The Cloud Team Appears

The Cloud team had covertly traversed the Land of Fire, escorted by Leaf ninja to maintain their secrecy. As they ventured into the Land of Grass, they unexpectedly encountered a blockade of Grass ninja, standing firmly in their path. Wanting to approach the situation diplomatically, the Cloud team emphasized that their purpose was to liberate the village from a malevolent creature that had been haunting them. However, to their astonishment, the Grass ninja refuted their claim, revealing that the creature in question was named Kurogiri and stated that the Cloud team was unwelcome in their land.

This unexpected response left the Cloud ninja perplexed, as it seemed that the Grass ninja welcomed the presence of this creature rather than being tormented by it. Nevertheless, the Cloud team refused to be deterred and prepared themselves for a potential confrontation by readying their weapons. The team consisted of Darui, the Jinchuriki of the Eight-Tails Killer Bee, and two skilled Cloud jonin who were all adept in kenjutsu, wielding swords in anticipation of battle.

In response, the Grass ninja activated their physical enhancements, granted to them by Kurogiri, which bestowed upon them an aura of green chakra. This transformation caught the attention of the Eight-Tails, who warned Killer Bee that the Grass ninja were utilizing natural energy. The mighty Tailed Beast enlightened his partner on the nature of natural energy and how it fortified its users, expressing surprise at the growing number of ninjas wielding this power.

This revelation left Killer Bee both astounded and concerned. Immediately recognizing the gravity of the situation, Bee cautioned his team to remain cautious while resolving to gauge the strength of these Grass ninja, in order to determine the possibility of them having additional natural energy users stationed at their borders. Bee believed it paramount to confirm this information, as it would warrant bringing it to the attention of his brother, the Raikage, thereby influencing the assessment of the threat posed by the Land of Grass.

The Cloud team initiated their attack, utilizing their kenjutsu skills to strike with lightning-infused attacks. Swiftly closing the distance between them and the Grass ninja, they brandished their swords, aiming to land precise blows.

However, to their surprise, none of their strikes found their mark, and even the few that did fail to inflict significant damage. The chakra cloak that enveloped the Grass ninja seemed to fortify their defense and reaction speed, allowing them to keep up with the Cloud team's movements.

After a few more exchanges, both groups sustained injuries, though nothing severe. Yet, unlike the Cloud ninja, the injuries of the Grass ninja began to heal slowly.

This observation marked a turning point for the Cloud team, as they realized that the Grass ninja had somehow acquired newfound powers from the creature. Killer Bee, as the mission's senior member, understood that if they were already struggling against these few ninjas, venturing deeper into enemy territory would prove even more daunting.

Recognizing the importance of relaying this information to their village, the Cloud team decided to withdraw, even if it meant forcing their way back. Bee speculated that the Grass ninja they had faced were likely only genin and chunin, leaving him to wonder just how much stronger the jonin could be. If their increased strength was anything like what they had witnessed from these lower-ranked ninja, it indicated that the Land of Grass now possessed formidable Kage-level forces.

Issuing the order to retreat, the Cloud ninja employed lightning release to swiftly exit the Land of Grass and make their way back towards the Land of Fire. Waiting at the border, the Konoha team, who had been monitoring their movements, was taken aback by the pitiful condition of the Cloud team.

The Cloud ninja paid no mind to the Konoha ninjas, rushing towards the border with the Land of Hot Water. Witnessing the Cloud team's urgency and knowing that the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki was among them, the Konoha ninjas couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as they looked towards the Land of Grass.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the Konoha ninjas determined that news must be swiftly relayed to the village and brought to the attention of the Hokage, as any information concerning the Land of Grass was deemed of S-class importance. Hastily, the fastest Konoha ninja set off towards the village to deliver the urgent news.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage Tower, a meeting was already underway, discussing the situation in the Land of Grass, including Orochimaru's infiltration and the presence of the Cloud team with their Jinchuriki. As the meeting participants were about to voice their demands and concerns to the Hokage, the border ninja burst into the room, announcing that they had urgent news.

The Hokage promptly calmed the meeting, allowing the ninja to share the information before the gathered attendees. As everyone listened to the account of how the Cloud team had entered the Land of Grass but returned just two hours later, visibly injured, and refusing to halt, a sense of unease gripped the room.

The Hokage and the attendees of the meeting collectively decided that a diplomatic approach, rather than antagonism, was the best course of action to gather more information from the Land of Grass. They agreed to send a letter through the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, seeking communication with the Daimyo of the Land of Grass. Taking into account the opinions of those present, the Hokage believed that diplomacy would yield more fruitful results.

In the midst of the meeting, Danzo remained unusually quiet, his anger seething within as he realized that none of his Root ninja had returned, and now with the news of the Cloud team, he could only assume that his ninja had met their demise. While keeping his frustrations hidden, Danzo brooded in silence.

The Hokage promptly drafted a letter and dispatched it to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, inquiring about the situation in the Land of Grass. Meanwhile, the Daimyo himself had received the letter from Konoha, raising concerns about the changes unfolding in the neighboring land. Compelled to investigate further, he also took it upon himself to send a letter to the Daimyo of the Land of Grass, seeking clarification.

Two days had passed since the Cloud ninja had fled from the Land of Grass, and they had just made it back to their Hidden Cloud Village. With urgency, they made their way to the Raikage's office to deliver the news of what had transpired. Killer Bee recounted the events in detail, ensuring that the Raikage was informed about the Grass ninja's usage of natural energy to gain strength.

The Raikage, upon hearing this unexpected revelation, was taken aback momentarily but quickly regained his composure as he considered the implications. He deduced that the creature did, in fact, reside in the Land of Grass, and considering recent reports of Orochimaru's presence there, he concluded that the Land of Grass had likely collaborated with Orochimaru to harness the creature's power.

This realization fueled Raikage's determination to obtain the creature for the Cloud Village, but he recognized the need for caution and restraint in approaching the situation, acknowledging that rushing could lead to disastrous outcomes. Unbeknownst to the Raikage, his solution mirrored that of Konoha - a letter drafted to the daimyo of the Land of Lightning, with the hope that they would establish communication with the daimyo of the Land of Grass. Meanwhile, in the offices of the other three major lands' daimyo, similar letters were being composed, including even the Daimyo of the Land of Water. Additionally, several daimyo from smaller lands sent their missives to the Land of Grass, seeking to understand the changes unfolding there.

As these letters flooded into the Land of Grass, the reputation of its ninja had unknowingly soared over the past two days. Reports circulated about a newfound change in attitude among the grass shinobi, accompanied by a noticeable increase in their overall strength as a village. Under the influence of High Spec, Kurogiri, was able to predict this outcome with his information exchange with Orochimaru, and preparations had been made in advance during his seclusion.

The next phase of the plan would commence when the response from the Land of Grass daimyo arrived. This response, expected to serve as a catalyst, would bring about a wave of change in the entire ninja world. It would herald the declaration of a new name for both the land and the village. The news would be met with hope by some and despair by others, but one thing was certain - change was on the horizon, as the Land of Death emerged.