Naruto: Did i Just Get Reincarnated as Gojo?

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"Brother, are you alright?"

"Hmph…" A clutched his bleeding wounds and shook his head. His dark skin seemed paler than usual due to blood loss.

Seven cuts, fourteen holes—Elder Advisor's parting gift, courtesy of the Two-Fingered Lance Hand.

Though not individually fatal, their combined effect had weakened him considerably.

He'd underestimated Elder Advisor. His frail appearance had been deceptive. To end the fight quickly, A had been forced to adopt a reckless, damage-trading strategy. Even with Killer B's help, he'd still been injured.

Strangely, before dying, Elder Advisor had stared at something behind A, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Third Raikage—why—is your chakra, your will—here…?"

A closed his eyes, his face a mask of pain as he looked at the corpse at his feet.

Kumogakure had been—a family. When— had Elder Advisor's desires become so twisted, so obsessed with power?

He hadn't been like this before.

A loyal warrior of the Cloud, willing to give his life for the village. Trusted by the Third Raikage.

If he'd channeled his strength against Konoha—what might he have accomplished?

And yet, such a powerful elder, practically Kage-level, had been defeated by the bonds of brotherhood.

A felt a pang of uncertainty. Had he done the right thing? Could he, as Raikage, truly compensate for the loss of such a powerful ninja?

His confusion was more painful than his physical wounds.

Killer B, oblivious to his brother's turmoil, bounced around, rapping, "Yo, bro, what about the body? What do we do with it?"

"A proper burial. He was—trusted by Father," A said, his voice strained. He walked to the medical cabinet and began bandaging his wounds. "B, handle the—funeral arrangements. Eliminating Elder Advisor was just the first step. The Elder Council—they're waiting."

"And don't do anything—weird with the body. I've heard you've been reading—strange books lately."

"Yo, don't worry, bro. Consider it done."

Seeing his brother's—relatively normal behavior, A smiled.

Kumogakure's future rested on their shoulders. They had to stand together.

The village had suffered enough. There was no more time for Killer B's—confinement.

He had to step up, take responsibility.

They clasped hands. "Atsui, let's go. Time to meet with the elders."

"Yes, Raikage-sama!"

…

…

Raikage Tower – Meeting Room.

"Where's Elder Advisor? He's late."

"We checked his office. He wasn't there."

"At a time like this—with everyone waiting—how can he simply be absent?"

Kumogakure was in a precarious position. Border patrol ninja had reported a large Konoha force mobilizing near their border.

What was Konoha planning?

Such a large-scale deployment—it was unsettling.

They'd learned a harsh lesson from the Kusagakure incident. The bodies of the Kumogakure ninja stationed there were likely decomposing by now.

Was Konoha planning to capitalize on this and attack Kumogakure?

"Shh, be careful what you say. Send more Anbu to—find him. Perhaps—something's happened."

History had taught them that during times of unrest, bad omens often appeared.

The Third Shinobi World War, for instance, had been triggered by the Third Kazekage's disappearance.

And the Kazekage, in Sunagakure, was equivalent to—Elder Advisor.

"Wait! Raikage-sama, you can't enter!"

"You're—still under—reflection. You're not allowed in the meeting room."

The guards' frantic cries were followed by a series of thuds.

The elders near the door looked up, their eyes widening in shock as the door burst open.

A, his upper body bandaged, stood before them. "If even the Raikage can't enter the meeting room, who can?"

He strode to the head seat and sat down.

Ah, that familiar feeling.

He'd missed this chair.

He looked at the assembled elders.

He finally understood—the power Elder Advisor had craved.

He hadn't appreciated it before. But now, having lost it and reclaimed it—he finally understood what it meant to be Raikage.

Absolute authority over the village's military, political, economic, and cultural affairs. One of the five most powerful figures in the ninja world. A single word from him could change the lives of thousands…

'How much power is enough?'

'Now I understand. The Raikage's power—it's absolute.'

'Thank you, Elder Advisor. You taught me a valuable lesson.'

A's assertive demeanor angered Elder Arai, second in command after Elder Advisor's—absence. He was now the voice of the clans.

"Fourth Raikage! You—colluded with Konoha! You staged this—threat to undermine the village! You've disgraced the title of Raikage!"

