In the Wake of War

[Niro]

The day was one of importance to both Iwagakure no Sato and Kirigakure no Sato. An emissary from the Village Hidden in the Mist had been dispatched to convene and allow both parties to update each of other of the outcomes of their respective wars. Currently Rock Country had taken large swathes of land from the border of Wind Country which was made up of many minor countries and was positioning itself to continue rather than cease operations. The last information the Tsuchikage, Akari, Tatsuo, had heard from them was they were being invaded by the new upstart, Heart. It hadn't surprised the man considering his own shinobi had reported the slaying of the Mizukage by the Grand Shogun before the war broke out. Due to the start of Iwagakure own campaign to the south, he hadn't kept up with the situation.

With the reported deaths of Fuhen and Takeo, the balance of power was shifting in the world once again. No signs of activity stirred within Sunagakure besides the usual come and go, as if they weren't worried at all even though an allied leader had fallen in protection of them. This didn't surprise Tatsuo either, given the history of Wind Country and Sunagakure. How they switched sides multiple times throughout history and each time betrayed someone. Tatsuo would be sure to give them their comeuppance but for now he'd have to wait.

Now, he sat back in the plush office chair behind the desk containing mounds of paper which required his attention as Tsuchikage of the village. The large windows behind him gave an impressive view to the upper portion of the village while off to the sides of the office an armor stand containing his usual equipment stood and portraits of former Tsuchikages lined the walls. Right now, his gaze was focused on the door. He had been given word the shinobi had already entered the village but as he waited for them, time seemed to stretch on forever.

[Valkier]

Aisu Naohiro, Kirigakure's envoy to the north, breathed deep the cool mountain air and allowed himself a moment to enjoy the peace of it. It wasn't quite as refreshing or comforting as the chill breeze back home—it was too dry, too laden with dust—but it did infer a sense of freedom, and a vastness, that was in itself invigorating. This wind rose and fell through the innumerable mountains and endless plateaus of Rock Country without ever tasting the seas, a force unto its own. It was, of course, Naohiro's first time venturing so far north and west on the continent. And what a first trip it was shaping up to be.

His mastery of space and time had made light work of most of his journey, at least until nearing the Rock Country border, where a considered approach seemed wiser. His brief correspondence with the Tsuchikage had ensured a welcome party for him, an honour guard to escort him properly back to the infamous Village Hidden in the Stones. He particularly enjoyed the passage through the great wall itself, and his curiosity and thoughts as to its strategic effectiveness quickly washed away any initial hesitation at entering its depths.

The guided walk through the village itself was just as interesting. Unlike Kirigakure, which built dense and tall within the confines of its small island, the city here—for it was truly a city, having long since outgrown its quaint name—sprawled out like no other. Here and there he still caught the signs that it was still first and foremost a military installation, but he supposed it could be easy to forget for the everyday citizens that filled its streets. To them, it was probably just a city like any other. Perhaps better. It was an impressive setting, and he felt glad to have the opportunity to see it firsthand.

Eventually he arrived at the administrative centre of the village and was shown to the doors of the Tsuchikage's office. Composing himself quickly, straightening his jacket and hair one last time, he knocked, paused for a polite moment, then pushed open the doors and entered on gliding steps. Within, he approached the desk and met the eyes of the man behind it, then bowed. A perfectly measured bow, of course, that spoke of respect and acknowledgement of someone in a high station, but not one of subservience.

"I am Aisu Naohiro, here as invited to be the envoy of Kirigakure no Sato," he introduced himself and rose. "It's a pleasure to meet you again, Tsuchikage-sama. It's been some years." His words were not bland pleasantries, but also truth; the stability of Iwagakure was a valuable reassurance to have in an allied nation, and seeing the same man in control as he had all those years ago in Soul Country spoke of his effectiveness in the role. Today, he thought, would be very interesting...

[Niro]

Tatsuo sat forward in his chair as the door to his office creaked open and in strode one of the prettiest men he had ever seen. The man had an otherworldly paleness to him as if his skin was truly made of porcelain one could only attribute to the thick mists surrounding Kirigakure no Sato. As the black-haired shinobi spoke and bowed, the man's face was familiar and Tatsuo was sure they had met before. Racking his brain, the Tsuchikage wasn't sure until Naohiro mentioned Soul Country. Now, that made a lot of sense. The sheer insanity of the failed operation and amount of shinobi present would of made remembering almost anyone hard. Well, for Tatsuo it seemed. Naohiro had no issue with remembering who he was.

"Hello to you as well, Naohiro. It's good to see you again." Tatsuo responded in kind as he hid the fact he hadn't remembered the shinobi's name. Tatsuo offered a deep nod of his head in response to the bow before motioning for Naohiro to take a seat in any one of the three on his side of the table.

