Saints and Suffering: A Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 46- The Split

Tomorrow was day zero. Yama and Shijin sat in the relative peace of their tent as the camp outside exploded with commotion.

Not 2 hours previous had the actual declaration of war come across the Land of Hot Springs border. A Kumo emissary, unarmed, and carrying a white flag, has strolled up to the border bold as brass, proudly displaying his hitai-ate from the Village Hidden in the Clouds on his forehead.

At the main bridge from Fire into Hot Springs, which crossed the Great River that formed their border a few miles away from the Capitol of the Land of Hot Springs, the emissary met Konoha Shinobi at the halfway point.

As if he was reading off a list of orders to a restaurant, the Kumo shinobi unfurled a scroll and rattled off his lines before handing it over to the Konoha Shinobi confronting him.

  "It is with great displeasure that the situation has come to this, but the Land of Lightning and its retainer, Kumogakure, can no longer sit still and witness the atrocities committed against its neighbors.

  The Land of Frost and Shimogakure, as well as the Land of Hot Springs and Yugakure, are neutral parties, open to trade and diplomacy from the Land of Lightning and Fire alike, as well as their respective Ninja Villages.

  It is with moral indignation and righteous rage that we discovered what befell these countries and villages.

  Sabotaged from within, they fell, suffering numerous civilian casualties, to include the total and complete destruction of Yugakure.

  During our investigations, we found that insider actors, sleeper agents if you will, were instrumental in the downfalls of these long time friends and allies.

  Our village has, at the behest of the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning, stabilized the regions for Humanitarian Purposes and conducted an impartial investigation into the attacks.

  We have found evidence beyond all doubt that intelligence assets under the influence on Yamanaka clan genjutsu were present at the scenes of the crimes.

  Furthermore, during our investigations, Konoha has assumed a wartime footing and deployed its troops to our borders, where those shinobi have acted in aggression towards our own people. resulting in death and great bodily harm.

  We, the Land of Lightning in concert with Kumogakure, decry these action with utmost and complete sincerity.

  There can be no peace among nations when the so-called 'Greatest' of the Five Nations acts without regards to its neighbors and allies, and flagrantly violates the treaties that have not yet had a chance for the ink to dry upon them.

  We condemn in the strongest of terms the Land of Fire and Konohagakure.

  

  However, the Daimyo has listened to the pleas of his people, and his magnanimous heart for peace and love of life has convinced him to stay his hand, momentarily, so that peace may continue.

  This is however, contingent upon the cooperation of the Land of Fire and Konohagakure.

  The evildoers of the Yamanaka clan, and the superior officers which oversaw or ordered their actions, must stand trial in our courts, and must be handed over to a Kumogakure representative at this very bridge before sunrise tomorrow.

  If these conditions are not met, we have no choice but to wage a righteous crusade for justice and peace.

  If the Land of Fire and Konohagakure are to needlessly choose war to protect their selfish interests and hide their crimes, we invoke the Shinobi-Soldier Agression Agreement from the Founding of the Five Covenant.