Spilled blood yet went back to square one

As the leader of Kirigakure continued to refine his synchronization with the chakra of his loyal companion, whispers of their accusation against Konoha ignited like a spreading wildfire, quickly becoming the predominant discussion in every village across the land. Rumors swirled, alliances trembled, and the fragile balance of power teetered on the brink of upheaval as the news reverberated throughout the shinobi world.

Upon learning of the allegations, the Fourth Raikage felt a surge of anger, nearly swayed to shatter the fragile peace and initiate war against Konoha. He believed that the potential loss of such a prominent clan would tilt the scales in his favor. However, his impulse was checked by the council, who advocated for caution, preferring to amass greater strength before engaging in conflict. Skeptical of their odds of victory, they urged patience and strategic planning over rash action.

As the weight of responsibility settled heavily upon him, the Third Tsuchikage let out a weary sigh. Memories of his most gifted but rebellious disciple flooded his mind, prompting a wave of conflicting emotions. Should he extend clemency and lessen the punishment, or enforce strict discipline? The fear of his protege meeting the same fate as Kiri's Anbu commander and numerous Hunter-nins, all victims of Konoha's treachery, gnawed at him relentlessly.

Meanwhile, the council, staunch opponents of the peace treaty, viewed Konoha's actions through a lens of suspicion and distrust. To them, every move by the Leaf Village seemed calculated to weaken their enemies. Urgency pervaded their discussions as they implored the Tsuchikage to act swiftly, lest they fall victim to Konoha's machinations.

The Suna council finds themselves at a crossroads, grappling with the weighty decision of whether to entertain Kirigakure's proposal. Contemplating the potential benefits and risks, they weigh the value of exchanging one of their esteemed heroes—a figure both revered and contentious—against the possibility of forging a genuine alliance with their neighboring village.

In the smaller villages, the leaders and council members shared a collective sigh of resignation, fully cognizant of their lack of authority in the unfolding situation. Just as they found themselves powerless to stop the five shinobi villages from transforming their once peaceful surroundings into arenas of conflict, they harbored little hope that their voices would carry weight in the decision-making process.

In the midst of chaos, Konoha stood out as the mastermind orchestrating the entire event, pulling strings behind the scenes with meticulous precision.

****

In a secluded area of the Land of Fire, the dense foliage provided a canopy of secrecy as Itachi Uchiha, a prodigy among prodigies of Konoha, found a moment of respite from his tumultuous life. As he rested, the rustle of leaves accompanied the weight of troubling news: his bounty had surged by 25% in the shadowy corridors of the black market. Itachi's stoic facade cracked ever so slightly, replaced by a furrowed brow and a simmering discontent.

The accusation hanging over him like a dark cloud gnawed at his conscience, a bitter reminder of the turmoil that had plagued his existence. Yet, amidst the turmoil, his ire found its true target: the enigmatic figure he referred as the Masked Uchiha, a specter of deception and manipulation who dared to claim the name of Madara Uchiha.

The self-proclaimed Asura's control over the Nine-Tails made it plausible to assume he wielded similar influence over the Mizukage, who harbored the tailed beast within.

The uncertainty lies in whether his failure to control the Mizukage was deliberate or not. If it was unintentional, the motive behind framing him becomes puzzling. There seems to be no logical rationale for Madara to intentionally frame him, especially considering their lack of manpower to execute fundraising tasks effectively.

Itachi, on the other hand, operated in alignment with their objectives without seeking any compensation as long as their actions didn't endanger Konoha or Sasuke.

Despite Madara's intentions being unclear, one thing remained certain: Konoha faced dire consequences due to the accusation.

Itachi, unfazed by the escalating bounty on his head, remained confident in his prowess to handle any bounty hunter or shinobi who dared to challenge him. However, he was caught off guard by the accusation of being a Konoha spy and the subsequent fallout it caused for the village.

The notion that Danzo might have leaked the information to Kirigakure to eliminate him permanently crossed Itachi's mind, but upon closer scrutiny, it seemed improbable, as he wouldn't be the one to suffer the consequences directly.

Yet, the irony wasn't lost on Itachi, who reflected on the irony of his own actions. Despite massacring his clan to prevent a civil war, he inadvertently stoked animosity towards Konoha from every village while exacerbating tensions between the council and clan leaders, who were already distrustful of the former following the massacre.

In a world where fabrication was rampant, evidence of Itachi's involvement mattered little, especially in small villages. However, the existence of a MS user who can control tail beast and the perceived connection to Konoha was enough to instill fear and prompt serious consideration of the allegation.

Per the terms of the peace treaty between Kirigakure and Konoha, Kirigakure demanded compensation for the damages attributed to Konoha and held them responsible. They even managed to sway the Daimyo of Water into pressuring the Daimyo of Fire on the matter.

Despite the considerable wealth seized from the Uchiha clan by the village, Itachi doubted Konoha's ability to compensate. Doing so would essentially be an admission of guilt, risking destabilization within the village.

The looming threat of Kirigakure declaring war, with other major villages likely to follow suit, weighed heavily on Itachi's mind. He knew he needed to exonerate Konoha, but the method remained a topic of debate.

One thing was certain: time was of the essence. The burden of potentially igniting a war rested heavily on Itachi's conscience, driving him to act swiftly.