Amegakure (Hidden Rain Village) and Akatsuki were defeated.
The Land of Rain was then taken over by the Lands of Wind and Earth, subsequently divided into North and South regions.
This situation was not unique.
Although the Fourth Great Ninja War lasted less than a month, the entire ninja world experienced an unprecedented reshuffling during this period.
Many small ninja villages and countries were either annexed or controlled by larger nations.
Places like the Land of Hot Water, Land of Frost, Land of Grass, and Land of Rivers became part of the territories of the four major countries.
Unsurprisingly, the biggest loser was the Land of Fire.
Its vast land and abundant resources were jointly partitioned by the four major countries.
Given the uneven distribution, the daimyos (feudal lords), along with their officials, held constant meetings and negotiations, resulting in endless disputes.
The ninja world transitioned from five major countries to four, and redrawing borders that satisfied all was bound to be a lengthy process.
But on the whole,
With the fall of the Land of Fire, the four major nations feasted on its remains, not only satiating their hunger but also overindulging.
Konohagakure (Hidden Leaf Village).
Shortly after arriving, Samui, having rested for just half a day, plunged into her duties.
Although Konoha didn't fall like the Land of Fire, it effectively became a colony under the four major ninja villages.
Currently, Kumogakure (Hidden Cloud Village) enjoyed numerous privileges in Konoha, ranging from politics and military to the economy.
Cloud ninjas were considered elite in Konoha, and as the Cloud's ambassador, Samui held power and status that towered above all in the Leaf.
Ichiraku Street.
Escorted by several Cloud Anbu, Samui walked the streets, observing Konoha's present state:
Rubble and ruins were everywhere. Many were homeless, seeking temporary shelter on sidewalks.
Many of Konoha's ninjas and villagers wore expressions of numbness, their eyes lifeless, resembling walking corpses.
No hope for the future could be seen in their faces.
Regarding this,
Samui felt no sympathy, thinking: Konoha brought this upon themselves.
Internal strife was their downfall. From the forced suicide of Shikaku Nara to the Uchiha clan's departure, Konoha depleted its own substantial resources.
In two words: Deserved it.
While Samui observed the people of Konoha, many whispered among themselves about the Cloud ambassador.
"She looks familiar. Where have I seen her?"
"That's Samui. She used to be with Uchiha Dan. Rumor has it she was a spy from Kumogakure."
"What? She seduced Dan, the Hokage's advisor, to betray Konoha's secrets?"
"Just like Dan, she deserves the worst."
Listening to the murmurs, one of the Cloud Anbu escorting Samui retorted,
"Who dares defame the Cloud Ambassador? Arrest them!"
Immediately, several Anbu moved to detain more than a dozen Konoha ninjas and villagers.
The remaining villagers, angered but silent, dispersed.
Samui shook her head and continued on.
At that moment,
A man approached, briefly locking eyes with Samui before they both passed by each other.
Huh?
Samui paused, turning to look back.
"What's wrong, ma'am?" asked one Anbu.
"Nothing."
Samui frowned slightly.
For some reason, the man's gaze felt eerily familiar to her, almost like... Dan's.
Was it her imagination?
By the time Samui refocused, the man had disappeared.
"Ma'am, the meeting is about to start," the Anbu beside her reminded.
"Right."
Samui turned her attention forward, heading to her destination—the newly built Hokage building.
A crucial meeting was about to commence, initiated by the Fifth Hokage, Danzo, with invitations extended to the Kage of the four major ninja villages.
Samui was attending as an advisor accompanying the Raikage.
Ten minutes later,
Inside the Hokage building's conference room,
The five Kage, along with their respective entourages, arrived and took their seats.
"Lord Hokage, let's get to the point and not waste everyone's time."
The Fourth Raikage, known for his impatience, pressed Danzo, urging him to get straight to the point.
Danzo, without any preamble, said, "It's about the Uchiha clan."
Hearing the name "Uchiha", everyone present furrowed their brows to varying degrees.
Lady Chiyo, who once served as the acting Kazekage and had now formally become the Fifth Kazekage, was the first to inquire, "From what I understand, after the Uchiha clan left Konoha, they disappeared. No one seems to know their whereabouts. Since you're mentioning them, do you have information on their location?"
"Yes," Danzo nodded, continuing, "Reliable sources indicate that the Uchiha clan headed south, leaving the Land of Fire's boundaries and venturing out to sea."
Upon hearing this, the Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, remarked, "Indeed, the ninja world no longer has a place for the Uchiha. Let them drift on the desolate sea. They won't pose any threat."
Danzo, however, disagreed, stating, "I don't see it that way."
Oonoki, the Tsuchikage, then asked, "Do you believe the Uchiha clan will return to the ninja world?"
"Certainly," Danzo affirmed.
He observed everyone intently before saying, "We've all witnessed the power of the Uchiha, especially their Mangekyo Sharingan, which can control the Nine-Tails. If the Uchiha were to target the jinchuriki of the various villages, like the Akatsuki did, it would bring about unimaginable chaos."
