Hidden Stone Village.
Ohnoki read Konoha's statement line by line, his expression turning thoughtful.
After a moment, he handed the document to his son, Kitsuchi, and sighed. "The pressure of being a 'Kage' turns people into ghosts…"
"Hiruzen Sarutobi's always been a decent, steady sort, but look at his wording now. Sharp as a blade."
As he spoke, he twisted at the waist. A faint crackle came from his back.
Middle age had a way of sending you reminders. Even a body that used to feel endless started throwing out warning signs.
In Ohnoki's eyes, the Hidden Cloud Village's provocation had finally lit a fire under the usually dove-leaning Hiruzen…
"The Hokage says the Third Raikage's position isn't legitimate? Was there really something like that, Father?"
The second Kitsuchi said it, Ohnoki's back, which hadn't been hurting much, felt like it got hit with a hammer. The pain flared hard.
"Kitsuchi!" Ohnoki snapped, beard bristling and eyes wide. "Just because you're not built to be Tsuchikage doesn't mean you get to slack off!"
"Go read the history of the shinobi wars ten times over!"
Kitsuchi stood straighter. "Yes, Tsuchikage!"
Seeing that, Ohnoki could only shake his head.
His son was sturdy in that blunt, stubborn way. Steady in that blunt, stubborn way.
But blunt was still blunt…
"Whether the Second Raikage's death had anything to do with the Third Raikage, who knows? Besides the man himself."
"But the Third Raikage is absolutely a hardline fighter. That part's beyond dispute…"
"Tobirama Senju went to peace talks with the Second Raikage, and then Kinkaku and Ginkaku, who were hardliners too, ambushed them…"
"Lightning and Fire crash together, two Kage die, and the survivors step up. Doesn't it sound nice and neat?"
"Conspiracy theories don't need a chain of logic. They just need a single starting point that fits someone's interests. The people who want it to be true will fill in the rest."
Kitsuchi's face tightened. "It really does sound… plausible. Will this affect the Hidden Cloud Village?"
"It will," Ohnoki said, "but not much."
Hands behind his back, he floated a little above the floor, as casual as breathing. "I hate the Hidden Cloud Village. I hate the Raikage. But as an opponent… I have to admit, he's got the kind of charisma that keeps a village together."
"There might be some noise in Kumo. It won't change anything."
"The really interesting part is the Hidden Mist Village. The speaker might not mean it, but the listener definitely will."
Ohnoki chuckled, then told Kitsuchi about the messy history between Gengetsu Hozuki, that Second Mizukage lunatic, and the Third Mizukage.
Kitsuchi's expression turned heavy. "Then the Mist is going to be a mess now, isn't it? Father, do you think the Third Hokage did it on purpose?"
"Whether it was on purpose doesn't matter," Ohnoki said.
"What matters is this: if someone can stir up the Hidden Mist Village's internal politics, then no matter who he is or what he wants, I have to back the play."
He made a dramatic motion like he was slamming a desk, then immediately froze because he was floating in midair and hit nothing.
For a beat, it was awkward.
Without a word, Kitsuchi lifted the Tsuchikage's desk up into the air and held it steady. "Father. Try again."
Ohnoki looked at his son.
Kitsuchi looked back.
They both broke into laughter.
"Mu-dono died because of that madman, Gengetsu Hozuki…"
"And those Mist bastards… they're born half-feral. Bloodthirsty to the bone!"
Ohnoki swept his hand.
"Send a statement to the entire shinobi world. Say that a man like the Third Raikage doesn't deserve his seat. After the Second Raikage died, he somehow took the position with no clear reason. Because the major clans don't trust him, his personality warped, and he'll only grow more brutal and addicted to killing."
"Someone like that has no right to be Kage. Encourage Kumo's shinobi to replace him on their own. It'll benefit the Land of Lightning and the entire shinobi world."
Kitsuchi's mouth twitched.
This wasn't even about the Third Raikage anymore.
He was basically pointing at the Third Mizukage's face and screaming.
Ohnoki stroked his beard, satisfaction blooming in his chest.
Being a mouthy old bastard really did feel good… especially when the target was an old enemy.
"But if Hiruzen Sarutobi dared to say this," Ohnoki's eyes narrowed, "then it also means something else. He had his own controversies back then. If he can speak this boldly now, it means Konoha's power is well consolidated."
Kitsuchi grinned. "Lucky for us you've never had even a trace of controversy in that department."
Ohnoki smiled, pleased with himself.
It was true. Among the current Kage, he was the most unquestionably legitimate.
