My Journey as Fourth Kazekage

Rasa's prediction was spot on.

Less than half a day had passed, and under the careful manipulations of Sunagakure's ANBU, news of Suna's clash with Konoha spread like wildfire. The entire shinobi world was now aware of the conflict.

Kumogakure. Iwagakure. Kirigakure.

All three great villages had their eyes locked onto the unfolding war.

---

Land of Lightning – Kumogakure

"AAAAAH!!"

A deafening crack echoed through the Raikage's office as the Third Raikage slammed his fists down, splitting his massive wooden desk in two. Papers scattered across the floor, and the ANBU standing before him flinched at the sheer force of his rage.

"What the hell is going on?!" he thundered, his voice shaking the very walls. His burning gaze swept over his intelligence corps, their bodies stiff with tension. "What have you ANBU been doing?! How did we fail to detect Konoha's frontline commander change?!"

The elite shinobi hesitated, beads of sweat forming on their brows.

Before any of them could stammer out a response, a calm voice cut through the storm.

"Raikage-sama."

Darui, the Raikage's most trusted strategist, stepped forward. His usual laid-back demeanor was intact, but his sharp eyes betrayed a mind already working through the possibilities.

"I don't believe the ANBU are at fault here," he reasoned. "Konoha must have taken deliberate measures to conceal the change. It's understandable that our intelligence failed to pick up on it."

The Raikage's clenched fists remained on the remnants of his desk, but he said nothing.

Then, another voice joined the conversation.

"That's right, Father."

The towering figure of A, the future Fourth Raikage, stood with his muscular arms crossed, his lips curled into a confident smirk. His sharp eyes gleamed with excitement.

"This is a golden opportunity for Kumogakure," he declared. "Sunagakure is attacking Konoha, and with that old man Ōnoki stirring up trouble in Iwagakure, Konoha won't be able to handle a three-way siege."

The statement was bold, yet undeniably logical. Even a powerhouse like Konoha would struggle against three simultaneous threats.

But the Third Raikage was no fool. His explosive nature aside, he was a seasoned leader—a man who had maintained Kumogakure's dominance for years through sheer strength and strategic brilliance. He folded his arms, his sharp gaze shifting toward Darui.

"What do you make of Sunagakure's intelligence?" he asked.

Darui didn't hesitate.

"The information appears legitimate," he admitted, "but the contents are too shocking to ignore. Could it really be true that the Third Kazekage was assassinated… by Konoha's Danzo?"

The room fell into a tense silence.

The Third Raikage inhaled deeply, his expression dark and brooding.

"I've met that Danzo Shimura before," he muttered, his deep voice laced with contempt. "That man… he's the kind of shinobi that makes your skin crawl just by standing near him. Like a filthy sewer rat lurking in the shadows."

His fingers curled into a tight fist, his knuckles turning white.

"If it's him… then yes. I can believe it."

A, still grinning, didn't seem to pick up on the weight of his father's words. Instead, his excitement only grew.

"Hah! If that's the case, Konoha is screwed!" His smirk widened as he let out a low chuckle. "That bastard Danzo has violated not one, but two of Konoha's greatest taboos! Wood Release and the Sharingan… The Uchiha won't stay silent about this, and neither will the Hokage."

Internal strife within Konoha was the best possible outcome for Kumogakure.

Yet, despite the seemingly good news, the Third Raikage did not celebrate.

His sharp mind was already at work, dissecting the situation, analyzing every possible outcome. His expression remained grave.

Seeing this, A raised an eyebrow.

"Father, what's on your mind?"

The Third Raikage remained silent for a moment, his intense gaze fixed on the broken remains of his desk. Then, with a slow exhale, he turned to his ANBU.

"Keep a close eye on that man, Danzo Shimura. If the opportunity arises… bring him to Kumogakure."

A heavy silence fell over the room. Every shinobi present exchanged looks of shock and understanding.

Realization dawned instantly.

The Third Raikage wasn't just interested in Danzo's involvement—he wanted his forbidden techniques. The power of Wood Release and the Sharingan… abilities that had shaped the legendary battles of the past. If Kumogakure could claim these techniques, they wouldn't just rival Konoha—they would surpass it, cementing their place as the strongest village in the world.

Darui swallowed hard, forcing himself to maintain composure before he spoke again.

"And what about Konoha? Should we strike now while they're vulnerable?"

The Third Raikage shifted his focus to the ANBU once more.

"Who is currently leading Konoha's forces?"

One of the ANBU immediately stepped forward, his voice firm.

"Our sources have confirmed. It's Orochimaru."

The room turned eerily silent. The very name carried weight—Orochimaru, the enigmatic and ruthless Sannin, a man feared for his inhuman experiments and deadly intellect.

A moment passed before a sinister smile spread across the Third Raikage's face.

"Good… Very good… It's finally time to settle our score with Blue B."

At the mention of Blue B, the air in the room grew thick with restrained anger.

Blue B, the First Jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails, had been more than just a weapon to Kumogakure—he was the Third Raikage's nephew and the cousin of A, the future Fourth Raikage.

Six years ago, when Kumogakure attempted to kidnap Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, Konoha had retaliated in secret. They sent Orochimaru.

What followed was chaos. Orochimaru's infiltration triggered the berserk rampage of the Eight-Tails, devastating the village. In the end, Blue B perished, his body and mind unable to contain the beast's fury.

Kumogakure had never forgotten.

