Startling news had spread across the ninja world, the Grass Village had masterfully deceived all five major ninja villages by staging a fabricated war with the Rain Village. This revelation sent shockwaves throughout the global ninja community.
Ninja villages from all corners of the world were left in utter disbelief at the audacity of the Grass Village's deception. Until then, it was widely believed that every village was deeply embroiled in the ongoing and devastating war, with even the five major ninja villages being drawn into the relentless chaos. Blood had been shed, and countless battles had raged on.
But, to everyone's bewilderment, the situation had taken a dramatic twist. This small village, nestled between two major nations, had orchestrated an entirely fictitious war with its neighbor, decieving all five major ninja villages. Wasn't it just reported that the Grass Village and the Rain Village were locked in brutal combat? Wasn't it confirmed that both sides had suffered grievous losses? Now, the whole ninja world was left questioning the truth.
Many ninjas, as they looked at their vests and gear, which they had purchased from the Land of Grass, were left feeling bewildered and resentful. They had endured the hardships of genuine warfare, while a small village, the Grass Village, had profited handsomely from this deceptive ploy.
Shortly thereafter, the Sand Village made a resolute announcement, declaring their intention to wage war against the Grass Village and demanding unconditional surrender. Their shamelessness knew no bounds as they unabashedly requested compensation tenfold the amount they had spent on equipment acquired from the Land of Grass. They justified this staggering demand by citing the losses they had incurred during the ongoing war.
It seemed that their primary motivation was a mix of frustration at the looming prospect of defeat in the war and the infuriating sight of their Grass Village neighbors reaping immense benefits. A sense of revenge and a desire for recompense had swiftly taken root within their hearts. Their village appeared to be in a state of turmoil, with companions heading off to the battlefield while witnessing the Grass Village profiting from the conflict, a feeling of vengeance and compensation firmly embedded in their minds.
In a similarly disheartened fashion, the Mist Village, as the war appeared increasingly futile and the enemy seemingly enjoyed undeserved gains, demanded compensation from the Grass Village. They accused the Grass Village of providing subpar equipment of inferior quality, which had led to substantial losses on their side. Many of their warriors, disheartened by the course of the war, were now seeking restitution due to their deep resentment over the Grass Village's untouched status in a time of conflict.
In a flash, the saga of the Grass Village outsmarting the five major ninja villages overshadowed even the events of the Three-Tails incident in the Mist Village and the battle at Kikyo Pass. The dynamics of the ninja world underwent yet another shift.
Much like the closing stages of the First Great Ninja War, the Grass Village had once again taken center stage. Had it not been for the intensity of the ongoing war and the pivotal battles consuming the five major ninja villages, it might have prompted a full-scale invasion.
However, the Leaf, the Stone, and the Cloud remained conspicuously silent. They either watched and observed, or perhaps they planned to communicate through force rather than words.
Regardless, this abrupt revelation had placed the Grass Village under the spotlight, causing internal unease for Mubuki. After years of selling information, he had never anticipated the day when he would sell a world-altering secret about his own ninja village.
Indeed, he was the one responsible for leaking this information, and the customers who had seen the report were left stunned. Had the information not explicitly outlined the Grass Village's plot to stage a fake war, they might have questioned whether they were being fed false intelligence by the Land of Grass once again. This small ninja village had certainly stirred quite a commotion.
"Leader, I'm afraid this time we may be facing a real crisis," Mubuki voiced his concerns with a hint of hesitation. "Even during the exposure of the fake intelligence incident in the First Great Ninja War, it wasn't this severe. Perhaps we should consider going into hiding."
In that earlier instance, they had only destroyed a village and a nation. However, the present circumstances hinted at the possibility of multiple attacks on Grass Village, with the intention, perhaps, of eradicating every last Grass ninja.
Nonetheless, Akihiko offered a calming perspective. "Don't panic so much," he reassured Mubuki. "It's not as dire as you imagine."
In truth, the war had persisted for some time, and the five major ninja villages were, in reality, no longer keen on continuing the conflict. And That's Exactly what happened in the orginal timeline.
In the original future, the ultimate outcome of the war was that Konoha, which had tenaciously withstood the onslaught from the Four Great Ninja Villages, opted for a compromise in pursuit of peace.
Recognizing the futility of further conflict and the absence of any tangible gains from pressing on, the Four Great Ninja Villages chose to halt the war, effectively marking the conclusion of the Third Great Ninja War.
It wasn't until Konoha plunged into chaos following the Nine-Tails incident that Iwa Village and Kumo Village once again initiated hostilities against them. Nevertheless, these conflicts remained relatively small in scale.
Shortly after, Hiruzen Sarutobi decided to abandon the intelligence orchestrated by Danzo to incite discord with Iwa Village, instead opting for diplomatic negotiations to secure peace. As for Kumo Village, despite the Hyuga incident, they too reached an agreement, putting an end to hostilities.
On the other front, Suna Village and Kiri Village, which had been locked in combat since the Third Ninja War, continued to engage in minor skirmishes. Eventually, Suna Village chose to concede in the pursuit of peace, ending the war by relinquishing their hero.
In essence, the three wars had inflicted deep wounds. None of the Five Great Ninja Villages harbored any interest in prolonging the conflicts, and the Four Great Ninja Villages had originally targeted Konoha to reap benefits.
