Creak… creak…
The tall, wide main gates slowly swung open, their hinges letting out faint metallic groans.
Led by three Kumogakure shinobi, the envoy delegation stepped through the gates of Konoha. The moment they entered, bright sunlight washed over their faces.
The rising sun broke through the clouds, shining directly on them. The three men squinted slightly, gazing into the distance at the Konoha welcoming party and the village scenery beyond.
Layer upon layer of lush tree canopies rippled like flowing waves of emerald, shimmering with gold and green patterns in the early autumn breeze.
The four stone faces carved into the Hokage Rock loomed overhead, casting long shadows. The massive walls, dozens of meters high, embraced the entire village in their protective curve. Shop banners along the roads fluttered in the wind.
The whole world felt vibrant and bright. The cheerful voices of people mixed with the scent of flower petals and fresh air, carried on the breeze, warming everything from head to toe.
The same thought crossed the minds of all three Kumogakure shinobi at once.
Konoha truly lived up to its reputation—prosperous and abundant.
Prosperous and abundant enough to stir greed and envy in their hearts.
Kumogakure lay in the Land of Lightning, built among towering mountains that pierced the clouds. The country was vast but sparsely populated. While it had notable lightning-based resources, like the other major shinobi nations, it suffered from scarce natural resources overall.
Only the Land of Fire, home to Konoha, possessed the richest territories in the entire shinobi world. Situated in a hilly region with a mild climate, ample sunlight, fertile farmland, a thriving economy, and a large population, it occupied the central crossroads of the continent.
Konohagakure was called a "village," but in reality, it functioned more like a city-state. Its residents could live their entire lives within its borders without ever needing to leave, self-sufficient thanks to the village's abundant resources.
In contrast, Kumogakure lost hundreds of people each year to lightning strikes alone. Every resource, including ninjutsu techniques, had to be fought for with blood and lives…
Jealousy burned like flames in their chests, causing a sharp ache.
"If Mabui and the Lord Raikage's plan succeeds, could a share of this prosperous Konoha belong to Kumogakure as well…"
The three Kumogakure shinobi exchanged glances, each seeing the greed reflected in the others' eyes.
Members of the Hyūga main family rarely left the village. Even when they did, they were always accompanied by branch family jōnin as escorts.
This made it extremely difficult for other villages to capture living members of the main family. Even if a branch member was caught, the main family could remotely destroy their Byakugan using the Caged Bird Seal.
However, things had changed during the Third Shinobi World War.
A Kirigakure jōnin named Ao had somehow obtained a Byakugan and successfully performed a transplant with surprising ease. His reconnaissance and support capabilities had increased dramatically.
The major villages now understood the differences between the Byakugan and the Sharingan.
Much like the contrasting styles of the Uchiha and Hyūga clans, the Sharingan was more domineering, while the Byakugan was gentler and more adaptable to the body.
In the underground black market, the bounty for a single Byakugan had reached 35 million ryō.
What Kumogakure lacked most right now wasn't ninjutsu—it was powerful kekkei genkai like the Byakugan or Sharingan.
Stealing the Sharingan was out of the question. The Uchiha were a pack of mad dogs that even Kumogakure preferred not to provoke.
But the Hyūga…
This plan had three possible outcomes.
The best case: the plan succeeds, they escape safely, and Kumogakure obtains the Hyūga clan's bloodline.
Abducting a hostage directly from the Hyūga compound was nearly impossible.
But that didn't matter. If the plan failed, they would deliberately die at the hands of a main family member. They could then use that as a pretext to demand Konoha hand over the "killer." Refusal would mean war.
If Konoha handed over the Hyūga clan's "murderer," it would create conflict between the village's conservative and radical factions. It would also strain relations between the Hyūga clan and the Hokage's faction while depleting Konoha's fighting strength.
Even if the Third Hokage chose to go to war, their intelligence indicated that Konoha's strength had been severely weakened. The Fourth Hokage and the Nine-Tails jinchūriki had died in the Nine-Tails' attack. One of the Sannin, Orochimaru, had defected. Jiraiya and Tsunade were missing.
