Chapter 394: The Advantage is Ours!!!
"These next few days, let's monitor how the other nations react. Soon, Konoha will be bustling, and so will the entire ninja world," Haneda said casually, as though sealing the matter with a stamp of approval.
Shikaku asked, "What about the people outside?"
Haneda glanced out the window at the massive crowd and felt a slight headache coming on.
Massaging his temples, he replied, "Keep silent. Silence means tacit approval—play the part well.
"For the next few days, I won't meet anyone. Publicly, I'll only be seen at home or in the office. If there are emissaries, see no one except Akatsuki."
---
Thanks to Konoha's advanced transportation network built in recent years, news spread incredibly fast.
In just three days, the rumor of Haneda's illness swept across the entire Land of Fire and its neighboring countries.
Though the Land of Wind was separated from the Land of Fire by two smaller countries, Sunagakure always kept a close watch on Konoha's affairs.
The day after the news about the Fifth Hokage's illness leaked from the Hokage Building, spies relayed the information back to Sunagakure through covert channels.
Upon receiving the intelligence, the Fourth Kazekage immediately deployed several squads of ANBU to investigate its authenticity in the Land of Fire and Konoha.
From one perspective, the information seemed credible—it originated from an official announcement made by the Hokage Building.
But the Kazekage, wary of a potential Konoha ruse, found it hard to sit still. After all, the idea of the Fifth Hokage suffering from a terminal illness was too important to take at face value.
When he learned that Haneda was avoiding public appearances altogether, the authenticity of the news seemed even more plausible.
The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, grew restless. He had been humiliated by Haneda multiple times.
Once during the Third Great Ninja War, when the then-unknown Haneda captured him.
More recently, when his son, Gaara, was taken by Haneda and brought to Konoha without so much as a warning.
And Gaara wasn't just the Kazekage's son—he was also the jinchuriki of the One-Tail.
Yet Haneda had taken Gaara without asking, gone so far as to make him an adopted son, and placed him in the ninja academy.
Did he think Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, was nobody? Did he think Sunagakure was a joke?
Was there no law, no justice in this world?!
Rasa had long wanted to storm into Konoha, reclaim his son, and make them taste his humiliation and pain.
But Haneda was too powerful—so powerful that no one dared oppose him. No village had the courage to challenge him.
Even the Daimyo of the Land of Wind, as well as Sunagakure's senior advisors like Chiyo and Ebizo, urged Rasa to swallow his pride and let the matter go.
Now, with Haneda nearing death, the opportunity for revenge had finally arrived!
During a jōnin meeting, Rasa made a high-profile announcement: Sunagakure would expand its ninja forces.
Not a single person objected.
Everyone knew this was the chance to sink their teeth into Konoha.
During the meeting, Rasa received another unexpected but welcome piece of news.
The Daimyo of the Land of Wind had increased financial support for Sunagakure, essentially advancing five years' worth of funding.
The message was clear: it wasn't just Sunagakure's leadership that wanted war—its Daimyo was ready to intervene directly!
This was unprecedented.
In past ninja wars, no matter how fierce the battles, Daimyos always maintained cordial relations through intermarriage and diplomacy.
But now, everything was different.
Rasa couldn't help but laugh.
"With the Daimyo's backing, Sunagakure, against a Konoha without support, has the advantage!"
---
Similar scenes unfolded in Iwagakure.
After the death of the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, his successor wasn't his descendants, disciples, or bodyguards—it was the jinchuriki of the Five-Tails, Han.
In this era, Iwagakure lacked new leadership. Only veterans could shoulder the village's burden.
Among the village's three remaining Kage-level shinobi, Onoki had died in battle, Roshi had long been estranged from the village's politics, and only Han was qualified to become the Fourth Tsuchikage.
Both Onoki's faction and the neutrals acknowledged Han's ascension.
As part of the power transition, Han took Onoki's granddaughter, Kurotsuchi, as his disciple.
At this moment, Kurotsuchi burst into the Tsuchikage's office, propping herself against the door and panting heavily.
"Sensei! Uchiha Haneda is about to die!"
"I'm already aware," Han said calmly.
Seeing his indifferent demeanor, Kurotsuchi immediately realized his intentions.
She pressed him anxiously:
"Sensei! Are we just going to sit back and wait for him to die? Isn't he the one who killed the Third Tsuchikage? He's our village's most hated enemy!"
"What's the rush? Can Iwagakure defeat Uchiha Haneda? Forget Konoha's army—Haneda alone could crush us. What would we fight him with?" Han replied sternly.
Kurotsuchi hated Haneda deeply. Not only had he killed her grandfather and father, but he had also taken her beloved senior away. She could never forgive him.
"Sensei!!!"
"You're getting impatient again."
Han saw her frustration and scolded coldly:
"Sit down! How many times have I told you? Address me by my title when working!"
"But Sensei—" Kurotsuchi whimpered, tears welling up.
Her pitiful expression softened Han's tone, and he explained gently:
"For now, we can only wait for Uchiha Haneda to die. It's not just us—every other village is waiting as well.
"Kurotsuchi, you must understand. Like your grandfather, I carry the fate of Iwagakure on my shoulders.
"If we launch an attack on Konoha now, we'd only disgrace ourselves. Do you want the rest of the village to share your pain?"
Kurotsuchi shook her head vigorously.
"No, I don't. My grandfather always cared deeply for the village."
"Good. Then trust me, Kurotsuchi. The world has long suffered under Haneda. Villages and Daimyos alike resent him."
"When he dies, Sunagakure, Kirigakure, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure will all unite to crush Konoha!"
"Even if Konoha has birthed countless geniuses, it won't withstand the combined might of the world's justice!"
"The world against Konoha—the advantage is ours!"
---
In the Land of Lightning, amidst towering mountains and rugged peaks, Kumogakure was a scene of celebration.
Below the Raikage Building, the Eight-Tails jinchuriki, Killer Bee, sang and danced, rapping loudly to announce Haneda's impending death.
Even the normally stoic Bee couldn't hide his excitement.
"Yo yo~ Uchiha Haneda's gonna die, the god of ninja will fall from the sky!
"In the new era, we'll wipe away the shame of the Hokiji mountains someday!
"Oh yeah! Damn that Uchiha Haneda, baka yarō—kuruyaro~!"
When Bee finished his rap, the crowd erupted into cheers, waving their fists with fervor.
The Hokiji mountains were a symbol of humiliation for Kumogakure. Twice they had waged war against Konoha there, and twice they had been utterly defeated.
Once, they even lost their strongest assets—the jinchuriki, the mightiest Raikage, and thousands of shinobi—leaving them utterly routed.
To Kumogakure, the Hokiji mountains were an insurmountable peak.
In his office, the Fourth Raikage, A, smashed yet another desk in frustration as he recalled his two captures at Haneda's hands.
The memories made his blood boil with rage. If not for his position, he would have long sought revenge.
But if Uchiha Haneda were to die…
A could already see the combined ninja forces crossing the Hokiji mountains to lay siege to Konoha.
"Without Uchiha Haneda, the old battleground will finally shine with fortune.
"In the Third Great Ninja War, we nearly crushed Konoha—my father was close to victory.
"This time, with the strength of four villages united, the advantage is ours!"
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