Declares War on Konoha

Land of Earth.

Central area of Iwagakure.

Tsuchikage Mansion.

Inside the Tsuchikage's offices.

Ōnoki was sitting behind his desk. In his hands, he held a document, his narrowed eyes scrutinizing each line with growing indignation.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by a sharp bang. He slammed his fist against the desk.

"What the hell is this?!" He growled.

His eyes burning with fury and bewilderment. "Hiruzen, you old fox... How dare you?"

"You're really shameless."

"We don't have that many dead ninja.... H-How dare he double the data?"

The war had left deep scars on Iwagakure, but what gnawed at him the most was Konoha's blatant manipulation of the facts.

The Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. That man's shamelessness knew no bounds. Hiruzen had pulled the strings, constantly promoting that young prodigy, Minato Namikaze.

His three elite squads from Iwagakure were eliminated by Minato. Thirty-five Jōnin and more than sixty Chūnin had fallen before him.

But what really made his blood boil was Hiruzen's audacity in manipulating those numbers.

Doubling the casualty figures was not only disrespectful to the dead, but a political maneuver that left Iwagakure in an uncomfortable and vulnerable position. Ōnoki felt that each lie was like a stab to his village's dignity.

This situation also had irony. His own squads had managed to eliminate dozens of Konoha ninja. Did Hiruzen believe that Konoha was invincible? That they could hide their own losses under a layer of propaganda and lies?

"Hum!" Kitsuchi's exclamation resonated, laden with indignation and contempt. "The village of Konoha... truly has no shame."

"Father, Minato is strong, no doubt. But compared to Luo Lei..." He paused, chilled by the name. "That 'Killing God' is truly terrifying. He destroyed the famous Seven Swordsmen of the Mist as if it were nothing."

As Ōnoki listened, Kitsuchi continued with emotion.

"It's said that the Seven Swordsmen died miserably..." Then, with a flash of longing in his eyes, he added: "If only we had a talent like Luo Lei in Iwagakure... Even Deidara, with all his potential, pales in comparison."

"Enough!" Ōnoki's voice cut off his hilarious words, looking at his son with barely contained irritation.

Despite recognizing the truth in Kitsuchi's words. Someone like Luo Lei was an anomaly, a genius that perhaps appeared once in a generation.

'If only we had someone like Minato,' he thought bitterly. Although it pained him to admit it, even he had to recognize the undeniable talent of the young man from Konoha. The title of "Yellow Flash of Konoha" was no exaggeration; Minato had earned it on the battlefield.

'Just slightly inferior to Luo Lei,' he told himself, as if repeating it could make it true. 'Just slightly.'

Envy and hatred intermingled in Ōnoki's chest as he remembered Konoha's luck.

Geniuses seemed to spring from that village like water from an inexhaustible spring. First the Sannin and the White Fang in the Second World War, and now Minato and Luo Lei in this war.

"I cannot allow the Village of Konoha to continue prospering like this."

"Order the Iwagakure army in the Land of Grass to intensify their attacks against Konoha forces. Rōshi and Han must also take action. I want Jiraiya and Minato to feel the true weight of facing our Jinchūriki."

Kitsuchi, still standing in front of his father's desk, nodded. "Yes!"

"Good, you may leave now."

With a final "Understood," Kitsuchi left the office, his face reflecting the seriousness of the situation.

As he descended through the corridors, his mind was already thinking about what would happen. He knew Rōshi and Han's temperament well. Their participation in the conflict meant that the battle in the Land of Grass was about to reach a boiling point.

Meanwhile, in his office, Ōnoki immersed himself in his thoughts. Taking a document from his desk, his eyes looked at it with a frown.

The destruction of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist was a matter he couldn't ignore.

"The Seven Swordsmen were annihilated," he muttered, "Kirigakure won't stand idly by this, will they?"

"If Kirigakure decides to join the war, it will disperse Konoha's forces. We could lose our chance for victory."

"If things really get difficult," he reflected, "perhaps we'll have to resort to a secret weapon for a direct confrontation..."

________

Kirigakure.

High up in the Mizukage Mansion in Kirigakure, the Third Mizukage found himself in a moment of apparent tranquility.

The Mizukage, an imposing figure even at rest, was seated behind his desk, slowly savoring a cup of hot tea. His eyes scanned the intelligence reports scattered before him. Each sheet detailed the casualties suffered by the other ninja villages, and with each figure, a smile of satisfaction drew on his face.

However, the calm was about to be brutally interrupted.

WHOOSH!

The sound of displaced air announced the abrupt arrival of Yagura, the ANBU captain. His sudden entry broke the atmosphere of complacency that had enveloped the office.

Yagura showed evident signs of agitation.

"Mizukage-sama," he began with a tense voice, "Something serious has happened."

"What did you say?" The Mizukage's voice, normally controlled, now trembled slightly, the tea he had been drinking moments before dripping from his chin.

Yagura maintained his posture as he delivered the news. "The Seven Swordsmen have been annihilated, Mizukage-sama. They were in the Land of Fire, and were eliminated by Luo Lei of Konoha."

Despite his ANBU mask, the tension in his voice was palpable. "I sent them to patrol the border, but they infiltrated the Land of Fire without authorization. They ran into Luo Lei and... were brutally massacred. None survived."

Inside, Yagura boiled with frustration and disgust towards the Seven Swordsmen. They had always been a rebellious group, accustomed to acting on their own and defying orders.

Their arrogance had led them straight into the clutches of Luo Lei, the infamous "God of Slaughter".

A part of him felt they deserved it. Their constant disobedience had been a thorn in his side for years. Now, their recklessness had led them to a brutal end at the hands of Konoha's most feared ninja.

However, in front of the Mizukage, he maintained a facade of sadness and regret.

"Impossible... Absolutely impossible," muttered the Mizukage. His gaze was clouded with confusion. "With the strength of the Seven, they should have been able to escape even if they couldn't win..."

Perceiving his leader's internal struggle, Yagura let out a bitter laugh. "Ah, I forgot,"

"Now, our Seven Swordsmen of Kirigakure have become the laughingstock of the entire world."

An oppressive silence fell over the office.

The Mizukage, his mind still struggling to process the magnitude of the loss, remained motionless, his breathing barely audible.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he inhaled deeply. When he spoke, his voice was low and dangerous.

"Well... It's really good," he said, each word laden with barely contained fury. "Our swordsmen went to the Land of Fire only to be massacred, and now Konoha is slapping us in the face."

The Mizukage slowly rose.

"Let the order be transmitted. All clans must be ready." His gaze hardened even more. "We're going to declare war on the Land of Fire."

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Yagura nodded solemnly. "Yes, Mizukage-sama."

With a fluid movement, he disappeared from the office, leaving the Mizukage alone with his thoughts.

"Luo Lei... is he really that strong?" he muttered now alone.

Approaching the window, he observed the village wrapped in mist. His gaze shone with barely contained killer intent.

The decision was made: Kirigakure had remained silent for too long. It was time for the Village Hidden in the Mist to show its fangs to the world.

The loss of the Seven Swordsmen was a hard blow, but not insurmountable. He was already planning the formation of a new team, a second group of Seven Swordsmen that would carry on the legacy of their predecessors.

However, one problem persisted in his mind: the seven swords had been lost along with their wielders. But he was not a man to be stopped by such obstacles.

First, he would begin by gathering the second group of seven swordsmen.

________

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