Born in Sunagakure, dedicated to antagonizing Konoha for decades

"......"

Seeing Mitarashi Shishou's reaction, Hatake Sakumo was already used to his boss's actions, while the others rolled their eyes at him.

He's such a drama queen...

.......

"What the hell is that bastard Mizukage doing..."

In the Tsuchikage Building of Iwagakure, Onoki touched his shiny forehead, seemingly talking to himself, or perhaps asking his younger brother Mizuki, who was rumored to have an intelligence score of 95.

After returning from the Land of Rain, Onoki witnessed the strength and numerous allies of Konoha, which had developed over twenty years. He believed that with the Land of Rain nearly crippled, it would be risky for the three villages alone to fight Konoha. Therefore, he immediately sent a letter to the Land of Water, urging the Mizukage to put aside their hatred and join hands to confront Konoha. He promised to resolve the feud between the two villages later when they had more time.

242. Hanzang: Scholars are still the most reliable.

To be honest, he had referenced countless confessions written by people who had cheated on their wives in order to avoid splitting their assets with their wives, and he had incorporated them into his own writing. It was absolutely touching, and he wrote it while shedding tears. He thought that Mizukage couldn't possibly not be moved.

But the letter has been sent for so long, and like the messenger, it has disappeared without a trace. There has been no response from the Land of Water. Logically speaking, that should be completely impossible. Unless the Mizukage is heartless, it is impossible for him not to be moved.

With the Land of Water absent and the Land of Rain half-destroyed, and the other smaller countries currently engaged in constant fighting and chaos, Onoki felt a bit uneasy relying solely on the three great ninja villages. It wasn't a matter of high-level combat strength; Konoha indeed had many powerful ninja, and the terrifying aura unleashed by the girl that bastard Shiki was trying to seduce still sent chills down his spine.

If Tsunade has this level of combat power, then Orochimaru and Jiraiya, who are also disciples of Hiruzen Sarutobi, are probably not much different. In recent years, the younger generation of Konoha's "gambling, prostitution, and drugs" Sannin have indeed stood out. They are probably just lacking the opportunity to rise to the top. This time, in the war in the Land of Rain, Tsunade was not on the battlefield, so she did not make a name for herself.

In his view, there weren't many people in Konoha capable of ruling a region. Only White Fang and the legendary Sannin (often referred to as "Yellow Fang, Gambling, and Drugs") were truly remarkable. Adding Hiruzen Sarutobi would be a slight improvement. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio were too old, and the next generation hadn't yet matured, so they weren't worth considering. There was also a group of emerging forces who, while decent, weren't yet capable of becoming generals. As for the three great ninja villages—himself, the Raikage, the Kazekage, and Shiki—and perhaps the elderly Chiyo, who was at home taking care of her grandchildren, were also significant. As for Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law… although they had a history of fighting against the Ino-Shika-Cho trio and the Hyuga and Uchiha clans, this puppeteer couple had too many limitations. They needed hundreds of bodyguards as human shields, unlike the carefree Chiyo…

In terms of high-end combat power, they are fully capable of fighting Konoha. The main problem is their inferiority in core strength!

The battle in the Land of Rain showed him the strength of Konoha's core forces. Apart from the Uchiha who fought five against one, the others were almost all tough men who could take on two, three, or four at a time. In this respect, the three major villages were at a huge disadvantage!

Because of a lack of core strength, even with the combined numbers of the four villages in the Land of Rain equaling those of Konoha, plus that indiscriminately attacking bastard Shiki, the overall situation still leans towards Konoha's side. Therefore, in their subsequent individual battles, unless they mobilize the entire nation to wage war against Konoha, they have virtually no chance of winning. However, with the movements of the Land of Water unclear, no one dares to launch a full-scale attack on Konoha. Haven't they learned their lesson from the first war...?

"Lord Tsuchikage, could it be that the ANBU messenger encountered an accident, such as running into a group of sharks or hitting an iceberg? This season is indeed not suitable for going out to sea. Or perhaps that's why the Mizukage didn't have time to reply..."

