133 Chapter 132

Three Wolves Mountain, Land of Iron

In the clandestine heart of the Shinobi world, far from prying eyes, a crucial meeting unfolded. Hosted in the Land of Iron's imposing stronghold, the gathering was shrouded in secrecy. At the center of the meeting room, Mifune, the resolute leader of the Samurai, commanded attention with his dignified presence. Tall and broad-shouldered, Mifune's countenance exuded authority, his steely gaze betraying the weight of his responsibilities.

Representing the Land of Iron, Mifune stood as the focal point of the assembly, flanked by esteemed figures from the major Shinobi villages. Towering beside him was the formidable Yondaime Raikage, Ay, whose muscular frame was a testament to his prowess as a warrior. With weathered features reflecting a lifetime of leadership, Sandaime Tsuchikage Onoki, the venerable leader of Iwagakure, sat with an air of wisdom and experience.

Yondaime Kazekage Rasa, a figure of strategic acumen and determination, lent his presence from Sunagakure, his piercing gaze assessing the room with calculated precision. Completing the ensemble was the enigmatic Godaime Mizukage, Utakata, who recently ascended to leadership in Kirigakure. Veiled in mystery, Utakata's demeanor hinted at hidden depths, his intentions concealed beneath a facade of diplomacy.

Among these luminaries of the Shinobi world, lesser-known leaders from smaller, hidden villages also held sway, their voices carrying weight despite their modest stature on the global stage. As the meeting convened, the fate of nations hung in the balance, with alliances forged and strategies devised in the shadows of secrecy.

"First of all, before we start, I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to all those who have found time to make it to this meeting organized by the Land of Iron." Mifune stood up from his seat and addressed the people present in the meeting. There were more than two dozen individuals seated around the table who had taken the time to attend this meeting despite not knowing the true intention of the Land of Iron. This was a major risk, one that not many Kage would take, even though the Land of Iron is known for its neutrality.

After the recent development of the Land of Iron losing its monopoly in weapon making, it suffered due to its high prices. Konoha, with its superior quality products and reasonable prices, had tilted the scale against the Land of Iron's products, which had been hailed as matchless for generations. This had become a major blow to them.

Moreover, with the massive chakra mine now under Konoha's direct control, the Fire Country was growing at a monstrous rate. The Land of Iron had decided to discuss this matter with the rest of the major and minor villages that had been directly and indirectly disadvantaged due to Konoha's rapid growth under the Senju princess's reign.

"General, drop your pleasantries. We did not travel so far on such short notice to exchange pleasantries. Tell me why you have asked for a meeting without declaring the reason for it and why you saw fit to invite such unsavory faces." The Raikage did not bother with maintaining decorum and directly showed his displeasure. If not for the Kumo council's insistence, he would not have bothered to attend this meeting.

Originally, he had thought it would be a meeting with just the representative of the Land of Iron. But almost every major force except for that from Konoha was present. He even had an inkling that representatives from the underground forces like the black market and mercenary union were present, which made him even more uneasy.

"Tch, always impatient. Why can't you wait for the man to finish speaking?" Onoki didn't fear the Raikage's outburst like the others. He openly reprimanded the Kumo leader's unruly behavior. Although he had not received confirmation, he was able to judge the reason for such a meeting at this time, and he had immediately left for the meeting because it aligned with his interests.

The Raikage's anger flared as he looked at the old Kage from Iwagakure. The memory of the Fourth Shinobi War was still fresh in the Raikage's mind. He felt that if not for this old man, Kumogakure would not have been in such a passive position, needing to respond to the beck and call of other countries like the Land of Iron.

The Raikage's aura flared as if he were ready to confront the old Raikage, but then Utakata's words cut through the tension.

"Raikage, are you sure that Kumogakure is in a position to start a new war just after we got our asses handed to us in the recent war by Konoha? If such a devastating loss hasn't taught you a lesson, perhaps it's better you set aside your Raikage robe and select a new leader for your village."

Although the new Mizukage's words were unsavory, they held absolute truth. In the last war, all the major villages had been slapped hard with reality. The Leaf Village was reverting back to its old glory, and if left unchecked, they would soon have to descend into an age similar to the era of the First Hokage, who managed to deter the whole Shinobi world with his might.

