Chapter 73: 71: Conspiracy
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The war between Suna and Konoha had raged on for two years, Konoha was bearing the brunt of war weariness.
Before even engaging with the Suna, Konoha had already clashed with Iwagakure ninjas in the Land of Rain. Many ninja were already physically and mentally drained.
So, when the the third Kazekage presented the terms of settlement, according to Shiraishi's estimation, there was a high likelihood that Konoha would accept.
After all, this had always been Konoha's primary strategy.
Continuing to engage with Suna would only benefit other ninja villages.
"Really, it's come to this point. We were on the brink of defeating Suna. Submitting these settlement terms without any fight feels like we're leaving the door wide open for a comeback in the future," Ruri complained as she sat on a rock.
It had only been a little over a month since she had left the village, and she hadn't had the chance to spar with the Sand ninja yet. If the war ended now, Sakumo's team's mission would also come to an end.
"You can't say that. Many ninja from various villages in the alliance are exhausted, and Suna is in a similar state. Ending this peacefully at this point is in the best interest of both sides. As for the future... we can deal with that later," Shiraishi explained, thinking like a true Konoha ninja.
"Great! I thought I'd miss celebrating the New Year in the village this year. I've been looking forward to this year's festival," Ayane chimed in with a smile.
Shiraishi turned his head away as if he hadn't heard her comment.
"That's right, with the war ending soon, you can return for the New Year's festival. I also want to go back and visit Kakashi," Sakumo added, grinning.
"Kakashi?" Shiraishi, Ayane, and Shiraishi were all intrigued by this new name.
"Ah, did I forget to mention it to you guys?"
Sakumo raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
"No, we haven't heard anything about this. Who is he?" Shiraishi asked, shaking his head.
"He's my son, Hatake Kakashi. Although he's only two years old this year, I believe he'll grow up to be an excellent ninja," Sakumo proudly revealed.
"Son!?" Shiraishi, Ayane, and Ruri exclaimed in surprise, finding it hard to conceal their astonishment.
There was no way to describe their surprise. Sakumo having a son was something they hadn't heard about.
"What's wrong?" Sakumo looked at them quizzically.
"No... we just thought that, Sakumo-san, you were still single. We didn't expect that not only are you married, but you also have a son..." Ayane quickly explained.
Shiraishi and Ruri nodded in agreement. In their minds, Sakumo had always had that kind of image.
"Sorry, I thought I'd mentioned it before."
"It's alright. We were just a bit taken aback when we heard it suddenly. After all, this is a personal matter. We hadn't interacted with Sakumo-sensei until we graduated from the ninja academy. So, it's surprising to learn that Sakumo-sensei has a two-year-old son... Hatake Kakashi, it's a very nice name," Ayane said with a smile.
But deep down, she was thinking: What kind of name should mine and Shiraishi's child have in the future?
"Speaking of which, my father hasn't been very responsible. My child's birthday was in September, and I couldn't make it back to the village to celebrate. And now, it's already November," Shiraishi lamented.
"There's always next year, and I hope Sakumo-sensei will treat us then," he added with a laugh.
Sakumo's expression twitched. Mentioning treating others seemed to trigger some unpleasant memories. He didn't want to be on the verge of bankruptcy on his son's birthday.
"Really? That's great. I'll come with an empty stomach that day. Get ready, Sakumo-sensei," Ayane said with a smile, confirming the plan.
Sakumo sighed, realizing his wallet seemed to be lost, and then he looked at Ruri.
"Don't look at me like that. It's your son's birthday party. It would be rude if I paid for it. After all, you are White Fang-sama."
Ruri's ruthless rejection left Sakumo without any argument to save face. He sighed internally; saving face was no longer an option.
Two days later, Konoha and Suna formally concluded a settlement agreement and signed an armistice treaty.
The weather was clear and sunny as Sakumo's team embarked on their journey back to the Konoha Camp on the border of the Land of Fire.
The armistice agreement had been signed at nine o'clock in the morning, and now it was four o'clock in the afternoon. This meant that news of the truce with Suna should have already been relayed back to the camp and would soon reach the village.
However, upon their return to the camp at five o'clock in the afternoon, the four members of Sakumo's team sensed that something was amiss.
It wasn't just a somber atmosphere; it felt more like a cloud of sorrow had settled over the camp. The four exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what had transpired.
While they knew that the end of the war would bring about mixed emotions, this level of solemnity was unusual.
Amid this gloom, there was an underlying current of anger and a palpable sense of murderous intent that hung in the air.
"What's happening here?" Shiraishi wondered aloud.
"I have no idea. What could have occurred?" Shiraishi added, deep in thought.
