"Yes, in the blink of an eye, seven years have passed. Time flies so fast!" Uchiha Akira nodded, his expression filled with nostalgia.
If someone were listening from the sidelines, they might assume that Akira and Ōnoki had a good relationship.
However, with a sudden shift in tone, Uchiha Akira continued, "Seven years have passed, and it seems the Third Tsuchikage looks even older than before!"
It's never polite to tell a woman she looks old or to tell an elderly person they look even older. It's almost as if saying, "Why haven't you passed away yet?"
Though Ōnoki clearly understood that Akira's words were meant as an insult, his years of experience in politics kept his expression neutral. He nodded calmly, even smiling, as he replied, "Indeed, in the shinobi world, living to my age is a blessing."
He continued, "After all, Konoha is already on its Fifth Hokage. The Raikage and Kazekage are both Fourth, and the Mizukage is also on their Fifth. Looking around, it seems only your village is still on its Third Tsuchikage."
Akira's voice grew sharper. "Where I come from, there's a saying: 'When you grow old, it's time to step aside for the younger generation.' Otherwise, if you cling to your position, people might start to resent you."
A collective gasp rose from the surrounding Iwa shinobi.
If Akira's previous remark had merely hinted at Ōnoki's age, this one blatantly told him it was time to step down—or die.
"You brat! You must have a death wish! Do you really think you'll leave Iwagakure alive after this?" Ōnoki's son, Kurotsuchi, furiously shouted, unable to hold back his anger.
"Defeated warrior, have you forgotten that you were my defeated opponent seven years ago? And now you dare to bark at me?" Akira replied with a smirk. "If you think your Iwagakure has the power to stop us, then try it."
Uchiha Akira's expression remained filled with disdain as he stared at Kurotsuchi. His entire demeanor was one of domination.
He, Sasuke, and Kakashi—three wielders of the Mangekyō Sharingan—were indisputably Kage-level shinobi.
Naruto and Konan were also of Kage-level strength.
Even Karin, while the weakest among them, had survived being pierced by Wood Release in the original story and could still recover by biting herself. She was no ordinary kunoichi.
And Iwagakure thought they could keep them here?
It wasn't arrogance; it was simply fact. They didn't stand a chance against them now, especially not compared to seven years ago.
"Kurotsuchi!" Ōnoki sternly reprimanded his son, silencing him.
The Third Tsuchikage could clearly assess the situation.
A fight? That was impossible; Iwagakure didn't have the strength for it.
But a war of words? Ōnoki wasn't about to back down.
After silencing Kurotsuchi, Ōnoki turned back to Uchiha Akira, still smiling. "So, was this the reason the Uchiha clan rebelled? Was it because Hiruzen Sarutobi grew too old and was blocking your path to power?"
Ōnoki's words were a sharp retort, mocking the Uchiha rebellion and turning Akira's own argument against him.
The Tsuchikage wanted to play a war of words? Fine, Uchiha Akira could play along.
He gave Naruto a small signal with a nod.
Naruto, oblivious to the deeper meaning behind the nod, asked, "Akira, when did Konoha ever say that old people should step aside for the young?"
Akira's face darkened at Naruto's innocent question, and even Sasuke muttered under his breath, "Idiot."
Meanwhile, Konan burst into laughter, thoroughly enjoying seeing Akira lose face for once. Even some of the Iwa shinobi couldn't help but laugh at Akira's predicament.
It seemed, in this battle of words, the Tsuchikage had gained the upper hand.
Despite Naruto's blunder, Akira wasn't upset. Instead, he glanced around at the Iwagakure higher-ups and calmly said, "Since I'm new here, allow me to make some introductions."
"I am Uchiha Akira. I'm sure you've all heard of me."
"This is Konoha's Copy Ninja, Hatake Kakashi. Though he only has one Sharingan, it's a Mangekyō-level Sharingan."
"And this is Uchiha Sasuke, son of our Hokage, who also possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"This is Naruto Uzumaki, son of the Fourth Hokage and Konoha's Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails."
"And then, there's… others."
Karin didn't mind the brief introduction, but Konan's expression darkened.
As one of the founding members of the Akatsuki and a Kage-level fighter, Konan had been reduced to an "other." She didn't even merit a proper introduction?
A collective gasp echoed through the crowd. Some of the Iwagakure higher-ups knew about Uchiha Akira's team, but many were still unaware.
Upon hearing that all four Konoha shinobi were Kage-level fighters, many Iwa shinobi audibly sucked in their breath.
"So what? Are you saying this because you've lost the argument and now want to intimidate me with your strength?" Ōnoki asked, his expression unchanged.
"No, you misunderstand," Akira replied sincerely, shaking his head. "I simply hate it when the old block the path of the young."
"All I'm saying is that we're all quite strong."
"So, if any of your young shinobi feel their path is being blocked by the Third Tsuchikage, feel free to talk to me. I'd be happy to help remove that stubborn old rock."
"After all, it's the young who are the future. No one can deny that ever since the Third Hokage stepped down, Konoha's strength has advanced by leaps and bounds."
"Enough!" Ōnoki finally lost his composure and shouted.
Wherever there are people, there are factions, and Iwagakure was no exception.
By publicly saying this, Uchiha Akira was stirring up the ambitions of those who were already discontent, fanning the flames of rebellion.
Moreover, the strength of Akira and his team was undeniable. If they truly supported a coup, there was a very real possibility it could succeed.
And even if the coup failed, Konoha wouldn't suffer any losses. It was a calculated risk that would only weaken Iwagakure.
This wasn't a conspiracy. This was an open and blatant strategy.
"Are you trying to incite a rebellion in Iwagakure? That's quite underhanded for someone from Konoha!" Ōnoki accused, his expression growing more hostile.
His words were meant to warn the other Iwa shinobi not to be swayed by Akira's provocations. He wanted them to understand that Akira's offer wasn't genuine support but a ploy to destabilize their village.
But once ambition has been sparked, it's not so easily quelled.
Among the crowd, several Iwa higher-ups exchanged subtle glances, their eyes betraying thoughts of rebellion.
If they could secure the support of Akira and his team, what were the odds of a successful coup?
The more they considered it, the more enticing the idea became.
Akira's words had landed like a dagger to the heart of Iwagakure's stability, stirring unrest among its leaders.
"Am I really inciting rebellion?" Akira asked, smiling coldly. "Was it 'underhanded' when you, the Third Tsuchikage, ambushed me under the pretense of peace talks when I was just a seven-year-old?"
"And let's not forget how you secretly hired the Akatsuki to attack Konoha during the Jonin Exams in an attempt to kill me. Was that 'honorable'?"
Akira's pointed questions left Ōnoki speechless.
"Enough talking. Why don't we go inside? It's not Iwagakure's custom to entertain guests at the gate," Ōnoki finally said, unable to argue further.
"Fine," Akira replied, not intending to continue this verbal battle at the village gates.
He had come for revenge, and there was no need to drag out this confrontation any longer.
With that, Uchiha Akira and his group entered Iwagakure, where they would begin negotiations. As the crowd slowly dispersed, a sense of unease lingered in the air.
Uchiha Akira's words had sown seeds of doubt and ambition throughout the village.
Many of Iwagakure's citizens were unaware of the events from seven years ago—Ōnoki's ambush during peace talks and his secret dealings with the Akatsuki.
Now that these dark secrets had been exposed, even the villagers couldn't help but question their leader's actions.
Had their Tsuchikage truly gone too far?
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Next bonus chapter if we reach 200 Powerstone
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Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 270+ at patreon.com/Emik01.