Naruto: Being a Shinobi with no System But...

In Konoha, who could possibly wield Wood Release?

Considering how deeply Princess Tsunade trusted this young man, the most obvious conclusion was that he belonged to the Senju Clan.

At such a young age, he was already powerful, already standing at the center of the village’s authority, yet without even the right to bear the surname of his ancestors.

Ōnoki had originally intended to exploit that.

A small jab. A calculated provocation. The kind of remark that could unsettle even a composed opponent.

But looking at Roshi now—calm, steady, utterly unbothered—Ōnoki realized the effort would likely be wasted.

So he discarded the idea.

Instead, he spoke in a deliberately superior tone.

”Konoha sent you here. You should know what comes next.”

Roshi smiled faintly.

”Konoha came at Iwagakure’s invitation. Tsuchikage-sama, you may want to review your village’s memorandum.”

His tone remained polite, almost casual.

”If this decision wasn’t actually yours, I can return for now and wait until you’ve finished consulting your subordinates.”

He waved a hand lightly.

”Although I don’t particularly lack the time to chat, perhaps we can skip these small tricks, Tsuchikage-sama.”

His dark eyes remained calm—still as deep water.

”I believed Iwagakure had recognized the current state of the ninja world, which is why it proactively requested negotiations.”

”I even once praised you, Ōnoki—often called stubborn—as someone capable of flexible methods.”

A slight pause.

”It seems my expectations were a little too high.”

Beside the platform, Deidara nearly burst out laughing.

He forced himself to hold it in, shoulders trembling as he tried to maintain composure.

The Old Man—who commanded absolute authority in the village—actually being pushed into a corner like this…

Even if nothing exploded today, the trip was already worth it.

Ōnoki’s eyes narrowed beneath his thick gray brows.

He wasn’t angry.

He was reassessing.

Carefully.

The young man sitting before him was far more troublesome than he had initially expected.

”Very well,” Ōnoki said at last. ”Let’s speak of serious matters.”

”First—we resolve the trouble created by Rasa’s recklessness.”

”Iwagakure and Konoha will simultaneously withdraw their forces from the border. The Land of Grass will return to its previous condition.”

”The area will remain a buffer zone.”

Then he continued.

”In addition, when Konoha holds the Chūnin Exams next year, Iwagakure will participate.”

The conditions were carefully calculated.

With both villages withdrawing their troops, the immediate tension along the border would disappear. The Land of Grass had always existed as a buffer state, and with Iwagakure’s military strength still intact, maintaining that arrangement served everyone’s interests.

As for the second proposal—

Iwagakure wished to break free from diplomatic isolation, but it had no intention of appearing weak.

By framing participation in the Chūnin Exams as compensation offered to Konoha, Ōnoki avoided giving the impression that Iwagakure was seeking favor.

A subtle but deliberate piece of political craftsmanship.

For Konoha, however, the proposal posed no real problem.

Roshi nodded calmly.

”Understood.”

Ōnoki gave a slight nod.

”Then the primary matter is settled.”

He shifted topics immediately.

”Now, there is another issue.”

”Regarding the practical exchange event between Konoha and the Hidden Cloud.”

”Iwagakure has also organized an exchange program... for ninjas of the western regions.”

At the side, Deidara narrowed his eyes.

Calling it an exchange was… generous.

Many of the participants were rogue ninja who had been forced into joining.

And when Iwagakure ninja conducted these so-called ”exchanges,” they rarely held back.

If someone made the slightest mistake—

Their opponent could quite literally end up splattered across the ground.

Compared to that, the exchange between Konoha and Kumogakure was almost gentle. It was lively, certainly, and occasionally drew blood—but in the end, no one died.

A very different kind of ”exchange.”

Ōnoki paid no attention to the thoughts flickering across Deidara’s face and continued calmly,

”These two activities should be standardized.”

What the Third Tsuchikage truly intended was far more specific.

”The scheduling of these events should be staggered,” he explained. ”From an overall strategic perspective, this would maximize their benefits.”

He gestured slightly with one hand.

”If arranged properly, the event held by Konoha and Kumogakure could attract audiences from the Western nations.”

”And Iwagakure’s event would then draw attention from the Central and Eastern regions.”

Ōnoki concluded with quiet confidence.

”A mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Roshi shook his head gently.

”For Konoha, this proposal is not a win-win.”

He paused before correcting another point.

”And furthermore, it is no longer an exchange between Konoha and Kumogakure.”

”Sunagakure has joined the initiative. The event has now been renamed the New Generation Joint Combat Exercise.”

He continued evenly,

”So the ’Western Ninja Exchange Event’ that Tsuchikage-sama mentioned likely cannot represent the will—or even the current reality—of the Western ninja world.”

The announcement had not yet been widely publicized. Preparations for next year’s event were still underway, and even the major villages had not fully learned that Sunagakure had joined the initiative.

Naturally, Ōnoki had not known either.

Roshi met the Tsuchikage’s gaze.

”Since Tsuchikage-sama has already recognized that competitive events hold far greater potential—benefiting the entire ninja world—why not simply join the Joint Combat Exercise?”

