The aftermath of Cloud Shinobi's aggressive assault on Iwagakure had left a visible scar. The economic backbone of the village—already weakened—was nearly shattered by the sudden and brutal raid. Though the Daimyō had released emergency funds, the damage was far more extensive than money could patch.
Two tailed beasts. Elite Cloud Shinobi. Advanced battlefield tactics. The magnitude of the assault wasn't something any average shinobi village could retaliate against. This wasn't a test of strength—it was a declaration of superiority.
Before the dust had even settled from the attack, and while Onoki was still trying to assess the situation, Cloud Shinobi dropped their next bombshell: an official declaration of war.
And with that, the Fourth Great Shinobi War had truly begun.
As the war ignited, it dragged with it the familiar signs—shortages of weapons, food, and morale. But for Iwagakure, the blow was heavier. Their civilian economy was already in tatters, and now, as resources were diverted to the frontlines, even the common folk began to feel the suffocating weight of war.
"This is madness!" Onoki shouted, slamming his hand on the stone table. "A single Tailed Beast Bomb, and they accuse us of attacking them? They turn around and start a war?"
But no matter how ridiculous it seemed, the reports were consistent.
"Lord Tsuchikage," a Rock Shinobi said, bowing respectfully. "From our intelligence inside Cloud Shinobi, they were indeed struck by a Tailed Beast Bomb. Their two Jinchūriki worked together to intercept and contain it. They identified the chakra signature—it matched the Four Tails. We still haven't heard from Lao Zi."
Onoki's face darkened. "I can't even control both of my Jinchūriki properly, let alone send one to bomb Cloud Shinobi! How can they possibly accuse us of such a thing?"
It was infuriating. The evidence of the chakra was there, yes. But the motive? The logic? Nonexistent. And yet, it was the perfect pretext for the Fourth Raikage to unleash his forces and push his aggressive strategy forward.
"Enough!" Onoki barked. "We can sort out the truth later. For now, mobilize every unit to secure war supplies—anything useful, take it and bring it back. Don't wait for orders. Survive. That's the priority."
His orders were sharp, tactical. He knew the war couldn't be won in the open battlefield—not yet. Iwagakure had to rely on scavenging, repurposing, and seizing whatever they could from the smaller nations.
And truth be told, those small nations were already battlegrounds, chewed up and spat out by the tides of greater power. Their lands, weapons, food, and coins were fair game now. War did not wait for permission.
But Onoki's gaze turned south—toward the Land of Fire.
"Konoha," he muttered. "Rich, close… dangerous."
"Lord Tsuchikage," his aide spoke again, "Konoha has officially allied with Sunagakure. Both nations have deployed garrisons along the shared border. Based on the numbers reported, Konoha has over three thousand shinobi stationed there."
Onoki's heart sank slightly.
That number was devastating. For a village "weakened" by war, Konoha still had the numbers to choke out an entire campaign. His hopes of stealing from the Land of Fire had been dashed.
"They anticipated me," he thought grimly. "They knew I'd try to use this war to exploit their riches—and they've closed the gates before I even knocked."
Konoha's strength remained terrifying. People loved to say the village had declined, that it was no longer the force it once was. But how many forgotten ninja villages could field such a force in an instant? Especially while keeping reserves in place.
Even worse, Sunagakure's alliance meant that if Onoki made the wrong move, he could find himself facing three nations at once. It wasn't a gamble he could afford—not now.
He had tasted recent victories, yes. His forces had ambushed several Cloud Shinobi camps and seized much-needed resources. He didn't want to lose momentum now by provoking another superpower.
"Stick to the small nations," he ordered. "Bleed them dry if we must. But don't touch Konoha—not yet."
---
Meanwhile, in the halls of the Lightning Country, the Fourth Raikage was just as furious—but for different reasons.
He had every advantage. Superior numbers. Two powerful Jinchūriki. Wealth. Strategy. But somehow, Iwagakure was still winning battles.
"How the hell are they doing this?" he growled, clenching his fists. "We cripple their supplies and they bounce back like nothing happened."
What he didn't know—what he couldn't know—was that Orochimaru had quietly been feeding tactical intel to Iwagakure's command. Not much, just enough to shift momentum.
A hidden weak point here. A supply convoy's route there. In war, such small advantages could turn tides.
Though Orochimaru hadn't provided weapons or shinobi, his information was more valuable than either.
Even for a wealthy village like Cloud Shinobi, war was expensive. Their stores of kunai, shuriken, armor, and medical supplies began to run low. Unlike chakra, these things could not be conjured—they had to be forged, crafted, delivered. And that took time.
And money.
"Sir Raikage," Samui reported, walking into the war room. "Konoha has officially declined to join our side. They have also refused to sell strategic materials. Sunagakure also declined alliance, though they're willing to sell us mineral ore."
The Raikage scowled. "Mineral ore? What am I supposed to do with rocks? Throw them at Iwagakure?!"
Samui remained silent. It wasn't her place to retort, though she silently agreed. What Cloud Shinobi needed was steel, food, bandages—not raw minerals.
"Third Hokage is cautious," Raikage muttered after a pause. "I expected him to stay neutral. But to deny us even supplies…?"
That stung. And now, with both Konoha and Sunagakure distancing themselves, the Raikage's options were running thin.
There was one card left to play.
"Contact the Uchiha Group," he ordered coldly.
Samui blinked. "Uchiha? The same Uchiha that left Konoha?"
"Yes," he nodded. "Back then, I didn't think much of them. A few clansmen breaking away, building a company—what could they possibly achieve on their own?"
He clenched his fist. "But I was wrong."
Since severing ties with Konoha, the Uchiha clan had grown exponentially. Led by Andrew and his close allies, they had turned their organization into a force rivaling the economic power of any great village. Arms production, logistics, even experimental chakra tech—they had it all.
"They've made deals before," the Raikage said. "Now we'll make one of our own. Even if it means swallowing our pride—get us weapons. Medical supplies. Armor. Anything they're willing to sell."
Samui bowed. "Yes, sir. I'll send the contact request immediately."
The Raikage turned to look out the window at the storm clouds gathering on the horizon.
"Uchiha… show me what your little empire is really worth."
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