"Kakuzu-sama, is our Mizukage really under genjutsu control?" The lively and youthful Terumi Mei blinked her large eyes as she asked.
"Most likely, yes. But I won't be lending a hand to solve this problem. That's something you people from Kirigakure need to handle on your own," Kakuzu replied indifferently.
A mere Yagura Karatachi—what difference did he make, even with Obito involved? Kakuzu simply had no real interest in the matter.
"That makes sense. This is an internal affair of Kirigakure. Still, it's ridiculous how this kind of thing keeps happening over and over. It makes us look like a joke to the other villages. My grandmother sent me to train under you, Kakuzu-sama. Perhaps she hoped I would one day put an end to these farces myself." Terumi Mei pondered for a moment before arriving at her own conclusion.
Kakuzu chuckled and gave her a casual head pat.
...
One year later, in the same waters off the Land of Water, Kakuzu and Terumi Mei returned.
With a nod from Kakuzu, Terumi Mei stepped forward and formed hand seals.
"Fivefold Lightning Water Dragon Jutsu!"
Five massive water dragons surged forth, each at least twice the size of an ordinary Water Dragon Bullet. Not only that, but the technique combined both Water and Lightning Release. As the jutsu was unleashed, enormous waves roared across the sea, crashing against the distant shore like relentless tsunamis.
"Kakuzu-sama, I didn't let you down, did I?" Terumi Mei turned around, winking playfully at him.
"Go on. This is your Kirigakure's issue—you should be able to handle it now."
Terumi Mei came from a noble family with a strong sense of duty. More importantly, she had inherited her grandmother Terumi Akiko's deep love for her village. This made it inevitable that they would have to deal with the Fourth Mizukage in order to free Kirigakure from the Blood Mist's grasp.
"Do you still have what I gave you?"
"Of course, Kakuzu-sama. I've kept it safe." Terumi Mei reached into her robe and retrieved a kunai—the distinctive type used for the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"You haven't learned the technique itself, but you do understand the basics of infusing it with chakra. If you ever find yourself in danger, you know what to do, right?"
"Mhm! Kakuzu-sama, I understand!" She stuck out her tongue mischievously, assuring him that he had nothing to worry about.
Satisfied, Kakuzu watched as she left. He didn't depart immediately, instead, he decided to observe how this Blood Mist coup would unfold.
...
To his surprise, just a week later, a massive surge of energy erupted from the distance.
This kind of chakra fluctuation could only be caused by immensely powerful jutsu—perhaps something akin to Nagato's Outer Path: Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. There was another possibility, though: a large-scale war.
"Heh… Yagura Karatachi and Obito… Do they really warrant such a commotion?" Kakuzu's gaze sharpened as he activated his multi-eyed Byakugan to pinpoint the source.
What he saw made him frown.
"I finally get a chance to take a break, and trouble just comes knocking on my door again. Sigh…"
...
A few days later, a visitor arrived, finally explaining the situation.
"Lord Kakuzu, that's the gist of what happened. I still don't know whether what I did was right or wrong, but things have already spiraled out of control. Now, the border between our nations is packed with tens of thousands of troops. War with Kumogakure is inevitable, and I was just about to mobilize reinforcements when…"
"When you happened to run into me here," Hatake Sakumo concluded.
Kakuzu understood without needing him to finish his sentence.
Feeling slightly awkward, Sakumo scratched his head.
"Lord Kakuzu, do you think I handled this the right way…?"
"What do you think?" Kakuzu took a sip of tea, glancing at him.
This situation was not unfamiliar. In the original timeline, the Third Great Ninja War had technically ended. Konoha had signed peace treaties with Iwagakure and Sunagakure, but peace with Kumogakure had never been finalized. Skirmishes continued between the two sides.
By now, all major nations had ceased external warfare. Perhaps Konoha and Kumogakure both realized they couldn't keep fighting indefinitely. Thus, negotiations were arranged.
A delegation of twenty-eight emissaries from Kumogakure arrived in Konoha.
However, one of them had ulterior motives—attempting to abduct a Hyūga clan member and steal the Byakugan. The attempt was swiftly thwarted when Hyūga Hiashi struck the perpetrator down.
In the original timeline, Hiruzen Sarutobi had been in charge. Choosing compromise over conflict, he sacrificed Hyūga Hizashi to appease Kumogakure, ultimately defusing the crisis.
But now, things were different.
With Sakumo in command, he wasn't the type to meekly accept such treachery. He knew where the blame lay—Kumogakure bore the primary responsibility.
When Kumogakure protested, demanding Konoha surrender someone as retribution, tensions escalated. The Kumo emissaries even clashed with Konoha forces.
This time, however, Konoha was not weak. Sakumo was alive, and Namikaze Minato hadn't died either. With powerful shinobi standing guard, Konoha was no pushover.
When Kumogakure first initiated hostilities, the Konoha Police Force found itself ambushed. Of the twenty-eight emissaries, twenty-five were killed outright. By the time Sakumo arrived, that was the situation.
He didn't hesitate—he had the remaining three taken into custody.
With the total annihilation of Kumogakure's diplomatic team, peace talks collapsed entirely.
Konoha and Kumogakure then began massing troops along the border, preparing for war in the Land of the Moon.
...
"Lord Kakuzu…" Sakumo began, but his senses suddenly sharpened—someone was approaching.
After exchanging a glance with Kakuzu, he flickered away with the Body Flicker Technique.
Not long after—
Knock, knock, knock!
A loud series of knocks rattled the door.
"Come in."
Boom!
The inn's door was blasted open as someone stormed in.
"Could you at least enter like a normal person?" Kakuzu sighed, setting down his teacup with a trace of annoyance.
"Ah… My apologies, Kakuzu-sama." The Fourth Raikage rubbed the back of his head sheepishly before remembering his purpose for coming. Setting aside pleasantries, he got straight to the point.
"Kakuzu-sama, you must uphold justice for us! The people of Konoha have gone too far! They wiped out our entire delegation—we came for peace, yet they spat in our faces! This is outright disrespect to Kumogakure! I sensed your presence nearby, so I came to seek your counsel!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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