The desk had been cleaned of any paperwork and then a large map of the Elemental Nations had been placed over it with each major major highlighted and accounted for. The once-largest dominator of the map, Wind, had been replaced by Rock with the addition gained by the campaign to the south. Lines denoting supply lines ran from Iwagakure no Sato to the forward operating bases located in the newly occupied territory.

"I hope the journey here wasn't too arduous. I know ascending the Plateau and making your way through the Wall can be quite taxing for those not use to it." Tatsuo started as an aide quietly entered the room carrying a tea tray containing a small pot, cups, and a small assortment of pastries. Like a shinobi, the woman was silent and efficient as she placed the tray down besides the map and began to pour two cups for them before exiting the room.

"Now, where to begin? I guess it would be best to dive right into it. How has Kiri fared with the likes of Heart baring its fangs?"

[Valkier]

Naohiro stepped forward and lowered himself into the seat immediately opposite Tatsuo, thinking it prudent to approach their meeting in a similarly straightforward and equal manner. His eyes fell upon the map covering the Tsuchikage’s desk and quickly began absorbing its various details. In the space of a few seconds he’d mentally noted the newly drawn borders of Tsuchi no Kuni, its supply lines, the locations of various military outposts both allied and not, and more. The map was drawn with candid detail which he appreciated, though he knew the greater honour was the privilege to see its sensitive information in the first place. It was a particularly neat opening gesture by Tatsuo to demonstrate his trust in Kirigakure in this way, and bode well for their meeting.

“Not at all,” he pulled his eyes back to the kage and shook his head, “It was an easy journey, and I enjoyed the opportunity to see the sights. Iwagakure is rather impressive.”

He waited patiently as the aide brought refreshments and gladly accepted a steaming cup of tea, warming his hands for a moment before setting the cup to one side, out of the way of the map. Then the meeting began, straight to business, and he quietly considered for a moment before offering a reply. His desire was to be honest, of course, and especially in response to the openness and trust that Tatsuo was already displaying. But he had to be careful, too, and correctly represent Kirigakure’s potential as an ally for the future. Now would be a time for carefully chosen words.

“The Heart Empire’s invasion was a surprise,” he began, his mouth twisting with distaste, “Not the possibility of it, of course—we always anticipated some lasting animosity and foreign ambitions towards Water Country’s new territories—but in the speed and tenacity of their strike. The Great War has changed things. It used to be that the non-shinobi nations upheld a certain gentlemanly etiquette to war, a civility. Now, it’s all passion and brashness from these new upstarts, with nary a thought to the lasting implications.” he shook his head.

“They struck fast and at the worst time for Mizu no Kuni. Without the Juuichidaime—and I must thank you for your timely report on Kasai’s unfortunate demise—it took precious days for Water Country to organise their defence. Heart made surprising progress in that time. Staggering progress.” He reached for his cup and held it, obviously frustrated by the news he was giving, but quickly pressed on.

“But, organise it we did, and once Kirigakure deployed to assist, any hope of a resounding Heart Empire victory was soon dashed.” He did not mention that it had been he who had orchestrated Kirigakure’s counterattacks and overseen much of the wider defence. Those seemed unnecessary details for the moment. “The fighting was short but intense. Man-to-man, Water Country can easily field enough strength to oppose Heart’s rabble, the only complication was fielding it in the right places and at the right times. I’ll give the Heart Empire this: they had some impressive technology that helped them punch well above their weight, and this invasion proved their prowess to the world. But their over-reliance on that crutch spelled the outcome of the war the moment Kirigakure began to act. We splintered the crutch, and the rest… Well, the rest is drawn on your map.” He indicated to the outline of Water Country’s borders, still very much encompassing the contested peninsula.

He examined the desktop again, silently noting that he could add some details to the Heart territories when the opportunity arose later. The fighting he described had taken him briefly to River Country, and he’d taken the opportunity to examine the city of Shimekiri there. Should hostilities ever resume it would be an area of interest, occupying as it did a coastal headland near to Rock Country.

“Are there any specifics I can elaborate on for you?” he offered, giving his counterpart an opportunity to probe deeper if he wished before the conversation turned to other subjects.

[Niro]

Tatsuos fingers wrapped around the handle of the tea cup and the still steaming liquid to his lips while he listening to Naohiro's summary of the Heart Invasion. The comments on how conflicts had changed, devolved almost, with the rise of the new villages was something he could appreciate. With the rise of Iron in their own borders, Tatsuo had kept an eye on the nation in case its leader did try something.

A leader who was a Kirigakure missing ninja.