"We were discussing how to respond to Konoha's mobilization. But now—it seems there's no need."

"Just wait! When Elder Advisor returns, you'll pay for this!"

Arai glared at A. "You've made an enemy of every clan, every villager in Kumogakure."

"Elder Advisor is dead. Killed by a bounty ninja," A said calmly.

"What?!"

"Elder Advisor is dead. Assassinated. I've had Killer B arrange the funeral. The assassin escaped. I'm establishing a new unit to hunt him down."

The news hit them like a Tailed Beast Bomb, their carefully crafted plans crumbling.

Arai pointed a trembling finger at A. "You—you killed him?!"

"I'm the Raikage, not a bounty ninja," A said flatly. "He was assassinated. You need proof, Elder Arai. Accusing the Raikage without evidence—that's not right."

"Proof?!" Arai's voice rose. "He vanished just hours ago! This is the most secure location in the village! Who else could have done it?! And your injuries—they're from a Lightning Release jutsu, aren't they?!"

"You think you can control us just because you've killed Elder Advisor and reclaimed your seat?! Colluding with Konoha, assassinating a village elder—you're no longer fit to be Raikage! We, the clans, will not tolerate this! According to village law, I propose we remove the Fourth Raikage and request the Daimyo's approval for a new election!"

Arai's words sparked an uproar. To remove a Raikage, to hold a new election—it was unprecedented.

The elders exchanged glances, already considering potential candidates.

A sighed. Things were unfolding exactly as Konoha had predicted. Fortunately, they'd prepared.

"You're suggesting a new election—now? With Konoha's forces at our border? Do you intend to leave Kumogakure vulnerable, to let our ancestors' legacy be destroyed?!"

"This is all an act! You and Konoha staged this! If you have the guts, let them actually attack!"

War was expensive.

Explosive tags, shuriken, kunai, Soldier Pills—they all required funding.

Though he wasn't privy to the details of the deal between the Raikage and Konoha, Arai didn't believe Konoha would spend actual resources on such a charade.

It was just a show of force. They wouldn't actually start a war—would they?

"Report! Hyuga Hiashi, leading a Konoha force, has attacked Tonggu Town and Pingyang Town! We've lost both!"

A's eyes widened in shock, but he quickly located the towns on the map and relaxed. Konoha was—playing by the rules. Two insignificant towns in exchange for control of Kumogakure. A worthwhile trade.

Now, he could finally rebuild the village.

Silence. A deathly silence fell over the meeting room.

"Konoha—actually attacked?"

"What do we do? We have to mobilize! We can't let them reach the village!"

"Raikage-sama, lead us!"

"No! I object! The Fourth Raikage has committed treason! We must elect a new leader!"

"You fool! Do you truly believe A would collude with Konoha to attack us?! And—by the time a new Raikage is chosen, Kumogakure will be in ruins!"

"Raikage-sama, lead us!" More and more elders, those from the smaller clans, voiced their support. They couldn't change leaders during a war. It was a matter of principle.

During wartime, the Raikage election was postponed. They had to unite against the external threat.

During peacetime, the clans didn't want a strong Raikage, a powerful Raikage Tower, controlling their resources, limiting their influence.

But now, with the Land of Lightning under attack, they needed a leader, someone to coordinate the village's defenses.

Otherwise—the first to be deployed would be the weakest, the most expendable—the civilian-born ninja. Then the elite civilian ninja. Then the smaller clans.

The larger clans wouldn't lift a finger until the last of the lower-ranking ninja were gone.

And against Konoha—the lower ranks wouldn't stand a chance.

To protect their interests, they had to support the Raikage, who treated all ninja equally.

Elder Advisor might have been an option.

He had the seniority and the clan backing.

But he was dead. No matter how or why, he was gone.

And no one would prioritize a dead man's ambitions over their own survival.

The Raikage had to lead.

Besides, A was Kumogakure's strongest ninja. Imprisoning him would leave them with only Killer B.

And Konoha had Uchiha Fugaku, perhaps even Minato Namikaze…

Suddenly, the elders who'd been plotting against A shifted their allegiance. They had to support the Raikage.

