Chunin Exams: Four-Nation Alliance

"Mizukage, for intelligence matters, it would be better to ask Two-Scales Old Man and the Raikage. After all, their villages were the most enthusiastic about sending ninja to the Saudi Federation to gather intelligence."

Tsunade could not help but speak up. After spies were captured, only those two villages would refuse to pay the ransom and let their own spy ninja be sent off to mine.

After word of this spread through the Ninja World, it became the subject of much ridicule. Many people had heard for the first time of a village refusing to pay ransom and thereby causing its ninja to be sent to the mines. What was more, the miners still wore Iwa-nin and Kumo-nin forehead protectors.

"Hokage, are you looking for a fight?!"

The Raikage’s explosive temper immediately made him smash the table before him and roar in anger, but C behind him quickly talked him down.

They had come this time to discuss battle strategies. Even if they ultimately failed to reach an agreement, they should not provoke the Hokage so casually. With her temperament, she might truly gather ninja and send them to kill them.

Moreover, C remembered that the Fifth Hokage had awakened Wood Release and fought the Rinnegan user to a mutual defeat on the Rain Country battlefield.

"Arguing is pointless. Lord Mizukage, Konoha does not know much about the Saudi Federation either. What we have is intelligence from several years ago, and Konoha has gained nothing over the past two years."

Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled a puff of smoke and spoke slowly. Konoha had also had spies captured before, but they had sent the ransom immediately. Furthermore, after failing once, they had not sent anyone again, so the matter had not spread like it had for the Iwa-nin and Kumo-nin.

Terumi Mei shook her head and said, "If the intelligence is not detailed enough, rashly starting a war could cause us to suffer a major loss. Especially intelligence on Tailed Beast Jinchuriki. If I remember correctly, the Nine-Tails should be in the Saudi Federation’s hands, right? Can they control the Tailed Beast’s power now?"

These words made Sarutobi Hiruzen’s expression turn ugly as well. The Saudi Federation had not concealed the news that the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had defected from Konoha alongside the Uchiha. By now, all Four Great Ninja Villages knew that the Saudi Federation possessed the One-Tail and the Nine-Tails.

This had happened during his term of office. Bringing it up now made Sarutobi Hiruzen feel exceedingly ashamed.

"Then how about holding a joint Chunin Exams? The four of us can join with the Saudi Federation and hold the final stage within the Saudi Federation, taking the opportunity to gather intelligence."

Ōnoki offered this suggestion, and the other Kage began considering it. If it was the Chunin Exams, there really was a chance.

The usual joint Chunin Exams were tests meant to probe the enemy country’s national strength, gather intelligence, and display one’s village’s power. If the Four Great Nations jointly proposed it, the Saudi Federation likely would not refuse. With the participation of other small countries, more and more people would flow into the Saudi Federation, making intelligence gathering much easier.

Ninja from the Four Great Nations, along with six or seven small countries, would pour into the Saudi Federation together. Add the Jonin from every country, and even if the Saudi Federation wanted to identify every spy among them, that would be unlikely.

After all, they had already learned some of the Saudi Federation’s methods for screening spies. As long as they were more careful next time and obtained those so-called electronic identity chips in advance, they would not trigger the alarm signal.

"This is a good idea. Since it concerns Chunin Exams for the entire Ninja World, the Saudi Federation likely will not refuse. We also need time to prepare for war. Once everyone relaxes after the Chunin Exams, that will be the perfect time to declare war on the Saudi Federation."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. The Chunin Exams were probably the only opportunity for their ninja villages to openly send a large number of ninja into the Saudi Federation. Other than that, the Saudi Federation screened ninja from other villages extremely strictly.

The Raikage and the Mizukage had no objections either. They did not care much about the Chunin Exams themselves, so long as they could gather intelligence from the Saudi Federation. There was also the postwar division of spoils, and that was what Kumogakure cared about.

Two major trading companies in the Saudi Federation were especially enticing: the Yasunori Trading Company and the Uzumaki Company. Every product these two companies sold abroad was a money-maker. The Raikage was determined to obtain both companies. If not for the distance and the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning’s intention to help the Land of Wind restore its nation, the Raikage would even have wanted to occupy the Saudi Federation’s territory after destroying it.

The Four Great Ninja Villages’ last impression of the Saudi Federation’s actions was still the Battle of Kikyo Castle against Konoha two years ago.

Back then, Konoha relied on defensive tactics, cowering within Kikyo Castle and refusing to come out no matter what. They had forcibly held off Pakura, the Fifth Kazekage. Although Konoha later lacked the strength to continue the war and could be considered to have bowed its head to the Saudi Federation, that battle had also demonstrated the Saudi Federation’s strength.

After discussing some intelligence, hesitation flashed across Sarutobi Hiruzen’s face. In the end, he still said, "Everyone, the Saudi Federation’s high-level combat power is something we must target. If war begins, I suggest each ninja village deploy its Jinchuriki to the battlefield."

Sarutobi Hiruzen revealed everything about the Uchiha’s Mangekyo, Hyuga Mirai’s mysterious Eye Technique and formidable strength, as well as Hyuga Mirai colluding with Orochimaru. Added to the One-Tail and Nine-Tails, the Saudi Federation’s upper-level combat power was simply not something one or two ninja villages could handle.

If they did not gather the Jinchuriki together, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt that relying on the Four Kage alone would not be enough.

"How will we deal with the Rain Country? It seems they are allied with the Saudi Federation, aren’t they?"

