd learned a harsh lesson from the Kusagakure i. The bodies of the Kumogakure ninja statiohere were likely deposing by now.

  Was Konoha pnning to capitalize on this and attack Kumogakure?

  "Shh, be careful what you say. Send more Anbu to—find him. Perhaps—something's happened."

  History had taught them that during times of u, bad omens often appeared.

  The Third Shinobi World War, for instance, had been triggered by the Third Kazekage's disappearance.

  And the Kazekage, in Sunagakure, was equivalent to—Elder Advisor.

  "Wait! Raikage-sama, you 't enter!"

  "You're—still under—refle. You're not allowed in the meeting room."

  The guards' frantic cries were followed by a series of thuds.

  The elders he door looked up, their eyes widening in shock as the door burst open.

  A, his upper body bandaged, stood before them. "If even the Raikage 't ehe meeting room, who ?"

  He strode to the head seat and sat down.

  Ah, that familiar feeling.

  He'd missed this chair.

  He looked at the assembled elders.

  He finally uood—the power Elder Advisor had craved.

  He hadn't appreciated it before. But now, having lost it and recimed it—he finally uood what it meant to be Raikage.

  Absolute authority over the vilge's military, political, eid cultural affairs. One of the five most powerful figures in the ninja world. A single word from him could ge the lives of thousands…

  'How much power is enough?'

  'Now I uand. The Raikage's power—it's absolute.'

  'Thank you, Elder Advisor. You taught me a valuable lesson.'

  A's assertive demeanered Elder Arai, sed in and after Elder Advisor's—absence. He was now the voice of the s.

  "Fourth Raikage! You—colluded with Konoha! You staged this—threat to undermihe vilge! You've disgraced the title of Raikage!"

  "We were discussing how to respond to Konoha's mobilization. But now—it seems there's no need."

  "Just wait! When Elder Advisor returns, you'll pay for this!"

  Arai gred at A. "You've made an enemy of every , every vilger in Kumogakure."

  "Elder Advisor is dead. Killed by a bounty ninja," A said calmly.

  "What?!"

  "Elder Advisor is dead. Assassinated. I've had Killer B arrahe funeral. The assassin escaped. I'm establishing a new unit to hunt him down."

  The news hit them like a Tailed Beast Bomb, their carefully crafted pns crumbling.

  Arai pointed a trembling fi A. "You—you killed him?!"

  "I'm the Raikage, not a bounty ninja," A said ftly. "He was assassinated. You need proof, Elder Arai. Acg the Raikage without evidehat's nht."

  "Proof?!" Arai's voice rose. "He vanished just ho! This is the most secure location in the vilge! Who else could have do?! And your injuries—they're from a Lightning Release jutsu, aren't they?!"

  "You think you trol us just because you've killed Elder Advisor and recimed your seat?! Colluding with Konoha, assassinating a vilge elder—you're no longer fit to be Raikage! We, the s, will not tolerate this! Acc to vilge w, I propose we remove the Fourth Raikage and request the Daimyo's approval for a ion!"

  Arai's words sparked an uproar. To remove a Raikage, to hold a ion—it was unpreted.

  The elders exged gnces, already sidering potential didates.

  A sighed. Things were unfoldily as Konoha had predicted. Fortunately, they'd prepared.

  "You're suggesting a ion—now? With Konoha's forces at our border? Do you io leave Kumogakure vulnerable, to let our aors' legacy be destroyed?!"

  "This is all an act! You and Konoha staged this! If you have the guts, let them actually attack!"

  War was expensive.

  Explosive tags, shuriken, kunai, Soldier Pills—they all required funding.

  Though he wasn't privy to the details of the deal between the Raikage and Konoha, Arai didn't believe Konoha would spend actual resources on such a charade.

  It was just a show of force. They wouldn't actually start a war—would they?

  "Report! Hyuga Hiashi, leading a Konoha force, has attacked Tonggu Toingyang Town! We've lost both!"

  A's eyes widened in shock, but he quickly located the towns on the map and rexed. Konoha ying by the rules. Two insignifit towns in exge for trol of Kumogakure. A worthwhile trade.

  Now, he could finally rebuild the vilge.

  Silence. A deathly silence fell over the meeting room.

  "Konoha—actually attacked?"

  "What do we do? We have to mobilize! We 't let them reach the vilge!"

  "Raikage-sama, lead us!"

  "No! I object! The Fourth Raikage has itted treason! We must elect a new leader!"

  "You fool! Do you truly believe A would collude with Konoha to attack us?! And—by the time a new Raikage is chosen, Kumogakure will be in ruins!"

  "Raikage-sama, lead us!" More and more elders, those from the smaller s, voiced their support. They couldn't ge leaders during a war. It was a matter of principle.

