My Journey as Fourth Kazekage

When Rasa actually used the Chakra Fruit to cultivate a God Tree, subtle yet significant changes began rippling through the Shinobi World.

The official missives sent by Sunagakure's Anbu to Iwagakure and Kumogakure had already reached the desks of two of the most powerful figures: Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, and Ae, the Third Raikage of Kumogakure.

Ōnoki was the first to receive the letter.

Despite his typically composed and pragmatic demeanor, his face darkened as he scanned the contents.

"That Fourth Kazekage… he's nothing but a shameless brat!" Since Ōnoki's son, Kitsuchi, was busy leading on the frontlines, his trusted subordinate, Kurobachi, had been assisting him in handling internal matters.

(AN: The author initially used 'Touchi,' which wasn't in the original anime or manga. I swapped it for Kurobachi, who appeared in the anime.)

"What's wrong, Tsuchikage-sama? How did Sunagakure respond?"

Kurobachi asked cautiously, to which, without a word, Ōnoki tossed the scroll over. Kurobachi unrolled it and began reading, his expression twisting in indignation.

"This is outrageous! The Fourth Kazekage expects us, Iwagakure, to foot their war expenses? And the amount they're demanding—this is pure lunacy!"

Ōnoki let out a derisive snort. The excuses outlined in the letter—claiming the newly appointed Fourth Kazekage was still stabilizing the village—didn't even concern him. If anything, it amused him.

"Kurobachi, what do you think we should do in response?"

Ōnoki asked, testing his subordinate, and Kurobachi answered without hesitation.

"For Sunagakure to dare send such an audacious demand, they must assume we're too preoccupied with our war against Konohagakure to retaliate. They believe we're stretched too thin. What they don't realize is that we've been holding back. And it's clear this message wasn't just sent to us—it's highly likely the Third Raikage received an identical letter. With his temper, there's no chance he'll tolerate this insult."

Ōnoki raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Oh? Then what are you suggesting?"

Kurobachi's eyes gleamed as he laid out his plan.

"This could be our chance to ally with Kumogakure. The war has dragged on long enough, and Konohagakure is already on the brink of collapse. They're only surviving because of a few key individuals holding the village together. If we join forces with Kumogakure, we can overwhelm Konohagakure's remaining defenses in one decisive strike and march straight to the Daimyō's palace."

Ōnoki gave Kurobachi an approving nod.

"Not a bad plan."

But just as Kurobachi started to feel a glimmer of satisfaction, Ōnoki added with a weighty tone,

"However, you're underestimating Konohagakure."

Ōnoki's voice carried the wisdom of a man who had seen the unimaginable. Having witnessed the terrifying might of Madara Uchiha firsthand, he knew Konohagakure's strength ran far deeper than most could fathom.

Kurobachi furrowed his brows, clearly puzzled.

On the battlefield, both Kumogakure and Iwagakure had already made significant advances into the Land of Fire. Konohagakure had been dealt blow after blow; their forces pushed all the way back to the Daimyō's estate. Yet, despite their apparent crumbling defenses, the Tsuchikage still seemed wary of them.

At this moment, Ōnoki spoke again, his tone decisive.

"Do as you suggested. Send a letter to Kumogakure in my name. There's no need to explicitly propose an alliance—Raikage is a cautious man and will grow suspicious—but cooperation is still achievable. For example, that brat from Sunagakure needs to be taught a proper lesson."

Kurobachi quickly grasped the intent behind Ōnoki's words. He hesitated momentarily before asking.

"Should we deploy ninjas directly from the village or pull reinforcements from the frontlines?"

Ōnoki pondered the question for a moment before replying.

"The war has dragged on for over a month now. It's time to let the frontline troops rest and rotate fresh forces in. Have Kitsuchi lead the demolition team to replace the current unit. As for the ninjas returning from the frontlines, you will take charge and lead them to Sunagakure. And recall Rōshi as well. Have him accompany you on this mission."

The mention of Rōshi didn't escape Kurobachi's notice. It was no secret within Iwagakure that the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, Rōshi, had a rocky relationship with Ōnoki. Allowing Rōshi to grow too influential within the village was something the Tsuchikage was keen to avoid.

"I understand. Should we aim only to intimidate them, or...?"

Ōnoki let out a derisive snort, his expression cold.

"That depends entirely on how well that brat from Sunagakure behaves. If he dares to act out of line, then a small punishment will be in order."

Kurobachi immediately caught the subtext behind his words and smirked.

"Understood. I'll begin arrangements and contact Kumogakure without delay."

---

Boom!!!

