Walking out of the meeting room, the cold wind was blowing, and Chao Yanqian's heart gradually calmed down.
Thinking calmly, the village wanted to negotiate with Kumogakure using Konoha's recent victory as leverage, but it was also for the sake of preserving peace. The Third Great Ninja War had dragged on for too long, and the major hidden villages had suffered devastating losses. Though they had gained a certain level of prestige and secured the support of their respective daimyō, the fallen shinobi would never return.
Moreover, the Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure was in his prime, and with two Jinchūriki under their control, their strength could not be underestimated.
But from Kumogakure's perspective, how could a proud and hot-tempered Raikage accept such a major defeat without retaliation?
After suffering such a loss, if he didn't reclaim his honor, where would the Raikage's prestige go?
It was impossible for Kumogakure to agree to peace negotiations on such terms. From the outset of this war, it was inevitable that one side would have to yield before it could truly end.
The Third Hokage's thinking was too idealistic something Chao Yanqian had always found difficult to accept.
If one lacks strength, perhaps they can only follow orders and blend into the crowd. But now that Chao Yanqian possessed formidable power, he naturally wanted to act on his own judgment rather than submit to others' ideas.
Since the Third Hokage did not want to initiate further conflict, let Kumogakure be the one to make the first move!
Thinking this, Chao Yanqian walked out of the camp. Using his excellent sensory abilities, he located a few hidden Kumogakure scouts and deliberately passed by them in plain sight.
As long as those scouts reported Chao Yanqian's appearance back to the Raikage, his volatile personality might push him to act immediately.
Returning to camp, Chao Yanqian was about to head to his tent for some rest, but spotted Nara Shikaku glaring at him, fists clenched, barely restraining his anger.
"Shikaku-sensei, is something the matter?" Chao Yanqian asked.
"What a good thing you've done!" Nara Shikaku snapped in a low, harsh tone.
"I just stepped out to relaxbcI didn't do anything. You're overreacting, sensei." Chao Yanqian replied with a smile.
"Relax? More like deliberately exposing yourself to Kumogakure's scouts to provoke the Fourth Raikage into making the first move. Am I wrong?" Shikaku said angrily.
"Well, since you already know, why bother asking? Chao Yanqian shrugged nonchalantly.
"You're too reckless and too arrogant," Shikaku said after taking a deep breath. "Don't think that just because you're powerful, you can act without considering the consequences. In the world of shinobi, that kind of immaturity is dangerous."
"Shikaku-sensei, with your intellect, you should know that this war won't end until one side emerges victorious. Now that we've won the initial battle, we should press the advantage. Kumogakure is on its back foot we should finish them off!" Chao Yanqian said firmly.
"It's not just Kumogakure you need to think about. Do you realize that your actions are only deepening the rift between you and the Third Hokage?" Shikaku responded seriously.
"That can't be helped. Right now, our priority is defeating Kumogakure. If the Fourth Raikage truly takes the bait, a large-scale battle may break out soon," Chao Yanqian said.
"Oh... As your former jōnin instructor, I always hoped to see my student rise to the top of the shinobi world. But the tallest tree in the forest is the first to be cut down. If you flaunt your power too openly, others will inevitably grow resentful." Shikaku sighed deeply.
"I understand your point, but I'm different from you and from most," Chao Yanqian replied.
"Hm?" Shikaku frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"
"Most powerful shinobi come from clans. They're raised with care, educated, protected. But I'm just a war orphan, adopted by Konoha. Though I lived in the village, no one ever took the initiative to guide me." Chao Yanqian recalled his childhood quietly. "So I had no choice but to constantly prove myself show my worth so the influential figures would finally notice. Only by demonstrating my usefulness could I attract their attention and earn the right to be nurtured."
Shikaku fell silent for a moment, absorbing his words.
Chao Yanqian continued, "You're from the Nara clan, so you never had to worry about that. But for someone like me, without a renowned teacher or family name, I would have just been another casualty of war. I've seen too many like that. So I had to keep standing out. Again and again, I proved my abilities because only then would the powerful take an interest, and only then would I be trained."
"But now, I've become strong enough. Those influential people realize they can't control me anymore. Even if I stay low-key, they'll still see me as a threat. That's why I must display strength that makes them hesitate makes them afraid to cross me." Chao Yanqian said in a deep voice.
That's how the shinobi world is how any world is. This was the lesson Chao Yanqian had learned in his past life. Those without power or backing must constantly prove their worth to be acknowledged. If you remain quiet and modest when you're weak, you'll simply be ignored.
When you're weak, you must showcase your potential. When you're strong, you must display your might. Only then can you afford to be humble.
"You really are dangerous," Nara Shikaku said at last, his voice calm again. "You've been laying your plans since the day you defeated Kakashi at the Academy. Maybe even earlier. How old were you then? Already scheming like that... If you hadn't worked with Orochimaru, the Third Hokage might have formally recognized you,he may even have recommended you to be the Fifth Hokage."
"There's no need to discuss that. I don't regret what I did," Chao Yanqian said.
Without Orochimaru's help, how could he have convinced Tsunade to return?
After all, the first person among Konoha's elite who was truly willing to invest in Chao Yanqian was Orochimaru. That's why so much happened afterward.
"Then, regarding Kumogakure, what do you plan to do next?" Shikaku asked.
"War is inevitable. In that case, it's better to seize the initiative. If the Third Hokage won't personally enter the battlefield, I'll deal with the Raikage myself. He's in his prime, and I'm not certain I can beat him but with Flying Thunder God, at the very least, I won't lose."
"The Sannin have left. Be Feng Shuimen is dead. Konoha's decline is already too apparent," Shikaku muttered with a heavy sigh.
"Prepare yourself, Shikaku-sensei," Chao Yanqian said. "If Kumogakure's scouts report back and the Raikage acts, what's coming won't be a minor skirmish."
"…Understood," Shikaku said, still clearly dissatisfied. "When you left the camp earlier, I suspected this might happen. Don't worry I've already made the necessary arrangements."
"That's good," Chao Yanqian replied. "Let's hope the Hidden Cloud doesn't unleash a beast that escalates the war beyond control."
"I hope so too," Shikaku said quietly.
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