The news of Amegakure's withdrawal hit the room like a thunderclap. The torchlight flickered against the damp stone walls, casting jagged shadows over the gathered figures, their once-stoic expressions now marred with shock and disbelief. A hushed silence filled the cavern as each of the self-proclaimed Kages processed the implications of Hanzo's decision.
The Tanikage was the first to break the silence, his voice sharp with incredulity. "What? Is Hanzo backing out? That does not make any damn sense." His brows furrowed as he clenched his fists.
"It was his idea to form this alliance in the first place! Why would he abandon it now?"
The Ishikage let out a low growl, shaking his head. "Perhaps he never intended to fully commit," he muttered. His piercing gaze swept across the chamber. "Or worse, he's setting us up. Amegakure is strong, stronger than any of our villages. It wouldn't surprise me if Hanzo decided to turn us in to the Great Nations the moment he saw an opportunity to gain favour."
The Kusakage exhaled sharply through his nose, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his blade. "Damn, that war-hardened relic… If he's turning against us, we're already at risk." His words dripped with frustration. "This entire plan hinged on having Amegakure's support. We all knew that."
The Yugakage, always more cautious than the others, folded his arms. His eyes flickered with doubt. "And if Hanzo discovered something? What if he knows something we don't? There must be a reason for his withdrawal."
The weight of his words settled over the group like an oppressive mist. None of them wanted to admit it, but if Amegakure—arguably the most powerful minor village—had chosen to abandon their cause, it meant something had changed. Something significant.
The Takikage felt the weight of their stares as they turned to him for guidance, but his mind was already spiralling through the possibilities. This wasn't a mere change of heart—Hanzo had been the one to plant the seed of this alliance. In their earlier discussions, Hanzo had been the one advocating for a coordinated effort, for the minor villages to band together against the Great Nations. The very fact that he had now chosen to withdraw, without warning, made the Takikage's stomach twist in unease.
'Did Hanzo discover something that could jeopardize our plans?'
The thought gnawed at him. If the leader of Amegakure had uncovered some hidden danger, something so dire that it made him turn his back on an alliance he himself had proposed, then the Takikage needed to know what it was. Or worse…
'Is he planning to betray us?'
Paranoia spread like wildfire among the gathered Kages. Their hushed whispers filled the cavern, suspicion hanging heavy in the air. Their minds conjured up the worst possibilities—had they been exposed? Had Hanzo warned Konoha or another Great Nation? Was this meeting a trap? The tension in the room was reaching a breaking point, but before it could spiral into chaos, a smooth, measured voice cut through the noise.
"Enough."
All eyes turned to Konya Nao, who had remained unnervingly calm throughout the ordeal. The mysterious man stood with his arms crossed, a slight smirk playing at the edge of his lips. "You are all letting fear cloud your judgment. Amegakure pulling out is unfortunate, but it is not the end of our cause."
The Tanikage narrowed his eyes. "And why shouldn't we be worried? This changes everything."
Nao exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "No, it only changes what you allow it to. Think rationally. Hanzo's withdrawal, whatever the reason may be, does not weaken our position unless we let it." He let his gaze drift over each leader, his voice steady and confident. "Amegakure may be strong, but it is still only one village. The rest of us are still here. The alliance is still intact. If we hesitate now, if we falter because of this, then we may as well have never gathered in the first place."
The Ishikage scoffed. "Easy for you to say."
Nao chuckled. "Easy? Hardly. But necessary? Absolutely." His smirk widened slightly. "Let Amegakure cower in their uncertainty if they must. But as for us? We move forward. That is the only path to power."
A silence followed, heavy with contemplation. Then, slowly, nods of agreement.
"The cowardice of Amegakure is not our problem," the Kusakage said at last. "If they wish to stand aside and watch, let them. But when we rise, they will regret it."
The Yugakage sighed but nodded. "Agreed. This war will not wait for us."
The Takikage studied them all before finally speaking. "Then we move forward. Under my guidance, we will formalize our pact here and now."
And so, one by one, the leaders of the minor villages agreed. They would press on, with or without Amegakure. A formal pact was drawn—an agreement to aid each other in secrecy, to seize power in the coming chaos. And as the final words were spoken, a flicker of something dark and satisfied gleamed in Nao's eyes.
A smirk, just barely perceptible, tugged at the corner of his lips.
===
The cavern filled with smoke. It swirled thick and fast, the air heavy with the scent of damp earth and something unnatural. Within the shifting fog, the form of Konya Nao twisted and blurred, like an illusion unravelling at the seams.
Then, with a grotesque wet sound, his skin began to melt.
Pale, fleshy matter sloughed off in thick, viscous strands, peeling away like wax under a flame. His once-dark eyes morphed, pupils dilating unnaturally before fading into solid white. His hair, once dark and neatly styled, shrank away, revealing smooth, colourless skin beneath.
When the transformation was complete, what remained standing in the dimly lit cavern was not Konya Nao.
It was White Zetsu.
He grinned to himself, his mouth stretching just a little too wide. The last remnants of the disguise dripped onto the cave floor with a soft plop.
A voice, low and insidious, emerged from the shadows. "So?"
From the darkness, Black Zetsu emerged, his form partially fused with the surrounding rock, his eerie golden eyes gleaming with unreadable intent. "How did it go?"
White Zetsu chuckled, stretching his newly freed limbs. "Oh, it went well. Almost too well. They're scared. Paranoid. Exactly what we needed." He tilted his head. "Though I'll admit when Amegakure pulled out, I thought I'd have to work harder to keep them in line."
Black Zetsu hummed, intrigued. "And what cover did you use?"
White Zetsu grinned. "Made up a sob story about being a survivor from the Land of Sky." He let out a laugh. "They ate it up. They wanted to believe it."
At this, Black Zetsu's expression shifted, his eerie, amorphous form seeming to darken in thought. "The Land of Sky, hmm?" A pause. Then, in a voice filled with something resembling amusement, he said, "Perhaps… we should revive it."
White Zetsu blinked, then let out a mischievous giggle. "Now that would be fun."
The shadows of the cave deepened, wrapping around them like an embrace. Somewhere in the distance, the faint sound of dripping water echoed through the hollow expanse.
And in the darkness, the seeds of yet another scheme were sown.
=====
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