Do you really think that Hanzo of the Salamander is made of clay?
Black iron sand hovered in the air, surrounding the Third Kazekage, who did not even bother to turn around. He would not place Hanzo of the Salamander on the same level as himself.
"The Rain Village has no right to choose, and neither do you. The decision is yours, but the outcome is inevitable."
Cooperation?
Why should the Sand Village collaborate with you? As for seeking an alliance with Konoha—that's out of the question. That would only push the Rock Village to place an even heavier bet.
There is only one outcome: the Rain Village and the Rain Country have no choice and cannot escape their fate.
"Hmph! I hope you don't regret it," Hanzo said sharply.
With that, Hanzo stepped into the rain and quickly vanished into the mountains. Despite the Third Kazekage's threats and mockery, he refused to compromise.
Hanzo had no desire for his village and country to suffer an unprovoked disaster, but he would never bow to the Five Kage. To Hanzo, who dreamed of standing on equal footing with them, lowering himself was worse than death.
"I don't know what you mean."
To reach that level, did he aspire to become the Rain Kage and stand among the Five Kage?
But did the Rain Village have a choice?
No.
In the grand scheme between Konoha, the Sand Village, and the Rock Village, the Rain Village was merely a pawn, one of the inevitable casualties.
Hanzo was left with no options—unless he could transcend from a demigod to an actual god. Without that kind of power, even possessing knowledge about Konoha would be futile. At best, it would add to the chaos.
Tsunade stayed at the camp for a few days before returning to the village. As planned, Konoha dispatched a team of ninjas who entered the Rain Country boldly.
Konoha's move was in response to the provocations from the Sand Village, which was equally unyielding and redirected its troops from the River Country to the Rain Country.
Suddenly, the situation in the Rain Country shifted, and the air grew tense.
The Rain Country bordered the Fire Country, the Wind Country, and the Earth Country. With Konoha and the Sand Village sending forces into the Rain Country, the Rock Village, previously a bystander, began to feel threatened.
What was Konoha's and the Sand Village's intention in entering the Rain Country?
This was not a typical provocation. If they truly wanted to fight, they could have taken their conflict to the River Country. So why the commotion in the Rain Country?
Indeed, the Rock Village viewed Konoha's and the Sand Village's maneuvers as provocations.
If Konoha's goal was simply to challenge the Sand Village, it could have done so from the River Country's direction without involving the Rain Country.
Konoha's strategy targeted the Rain Village, but the Rock Village perceived it differently.
Would Konoha really focus on the small Rain Village?
Doubtful. There had to be a bigger reason behind these actions.
A significant meeting was held in the Tsuchikage's office, and soon after, a unit of Rock Village ninjas entered the Rain Country.
The Rain Country was now a powder keg, and not even the perpetual rain could wash away the tension.
Tensions led to friction, and friction would eventually ignite battles.
Beds in the medical facility that had been unused for months were finally put to use.
If not for the wounded arriving from the Land of Rain, Shinki might have forgotten that he was part of the medical unit at the camp.
Despite the growing turmoil in the Land of Rain, it did not directly impact the border camp. The camp's main task was reconnaissance and serving as a buffer zone, not engaging in battles. Its mission was to prevent enemy forces from entering the Land of Fire through the Rain Country.
When skirmishes escalated into full-blown conflicts or wars, the village would send reinforcements, turning the camp into a logistical hub.
But Konoha had no intention of initiating an aggressive war. If possible, the Third Hokage preferred holding more Five Kage Summits to foster peace and development in the ninja world.
After all, none of the other villages had the natural advantages that Konoha did. Only the Cloud Village could pose any challenge in terms of development.
Konoha had innate strengths: a large population, a vast number of ninjas, and being the largest village among the five great ninja villages.
Despite the Cloud Village's efforts to catch up, it would take years to close the gap, and that was contingent on its wealth.
The Rock Village remained stuck in its strategy of overwhelming numbers. Without natural or economic advantages, they focused on sheer force, relying on their Earth Release army.
The Mist Village was still mired in internal strife. Until the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, took power, it was unlikely they would engage in any external conflict. At most, they would join for show.
The Sand Village, on the other hand, was guarding the most barren land in the ninja world but harbored the greatest ambitions.
The River Country and Rain Country provocations were proof of that ambition.
Beyond sheer ambition, the biggest reason was that the Sand Village had reached the limits of its development and stagnated. To advance, it needed more resources, a larger population, and wealth.
Without those, development stalled. Meanwhile, Konoha, their neighbor, grew stronger every year. How could the Sand Village remain calm?
While Konoha was content with peaceful coexistence among the five major villages, the Sand Village was not. It refused to accept its current state.
Minor skirmishes continued without erupting into large-scale battles, creating a tense equilibrium.
Despite the tension, none of the three sides dared to break it.
They were wary of the consequences.
The stability in the Rain Country, for now, suited Shinki just fine. At least, until his rotation back to the village, he hoped the situation would remain unchanged.
If the conflict escalated or a local war broke out, any thoughts of rotation would become a dream, and all the ninjas at the camp would be retained at their posts.
At the end of the year, Shinki and the group of ninjas scheduled for rotation set off on their journey back to the village.
Their faces beamed with joy, knowing they would soon be home for the New Year with their families.
Home.
As he approached the familiar, slightly earthen gates of Konoha, Shinki felt a surprising wave of nostalgia.
A year stationed at the border camp was truly grueling.
First, a trip to the hot spring inn for a well-deserved bath, followed by a hearty meal, and then rest at home.
Shinki decided against visiting Tsunade. It was the end of the year, and with the shifting dynamics in the ninja world, she was likely occupied, perhaps even in a meeting at the Hokage's office.
He found a hot spring inn and opted for a private bath. Ticket in hand, he entered the changing room to get ready.
As he submerged himself in the hot water, Shinki exhaled contentedly.
Returning to the village was indeed a comfort. Taking a proper bath at the border camp had always been a hassle, let alone enjoying a decent meal. Options were scarce.
Sinking into the warmth of the spring, Shinki closed his eyes and began to feel drowsy.
The bath relaxed him, easing the tension in his body.
His stomach growled, and Shinki decided he would treat himself to a barbecue feast. After days of travel and subsisting on dry rations, he deserved it.
He made his way to the barbecue restaurant owned by the Akimichi clan, found an empty seat, and ordered a generous spread of meat in one go.
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