What in the world? Sand Village disbanded just like that? Danzo stared at the shinobi in disbelief. "They… really disbanded?!"
"Yes, Danzo-sama," the shinobi confirmed with a serious expression. "According to the Sand shinobi, Advisor Chiyo announced the disbandment of Sand Village this morning. They're currently packing their belongings. Those who wish to follow the Daimyo of the Land of Wind are doing so, while the rest will leave with Advisor Chiyo. They've told us to proceed as we see fit since this area is no longer under their control. The country's army will take over after they notify the Daimyo."
Danzo's grip on his cane tightened, his face twitching in frustration. His original plan had been for the Allied Shinobi Forces to advance, forcing Sand Village into a fierce resistance. Eventually, Sand Village would have been pushed to the brink, leading to negotiations. Initially, Sunagakure would reject the demands, but after days of intense fighting, they would concede to ensure their survival.
And Seeing this intense conflict between them would prompt the Daimyo of the Land of Wind to recognize the importance of the village, leading to a compromise and maintaining the status quo.
Danzo had anticipated that the final result would likely involve Sand Village making compromises, the Daimyo appointing a new Kazekage, and both sides maintaining their original relationship, thereby preserving peace in the shinobi world.
But now... How had the formidable Sand Village vanished so suddenly? Were the Sand ninjas planning to become wandering ninjas? Did they not realize how grueling and dangerous life on the run could be? Or were they so intimidated by the Allied Shinobi Forces that they feared exorbitant demands and the potential division of their village, leading them to disband?
Hadn't they even considered negotiating first? How could they know the other villages would make outrageous demands without attempting to engage in discussions?
Seeing the expectant faces around him, Danzo's mouth twitched. He murmured, "What on earth is happening in the ninja world?"
Wasn't it the norm to resolve conflicts through mutual concessions? No matter how significant the issue, sitting down and negotiating, with each side making some compromises, usually worked. Even the Three Great Ninja Wars had been settled this way, hadn't they? Why was he now faced with such extremism?
The Uchiha clan had acted similarly—they had launched a rebellion just as he was preparing to negotiate. And now, Sand Village seemed to be doing the same.
Danzo had barely succeeded in uniting the Four Great Shinobi Villages for the invasion of the Land of Wind, and now... 'Sand Village' was simply gone? This was absurd.
He had invested so much effort in gathering the Four Great Shinobi Villages. Did they not understand how much manpower and resources were required to assemble their forces? And now, before the fighting had even begun, Sand Village had decided to disband and leave.
Just that morning, he had reassured Hiruzen that Sand Village wouldn't disband, and now, mere hours later, this had happened.
"Sand Village is gone?" The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, finally regained his composure from the shock and frowned deeply. "How can it simply disappear like that? Is Advisor Chiyo so lacking in resolve that she disbanded the village at the mere threat from the Four Great Shinobi Villages?"
He cast a questioning glance at Danzo, as if to say, "Wasn't this supposed to be a straightforward mission with substantial rewards?"
But now, with their target fleeing, how were they supposed to gain anything? Would the Daimyo of the Land of Wind still compensate them? Should they capture the Sand Ninjas instead? This expedition had been expensive, with plans to profit from both the Daimyo and Sand Village. And now, it seemed they might not only lose out on the financial gain but also witness the potential dissolution of Sand Village.
Do they grasp the implications of this? After all, If the Land of Wind's Sand Village can be disbanded, could the villages of the Land of Earth, the Land of Lightning, or the Land of Water also face such a fate?
With a heavy sigh, Onoki addressed the assembly, "This is a serious problem. What do you propose we do now?"
With those words, everyone fell into deep thought. They needed to carefully consider their next steps; otherwise, this mission could end up as a major loss. Every village was struggling financially these days.
Especially Mist Village. After their conflict with Grass Village during the Third Great Ninja War, they had become isolated and had little information about Grass Village's recent developments.
They had expected that, after suffering heavy losses in the Third War and subsequent isolation, Mist Village would have fallen behind the other villages. However, upon emerging from isolation, they were surprised to find that Mist Village had actually made notable progress in recent years compared to others. It wasn't that Mist Village was making extraordinary strides, but rather that the other villages, especially Konoha, were struggling.
Reflecting on this and the current predicament, Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage, found it remarkable and sighed, "The leader of Grass Village is truly formidable!"
With Onoki's words hanging in the air, the room fell into a contemplative silence. They needed to devise a plan quickly or face a considerable loss. Each village was grappling with financial difficulties, and this mission was crucial for their survival.
