Chapter 53: The Unspoken Rules of Power
Mifune walked into the center of the room, his expression placid. "Since everyone is present, let us begin the discussion. The Land of Iron will, of course, provide its full cooperation."
With that, he took a seat to the side, effectively removing himself from the debate. His role was that of a neutral host, nothing more.
The Sand Village representative closed his eyes, his posture making their stance clear: Do what you want; we're just here for appearances. With only three genin, they had nothing to gain and everything to lose.
Tsuchikage cleared his throat. "Esteemed colleagues, we hold these Chunin Exams to demonstrate our capabilities to our respective Daimyos. War is undesirable for all. If we can showcase our strengths—and expose weaknesses—in a controlled environment, it should suffice as a report, should it not?"
Receiving no response, he continued, undeterred. "Everyone here agreed to this format in principle. Therefore, this time, we will adopt a team battle mode, designed to simulate real warfare."
The Sand ninja's eyes snapped open, and he shot to his feet, glaring at Tsuchikage. "The Sand Village does not agree!" Their delegation was tiny; this format was a death sentence for their genin.
His objection was met with indifference. Whether the Sand agreed or not was irrelevant. They were a non-factor.
In contrast, the Cloud and Mist representatives' eyes lit up. This was a perfect opportunity. They had brought large teams, while Konoha and Sand had few. It was a chance to publicly humiliate Konoha.
"We agree," they said in near-unison.
"Your suggestion has merit," Akatsurugi's voice cut through the room, calm but firm. "But it requires one amendment. A maximum of nine participants per village may enter the field. Replacements are only permitted upon the death or incapacitation of those nine."
Konoha had only brought nine genin. He would not allow them to be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
"Lord Akatsurugi, that is unacceptable!" Kujō Satoru snarled.
Jūzō Biwa nodded in agreement. "Indeed. You cannot change the rules simply because Konoha is outnumbered. The minority submits to the majority. That is the principle."
Tsuchikage said nothing, a faint smile playing on his lips. With the Mist and Cloud backing him, he could afford to watch the drama unfold.
Akatsurugi understood their game now. They sought to use this exam to gang up on Konoha. Too bad for you.
"Are you both certain of this stance?" Akatsurugi's gaze was flat, but a palpable killing intent began to seep into the room.
The two jonin stiffened, then sneered. "So what if we are?"
Akatsurugi rose to his feet, looking down at them. "Then I will kill your genin until only nine remain from each village. Then we can discuss the rules."
"How dare you!" Kujō Satoru slammed his hands on the table, standing up. Jūzō Biwa also glared, outraged.
Akatsurugi didn't bother with a verbal reply. He simply swung his arm. A colossal fist of fire materialized and shot through the open doorway, smashing directly into the area where the Cloud genin were gathered outside.
BOOM!
The inferno erupted instantly. A few quick-reacting Cloud genin managed to leap to safety. The rest were consumed, turned to ash in the span of a heartbeat.
The sudden, brutal act sent a wave of shock and tension through the room. Even Tsuchikage's eyes widened. This reckless...
Outside, Akimichi Kōsuke and Uchiha En immediately moved to shield Konoha's nine genin, their faces grim. This is Lord Akatsurugi's power... But why did he attack?
"I'LL KILL YOU!" Kujō Satoru roared, his hands flying into seals.
Akatsurugi was faster. Another fiery fist lashed out, striking Kujō Satoru squarely in the chest before his jutsu could form. The Cloud jonin was sent flying through the wall with a sickening crunch.
Akatsurugi then turned his gaze to Jūzō Biwa and Tsuchikage. "Now," he said, his voice dangerously calm. "What is your opinion of my proposal?"
The two were stunned, caught between fury and fear. They hadn't expected Akatsurugi to act so directly, so ruthlessly. But the calculation was simple: Konoha and Cloud were already enemies. Killing Cloud genin was a provocation, but would it lead to war? In this period of exhaustion following the great war, none of their villages could afford another major conflict. Akatsurugi was betting on that, and his power made the bet a sure thing.
The Cloud Village had just been made an example of.
"Ahem," Tsuchikage finally said, struggling to keep his voice level. "Lord Akatsurugi, do you wish to start a war?"
"Konoha does not seek war," Akatsurugi replied, his tone ironclad. "But we do not fear it."
Tsuchikage fell silent, weighing the options. A fight here would be disastrous. They were no match for Akatsurugi in this confined space, and his village desperately needed this period of peace to recover.
"Very well," Tsuchikage conceded through gritted teeth. "We will proceed as Lord Akatsurugi suggests."
Under Akatsurugi's unwavering stare, Jūzō Biwa had little choice. "The Mist Village... agrees." The Cloud had taken the loss; the Mist had not. It was not his hill to die on.
At that moment, a battered and furious Kujō Satoru stumbled back into the room. Hearing Tsuchikage's words, his face purpled with rage. "You... you proposed this! And now you change it?!"
Only the Cloud Village had suffered!
"Akatsurugi!" he spat, pointing a trembling finger. "Your unprovoked attack on Kumogakure shinobi will be reported to the Third Raikage! You will pay for this!" With that, he vanished, presumably to gather his few surviving genin and leave. There was no point in an exam where his team was decimated.
Akatsurugi dismissed the threat. The current Third Hokage was not a pacifist; he was the "Professor," a hero of the Shinobi World War. Akatsurugi would report the events truthfully: three villages had conspired to target Konoha. His actions had broken the deadlock and saved Konoha's future—including the Hokage's own disciples—from a certain massacre. Hiruzen would understand.
Throughout it all, Mifune had remained seated, silent. He watched the conflict unfold without comment. Let them fight, his demeanor said. The Land of Iron is merely the venue.
The rules were changed. The Sand Village, lacking a powerhouse like Akatsurugi to enforce their will, could only withdraw in shame, following the Cloud's example.
Now, only three villages remained: Konoha, Iwa, and Kiri.
"Now that the matter is settled," Mifune said, finally standing, "let us begin. The Land of Iron has prepared a suitable arena for you to demonstrate your skills."