Mizuki, standing next to Onoki, guessed.

Seeing the few hairs on his boss's head that were meticulously groomed, Mizuki worried that his boss's appearance was already not very good. Among the five Third Kage, he was in the last tier, and only his height could rival that of the Hokage. If he lost his hair, it would inevitably affect the overall image of Iwagakure. So he used his years of knowledge about navigation to analyze the situation for his boss.

"However, Tsuchikage, I believe that if we are to start a war with Konoha, it is better to do so sooner rather than later. It is true that we suffered some casualties in the battle of the Land of Rain, but Konoha suffered more casualties overall. If we drag this out for too long, it will be bad once Konoha recovers!"

After finishing the analysis, Shuimu continued.

"Snapped!"

"...You're right. Pass the word down and also send letters to Kumogakure, Sunagakure, and Amegakure. We Iwagakure will attack Konoha next spring. How we do it is up to them!"

Upon hearing what the leader said, Onoki slapped his thigh hard. He had been so focused on the Land of Water that he had almost forgotten about Konoha. Although everyone was currently recuperating, Konoha needed to recuperate even more than them. After all, they were facing a 1v4 situation. If they kept focusing on the Land of Water and didn't take action against Konoha, it would be even more difficult to deal with them once Konoha had recovered.

......

Onoki acted swiftly. After making the decision, he immediately relayed the news that they would take action next spring to the other three villages. Hanzo of the Salamander, who was gradually recovering, received the message from Onoki and immediately discussed it with his subordinates. The subordinates split into two groups. One group was the hot-tempered pro-war faction. In the battle against the Land of Rain, many of their relatives and friends had died under the swords of Konoha ninjas. Based on this deep-seated hatred, they were determined to continue fighting against Konoha.

On the other hand, the pro-peace faction, having already fought the battle in the Land of Rain, no longer has the strength to fight Konoha. They might as well take advantage of the major village battles to develop their strength in a lowly manner. Wasn't it precisely because Takigakure lost the Seven-Tails that they rose to power in recent years?

Hanzo, the salamander, watched the two sides exchanging barbs without saying a word, caught in a dilemma. He felt that both sides' underlings were right in their analysis. So many of their relatives and friends had been killed by Konoha ninjas. If they didn't avenge this blood feud, would they still be human?

This revenge must be taken!

However, one must also face reality. The remaining strength of their Rain Kingdom is indeed insufficient to support them in large-scale team battles. Under these circumstances, playing it safe and developing their strength is indeed a way out.

From a moral standpoint, the Salamander himself was inclined to lead his underlings in a fight against Konoha. After all, as the leader, if he didn't avenge his underlings, who would be willing to fight for him in the future? What would happen to his reputation as the greatest figure in the history of the Land of Rain?

However, what the other side said also made sense. If you don't have the strength, going to seek revenge is no different from sending yourself to your death. If you lose all your underlings, what kind of leader will you be?

"Lord Hanzo, after the last battle, our Land of Rain is already overburdened. If we continue the war with Konoha, the situation will only worsen. However, since Onoki has put it this way, it doesn't seem right for us not to intervene. Perhaps we should also join the fray and put pressure on Konoha. But let's not rush into battle yet. Let's observe the situation first. If Konoha can't withstand the attack of several villages, we can avenge our comrades. If Konoha can withstand the attack of several villages, then even if we go, it won't make a difference..."

Right there at the Salamander Fairy Jade, one of the underlings, wearing glasses and holding a book that looked like a military strategy, stepped forward and spoke. It was clear that this underling was of high status, and as soon as he came out, the two sides that were arguing immediately fell silent.

Hanzo, the salamander, was also amazed by his younger brother's idea!

Scholars are still the most reliable!

243. The Land of Lightning isn't far from the Land of Water.

Looking at this underling who couldn't fight, but was definitely the most cultured in their Land of Rain, Sanshoku Hanzo was filled with satisfaction.