Never forgiven.

The Third Raikage's voice cut through the silence, resolute and commanding.

"Relay my command! All Kumogakure forces march into the Land of Fire immediately! The war has begun!"

---

Meanwhile, in Iwagakure...

As Kumogakure declared all-out war, a lone figure sat in his dimly lit office, reading an intelligence report.

Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, narrowed his eyes, his wrinkles deepening as he absorbed the contents.

Unlike Kumogakure, he wasn't overly concerned with Danzo or even the Third Kazekage's death. His focus lay elsewhere, on two ominous words buried within the report.

Wood Release… Sharingan…

"So… Konoha never abandoned their research on Hashirama and Madara's power after all?"

His voice was laced with quiet fury.

Few men in the world understood the true terror of these abilities, but Ōnoki did. He had witnessed Madara Uchiha's might firsthand. He had seen how the combination of the Sharingan and Wood Release could reshape battlefields and annihilate entire armies.

This could not be allowed.

A younger shinobi stepped forward—his son, Kurotsuchi's father. The resemblance between them was striking, but his expression lacked his father's usual sharp cunning.

"Father, what should we do?"

Ōnoki's gaze remained fixed on the report, his mind running through every possible scenario.

"We cannot allow Konoha to complete their research," he said, voice heavy with finality. Then, with a sharp exhale, he raised his head and fixed his son with a commanding stare.

"This time, I want you to lead the mission personally."

His son nodded, his expression turning serious.

"Understood."

Ōnoki's frown deepened, as if the weight of the decision pressed heavily upon him.

"Take Han and Roshi with you. Inform them about the Sharingan and Wood Release. They will cooperate with you."

A glint of understanding passed through his son's eyes. Han, the Jinchūriki of the Five-Tails, and Roshi, the Jinchūriki of the Four-Tails—both formidable warriors in their own right. If anyone could disrupt Konoha's plans, it was them.

"I understand. I'll depart immediately."

Just as he turned to leave, Ōnoki's voice rang out once more.

"One more thing."

His son halted, glancing back.

"Remember—our primary objective is to keep Konoha occupied and support Kumogakure. Do not let our shinobi die in vain."

His son met his gaze, eyes firm with resolve.

"Understood, Father. I will do as you command."

---

Land of the Sea – A Hidden Sanctuary Between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water

A vast ocean dotted with countless islands stretched as far as the eye could see. Its unique geography, filled with hidden coves and labyrinthine currents, made it an ideal refuge for those lurking in the shadows.

And here, deep within a concealed underground cavern, resided Madara Uchiha.

The dimly lit chamber was vast, dominated by the imposing figure of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Madara sat slumped against its base, his breath slow, his body frail yet still radiating an undeniable sense of power.

In his trembling hands, he held an intelligence report delivered by Zetsu. His weakened body might have been failing him, but his mind remained as sharp as ever. His eyes flicked across the parchment, and after a brief pause, he scoffed.

"So… this 'Danzō'…" he murmured, his voice raspy yet laced with amusement. His memory sifted through the distant past, recalling the name.

"One of Tobirama's students, huh? Hmph. So not all of them were useless after all. Too bad—it's meaningless."

A mere mortal grasping at the power of the gods. A pathetic imitation.

True power, Madara knew, could only be attained through the perfect fusion of the Sage's body and the Sage's eyes. Through the Uchiha Stone Tablet, he had uncovered the truth—the power of Indra and Ashura, the eternal struggle between their descendants.

And he and Hashirama were the culmination of that very cycle.

Now, some insignificant brat dared to covet Hashirama's legacy?

Madara's lips curled into a smirk, but his Sharingan gleamed coldly, devoid of humor.

"Zetsu."

The cavern's ceiling stirred. From the darkness, two figures began to shift, their white, fluid-like bodies oozing downward, merging and twisting until they took humanoid form.

"Madara-sama, we're here!"

"What do you need?"

Madara's gaze remained on the report, his tone cold as ice.

"Keep a close watch on this 'Danzō' boy. I need to confirm whether he has truly obtained Hashirama's power."

The two White Zetsu figures nodded eagerly.

"Understood, Madara-sama!"

Konoha's barrier system was formidable, but Madara had helped build the village himself. He knew its weaknesses.

With Mito Uzumaki gone, there was no longer anyone in Konoha who could sense White Zetsu's movements.

As for the new Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?

"Hmph…"

A quiet scoff escaped Madara's lips, filled with nothing but contempt.

The two Zetsu vanished into the cavern walls, their bodies sinking into the earth like shadows melting into darkness. The chamber fell silent once more.

Madara exhaled slowly and shut his eyes, his body entering a meditative state. He had to conserve his strength—his time had not yet come.

---

In Konoha

The moment battlefield intelligence arrived, the village elders moved swiftly.

Orders were issued. The information was to be suppressed. Not a single word of the brewing conflict was to reach the public. Konoha was at war, but fear and chaos could not be allowed to take root.

However, Rasa had foreseen this.

His spies, deeply embedded within Konoha, wasted no time. Like wildfire, the news spread through underground channels, whispered in dimly lit alleys and echoed in the corridors of the Uchiha compound.

The Uchiha Clan had barely begun to process the implications—when suddenly, a storm erupted.

A figure burst into the Hokage's office, their rage uncontainable.

Their eyes burned with fury.

Their voice thundered through the room.

Konoha's peace was about to shatter.

===

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