The sun had not yet risen, but the stone heart of Iwagakure was already awake.
Atop the tallest structure in the Village Hidden by Stone—the towering Tsuchikage Mansion—stood Arano Haishōri, a formidable Kage-level Jōnin, clad in a ceremonial white cloak that fluttered in the crisp mountain wind. Flanking him were four figures in identical cloaks: the Tsuchikage Council, his new advisors. A few meters behind them, silent shadows crouched at the corners of the roof—ANBU operatives, their masks gleaming faintly under the early light, ever vigilant.
Below, the streets overflowed with people. Over 30,000 citizens, shinobi and civilian alike, filled the stone-paved plazas. Genin, Chūnin, Jōnin, and elders stood side-by-side with children and merchants. They had all gathered to witness the momentous occasion—the official appointment of their new Tsuchikage.
The atmosphere pulsed with life.
From the rooftops, more ANBU watched over the celebration. Though hidden in the shadows, their chakra was on edge—ready to strike should anything threaten the peace. But there was no danger today. For once, the war-hardened village allowed itself to breathe.
The crowd cheered joyfully. Conversations buzzed with hopeful talk of peace, of rebuilding, of a better future. After all, the Second Great Ninja War had finally ended.
And with it... came the loss of their former leader.
The First Tsuchikage, an elderly yet once-formidable figure, had perished during a covert mission in Amegakure. Though his strength had faded with time, his will remained unbroken until the end. Ambushed by an elite Konoha strike force, his loyal Jōnin bodyguards fought to their last breath, buying him time to escape. The Tsuchikage survived the battle—but only briefly. His injuries proved too severe.
The news sent ripples through the village. With their leader gone, Iwagakure was thrown into disarray. A new era had to be forged.
In a hidden stone chamber beneath the village, a secret council was held. The Tsuchikage's advisor, the Daimyō of the Land of Earth, the surviving clan heads, and several war generals convened to make a decision that would shape the village's future.
It was there that my name was spoken.
Arano Haishōri. Once a Jōnin. Now... chosen to become the Second Tsuchikage.
Though my clan had been nearly wiped out during the First and Second Wars, my strength on the battlefield, mastery of Doton jutsu , and record of completing over a dozen S-rank missions had made my name known to all. Still, I knew strength alone would not be enough. Politics was another kind of battlefield. One I now had to master.
POV: Arano Haishōri
The wind was calm—steady. The kind of morning wind that carried no scent of blood.
I stood at the highest point of the Tsuchikage Mansion, looking out over the city I had fought for. The rooftops stretched like jagged stone waves into the horizon. Below me, a sea of faces—so many people. I recognized a few Jōnin and Council members in the crowd, but most were civilians: merchants, smiths, families, children. Survivors.
The oldest of the four advisors stepped beside me, holding out the Tsuchikage's hat—the traditional white kasa with the kanji for "Earth" emblazoned boldly on its front.
I reached out and took it.
As I lowered the hat onto my head, the crowd erupted into cheers. Some wept. Others clapped. Voices rose in hopeful unison.
Happiness...? That was something I hadn't seen in these people for a long time.Cheering? For me? Unthinkable, even just a few months ago.
After so much death... so much loss... the people deserved this.
But I couldn't join them.
That night, as fireworks lit up the sky and laughter echoed through the mountain walls, I walked alone through the halls of the Tsuchikage Mansion. My path led me downward—beneath the stone foundations—into the war room, an underground chamber used only for top-priority operations.
The room was large and well-lit with chakra-infused lanterns. Four ANBU squads were already waiting, kneeling in silence as I entered.
These were not just any shinobi.
They were my chosen guards, handpicked—loyal, elite, and ruthless. Each squad had its own function.
I sat on a simple chair at the center of the room.
"Begin," I ordered.
Squad AB-1, the strongest, consisted of four masked shinobi, each a master in their field—sensor, genjutsu, assassination, and sealing techniques. I gave them a personal mission: observe the ANBU. Not all of them served the Tsuchikage. Not yet. I needed to know who was loyal... and who was waiting to betray me.
Squads AB-2 and AB-3 were instructed to spy on the major clans of the village. I wanted to know where their loyalties lay. Any strange activity, any hidden meetings—I wanted reports within hours.
Squad AB-4 would observe the smaller clans, who were often more desperate... and more dangerous in the shadows.
I'm a new Tsuchikage, but I'm not a fool.
Power attracts enemies. And until my authority solidifies, I must move like a shinobi: unseen, silent, lethal if necessary.
Even if my guards were away, even if the ANBU turned against me, I would not fall so easily. I'm still a Kage. I know my strength. I could crush multiple squads of Jōnin without breaking a sweat.
My rise was not given—it was earned.
I made powerful allies when I was still a student at the Academy. Many of them are gone now—casualties of the war. But some survived, and became legends in their own right.
My closest ally? Han, the Jinchūriki of the Five-Tails. Four years older than me. When we first met, he was isolated, shunned. A boy with no friends. But I approached him without fear. Maybe that's why he trusted me.
He became one of my few true allies.
Iwagakure has two Jinchūriki. Han and Rōshi.
Unlike Han, Rōshi never trusted anyone. He despised the village, the people, the glares. I couldn't blame him. Civilians fear Jinchūriki. They isolate them. It creates monsters—or worse, creates weapons.
Time passed...
I found myself walking the halls again until I reached the final room.
The Tsuchikage's Office.
Large windows stretched from floor to ceiling, overlooking Iwagakure in its morning glow. The mountains behind the village cast long shadows, like ancient sentinels guarding the land.
I sat down behind the desk.
My first day as Tsuchikage had truly begun.
Piles of reports awaited me. I started with the most urgent: internal security.
Rogue ninja activity was rising. Bandits. Ex-Iwa shinobi. Missing-nin from the war now roamed the Land of Earth, robbing, killing, destabilizing border towns. The number of deserters from every village had exploded after the war.
I scanned the reports grimly.
We would respond.
Every missing-nin from Iwagakure would be branded a traitor and placed in the Bingo Book. Bounties would be issued. Teams of Chūnin and Jōnin would begin immediate pursuit within our borders.
For rogue ninja operating abroad, only Tokubetsu Jōnin and above would be dispatched. I wouldn't waste resources on distant revenge—but I would make a statement.
Even if the war was over, peace was fragile.
The borders remained tense. Skirmishes still erupted—accidental or not—between shinobi of different villages. The scars of war had not healed.
Then came the letter.
From Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage of Konoha.
A formal invitation.
He proposed a Kage Summit in the Land of Fire—an attempt to forge lasting peace between the great villages. The meeting was to be held in one month's time.
I held the letter for a long moment.
A chance to meet the other Kage... a chance to shape the future.I was intrigued by Hiruzen's proposal. I needed time to rebuild. But maybe... just maybe, this was the path forward.
For now, I had done all I could for the day.
My orders were given. My enemies watched. My allies stood ready.
As the sun finally rose behind the mountains, casting its golden light over Iwagakure, I removed my hat and leaned back in my chair.
The weight of this village now rests on my shoulders.But I will not falter.
I am Arano Haishōri.
I am the Second Tsuchikage.
And I will not let Iwagakure crumble again.