Shiraishi stroked his chin, contemplating the situation. Could there have been an issue with the agreement? Did Suna have no intention of upholding their end of the bargain? These were questions racing through his mind as he attempted to make sense of it all.
"You, as a medical ninja, need to hurry to the medical department. They are in dire need of additional personnel!" A Konoha ninja approached Shiraishi urgently.
Shiraishi glanced at Sakumo, who nodded, and then followed the ninja to the camp's medical facilities.
"You two stay here and rest. I'll go find Orochimaru to gather information," Sakumo instructed Shiraishi and Ayane.
At the medical camp, a scene of tragedy unfolded. Dozens of Konoha ninja lay within the tents, their bodies battered and bloodied. The agonized cries of the wounded were enough to momentarily overwhelm Shiraishi's senses.
How had this happened? These injuries seemed recent—perhaps even from today. What had transpired?
Shiraishi didn't voice his questions but instead followed a highly skilled medical ninja. All those injured required immediate surgery. Tragically, some were beyond help, and their lives were claimed by their injuries before they could be treated.
The camp resounded with weeping and lamentation. Each medical ninja worked tirelessly, their faces drenched in sweat, leaving no room for idle conversation.
Two hours passed, and the initial round of first aid was complete. However, the brevity of the operation time was not due to success but rather because many had succumbed to their wounds even before surgery could commence. Some, despite surgical efforts, still could not be saved.
Only a dozen individuals were pulled back from the brink of death.
"We did all we could," the attending medical ninja assured Shiraishi, patting him on the shoulder, recognizing the emotional toll such scenes could take on a young medical ninja.
"Thank you," Shiraishi managed to respond, still processing the tragic events.
"What exactly happened here?" Shiraishi finally voiced the question that had been on his mind.
The attending medical ninja knew that Shiraishi, as one of Sakumo's team, had not been privy to the events at the medical camp, so he began to explain, his expression heavy with sorrow.
"We don't have all the details yet, but we know that the team responsible for delivering the armistice agreement to Suna was ambushed by unknown assailants on their way back. By the time they returned here, they were in this state."
"But what about the armistice agreement? Was it the work of Suna?" Shiraishi inquired.
"I can't say for sure. What we do know is that we suffered significant losses this time. I heard that even Jonin Kato was among the casualties," the attending medical ninja replied.
"Jonin Kato?" Shiraishi was taken aback, recognizing the surname. Could it be...
"Tsunade-hm is deeply affected by the loss. Kato's sacrifice has hit her hard."
"Kato was formidable. How could..." Shiraishi struggled to understand.
Kato was none other than Tsunade's current boyfriend, Kato Dan. Although not as renowned as Sakumo, he was one of Konoha's elite Jonin. In one-on-one combat, he might even match the legendary Sannin.
Furthermore, his ability to manipulate chakra was nothing short of incredible, and his sensory perception covered a vast area, making it easy for him to identify weak points and escape danger.
"To protect his comrades and buy them time to retreat, he chose to confront the enemy alone. By the time reinforcements arrived, he was already... gravely wounded. Lady Tsunade did her utmost, but she couldn't save Kato" the attending medical ninja explained somberly.
"I see..." Shiraishi sighed, realizing the extent of the sacrifice. Despite not knowing Kato personally, he couldn't help but admire the selflessness displayed in saving his comrades.
In this era, life was not something to be taken for granted, nor was death something to mourn excessively. This was the current reality of the Ninja World.
He could empathize with Tsunade's pain, but he couldn't truly understand it. The emotions of human beings were deeply personal and not easily shared.
Shiraishi, seeing there was nothing more to be done at the medical camp, left to rejoin Sakumo and the others at their residence.
The trio, including Sakumo, had been waiting there, engrossed in conversation.
"Sakumo-sensei, I'm back. What's going on? I heard that unidentified individuals attacked the ninja mission assigned to sign an armistice agreement with the Sunagakure."
"That's accurate. Not only that, Orochimaru sustained serious injuries. If it weren't for Kato's resolute decision to cover our retreat, there's a high likelihood that those of us en route to sign the armistice would have been ambushed, resulting in our entire force being annihilated."
Sakumo briefly recounted the information he had received from Orochimaru.
"It's truly outrageous. Regardless of the circumstances, we must maintain the utmost vigilance," Ruri commented, her face marked by anger.
She emphasized the importance of this situation. Drawing from historical lessons, during the First Ninja World War, when the Second Hokage and the Second Raikage of Kumogakure signed an armistice agreement, they fell victim to an attack by radical leaders from Kumogakure, the gold and silver brothers, Kinkaku and Ginkaku who led a large group of Kumogakure jonin in a raid.
