Naruto: Tenseigan Eye

"That old fox Onoki figured it out. We wanted to engage the Rock Village in a decisive battle, so he threw his son into the Country of Grass, set up a battle array, and waited for us to attack. His goal was clearly to stall us," Chiyo said, her expression sour.

Onoki's strategy was undeniably crafty.

Although Konoha and the Sand Village had allied to confront him, it felt hypocritical for Onoki to mirror their tactics against them.

"What about information from the Mist Village?" the Third Hokage asked.

Mitokado Homura quickly retrieved the relevant scrolls and handed them over.

As the Third Hokage reviewed the details, his frown deepened.

"The Mist Village's intentions seem vastly different from ours. Their goal appears to be to hold back the Cloud Village. Strangely, aside from the Kaguya, Yuki, and Hozuki clans, most major factions aren't involved. Instead, they've sent civilian ninjas to assist."

Something about this pattern seemed eerily familiar.

Wait!

The Third Hokage's face darkened as realization struck.

"Yagura, you conniving..."

"Hokage, what did you notice?" Chiyo asked, noticing his grim expression.

The Third Hokage slammed the scroll down in frustration, his voice tight with anger. "At first, it seemed odd. The Mist Village had just replaced the Mizukage, a time when they should focus on stabilizing internally. Why would they start a war with the Cloud Village, especially over a sea territory dispute? But now it's clear—the Mist Village deliberately provoked this war!"

"They started this on purpose?" Chiyo asked, surprised.

The Sand Village had gathered a wealth of intelligence, largely thanks to their alliance with the Cloud Village. Yet Chiyo hadn't thought much about the true cause of the war, content to gloat over others' misfortune.

"More accurately, Yagura instigated it," the Third Hokage clarified. He unfolded the scroll, pointing to specific details. "The majority of Mist ninjas involved in this war come from clans with questionable loyalty or power struggles, alongside some civilian ninjas."

"Isn't that... similar to what Konoha is doing?" Chiyo asked after a moment of thought, realizing the pattern bore a resemblance to Konoha's own methods.

The room fell silent.

The Third Hokage and Mitokado Homura both exchanged a look, their faces stiff.

"Can you not say things like that so bluntly?"

Yagura's intentions were different. By sending out these ninjas, he wasn't just contributing to the war effort—he was purging dissent within the Mist Village under the guise of war. It was a clever strategy cloaked in necessity.

"Ahem, sorry," Chiyo muttered, realizing she had touched a nerve.

Shaking his head, the Third Hokage continued. "Yagura deliberately provoked the war to eliminate dissent. He knew that as the conflict between the Cloud and Mist villages escalated, many of those sent to fight would perish. This would solidify his position as Mizukage."

"Do you think he also influenced Onoki? That could explain why the Rock Village joined the war," Homura added, his voice filled with certainty. "Onoki isn't foolish. If he went along with the Mist Village's plan, it must have benefited him in some way."

"Let them fight. The more intense the battle, the better. That way, all sides will be equally weakened," Chiyo said with a grin.

The situation amused Chiyo.

The Sand Village had been left battered and weakened after its war with Konoha. Recovering from the conflict was a long process, made worse by the presence of powerful neighbors. Now, however, those same neighbors were turning on each other.

Konoha, Sand, and Mist villages were all weak from internal and external struggles, while the Rock and Cloud villages were locked in fierce conflict. Regardless of who emerged victorious, both would be left licking their wounds.

For the first time in years, all five major villages were on equal footing.

Chiyo couldn't help but laugh, delighting in their shared misfortune.

The Third Hokage and Homura, however, couldn't afford such levity. Even if their allies in the Cloud Village were weakened, it wasn't something they could openly celebrate.

"If the Cloud Village finds out we're gloating at their expense, they'll never trust us again," Homura said gravely.

The Third Hokage nodded. "Exactly. We may only have an employment relationship with the Sand Village, but we are bound by an alliance with the Cloud Village. Our actions must reflect that."

Forcing down his frustration, the Third Hokage sighed and instructed, "Prepare a copy of our analysis to send to the Cloud Village. It's their choice how to proceed."

Meanwhile, in the Cloud Village, the Third Raikage reviewed Konoha's report with a scowl.

The details were damning. While the Cloud Village had approached this war with genuine intent, the Mist Village had played them for fools, deliberately escalating tensions to serve their own agenda.

"You conniving snake, Yagura!" the Third Raikage growled.

But it was too late. The war had already begun, and there was no turning back.

For now, the Raikage resolved to minimize the Mist Village conflict and focus on their true enemy—the Rock Village.

In the Land of Grass

In an isolated base, Uchiha Madara sat on a stone chair, eyes closed as he listened to White Zetsu's report.

The outbreak of war among the major villages should have been a boon for Madara, as it weakened them, making his Infinite Tsukuyomi Plan easier to execute.

Yet the chaotic nature of the conflict irked him.

Madara preferred to manipulate events from the shadows, ensuring every piece on the board moved according to his design. Now, however, the war had broken out in ways even he hadn't entirely anticipated.

Still, his plans were progressing. Nagato was growing stronger, and Madara had relocated his base to the Land of Grass to better monitor the situation. The war raging around him provided ample opportunities for White Zetsu to gather intelligence—but also increased the risk of discovery.

After all, no matter how careful they were, walking the battlefield always carried the danger of exposure.

And for Madara, the thought of anything jeopardizing his Infinite Tsukuyomi Plan was utterly unacceptable.

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[Naruto: Maelstrom Of the Uzumaki]