These days, it's hard for someone who's cultured but can't fight to rise to the top. When he pushed his younger brother to the top against all odds, he faced a lot of pressure. In the ninja world, after all, whoever has the biggest fist makes the rules. Having culture and brains alone isn't very useful. Take the two famous big-headed clans in the ninja world, the Nara clan and the Azabu clan, for example. If their fists weren't big enough, they wouldn't have survived that era of war. No matter how good the software is, if the hardware can't keep up, it's completely useless.

Therefore, a pure scholar like him can only go to the Daimyo's mansion and act as an entertainment star in front of the Daimyo. Moreover, it is difficult for him to get along well in the ninja world. However, he himself comes from a commoner background and only learned how to fight when he was young. He did not learn much real cultural knowledge. In the past, it was okay because he had to fight to rise in rank, so his fighting skills were enough.

But things were different when he took power. As the head of a country, the first thing he needed to do was lead his subordinates to develop steadily and positively in this chaotic ninja world. He, a commoner, didn't know how to do these things. It was at that time that he deeply realized the importance of talent. However, there were very few talents like Nara and Azabu in the entire ninja world. Iwagakure produced a legendary Mizuki with an intelligence of 95. Onoki treasured him. After all, people who are both literate and martial are too rare. However, the Land of Rain didn't need such talents. With his martial prowess, he could just find a top scholar in the humanities.

However, such people are not uncommon in other countries, but in their Rain Country, such talents are truly rare. It took him two or three years to find this talent.

Look at their method!

When the Iwa ninja attacked, they also launched a feigned attack to put pressure on Konoha. At the same time, the leader of the group also had a reputation for being loyal and avenging his younger brothers. If Konoha couldn't withstand the attacks from the other three villages, they could follow up and gain both fame and benefits.

If Konoha wins, it's because he wants to avenge his underlings, but his strength doesn't allow it. This won't do him any harm; on the contrary, it will make his underlings more united and cohesive. It's like killing four birds with one stone!

.......

"Azabu, what do you think of the news about Onoki? It's so frustrating that we've only had a six-month truce before we're fighting again!"

Unlike Hanzo's village, the Raikage's tower in Kumogakure wasn't like a bustling market. Although every village has its share of Shimura Danzos, Kumogakure was no exception. However, the Third Raikage was completely different from Hiruzen Sarutobi. The Third Hokage was known for his fiery temper and powerful fists. As soon as Onoki's news arrived in Kumogakure, the Third Raikage immediately gave each of the Shimura Danzos a Coke bottle and blasted them out of the Raikage's tower, leaving only his right and left hands, Tsuchida and Azaburo. However, when it came to using their brains, Tsuchida was practically useless, even less capable than him. For matters of national importance, Azaburo was the one to consult.

He was originally a peace-loving person, but after more than 20 years of development, the village is now stronger than ever before. He can't suppress the restless hearts of many young people, and the village is indeed overflowing with resources, just like Sunagakure and Iwagakure. There are too many subordinates and too few resources, so they simply can't support them.

Konoha is located in the center of the ninja world. Even though they know Konoha is very powerful, they still have to take a gamble. In addition, the Land of Rain has risen rapidly in recent years because of Hanzo of the Salamander, even faster than the Hidden Takigakure in its early days. Moreover, the Hidden Stone Village was the first to attack. It would be too embarrassing for the Cloud Village not to join in. So, whether for the sake of the village or for the sake of face, he and Azaburo studied for several nights before deciding to launch an attack on the Land of Rain. This would prevent those small villages and countries from causing them trouble and at the same time limit the development of the Land of Rain.

But they also lost a lot of men in the war against the Land of Rain. Tsuchida was hit by that little bastard Shiki and that violent woman Tsunade's fists the size of a cauldron, and he's still coughing up blood. From the war against the Land of Rain to next spring, it's only been about half a year, and they haven't even fully recovered yet. And that bastard Onoki is actually preparing to fight Konoha again. Does he remember that Iwagakure isn't as wealthy as Kumogakure...?

"...Lord Raikage, given the current situation, starting the war next spring is indeed a good choice. All villages suffered losses in the battle against the Land of Rain, but proportionally, Konoha's casualties are no less than the total of our villages combined. If we need to recuperate, Konoha needs more time than we do. So Onoki's choice to start the war next spring will allow our villages enough time to recover while also compressing Konoha's time. However... Kirigakure is still a cause for concern."