Tsunade suddenly asked with a frown. No one understood the Rain Country’s strength better than she did. Without Hyuga Mirai’s help, that pair of Rinnegan alone could destroy all the combat power of a Great ninja village.

If the Rinnegan joined the fight, then everything they had just discussed would be meaningless.

"The Daimyo has already resolved that matter."

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a letter from his robes. It was the reply the Rain Country’s Daimyo had sent after the Land of Fire Daimyo made an inquiry. The leader of Amegakure had stated clearly that, so long as the war did not involve the Rain Country, they would not participate.

Furthermore, Akatsuki could accept wartime employment from the Four Great Nations as mercenaries. However, recalling the hatred between the Iwa-nin and the Rain Country, Sarutobi Hiruzen concealed this information.

Nagato would never help the Saudi Federation because of a war. Moreover, the Rain Country’s circumstances had changed. Eighty percent of its people could now live well through its favorable growing conditions. Besides, Akatsuki needed the One-Tail and Nine-Tails within the Saudi Federation. Nagato could not wait for the two sides to go to war immediately.

Tsunade only listened silently and rarely spoke during the discussion.

Even with the power of the Four Great Ninja Villages gathered together, Tsunade did not believe they could deal with Hyuga Mirai. Since that man could enable her to master Wood Release and Sage Mode, he could certainly enable others to master Wood Release and Sage Mode as well.

When the Ninja Alliance moved out, they might have to face more than a dozen Wood Release ninja.

Once the discussion ended, the Four Great Ninja Villages finally reached a consensus. Six months later, they would hold Chunin Exams involving the Five Great Nations and surrounding small countries. During those six months, each country would return to prepare ninja troops. Military Supplies would be provided by the Daimyo of each country, and during the war, the Land of Fire Daimyo would supply all expenditures incurred by the Four Great Ninja Villages.

Naturally, there would be compensation for this. The former Daimyo of the Land of Wind had a bloodline branch in the Land of Fire. After the war ended, the Daimyo of the other three nations, together with the Land of Fire, would support this person in restoring the Land of Wind and becoming its Daimyo.

The Land of Fire Daimyo’s wartime expenditures would be repaid after the Land of Wind was restored through taxes and a series of other methods.

However, there was no need to inform the ninja of this. The Daimyo of the Four Nations had already discussed it in secret.

The Saudi Federation’s rise had sounded an alarm for the Daimyo of every country. Together with the matter involving the River Country’s Daimyo, if they did not rein in the ninja, the blade would sooner or later fall upon their own heads.

That was also why the Land of Fire Daimyo kept recruiting Guards. The Twelve Guardian Ninja had already expanded to twenty-one people, yet he still could not rest easy. He had even sent people to win over the Fire Temple and had the Fire Temple’s experts permanently stationed at the Daimyo Manor.

Until the Saudi Federation was brought down, the Daimyo of the Four Nations would struggle to sleep peacefully. The Land of Fire Daimyo especially felt this way. If Tsunade had not possessed Wood Release and an unmatched reputation within Konoha, the Land of Fire Daimyo would have long supported Sarutobi Hiruzen’s return as Hokage.

Tsunade’s performance over the past two years had also made the Land of Fire Daimyo extremely uneasy, fearful that she would become the next Daimyo of the Land of Wind.

"Have you finished discussing everything?"

Not long after the Four Kage concluded their discussion, the Land of Fire Daimyo entered. He had new tea and snacks brought out for the Four Kage, along with a replacement for the table the Raikage had damaged.

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded and said, "We have more or less reached a consensus. Next, we only need to sign the detailed agreement."

"Oh ho ho, so quickly? It seems we can safely leave this matter to the four of you."

The Land of Fire Daimyo covered his face with a Folding Fan and laughed somewhat exaggeratedly. Then he waved his hand, summoning officials from the Daimyo Manors of the other three countries as well, before saying:

"In that case, let us sign the agreement here."

As for the postwar division of spoils, the Daimyo of the Four Nations had already reached an agreement in advance. They directly brought out the agreement signed by the Daimyo Manors and let the Four Kage review it. Once they confirmed there were no issues, they added the agreement they had just discussed.

Raikage A frowned tightly when he saw the agreement signed between the Daimyo. This agreement was completely different from what he had imagined. All postwar benefits would be received by the Daimyo Manors. If Kumogakure wanted to use the gains of war to develop, it would have to go through the Daimyo Manor’s allocation process.

A wanted to object to the agreement, but this was not the Daimyo Manor of the Land of Lightning. Even if he wanted to amend it, the Land of Lightning Daimyo was not present. He could only sign it for now and deal with it after returning.

Ōnoki and Terumi Mei had no objections after reading it. They had reviewed this Four-Nation Alliance agreement before setting out, so after adding the details concerning war preparations, they signed their names without hesitation.

After all four had signed, the Land of Fire Daimyo smiled and tried to persuade them to stay for a few more days, but Ōnoki, Terumi Mei, and the others refused.

Being able to remain here for one day was already difficult enough. Once they returned, they still had matters related to preparing for war to handle.

Tsunade did not stay either. She directly said to her two Guards, "Let’s go, Tokuma, Kurenai," and prepared to return to Konoha. Before leaving, however, Tsunade gave Sarutobi Hiruzen a deep look.

She felt that she had been too sentimental about the past. It was precisely her indulgence that allowed such things to happen repeatedly.

As the Hokage, she had actually been the last person to learn of the Four-Nation Alliance. And the agreement from earlier had clearly been settled in advance.