As Second Tsuchikage 47

Chapter 47: There Are No Eternal Friends

Inside the command tent, Ōnoki looked utterly confused.

"Sensei, why did you agree to Tobirama Senju last night? Isn’t that going against the alliance?"

"There are no eternal friends, only eternal interests," Mū replied calmly.

"Ah? So that whole friendly alliance thing was fake?" Ōnoki’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Mū let out a quiet sigh. "This world is just like that. Even if we’ve fought side by side, it’s always been for the sake of our own villages. Once there’s no common enemy, the so-called honeymoon ends."

"Aaah! But I was a Mū x Gengetsu shipper! I really shipped you two hard!" Ōnoki wailed in regret.

Mū froze. "What did you just say? What the hell is a ‘Mū x Gengetsu ship’?"

Realizing what he had just blurted out, Ōnoki quickly slapped his hands over his mouth. "N-nothing!"

Mū’s expression darkened. He immediately understood.

"Shipping everything like that will be the death of you! I nearly died at that bastard’s hands once, and you're out here shipping us like a couple?!"

He aggressively rubbed Ōnoki’s head. "How about I ship you and Danzō Shimura? Would you like that?! And it will not be in a couple sense!"

"Sensei, who’s Danzō? Aiya! Sensei, the entire Allied Shinobi Forces are shipping you two. They say fighting is love, scolding is affection..." Ōnoki grinned mischievously.

"Fighting is love, scolding is affection, huh? Well then, do you want all these injuries of mine?" Mū rapped his knuckles against Ōnoki’s forehead as he spoke.

Ōnoki glanced at the bandages covering Mū’s body, then imagined himself wrapped head to toe like that. Ugh. Never mind.

Just then, Mū sensed Gengetsu Hōzuki and the others approaching quickly. He raised an eyebrow and glanced at Ōnoki.

"Step aside for now. Someone’s coming."

Ōnoki nodded obediently and slipped behind the folding screen to sit down.

Moments later, Gengetsu entered with Shamon and the Second Raikage. All three wore matching expressions of confusion over Iwagakure’s sudden decision to withdraw from the assault on Konohagakure.

"Mū, I don’t understand. Why is Iwagakure pulling back? Victory is within reach. Wouldn’t it be better to finish the job?" Gengetsu asked as he casually sat on the table, puzzled.

"Exactly. Konoha right now is like a house about to collapse. One good kick from me and it’ll come crashing down!" the Second Raikage declared with confidence.

"That’s what I also want to ask." Shamon nodded along in agreement.

Mū took a sip of water and calmly shook his head. "You want to fight, go ahead. If you take it down, Konoha is yours to divide. Iwagakure won’t be involved. We need to return and consolidate our gains."

His meaning was unmistakable.

Go ahead if you like. We're done here. The spoils are all yours. I’m not interested.

Hearing that Iwagakure wouldn’t take part in Konoha’s final partition, the others exchanged quick glances, a mixture of joy and suspicion flickering across their faces.

One less village meant more spoils for the rest. That was excellent news.

Mū narrowed his eyes slightly but said nothing.

"If that’s the case, then we’ll part ways here. Our cooperation has been excellent. I hope we can maintain peace and avoid future conflict," the Second Raikage said, stepping forward to shake Mū’s hand with genuine sincerity.

Shamon followed and clasped Mū’s hand firmly. "Take care, Mū!"

Looking at their earnest expressions, Mū found himself momentarily stunned.

He could only sigh at the cursed nature of shinobi world politics. If there had been no wars, no clashing interests, perhaps these men really could have been friends.

"You too, take care. After the war, what are your plans?" Mū asked.

"Me? After finishing off Konoha, I’ll head back south. See you there. I plan to plant string beans in Sunagakure, maybe even build a trellis," Shamon replied.

"You can grow string beans in the desert?" the Second Raikage asked, blinking in disbelief.

"Then I definitely need to show up and kick your trellis down!" Gengetsu said with a crooked grin.

"Let’s hope next time we meet, it’s as Kage of our respective villages," Mū said sincerely.

Smiles spread across their faces.

After this war, they would each return home, becoming the unshakable Kage of their nations.

"Take care. Once I wipe out Konoha, I’ll head straight back too," said the Second Raikage.

"From now on, the ninja world will be made up of just the four great villages. We should get along well," Shamon agreed with a nod.

Hearing this, Mū smiled bitterly. They really thought Konoha’s destruction was a done deal.

Soon after, Shamon and the Second Raikage left, leaving only Gengetsu Hōzuki behind.

Gengetsu stared at Mū, a trace of suspicion flickering in his eyes.

"Hey... Mū, you bastard, you didn’t cut some secret deal with Tobirama Senju, did you?" he asked, stroking his chin.

He wasn’t certain, but he had a strong gut feeling that this half-enemy, half-friend of his was hiding something.

Mū’s eyes widened.

"What are you talking about?! We’re in an unbreakable alliance! Why would I go behind everyone’s back and do something like that?!"

His face was stern, voice serious.

"Oh?" Gengetsu narrowed his eyes.

"If I’m lying to you, may the lightning strike my mother now." Mū swore, slapping his chest.

"Ooh~"

Gengetsu half-believed him, half-didn’t, and nodded slowly. But after such a brutal oath, he had little choice but to accept it.

After Gengetsu left, Ōnoki slowly emerged from behind the folding screen.

"Sensei... I thought you were an orphan?" he said, looking shaken.

"That’s why I swear like that," Mū said casually, sipping his tea.

A flash of astonishment passed through Ōnoki’s eyes.

To someone like him, still young and inexperienced, Mū’s methods felt utterly immoral.

The ninja world is too dangerous. He wants to go back to the countryside.

"Hard to believe... the First Shinobi World War is over in just half a month..." Ōnoki sighed.

"Half a month isn’t short," Mū said, taking another sip of water.

He remembered something from much later since the Fourth Shinobi World War had lasted only four days.

...

Late that night, Mū received a scroll of jutsu from Tobirama Senju.

After verifying its authenticity, he stored it carefully.

At the same time, he received troubling news.

"The First Tsuchikage is ill?"

Mū’s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the Iwagakure ANBU kneeling before him.

"Yes, Mū-sama. Ever since returning from the last battle, the First Tsuchikage has had persistent diarrhea and developed various complications," the ANBU answered respectfully.

"Did the doctors identify the cause?" Mū raised a brow.

"It appears to be a fungal infection from contaminated food, which triggered a relapse of his old injuries," the ANBU replied.

"Alright. I’ll head back immediately," Mū responded with practiced calm.

After the ANBU departed, Mū stood alone beneath the moonlight. He closed his eyes.

It seems like old man Ishikawa doesn’t have much time left... Is it already my turn to step in? From now on, I’ll be the true force behind Iwagakure.

Mū rose and flew to the summit of Mount Kikyo. From there, he could barely make out the edge of Konoha in the far distance.

Snow began to drift gently from the sky.

"It’s already snowing in Konoha. That means it’ll be snowing in Iwagakure soon too..."

He raised his hand slowly, watching the snowflake dissolve into his palm.

...

After Mū withdrew his forces, Gengetsu Hōzuki also chose to pull out.

His reasoning was that Kirigakure’s supply lines couldn’t keep up. Even if they managed to seize the central region of the Land of Fire, they wouldn’t be able to hold it. Their main base was still on the islands, so it made more sense to consolidate what they had and leave.

However, Sunagakure and Kumogakure continued pressing their attack on Konoha.

They were desperate to obtain Konoha’s kekkei genkai to strengthen their own bloodlines and villages.