Inside the council chamber of the Mizukage Tower, specifically designated for high-level Jonin meetings.
The Third Mizukage sat upright at the head of the room, his expression calm and unreadable. Seated beside him was the village elder, Genji.
One by one, the Jonin who had received the summons arrived and took their places.
"Mizukage-sama," said Yagura Karatachi, captain of the Jonin squads, his voice low and steady. "All Jonin not currently assigned to missions have assembled."
Though his face bore the marks of age, the Third Mizukage gave off an aura of unwavering authority. As the oldest among the current Five Kage and a participant in the first-ever Five Kage Summit, his presence alone demanded respect.
He had ruled over Kirigakure for nearly forty years. His long-standing governance, marked by the infamous Blood Mist policies, had deeply ingrained his might into the hearts of the villagers. He didn't need to raise his voice; even sitting in a simple chair, his commanding presence was absolute.
His white-streaked hair was immaculately combed, a reflection of the man's strict discipline. His sharp eyes scanned the room with piercing clarity, sweeping over the heads of each clan leader, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and the younger Jonin in attendance.
As his gaze swept across the room, a thought struck him, very few true warriors of the Warring States era remained. A flicker of weariness crossed his mind.
"Genji," he said, his voice cutting through the silence. "Update us on the situation."
"Yes, Mizukage-sama."
Leaning on a staff taller than himself, the elder rose and spoke.
"This morning, an urgent message arrived. The Fourth Kazekage has officially assumed his position, and Sunagakure has condemned Konoha for the covert assassination of the Third Kazekage. The Wind Daimyō is now pushing for an official declaration of war against the Land of Fire."
The announcement was met with calm silence, no surprise, as rumors had already circulated after the Kazekage's disappearance over two months ago, many pointing fingers at Konoha.
Some of the more perceptive Jonin had already anticipated that war was inevitable.
Seeing the composed response, Genji continued.
"Just moments ago, while the meeting was being convened, a second report came in. Sunagakure's advance forces have crossed into the Land of Rivers. Konoha's reinforcement units are expected to reach the Fire Country's borders shortly."
The Land of Rivers, positioned between the Lands of Wind and Fire, usually served as a buffer in peacetime. But during war, it often became the battleground for greater nations.
The latest intel finally stirred murmurs among the assembled Jonin.
It was now clear, Sunagakure had been planning this war for quite some time.
Though the Fire Country was the target, Sunagakure's advance troops had already penetrated the Land of Rivers, and Kirigakure had received no prior intel.
It was obvious: the Sand intended to push straight through into the Fire Country itself, aiming to rip a bloody chunk out of Konoha.
"As of now, the Lands of Earth and Lightning have made no official moves. This council is meant to consolidate our intelligence and draft our internal stance, which we will then present to the Daimyō," Genji stated.
"Regardless of our final position, Kirigakure will enter a state of readiness. Starting tomorrow, non-essential missions will be suspended to ensure sufficient military strength is available if needed."
After speaking, Genji coughed twice and turned to the Mizukage.
"I know Ōnoki and the Third Raikage well. Those two aren't ones to sit idly by, there will definitely be follow-up actions."
The Mizukage offered a slight nod. Anyone who could call a fifty-something-year-old Ōnoki "that kid" was clearly no ordinary elder.
"Understood, Mizukage-sama. The Kaguya clan stands ready to fight at any time," declared Kaguya Ryuya, head of the clan known for their Shikotsumyaku bloodline. "But if missions are suspended, I won't be able to justify it to my clan."
The other Jonin seemed unsurprised. The Kaguya were infamous for their single-minded obsession with battle. No matter what they said, it was par for the course.
"This isn't up for debate," the Mizukage replied coolly. "It's a direct order from the village."
His tone sharpened slightly, expressing dissatisfaction, though he didn't bother wasting more energy arguing with someone like Ryuya.
"Then, Mizukage-sama," said a Bloodline ninja beside Ryuya, "should we consider graduating students early from the Academy?"
"There's a batch of Genin set to graduate in a month," Yagura quickly interjected, sounding tense. "We haven't even officially entered a state of war yet. Isn't that a bit premature?"
"There's no need for that at the moment," the Mizukage said, glancing at Yagura with faint approval.
By now, some of the more familiar Jonin had begun quietly whispering among themselves.
"Mizukage-sama, Kirigakure has been thriving in recent years. Given our strategic location, no great nation would recklessly target us. Do we really need to involve ourselves in Konoha's conflict?"
The speaker was Ao, one of the younger Jonin, but not afraid to voice his thoughts.
"The Daimyō has long held grievances over our absence in the last Great Ninja War," Genji responded. "He's repeatedly asked us to seize a few ports in the Fire Country to expand the Water Country's trade routes."
Ao furrowed his brow, but another voice cut in.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" barked the towering Hōzuki Jinpachi, also known as the Pufferfish. "The Second Great Ninja War only ended a few years ago. Konoha hasn't fully recovered. This is the perfect time for us to strike."
"Agreed," added Kurosuki Raiga with a sadistic grin. "The Lands of Earth and Lightning won't miss a chance to take a bite out of Konoha either. The Fire Country has hoarded those lands for too long."
Though the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist weren't exactly united, their bloodlust for battle was unmistakable.
More Jonin nodded in agreement.
It was clear that many in Kirigakure had long been resentful of missing out on the previous war.
But with the Third Mizukage still firmly in control, they hadn't had much choice.
Now, with open conflict between Sunagakure and Konoha escalating beyond skirmishes…
The war-hungry of Kirigakure finally sensed their chance.
"It seems many of you are eager for war," the Mizukage said at last, a sinister gleam flickering in his aged eyes. "Very well. I will report to the Daimyō and prepare to formally denounce Konoha in the name of the Land of Water."
His voice carried the calm of experience, but also something darker.
At the first Five Kage Summit, the personal guards of each attending Kage eventually became their successors. Except him.
He had originally attended not as Mizukage, but as a guard accompanying the First Mizukage, Byakuren. He'd only been chosen because the actual Second Mizukage, Hōzuki Mangetsu, had been severely wounded in a brutal clash with his eternal rival, the Second Tsuchikage.
The only reason he had that opportunity… was due to misfortune.
He remembered how even Mu, the one wrapped head-to-toe in bandages, had accompanied the First Tsuchikage to that summit.
The Third Mizukage had never let it go.
He had always wanted to prove that he was the most worthy to lead.
But during the First Ninja War, both Mangetsu and Mu had died in battle, and though he stepped up as the Third Mizukage, Kirigakure was too weakened to join the conflict. Forced to retreat into isolation, he lost his chance to make a mark.
During the Second Ninja War, internal strife left the village too unstable to act. Once again, they were spectators.
Even Hanzo the Salamander of Amegakure rose to fame while Kirigakure remained sidelined.
And so, among everyone present, it was the Third Mizukage, this old warrior from the Warring States era, who most yearned for war.
Now, Kirigakure was strong once more. He would not miss this final chance.
No Kage dies peacefully in their chair.
The battle-hardened eyes of the oldest Kage in the shinobi world now burned with an uncontainable bloodlust.
"Prepare yourselves," he growled. "War is coming."