Before Ron departed to meet Tsunade, the Third Raikage, who had recently ascended to the Super-Shadow level and mastered the Yin-Yang Chakra Extraction Technique under Ron's guidance, took decisive action. Acting jointly with the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning, he dispatched official envoys to the Daimyo Prefectures of the Lands of Wind, Earth, and Water.
Each envoy group was formally composed of government officials from the Daimyo Prefecture, accompanied by guard units from Kumogakure. Every escort team was led by an Elite Jonin, each an expert chosen for their leadership and composure in delicate missions. Under them were three Jonin and ten Chunin or Special Jonin, forming disciplined squads prepared for both diplomacy and defense.
The journey, however, was far from a straightforward march from one nation to another. Every step was layered with protocol, politics, and suspicion. Upon reaching the borders of each country, the envoys were halted by the border guards stationed at the respective ninja villages. Even with official seals and documentation, entry could not be immediate. Negotiations were held, messages were relayed, and verification took time. These were not ordinary meetings; the requests required the participation of both the Daimyo and the Kage of each land, something that could not be arranged lightly or quickly.
Soon, word of these diplomatic overtures reached the ruling Kage Ohnoki of Iwagakure, the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure, and the Third Mizukage of Kirigakure. The last two of these figures, whose fates were known to end tragically before or during the Third Ninja World War, one dying in its prelude, another becoming its catalyst, now received summons that could shift that course of history.
For the moment, the envoy teams waited. They were stationed within heavily fortified border outposts, where they rested under watchful eyes. The border fortresses were guarded by elite ninja units from the host villages, ensuring that the diplomatic envoys representing official communication between nations remained safe. Any harm to them could ignite a misunderstanding grave enough to spark war. Their protection, therefore, was a matter of mutual interest.
It was not just about shielding them from external threats, hostile ninja, bandits, or foreign spies, but also from potential betrayal or emotional vendettas among their own. In an age when even a whisper could turn into an international crisis, every step was taken with calculated care.
After all, in the original timeline, even Kumogakure's envoys had once been treated with utmost respect by Hiruzen Sarutobi during peace negotiations. It was common sense: diplomatic messengers were not to be harmed. Yet, that same future would later see Kumogakure's descent into more ruthless tactics under Ay, where honor and diplomacy gave way to pragmatism and ambition, culminating in the infamous attempt to kidnap the young Hyuga Hinata. But such was the nature of the shinobi world, where ideals often bent under the weight of necessity. Ultimately, it was not only Kumogakure's cruelty that history would condemn, but also Konoha's cowardice, the weakness of the Third Hokage and the Hyuga main family, who sacrificed Hizashi Hyuga's life to preserve their own image and fragile "Will of Fire."
Two days passed in tense waiting. Then, almost simultaneously, at the borders of the Lands of Wind and Water, envoys from the respective nations finally arrived. The representatives of Sunagakure and Kirigakure came forth to escort the visitors, while messages were sent to the respective Daimyo and their courts. Preparations began for the arrival of the Daimyo or their chosen delegates into Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kirigakure.
The stage was set. The Raikage's envoys had reached their destinations, and for the first time in many years, the shadows of diplomacy or potential war began to intertwine once again.