First, basically all of this is contingent on the assumption that Naruto failed a bunch of critical social rolls.
Not really. Itachi got reality rubbed in his face here. He doesn't need Naruto to say anything. He can think for himself. Even if Naruto completes all his rolls, Itachi can just run a drop dead easy investigation.
Itachi: Hmm... Seems Naruto's lying to me, or something seems off. Let's go check on the only other 2 S rankers in Leaf to see what they've been up to and ordered to do. Oh. Oro's been researching the rift? Tsundade tells us Naruto told her that Leaf's plan is to pulverize Akasuki and not listen to Akasuki's contract? *whomp whomp*
Especially with a flimsy excuse like "They were researching- actually no nevermind, Leaf broke a deal.".
Flimsy? It was a deal between two major super powers, signed off by the entirety of the Leaf clan heads, and blessed by the Kage of Leaf. It would be like if Iran decided to start building nuclear weapons a month after agreeing to an armistice. Iran would be swiftly bombed to the stone age.
I don't understand. The deal was literally, don't invent the one thing that can stop us. We broke it immediately. And then broke other parts of the deal. Brazenly. I think "a country suddenly trying to build a nuclear weapons after signing a treaty not to" metaphor here is very apt.
Also, Akasuki has a reputation to uphold. They need to know when they say something, someone doesn't take it as just a "suggestion" and actually complies.
Unless they had incontrovertible proof that Naruto ordered Hazou to do dimensionalism research I don't think they would turn Leaf into a crater.
There are only three S rankers in Leaf. It's not hard to track down what's being done in Leaf. If Itachi looks, he would find incontrovertible proof Oro's doing rift research. And how did that so called "incontrovertible proof" metric hold up last time we negotiated with Akasuki? Oh. Right.
Yeah.
Probably including some members of Akatsuki! Why would Itachi try to dig deep into every black-ops program aimed in his general direction? He knows they exist, he knows there are plausible excuses lined up for each and every one, and he knows that if he stops taking those excuses at face value then he'll have to bomb half of the EN back to the stone age.
Difference is Akasuki literally made a deal with Leaf to stop this one thing. It's not just "oh Ninja" It's, here is a written contract with your signature on it, that you've failed to uphold, with the understanding of extreme consequences if it wasn't upheld.
And you're telling me that nothing will happen if Leaf breaks the contract.
Which is, uh, a position to hold?
But it wouldn't be my first guess. Or my hundredth.
Puppet state is impossible. Leaf would dissolve first.
Not really. Leaf's already been basically a puppet state since the last deal. It would just become official.
Fourth, and finally, the meta. The vibes. It's a bit of a dirty info source, but it is. The QMs leak little bits of information, and my impression from what I've seen is not that Leaf is a bombed out husk.
Vibes are fine. I've been picking up on the same vibes as well. But Akasuki made a deal with Leaf. Leaf broke the deal. Akasuki promised fiery retribution. And Akasuki has a reputation to uphold. People seem to have the implicit understanding that everyone in Leaf getting off scot free with no consequences. Which is *fine* to think. But just say that in words. Leaf is gonna be fine because *vibes* and *it would make the game less fun.* Which isn't really what a "deathworld stimulationist quest" says on the tin, but it's definitely a position you can hold.
I dunno man. Seems at the very least we should expect Akasuki to take a decent chunk of flesh from Leaf for crossing them so brazenly. I think it's just be a question of degree.
Or you can bet on the QM's giving us a free pass, because, uh, reasons?
But just say that's the assumption you're planning under.
And on the meta point, narratively, our homeland being razed to the ground and our extended family being hurt because of our blunders, both raises the stakes, makes it feel real, gives us increased motivation, makes our world feel like a death world, and greatly increase the elation and celebration if/when we beat Akasuki.
