The War Is About To Start

That night, the Hokage was compelled to rush to the Hyuga clan's station overnight, where he was met with the sight of the lifeless Cloud Shinobi Village mission leader.

The elders of the Hyuga clan had gathered, and among them was Hiashi, the head of the patriarch and a concerned party.

As the Hokage arrived, the people of the Hyuga clan turned their expectant gazes toward the aging leader, awaiting his decision.

"Why was this person death?" the Hokage sighed deeply. "Now, Cloud Shinobi Village will undoubtedly retaliate."

Hiashi remained silent, choosing not to assert that Cloud Shinobi Village had attempted to abduct his daughter. Everyone present understood the implications of the Hokage's seemingly rhetorical question. They knew that Cloud Shinobi Village would seize upon this incident as an excuse to provoke conflict.

They weren't concerned with who had initiated the conflict. Cloud Shinobi Village would use the death of their comrade in Konoha Village as justification to wage war. It was sufficient for them to cast blame and fuel their aggressive intentions.

In essence, Cloud Shinobi Village was looking to add insult to injury. They had sent their leader to execute the mission, understanding that even in death, the mission would be considered a success. Being killed on the spot, if captured alive, would leave Cloud Shinobi Village with no excuse.

A sense of helplessness hung over the gathered individuals, with no clear solution in sight.

"There's no other way; we'll have to handle it this way for now. Everyone should get some rest. Tomorrow, I'll send someone to discuss the situation with Cloud Shinobi Village regarding the corpse," the Hokage stated, acknowledging the complexity of the situation. "But we can only take things one step at a time and see how Cloud Shinobi Village responds."

Disposing of the body wasn't a viable option, as it would raise more questions than answers. A person couldn't just vanish from the village without consequences, and Cloud Shinobi Village would undoubtedly demand answers. Hiding the matter would provide them with a pretext for confrontation.

It seemed like a lose-lose situation. The Hokage recognized that their options were limited, and that transparency might be their best course of action. If Cloud Shinobi Village was determined to save face, it wasn't for Konoha Village to dictate.

Ninjas weren't a profession that focused on pride or saving face. They had practical concerns and objectives that took precedence.

.....

The following day, the Hokage accompanied the body and delivered it to Cloud Shinobi Village. The members of the mission were bewildered, suspecting that Konoha Village might be preparing for another assault or preemptive strike.

However, the reality was far from their suspicions. The leader's actions had been his own, unbeknownst to his comrades. His plan had been to use his fellow ninja as a cover while he successfully abducted Hinata and escaped overnight. His invisible companion was meant to become a scapegoat.

Instead, he had become the unwitting clown, resulting in his demise. Surprisingly, his companions had survived unscathed.

The Hokage's calm and empathetic explanation eased the tension. A ninja from Cloud Shinobi Village spoke hesitantly, "Can we take his body back? We need to report this to our village and Lord Raikage."

The Hokage, ever the reasonable diplomat, didn't see the point in causing any more distress. He replied, "Of course, you may take his body back. We have no intention of retaining it here indefinitely."

The critical factor lay in Cloud Shinobi Village's next moves, and escalating the situation further would only lead to more conflicts. For the Hokage's project, the primary objective was to bring calm and avoid war at all costs. But was that even possible? The Hokage had jis doubts.

.....

On the cusp of the new year, on December 30th, The Hokage's grandson, Konohamaru, was born. If they could hold out for just two more days, they could celebrate his birthday on

As the villagers of Konoha Village prepared to welcome the New Year, they believed that peace had finally been achieved after the successful alliance contract between Konoha and Cloud Shinobi Village. Families were bustling with activity, either cleaning together, shopping for New Year necessities, or going out to enjoy a movie. The atmosphere was steeped in the spirit of reunions and celebrations.

However, there were exceptions. The Hyuga clan remained cloaked in uncertainty, and the Uchiha clan's activities were shrouded in mystery. Naruto was another outlier, as he continued his solitary pursuit of self-improvement.

New Year's Day came swiftly, yet even on this occasion, Naruto didn't venture outside. Instead, he remained at home, diligently practicing. His resolve was unwavering. Alongside his daily exercise regimen, he dedicated time to crafting a new training plan for himself.

On the fifth day after the New Year when Cloud Shinobi Village dispatched new envoys. Reports emerged that Cloud Shinobi Village had gathered a formidable army, numbering in the tens of thousands, at the border between the two nations.

The abrupt development raised concerns: was war on the horizon?

.....

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