The Second Raikage was killed on the spot during the signing of the armistice agreement. This event was a result of putting too much trust in their supposed allies.
The past taught them to be more cautious when dealing with armistice agreements. Orochimaru, who led the mission, had suffered grave injuries, and less than half of the hundreds of Konoha ninjas returned. The greatest sacrifice was made by Kato, who, alone, fought to the death in order to allow Orochimaru to lead the Konoha troops to safety.
"Now is not the time to lay blame. Have we identified the enemy responsible?" Shiraishi questioned Sakumo.
Sakumo sighed and shook his head. "No. Their ninjutsu techniques are highly intricate. One among them is immensely powerful and seems to be immortal, capable of resurrection after being killed. This ability led to carelessness among their companions, resulting in the death of several Jōnin."
"Who is this individual?"
"We have no idea" replied the trio of Shiraishi, their brows furrowed.
It seemed implausible that such a powerful character would remain unknown in the ninja world, especially one with the ability to defy death.
"Perhaps a bounty hunter from the black market," speculated Sakumo. He wasn't entirely certain about the identity of the ninja who had led the attack on the Konoha Mission but suspected the involvement of a rogue ninja thriving in the black market.
This world was a grim and treacherous domain, where the strong preyed upon the weak. It was home to numerous powerful yet relatively unknown ninjas.
The ninja who had ambushed the Konoha Mission fit the profile of these high-strength black-market operatives.
"The underground black market? Investigating that avenue could prove quite challenging. Could Suna have hired them?" Shiraishi, too, was acquainted with this shadowy world.
The bounty hunters lurking in the dark corners of the ninja world, thriving in the black market, were often defectors or rogue samurai. Although some were mediocre, others possessed formidable abilities.
The underground black market was a complex network, with each major village having its own branch deeply entrenched within the ninja world.
"It's a possibility, but we lack concrete evidence to substantiate it. Before we returned, the third Kazekage dispatched an envoy to condemn us for not adhering to the agreed-upon schedule and inquire about our intentions regarding this war."
This revelation had incited anger among many Konoha ninjas. In their eyes, it was evident that the Sand Ninja had orchestrated the mission's ambush.
If Orochimaru hadn't intervened, the Suna envoy would have likely met a grisly end at the hands of enraged Konoha ninjas.
Shiraishi, and his comrades were left feeling somewhat disheartened after hearing this. They empathized with the anger brewing among the Konoha ninjas.
Given the current circumstances, it appeared highly probable that Sakakushi had turned traitor and was plotting a surprise attack on Konoha. However, these were mere speculations, with no conclusive evidence to substantiate Sand Ninja involvement.
It was indeed a disheartening situation.
"What's the village's stance?" Shiraishi inquired.
"The village has just received the news. Due to the gravity of the situation, the higher-ups will likely engage in lengthy deliberations, and it may take up to three or four days for a definitive directive to be issued."
This was the most conservative estimate. The outcome, whether peace or continued warfare, hinged on the decision of Konoha's top leadership.
Shiraishi harbored no objections to this. He had no inclination towards warfare and remained detached from how Konoha's senior leadership would manage the situation.
"Peace talks?" Three days later, the high-level order arrived – peace talks with Suna. This left many ninjas in the Konoha camp perplexed.
However, the high-ranking officials provided an explanation – the ambush on the Konoha mission, which led to the failure of the truce agreement signing with Suna, was a conspiracy orchestrated by Iwa.
The unidentified ninja who attacked the Konoha mission had been hired by Iwagakure from the black market.
Currently, with Konoha and Suna still embroiled in war, continuing this battle would only play into the trap cleverly devised by Iwa, alongside Suna. Therefore, it was deemed necessary to sign an armistice agreement with Suna in order to safeguard Iwagakure.
"What's going on, Orochimaru?" Jiraiya asked in a puzzled manner.
Orochimaru produced another piece of information, saying, "This is crucial intelligence gathered by the Anbu. Two days ago, a small-scale conflict erupted between Suna and Iwa ninjas in the Land of Bears."
"Suna and Iwa... they?" Jiraiya looked at Orochimaru with confusion.
Orochimaru replied, "After Sakumo destroyed Sunagakure's supplies, Suna sought cooperation with Iwagakure, hoping for additional supplies. Iwagakure agreed to the request, but when transferring the supplies two days ago, they provided only one-twentieth of the originally agreed-upon amount. This sparked a conflict between the two parties."
Jiraiya remained puzzled, sensing that something was amiss.
"Whether it's Iwagakure's Tsuchikage masterminding this or Kazekage plotting alone, or the two collaborating against Konoha, the specifics are no longer important."
"How can you say it's not important? I risked my life to eliminate that guy, and..."