Only Arai and a few other representatives of the larger clans remained opposed. They were—outnumbered.

They had two choices: submit to A or challenge him. And if they challenged him now, with Konoha at their doorstep—whoever won, Konoha wouldn't show mercy. They'd face utter annihilation.

Arai reluctantly sat down. "Once the war is over—we will hold a new election. We have to."

"For now—let's focus on Konoha's attack."

A, back in control, felt the—benefits of Gojo Kaigetsu's machinations.

Against the combined might of Kumogakure's clans, even his strength wasn't enough.

But with—a little help from Konoha, he'd regained his authority without a fight.

As for Arai's threat of a new election after repelling Konoha?

'That won't happen.' As long as the "war" continued, he remained Raikage.

And with his authority restored, he could direct the village's resources, demand whatever he needed from the clans, without having to offer anything in return.

In time, the Raikage's power would be absolute. Kumogakure would become the most politically—unified village in the ninja world.

A, already envisioning a glorious future, casually said, "The 1.3 billion ryō allocated to the southern territories—along with the five thousand explosive tags, ten thousand kunai, ten thousand shuriken, and ten thousand medical scrolls…"

"They received only 300 million. Care to explain?"

Elder Arai's eye twitched. He'd been involved in that—transaction. It was his clan members who'd handled the final transfer. Having collaborated with Elder Advisor, the money had, naturally, ended up in his pockets.

But the other supplies…?

Seeing A's grim expression, Arai felt a surge of anger. This—muscle-brained idiot wasn't just reclaiming the funds, he was demanding additional resources.

His clan was wealthy, but not that wealthy.

Could he refuse?

"There was a—delay. I've already addressed the matter. The funds and—supplies will be delivered shortly."

"Good." A nodded, a predatory gleam in his eyes. This was just the beginning. He'd start with the larger clans, draining them one by one.

'Minato Namikaze, Gojo Kaigetsu—you think you've won, taking a few insignificant territories. But I'm the one who truly benefits. I'll use this opportunity to resolve Kumogakure's internal conflicts. Once that's done—Konoha will pay.'

A was playing a long game.

Only he knew that Konoha's attack would stop at those two insignificant towns.

And they wouldn't withdraw until he gave the order. He'd use this "threat" to consolidate his power.

Orders were issued, plans put in motion.

Just as A was about to leave for a much-needed massage, a frantic messenger burst in.

"Raikage-sama! It's—it's bad! Hyuga Hiashi, leading Konoha's forces, has captured the three border towns!"

"What?! Damn it!" A shot to his feet, his fist slamming down, shattering the table.

This—wasn't the plan. Samui's intel had clearly stated that Konoha's attack would be limited to those two towns.

And now—they'd taken the three border towns, Kumogakure's gateway to the rest of the ninja world?!

"There must be some mistake. Minato—he wouldn't be so reckless. He wouldn't risk another war…" A muttered, his mind reeling.

He'd just exchanged letters with Minato! They were rivals, yes, but also—friends. How could Minato betray him like this?

It was as absurd as Minato—well, let's just say it was highly improbable.

"Investigate! Report back!"

He sat back down, his face grim, a heavy silence falling over the meeting room.

Half an hour later, the messenger returned, his voice trembling. "Raikage-sama, the border towns—they're gone. Konoha's flag—it's flying over them. And—and we've received reports from the Land of Rice Paddies. Uchiha Fugaku's forces have occupied it."

The Land of Rice Paddies was a member of the Co-Prosperity Sphere. Though not as strategically important as Kusagakure, it was still a crucial link, connecting Kumogakure to the western ninja world.

And now—Konoha had taken it as well?

Though Fugaku Uchiha wasn't personally leading the attack, this was—unexpected. Konoha wasn't following the plan.

'That damned Minato! That blond brat!' A seethed with rage. He'd only wanted to regain control of the village, and now—he looked like a traitor, colluding with Konoha.

He remembered Minato's letter. He'd have to destroy it. It could be used as evidence against him.

Though his intentions hadn't been—treasonous, if the letter were exposed, even with his consolidated power, he'd be forced to resign.

"Raikage-sama, what do we do? Do we mobilize and attack?"

"No!"