Tatsuo tucked the mental note away for another time as Naohiro went on and he placed his cup back on the table top. His eyes followed Naohiro's motion to the unchanged borders of Water Country on the map as he finished explaining. The deeper line of questioning Tatsuo had formed was quick to jump from his lips once Naohiro offered to expand.

"It's good to know their ground forces are amateurly trained and they're seemingly more limited in higher tier combatants. It'd be a real issue if they could truly contend with us or the armies of the Daimyo. What does surprise me is you did not mention the Grand Shogun. I'm surprised Fuhen wouldn't show after slaying the Mizukage.

"In fact, there's been no sightings of him since before the wars. I wonder just what game he's playing at..." Tatsuo paused for a moment to contemplate the thought before moving on to another. "I can sympathize the having to contend with new technology in the midst of war. When Kumo and Konoha used trains for the first time, it was a true shock to us as well. Please, explain this new technology Heart seems to have if you're able."

[Valkier]

Naohiro nodded, then hesitated for a moment before replying.

"I would perhaps not call them amateurly trained, at least by the standards of samurai. Water Country was right not to underestimate them in our response. They call their elite units "Natsubushi" and "Tanenseibushi", and they are singular forces to be reckoned with, perhaps even the rival of some shinobi. But their numbers of such are relatively few; most of the invasion force were simple foot and easily matched.

"When it comes down to it, though, the Heart Empire is still fledgling, and still suffering from the turmoil of the great war. Their constituent states are isolated and their populations ravaged, limiting the amount of manpower they can field, and most importantly they are new to warfare on this scale. Once Water Country was able to pin Heart's armies down into a real fight it quickly became obvious which side had centuries of experience in the field. My belief is that, in another twenty years or so and if left to grow unchecked, the Heart Empire will be a major military power. A sixth pan on the world scales. They have all the ingredients and aspirations for it, all they need is time to stabilise their state and build their strength.

"As for the Grand Shogun? You are right to question it. I met personally with Iiyashi Fuhen at the onset of his campaign, and soon afterwards one of our bannin engaged him directly, but inconclusively. After that he seemed to vanish. No one has seen or heard of him since. I could almost believe he had taken a wound in the duel with Nishiki after all, but I do not think it true. Not having seen the man and witnessed his convictions. I thought nothing short of a beheading would have stalled him." He paused meaningfully, and took a sip to wet his tongue.
"Nor were we able to track down one of his top generals, either—a warmaster, he called her, a lady Botan Goda. I dispatched a team from Kirigakure to eliminate her, but she seems to have eluded all action in Water Country since the start of the war. There's not even enough intel to fill a page in the bingo book, and not from a failing of our hunters. If I had not met her I would think her a figment of a story." He sighed, still baffled by the reports himself—what had the Empire been doing? After a moment, he reached into a jacket pocket and withdrew a few sealed envelopes. He opened them and withdrew several large folded sheets of paper, laying them out atop the map on the desk, facing the Tsuchikage.

"Their technology is where things grow interesting, and where we can see how such a new and unstable nation was able to even attempt such an ambitious invasion. They call them "airships"." He opened the folded sheets to reveal detailed sketches of two designs, each mostly resembling a seagoing watercraft but with several obvious changes and additions, including what seemed to be large air bladders, turbine propellors, and engine exhaust ducts. One of the sheets, showing exceptional detail with lists and lists of annotations and comments, bore a relatively small and swift type of vessel. The other, while still drawn with finesse, was more vague and contained estimations rather than a detailed study of a much larger, bulkier craft. Naohiro let Tatsuo have a moment to look at them before continuing.

"They appear to be powered similarly to the trains you speak of, with large internal steam boilers driving a connected series of pistons and shafts. Initial bouyancy comes from the large air bladders and counterweights, but they seem to move by driving these propellors under engine power. They can be angled like so to create lift or thrust, and steering and sensitive movements can be achieved as shown here," He drew Tatsuo's eye to a second page with detailed cut-away views of the mechanics that Kirigakure's engineers had unearthed in their captured vessel. Slowly, he sat back in his chair.

"The smaller vessel is fast, able to cross countries by air in hours and days instead of days and weeks by sea. By all reports, they are faster and more flexible than the train networks being built across the mainland. The larger vessel is less mobile, but has a vast capacity; I witnessed several hundred soldiers board one. Their hulls seem to be designed to berth in water, but they have frameworks to support landing on solid ground, too. It was a small fleet of these vessels that facilitated Heart's entire war effort.