As a result, rather than waiting for the wars to conclude and potentially face reprisals from the Five Great Ninja Villages, seizing this opportunity seemed the wiser course of action. The five major ninja villages were currently embroiled in critical battles, rendering them unable to allocate significant resources for a pursuit of the Land of Grass.
"Prepare for strong defenses throughout the Land of Grass and be ready to mobilize personnel here," Akihiko issued a concise order before heaved a sigh. "I'll have a conversation with Hanzo later."
As soon as Akihiko spoke, Hanzo, his expression marked by anxiety, burst into the room without even the courtesy of knocking on the door. He promptly delivered the concerning news, "The secrets of the Grass Village and the Rain Village have been exposed!"
His eyes, concealed by his mask, bore the gravity of the situation as he continued, "I suspect this is the handiwork of Danzo, who covertly leaked the information. He truly lives up to his reputation as the right-hand man to Konoha's Hokage. Even without great power, we mustn't underestimate someone who lacks ninja ethics."
In a tone tinged with frustration and anger, Hanzo added, "I thought I had thoroughly cleaned up the battlefield at that time, but somehow we were still uncovered. It's a testament to the skill of Konoha's ANBU ninja, who hail from the strongest ninja village."
Danzo might have secretly dispatched this information, either before his capture or through his contacts within the ANBU's covert communication network. Alternatively, they could have intercepted the concealed messages Danzo had dispatched.
However, as Hanzo spoke, he seemed to detect a shift in their demeanor. He glanced between them, sensing their intense scrutiny, and couldn't help but grow suspicious. "What's the matter with you two? Did I say something incorrect?"
The two shared a silent exchange before redirecting their gaze toward Hanzo, who had seemingly constructed a rather absurd rationale to explain the information leak.
A heavy sigh escaped Akihiko's lips, conveying a sense of the gravity of the situation. He spoke with a solemn tone, "It's truly disconcerting that information was compromised even under these dire circumstances. He is indeed fearsome, living up to his reputation as the darkness of Konoha."
"Exactly as the leader stated," Mubuki chimed in, matching the serious tone and sighing in agreement.
For a brief moment, Hanzo, who had been closely associated with this group for some time, felt that something was amiss. He regarded them with suspicion and questioned, "Is there something you're not telling me?"
"How could that be?" they responded with feigned innocence. "Or do you believe that we, the ninja of the Grass Village, would betray our own village and abandon our principles by selling information? This is nothing more than a plot by Konoha!"
"Impossible, absolutely impossible!" Akihiko interlocked his fingers, resting them beneath his chin, assuming a grave expression. He then addressed Hanzo, "Hanzo, it's fortunate you've arrived. There's an important matter we need to discuss."
Akihiko directed his gaze at Hanzo, his eyes filled with seriousness. "Do you yearn for peace?"
For a brief moment, Hanzo found himself taken aback by the sudden question, struggling to see the connection to their current situation.
"If you seek peace, this presents an opportunity for the Land of Rain!" Akihiko's words fell heavily.
The mention of peace in the Land of Rain left Hanzo deeply shaken. His expression grew somber as he regarded Akihiko, inquiring, "Grass Village Leader, what do you propose?"
Seeing Hanzo's interest piqued, Akihiko laid out his proposition, "Declare war once more against the five major ninja villages."
Hanzo's look of seriousness morphed into one of disbelief. "You're not attempting to incite turmoil within the Land of Rain, are you?"
Akihiko chuckled, dismissing Hanzo's concern. "Haha, of course not. We are allies, after all."
Hanzo, still puzzled, questioned, "Does this plan have any bearing on the Grass Village's strategy?"
"...Even if you may doubt the Grass Village, I hope you can trust me as the leader of the Grass Village," Akihiko assured without delving into further details.
"You're quite the adept deceiver, though," Hanzo remarked with an eye roll, well aware of Akihiko's penchant for deception.
Akihiko found himself momentarily speechless, Hanzo's comment hitting home. But regardless of his response, Hanzo remained skeptical. Just as Akihiko prepared to offer further persuasion, something in Hanzo's demeanor shifted. Hanzo's serious gaze bore into Akihiko as he posed a critical question, "I have just one question, Leader Akihiko, and I hope you'll answer it honestly."
Akihiko was taken aback by the abrupt change in Hanzo's tone.
"Leader Akihiko, this time... are you considering deceiving me or deceiving the Land of Rain?" Hanzo asked with the utmost seriousness.
The question lingered heavily in the air, and Akihiko, acutely aware of the gravity of the moment, took a moment to contemplate his response. He eventually sighed and shook his head, "No, this time, it is indeed an opportunity for the Land of Rain, but..."
However, Before Akihiko could complete his sentence, Hanzo interrupted, "That's enough for me. With that in mind, let's establish an alliance."
Akihiko, puzzled by the proposal since they were already allies, voiced his curiosity, "But we're already allied."
Hanzo clarified, "I'm not talking about that kind of alliance. I mean a genuine alliance between the Grass Village and the Rain Village. This time, for the war..." He suggested that they fight the war as true allies rather than just superficially connected.
As Akihiko hesitated, Hanzo regarded him with a serious expression. The sincerity in his masked eyes was evident as he continued, "I'll follow your lead. The Rain Village will follow your lead. Even the entire Land of Rain will follow your lead. Leader Akihiko, you will be in command!"
Akihiko found himself taken aback by Hanzo's words. Unlike in the past, this time, he understood that Hanzo was entrusting him with the authority to guide the lives of Rain Village's ninja, a responsibility of enormous magnitude.
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