Chapter 107: The Web of Control

The Silent Conquest Begins

Kumogakure had fallen.

But Konoha was not done.

Defeating an army was one thing.

Owning a nation was another.

War took a single night.

Control took a lifetime.

And Konoha was patient.

They did not demand fealty.

They did not force surrender at the tip of a blade.

Instead, they did something far more insidious.

They made Kumogakure need them.

They wove chains not of steel—but of dependence.

And in doing so, they ensured Kumo would never rise against them again.

The First Steps of Integration

The skies over Kumogakure were heavy with storm clouds.

Thunder rumbled softly in the distance, but no rain fell.

In the heart of the village, the Raikage's tower loomed, its presence unchanged—yet everything was different.

Inside the council chambers, a new meeting had begun.

But this was not a war council.

This was the beginning of Kumogakure's submission.

Konoha sat at the head of the table.

Hiruzen. Orochimaru. Danzo.

Opposite them sat the remnants of Kumogakure's leadership.

Darui. C. A handful of Kumo's top officials.

And at the far end—the Raikage.

Not as their leader.

Not as their protector.

But as a shadow of what he once was.

Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed.

"Well then," he murmured. "Shall we begin?"

The Trade Agreements: Kumo's Dependence

Hiruzen placed a scroll on the table, the seal of Konoha pressed into the wax.

"These are the new trade agreements," he said smoothly.

C hesitated before reaching for the scroll.

He read in silence.

His hands trembled by the time he finished.

Darui leaned over his shoulder, his golden eyes darkening.

"This…" His voice was strained. "This is—"

"A fair exchange," Orochimaru interrupted smoothly.

A slow smirk curled his lips.

"Konoha will provide Kumogakure with medical advancements, sealing techniques, and agricultural development."

Danzo's voice followed, cold, factual.

"In return, Kumogakure will provide rare minerals, raw energy resources, and lightning-based jutsu development."

Darui exhaled sharply. "You're forcing us to rely on you."

Orochimaru chuckled.

"Oh no, Darui." His golden eyes glinted. "We're offering you prosperity."

C's grip on the scroll tightened.

He knew the truth.

Kumogakure was being swallowed whole.

The Military Merger: The Breaking of Kumogakure's Shinobi

Danzo tapped the table once.

"The next phase of integration will begin immediately."

Darui narrowed his eyes. "Integration?"

Hiruzen nodded. "Your shinobi will undergo joint training exercises with ours. Kumo's forces will become a subdivision of Konoha's military command."

C stiffened. "You mean you're absorbing our army."

Danzo's gaze was unwavering.

"You call it absorption," he said evenly. "I call it security."

C grit his teeth. "You're making sure we can't rebel."

Orochimaru laughed softly.

"You're catching on."

Darui's fists clenched under the table.

They weren't just taking Kumogakure's resources.

They were stripping away its identity.

And the worst part?

They were doing it without drawing a single blade.

The Training of a New Generation

The future of Kumogakure would be decided not in this room—but in the training fields.

Across the village, the first joint training sessions had begun.

• Konoha's medical corps arrived, setting up training programs for Kumo's medics—forcing them to learn Konoha's techniques.

• Sealing specialists from the Uzumaki clan began teaching Kumo's shinobi, embedding their knowledge into a foreign village.

• Minato Namikaze, now a rising legend, personally trained elite squads, ensuring Kumo's best shinobi saw Konoha's methods as superior.

The message was clear.

Konoha wasn't just taking Kumogakure.

They were turning it into an extension of themselves.

And soon—Kumo's new generation wouldn't see a difference between the two villages.

That was the true victory.

The Raikage's Silence

The Raikage had not spoken once throughout the entire negotiation.

Not when his village's economy was placed under Konoha's influence.

Not when his shinobi were integrated into Konoha's military structure.

Not when his legacy was reduced to an afterthought.

Only when the final agreement was signed, did he move.

He stood.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

And then—he walked away.

Without a word.

Without looking back.

Because he no longer had a place in this village.

His Kumogakure was dead.

And in its place—Konoha's empire grew.

The Future of an Empire

As the sun set over Kumo, Orochimaru stood at the highest balcony of the Raikage's tower, gazing over the village.

Hiruzen approached from behind.

"It is done."

Orochimaru's smirk widened.

"Of course it is."

Hiruzen exhaled. "They will resist us. There will be unrest."

Orochimaru chuckled. "Let them struggle. Let them fight."

His golden eyes gleamed.

"They will break eventually."

Far below them, the shinobi of two villages trained as one.

Konoha's roots had already begun to wrap around Kumogakure.

And soon—there would be nothing left to resist.

The conquest was complete.

And Konoha's path to absolute power had begun.

End of Chapter 107.