115 CH - 112 Rain Village Victory

Following Hanzo's invitation, Danzo led his elite Root ninjas into the meeting room. Some of them stayed close by, while others maintained vigilance from outside, ensuring their leader's safety. However, it appeared that this level of precaution might not be necessary anymore.

Before them stood the so-called Ninja Demigod, who no longer exuded the same level of ambition he once did when he boldly declared, "I can take on everyone alone." That had been during the war they fought back then, an intense conflict that had left the Land of Rain still recovering today. Moreover, the Ninja Demigod, who had once stood at the pinnacle of the ninja world, had now aged. His former ambition seemed to have been shattered, much like the current Hokage, Hiruzen, who no longer held the same grandeur.

Internally, Danzo felt a sense of relief. He looked at Hanzo, who wore a smile befitting an elderly man. A faint smile briefly crossed Danzo's face but quickly faded.

He had indeed come here to propose cooperation in dealing decisively with the Grass Village. As for engaging in talks with the Three Great Nations? Not only Hiruzen didn't know his actions, but even if he did, how could he expect negotiations with Iwa and Suna when Konoha was actively at war with them? Additionally, they are currently dealing with a crippled Rain Village, not the one who once nearly disrupted the balance of the ninja world.

Danzo gazed intently at Hanzo, his expression gravely serious as he went straight to the point. "I assume the Rain Village leader is well-informed about our purpose. The Grass Village's actions have severely disrupted the order of the ninja world and the stability of the Land of Rain. We, representing Konoha, offer our support to the Land of Rain in resolving this conflict. In the interest of your nation's peace, we hope the Rain Village will take decisive measures to resolve the Grass Village issue as soon as possible."

These words seemed expected to Akihiko, as if he had foreseen Danzo's stance. Yet, he couldn't fathom why Danzo had targeted the Grass Village. Was it because of their dealings with the Five Great Nations? Did Danzo fear that such interference might trigger another catastrophic war akin to the First Great Ninja War, prompting his current action? How else could one interpret his willingness to provide a generous sum of ten million Ryo? Nevertheless, such considerations were irrelevant now, Since, Grass Village is now fully aware of Danzo's intentions.

At this moment, Danzo made a decisive announcement, saying, "We should launch a full -scale attack on the Grass Village, This is not only for the sake of peace in the ninja world but also for the well-being of the Land of Rain. Be assured, with Konoha's support, victory is all but assured this time."

His words hung in the air, and Akihiko, despite initial hesitation, gave a firm nod, stating, "No objections," He gazed at Danzo with determination, adding, "For the sake of peace in the ninja world!"

"For the sake of peace in the ninja world," Danzo acknowledged with a satisfied nod. "Rest assured, once the conflict is resolved, Konoha will actively facilitate negotiations between the Land of Rain and the three major nations."

"Of course, of course!" Akihiko nodded as if he had full trust in Danzo's words. His warm smile remained as he continued, "Considering your long journey, you must be quite fatigued. Shall I make arrangements for your accommodations?"

"No need," Danzo began to respond, "We are here only..."

But before he could complete his sentence, Akihiko suddenly interrupted, exclaiming, "No, no, no! You are an esteemed guest from Konoha. Aso! Aso! Why haven't you already arranged suitable accommodations for our honored guests?"

Unable to resist the relentless enthusiasm of the former Ninja World Demigod, Shimura Danzo sighed internally. A wry smile briefly crossed his face, and he couldn't help but think, 'This man... is no longer deserving of the title of Ninja World Demigod.'

In the end, they retired for some much-needed rest, graciously provided by the hospitality of the Rain Village.

…

Not long after, Aso, who had efficiently organized their accommodations, approached the figure leisurely sipping tea at the table. He hesitated for a moment before speaking softly, "Leader Akihiko, what are we going do now?"

Akihiko looked up from his tea, responding with a casual air, "What are we going to do, you ask? Well, it's quite simple, really. We're going to war!"