After a moment of silence, Azabu Big Head launched into a powerful analysis of the situation in each village. Since Kirigakure remained silent, an unknown X-factor, he, as the second-in-command, couldn't make a hasty decision. While the feud between Iwagakure and Kirigakure was deep, their Land of Lightning wasn't far from the Land of Water. If the winds were favorable, they could reach it in a week. Hozuki Gengetsu led a raid on the Land of Earth because of a grudge against the Second Tsuchikage, Mu. The current Third Mizukage had no such grudge against Onoki, and the same tactic couldn't be used twice. Who knew if the Third Mizukage would sneak in and raid their village while they were fighting Konoha?

So, after giving the Raikage a strong analysis, Azabu looked at him and said, "You're the one in charge. Whether we fight or not is your decision..."

"...What the hell is that bastard Mizukage up to! He won't attack, he hasn't even uttered a sound, it's infuriating!...Pass the word down, we're going to attack Konoha next spring!"

After hearing his strategist's analysis, the Raikage scratched his head and berated the Mizukage, who had been slapped into a meat sandwich by Madara. Just like the analysis by Azaburo, if Kirigakure made any moves, it would be fine. Even if they came to steal from his Land of Lightning, he would just take precautions before fighting Konoha. The war has gone on for so long that the Land of Water seems to have no intention of getting involved in this war, but who can be sure that they won't take advantage of the situation?

After all, the Land of Water was already very experienced in this kind of thing. Even when they stole the tower from the Land of Earth, they copied and pasted from their methods. To fight Konoha head-on, they had to go all out. But damn it, he really didn't dare go all out now. If his home base was really stolen, all his efforts over the past twenty years would be wasted. However, considering that even that short, red-nosed Onoki had the guts to go all in, he had no reason not to follow suit!

244. Handsome Scorpion and his brother-in-law have become friends.

"...Speak, what exactly does Sunagakure want?"

In the grand mansion of the Miyako clan in Sunagakure, Sakumo Hatake watched as their crown prince and Sunagakure's handsome imperial grandson were having a heated discussion not far away about whether Chiyo's version of the Smiling Half-Step Madness Ultimate 2.0 was more powerful or Sasori's version of the Rain of Pear Blossom Needles 3.0 was more awesome. He rolled his dead fish eyes and said to Shinto beside him.

After receiving the mission to scout out Sunagakure from Konoha, Hatake Sakumo rushed to Sunagakure without stopping. He was very familiar with Sunagakure, visiting it two or three times a year on average. Unlike Orochimaru and his group, who would infiltrate enemy villages and then wander around looking around, Sakumo had a clear objective. Upon arriving in Sunagakure, he went straight for the Miyako clan. As the saying goes, love me, love my dog. Since Shiki wanted to flirt with Tsunade, he certainly wouldn't hand Nawaki over to a dark place like the Anbu. It was safest to keep such a living person by his side.

When he arrived at the Miyako clan, Shindou was already waiting for him at the door. After all, the presence of a Kage-level expert in Sunagakure was like a beacon in the night under his Observation Haki; it was hard not to notice.

Upon arriving at the Miyako clan, Hatake Sakumo immediately spotted their long-awaited crown prince. The boy seemed completely unaware of his current predicament, playing house with the Golden Lion's nephew, the grandson of the Sunagakure emperor... Hatake Sakumo was utterly exasperated by this audacity.

"Look at what you're saying! Do you think I'm the kind of person who only cares about profit? I'm his future brother-in-law, after all. Besides, this kid wasn't recruited by Sunagakure. He accidentally revealed his identity on the battlefield and got captured by some Iwa ninja. If it weren't for my chance encounter with those Iwa ninja carrying a huge sack and acting suspiciously, and my sense of justice got the better of me, I would have stopped them. This brat would have been sold to that old black slave by Onoki by now. You know, the bloodline of Hashirama Senju is worth far more than your Hokage! My aunt's cousin's third aunt's husband's grandson even raised the village flag to save this kid..."

