Chapter 52: Hidden Cloud
At the same time, within the Raikage's office in the Hidden Cloud Village.
The man seated behind the massive wooden desk looked every bit the legend he was—his golden mane blazing like a lion's and his muscles rippling beneath the black lightning marked cloak. Yet the Third Raikage, A, did not look furious or reckless as rumors often portrayed him.
In truth, he was calm, intelligent, and deeply aware of his people's struggles. Beneath his rough exterior, he carried a heavy sense of responsibility. His son, trained to inherit the mantle of Raikage, was the pride of his heart.
Originally, Kumogakure had every reason to be confident. Known for producing warriors who embodied both the strongest spear and the strongest shield, the village's reputation rivaled even Konoha's. Its military might, discipline, and mastery over Lightning Release made it the second-strongest force in the world—an honor that once had even tempted them to dream of conquering the Hidden Leaf itself.
Compared to Konoha, riddled with internal disputes and clan politics, the Cloud Ninja stood united and proud.
For generations, Kumogakure had cultivated secret arts of extraordinary complexity, producing shinobi of unparalleled power. Without constant internal conflict, the village had developed a formidable infrastructure—one capable of matching Konoha's strength.
The Third Raikage had always believed that his people should not remain trapped forever in the desolate, mountainous terrain of the Land of Lightning. Their homeland was majestic, yes—but harsh. Only those who had lived there truly understood the hardship of survival, the difficulty of trade, and the isolation from the rest of the world.
Thus, A's hostility toward Konoha was not born of hatred, but necessity. Survival demanded ambition. And ambition demanded confrontation.
But in recent years, Konoha's meteoric development had stifled even the Cloud's pride.
Their forces had been repelled in multiple skirmishes, unable to breach the Leaf's enhanced defenses. The introduction of the Blut Vene had turned Konoha's border forces into walking fortresses. Entire cities had been lost, their frontlines collapsing beneath the devastating taijutsu of Blut Vene shinobi.
Had it not been for Konoha's internal focus on equipping their forces and consolidating power, the Cloud Village might already have faced a resource crisis. Their borders were constantly harassed by Konoha's patrols, whose advanced equipment made every skirmish one sided.
Yet, as A often said—crisis breeds opportunity.
The Third Raikage brushed his fingers over the old scar on his chest, his eyes sharpening.
"…It's pathetic," he muttered, "borrowing another man's creation and calling it your own."
Setting the document aside, the Raikage turned his gaze toward the tall, broad-shouldered man kneeling before him. The man wore a dark hat emblazoned with the kanji for Thunder.
"Toshiro," A said, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder. "What does the research division report? Can our scientists integrate Aizen's findings with our own technology?"
"Reporting, Lord Raikage," the man said nervously, lowering his head. "At present… it's impossible."
"As expected," A muttered. "Even our Lightning Release secrets have been surpassed?"
"Yes, my lord. Aizen Sosuke's research on neural activation and chakra flesh augmentation complements the Blut Vene almost perfectly. It's essentially a method of enhancing chakra flow through biological synchronization—something our Thunder Release techniques can't yet replicate."
Sweat beaded on Toshiro's forehead as he continued. "The researchers believe Aizen's work has reached a terrifying level. If not for Konoha's constant internal power struggles preventing unified application, our secrets might already have been fully deciphered."
The Raikage's expression darkened, but instead of anger, there was admiration in his tone.
"So that's the scale of his genius. The entire shinobi world dances to one man's design."
He studied the scroll in silence for a few moments, then looked back up with newfound determination.
"But that's precisely why I see an opening," he said quietly. "They don't have time. And neither do we. Konoha's internal politics are their greatest weakness. Our spies reported that their factions still clash in secret. To enact any major policy, the Hokage must convince them all…"
A sudden glint flashed in his eyes.
"…Ah. So that's what this is."
He leaned back, his gaze distant, piecing together the threads of Aizen's strategy.
The empty defense lines… the sudden recall of troops… the grand unveiling of the Blut Arterie…
Every move had been orchestrated. The "withdrawal" of Konoha's forces wasn't retreat—it was bait.
"This recall," A said, voice low, "was forced through by the Third Hokage himself. If the world hadn't witnessed the Blut Arterie firsthand, he never could've unified his people so quickly."
He smirked bitterly. "To achieve that, he sacrificed his forward positions and feigned weakness—handing over territory as a trap. Even Aizen's research was used as part of the deception, to mislead us into focusing on replication instead of resistance. The moment the other nations start studying those papers… they'll already have lost."
Toshiro looked up in alarm. "You mean…"
"Yes." A's expression hardened. "If we follow the bait and divide our strength trying to imitate Konoha, we'll walk straight into their plan. The Third Hokage intends to paralyze the world's response while he consolidates absolute power."