"Although River Country has some claim to a "navy", there is nothing they or the rest of the Heart Empire could field to oppose or break through Water Country's fleets. And so the invasion effort was entirely supported by these airships. They had many of them, each dropping hundreds of troops behind our lines and then returning for more, day and night at all hours. They could scout from the air and rotate their forces with ease, avoiding Water Country's defenders to strike at vulnerable points before the region even knew what was happening. Men on horse simply cannot redeploy as fast as half a batallion lifted by air. In the early days, Water Country was forced into defensive positions over key areas and lost many men chasing enemies who were no longer there.

"However. The ships are themselves vulnerable." He flipped to another page, highlighting large sections of the vessels with various circled notes and damage calculations. "Even a small rupture in the bladder can send a ship, and all its complement, plummeting back to the ground. The engines are exposed and easy targets. They have to land and refuel, and none carry any defenses beyond the soldiers aboard. Even our lower rank shinobi had little issue dispatching the ships they encountered. Once Kirigakure focused on removing the airships from the equation, Heart's war effort fell apart. They still have some vessels and I have no doubt will build more, but they could no longer risk the remnants of their fleet on the front lines. Their armies became trapped in forward positions without any source of supplies or escape, their command staff blind without news by air. At that point the invasion became a foregone failure."

Naohiro took a break to drink and let Tatsuo mull over his report, before fixing the Tsuchikage with a curious look.

"This leads me to a proposal, Tsuchikage-sama. I was able to capture one of these vessels, and I can see you're intrigued by the concept. Our engineers have learned all they can from it, and begun building some prototypes of our own, but we lack the experience with these "steam engines". I would be willing, if you are amenable, to handing over the seized vessel to Iwagakure for your study and use. But I would like to call upon your expertise in return. What would you say to bolstering Kirigakure by sending us a team of your best engineers? Indefinitely. They would be treated with utmost respect, of course."

[Niro]

Tatsuo sat back quietly after he prompted Naohiro to once more launch into the specifics. The Tsuchikage began to take mental notes of the conversation as it steered into specifics he was very interested in. Heart was able to field combatants as strong as jounin or bannin in small numbers but still, the amount of strength wielded by such combatants was enough to level a small country. If Heart had samurai on par? It definitely made them a much more formidable force than Tatsuo had anticipated. The question which did sting at him was if they could or could not use ninjutsu. If they couldn’t, the Great Five still held a significant advantage but if not? It could pose an even greater threat to their way of life than anything else in the near future. Given Tatsuo’s own exchanges with Fuhen, albeit verbal, he would take any advantages they could scrounge up.

Immediately Tatsuo began to plan for different avenues regarding Heart and to stall their growth. They could possibly attack their constituent states in direct assaults which would draw the attention of every other nation, once again. However, Tatsuo was less worried about that consequence considering both Konoha and surprisingly, Kumo, and stuck their nose into the recent border war. The other option? Plant operatives in leadership positions within the nation to steer public opinion in Heart away from the Konoha-Kumo Alliance.

The news Fuhen had fought against their other jinchuuriki was something Tatsuo found immensely interesting. Internationally there was little talk of the Host of the Element Genma but the fact he was able to fight Fuhen and live was a testament to just how strong Kiri was able to grow their hosts in comparison to any other nation. It made him jealous considering his own were still wee genin. One of them showed much promise and was keen to foster it but the other was worrying and Tatsuo feared he may have to pull the plug on the Order Host sooner rather than later.

The other fact Tatsuo latched onto was after the fight, Fuhen hadn’t been seen again. Maybe he had taken a wound and someone within the Heart Empire struck when he was recovering? Maybe he had been poisoned or come down with an illness his body was unable to shake? Theories and scenarios swam through his mind although each of them seemed unlikely. Just what had happened to the Shogun?

Botan. It was name he hadn’t heard before but Tatsuo would pass along all relevant information to Kotaru’s section of Jousai. They’d handle any information gathering on the woman and tracking her if she had come into Rock Country at any time in the last few years. With the sheer amount of land Rock Country had annexed in the last few years, it wouldn’t be surprising if someone somewhere knew something about the woman.

Tatsuo thought the name of ‘airship’ was a bit too keen on the noise but as his eyes swept over the blueprints and designs he saw just how accurate it was. There was a clear delineation of the smaller ships which Tatsuo surmised would be best for fast operations, high and run against key structures and personnel. The sheer size and capacity of the second ship made it easy enough for him to realize it was the main form of transportation between the two. Something that could move an entire company of shinobi or samurai in mere days and the fact it could more easily clear land at faster speeds than the trains developed by Kumo was a major cause for concern.

Tatsuo backtracked on his noted idea of launching an assault and revised the operative option. Instead, if they were able to place key personnel in their ports or in the factories…They would be able to suppress Heart's ability to invade anywhere without directly taking lives.

