Konoha...
"What exactly is Danzo trying to do?" Sarutobi Hiruzen puffed on his tobacco pipe, frowning as he read the message Danzo had sent back.
The inauguration ceremony of that country was already over. Although the policy of not establishing a hidden village was strange...
It didn't pose any threat to Konoha, so why was Danzo still staying in the Land of Whirlpools?
Was he trying to stir up trouble?
Moreover, a country without a hidden village would never become a major power. Konoha wasn't like the Mist Village, a bunch of weaklings. Couldn't they just crush a small country like that?
"The Jinchūriki plan still needs..." Hiruzen sighed helplessly. Was this something the Hokage should be handling?
He was noble, righteous, the Hokage who brought hope to the village!
He absolutely could not afford to stain his reputation any further!
If Danzo didn't step up to... ahem, oversee the Jinchūriki plan, who else could?
This was a crucial matter for Konoha right now!
And then there was the Senju clan...
Did they even care about the village's peace and stability?
Why were they running around outside at a time like this?
"Someone!" Hiruzen put down his pipe and called out.
"Hokage-sama!" An ANBU operative suddenly appeared in the Hokage's office, bowing respectfully.
"Order Danzo to return immediately. He is not to cause any more trouble outside." Hiruzen said expressionlessly.
"Yes, Hokage-sama." The ANBU operative replied and vanished instantly.
"Sigh..." Watching the ANBU disappear, Hiruzen exhaled deeply. "A republican government? What exactly is that?"
The intelligence reports from the Land of Whirlpools made no sense to him. It was just a policy of not having a hidden village. But thirty years ago, wasn't that how the shinobi world used to be?
And what happened in the end?
Countries without hidden villages were all taught a lesson by those that had them!
The one-village-one-country system was established by Lord Hashirama himself, a system that ended the era of war. How could it be so easily changed?
Hiruzen pondered for a while but couldn't figure anything out. He sat back down and placed his hands on the crystal ball in front of him...
"Let's see what that blond kid is up to."
...
"First, gather chakra in your hand." Namikaze Minato's young face was tense as he stared intently at his right hand. "Then, release the chakra steadily and continuously, while making it flow in different directions..."
But...
Just as Minato rubbed his hands together, the chakra dispersed!
"Failed again!" Minato's face twisted in frustration. This jutsu called the "Rasengan" was the mysterious gift given to him by that red-haired boy...
It seemed like a very powerful technique, but...
After so long, he still hadn't succeeded.
"What should I do?" Minato fell into deep thought. Afraid that the Hokage might find out, he had been practicing in secret. The red-haired boy had told him not to tell anyone, and besides...
"My chakra reserves are still too low."
Minato lay on the ground, his hands injured from practicing the jutsu, so he could only rest them flat on the ground. But his heart was still racing. After all, this was a ninjutsu!
Especially for an orphan, learning ninjutsu was incredibly difficult!
"What should I do?" Minato stared blankly at the sky.
Who was that kid?
He hadn't seen him in the village at all. He really wanted to ask him what was going on!
Little did he know that Hiruzen had already witnessed this scene. After all, that kid from the Land of Whirlpools was a Kage! Any child he interacted with had to be thoroughly investigated.
But when Hiruzen discovered it was just a jutsu, he didn't interfere further. He merely observed occasionally when he had time, because...
Dedicated people were always admirable!
Especially a child!
"This jutsu..." Hiruzen frowned as he watched Minato practicing, but he couldn't make sense of it because...
Minato had never succeeded even once...
Still, Hiruzen didn't say anything. The shinobi world placed great importance on the secrecy of techniques, especially since this was a gift from another child. As the Hokage, he couldn't just take it or interrogate Minato about it...
He still had his dignity to uphold!
As long as Minato posed no threat to the Hokage and was a good kid who loved the village, that was enough.
And...
This child's dream was to become Hokage!
So Hiruzen didn't pay too much attention to it. But seeing the child train so diligently, he felt gratified. If everyone was like this, wouldn't the village prosper?
"Maybe he's a genius?" Hiruzen muttered to himself before chuckling and shaking his head. Geniuses weren't so easily found!
Opportunity, talent, and willpower were all indispensable for a genius!
Maybe this kid had strong willpower, but...
Growing into a true shinobi was never easy!
...
Iwagakure...
"Clan head, we..." A shinobi wearing the Iwa headband looked hesitantly at the middle-aged man before him.
"The ANBU came again. The Kamizuru clan is now..."
"Sigh..." The Kamizuru clan head sighed deeply. "Restrain our clansmen. Don't let them go out these days."
"Yes!" The Kamizuru shinobi replied.
"Iwagakure... Hah!" The clan head stared blankly at his forehead protector. As it turned out, that kid was right...
The Kamizuru clan was suffering in Iwagakure!
Now, all the other clans were ignoring the Kamizuru clan's plight due to the higher-ups' influence. Some were even trying to suppress them!
Especially the Third Tsuchikage...
Hah, how laughable!
The First Tsuchikage, Ishikawa, who founded Iwagakure, was from the Kamizuru clan...
And now?
Why was the Kamizuru clan being treated like this?
They had contributed to the village, shed blood for the village. Why... why were they being treated this way now?
"Clan head!" Another Kamizuru jonin suddenly entered, bowing respectfully. "The Tsuchikage has sent word. Due to the village's growing population, they need to reclaim the land on our mountain..."
"He also said that since the Kamizuru clan's numbers have dwindled, we won't be needing it..." The jonin spoke cautiously, watching his clan head's reaction.
But...
The Kamizuru clan head nodded slightly. "Tell the Tsuchikage that the land deed will be handed over later."
"Clan head!" The Kamizuru shinobi looked at his leader in shock. He had expected the clan head to outright refuse the Tsuchikage's order, because this was just...
Too much of a humiliation!
That land was where the Kamizuru clan thrived!
They needed it for their bee cultivation!
In all of Iwagakure, only that land could grow flowers and plants. If it was taken away...
What would become of the Kamizuru clan?
"Enough, leave!" The clan head cut him off sharply. "Do as I say!" But his tightly clenched fists betrayed his inner turmoil.
As the head of the Kamizuru clan, how could he possibly want this...
But now, it wasn't about what the Kamizuru clan wanted anymore, but...
Whether Iwagakure would let them off...
Watching the jonin leave, the clan head wore a bitter smile. Now...
What should he do?
The clan head lowered his gaze to a specially crafted kunai beside him, his heart torn...
Was this really the only way?
They were the Kamizuru clan of Iwagakure!