Under the leadership of the Third Hokage, Konoha once again displayed its terrifying capability—fighting on multiple fronts with ease. The village, which had suffered devastating losses during the Second Great Ninja War, had revived at an astonishing speed.
Faced with the looming threat of Konoha's resurgence, the Sand Village struck first, unleashing its sharpest blade without hesitation, even at the cost of honor and integrity.
"What a terrifying man," murmured the Third Raikage, reading the reports. "He truly lives up to the title of the legendary hero of the ninja world."
Had Sarutobi Hiruzen not relied so heavily on a prodigy like Aizen Sosuke, had he not feigned ignorance so convincingly, even the abandonment of the Land of Rain Defense Line might have gone unnoticed. The deception would have swallowed the entire ninja world whole.
But it was precisely that decision—to abandon the Rain Defense Line—that alerted the other nations. Logic dictated that no sane leader would abandon an entire strategic line over a single piece of unconfirmed political intelligence. That was where suspicion began to take root.
When Konoha tried to repair the damage—by advancing again and reaching out to Hanzo of the Salamander—the plan backfired. Hanzo had already leaked the information to the Sand and Rock Villages, and soon all four major villages knew. The more Konoha tried to conceal, the more transparent its intentions became.
That level of deliberate imperfection—those convenient leaks and apparent carelessness—was the perfect bait. And when the other nations took it, when they fought to claim the Land of Rain and the surrounding borders, none of them realized the truth.
Because what did it truly mean to "occupy" Konoha's land? The terrain, the choke points, the natural barriers—all of them favored the Leaf. Every step into their territory was simply a step into one's own grave.
The Raikage understood this now—and he knew exactly whom to thank.
A single, carelessly handled letter—stolen by an admirer of Aizen within Konoha—had awakened the four great villages. Though the contents were vague, and the writer's identity uncertain, the implications were clear enough to unite the entire ninja world.
It was ironic. Sarutobi Hiruzen, by accident or design, had forced the world to cooperate out of fear of him.
"You can claim it proudly, Hiruzen," the Raikage muttered under his breath. "Even the First Hokage, who pacified the chaotic age, never inspired such global dread. But you… you've managed it through sheer intellect and manipulation."
He set the document down and exhaled slowly.
"I recognize your strategy, your resolve. No single village can stand against you—but what if it's two? Or four?"
He stared out the window, the endless mountain ranges shrouded in mist and storm clouds.
"…So it's a battle against time—and against pride."
The Raikage rose from his seat, the distant thunder echoing through the peaks. His golden mane caught the flicker of lightning that flashed beyond the glass.
"Our recent actions have yielded valuable data and confirmed Aizen's theories. But this success might also be a trap—a sweet poison planted by our enemy."
He clenched his fists. "Sarutobi Hiruzen… the socalled hero of Konoha… is no ordinary foe. Against a man like that, we must consider every possibility. If we stand idle for the sake of pride, then Kumogakure will never escape these beautiful yet barren mountains."
Then his voice grew fierce. "But we are Lightning Ninja—we crave everything but shame!"
"Raikage-sama…"
The kneeling aide, Todai, lowered his head in guilt. "If we were just more united—if we had acted sooner—"
"There's no use in regret," the Raikage interrupted, his tone firm but calm. "If our humiliation ensures a brighter future for the next generation, then let this generation bear it. Issue my command: every shinobi is to copy the secret techniques recorded here and enhance their combat performance as efficiently as possible."
Donning his black and gold Raikage cloak, the Third Raikage strode toward the office doors, lightning crackling faintly along his shoulders.
"Contact the Mist Village," he ordered. "They're small and unstable—and after their feud with the Land of Whirlpools, they'll be the most desperate. The Sand and Rock Villages have already joined hands. We cannot lag behind."
"When facing a powerful enemy, wisdom must guide strength. Charging blindly will only lead to ruin."
He paused, his voice rising like thunder.
"But we, the shinobi of the Cloud, will never retreat in fear! We will endure, fight through this storm—and when the time comes, we will strike back with lightning itself!"
"—Yes, Raikage-sama!"
---
Konoha Village, Hokage's Office
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression hardened as he read the latest newspaper headline. His pipe trembled slightly in his hand.
"…What is this nonsense?" he muttered.
Aizen Sosuke, standing nearby with an unreadable smile, looked almost delighted.
"What a pity," Aizen said. "It seems our enemies have finally realized your plan, Lord Hokage. Such a masterpiece of strategy—spoiled only because it was too perfect."
He sighed, feigning disappointment, though his eyes gleamed with quiet amusement.
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