He couldn't end the "war" so quickly. He needed the "wartime Raikage" buff to maintain his authority.

Without it, those elders would tear him apart.

The Raikage Tower meeting room—it was a den of wolves. He couldn't rely solely on his strength anymore.

This—was beyond his control.

A clenched his fists, feeling a surge of—powerlessness.

If only he were stronger. Strong enough to make the elders fear him. Then he wouldn't have needed Konoha's help.

"If I were strong enough to deter them, I wouldn't be in this situation."

'I need to be stronger—I need to surpass my limits. I need to—transcend the Kage.'

A's gaze hardened with resolve. Once this was over, he'd dedicate himself to training, to mastering Kumogakure's most powerful techniques. He would become the strongest Raikage.

The lost territories—he could reclaim them later. If he couldn't use this opportunity to solidify his control over Kumogakure, reclaiming those territories would be meaningless.

"'To conquer externally, one must first secure internal stability,' the Chronicles of the Land of Fire says." A murmured. "And—perhaps there's a misunderstanding. I'll have Mabui investigate."

"Raikage-sama, what are your orders?"

"No action for now. Investigate! Report back! Gather all available intel on Konoha's deployments before we retaliate! We can't afford a prolonged conflict!"

"Meeting adjourned."

He turned to Atsui. "Summon Mabui. Now."

"Yes, Raikage-sama."

…

…

"Still not giving in, Samui?"

"Never! I will not betray Kumogakure."

Samui, bound and gagged, strategically covered by bandages, glared at Gojo Kaigetsu.

Then, her expression shifted. "What's going on? Mabui's asking why Konoha attacked the Land of Rice Paddies and the border towns."

"Oh, that? A ninja on a mission isn't always bound by orders. Perhaps Fugaku and Hiashi had their own—ideas…"

Seeing Samui's skeptical gaze, he quickly changed his story. "Tell Mabui this: Konoha's forces detected unrest in the border towns. To protect Kumogakure's interests, they've taken control, maintaining order on the Raikage's behalf."

"It's purely a—precautionary measure. Once the Raikage has resolved his—internal matters, we'll return the towns to Kumogakure."

"And the more—intense the conflict, the more justifiable the Raikage's actions. It's a win-win."

"So, the longer this—skirmish lasts, the better. But we should avoid—actual bloodshed. A few—demonstrations of force should suffice."

"We need to convince the villagers that they're being protected, and the elders, the clans, the other villages—that a war is truly happening."

War—it was a tool for spending money, but also for—printing it.

A true, all-out war would cripple both sides' economies.

But a controlled conflict, a war of attrition, a battle of wits—it could actually be—beneficial.

Increased military spending, rising wages, clan concessions, centralized power.

While A was consolidating his authority, he, Gojo Kaigetsu, was—well, let's just say he wasn't exactly losing money.

Samui relayed his message, though she remained skeptical.

"And the Land of Rice Paddies? That's not even part of the Land of Lightning. This is clearly an attack on the Co-Prosperity Sphere."

"Well—I suspect Hyuga Hiashi might have—defected."

"?"

"We didn't order that attack. We'll—investigate. And—take appropriate action. But we need to—gather evidence first."

"Is that so?" Samui felt a sense of déjà vu. Mabui had said something similar—But after—recent events, her memory was a bit hazy.

But—the Hyuga Clan Head attacking another nation without orders?

That seemed—absurd. Hadn't Konoha just purged the Hyuga clan?

"Of course!"

"Perhaps the recent—incident with the Hyuga clan made him resentful. He might have abandoned a few of his clan members and defected, taking the rest to the Land of Rice Paddies to establish a new Hyuga village—perhaps calling it—Otogakure?"

"But it was the Uchiha who attacked the Land of Rice Paddies."

"Oh, right. My mistake. But you get the gist."

"After the investigation, we'll take action. Dismiss those responsible, withdraw our troops, return the territory—We won't take a single needle or thread from the Land of Rice Paddies."

Gojo Kaigetsu omitted the rest, the usual excuses.

"We would intervene, but Uchiha Fugaku is holding the villagers hostage."

"We could have done something, but it's too late now. The villagers of the Land of Rice Paddies are clamoring for Konoha Green Cards."

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