When the topic turned to Hatake Sakumo, Masato immediately shifted the blame to Onoki and began to recount the "crime scene" with tears streaming down his face. To make the story more vivid and heartwarming, he even managed to squeeze out a few tears.

"...Then I'll take the rope tree with me now."

Sakumo Hatake didn't have time to argue with him. Didn't this guy only have two brothers in his father's generation? When did he suddenly get an aunt? Can't his stories be a little more realistic...? ヽ(ー_ー)ノ

"From my personal perspective, he's my future brother-in-law, so I don't really care. But... Sunagawa and Ebizo are leading a huge group of ANBU to attack. Are you sure you can lead this good-for-nothing through a massive army seven times over? Besides... I doubt he'd be willing to go back with you. Look how well he gets along with my nephew; he's even planning to become a puppeteer..."

Shindou shrugged nonchalantly, saying that he could indeed sense Sunagawa and Ebizo rushing towards him with a group of ANBU members through his Observation Haki. Their purpose was obvious: Konoha's White Fang had come to Sunagakure. It would be strange if Sunagawa and Ebizo weren't nervous.

And for some reason, no matter how much Sasori teased him before, Sasori always acted aloof and indifferent. This is probably a common problem among geniuses in the Naruto world. But surprisingly, Sasori doesn't resist Nawaki's carefree attitude and even gets along quite well with him. Although Nawaki is often looked down upon by Sasori, their relationship does seem to be at the stage of friendship.

The turn of events surprised them all. Ever since Masato analyzed the child's psychological development for Chiyo, Chiyo had taken it very seriously. She even convened a family meeting that very night to discuss Sasori's psychological issues. After recounting Masato's analysis at the meeting, she received the approval of Ebizo and Sasori's parents. After all, they were indeed somewhat worried about the child's personality. However, given Jie and Yusaori's appalling success rate, even with the help of Konoha's White Fang purchasing Nara clan's powerful tonics, there was still a possibility that their lives would be in danger if they tried to create another younger sibling for Sasori. Moreover, it was wartime, and they couldn't leave the puppet troops. It was already a miracle if they could get home on time every day. Besides, there was always an age gap between them and their son.

Just as Masato had said, Chiyo took Sasori out to the park every day, hoping to integrate him into the group of children. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Sasori was handsome and popular, but this criminal genius, who had been taken to the Kazekage Tower by Chiyo at the age of three and even offered his opinions, had absolutely no interest in the little kids' ninja pretend games. The key point was that the ninja pretend games the little kids played were role-playing games, with one person playing Konoha's White Fang and the other playing Golden Lion, and then the two of them fighting. Sasori, who was completely uninterested in playing his own stupid uncle, played with the little kids for less than two minutes before giving up and going home to continue studying his puppets.

In the entire Sand Village, Sasori is the only one who can study puppets at the age of three or four. There is simply no other child of his age who can share the same language with him. Even if they are not of the same age, there are no children older than him who can study and discuss with him. They just don't have that ability!

Moreover, handsome Scorpion has a sharp and sarcastic tongue. Two cousins ​​that Chiyo brought from her family were supposed to be his cousins ​​by seniority, but after being looked down upon by him, they felt so inferior that night that they attempted suicide by swallowing pesticide. Fortunately, they were discovered in time.

Therefore, to be friends with Handsome Scorpion, you not only need to have the ability to have a direct conversation with him about puppetry, but you also need to have a strong mental fortitude so that you won't be affected by Handsome Scorpion's sharp and sarcastic mouth.

But the prestigious Sunagakure simply doesn't have such talent!

While Rope Tree might lack natural talent, his years of being constantly beaten by his older sister have forged an incredibly resilient mentality. He's reached a point where he's completely unfazed by her strength. However, no matter how much Handsome Scorpion belittles Rope Tree during their discussion, it has absolutely no effect on him. Compared to his sister's punches, Handsome Scorpion's words are utterly ineffective...

