The Land of Rivers had, throughout history, been swallowed many times by either the Land of Wind or the Land of Fire, only to be re-established again after every war.
Its daimyō seat was currently vacant. In the beginning, governance had been handled by local nobles, but after two years of large-scale warfare between Wind and Fire on River Country's soil, nearly all of those nobles had fled.
At present, the country is being controlled by a group of civil administrators who handle local governance.
Though they deeply resented how the great powers of Fire and Wind had trampled their land for years, once the envoys of the two major ninja villages arrived, they did not dare show the slightest defiance.
In fact, besides Konoha and Sunagakure, Kirigakure's influence had also begun to infiltrate River Country.
With three great ninja powers surrounding them, a heavy cloud of tension hung over the country.
Compared to the grim overall situation, however, the main administrative district was unusually clean and orderly today, as though it were waiting for important guests.
Soon, accompanied by a thunderous rumble, a Hyūga clan palanquin swayed as it entered the city streets, escorted by several Hyūga guards.
Hyūga Tenmon stepped out of the palanquin and entered the reception hall prepared by the Land of Rivers. The officials had arranged the hall neatly, with tea already laid out in anticipation of their honored guests.
However, the moment Hyūga Tenmon took his first sip, his expression changed.
He immediately recognized it as the newly popular brewing style that had recently swept the ninja world, and his mood instantly worsened.
"This is nothing but coarse tea.
Has the Land of Rivers abandoned tradition and forgotten the true way of tea?"
He set his cup down sharply. To Hiashi, this tea—originating from the Wind Country's new tea-brick style—was nothing short of heresy, a rejection of the ancient tea traditions of the ninja world.
"I apologize," said the young River Country official calmly.
"Our finances have collapsed over the past years. We no longer have the means to preserve such refinements."
Though he had restrained himself all the way here, Hiashi had complained about everything—from the roads to the food—and now even the tea.
"Some things have nothing to do with money," Hiashi snapped.
"They are a matter of will and spirit!"
The young official took a step back. He had no desire to continue dealing with this stubborn noble and was about to excuse himself when a Hyūga guard blocked his path.
"This money should be enough to prepare proper tea, yes?"
Tenmon was genuinely irritated by the drink. Even this minor clerk had begun to irritate him, so he simply threw money at the problem.
"In the Land of Rivers," the young official said with a tired sigh,
"this tea-brick style is now universal. The artisans who knew the old brewing methods fled long ago, early in the war. There is not a single person left in this country who can traditionally prepare tea."
He paused, then added,
"When great clans visit small countries like ours, they usually bring their own servants—
including tea masters."
He did not finish the sentence.
If you want to put on airs, then do it properly.
Don't come to a poor backwater like this and expect us to indulge you.
River Country's land was fertile, but its people were poor. With no daimyō, no nobility, and bureaucrats who produced nothing, the nation had become weak and hollow.
"You—!"
The Hyūga guards bristled. This insignificant clerk had repeatedly embarrassed their clan head.
The atmosphere turned tense as the guards stepped forward.
"So tell us again," one of them said coldly.
"Are you going—or not?"
Under Konoha's pressure, the young official swallowed hard.
But at that moment, two of the Hyūga guards suddenly froze, their faces turning wary as they stared at him.
…What?
"What's wrong with them?"
"Is tea made from these bricks really so unbearable?"
A gentle voice sounded from behind the clerk.
A young man in a white coat stepped inside.
It was Black Mist Shiraishi.
With his trademark glasses and calm presence, he entered the hall with several elite Sunagakure guards at his side.
His demeanor was that of a refined young noble, yet the aura around him made it clear these were no ordinary escorts.
"Did Elder Chiyo not teach you about tea?" Tenmon asked coolly.
"Or is the Wind Country simply ignorant of the way of tea?"
Hiashi motioned for his guards to step back. Bullying River Country officials in front of Sunagakure would only leave leverage and scandal—and given Konoha's current situation, Hiashi was being cautious.
At the same time, he was puzzled.
Why were Konoha and Sunagakure being housed in the same embassy?
As the driving force behind the new tea culture, Shiraishi answered smoothly:
"Tea, in my view, is about forgetting the self and merging with nature.
Clinging too rigidly to form turns 'the Way' into nothing more than empty fashion."
Shiraishi did not care much about tea, but since Tenmon wanted to debate philosophy, he could easily counter with ideas about harmony between man and nature.
"Our Hyūga clan follows the principle of respect for humanity and life," Hiashi said.
"That depends on one's spiritual level," Shiraishi replied lightly.
"Those who crave fame and profit cannot sleep after drinking tea—that alone proves their hearts are impure. Only those of noble virtue can truly receive tea as a divine blessing and be invigorated by it."
Before Shiraishi could continue, the young River Country official burst out laughing.
Though he said nothing directly, the mockery toward Hiashi was obvious.
A clan might be powerful, but its cultural depth was shallow. Using "respect for life" to argue the tea philosophy against "forgetting the self" was simply absurd—they were completely different concepts.
Before the Hyūga could respond, the young official fled the hall, leaving Sunagakure and Konoha staring at one another in awkward silence.
Interesting, Shiraishi thought.
These River Country bureaucrats are not simple.
River Country had deliberately placed him and Hiashi in the same embassy—it was clearly intentional.
Sunagakure and River Country,
River Country and Konoha,
Konoha and Sunagakure—
All three pairs had secret negotiations underway.
Forcing them together like this was meant to provoke tensions.
Moreover, Shiraishi had to keep an eye on Kirigakure.
Sunagakure's western coastline was dangerously exposed, and Sand had almost no strength left to defend the thirteen southern districts of River Country.
The actual negotiators were not Shiraishi himself—that was none of his concern.
He simply sat down and drank his tea calmly, ignoring Hiashi completely.
After being publicly mocked, Tenmon's mood was foul—but as a seasoned clan head, he soon steadied himself.
He lifted the cup and took another sip.
A moment later, a faint smile appeared on his face.
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