CH - 74 Iwagakure joins the war

As the meeting came to a close, Kusagakure decided to ignore Konoha's impolite request. They were not willing to offer their assistance in resisting Sunagakure's attack without any form of compensation.

Despite their previous betrayal of Konoha, Kusagakure still considered the two villages as allies in their eyes. As for the potential alliance with Iwagakure, they dismissed any intentional action on their part. The recent visit of Iwagakure ninjas to various scenic spots in The Land of Grass was purely coincidental, and Kusagakure had no prior knowledge of it. The Iwagakure ninjas had scouted the Kannabi Bridge independently.

Furthermore, it was a well-known fact that Konoha had a history of frequently betraying their allies. Those who had previously maintained good relations with Konoha often found themselves in dire situations. The Uzumaki Clan, once powerful, had already been wiped out, and the Tsuchigumo Clan, seemed to be heading down a similar path ahead. The Uchiha Clan, too, will eventually face a similar fate.

Interestingly, these three clans shared a common characteristic, they were all considered powerful and had close relations with Konoha.

The reputation of the Uzumaki Clan's sealing techniques and physical abilities had made the entire ninja world wary of them. The Tsuchigumo Clan's self-destructive abilities were also considered overly formidable, resulting in the loss of a member of the clan after each self-destruction. Under Konoha's persuasion, they had chosen to go into hiding. As for the Uchiha Clan, it was better not to mention their tragic story.

Given the past and future events, Akihiko deduced that it was best to take Konoha's words with caution and not trust them wholeheartedly. Blindly believing in them could be deathly or disastrous.

While the Grass Village valued peace, they recognized their own limitations in the face of an attack from Sunagakure, one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. Additionally, they had to maintain a watchful eye on neighboring Iwagakure, leaving them with no spare troops to block Sunagakure's assault. Despite their alliance with Konoha, the Grass Village found themselves in a vulnerable and challenging situation.

In summary, the Grass Shinobi Village simply didn't have the time or resources to involve themselves in this matter. Their primary focus was on dealing with their own pressing concerns.

Furthermore, Akihiko made it clear that the Grass Village will remain "neutral," meaning they would not interfere in the war any more than necessary.

In light of their position, Mubuki, the Grass Shinobi Village's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Intelligence took it upon himself to convey their decision with a firm "No agreement!" in the letter addressed to Konoha.

…

Upon receiving the reply from the Grass Shinobi Village, the faces of the Konoha officials were filled with mixed emotions.

"The Grass Shinobi Village and Konoha share an intimate alliance since the village's establishment, similar to the close relationship between Konoha and the Uzumaki Clan. However, due to our limited strength and Iwagakure's status as one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages with significant power and profound heritage, the Grass Shinobi Village is unable to spare any additional manpower to join hands with Konoha in safeguarding peace in the ninja world. We sincerely apologize for this and hope for your understanding. Let's consider the possibility of an agreement at a later time in the future," the letter read.

"The Grass Country's reconstruction seems to have had a positive impact on their diplomatic approach," remarked the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, as he read the letter. He lit a cigarette, contemplating the message before nodding, "It appears that the Grass Shinobi Village has indeed changed."

Konoha had received intelligence about the new leader of the Grass Shinobi Village, someone dedicated to re-establishing the village's spirit. The country had also produced a great literary figure, suggesting a transformation from their past recklessness. The Grass Village seemed to have evolved into a more mature and responsible entity, reflecting positively on their diplomatic dealings.

Despite the relief felt by Konoha upon receiving the reply from the Grass Shinobi Village, they hadn't completely let their guard down. They were well aware of the village's history of causing chaos during the First Great Ninja War, betraying allies shortly after forming alliances. As a result, Konoha remained cautious in their approach.

The fact that the Grass Shinobi Village was genuinely focused on monitoring Iwagakure was a welcome sign for Konoha. It showed that the village was serious about avoiding any meddling or double-dealing this time.

In the past, the Grass Shinobi Village had a reputation for being untrustworthy, willing to profit from both sides, and acting as swindlers. However, it seemed that they were genuinely steering clear of such actions this time.

Konoha had been preparing for the war and was ready to defend itself against attacks from multiple shinobi villages. The Grass Shinobi Village's decision to keep an eye on Iwagakure offered some relief to Konoha. Though weaker, if the Grass Village could resist Iwagakure's advances for a while, it would buy them some time. However, Konoha remained aware that the Grass Village might eventually align with Iwagakure, recognizing their limitations in the face of a formidable enemy.

Hiruzen Sarutobi placed the reply down and turned to the high-ranking members of Konoha, letting out a thoughtful sigh, "What are your thoughts on this?"

The others exchanged glances before Homura Mitokado stepped forward to address Hiruzen Sarutobi, carefully considering his words, "While the Grass Shinobi Village may have a reputation for deceit, we cannot discount their strengths, particularly in intelligence gathering. If Iwagakure were to join the war, they might hold their own for a while."

It was true that most of the intelligence sold by the Grass Shinobi Village turned out to be false. Nevertheless, their capabilities in gathering information were noteworthy, as evident from other shinobi villages seeking their services.

"In addition, we've been assisting The Land of Grass with internal trade within The Land of Fire, especially in the film and mystery box industries. Since they ceased selling information, they've relied on these industries for financial support. It's unlikely they'll easily betray Konoha," Homura Mitokado further explained, highlighting the ongoing cooperation and economic ties between the two villages.

While the idea of the Grass Shinobi Village transforming into a commercial ninja village might seem unusual compared to traditional villages prioritizing obedience and strength, Konoha understood that they were a different entity. As long as the Grass Village kept a vigilant eye on Iwagakure, it would be enough for Konoha.

"I agree," Koharu Utatane nodded in agreement. "Now, our primary focus is dealing with the attacks from Kumo and Suna. Peace was short-lived, and though we anticipated it, the sudden outbreak of this war caught us off guard."

Despite the challenges, she found a glimmer of hope, "Thankfully, the new batch of students is about to graduate. Their arrival will inject fresh vitality into our forces. Even if Iwagakure joins the war, it should alleviate the pressure of having a shortage of Konoha ninjas."

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled, acknowledging the significance of the new generation, "Indeed, the children are the future of Konoha. However," his expression turned serious, "we must also prepare for the worst. Intelligence reports indicate that Iwagakure has already deployed a considerable number of ninjas for covert operations. Though the Grass Shinobi Village may buy us some time..."

"Hokage-sama!" As Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to finish his sentence, a sudden interruption occurred. A member of the ANBU appeared, his face tense and urgency evident in his voice, "Iwagakure has joined the war!"

The room fell into a stunned silence. They had just discussed the possibility, and now it was already a reality.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was taken aback as well. He let out a sigh and spoke with a serious tone, "Although we were prepared for this possibility, I didn't expect Iwagakure to initiate the war so suddenly." He turned to the ANBU member before him, instructing, "Notify the ninja stationed at the border to prepare. The Grass Shinobi Village might not hold out for long!"

However, as the ANBU member hesitated, it seemed there was something else he needed to share. Nervously, he finally spoke up, "Um..."

"What's the matter?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, sensing something wasn't right

"Iwagakure… has already reached the border of The Land of Fire," the ANBU member replied, hesitatingly revealing the troubling news.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand trembled, and his heart sank. He looked at the ANBU member in disbelief, struggling to process the shocking news. "Already? What happened to the Grass Shinobi Village? Have they been defeated so quickly?" he wondered aloud, his concern growing exponentially.

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