In particular, Mist Village was in a precarious position. Following their conflict with Grass Village during the Third Great Ninja War, they had become somewhat isolated and were out of touch with recent developments in Grass Village. The general assumption had been that Mist Village, having suffered significant losses and isolation, would lag behind the other villages. However, upon re-emerging, they discovered to their surprise that Mist Village had been progressing quite well, at least in comparison to others. It wasn't that Mist Village had made extraordinary strides, but rather that the other villages, especially Konoha, were struggling significantly.
Reflecting on the current predicament, Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage, marveled at the situation and sighed, "The leader of Grass Village is indeed formidable."
"Attack! Keep attacking!" Danzo commanded with a forceful strike of his cane, his voice resolute. "This is clearly a plot by Grass Village to deceive us. Sand Village couldn't possibly disband just like that!"
"But… what if it really has disbanded?" Onoki questioned, his concern evident.
Danzo's face darkened, and a sinister gleam appeared in his eyes. He spoke through gritted teeth, his tone unyielding, "If Sand Village has truly disbanded, then we will make them rebuild it. Without my explicit approval, Sand Village cannot simply cease to exist!"
His declaration left everyone stunned, their expressions a mixture of confusion and disbelief. "Huh?"
…
On the other side, Akihiko was still reeling from Chiyo's announcement. They had come to recruit talent, but it seemed they were now inadvertently taking over Sand Village.
Hanzo, equally perplexed, muttered to himself, "This maneuver... seems oddly familiar."
In his own experience, he had ceded the Land of Rain to Grass Village. However, Sand Village was different. Located in the Land of Wind, it was under the jurisdiction of a daimyo, unlike the Land of Rain, which he had controlled entirely. The situation with Sand Village was far more complex.
So, what exactly was Chiyo's plan? Hanzo's thoughts raced as he looked at Chiyo, silently imploring her to clarify her intentions.
Chiyo, raising an eyebrow, chose to ignore Hanzo's unspoken question, dismissing the old man who had long since lost his former glory as the 'legendary shinobi of the Shinobi World.'
However, Chiyo couldn't help but sigh inwardly. This outcome, while unfortunate, was inevitable. Even if they managed to mend their relationship with the Daimyo of the Land of Wind, things would never return to how they once were. Without the Daimyo's support and with Rasa gone, Sand Village was left without a master of Magnet Release. Financially exhausted and unable to sustain itself, the village was on the brink of collapse.
Chiyo had ultimately followed Pakura's advice, having observed the changes in Rain Village over the years. Rather than continue their failing contract with the Land of Wind, she deemed it more prudent to forge a new alliance with the Land of Grass.
Had it been anyone else, she might have hesitated. After all, wandering ninjas often faced grim prospects and were despised by other shinobi. However, the leader of Grass Village seemed more than willing to embrace them. Over the years, he had integrated many wandering clans into his village.
Thus, Chiyo decided to divide Sand Village. One faction would remain with the Land of Wind, who wish to serve the daimyo, and the rest—those loyal to the village—would join her, seeking refuge and support under the new alliance with the Land of Grass.
Chiyo glanced at Akihiko, hesitated for a moment, and began, "I'm sorry, this decision was mine. However, as long as the Land of Grass treats us well, Sand Village will serve loyally..."
But before she could finish, Baki burst in, his face pale and eyes wide with urgency. "Chiyo-sama, we have a serious problem!"
Chiyo shot him a sharp look. "Didn't I instruct you not to disturb me unless it was absolutely urgent?"
"I'm sorry!" Baki quickly apologized, his voice trembling. "This is critical, and I couldn't handle it on my own!"
"Critical? What could be more critical than the disbandment of Sand Village? Speak, what's the matter?" Chiyo demanded, her confusion evident.
Baki didn't waste time and replied, "The Allied Shinobi Forces have launched an attack!"
"They're still attacking?" Chiyo frowned, clearly annoyed. "Sand Village has disbanded. What more could they want? Are they trying to eliminate all the Sand ninjas?"
"No, that's not it," Baki said, his expression tense. He hesitated before continuing, "The allied forces' commander, Shimura Danzo, has made a statement..."
His voice trailed off as he saw the puzzled looks from the others. Taking a deep breath, he said, "He declared that Sand Village cannot disband without his permission."
A stunned silence fell over the room. Everyone exchanged bewildered glances, unable to comprehend why Danzo believed he had any say in Sand Village's affairs.