However, unlike the First Hokage, the current Godaime Hokage didn't show mercy to her enemies, and it was all made evident in the last war. It wasn't Tsunade's mercy that spared them in the last war; no, Utakata was absolutely sure it was because of Hiruzen's subdued nature that led to this mercy. If not, currently only Sunagakure would still be standing because they did not take part in the war.

"Raikage, the Mizukage is right," Kazekage interjected, his voice carrying the weight of consideration. "Even though we did not participate in the last war, I am sure that even if we had been part of it, it wouldn't have made much of a difference for Konoha. Do we even have a clear estimate of how many Kage-class shinobi Konoha currently has? We in Sunagakure have zero spies inside the Leaf Village, and I am sure the situation is similar for all the villages. We are completely blind to what's happening within the Leaf Village; we can only blindly estimate their strength from how fast the Fire Country is progressing."

Kazekage's comment hung in the air, a sobering reminder of the limitations faced by the other villages in gathering intelligence on Konoha's activities. Originally, Sunagakure had entertained thoughts of undermining Konoha during the war's progression, but the sheer display of Konoha's strength had left them reeling in shock. They had been fortunate that their plans hadn't come to fruition; as the war progressed, Konoha only grew stronger. Then, the biggest blow came towards the war's end when Iwagakure officially announced that the Yondaime Hokage, the man known as the Yellow Flash, was still alive.

Rasa, the Kazekage, clearly understood the disparity between himself and the Yellow Flash. The man alone could subdue the entire Sunagakure singlehandedly if he willed it. However, Rasa's pride did not allow him to voice such thoughts openly. Merely admitting that Sunagakure was inferior to Konoha already fueled his anger and frustration.

The Raikage, having risen from his seat, realized that the words from his fellow Kage, although harsh, were the truth. The current Kumogakure council would not dare to put a foot out of line as long as Tsunade sat on the Hokage's chair. Even he was being pressured by the council to curb any reckless action against the Fire Country. He took in a deep breath, and his aura receded like the retreating tide as he sank back into his chair. However, frustration still lingered on his face.

Mifune, standing at the center with peace restored, addressed the room again. "Well, I am sure many of you must have already guessed the intention of today's meeting. And yes, as Mizukage shared earlier, Konoha has been growing at an unprecedented rate. Despite our neutrality, we cannot allow Konoha to challenge the balance that has been maintained in the Shinobi world since the passing of Senju Hashirama."

"Hehe, neutrality, really? You guys still want to keep up the facade? Just openly admit it: Konoha's growth is affecting your treasury, so you want to keep them in check or completely destroy them. Why use such grand terms as 'balance of the world' and whatnot nonsense?" The leader representing the mercenaries commented while chuckling.

Since Konoha had razed the previous Daimyo faction in the Fire Country, the presence of mercenaries in the Fire Country had dwindled. Even during the massacre of the Fire Country Daimyo faction, hundreds of top-class mercenaries were slaughtered like pigs by Konoha Shinobi.

Although this was the nature of mercenary life, they couldn't shy away from holding a grudge against Konoha, which was affecting their business in such a prosperous country as the Fire Country. The income their organization was making in the Fire Country would equal that of the other four major villages combined, but now this money has completely stopped.

Mifune's face contorted momentarily at the mercenary leader's words, but he quickly composed himself, masking his true emotions with a forced smile. "I will cut to the chase. Konoha is growing too fast and too strong. With the Senju princess at its helm, they are close to becoming unstoppable. So, the Land of Iron would like to put forth a suggestion to form a sort of alliance collectively to combat the behemoth called Konohagakure."

With Mifune's words, the atmosphere in the venue turned somber as the weight of his proposal sank in. What they were discussing, if known to Konoha, would spell doom for the major villages that had recently signed a surrender treaty as the losers of the war. This treaty included a clause strictly prohibiting these major villages from forming any such coalitions against Konoha. Despite understanding all these risks, the Land of Iron was still suggesting such an alliance.