His voice remained calm yet carried an undeniable weight.

”The conflicts of the ninja world… the confrontations born from missions… are, in essence, merely the material manifestation of competing demands between nations and various groups.”

”Ninja villages exist because they accept commissions and tribute from those nations. Acting according to those interests is understandable.”

”But today—”

His tone sharpened slightly.

”Ninja, who were once driven by the wishes of the people, now fight for their own grievances, their own ambitions… even igniting war after war.”

”These great ninja wars no longer represent the will of the people.”

”They only poison relations between nations and stall the world’s progress.”

He looked directly at Ōnoki.

”In truth, war itself has become nothing more than a method for ninjas to consume one another.”

”It no longer changes anything.”

A brief silence fell between them.

”Tsuchikage-sama,” Roshi continued quietly, ”I believe you have already realized this.”

”The situation of the ninja world can no longer be altered through war.”

”It is precisely because of this realization that you are following the path opened by Konoha and Kumogakure—creating events, seeking a future beyond endless conflict.”

Ōnoki stared at him for a long moment.

Finally, he spoke.

”Young man… your words are quite eloquent.”

”But fine words alone solve nothing.”

Roshi rose to his feet and lightly brushed the dust from his clothes.

”Konoha possesses both the strength to act upon its words... and the determination to explore an order better than war.”

He looked down at the Tsuchikage.

”Tsuchikage-sama, this conversation was never meant to persuade you.”

”It was simply to inform you of the present reality.”

”Too many people have already realized that war is no longer viable—and too many have suffered because of it.”

He paused.

”Those who cling stubbornly to the past yet lack the power of Lord Hashirama …”

”…will eventually be crushed beneath the converging will of the age.”

The wind swept through the empty outpost.

”Since the primary matters have been resolved,” Roshi continued calmly, ”regarding the additional conditions you proposed—”

”Konoha declines.”

”And I believe there is no need for the two of us to debate the details.”

He turned.

”Let the others handle the rest.”

With a subtle release of chakra, Roshi withdrew his Earth Release technique.

The stone platform beneath him rumbled as it slowly sank back into the ground.

Moments later, he had already returned to the Konoha lines.

Deidara stared at the retreating figure, barely containing his grin.

He was just about to tease the old man about the disastrous negotiation.

”Old Man—”

The words had barely left his mouth when he saw Ōnoki’s face.

Grim.

It was so grim that Deidara’s voice died instantly in his throat.

’Am I… clinging to the past?’

Ōnoki of both scales… crushed by the will of the age…

Ōnoki lowered his head slightly, staring at the cracked earth beneath his feet.

For a fleeting moment, the ancient Tsuchikage looked strangely weary.

Then he glanced sideways at Deidara.

”Idiot.”

His voice snapped like thunder.

”When will you learn something from people like that?”

”All you do is run around blowing things up all day... and you call that art.”

Deidara blinked, completely baffled.

’What did I blow up today?

And I didn’t even say ”art” once.’

—

The Dragon vein chakra had been delivered.

The Sky Ninja had been handed over as well.

Armed with these two extraordinary advantages, Rasa should have been able to stir the ninja world into turmoil.

Instead, he dragged his forces back to the desolate Land of Wind in utter defeat.

That alone would have been humiliating enough.

But what truly baffled Obito was something else entirely.

’How did you… Just die like that?’

Obito could not understand it.

He himself had infiltrated Kirigakure and remained there for years without once exposing himself. Yet in Sunagakure’s case, everything had been given—power, resources, opportunity.

And the result?

Not only did Rasa fail to ignite the chaos they had anticipated, but he even lost his own life in the process.

Perplexed, Obito sent Zetsu to investigate.

Zetsu soon found Orochimaru.

”Considering Sunagakure’s strength, this outcome isn’t particularly surprising,” Orochimaru said calmly.

The moment he had seen Roshi appear in the desert battlefield, he had already suspected the Kazekage might not survive.

And now that Yakushi Nono and Yakushi Kabuto had also been discovered…

Danzo was likely dead as well.

”It was you, Orochimaru, who proposed handing the remaining Sky Ninja over to Sunagakure.”

Zetsu’s half-black, half-white face remained expressionless.

”The gears of change have already begun to turn, Zetsu,” Orochimaru replied with a faint smile.

He had no interest in defending himself. At least when it came to Zetsu, he lacked the patience for long explanations.

”Iwagakure will soon retract its claws as well and withdraw from its current confrontation.”

”But this is only the beginning.”

Zetsu tilted his head slightly.

”What do you mean?”

”Konoha currently has no time to divert its attention toward our organization,” Orochimaru said flatly.

”For the moment, at least.”

His golden pupils gleamed faintly.

”Use this window to relocate the organization’s core.”

Originally, the Hidden Sound Village had been prepared as a fallback plan.

But that option was no longer viable.

With Danzo dead, there was little chance that the remnants of Root would continue resisting Konoha’s leadership. Once the village consolidated power, Root’s intelligence archives would inevitably be reviewed again.

And once those investigations reached the Land of Rice Fields…

The flaws in his arrangements would be exposed sooner or later.

Which meant he needed a new base.

And quickly.

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