“Can they wield ninjutsu? Bannin-level samurai running around with ninjutsu...tsk. Irresponsible. And this Botan, if you're able to provide us with an appearance and other information I'll have our special operations keep an eye out for her throughout Rock and its recently added lands. There's plenty to comb through so I wouldn't expect any sort of update on her for...a while.

In regards to the engineers, I think it would be for the best. The quicker we’re able to reverse-engineer and get our own in the air, the better. Compared to the trains, these are years ahead in both troop and supply movement. We’d be able to challenge anyone, anywhere with ease. I’ll have a team of them put together after this and report to your lodgings before you head back. The Enkouten will be delighted to get their hands on such a masterpiece of technology.

In the same vein of easy transport, the idea of Space/Time hubs between villages or other secure locations is something we can set up now and not have to wait on anyone to reverse engineer. One of our most accomplished Space/Time users in the village, my wife, has continued to pester me to ask since she saw this meeting on my schedule.” Tatsuo smirked at the notion and shook his head in jest at it before once more taking a sip of his beverage.

[Valkier]

Naohiro had to stop and cast his mind back to his meeting with Fuhen and his subsequent encounters with units of the Heart Empire. After a moment, he nodded.

"While most of those I crossed paths with were swordsmen and samurai, I did see firsthand evidence that they at least possess knowledge of ninjutsu." The inside of Fuhen's command tent had been lined with what appeared to be intricate fuuinjutsu, he recalled, and while reports of Nishiki's encounter with the Shogun were not clear, there was some suggestion that Fuhen had possessed something approximating ninjutsu as he fought. "I know not where the gained the knowledge, but it would be foolish of us to assume that they will not soon be making full use of it." The twist to Naohiro's face as he said it revealed his thoughts plainly enough: the proliferation of the secrets of ninjutsu to the wider world was a problem, for all that Heart were neither the first nor the biggest offender in that regard.

"I will prepare a report for your operatives with the extent of our knowledge on Botan, just in case, but with the war over, our immediate concerns about her are void. Do with the information as you wish, though.

I agree with your assessment about the airships, and thank you for the opportunity to call upon Iwagakure's experience. I will watch over your staff personally, as often as possible, and we will share any useful or mutual developments. Given the events of the war, though, I question the long-term eligibility of the airships as supply vessels—relying upon them alone to support an invasion was a foolish move—but their potential for special operations and surprise manouevres is extraordinary. As soon as we are done I will instruct our engineers to begin preparing the captured vessel for transit. We seized a pilot and some crew, too, which I will send along. We have learned from them what we could."

When the topic of a hub for space-time transport was raised, Naohiro smiled.
"Of course. I had much the same idea myself and hoped to raise it today. I know the secrets of space-time myself—it is why my journey here was so easy, truly—and I would be pleased to co-ordinate with your wife. I have worked to develop a particularly secure network which I believe I can open to you. Please, let her know I will meet with her as soon as we are done here."

Finally they reached a pause in the conversation, and Naohiro took the opportunty to clear the papers aside and study the map one more time while draining his tea.

"Now, what can you tell me about your campaign in Wind Country? Tell me everything." He sat forward, eyes alight. Although the Heart conflict was personal and significant to Naohiro, a contest between two of the great nations was of paramount importance, especially in the wake of the great war. He knew well how Water Country had fared from that, but what about their allies and rivals further abroad? Rock Country, by his understanding, had suffered somewhat in that five-year war, but by all accounts was now rebounding and expanding with astounding success.

[Niro]

"Perfect! She'll be happy to get started sooner rather than later. Natsumi is at Iwa General Hospital during the days, once we finish here I'll send word ahead so they'll be prepared and expecting you. The engineers will also be sent for and made aware they'll be going on an extended mission to an allied nation by the evening as well." Tatsuo didn't feel a need to dwell on the topic of the airship and the engineers or even Botan. The main might of Heart was Fuhen and until he was accounted for, Tatsuo didn't see Heart as anything more than a minor country grasping towards the sky who'd get burnt by the sun. As they changed subjects and the table was cleared, Tatsuo began by tapping each of the minor countries, represented by a neutral gray on the map, they had annexed within the last few years.

"After the end of the Great War, the loss of fertile lands to our east put Rock Country in a bind. Either submit to Konoha's demands or look elsewhere to make sure our people could eat. Utilizing the geography to our advantage to keep any would-be interlopers from stopping us, we've been slowly but surely bringing the few minor countries on the west coast under our banner. Spirit's Nest, Mercy, Forests, etc. All of the people left to fend for themselves after the War.