Or perhaps it was because they were both the crown princes of their own villages that they gradually developed some common ground. Also, it's unclear whether Nawaki was poisoned by Ishii back then or whether he was infected by Orochimaru after spending so much time with him. He had little interest in puppetry but was particularly fond of the subjects of poison making and hidden weapons.

Every day, he would pester Sasori to discuss and research with him. Having also learned some basics from Orochimaru, he did indeed find common ground with Sasori in this area. Most importantly, he could withstand the barrage of Sasori's sharp tongue. And so, before long, the Crown Prince and the Crown Prince of Konoha truly became friends!

245. Of course, Sakumo Hatake knows how to conduct himself.

Given Nawaki's current obsession with alchemy... ugh! poison-making, it'd be incredibly difficult to bring him back to Konoha. Besides, Nawaki mentioned he sneaked out; if that kid went back, Tsunade would beat him to a pulp...

"I'm not going back! My older sister must be furious right now. She'll definitely beat me to death if I go back. Future brother-in-law, you won't abandon me, will you...?^?)"

Sure enough, when Sakumo Hatake interrupted their discussion and told Nawaki he would take him back to Konoha, Nawaki immediately pounced on Masato's leg, tears and snot streaming down his face, as if he was repeatedly imagining himself being beaten up by an enraged Tsunade.

"Damn it! Get out of my way, I just changed my pants! (▼へ▼メ)"

After kicking Nawaki, who was clinging to his leg and wiping his tears and snot all over his pants, aside, Masato shrugged at Hatake Sakumo, as if to say, "See? This kid has been bullied too badly. If he could get a spot, he would probably apply for a green card without hesitation."

"...Nawaki, be good. Lady Mito doesn't have much time left. I promise Tsunade won't beat you up again when we get back...right?"

Hatake Sakumo also had a dark expression on his face. Looking at Nawaki, who was crying his eyes out when he thought of his sister, he couldn't help but sigh. It was true that the child was a bit pitiful. He had been beaten up by his older sister since he was a child. If it weren't for the strong vitality of the Senju clan, Tsunade's fists would have turned him into an idiot after so many years.

Actually, seeing that Rope Tree didn't receive the inhuman treatment he had imagined, perhaps it would be good to keep him here for a while. Although the things he talked about with Golden Lion's nephew were all unorthodox methods, it was still a skill, wasn't it?

It's better than before when he learned a bunch of things but ended up doing nothing properly; at least now he's interested in poison making and the puppeteer's hidden weapons...

However, it wouldn't matter in peacetime, but now it's wartime. It's dangerous for this kid to stay in Sunagakure. After all, Konoha killed so many people from Sunagakure. He can't stay by Shiki's side all the time. What if he gets ambushed by the Sunagakure ninja?

"Huh? Mito Uzumaki can't hold on? What about your Nine-Tails? Could that little girl you took away back then withstand the Nine-Tails? (⊙_⊙)?"

Upon hearing Hatake Sakumo's words, Shinto feigned curiosity and asked, "I really don't know exactly when Mito Uzumaki died, but after hearing what Hatake Sakumo said, I guess it's been about a year or two. At that time, the last top-tier account that survived the war years will also exit the stage of history."

"That child's sealing technique has improved rapidly in the past two years."

Sakumo Hatake had nothing to hide. Back then, many people in the Land of Whirlpools saw him leave with a little girl. It was common knowledge in the ninja world that the Uzumaki clan was the standard for the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Anyone with a brain could guess that. As long as they didn't leave Konoha, it didn't matter if they knew who the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was. Konoha had that kind of confidence.

Shindou nodded knowingly. The Senju clan seemed to be in a better situation than in the original story. It wasn't like the original story where only the three of them remained. There were still some Senju clan members, but not many. Although he didn't count them in the Land of Rain last time, he estimated there were only about a hundred people. He guessed that the Senju clan was wiped out during World War II. After all, the Senju clan was always a prime target wherever they went. Who could blame them for their reputation? Now that they were in decline, it would be strange not to kick them while they were down.

"White Fang, this is our Sunagakure. It's not appropriate for you to come and go as you please."