"War?" Aso inquired with a hint of skepticism."Are we really going to engage in a genuine conflict, or will it be more like our previous ones?"

Akihiko grinned mischievously, leaning in closer to Aso before answering, "It's going to be quite similar, but with a little twist. Tomorrow, the Grass Village will be defeated, and the Rain Village shall emerge victorious."

…

The following day, as per the agreed plan, the Grass Village found itself in disarray, eventually fleeing the battlefield. On the other side, under Danzo's leadership, the Rain Village secured victory.

Danzo observed the chaos and the retrieval of fallen ninja corpses with a nod of approval. He then glanced at the Ninja Demigod, who wore a contented smile beside him, and a flicker of disdain briefly crossed his eyes as a certain thought crossed in his mind, 'Demi-god is certainly showing his age.'

However, on the surface, he still burst into laughter as he said, "A mere group of Grass Village ninjas... They stand no chance against a Ninja Demigod of your caliber!"

Hanzo responded humbly, "Advisor Danzo, your words are too kind. It was the assistance from Konoha that contributed to this victory."

Danzo, concealing his inner disdain, replied with a smile, "Ninja Demigod Hanzo, you're being far too modest. Let's continue tomorrow. At this rate, the Grass Village won't hold out for much longer."

With those words, he retired for the night, accompanied by his Root ninjas.

Once Danzo and his Root ninja had distanced themselves from Akihiko, Aso approached Akihiko, hesitating briefly before asking, "Leader Akihiko, are we going to continue tomorrow?"

"Of course, we are," Akihiko replied matter-of-factly, his tone unwavering. He then smiled slyly and added, "But tomorrow, it will be the Rain Village's turn to suffer a miserable defeat. Oh, and make sure to find an opportunity to take care of those few Konoha ninjas."

"But what about Shimura Danzo?" Aso inquired, a touch of confusion in his voice as he pondered how to handle the situation.

Akihiko dismissed Danzo's situation with a wave of his hand. "No, Leave him," he replied with a sly smile, then fixed Aso with a curious look. "Your thoughts, young man, are quite daring."

Aso was left momentarily speechless, wondering why he was getting blamed when he was merely following Akihiko's lead.

…

Another day had passed, and Danzo surveyed the battlefield with a grim expression. Today, they had suffered defeat, and he mourned the loss of three handpicked elite ninjas, despite considering them as mere tools. Losing them without any significant gain was a significant setback for him, a feeling of profound regret settled in his heart.

"This is infuriating! We clearly had the strength advantage," taking advantage of the moment, Akihiko, still disguised as Hanzo, approached with an air of anger. "It's just that the Grass Village possessed superior ninja tools, which led to our defeat," he lamented with a sigh. "On our side, we were severely lacking in kunai and shuriken. We fell behind in terms of weaponry."

"This is maddening! We clearly had the advantage in strength," Akihiko, still disguised as Hanzo, approached Danzo in a fit of frustration. "It's just that the Grass Village had superior ninja tools, which led to our defeat," he explained, sighing with regret. "We were sorely lacking in kunai and shuriken on our side. We fell behind in terms of weapons."

Akihiko's words caught Danzo's attention, and he raised an eyebrow as he sensed a hidden agenda in the conversation.

As expected, shortly after, the Ninja Demigod standing beside him sighed and continued, "Not long ago, I had already contacted an underground weapons dealer. They offer excellent weapons at a reasonable price, and bulk purchases come with discounts. If I mention my name, they'll even give an 80% discount. We were just another ten million Ryo away from equipping all the Rain Village ninjas. But alas," he shook his head, then slapped his thigh hard in apparent frustration, "The Rain Village is so poor. We're just a bit short, just a bit. We were on the verge of winning."

Akihiko's gaze held a hopeful glint as he looked at the visibly upset Danzo. "Advisor Danzo, you wouldn't want the Rain Village to lose like this, would you?"

Danzo found himself rendered temporarily speechless by Hanzo's words, as he realized where this conversation was leading.

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