The only nation which hasn't agreed, yet, is Owl Country. Currently our bannin are working to reach out and meet with Yeritai, the leader of the nation. Hopefully, it won't take too long for them to report back with good news. Even further to the south is the Sovereignty of Freedom which we hired to...mixed results. I'll refer to them as SoF from here on out." Tatsuo explained as he tapped each country again. The neutral gray shifted to an Iwa brown as he did so before his hands hovered over the outer most regions of Wind Country which Rock Country had recently taken with force.

"The border where the most recent fighting has taken place is also made up of the most fertile lands in Wind Country. Otherwise, the rest of the country is covered in three major deserts. With it, Rock is able to meet and exceed the lost food supplies but the Daimyo is keen to press the advantage while it's there considering the performance at each battle site.

The first site was manned by two of our bannin and the leader of the mercenary group, SoF. Unfortunately, the Raikage joined the scene and one of our bannin was killed in action while the mercenary leader reported captured. The silver lining? They were able to still destroy the site and allow our troops to move in and claim the region.

I was at the second site personally with another bannin of ours and one of our most promising jounin. In the process of securing the site, we engaged the former Hokage, Takeo, and I was able to kill him in battle. I doubt Konoha will take it laying down but I do hope it strains the relationship between them and Suna even further as there was no mention of the Kazekage at any site. Apparently, Suna is keen to let others fight for them.

The final site...my wife and brother participated in along with the other leader of SoF. The battle there yielded some interesting revelations that we're hoping to implement in the future once we move onto part two of this campaign. SoF provided results but the battle reports also paint a picture of near-incompetenc. If they decide to take coin from someone else, I'm not too worried it would change the tides.

The Daimyo and I intend to take this fight to Suna itself and show them they've jumped back and forth between allies for the last time. We'll occupy the village and show them how a true nation is ran."

[Valkier]

Naohiro bowed his head to acknowledge the meeting with Natsumi. He was also keen to see Iwagakure's main hospital, being a medic himself and keen to compare the capacities of his ally compared to home. Perhaps there was opportunity for mutual co-operation there, too. He remembered well Natsumi's capacity with iijutsu from their time in Soul Country. But soon his attention was swept away as Tatsuo continued to speak.

The situation with Rock Country's food supply was bothersome to hear, since it had long been Water Country's exported surplus that had helped feed their allies to the north. And they could—should—have now been in an even better position to do so. Considerable effort and investment had gone into the new lands, most notably those of former Tea Country, but the area had been sorely mismanaged and ravaged too often in the recent past. And now again once more, slowing its recovery and developent. What should have been a breadbasket for a large portion of the continent was instead, once again, a warzone. At least Rock had been able to save their people with further expansion to the west, and the stability they brought to the vulnerable, less-developed areas of the continent was promising.

Their interactions with the Sovereignty of Freedom were particularly interesting. He'd be exceedingly interested in learning more about them, about their ambitions and strengths. He still thought of them as a loose band of mercenaries, but more and more they were presenting themselves as an organised nation, now. Albeit still one fighting for coin, it seemed. Did they aspire to be another Heart Empire, or perhaps Iron Country? It certainly bore monitoring, he thought.

He leaned in and followed Tatsuo's narration on the map, tracing the shifting borders and the battle sites as each was mentioned, but he glanced up in surprise as the Raikage, and then the Hokage, were both mentioned in quick succession. What business had they in a Wind Country border dispute? Natsuki Takeo, perhaps—Fire and Wind had been close allies these last few years, and the Juunanadaime Hokage had always been particularly proactive in his foreign policies. The great war was testament enough to that. But the Raikage? That seemed like a risky overextension for the Emperor of a nation with only distant ties to the situation, unless there was more going on with the Sunagakure-Konohogakure-Kumogakure tripartate pact than he knew.

And yet, it grew wilder still. No sign of the Kazekage, while others fought for him. And the Hokage was dead. Konohagakure's symbol of stability and power the last decade or so was now gone. Who would take his place? Who else was there? It was reassuring to know that Water Country was not the only nation in turmoil with recent losses in strength, too. It would likely keep the delicate power balance between Water and their old adversary on an even keel, each acting as the others deterrant across the lands of Steam Country.

But that balance, elsewhere, seemed on the brink of collapse if it had not already been shattered. Although he had held concerns over Kumogakure—over the whole Lightning Empire and their rapid militarisation of their entire nation, recklessly teaching the secrets of ninjutsu to all—for many years already, now too Sunagakure seemed to hang over the edge of a cliff. Being pushed, day by day, closer to the drop by Tsuchi no Kuni. He found it difficult to sympathise with Sunagakure, given their previous betrayals had affected Kirigakure too, but the wider power balance in the world was concerning. And so soon after the great war, too. Perhaps it would soon be remembered instead as just the first great war. He sat silent for a while, processing all the new information.

