Naruto - Azure Awakening

While Konoha was hosting the Chunin Exams, the other villages had begun receiving vague reports that something significant had happened within the Hidden Leaf. Spies had failed to gather concrete details, but they had at least discovered that someone was subtly spreading whispers of an incident, an effort that Hokage's faction was desperately trying to suppress. The information was too scarce to pinpoint exactly what had occurred, but it was enough to raise suspicions.

<<<>>>

In Iwagakure, Onoki sat at the head of the council table, as he always did, waiting for his advisors to offer their insights. Lately, however, the old Tsuchikage had become increasingly irritable, a result of his growing disappointment in Iwa's new generation.

'After Minato's death, Konoha should have weakened considerably, yet they still have Kakashi, and now this new Uchiha kid, Itachi, is already being hailed as a genius,' Onoki mused as he surveyed the room. His thoughts drifted toward Iwagakure's future, or rather, its lack of one. None of the young shinobi he had seen showed the potential to reach S-rank. While Iwagakure was still a formidable power, time would erode that strength unless new prodigies emerged.

'Even Takimura - that cluster of people - has managed to produce talented shinobi… What are we doing wrong?'

His frustration was interrupted by his son, Kitsuchi, a capable jonin with a keen mind for strategy. However, even Kitsuchi lacked the potential to break into the ranks of the true powerhouses.

"Lord Tsuchikage," Kitsuchi spoke up after a long silence, "we still don't have enough information to determine what exactly happened in Konoha. But whatever it was, it clearly wasn't good for them. If it were, they wouldn't be trying so hard to suppress the news. It could be deliberate misinformation, or it could mean something genuinely troubling occurred. We should know soon enough."

Onoki nodded slightly, still deep in thought. While his council existed to advise him, the reality was that none of them held real power, Iwa's continued status as a great village was thanks to his own leadership and strength, and everyone in the room knew it.

"Regardless," Kitsuchi continued, "if Konoha is dealing with internal trouble, that's good news for us. With Suna still weak and Kiri busy with its own civil war, this might be the perfect time to increase our influence. The stronger Takimura becomes, the more of a thorn they'll be for Kirigakure. That works in our favor."

Onoki let out a short hum of agreement but remained unconvinced. "What concerns me more is why Kirigakure isn't taking action against Takimura," he said finally, narrowing his eyes. "It's too suspicious. At first, I assumed they didn't see them as a threat, but now that Takimura is publicly participating in the Chunin Exams and declaring itself an official village, Kiri should be moving against them. And yet… silence."

He frowned, tapping his fingers against the table. "That Yagura brat keeps surprising me. First, I thought he would be a peaceful ruler, but then he continued the bloodshed of his predecessor. Now, he's ignoring a growing village in the Land of Water entirely? It doesn't add up."

This time, his council remained silent, letting the Tsuchikage sit in his confusion. The rare sight of Onoki puzzled was one to savor.

<<<>>>

"Lord Mizukage, we should attack Takimura," said Hakare Hozuki, the head of the Hozuki clan, his tone was cautious.

Yagura had changed drastically over the past years. When he first took power, he had been far more restrained, almost diplomatic compared to his predecessor. But as time passed, his reign became increasingly ruthless. He became suspicious of clans with Kekkei Genkai, suppressing them with an iron grip. He ruled through sheer power, and those who opposed him quickly learned that mercy was not a word in his vocabulary.

Yet, despite his relentless control over Kirigakure, one thing stood out - his refusal to attack Takimura. At first, he dismissed them as insignificant, too weak to pose any real threat. Then, when they began gaining recognition, he claimed that an invasion would cost too many casualties. And yet, in the meantime, he continued sending small squads of weak chunin, barely enough to pose a challenge, as if knowingly sending them to their deaths. His decisions made no sense.

Still, no one dared question him openly. Yagura was the strongest shinobi in Kirigakure. More than that, he had the unwavering loyalty of powerful warriors, including Mangetsu Hozuki himself. To speak against him was to invite death.

"Takimura will be dealt with, but not right now," Yagura replied, his gaze slightly unfocused. "Before we strike, I want to ensure they have no allies left. We will eliminate any clans that might consider supporting them before they can forge alliances."

On the surface, his reasoning seemed logical. Isolating an enemy before crushing them was a sound military tactic. But to those who truly understood war, this approach made little sense. Takimura was an obvious focal point for the rebels. Wiping them out first would be the logical step to prevent resistance from uniting under a single banner. And yet, Yagura delayed.

Of course, it wasn't Yagura making these decisions - it was Obito, the true puppet master behind the Mizukage's actions.

Obito's goal was never just control. He wanted to grind the Land of Water into dust, to let it tear itself apart from the inside. He was letting Takimura grow, giving it time to strengthen just enough that when Kirigakure finally attacked, the battle would be catastrophic for both sides. He was setting the stage for mutual destruction.

The thought amused him.

'What if I could replicate this in other nations?'

The idea was new, but intriguing. He was thinking of trying the same thing in the Land of Fire. There was one clan within Konoha that could, if manipulated properly, be pushed into forming their own village - the Uchiha.

Unlike Kirigakure, however, Konoha wouldn't blindly allow such a thing. Controlling Yagura had been easy. Controlling Hiruzen was impossible. The old Hokage wasn't a fool, and his influence ran deep.

But the idea was new, and Obito had time.

'For Madara's plan Uchiha needs to be destroyed'

Perhaps, with the right push, the Uchiha could be led down a path of no return.

<<<>>>

In the Land of Cloud, the Raikage's council had just finished discussing the latest reports - whispers of turmoil in Konoha and Takimura's growing presence in the Land of Water. Unlike the other hidden villages, Kumogakure was directly affected by both. A weakened Konoha and a bleeding Kirigakure were the kind of opportunities that only came once in a generation.