"Don't shout here; too many lives have been lost in this war. Kato was simply judging him as a genuine ninja, nothing more," Orochimaru interjected, uninterested in Jiraiya's outburst, feeling deeply disturbed himself.
"Continuing peace talks with Suna is the unanimous decision of the high-ranking officials. After all, if we continue to fight, we won't just be dealing with the Suna but also Iiwa."
Although the words, "It's not worth fighting against both Suna and Iwa for one Kato," couldn't quite escape his lips, Orochimaru believed it to be the truth.
The mastermind behind the previous ambush mission was likely Suna. However, Orochimaru was unclear about why they had attempted to ambush Konoha before the war's end and even recruited the Tsuchikage for this act, effectively preventing Konoha from moving freely.
"What is that Kazekage thinking?"
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"It's akin to a warm-up exercise before a battle, gradually building tension," Shiraishi explained.
"Warm-up?" In the tent, Ayane looked at Shiraishi with a puzzled expression, not comprehending his words.
"The attack on the Konoha Mission was undoubtedly orchestrated by that Kazekage, even if he didn't execute it himself, the strategy likely originated from him."
"Is there any evidence?"
"The 'warm-up exercise' concept I mentioned serves as the foundation. Before concluding this war, eliminating some of Konoha's elite ninjas would weaken Konoha."
"But... if the higher-ups decide to continue the war, wouldn't this plan backfire?" Ayane inquired.
"That's why I involved Iwagakure. From the perspective of Konoha's higher-ups, Sunagakure initially intended to continue fighting since they received supplies from Iwagakure, enabling them to sustain the war. However, after the attack on the Konoha Mission, Iwagakure abruptly reduced the promised supplies. This left Sunagakure unable to continue the battle. To Konoha's leadership, it appeared as though Sunagakure had been outmaneuvered by Iwagakure, a hidden trap."
"But won't the high-ups see through such a straightforward strategy?"
"Whether they do or not isn't crucial. What matters is whether they possess the capacity to wage war against both Sunagakure and Iwagakure simultaneously. The Konoha executives have no intention of engaging in such a conflict with the two ninja villages concurrently. This is a blatant conspiracy."
While Konoha had the capability, Shiraishi didn't believe the high-ranking officials possessed the determination to sacrifice Konoha's progress over the next decade to confront both Suna and Iwa.
It was apparent that the two villages had already conspired together. Alternatively, Iwa may have been manipulated by that Kazekage. Iwagakure didn't cooperate with Suna; instead, Suna acted unilaterally to divert attention and shift the focus of the problem.
"Warming up? That's quite an apt description."
Ayane thought the term "warm-up exercise" was fitting if Shiraishi's theory held true. Annihilating the Konoha Mission and having Iwagakure cooperate was akin to a warm-up exercise for a more ferocious attack on the Land of Fire in the years following this war.
In fact, Shiraishi had previously mentioned that after the conclusion of the Second Ninja World War, the Third Ninja World War wouldn't be far off and would center around the Land of Fire where Konoha was located. These revelations left Ayane deeply impressed.
At that time, it truly seemed like the ideal moment to part ways with Konoha.
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In the Suna Hidden Camp, surrounded by his loyal confidants and Jonin, the third Kazekage's future development plan received high praise. It appeared that none could fathom the true intentions of Kazekage-sama.
Konoha, Iwa, and even their own villages had all been manipulated by their respected Kazekage. Konoha faced an even bleaker situation, forced to sign an armistice agreement despite suffering significant casualties.
It was clear that Iwagakure intended to utilize Suna to continue the war against Konoha. The reduction in the supplies originally promised to Suna wasn't a deception; it had genuinely occurred. This was just one aspect that the Third Kazekage had skillfully exploited.
Iwagakure secretly celebrated this development as the conflict between Suna and Konoha deepened. From Konoha's perspective, it seemed that Suna and Iwa had conspired against them, preventing Konoha from moving freely.
Thus, signing an armistice agreement with Suna became essential to avoid a joint attack from Suna and Iwa on the Land of Fire.
"In the coming years, we'll utilize the abundant resources we've acquired from the Land of Fire to train more exceptional ninjas for our village. This will prepare us for the war that lies ahead in a few years. Together, let's strive to create a prosperous era for Sand, one that truly belongs to us."
The third Kazekage rose from his seat, exuding confidence and seeking to inspire his subordinates.
"Yes! We'll serve to the death!" The Shinobi rose from their seats, gazing at the third Kazekage with fervent eyes.
It seemed that in a few years, under Kazekage's leadership, they would once again exploit vulnerabilities in the Land of Fire to acquire more and better resources.
The era of Suna's true ascent was fast approaching.
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