"I would like to see the banner of Iwagakure raised over the deserts of Sunagakure. That will be a proud day, and justice done. It may even secure us a direct trade connection again, if the Heart Empire does not last." He eventually responded, nodding and tracing the possible routes between Water and Rock on the map to make it plain. A space-time network was ideal for communication and individual transit, but it was by no stretch a freight network. And he suspected, with the sleeping giant that was the Lightning Empire and the now-unpredictable, but very likely no less fervent Fire Country, that close connections between Water and Rock would soon be essential.

"When do you plan to move on the Hidden Sand?" He ventured, "I am shocked at their response so far, especially given the strength of Wind Country during the war. How much things change in a few short years..." Surely the Kazekage was planning, ready to take the fight back to Rock Country. But if so, how, and when? Questions and possibilities raced through his mind. More had happened in such a short span than he'd dared expect upon his summons to this meeting.

[Niro]

The future would look back to this time and for certain establish it as the beginning blows to the second great war. What should've only involved two of the Grand Nations had turned into four with the remainder also falling into a separate conflict. The entire continent was primed and ready to blow at any moment. New leaders were rising and older leaders were falling. It was a period where anyone could carve their name into history. "Establishing a more manageable trade route between us is a definite priority. Once Wind is thoroughly captured, we plan to add to the current infrastructure and lay railroads to the coast where we'll quickly work to terraform the land into a habitable port. In the long run, we don't plan to cease trade between Fire and Wind. It would only further anger Fire and Lightning and give them cause to attack. If anything, we'll increase tariffs and place heavy border guards. I doubt it'll be enough for those zealots; anything but their terms is considered barbaric.

The block of enemies in between us can be annoying but also it is something that can be used to our advantage. In the event Konoha and Kumo interfere again or move on Earth Country, we hope you'll take the chance to once more sack their villages. The integration of the Space/Time network should provide more than enough speed for a messenger to reach you before they're able to successfully break through our defenses. Before that, however, I did promise the Hokage as he died to leave Konoha alone if they no longer interfered. I'll offer them a parley but I doubt they take it. What happens to them then is on them." Tatsuo let loose a sigh and a shrug at the mention of the deathbed promise he had offered to Takeo. He was counting on Konoha being unable to resist continuing to fight but maybe, just maybe, they'd know when enough was enough and would leave Suna to deal with its problems by itself.

"Moving forward, the plan is to scout out Suna's defenses and drive the wedge between them and the others in their alliance even further. We'll send a few shinobi to test Suna itself to see what's defending it from siege while sending teams to disrupt railways in Fire and Lightning Country who will leave Suna headbands I was able to acquire a few years back at the sites to further implicate them. Once they're further isolated and we have an idea of what the village itself looks like, we'll strike." Tatsuo declared, his finger finding the last known location of Sunagakure no Sato within the desert of Wind Country.

[Valkier]

"I'm sure that Water Country would be pleased to lend any aid we can when it comes to building the ports," Naohiro offered, nodding along with interest to Tatsuo's plans for increased trade and knowing that no others in the world could match Water's experience or mastery of the seas. "A railroad to the coast would open some excellent opportunities. We will have to work to match the level of infrastructure abroad..." He trailed off, already considering new ideas that bubbled up within his head of great barges and cargo vessels larger than any train or airship, able to move goods on scales the world had yet to see. With Iwagakure's engineers, it could be possible... He quickly tucked the ideas away and brought his attention back to the Tsuchikage as the conversation continued.

"Well. I cannot speak definitively on behalf of the entirety of Water Country and Kirigakure—I am but a single Jounin, for now—but I strongly believe the interests of our nations align in these matters, and I will do everything in my power to honour it." He paused, wondering for a moment whether the timing of Heart's invasion had in fact been orchestrated precisely to stop such co-operation from already having taken place. He was not sure be believed it—not after hearing Fuhen speak on the matters of the war—but it certainly bore thinking about for the future.
"I admit to some surpise over the Hokage's dying wishes. Who would have thought he held such doubts? It will likely fall to his successor, whomever that may be, to honour or ignore it. For the time being, I do not see my peers in Kirigakure having any immediate intention of initiating hostilities again with the other great nations... But, as you say, we will stand ready in support of our allies in Iwagakure should the need of a unified defense arise." It sounded more and more like Rock Country would not need their help if their conflict with Wind remained contained between the two nations, but if it spiralled into another great war involving Fire and Lightning too, then Water would undoubtedly have to intervene. For their own protection as well as that of Rock Country.

