š HEAR YE, HEAR YE, BRAVE SOULS! šāØ
š„ Let the drums of destiny roar as we welcome our newest LEGENDARY adventurersā¦ āļø Buddyschlym! āļø and āļø Moran! āļøšā”ļø Our journey just leveled UP with their arrival!
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The news of the massacre on the borders spread quickly, shaking the foundations of the three great ninja villagesāSunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure.
Over two hundred ninjas, elite forces from each village, had been slaughtered in a single night.
The identity of the perpetrator remained a mystery, but the brutality and precision of the attack left no doubt: Konoha was not as weak as it seemed.
------
Sunagakure
In the heart of Sunagakure, within the Kazekage's grand office, Rasa sat behind his desk, his expression grim. His golden hair shimmered faintly under the light, and his piercing green eyes were clouded with anger and frustration.
"The losses wereā¦ significant," One of the elders began cautiously, seated at a table along with other advisors.
"Significant?" Rasa snapped, slamming his hand on the desk. "We lost dozens of skilled shinobi! This was supposed to be a simple show of strength, not a massacre!"
The elders exchanged uneasy glances, but none dared to speak.
Rasa took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
"We can't afford to let this slide," Rasa continued, his voice low and cold. "But we also can't afford to lose more troops recklessly. Konoha's hand remains hidden, and whatever force they unleashed last night is beyond our current understanding."
"What do you propose, Kazekage-sama?" An elder asked.
Rasa leaned back in his chair, his sharp mind already working on a plan. "We reach out to Iwagakure and Kumogakure. Together, the combined forces of our three villages will overwhelm Konoha. Alone, we're vulnerable. But together, we'll succeed."
The elders nodded, some reluctantly, others with cautious optimism.
"I'll send a letter to both Ånoki and A," Rasa concluded. "We'll negotiate terms for an alliance and coordinate our forces. If Konoha thinks they can intimidate us, they're gravely mistaken."
------
Iwagakure
In Iwagakure, high in the mountains, the Third Tsuchikage, Ånoki, hovered above his desk, a scroll clutched tightly in his small hands. His short stature and frail appearance belied the sharp mind and vast experience that had earned him his title.
"So, Konoha still has fangs," Ånoki muttered, his voice thoughtful rather than angry. "I didn't expect this."
His assistant stepped forward cautiously. "Tsuchikage-sama, could this have been the work of Konoha's ANBU? Their assassination squads are known for precision."
Ånoki shook his head. "No. This wasn't the work of a squad. The scale of this attack, the sheer number of casualtiesāthis was something else. Something far more dangerous."
He floated down to his chair, his old bones creaking as he sat. "But I won't act rashly. Whoever did this wants us to rush into action, to waste our forces in pointless retaliation."
"What will you do, Tsuchikage-sama?" The assistant asked.
Ånoki smirked, his eyes glinting with cunning. "I'll let Sunagakure and Kumogakure take the lead. Let them probe Konoha's defenses and exhaust themselves. When the time is right, I'll strike decisively."
He paused, his smirk fading. "But we'll remain prepared. Double our border defenses and keep our best forces on standby. If Konoha truly is hiding something, I won't let it catch us off guard again."
------
Kumogakure
In Kumogakure, the tension was palpable.
A, the Fourth Raikage, paced back and forth in his office, his massive frame radiating fury. His sharp blue eyes were narrowed in anger, and his fists clenched tightly at his sides.
"They dare to attack us?!" A roared, his voice echoing through the room. "To kill my men and humiliate Kumogakure like this?!"
Darui, his calm, and composed right-hand man, stood nearby, watching the Raikage carefully. "It's clear that Konoha is still stronger than we thought, Raikage-sama. We shouldā"
"I don't want to hear excuses!" A interrupted, slamming his fist into the wall, cracking the stone. "I'll lead the next strike myself. Gather the Jonin and prepare for battle. We'll march to the Land of Fire and show them what it means to challenge Kumogakure!"
Darui frowned slightly, his voice cautious. "Raikage-sama, shouldn't we wait for a response from the other villages? If Sunagakure and Iwagakure join us, our chances of success will increase."
A glared at him, his eyes blazing. "They can do what they want. Kumogakure doesn't need anyone else. We're strong enough on our own!"
Despite his reservations, Darui nodded. "Understood, Raikage-sama."
As Darui left to carry out the orders, A turned toward the window, his fists still trembling with rage. "Whoever did thisā¦ I'll make them regret it."
------
Far from the chaos of the three villages, Naruto sat atop a hill overlooking the Land of Fire, the wind rustling his dark cloak. He had been following the developments closely, his Observation Haki allowing him to track the movements and discussions of his enemies.
"They're predictable," Naruto muttered, his voice laced with disdain. "Anger, arrogance, and schemes. None of them realizes they're already playing into my hands."
Kurama's deep voice rumbled in his mind. "So, what's the plan, brat? Another massacre?"
Naruto chuckled softly. "No. That would be too obvious. They'd expect me to attack their forces again."
He stood, his sharp blue eyes gleaming behind his mask. "This time, I'm going to strike where it hurts the mostātheir Daimyos."
Kurama growled thoughtfully. "Threatening the Daimyos will create chaos, but it'll also make you an even bigger target. Are you ready for that?"
Naruto smirked. "Let them come. The more they focus on me, the less they focus on Konoha."
------
Naruto moved swiftly, his teleportation ability allowing him to cross vast distances in an instant.
His first target was the Land of Wind.
The Daimyo's palace was heavily guarded, its walls patrolled by elite shinobi. But to Naruto, it was little more than an inconvenience. Using his Haki, he identified every guard, mapping out their movements with precision.
Like a phantom, he slipped past them, unseen and unheard.
Within minutes, he reached the Daimyo's chambers. The ruler jolted awake, his breath hitching as he found himself staring into the masked face of the Ghost of Konoha.
"You've grown fat off your people's suffering," Naruto said, his voice cold as steel. "That ends tonight."
The Daimyo trembled as Naruto's blade pressed lightly against his throatānot enough to draw blood, but enough to make his life flash before his eyes.
"Hah! Your men are so weak. This time is just a warning." Naruto whispered, his voice barely above a breath. "But next time, you won't wake up at all."
With a flicker, he was gone, vanishing into the shadows before the guards burst in, their weapons drawn.
The Daimyo gasped for breath, his hands shaking as he clutched his neck, the cold sensation of the blade still lingering.
His first order at dawn was clear: pull back the strongest shinobi to protect him.
------
Naruto repeated the process in the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth. Each Daimyo awoke to the same terrifying presenceāhis blade at their throats, his chilling words sealing their fate.
The results were immediate. Terrified of their own mortality, the rulers ordered their strongest shinobi to return and guard them, unknowingly weakening their villages' offensive forces.
The battlefield shifted overnight.
But just to be on the safe side and not make Land of Fire or Konoha, a target of hatred, he repeated the threatening process with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.
As dawn broke, Naruto stood atop a mountain overlooking the Land of Fire. His work was done, and the chaos he had sown would buy Konoha the time it needed to regroup.
Kurama's voice rumbled in his mind. "You've made your point, brat. But now all the nations will be hunting you. They won't take this lightly."
Naruto's smirk was hidden behind his mask. "Let them try. Fear is a stronger weapon than any jutsu."
--- ā¦ ā¦ ā¦ ---
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