Chapter 109: The Embers of Rebellion

A Village in Chains

Kumogakure still stood.

The streets bustled. Shops remained open. Shinobi still patrolled the rooftops.

To the outside world, nothing had changed.

But to those who knew better, everything was different.

The mission boards, once filled with Kumo-only operations, were now reviewed by Konoha's administration.

The Raikage's office, once the center of power, had fallen silent.

And worst of all—the people were starting to accept it.

Some welcomed the change.

Some cursed it in silence.

And some—were not willing to accept it at all.

Beneath the surface, resistance began to stir.

The Hidden Meeting

Deep within the mountains, buried beneath an abandoned temple, a dozen shinobi gathered in the dimly lit chamber.

Torches flickered against the stone walls, their flames casting long, restless shadows.

A worn-out wooden table sat at the center, maps and scrolls scattered across its surface.

The air was thick with tension.

This was not just a meeting.

This was the last hope for Kumogakure's freedom.

A young shinobi, his voice sharp with frustration, slammed his fist against the table.

"Enough waiting! We should just kill them!"

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the group.

Another shinobi, older and more level-headed, shook his head.

"No. That won't work." His voice was calm, but firm. "Even if we assassinate their leaders, what happens next?"

The younger man's jaw tightened. "We take our village back."

The older shinobi exhaled sharply. "And then what? Konoha retaliates. Harder. They don't need Orochimaru or Danzo to rule us. If we act too soon, they'll bring in an army—and this time, they won't give us the option of surrender."

A heavy silence settled over the room.

Because they all knew he was right.

Another shinobi, a woman with sharp amber eyes, leaned forward. "Then what do we do? We can't just sit here while they turn us into Konoha's puppets."

The older shinobi nodded. "We need a plan. A real one."

And so, the planning began.

The First Plan: Assassination

The younger shinobi who had spoken earlier leaned forward.

"We target Orochimaru or Danzo."

He gestured toward the map of Kumogakure, where several locations were marked in red.

"They move around constantly, but we know their schedules. If we strike at the right time, we can—"

"And then what?" the older shinobi interrupted.

The younger man hesitated.

The older shinobi continued.

"Konoha has replacements. Kill Orochimaru, and they send Jiraiya or someone just as powerful. Kill Danzo, and his Root agents take over."

His voice hardened.

"If we go for assassination now, we die for nothing."

Silence.

The younger shinobi clenched his fists but said nothing.

Plan rejected.

The Second Plan: Open Rebellion

A larger, battle-scarred shinobi crossed his arms.

"Then we fight."

All eyes turned to him.

He pointed at the map. "We still have shinobi loyal to us. If we take back key locations—the mission hall, the Raikage's tower—we can hold Konoha off long enough to get reinforcements from Iwagakure or Kirigakure."

A few nodded in agreement.

But the older shinobi sighed.

"No village will send reinforcements."

A silence fell over the room.

The battle-scarred man frowned. "How can you be sure?"

The older shinobi's voice was grim.

"Because Konoha didn't make this a war. They made it look like a peaceful alliance. If we rise up now, it won't look like a rebellion against an invader."

His hands clenched.

"It will look like we are the ones causing chaos."

And the moment that happened?

The world would side with Konoha.

Kumogakure would not just be defeated.

It would be erased.

The battle-scarred shinobi exhaled sharply. Plan rejected.

The Third Plan: Seeking the Raikage

For a long moment, no one spoke.

Then, the amber-eyed woman leaned forward.

"What about the Raikage?"

A murmur of consideration rippled through the group.

"He hasn't resisted," another shinobi muttered.

"He hasn't fought," the young shinobi scoffed.

The woman's eyes flashed. "Because he knows the battle isn't here."**

The room stilled.

She continued.

"The Raikage is no fool. If he thought we had a chance at fighting back, he would have led us already."

She met the older shinobi's gaze.

"What if he's waiting?"

The older shinobi's expression remained unreadable.

Then, he finally spoke.

"Then we find out."

The Final Plan: Slow Subversion

The older shinobi rose to his feet, pressing his palms against the table.

"This is what we do."

His voice was low but firm.

1. They would approach the Raikage.

• If he refused to lead, they would act without him.

• If he had a plan, they would follow him.

2. They would sabotage Konoha's influence.

• Slowly. Quietly. Make the people doubt Konoha's rule.

• Disrupt supply lines. Create distrust between Konoha's forces and Kumogakure's people.

• Target Konoha's chain of command—not with assassination, but with delays, confusion, and deception.

3. They would gather allies.

• Not from the outside world.

• From within.

The resistance would not fight in open battle.

They would corrupt Konoha's control from within—until it collapsed.

The Path Ahead

The older shinobi looked around the room.

"We are not fighting a war of strength," he said. "Konoha is too powerful. They control the battlefield."

He straightened.

"So we take the battlefield away from them."

A pause.

Then, slowly, the shinobi nodded.

The rebellion had a plan.

And soon—Konoha would feel its first cracks.

The Future of an Empire

Far above the village, Orochimaru stood at the highest balcony of the Raikage's tower, gazing over the streets below.

Hiruzen approached from behind.

"The village is adapting," the Hokage murmured. "The transition has been smooth."

Orochimaru smiled.

"Of course it has."

Hiruzen was quiet for a moment.

"Do you think they will resist?"

Orochimaru exhaled, his golden eyes gleaming.

"Oh, they already are."

Hiruzen's gaze sharpened. "You knew?"

Orochimaru chuckled.

"Of course." His voice was a purr. "Let them plot. Let them whisper in the dark."

He turned, his smirk widening.

"It won't change a thing."

Far below, in the depths of the mountains—the rebellion had begun.

And Konoha had no idea what was coming.

End of Chapter 109.