With Konoha this diminished, Kumogakure had no reason to fear them now.
Success meant acquiring the Hyūga bloodline. Failure provided a legitimate reason for war.
Either outcome benefited Kumogakure.
The price they paid would be small—at most, just their three lives.
While the three observed Konoha, the Konoha side was observing them in return.
"Three jōnin, huh?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen opened his slightly narrowed eyes. This was the standard configuration for an envoy team. The last trace of caution he held quietly faded. He gave a small nod. "Go ahead, Reina."
"Yes, Sandaime-sama."
The young girl Reina, holding a fresh bouquet of dewy flowers, trotted toward the distant Kumogakure delegation. Her long golden ponytail bounced with each step in the sunlight.
"Welcome to Konoha."
She handed the bouquet to the lead Kumogakure shinobi. After a polite handshake, she smiled. "Just call me Reina. I'll be accompanying you throughout your stay and handling all the arrangements for the next few days."
There were no distinctive clan symbols on the girl. She appeared to be nothing more than a young kunoichi—honestly, she didn't even look much like a shinobi at first glance.
"Thank you." The lead jōnin, named Yūruī, returned the smile with a gentle tone. "We'll be counting on you, Miss Reina."
She had run over wearing high heels without slowing down, indicating excellent balance.
The calluses on her palms had been neatly trimmed, suggesting she was skilled with bladed weapons.
And…
"An Anbu operative?" Yūruī kept his expression neutral. It seemed escaping surveillance wouldn't be easy.
As they walked, they reached the front of the group where Sarutobi Hiruzen stood. The Third Hokage extended his hand, and Yūruī shook it firmly.
The first impression Yūruī got was one of strength and vitality. This was not the handshake of a frail old man leading a village in its twilight years.
It was as if a fierce fire still burned within that aged body, radiating a terrifying power that commanded respect.
So this was Konoha's Third Hokage?
A shadow of gloom crossed Yūruī's mind, but it did nothing to deter him from what they had come to do.
"May this alliance treaty bring peace to all the lives lost in the war."
Sarutobi Hiruzen unrolled the pre-agreed treaty scroll, smiling warmly as he spread out the one-meter-long document on the table before them.
"Lord Raikage also hopes our two nations can enjoy lasting peace."
Yūruī took out the Fourth Raikage's seal from his robes and stamped both copies of the bilateral treaty in turn.
Click.
Seeing the seal press down firmly, Sarutobi Hiruzen breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
The crowd erupted in even louder cheers. More flower petals suddenly showered down from both sides of the street, scattering across the shoulders of those below.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Yūruī locked eyes and shook hands once more, both wearing identical, formal smiles.
"Please, this way." Sarutobi Hiruzen put away the scroll and gestured with a slight turn of his body. "We hope you enjoy your time in Konoha."
What followed were some private discussions.
Once the Konoha and Kumogakure groups had departed, Hyūga Kumokawa's eyes flickered subtly within the crowd.
He glanced toward Might Guy, who had already been swept away by the throng and was enthusiastically chatting with others. Then, Hyūga Kumokawa's figure quietly vanished from the crowd.
After watching this farce of false goodwill, it was time to head back and prepare for tonight's operation.
Meanwhile, Sarutobi Hiruzen and several clan heads made their way toward the Hokage Building, introducing the clan leaders to the three Kumogakure shinobi along the way.
Noticing the absence of the Hyūga name, Yūruī's face showed a timely look of confusion. "I've long heard of the Hyūga clan's renowned reputation. Why isn't their clan head here?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen hadn't expected the direct question. He paused briefly before replying with a smile, "My apologies. The Hyūga clan head wanted to attend, but today is his daughter's third birthday—she's the main family's direct heiress. It's a very important occasion for the Hyūga clan, so…"
"I see." Yūruī smiled as if it didn't matter. "Sounds like today is indeed a special day."
However, the two Kumogakure shinobi behind him lacked his composure. Upon hearing this, they instinctively exchanged a glance, their eyes burning with intensity.
It was today, just as planned!
***
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