"We should wait for more concrete information about Konoha's situation and what kind of trouble they're in," A said, his deep voice carrying across the room. "But if Takimura's strength isn't vastly exaggerated, Kirigakure will bleed. And considering Yagura's passive stance, I don't think it is exaggerated. If Takimura were truly weak, he would've already wiped them out."

His sharp gaze swept across the room, testing the reactions of his council. Like all Raikage before him, A believed in strength above all else. If he sensed weakness in an enemy, he would strike without hesitation.

"It's not as simple as it seems, A," Dodai spoke up. He had served under the Third Raikage and was one of the most respected voices in the room. "Yagura is purging clans with Kekkei Genkai, yet he's allowing Takimura - home to two Kekkei Genkai clans - to thrive. It doesn't add up. But regardless of his reasoning, the fact remains that we stand to benefit."

A's fingers drummed against the table, each tap cracking the wood beneath his hand.

'The old man won't let me start a war unless he's absolutely sure there's no risk,' A thought. Not that he was planning to suggest war - at least, not yet. His approach and Dodai's were simply different. A was hot-blooded and impulsive, while Dodai was calculating and patient. But both of them were equally prideful.

"It doesn't matter," A finally said, his smirk returning. "We should still focus on increasing our village's strength. Kumo has the biggest advantage in preparing for the next great war, and we won't waste it."

Dodai studied him for a moment, then nodded slightly. 'He's becoming more calculating. That's good.' He knew that, like all shinobi who had lived through war, A would never outright dismiss the possibility of peace. But he also knew better than to believe in it.

Konoha had lost Minato, and who knew what kind of internal chaos they were facing? Sunagakure had only one true S-rank shinobi, the rest of their strongest were either aging veterans or too young to have fully matured. Iwagakure was still a powerhouse, but they lacked the next generation of talent that Kumo had. And Kirigakure… Kirigakure was destroying itself.

The world was shifting, and Kumogakure had the chance to emerge stronger than ever. Dodai wished he could believe in a future without war, but the truth was undeniable. Peace between great nations only lasted until one of them sensed an opening.

And right now, the whole world was full of openings.

<<<>>>

Hiruzen sat in his office. The room was slightly misty with smoke from his pipe, but he paid it no mind. For a shinobi of his caliber, tobacco posed no health risk - it was simply a distraction, sometimes even a tool to help him focus. And right now, he had plenty on his mind.

His conversation with Maki had made one thing abundantly clear, he had underestimated her. She wasn't a pushover. While she remained respectful in tone and didn't openly challenge him, she also didn't fold under his questioning. The information she provided was only what she was willing to share, and no more. Hiruzen got the message loud and clear.

'Takimura wants a good relationship with us, but they won't be our pawns. And now, with their growing ties to the Uchiha, they could become a problem.'

If he hadn't just received word that his "lazy" disciple had finally returned to the village, he would have been much more concerned. But soon, Jiraiya and Tsunade would be standing in front of him, and with any luck, they'd have already settled between themselves who would take the Hokage seat.

'I don't care which of them it is anymore. One of them is taking this burden off my shoulders, even if I have to beat them into it.'

Hiruzen sighed, rubbing his temples. The shinobi world was shifting again, tension growing thicker by the day. It wouldn't be long before the balance became so fragile that a single spark could ignite another war. He could feel it. And when the other villages learned of Orochimaru's betrayal, they would tread far less carefully when dealing with Konoha.

He walked over to the window, sliding it open to let the smoke escape and let fresh air in. Taking a deep breath, he gazed out at the village below. From the Hokage's office, Konoha looked peaceful, beautiful even. But Hiruzen knew better. Peace was just an illusion, a temporary state between inevitable conflicts.

The creak of the door broke his thoughts. He turned as his two remaining disciples stepped inside.

"You seem full of energy, old man," Jiraiya said with his usual smirk.

Hiruzen's sharp eyes studied him for a moment. The tension between them had existed since Minato's death, though neither of them ever spoke of it directly.

After the Kyuubi attack, Hiruzen had ordered Jiraiya to leave the village and track down the mastermind behind the assault - the one who had controlled the Nine-Tails. Jiraiya had obeyed without hesitation, eager to avenge his fallen student, but he had wanted something else even more.

He had wanted to stay and raise Naruto.

Jiraiya loved the boy. Naruto was the only thing left of Minato, a living legacy of his closest student - no, of the son he never had. But Hiruzen had refused. He had promised to look after Naruto in Jiraiya's stead, and Jiraiya had reluctantly trusted him.

But when he returned, he found something very different.

Naruto had not been raised as the son of the Hokage. He had not been given the honor or respect he deserved as the child of the man who had saved Konoha. Instead, he had been treated like any other orphan. No nurturing figure surrounded him, no guiding hand to shape him into the shinobi he was destined to be.

And Hiruzen's excuse was that taking the jinchuriki in would have been seen as favoritism toward the Sarutobi clan, a move that would have ignited conflicts between the village's major clans. That no one, not even the Hokage, could risk upsetting the delicate balance of power.

Jiraiya had never accepted that answer. He never dared to confront Hiruzen and simply avoided him since then.

"Have you two decided who will become the next Hokage?" asked Hiruzen.

"Yes, we have" nodded Tsunade as she and Jiraya both set in chairs.

**

A/N -

The way Naruto was raised was never properly explained in canon. I believe his backstory was something that was developed much later in the story, because otherwise, keeping his parents' identities a secret from him was not only cruel but also completely pointless. So, I've decided to take a different approach.

Character Notes:

A - Arrogant - "Kumo is the best, and I'm the best"

Onoki - Sad - "For how long am I supposed to carry Iwa? My back hurts"

**