Naruto: The Hyuga Mastermind

Chapter 226: The Alliance Invitation

However, while the idea of stripping a soul clean of all extraneous information could be achieved with Yin-Yang Release and mental techniques, clearing an entire soul of its memories and emotions would take at least a month. The selection of a suitable candidate was also problematic...

Hyuga Fuji's eyes flashed with contemplation, a faint smile curling his lips.

With access to the Ōtsutsuki clan's technology, the Earth Country's cloning research had advanced rapidly. If combined with his own techniques, it wouldn't be long before chakra-based souls could be artificially created.

A new, untainted chakra soul would be far more efficient to absorb than finding an existing soul and painstakingly erasing its memories and emotions.

And if he were to clone… directly using Madara's cells could ensure access to all chakra natures with a single creation.

"Should I go even further? The Lightning Country still has an Ōtsutsuki among them. If I could obtain his cells and chakra…"

Hyuga Fuji stared thoughtfully at the chakra he held, his mind already racing with possibilities.

Noticing his pensive expression, Hyuga Miyuki tilted her head. After a moment of thought, she casually retrieved a scroll left behind by Sasori and began flipping through its contents.

For someone like Sasori, a rogue ninja with no fixed base, keeping all his resources on himself had always been the safest option.

After she had eliminated him, the "elite drop" from his belongings was substantial.

Among the items she had obtained were schematics for puppet designs, notes on advanced puppet techniques, intelligence reports on powerful targets Sasori had been eyeing, and even a significant amount of wealth.

"All this from just taking down Sasori… I wonder how much was gained when we took Wind Country and Snow Country?"

Hyuga Miyuki mused silently, her thoughts swirling as she continued leafing through the scrolls.

…

Night had fallen, and the sky glittered with stars.

In the brightly lit Daimyo's palace of Wind Country, a group of formally dressed officials sat around a wooden table, their faces glowing with excitement as they reviewed ledgers and maps.

One of them, unable to contain himself, turned to Hozuki Gengetsu.

"My lord, the wealth of Wind Country far exceeds our expectations! We've tallied over 50,000 kilograms of gold, 100,000 kilograms of silver, and an astonishing collection of jewels and priceless artworks."

"In addition, we've identified vast mineral resources, including iron ore, copper, and rare metals, totaling over one million tons. We even recovered detailed maps of Wind Country's mineral veins…"

"This is the wealth of… just one Wind Country? No, it's only half of Wind Country!" Hozuki Gengetsu remarked, his tone tinged with both admiration and disbelief as he absorbed the report.

Indeed, the difference between nations and mere villages was staggering.

If he had access to this kind of treasure back when he was Mizukage, he was confident he could have elevated the Land of Water to the strongest nation in the shinobi world.

That is, as long as monsters like Hyuga Fuji or Senju Hashirama didn't exist...

Another official, holding a separate report, hesitated before speaking up.

"My lord, it seems that much of the resources from the Daimyo's palace were taken by Uchiya Shinji. Should we…"

"His contributions were significant, and he's already taken the fall for killing the Daimyo. Let's not press him too hard," Gengetsu waved off the suggestion.

Although the official story—"The Daimyo's experimental medicine led to his sudden demise"—was circulating well under his guidance, it wasn't enough to fool the upper echelons of the major powers.

At best, it served to pacify the general populace.

As for Uchiya Shinji, the high-ranking Wind Country official who had spearheaded the campaign and surrendered first, his connection to the Daimyo's death was undeniable. Since he had willingly taken the blame, there was no reason to withhold the rewards necessary to keep him cooperative.

There was still much for Shinji to accomplish in the future, after all.

With the inventory of spoils complete, Gengetsu dismissed the finance officials and turned his attention to military matters. Glancing toward the looming presence of the Fire Country forces stationed nearby, he addressed the shadows behind him.

"What's Kakashi up to lately?"

A shinobi stepped forward from the darkness and reported, "They've acknowledged our control of the Daimyo's palace and have made no moves since."

"I see." Gengetsu stroked his small beard, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What about Fire Country's broader movements?"

"They've been acting rather strangely. There's been a surge of peace rhetoric circulating among the population, particularly in the smaller nations."

"Peace? And the smaller nations?"

Gengetsu's eyes glimmered with intrigue.

"They're worried we'll take advantage of our momentum to press deeper into the Wind Country territories under their control. But that's not the real issue, is it?"

His lips curled into a faint smirk.

"They're trying to rally the smaller nations to form an alliance."

In the world of shinobi, prosperous and peaceful nations were a rarity. Aside from the well-resourced and strategically located great nations, most countries lived in poverty.

Their lack of wealth made it impossible to afford the exorbitant costs of establishing ninja villages. Among these minor nations, shinobi villages were almost nonexistent—only relatively affluent places like the Land of Hot Water could support one.

Without standing defensive forces, these small nations naturally yearned for peace.

"But drawing the smaller nations into this? That's a grave miscalculation on their part."

Gengetsu's smirk deepened as he recalled the operations Hidden Mist had conducted to manipulate smaller nations in the past.

"Hyuga Fuji must have anticipated this outcome long ago…"

…

Unnoticed by most, a new wave of ideology was spreading across the shinobi world, originating from the Fire, Earth, and Lightning Countries.

The world was tired of endless war—it needed peace.

After enduring three devastating Shinobi World Wars, countless people had grown weary of conflict, particularly those in small nations ravaged by war. Unsurprisingly, this sentiment found fertile ground there.

"The shinobi world needs peace."

This idea, subtle at first, gradually took root as a mainstream belief.

And when the Fire Country—the strongest of all nations—publicly endorsed this notion, the response was overwhelming.

Though some harbored doubts about the Fire Country's sincerity, having recently waged war, who would dare oppose them now that they controlled half of Wind Country?

The Earth and Lightning Countries offered no objections, and the smaller nations, eager for security, were even more enthusiastic.

Before long, under the Fire Country's initiative and with the support of the Earth and Lightning Countries, an invitation was issued for a grand Alliance of Nations summit.

No matter their size, all nations were promised equal treatment as participants in this historic conference to discuss lasting peace in the shinobi world.

The Earth and Lightning Countries, already prepared, immediately announced their willingness to attend. The smaller nations, yearning for stability and protection, eagerly followed suit.

Observing the smooth progress of this initiative from the Daimyo's palace, Tsunade finally allowed herself to exhale a breath of relief.

"With Gengetsu holding his position, it seems he has no intention of acting during this critical period."

The summit was as much a bid for peace as it was a strategy to stabilize the territories Fire Country had taken. If successful, it would deter Hyuga Fuji from pushing for further conquests.

(End of Chapter)

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