  During wartime, the Raikage ele ostpohey had to unite against the external threat.

  Duriime, the s didn't want a strong Raikage, a powerful Raikage Tower, trolling their resources, limiting their influence.

  But now, with the Land of Lightning utack, they needed a leader, someoo coordihe vilge's defenses.

  Otherwise—the first to be deployed would be the weakest, the most expendable—the civilian-born ninja. Then the elite civilian ninja. Then the smaller s.

  The rger s wouldn't lift a finger until the st of the lower-ranking ninja were gone.

  And against Konoha—the lower ranks wouldn't stand a ce.

  To protect their is, they had to support the Raikage, who treated all ninja equally.

  Elder Advisht have been an option.

  He had the seniority and the bag.

  But he was dead. No matter how or why, he was gone.

  And no one would prioritize a dead man's ambitions over their own survival.

  The Raikage had to lead.

  Besides, A was Kumogakure's stro ninja. Imprisoning him would leave them with only Killer B.

  And Konoha had Uchiha Fugaku, perhaps even Minato Namikaze…

  Suddenly, the elders who'd been plotting against A shifted their allegiahey had to support the Raikage.

  Only Arai and a few other representatives of the rger s remained opposed. They were—outnumbered.

  They had two choices: submit to A or challenge him. And if they challenged him now, with Konoha at their doorstep—whoever won, Konoha wouldn't show mercy. They'd face utter annihition.

  Arai relutly sat down. "Ohe war is over—we will hold a ion. We have to."

  "For now—let's focus on Konoha's attack."

  A, ba trol, felt the—bes of Gojo Kaigetsu's maations.

  Against the bined might of Kumogakure's s, even his strength wasn't enough.

  But with—a little help from Konoha, he'd regained his authority without a fight.

  As for Arai's threat of a ion after repelling Konoha?

  'That won't happen.' As long as the "war" tinued, he remained Raikage.

  And with his authority restored, he could direct the vilge's resources, demand whatever he needed from the s, without having to offer anything iurn.

  In time, the Raikage's power would be absolute. Kumogakure would bee the most politically—unified vilge in the ninja world.

  A, already envisioning a glorious future, casually said, "The 1.3 billion ryō allocated to the southerories—along with the five thousand explosive tags, ten thousand kunai, ten thousand shuriken, ahousand medical scrolls…"

  "They received only 300 million. Care to expin?"

  Elder Arai's eye twitched. He'd been involved in that—transa. It was his members who'd hahe final transfer. Having colborated with Elder Advisor, the money had, naturally, ended up in his pockets.

  But the other supplies…?

  Seeing A's grim expression, Arai felt a surge of ahis—muscle-brained idiot wasn't just reg the funds, he was demanding additional resources.

  His was wealthy, but not that wealthy.

  Could he refuse?

  "There was a—dey. I've already addressed the matter. The funds and—supplies will be delivered shortly."

  "Good." A nodded, a predatleam in his eyes. This was just the beginning. He'd start with the rger s, draining them one by one.

  'Minato Namikaze, Gojo Kaigetsu—you think you've won, taking a few insignifit territories. But I'm the one who truly bes. I'll use this opportunity to resolve Kumogakure's internal flicts. Ohat's done—Konoha will pay.'

  A ying a long game.

  Only he khat Konoha's attack would stop at those two insignifit towns.

  And they wouldn't withdraw until he gave the order. He'd use this "threat" to solidate his power.

  Orders were issued, pns put in motion.

  Just as A was about to leave for a mueeded massage, a frantic messenger burst in.

  "Raikage-sama! It's—it's bad! Hyuga Hiashi, leading Konoha's forces, has captured the three border towns!"

  "What?! Damn it!" A shot to his feet, his fist smming down, shattering the table.

  This—wasn't the pn. Samui's intel had clearly stated that Konoha's attack would be limited to those two towns.

  And now—they'd takehree border towns, Kumogakure's gateway to the rest of the ninja world?!

  "There must be some mistake. Minato—he wouldn't be so reckless. He wouldn't risk another war…" A muttered, his mind reeling.

  He'd just exged letters with Minato! They were rivals, yes, but also—friends. How could Minato betray him like this?

  It was as absurd as Minato—well, let's just say it was highly improbable.

  "Iigate! Report back!"

  He sat back down, his face grim, a heavy silence falling over the meeting room.

  Half an hour ter, the messenger returned, his voice trembling. "Raikage-sama, the border towns—they're gone. Konoha's fg—it's flying over them. And—and we've received reports from the Land of Rice Paddies. Uchiha Fugaku's forces have occupied it."

  The Land of Rice Paddies was a member of the Co-Prosperity Sphere. Though not as strategically important as Kusagakure, it was still a crucial link, eg Kumogakure to the western ninja world.

  And now—Konoha had taken it as well?