"In support of that, and for the rest of what we have discussed, I would propose that a colleague of mine—a good man, trustworthy, by the name of Karagata Kinsue—serve as an attaché to aid our ongoing co-operation. I'll have him introduce himself to Natsumi soon."

Naohiro sat a moment longer deep in thought, his fingers drumming a pattern on the now-empty mug in his hands. The world was set to change again, and soon, and would undoubtedly bleed along with it. Unity between Rock and Water would be essential to outlast it, and together they may yet achieve greatness. He noted the rough location on the map to which Tatsuo pointed when speaking of Sunagakure. His seemed a reasonable enough plan, and Naohiro could only wonder what it meant for the future of Sunagakure and the infamous alliance of the continent's central powers. The conversation between them lulled as the meeting drew nearer to completion, but eventually Naohiro spoke up again.

"If I may backtrack a moment, regarding Kasai—I'd like to know if anything remained of him, after his encounter with the Grand Shogun. Where did the fight happen, exactly? Was there a body?" Whether or not Naohiro had agreed with Kasai's methods, a certain respect was due the man and his station, even in death. And, of course, the hunter within Naohiro wanted to tie up any possible loose ends, even if it was a little late.

[Niro]

"For now." Tatsuo smiled and let the implication hang in the air. The seat was vacant and it was clear to Tatsuo Naohiro was firmly in the running to take it for himself. Between his pedigree, rank, and contributions to international affairs, it would surprise the man if Naohiro wasn't a lock for the position, in honesty. The last few high level shinobi coming out of Kirigakure had lacked the obvious patriotism that oozed from the Aisu. Shio was now a leader of a foreign nation. Aimi had done the same but also come back and tried to invade Kiri with the help of former jinchuuriki, Katsu. And prior to them was the infamous Yaku of the Black Mist, a terror before Tatsuo's own time. Hells, even Shinji could be questionable at times. "I almost laughed when he first plead with me which is how incredulous it was. I guess old age and a family mellowed out the old wolf. I'm almost certain the new Hokage will be unable to resist the urge for revenge but I doubt their council will want to risk losing two Hokages in such a short period of time."

"That would be good. I have little doubt we could coordinate this ourselves but another to help shoulder the burden is welcome." Tatsuo was certain the shinobi in question would be up to the task with Naohiro recommending them. The double back to Kasai wasn't expected but Tatsuo felt he owed at least what they knew from the mission report. "According to the recount from the bannin who witnessed and attempted to clean up the fight, Kasai and Fuhen engaged each other deep within Heart Country itself. A rather underdeveloped area of the country where our asset was there in an attempt to verify and claim another report about a legendary weapon appearing. The initial report turned out to be true and the Crown had been found once again. Kasai, Fuhen, my bannin, and even some others were present before eventually retreating due to the intensity of the fight between them.

Rather than leave, my asset tried to assassinate Fuhen after he proved victorious. The attempt wasn't successful but the aftermath of it burned away whatever remains of Kasai were left. The entire forest was reduced to ash in the end. I can't imagine Kasai was there for any other reason than the Crown otherwise it certainly would be strange. Amazing the domino which led to your war was something as simple and stupid as the now lost again Crown." A mirthless chuckle escaped Tatsuo's lips over the irony of such an exchange.

[Valkier]

Naohiro returned the smile over the silent implication at his own limited position, but said nothing more on it. More and more it seemed likely that he, or one of his peers, would simply have to assume the seat of Mizukage. Certainly he was already taking on much of the responsibility left adrift in the power vacuum, but he would not be the only one. And whether him stepping up would be enough to quell the growing tensions within the village, he was unsure. But these were thoughts for a later time, and for when he was back in Kirigakure.

For now, he listened to Tatsuo's final report about Kasai, and grimaced at the news.

"Alas, Kasai was ever an impulsive man. I suppose I should not be surprised that he would seek the power of the Crown, only that he would throw his life away for a trinket." He shook his head. He'd seen the crown himself since—atop the brows of Kasai's murderer—and it had been pretty, even alluring in its power and mystery, but was it worth the life of a sitting Kage? Doubtful. The only silver lining to come of it was that there was no further mess to clear up from a body. Kasai and his secrets were lost to the ashes both.

"But, very well. I am glad for your asset, please pass along my thanks for his report. With that, I believe we have covered everything I wished to discuss, and I have taken enough of your time." Unless Tatsuo stopped him, Naohiro would rise and bow formally, then step back. "I shall go now to meet with your wife and complete our arrangements. I hope to speak again soon, if you will, lord Tsuchikage. My thanks for your time and hospitality."