This was indeed a concern, and the other Kage were visibly troubled. The ability of the Mangekyo Sharingan to control even the most potent tailed beast, the Nine-Tails, was a threat to the stability of all the major ninja villages.
Danzo went on, "The Uchiha clan has many prodigies with incredible potential. Individuals like Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Dan have previously turned the ninja world upside down. If we ignore the clan, sooner or later, another Uchiha Dan will emerge, and when the Uchiha launch a major counterattack, no village will be spared."
After pausing momentarily to gauge reactions, Danzo raised his voice to emphasize his proposal, "Thus, while the Uchiha are weakened, the Five Great Ninja Villages should unite to eradicate them once and for all."
The other Kage understood that Danzo was exaggerating the threat of the Uchiha to rally support. The Fourth Raikage scoffed, "Even if the Uchiha return, their vengeance will likely be directed at Konoha. Why should we be concerned?"
Anticipating such a response, Danzo retorted, "The Uchiha issue is directly related to all of you. Right, Fourth Mizukage?"
His gaze shifted to Yagura Karatachi, the Mizukage.
The room filled with tension as the others wondered if Yagura knew something they didn't. Upon seeing Danzo's accusatory glance, Yagura's face darkened, "Fifth Hokage, I'm not sure what you're implying," he said coldly.
Yet, Danzo revealed that Yagura had been controlled by Uchiha Obito's Sharingan for years and had turned Kirigakure (Hidden Mist Village) into the notorious "Blood Mist Village" under Obito's influence.
"Is this true?!" exclaimed the Raikage, Kazekage, and Tsuchikage, rising from their seats.
Yagura remained silent, his lack of denial equivalent to an admission. The other Kage exchanged glances, their expressions filled with horror.
The revelation that Yagura, a powerful Kage and a perfect jinchuriki, had been manipulated by an Uchiha's Mangekyo Sharingan for years and had been reduced to a mere puppet was deeply unsettling. It made them wonder if they too could fall under the Uchiha's control.
Seeing their fear, Danzo seized the moment to further his argument.
"The threat of the Uchiha clan to the ninja world is even greater than that of the Uzumaki clan in the past. For the sake of peace, the Uchiha must be wiped off the face of the earth. This time, Konoha will take the lead, and we request the support of the other four major villages to eradicate this root of all evil. I implore all of you."
After speaking, Danzo stood up and bowed deeply to everyone present. His greatest fear was the possibility of the Uchiha clan retaliating against Konoha. Hence, after he secured his position as Hokage, his first order of business was to eliminate the Uchiha clan without giving them a chance to recuperate.
After a brief silence, Oonoki, the Tsuchikage, was the first to speak, "I agree with the Hokage's proposal." Given that he had personally killed Uchiha Dan, he naturally expected resentment from the Uchiha clan. It was better to act first than to wait for retaliation.
Both Lady Chiyo, the Kazekage, and Yagura, the Mizukage, also agreed. The Fourth Raikage hesitated for a moment but finally nodded. While he had a certain fondness for the Uchiha, it was mainly due to his admiration for Uchiha Dan's power. With Dan's demise, there was little to discuss.
Thus, in that meeting room, the Five Kage reached a consensus: to prevent the Uchiha clan from using the Sharingan to manipulate the tailed beasts and the Kage of each village, and to prevent the emergence of dangerous figures like Madara and Dan from the Uchiha, the clan... must be annihilated!
Samui, standing behind the Raikage, looked concerned. She thought of familiar faces like Mikoto Uchiha, Fugaku Uchiha, Itachi, Izumi, and others from the Uchiha clan. However, she quickly composed herself as the meeting concluded and everyone started to leave.
Danzo stood by the window, watching the representatives from the other villages leave the Hokage Mansion, a hint of satisfaction on his face. Everything was under his control.
Outside on the streets, the mood was somber among the representatives of the Hidden Mist Village. The revelation of Yagura being controlled by the Sharingan was a closely guarded secret, an embarrassing scandal the village tried to hide. Now it had been made public by Danzo.
Yagura sighed, "The information must have been leaked from within the village. The goal... perhaps to undermine my authority and force me to step down." Yagura had made many mistakes under Obito's control, alienating and harming many villagers. Even though he was now free from the illusion, the resentment towards him wouldn't disappear easily. He admitted, "I've been a failure as a Mizukage."
Mei Terumi, noticing Yagura's despondency, tried to comfort him, "Mizukage, you shouldn't blame yourself. It was all Obito Uchiha's fault." However, Yagura shook his head, suggesting that she should be prepared to take on the role of Mizukage, especially since the elder generation had faith in her.
Yet, what none of them, including Yagura and Gen, realized was that Mei Terumi, a prime candidate for Mizukage, was also under the influence of the Uchiha's Sharingan.
Half an hour later, using a transformation technique, Mei Terumi entered a hotel and went to a room at the end of a corridor on the second floor. As she entered, she saw a man sitting confidently on a sofa.
Instantly, the pattern of the Sharingan appeared in Mei's eyes, and her expression became vacant. She swiftly approached the man, kneeled before him, and respectfully said, "Master." She then proceeded to inform him of everything that transpired in the meeting room.