Back when he was still a child, Ishikawa, the First Tsuchikage, had picked him out. He'd personally laid Ohnoki's foundation, even had him assigned to wipe down the stone that represented the "Will of Stone."
Then Mu became his teacher…
So in the Hidden Stone Village, Ohnoki's word carried crushing weight. He had tight control over most of Iwa.
But when that kind of control lasted too long, arrogance crept in.
Some geniuses and powerhouses hated being leashed.
Like Roshi, the Jinchuriki. He despised Ohnoki's high-handed style, and he'd stayed away from the village for ages.
"Konoha is changing. The Hidden Stone Village can't fall behind…"
"Kitsuchi. The Explosion Corps needs to be formed faster!"
"And tell the shinobi in the village who are old enough that they'd better start having kids while they can. If a talented one shows up, I might even take them as a disciple!"
Then Ohnoki flicked Kitsuchi on the head hard enough to make him wince. "You too, Kitsuchi. Don't think I'm not talking about you."
This account didn't roll a top-tier Tsuchikage candidate…
Fine. Raise another one. Maybe his grandson would have better odds.
A few days later.
After Iwa's statement was broadcast to the entire shinobi world, the Hidden Cloud Village didn't react much at all. At first, most of them were just confused.
What kind of insult was this? It wasn't even hitting the point.
Did they really think Kumo shinobi would believe that kind of rumor?
The Third Raikage wrestling the Eight-Tails with his own body, throwing himself in front of civilians, leading from the front… that image was carved into every person in the village.
Even if his succession had been controversial, after this whole mess, almost nobody would keep that resentment in their chest.
Because when you were Kage, the only thing that mattered was whether you could make the village stronger, and whether you were the first one to step forward when disaster hit.
"…Oh. This is about the Third Mizukage, isn't it?"
"Ohnoki really is slippery. Using Hiruzen Sarutobi's words as cover, trying to spark a civil fight inside the Mist…" The Third Raikage snorted. "If that's the game, then we'll add more fuel."
"If we can cut our enemies down by even one fraction, then in the future our shinobi bleed less."
Beside him, Dodai nodded, already understanding. "Leave it to me, Raikage-sama."
And when all of that information finally piled onto the Hidden Mist Village…
The Third Mizukage, who'd been waiting for the other villages' responses so he could further cement the legitimacy of the Blood Mist Village, nearly flipped his entire desk.
What the hell was this supposed to mean?
It was Konoha and Kumo trading insults…
So why did it end with everyone hinting at me?
No. Not hinting.
Pointing.
The Third Mizukage's fist clenched so hard his knuckles went white. His eyes turned cold as ice, but inside, agitation and hatred burned like a furnace.
Even back when Gengetsu Hozuki had humiliated him in public, his killing intent hadn't been this strong.
Being mocked by the entire shinobi world over the most private, ugly corner of his heart… it was enough to drive him insane.
"Kumo. Iwa. Even Suna wants to jump out and say something!"
He dragged in a harsh breath. "And Konoha too…"
"No." He forced himself to slow down. "I'm the Mizukage. I have to think clearly… Konoha is hitting back at Kumo. They shouldn't have any malice toward me. Hiruzen Sarutobi even echoed my call for the villages to strengthen their militaries…"
One against four.
Even furious to the point of shaking, the Third Mizukage didn't believe that was workable.
If he could form even a limited cooperative relationship with Konoha, that would still be beneficial.
Worst case, cooperate first and stab them in the back later. That was practically a Mist tradition.
Isolation just meant the Mist shinobi were kept closed off. It didn't mean he, the Mizukage, was blind.
If he sealed everything completely, and the major hidden villages quietly formed an alliance without him knowing, then he'd be the one walking into a noose.
"This got dragged onto me because of that beast, Ohnoki. And the Third Raikage!"
"And those damned bloodline clans that refuse to submit to my rule!"
The Third Mizukage stood up so fast his chair scraped.
From this moment on, he would officially begin the Blood Mist Village in full.
All his energy would go into purging the rebels who wouldn't obey.
And when the next shinobi war came, he would march in with a loyal force and prove his name as the Third Mizukage would never be inferior to Gengetsu Hozuki's.
Some people laughed.
Some people suffered.
The Mizukage tower in the Hidden Mist Village swayed under the weight of his rage.
And back in Konoha's Academy…
Asuma, Shisui, Kakashi, and the others gathered together like they were on a picnic, sitting cross-legged on the grassy hills behind the school. Each of them pulled out something precious from inside their clothes.
For normal kids, it would've been snacks.
For them…
It was their family training manuals.