Dropped into Naruto, Breaking the World Apart

Actually, the one Kakuzu most wanted to kill was Getsushoku.

Getsushoku looked even wealthier than the richest merchant in the Land of Fire.

It wouldn't be surprising if Pain and Konan were tempted by his wealth too. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that Getsushoku happened to run into Kakuzu in Amegakure?

Getsushoku never hesitated to assume the worst about others.

Fortunately, he had something to fall back on. He couldn't beat Pain, but he could at least escape. That alone kept things somewhat stable between them—for now.

Some time later, a shocking piece of news spread across the shinobi world: supposedly, someone had discovered the Sage's Tomb, which contained numerous mysterious jutsu from ancient times, and even the secret to immortality.

At first, most people brushed it off as a joke. But over time, more and more claimed to have seen the tomb with their own eyes and marveled at its mystical splendor...

...

Inside the Kazekage's office in Sunagakure—

Rasa, smiling from ear to ear, had summoned Baki, Chiyo, and Ebizō for a high-level meeting.

Among the Five Great Shinobi Nations, Sunagakure was dead last—in every aspect. Rasa had nearly broken himself trying to turn things around for the village.

Now, he finally saw a chance for Sunagakure to rise.

At the start of the meeting, Rasa got straight to the point.

"I assume you've all heard the rumors about the Sage's Tomb?"

"I've heard them. They say the Sage's Tomb is the final resting place of the Sage of Six Paths. That it holds countless treasures, gold, and scrolls of powerful jutsu. But what makes you bring this up now, Kazekage-sama?" Baki asked calmly.

"I've confirmed its exact location," Rasa declared, dropping a bombshell.

"What?!" Chiyo and Ebizō exclaimed in unison.

Rasa didn't blame them for their shock. He continued,

"Not long ago, a shinobi defected from our village. The pursuit squad chased him all the way to the border between the Land of Stone and the Land of Smiths. A battle broke out there, and during the fight, they accidentally stumbled into an underground tomb."

"That rogue shinobi managed to grab one of the treasures inside and his strength surged. He escaped. The team didn't pursue recklessly—instead, they searched the tomb and found two more buried relics. Then they returned immediately to report."

"I had the relics tested. When used by a genin, they were strong enough to match a jōnin. I believe that tomb must be the one from the rumors—the Sage's Tomb."

Even if it wasn't the real Sage's Tomb, it didn't matter. As long as it held powerful treasures, it was worth it.

Baki, Chiyo, and Ebizō weren't fools. They immediately realized: if Sunagakure could monopolize the tomb, it would be like a gift from the heavens.

"That defector might leak the location. We need to act fast!" Chiyo said gravely.

"Agreed. This is a golden opportunity," Ebizō added, a solemn look on his face. "The Land of Stone and the Land of Smiths are both small nations bordering the Land of Wind. Sunagakure holds the geographical advantage. If that tomb exists, it could bring disaster to such weak countries. For the sake of our allies' stability, we'll just have to reluctantly step in and take care of it."

Baki twitched slightly at the corner of his mouth. As expected, there was still a vast gap between him and these seasoned veterans.

Rasa spoke again. "Since we're all on the same page, let's move out immediately."

Baki was taken aback. "Kazekage-sama, you're going personally?"

Rasa's expression turned serious.

"With all the rumors already spreading across the shinobi world, there's no telling what other forces might be eyeing the tomb. I won't feel at ease unless I go myself."

...

In the Tsuchikage's office in Iwagakure—

Ōnoki was also holding a meeting.

First order of business: Konoha's accusations.

Lately, Konoha had been in chaos, and Ōnoki had been watching, ready to laugh at their misfortune—and maybe profit from it too.

To his surprise, Konoha fired back with a lawyer's letter addressed to Iwagakure.

According to Konoha, they had evidence that the attackers were Iwa shinobi.

Ōnoki flatly denied it. They wanted to convict Iwagakure just based on explosive clay and a few pictures of Deidara?

Ridiculous!

Truth be told, Ōnoki wasn't entirely sure if it had been Deidara, that punk. The attack certainly reeked of his style. But whether it was or wasn't, Ōnoki would never admit it. Instead, he planned to counterattack and probe Konoha's bottom line.

In his mind, Ōnoki had already drafted a complete strategy against Konoha.

"All right, let's set the Konoha issue aside for now. Iwagakure isn't a pushover—we won't sit back while they throw mud at us," Ōnoki said meaningfully.

"The real reason I called this meeting is the tomb discovered near the border of the Land of Stone and the Land of Smiths. According to reliable intel, that tomb might be the Sage of Six Paths' resting place."

The room instantly erupted with discussion.

"Even if it's not the Sage's Tomb, the fact that it contains treasure is real. We can't let anyone else get there first!"

"If it really is the Sage's Tomb, and we gain his legacy, we might one day surpass Konoha and become the top village in the shinobi world...!"

"Tsuchikage-sama, we should take action right away!"

But Ōnoki frowned. "Something about all this feels wrong. All these years, we've never once heard of such a tomb. Yet now, the rumor is spreading like wildfire. I suspect something more is going on."

That sobered the room quickly.

Indeed, the way this rumor had spread so rapidly was unnatural. Something was off. But then again—who could ignore the Sage's Tomb?

A young jōnin from Iwagakure suddenly stood up.

"Tsuchikage-sama, regardless of whether the tomb is real or not, we must investigate. Even if there's only a ten percent chance it's genuine—even if we don't obtain any of the Sage's power—we have to stop others from getting it."

"If the other villages grow stronger while we stand still, we'll eventually be crushed by the enemies we once overlooked."

"The balance of power in the shinobi world has been stable for a long time. The appearance of the Sage's Tomb will disrupt that balance. If we can't verify its authenticity, we should destroy it outright. Keeping others from gaining an advantage is a kind of victory."

Ōnoki looked at the eloquent young ninja with astonishment.

Iwagakure had someone this sharp?

This was more exciting than finding the tomb itself!

"Your thinking is excellent," Ōnoki said approvingly.

Iwagakure had always been a militaristic powerhouse, not desperate for rapid change. So long as the tomb's authenticity remained uncertain, the top priority was making sure no other village could benefit from it. That way, even if they didn't gain much, they at least wouldn't lose out.

And if it was real, then Iwagakure would fight tooth and nail to win it—or destroy it.

After the meeting ended, Ōnoki pulled up the young jōnin's file. The more he read, the more pleased he became. This shinobi had only recently been promoted, a rising star... a perfect fit to be his successor.

"How did I never notice such a talent before...?"

----------------

Pls Drop some Power Stones

Fanfic is finished on Patreon (160 chapters in total.) 

Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)