Land of Water, Kirigakure.
The village, perpetually shrouded in mist, was unusually clear today. A faint red glow from the setting sun—something rarely seen—spread across the sky, casting a blood-like reflection on the land below.
Somewhere in the village, the air was filled with wails and screams. The Kirigakure forces, swords in hand, moved methodically, delivering final blows to those already lying on the ground. No one was spared—whether an eighty-year-old elder or a three-year-old child.
In stark contrast, inside the Mizukage's office, a man sat beneath the dim glow of the ceiling light. His eyes, unnervingly narrow and elongated, sat oddly on his otherwise handsome face. Staring blankly at the ceiling, he suddenly burst into wild laughter.
"Ahahahahaha!!!"
"Sensei, I have fulfilled your wish! Can you see it? The bloodline limit shinobi are groveling at my feet, begging for mercy! Just as you commanded, I will erase every last one of them from this world! Hahahaha!"
The crazed laughter echoed through the room, illuminating the sinister nature of the Third Mizukage, Mufu. After years of careful maneuvering, he had finally solidified his rule, and the first thing on his agenda was the complete extermination of Kirigakure's bloodline clans.
Each time he saw their blood merge with the thin mist, a surge of exhilaration rushed through him. The people of Kirigakure would come to remember this era as the "Blood Mist."
His hatred for the bloodline limit clans stemmed from his master, the First Mizukage, Byakuren. Byakuren had once tried to suppress and control them, hoping they would eventually unite under Kirigakure's banner. But Mufu saw it differently. To him, bloodline shinobi were nothing but vermin—incapable of integration, deserving only of death.
It was eerily reminiscent of another ideology—one that had emerged in Konohagakure. After all, Senju Tobirama had once sought to guide the Uchiha toward the right path, only for his policies to spiral in a different direction over time.
Mufu had become the Kirigakure version of... Danzo.
Danzo suddenly jolted awake from his sleep, his breathing heavy. He sat up abruptly, eyes scanning the dimly lit room, confusion evident on his face.
Why did he suddenly feel like he'd found a kindred spirit?
"Hiruzen... could it be that you've finally seen the truth?!"
With newfound urgency, Danzo leapt from his bed, grabbed the cloak hanging beside him, and stormed out the door. He had to confront Hiruzen immediately.
...
Kumogakure.
The towering figure of the Third Raikage stood on the training grounds, his golden-blond hair and beard catching the light as he observed the young academy students. His frame was as broad and imposing as an ox, his mere presence exuding power.
Unlike the children of Konohagakure, who enjoyed structured training and proper facilities, these Kumogakure children had no such luxury. Their classroom was the rugged, unforgiving terrain of a natural mining site. Paired in twos, they engaged in fierce shuriken duels, their sweat mixing with the dust of the earth.
The Raikage watched them with a trace of satisfaction, though his expression remained troubled.
A young man hurried toward him—his newly appointed secretary, Dodai. Originally a civilian-born ninja, Dodai had earned this position through the Raikage's policy of nurturing young talent.
"Raikage-sama, the village's finances are running dangerously low. The funds for the new training facility—should we..." Dodai hesitated.
The Raikage waved a hand, and a burst of lightning crackled through the air, narrowly missing Dodai's feet. The young man swallowed his words immediately, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"Money! If we don't have it, then borrow it! Find Konoha, Kirigakure, Sunagakure—I don't care! We'll repay them in due time, but right now, we need it! Understood?!"
His thunderous voice sent a chill down Dodai's spine, forcing him into rigid attention. He internally sighed—of course, this was exactly what he had expected.
The Third Raikage, despite his terrifying appearance, genuinely cared about his people. His belief that "education must never be neglected, and children must never be deprived" made him an admirable leader—at least, for Kumogakure.
The problem was... every Raikage before him had been just as reckless. Each one was the embodiment of brute force.
Money wasn't something that just magically appeared. Kumogakure lacked fertile land, and even the feudal lord's allocated budget had already reached its limit. And sustainable economic growth? That concept didn't exist in the Raikage's vocabulary.
Dodai felt a headache coming on. But orders were orders.
Flipping through his daily briefing, the first report that caught his eye was about a war breaking out in the Land of Waterfalls.
Dodai frowned as he recalled details about the country. The Land of Waterfalls was insignificant—an economically weak nation with little influence. Borrowing money from them would be laughable. They'd be better off asking Sunagakure for some desert sand to sell.
As for the war?
Hah. Small nations were always at war. This particular conflict wasn't worth Kumogakure's attention. Better to look toward more reliable sources—like Konoha or Iwagakure.
...
Land of Wind.
The relentless desert wind howled, sweeping across the barren landscape. Standing atop a rooftop, Third Kazekage Saburo gazed over the desolate land before him, a deep sigh escaping his lips.
"Kazekage-sama, have you made your decision?"
A bald man, nearing fifty, spoke from behind. He was none other than Ebizō, who would later become a legendary figure in Sunagakure.
Ebizō remained silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"There's news from Takigakure..."
"I know."
Before Ebizō could finish his sentence, Saburo had already anticipated what he was about to say. He raised an eyebrow—he had been involved in that matter as well. However, he hadn't expected Kakuzu to truly go as far as declaring war on Takigakure.
The war hadn't yet reached his doorstep, but Saburo was already on high alert.
Sunagakure was poor, lagging behind in development, and surrounded by enemies. He couldn't afford to sit idly by—he had to act.
Turning away, he walked past Ebizō, his voice calm yet resolute.
"I'll leave the village in your and Chiyo's hands."
Ebizō let out a helpless sigh, worry filling his eyes.
What did Takigakure matter right now? The real concern was the crisis at their doorstep.
"Lord Kazekage, allow me to send a few men to accompany you. Rest assured, they are elite shinobi who have risen through the ranks during this war..."
The reality was undeniable—every major nation had already caught wind of the events in Takigakure.
Yet none of them had the time or inclination to intervene.
Now, back to the battlefield on the outskirts of Takigakure.
The ground was still smoldering, embers flickering in the aftermath of battle. Wisps of smoke curled into the sky, the air thick with the scent of burning.
In the distance, Shinnosuke leaned against a tree, one hand clutching his chest as he gasped for breath.
Even after drinking the Hero Water, he was no match for Kakuzu.
Perhaps Kakuzu was still far from attaining true god-like power, but he was already standing at the threshold of that realm.
Sweat dripped down Shinnosuke's forehead in large beads.
Today, even if he risked his life, he wouldn't be able to lay a single scratch on Kakuzu.
But—!
Shinnosuke clenched his teeth.
"Kakuzu! If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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