"Lord Raikage, something terrible has happened!"
The head of intelligence for Kumogakure burst into the Third Raikage's office, his face filled with panic. In his urgency, he didn't even think to knock.
"Akatsuki has announced its surrender to Konoha!"
The news struck the Third Raikage like a boulder crashing into a calm lake, sending waves of shock through his mind.
"What?"
"Say that again."
He shot to his feet, his mind going blank for a moment, unable to believe what he had just heard.
"It's absolutely true."
"Akatsukikage Yahiko has already departed for Konoha."
The intelligence officer, his hands trembling, handed over the letter he had brought as proof.
"How could this happen?"
"It's over… everything's over."
The Third Raikage took the letter and read it before sinking back into his chair, his expression dazed.
His mood, already sour from his earlier confrontation with the Daimyō, had now hit rock bottom.
He knew exactly what Akatsuki's surrender meant for the Land of Lightning.
Konoha already controlled most of the ninja world. Unification was within reach.
Would Tsunade let such an opportunity slip away?
Absolutely not!!!
If he were in her position, he would reignite the flames of war without hesitation.
And when that happened, the Land of Lightning and the Land of Wind would be the first to suffer.
The Land of Wind wasn't his concern, but the Land of Lightning was his home, his responsibility.
These thoughts crashed over him like an unstoppable tide.
"We're still unclear on the exact reason behind Akatsuki's surrender," the intelligence officer continued.
"But based on our reports, it seems they were given certain promises during their dealings with Konoha."
"Or perhaps they simply recognized Konoha's overwhelming strength and decided it was wiser to align with them."
The officer had no idea what the Third Raikage was thinking right now, but he wiped the sweat from his forehead and answered as carefully as he could.
"Ridiculous!!!"
"Absurd!!!"
The Third Raikage's roar shook the office, his fury boiling over.
His brow furrowed into deep creases, and the muscles in his face twitched with barely restrained anger.
Did they really expect him to believe such nonsense?
Anyone with half a brain could tell—there was no way Akatsuki would surrender without a fight.
There was only one possible explanation for this: Konoha and Akatsuki had been colluding from the very beginning.
No—Akatsuki must have been created under Konoha's directive.
Now that he had calmed down enough to think clearly, all the pieces started to fall into place.
If Akatsuki had always been part of Konoha's plans, everything suddenly made sense.
They had feigned an alliance with Kumogakure to attack the Land of Earth, even initiating the war themselves, just to drag Konoha into the conflict.
They were terrified that Kumogakure might hesitate to attack the Land of Earth!
Then there was Nawaki Senju—failing time and again against his son and Killer Bee. At the time, it had seemed like incompetence, but now…
Now, it was obvious. Konoha had deliberately allowed Kumogakure to retain its strength, just enough to keep the Land of Earth occupied.
And to think he had mocked Nawaki back then, calling him strong but incapable of wielding his power properly.
In the end, it was he who had been the fool.
Once Akatsuki and Konoha had pulled out of the Land of Earth, Kumogakure had been left looking like a complete joke.
Their usefulness was gone, so they had simply been discarded.
As realization dawned, the Third Raikage's fury burned hotter.
Especially when he recalled how he had approached Akatsuki for an alliance—how he had even handed over a Tailed Beast to them.
He wanted to slap himself. Hard.
Not only had he gained nothing, but he had also been played like a fool.
A surge of rage clogged his throat, his breath hitching—he nearly passed out on the spot.
"Lord Raikage! Lord Raikage!"
"Are you alright?!"
The intelligence officer paled as the Third Raikage's face turned ashen, his breathing sharp and erratic.
In a panic, he rushed to his leader's side, his eyes filled with concern.
If something happened to the Third Raikage now, what would become of Kumogakure?
"Hah… hah…"
"I'm fine."
After taking several deep breaths, the Third Raikage finally steadied himself enough to speak.
"That's… that's good."
The intelligence officer clutched his chest, still shaken. He didn't dare bring up Akatsuki again for the moment.
Just as he was struggling to find the right words, the Third Raikage stood and walked to the window, gazing out into the distance.
Akatsuki's surrender to Konoha was a done deal. Nothing could change that.
What came next…
What came next was Konoha's inevitable attack.
No—he wouldn't just be facing Konoha.
He would be facing Konoha and Akatsuki together.
Kumogakure had barely recovered from the war in the Land of Earth, and now this.
The Third Raikage's brow remained tightly knit, but his eyes…
His eyes were filled with steely determination.
"Call a high-level meeting immediately. We need to discuss how to respond to this."
Turning around, the Third Raikage gave his orders to the intelligence chief.
"Yes, Lord Raikage."
The intelligence chief quickly departed, leaving the Third Raikage alone in his office.
His resolve was set—no matter what, he would fight for Kumogakure's future.
Even if the road ahead was filled with fire and blades, he had no choice but to charge forward.
As for surrender? That word did not exist in his vocabulary.
...
Half an hour later, the combat meeting room in the Raikage Building was packed.
The heavy doors creaked open, and the room instantly fell silent.
The Third Raikage strode in, his steps slow and weighted, each one carrying an invisible pressure.
A moment ago, the room had been filled with murmuring voices, but now, it was as if a mute button had been pressed.
The gathered high-ranking officials of Kumogakure all stood up in unison, bowing respectfully.
"Lord Raikage."
Their voices echoed in the chamber, synchronized and firm.
"Sit."
The Third Raikage gestured with a slight press of his hand as he made his way to the head seat, his gaze unwavering.
The tension in the room thickened immediately.
The oppressive aura surrounding him was suffocating, like a dormant volcano on the verge of eruption.
No one dared to move carelessly. They sat stiffly, holding their breath, waiting for him to speak.
"I just received news."
"Akatsukikage has surrendered to Konoha."
"Akatsukikage Yahiko is already on his way there."
"What do you all have to say about this?"
The Third Raikage's fingers tapped rhythmically against the conference table, the dull sound echoing ominously.
"Shameless Akatsuki!"
"Spineless cowards!"
"We should send someone to eliminate him on the way."
...
Various voices erupted, each angrier than the last, but none of them offered a real solution.
The Third Raikage listened, his patience wearing thin.
Idiots.
They were hopeless.
Only a few of the more seasoned Kumo elders remained silent, their expressions calm, as if they had already grasped the full picture.
"Enough."
His sharp command cut through the noise like a blade, restoring silence in an instant.
"Spouting nonsense won't change anything."
"There is only one path before us now."
"As soon as Tsunade and Yahiko sign the surrender agreement, their forces will be marching to our doorstep within days."
"When that happens, our only option is to fight."
"Rid yourselves of any false hope."
"Prepare to sacrifice everything."
"Including me."
At first, he had considered discussing strategies, but seeing the state of his subordinates, he abandoned the idea. This was no longer a debate. It was an order.
"Yes!"
"Understood!"
"Crystal clear!"
The Third Raikage surveyed the room, and despite the grim situation, he found some comfort in one fact—
Kumogakure had no cowards.