  Though Fugaku Uchiha wasn't personally leading the attack, this was—ued. Konoha wasn't following the pn.

  'That damned Minato! That blond brat!' A seethed with rage. He'd only waain trol of the vilge, and now—he looked like a traitor, colluding with Konoha.

  He remembered Minato's letter. He'd have to destroy it. It could be used as evidence against him.

  Though his iions hadn't been—treasonous, if the letter were exposed, even with his solidated power, he'd be forced tn.

  "Raikage-sama, what do we do? Do we mobilize and attack?"

  "No!"

  He couldhe "war" so quickly. He he "wartime Raikage" buff to maintain his authority.

  Without it, those elders would tear him apart.

  The Raikage Tower meeting room—it was a den of wolves. He couldn't rely solely on his strength anymore.

  This—was beyond his trol.

  A ched his fists, feeling a surge of—powerlessness.

  If only he were stronger. Strong enough to make the elders fear him. Then he wouldn't have needed Konoha's help.

  "If I were strong enough to deter them, I wouldn't be in this situation."

  'I o be stronger—I o surpass my limits. I o—trahe Kage.'

  A's gaze hardened with resolve. Ohis was over, he'd dedicate himself to training, to mastering Kumogakure's most powerful teiques. He would bee the stro Raikage.

  The lost territories—he could recim them ter. If he couldn't use this opportunity to solidify his trol over Kumogakure, reg those territories would be meaningless.

  "'To quer externally, one must first secure internal stability,' the icles of the Land of Fire says." A murmured. "And—perhaps there's a misuanding. I'll have Mabui iigate."

  "Raikage-sama, what are your orders?"

  "No a for now. Iigate! Report back! Gather all avaible intel on Konoha's deployments before we retaliate! We 't afford a prolonged flict!"

  "Meeting adjourned."

  He turo Atsui. "Summon Mabui. Now."

  "Yes, Raikage-sama."

  …

  …

  "Still not giving in, Samui?"

  "Never! I will not betray Kumogakure."

  Samui, bound and gagged, strategically covered by bandages, gred at Gojo Kaigetsu.

  Then, her expression shifted. "What's going on? Mabui's asking why Konoha attacked the Land of Rice Paddies and the border towns."

  "Oh, that? A ninja on a mission isn't always bound by orders. Perhaps Fugaku and Hiashi had their own—ideas…"

  Seeing Samui's skeptical gaze, he quickly ged his story. "Tell Mabui this: Konoha's forces detected u in the border towns. To protect Kumogakure's is, they've taken trol, maintaining order on the Raikage's behalf."

  "It's purely a—precautionary measure. Ohe Raikage has resolved his—internal matters, we'll returowns to Kumogakure."

  "And the more—intehe flict, the more justifiable the Raikage's as. It's a win-win."

  "So, the lohis—skirmish sts, the better. But we should avoid—actual bloodshed. A few—demonstrations of force should suffice."

  "We o vihe vilgers that they're being protected, and the elders, the s, the other vilges—that a war is truly happening."

  War—it was a tool for spending money, but also for—printing it.

  A true, all-out war would cripple both sides' eies.

  But a trolled flict, a war of attrition, a battle of wits—it could actually be—beneficial.

  Increased military spending, rising wages, cessions, tralized power.

  While A was solidating his authority, he, Gojo Kaigetsu, was—well, let's just say he wasly losing money.

  Samui reyed his message, though she remained skeptical.

  "And the Land of Rice Paddies? That's not even part of the Land of Lightning. This is clearly an atta the Co-Prosperity Sphere."

  "Well—I suspect Hyuga Hiashi might have—defected."

  "?"

  "We didn't order that attack. We'll—iigate. And—take appropriate a. But we o—gather evidence first."

  "Is that so?" Samui felt a sense of déjà vu. Mabui had said something simir—But after—ret events, her memory was a bit hazy.

  But—the Hyuga Head attag another nation without orders?

  That seemed—absurd. Hadn't Konoha just purged the Hyuga ?

  "Of course!"

  "Perhaps the ret—i with the Hyuga made him resentful. He might have abandoned a few of his members aed, taking the rest to the Land of Rice Paddies to establish a new Hyuga vilge—perhaps calling it—Otogakure?"

  "But it was the Uchiha who attacked the Land of Rice Paddies."

  "ht. My mistake. But you get the gist."

  "After the iigation, we'll take a. Dismiss those responsible, withdraw our troops, returerritory—We won't take a single needle or thread from the Land of Rice Paddies."

  Gojo Kaigetsu omitted the rest, the usual excuses.

  "We would intervene, but Uchiha Fugaku is holding the vilgers hostage."

  "We could have done something, but it's too te now. The vilgers of the Land of Rice Paddies are cm for Konoha Green Cards."

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