Kakuzu was a well-known figure in the shinobi world. He hadn't made any effort to conceal his movements this time, so news of his presence quickly spread. Coincidentally, this stretch of sea was very close to the Land of the Moon, which meant both the Hokage and the Raikage had shown up.
"They harbored ill intentions and got themselves killed by Konoha. If they were weaker, who can they blame?"
The Fourth Raikage, A, felt a bit embarrassed upon hearing this.
"Back in the day, our First Raikage was taken out in a single move by the Hyuga Clan's head. Even to this day, that humiliation lingers in our hearts."
"So now you're targeting Hyuga Hinata?"
"Exactly!" The Fourth Raikage clenched his fists. "In this world, strength determines everything. On the battlefield, there is no right or wrong—only life and death. If we can obtain that power, our village will grow stronger, and we'll be able to better protect ourselves from external threats!"
After hearing the Raikage's reasoning, Kakuzu clicked his tongue. It made sense—he couldn't argue against it.
"Then what are you waiting for? Gather the forces of Kumogakure, invade Konoha, and surround the Hyuga Clan. If you want the Byakugan, you can take as many pairs as you need."
The Fourth Raikage's expression stiffened at Kakuzu's suggestion.
"So many of our envoys have died. If I don't take action, I can't justify it to the villagers or the families of the fallen shinobi. But if we go to war now, even more people will lose their fathers, sons, and comrades..."
Kakuzu shot him a sideways glance. When it came down to it, this brute wanted to fight but didn't have the guts to fully commit.
As for Konoha's stance, Kakuzu had already guessed most of it. Sakumo Hatake wouldn't be able to swallow this insult, but at the same time, he wasn't one to recklessly start a war. More importantly, Konoha wasn't a monolithic entity—there were different voices within it. It was obvious that Hiruzen Sarutobi had likely given one of his signature speeches about the "greater good."
Now, with both village leaders coming to see Kakuzu, their intentions were clear—they wanted him to act as a mediator.
And that was a massive headache.
Kakuzu pressed his thumb against his temple. He had no interest in getting involved, yet both of these guys were treating him like an elder to be respected. What a hassle.
"A."
"Kakuzu-sama, I'm here."
"I have a plan that will not only prevent war with Konoha but also allow you of Kumogakure to access the power of the Byakugan."
A's eyes lit up, thinking that Kakuzu was siding with them.
"Kakuzu-sama, what is this plan?"
Kakuzu lowered his hand and opened his eyes to look at A.
"From today onward, Kumogakure and Konoha should merge into one nation, one village. That way, your people can freely seek out Byakugan-wielding companions."
"What?!"
The Fourth Raikage nearly jumped out of his seat. Impossible—absolutely impossible! The hatred between Kumogakure and Konoha ran too deep. The idea of merging the two villages was utterly ridiculous.
Seeing A's indignant expression, Kakuzu simply chuckled.
"You young people... so proud and stubborn. You want to accomplish great things, yet you refuse to let go of past grudges. Mark my words—you'll look back at this conversation one day and realize how laughable your stance was."
Perhaps A would never have imagined that, in the future, some of their own from Kumogakure would marry into Konoha and even give birth to a strong daughter.
Well, stubborn old mindsets would eventually be shattered by Boruto's generation.
"Fine. Since you're so unwilling, I'll play the role of mediator. Come with me to Konoha."
"G-Go to Konoha?" A shuddered.
Kakuzu glanced at him. "What? You think you'll be in danger with me around?"
"No, no...!"
...
A few days later, in Konoha's high-level strategy meeting room, the shinobi of Konoha and Kumogakure sat facing each other. The tension in the air was palpable.
"It was your people from Kumogakure who harbored ill intentions. That's why our shinobi had to kill them."
"And what about the twenty-five lives we lost?! You killed our envoys, yet you still expect peace talks?"
"The three survivors will be returned to Kumogakure. As for the twenty-plus who died, Konoha is willing to offer financial compensation—but if you're asking for lives in return, that's out of the question."
"What?! Are you saying my comrades' lives are only worth a pile of money to you?"
...
As the argument dragged on, Kakuzu, who had been sitting on the sidelines, finally lost his patience and knocked on the table.
"Hey, at this rate, you might as well drop the negotiations and settle it on the battlefield. One fight to determine the victor—whoever wins gets their way, and that's the end of it."
Silence filled the room.
The Third Shinobi World War had seen Konoha fighting a four-front battle, and while they had emerged victorious, the cost had been steep. Kumogakure had suffered as well—not only had they lost their Third Raikage, but they had also failed to defeat Konoha. If another war broke out now, both villages would weaken further, making it easier for the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind to take advantage.
War?
Aside from a few hawks within both factions, the majority remained silent, contemplating the weight of that possibility.
"Kakuzu-sama, what do you think we should do? As a representative of Konohagakure, I am willing to heed your opinion."
Hatake Sakumo spoke these words in front of everyone. Some harbored doubts in their hearts, but those present who had the authority to speak were not among them. After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Namikaze Minato, and the others had all turned their gazes toward Kakuzu.
"Kakuzu-sama, please ensure a fair resolution. On behalf of Kumogakure, I am also willing to entrust this matter entirely to you," said A as he stood up. His words carried the weight of Kumogakure itself, and no one dared to question them.
"Hmm... since that is the case..." Kakuzu closed his eyes, deep in thought, tapping the table rhythmically as he deliberated.
...
A week later, Kakuzu was preparing to leave Konohagakure. Accompanying him was a young girl, no more than three or four years old. She looked around in confusion, her small hand held firmly by Kakuzu. The most striking feature about her was a pair of pure white eyes.
Her name was Hyuga Hinata.
Neither Konohagakure nor Kumogakure wanted war, but neither side was willing to accept defeat outright. Kumogakure refused to bow their heads because too many of their shinobi had perished in the conflict. They needed Konohagakure to suffer some form of loss as well to feel a sense of balance.
Would they demand Hyuga Hizashi's life, as had happened in the original timeline? Given Hatake Sakumo's unwavering sense of honor, he would never agree to such a thing. Besides, in the original timeline, only a single Kumogakure shinobi had died. This time, however, over twenty of their ninja had perished. The life of one Hyuga Hizashi would hardly be enough to settle the score.
Since Kumogakure's target this time was Hyuga Hinata, then let Kakuzu take her. That way, both sides could reach a psychological equilibrium. An immediate non-aggression pact was signed, ushering in a genuine period of peace between the two villages.
As for another key figure in this event—Hyuga Hiashi—whether he was willing to hand over Hinata or not was of no concern to Kakuzu.
Hiruzen, this is your problem now.
Understood.
Sarutobi Hiruzen made his way to Hyuga Hiashi.
"Hiashi, this is all for the sake of Konohagakure."
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
Fanfic is finished on Patreon (262 chapters in total.)
Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)