At the frontline between Kumogakure and Konohagakure, a deafening sound echoed through the command tent as the Third Raikage, Ae, slammed his fist against the table.

Not long ago, the Third Raikage had received Sunagakure's official letter, and the contents left him livid. His chakra flared uncontrollably, filling the tent with an oppressive aura that sent a shiver down the spines of everyone present.

"That insolent little brat…!"

The overwhelming surge of power startled everyone in the room.

"Father, are you alright? What did Sunagakure say to anger you so much?"

Ay, the future Fourth Raikage, stepping forward in concern. The Third Raikage wordlessly handed the scroll to the others in the tent.

Ay snatched it up and read through it quickly. By the time he finished, his own fury was evident in the tight set of his jaw and the faint sparks crackling around his clenched fists.

"That weak Fourth Kazekage actually expects us to cover their war expenses? And the amount—they've got to be out of their minds!"

Darui, standing to the side, took a more measured approach. After reading the scroll, he calmly commented.

"Raikage-sama, it seems the Fourth Kazekage isn't as clever as we thought. This demand borders on delusional."

Ay was at a loss for words, though the twitch in his eyebrow betrayed his frustration.

"What do we do now, Father?"

The Third Raikage's response was simple but firm.

"We wait."

"Wait?"

Everyone in the room looked at him in confusion.

The Third Raikage elaborated his wisdom as the Raikage.

"Ōnoki, that crafty old fox, must have received the same letter from Sunagakure. There's no way he'll let this slide. We're not going to let Kumogakure act alone on this. Let him make the first move."

His reasoning was sound. And sure enough, that very afternoon, a letter from Iwagakure's Anbu arrived at the Kumogakure frontline, confirming his suspicions.

"Father, your prediction was spot on!"

Ay said, a note of admiration in his voice. The Third Raikage's lips curved into a faint smile at the compliment.

"You'd do well to think more rationally, Ay. Strength is important, but it takes foresight to win a war."

Ay fell silent, unable to argue with his father's words. While unrolling the scroll, the Third Raikage remarked with a knowing smile.

"After all these years as rivals, there's no way Ōnoki could ever hide his intentions from me…"

The moment his eyes scanned the contents of the scroll, his mind had already begun crafting a plan.

"Let the ninjas at the frontline rest for now. Adopt a defensive stance. Darui, go to the village and bring Toroi here."

Darui blinked in surprise at the command but nodded without hesitation.

"Understood. I'll see to it immediately."

Meanwhile, Ay, the future Fourth Raikage, couldn't hold back his confusion.

"Father, why are we doing this? We're so close to completely crushing Konohagakure's forces!"

"So close?"

The Third Raikage's voice was calm, yet a hint of steel underlined his words. He turned to Ay, his gaze firm, like that of a teacher preparing to pass down an important lesson.

As a leader—and more importantly, as a father—he felt it was crucial to impart some truths to his heir.

"Open your eyes, Ay, and think carefully. Right now, we're at a stalemate with Konohagakure. On the surface, it might seem like they're barely holding on, but this is the Land of Fire. Their reinforcements can arrive in mere hours, while it takes us at least two days to bring ours from the village. And then there's the matter of the quality of their ninjas…"

The Third Raikage's fists tightened as he spoke, the sound of his knuckles cracking filling the tent with an almost ominous weight.

Few in his generation understood Konohagakure's true strength as well as he did. It wasn't just about their current forces; it was about their endless capacity to produce talent. Their shinobi weren't just numerous—they were formidable, disciplined, and relentless.

If the battle dragged on much longer, Kumogakure would inevitably exhaust its resources and manpower.

This was why the Third Raikage had already decided on a different approach. To secure victory, it would take more than brute force. They would need to act decisively, uniting with Sunagakure and Iwagakure to overwhelm Konohagakure in one swift, coordinated blow.

Turning to Darui, he issued his next command with unyielding resolve.

"Since Ōnoki has already deployed his Jinchūriki, we cannot afford to fall behind. Darui, bring Yugito here as well. She and Toroi will follow your lead. Take them to meet with Iwagakure's forces. Your mission is simple: make that young Kazekage from Sunagakure understand the true state of the shinobi world."

Darui's eyes sharpened as he absorbed the order. He gave a firm nod.

"Understood, Raikage-sama."

The Third Raikage's logic was sound. With the combined power of two Jinchūriki, there would be no question of Sunagakure's compliance. The Fourth Kazekage might be ambitious, but even he couldn't stand against the might of Kumogakure and Iwagakure working in tandem.

Darui left without hesitation, his mind already focused on the task ahead. He knew one thing for certain: the presence of both Yugito and Toroi would send an unmistakable message to the Fourth Kazekage.