As for the smaller powers, if Konoha discovered their involvement in such a coalition, they could be certain that Konoha's vengeance would soon follow. The implications of Mifune's proposal were grave, and the room fell into a heavy silence as each leader contemplated the potential consequences of such an alliance.

"General, are you even aware of what you are suggesting? What do you think is stopping us from exposing your plans to Konoha? I'm sure Konoha would pay us a decent bounty just for your names, those who were present for this meeting," a Kage from a weaker village commented with a weak chuckle. However, he abruptly stopped, realizing he had spoken out of turn. Before he could attempt to retract his words, Onoki's voice rang out.

"[Jinton: Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu]" (Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique). A transparent cube engulfed the man who had spoken, and within the blink of an eye, he disintegrated into nothingness. The two bodyguards who had accompanied the man wanted to react, but suddenly, two katanas pierced through their hearts from behind, ending their lives.

Despite the samurais' unconventional actions in the middle of the meeting, where neutrality and security were paramount, none questioned their actions. If the man truly uttered such words, what was stopping him from exposing everyone here? It was better not to take any chances.

"Does anyone have similar intentions as him?" Mifune questioned the rest as he met the gazes of those whom he suspected might harbor similar ideas. He knew the risk they were taking, but they had no other way to challenge Konoha's growing might. Even the major villages together did not stand a chance against the current Konoha, so they needed everyone to unite against the common threat.

"You people still do not understand the current situation we are in, do you? At the rate things are going, maybe in two decades or so, there will be no other powers in the Shinobi world except for Konoha, with them as the absolute authority. Is that what you want to see? To become Konoha's dogs, answering at their beck and call?" Mifune dropped all modesty and barked, his frustration evident in his tone.

He was fed up with the facade he had been trying to maintain. An ambitious man, he had clawed his way up to reach the pinnacle of status within the Land of Iron, which held a position equal to that of the major villages. But now, his power and position were quickly dwindling, much like those of the other villages, and none of the people in power could allow this to happen.

"Fine, what are you proposing? Let's hear it," the Raikage, now more composed, inquired, his curiosity piqued by Mifune's proposal. After the loss to Konoha, he had been relentlessly searching for a way to strengthen Kumogakure. Every avenue he explored seemed to lead to dead ends. Even the idea of reclaiming the Chinoike clan was met with obstacles. What many did not know was that Kumogakure, despite admitting defeat, was earnestly preparing to retaliate against Konoha. The sentiment was shared among other villages, he was sure, but the difference in power seemed insurmountable. The Raikage had to admit, despite his pride, that Konoha was growing too big for Kumo to challenge.

The recent news about the lava-filled battlefield near Yugakure only confirmed Ay's suspicions. He was certain that the Shinobi of the Leaf were involved. The scale of devastation was beyond what Kumogakure could handle. If Konoha was truly capable of such destruction, what was stopping Tsunade from razing his village in the future? The temper of the Senju princess was known to be even more volatile than his own. Ay couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency and dread at the thought of his village's vulnerability. He knew he needed to find a way to prevent any potential disaster.

With the attention of everyone now focused on him, Mifune began to outline his proposal. "On the surface, we will maintain the treaty between our villages, but behind the scenes, we will form a shadow alliance. Our primary objective will be to strengthen our armies and explore every avenue to weaken Konoha."

He glanced around the room, meeting the eyes of each leader present. "We must be strategic and cunning in our approach. One method is to covertly hunt down young Leaf Shinobi who venture beyond the Fire Country's territory for missions. By targeting their future generation, we can disrupt Konoha's ability to replenish its ranks."

Mifune continued, his voice steady but determined. "Additionally, we can utilize more subtle tactics, such as initiating plagues and natural disasters like sickness and drought within Konoha's borders. These methods may seem harsh, but we must remember the stakes at hand. If we do not act decisively, Konoha will continue to grow unchecked, and our villages will be left vulnerable to their dominance."

He paused, allowing his words to sink in before concluding, "We must work together, pooling our resources and intelligence, to ensure that Konoha's power is kept in check. This is not a battle we can afford to lose."