[Hisakawa Yamato]

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Kusagakure no Sato's History

936 | Kusagakure no Sato Founded

Kusagakure no Sato was founded in the year 936 by the Daimyo of Nohara no Kuni due to the need to evolve to the changing world around them. Until this point, the Daimyo had relied on the strength of his own personal army to defend his nation, but as times changed, war did as well. This personal army would come to be known as the Hohei, and by the Daimyo's command they were to have the same status as a clan in the new hidden village. The Hohei were joined by the Juryoku and Hono clans to officially create the Village Hidden in the Grass, with Hono Daiki as the first Lord of Kusagakure. 

942 | First Shinobi War Begins

A conflict arose between Konohagakure and Iwagakure, a conflict that would push most of the entire continent to war as well. Nations and villages quickly scrambled to join sides in hopes to protect their borders or even expand them, with Suna, Kusa, Yuki, and Konoha standing directly against Ame, Iwa, and Kumo. Additionally, Kiri, Taki, Hoshi, and Yu sought to take advantage of the distracted, larger powers, joining in the war as a faction of their own. It was this war that earned Kusagakure the respect of the Kuishinbou clan, who finally officially joined the village.

946 | First Shinobi War Ends

After four years of bloody conflict, the First Shinobi War came to an end in what was essentially a stalemate, with every village suffering from broken morale and war-torn lands. Being in the center of it all, Kusagakure was especially ravaged, a great deal of damage done to the village itself due to the Gobi being released by the first Tsuchikage's death. It was around this time that the Futago clan joined in Kusagakure's ranks, and the Yomi clan would join as well in the coming years.

962 | Second Leader Iseri Saki Appointed

At fifty years old, Hono Daiki decided to resign his position as Lord, handing it off to a young student of his, Iseri Saki. At the time of her appointment she was only 22 years old, but she was already full of lofty aspirations.

971 | Second Shinobi War Begins

War was brought to the continent again, and once again it was one that was sparked by Konoha and Iwa. This time around the two opposing factions consisted of Suna, Konoha, Hoshi, Shimo, and Ishi vs. Kumo, Iwa, Ame, Kusa, Oto, Taki, and Yuki. It has been said that Kusagakure was manipulated into turning against their former ally Konoha by Iwa, though the truth of the matter is that Saki had orchestrated their allegiance to Iwa as part of her plan to steal the Rokubi Jinchuuriki.

976 | Second Shinobi War Ends

With the death of the Lord of Yugakure, the Second Shinobi War came to an end, with Saki eagerly signing the armistice as she had accomplished her goal of stealing away the Rokubi Jinchuurki. Unfortunately, the host died during the extraction of the tailed beast. When Iwa discovered Kusa's treachery and demanded their Jin returned, Saki only sent back the body, weaving a tale of the Rokubi escaping rather than being stolen. It is said that Saki justified this betrayal by calling it retribution for the Gobi's destruction of Kusagakure during the First Shinobi War.

977 | Missing Lady, Third Shinobi War

After just one year of peace, Sunagakure dispatched assassins to target the leaders of some of their former enemies, with Saki being one of them. Somehow she managed to kill the assassin sent after her, the assassin's body found in her office. Seeking to use this as an opportunity to step down from leadership and run away to a lover, Saki sought out the help of her loyal bodyguard, Kobe Youta. He agreed to help her escape under the condition that he become the next Kusa Lord, to which she agreed. After writing a will of sorts, Saki escaped in the dead of night aided by Youta, the mystery of her missing body never being revealed or solved.

Not many resources were dedicated to searching for the missing Lady as Sunagakure's actions sparked the fires of the Third Shinobi War, and Kusagakure was hungry for revenge. Kobe Youta was named an interim leader to ensure a strong figurehead for the war efforts.

980 | Third Leader Kobe Youta Appointed

Due to his satisfactory performance as interim leader, as well as Saki's 'will', Youta was officially appointed the Third Lord of Kusagakure 3 years into the Third Shinobi War.

990 | Third Shinobi War Ends

Ten years after Youta's appointment as Kusa Lord, the Third Shinobi War came to an end. While Kumo, Iwa, Ame, Kusa, Taki, and Ishi were technically the victors, it could be said that there really were no winners on the war-torn continent. Youta pushed for the execution of the Second Kazekage, as did several other leaders, and so he was. Shaken and terrified of more war ravaging Nohara no Kuni, Youta founded the Wasuremono, an organization even more secretive than the ANBU. They did the unspeakable things that no other village, including their own, could know about.

993 | Wasuremono Massacre

After three years of deceit and treachery, Youta could take no more of the Wasuremono's dark existence, disbanding the organization. He hadn't expected just how attached the members had become to the organization, and to ensure that it was truly buried, Youta was forced to annihilate almost all of those involved. The few that weren't hunted down and killed were forced into eternal silence with a seal placed in the roof of their mouths.

In the coming years, Youta would take on one of Kusagakure's most accomplished assassin's as his bodyguard, a man named Noboru Hibiki. Through the years, Hibiki and Youta grew close, with the Third Kusa Lord deciding that Hibiki would be his successor and training him for the duty.

1014 | Fourth Leader Noboru Hibiki Appointed

Before Youta could retire, the man passed away from old age, and in accordance with his wishes, Noboru Hibiki was named the Fourth Lord of Kusagakure after the position was turned down by Juryoku Tani, another candidate for the seat.

1015 | Fifth Leader Midori Kane Appointed

Youta's rule was short and simple, a year focused on preparing him further for the role of Lord, as well as some focus on village reconstruction. Unfortunately, he had an accident where his prosthetic arm was crushed into his elbow, an infection running its course without being discovered and treated, and ultimately leading to his death.

Again, Juryoku Tani was asked to return from her travels to take on the mantle of Kusa Lady. Once again she refused, and so the position was bestowed upon Midori Kane. She had once been an aid to the former Kusa Lord, and this had been the driving decision behind her appointment as the Fifth Lady of Kusagakure.

1016 | Sixth Leader Futago Raimaa Appointed

Kane's rule was short and sweet, a leader who was beloved by all for her kindness and willingness to listen to her advisors and people. Unfortunately, she simply vanished one day, and many suspected that it had been the work of Iwagakure. Nothing could be proven, however, even when her body was found months later, her corpse showing signs of torture.

Once again, Juryoku Tani had been asked to return and lead the village, but she yet again turned down the offer, enraged by the news of Kane's death. Hono Chisai was then also offered the position, but the Hono clan head was still in mourning, and so she refused as well. With few options remaining, the council and Daimyo settled on the head of the Futago clan, appointing Futago Raimaa as the Sixth Lady of Kusagakure.

1016 | Removal of the Sixth Lady, Power Vacuum

Raimaa's appointment would come to be one of the council's most regretted actions as, in her short eight month rule, she wholly failed in her duty as Kusa Lady. The most egregious of her shortcomings being the failure to prevent the kidnapping of two Kusagakure genin, even when she had been in a position to intervene. The incident had followed the desertion of Uzumaki Natsuki under Midori Kane’s rule. Raimaa had also been there during her defection and when she became the leader of the village, efforts had stagnated on the front of that particular traitor getting brought in and punished.

With trust in Raimaa long gone, she was ousted from the leader’s seat. It was the first time in Kusa’s history that such a thing had been done. While efforts were made to conceal what had transpired, it quickly became widely known.

It hurt the village’s reputation to have to kick a leader from their seat of power. Worse yet, was the power vacuum that followed Raimaa premature removal. In an instant the village was seen as weak. The shinobi in the village proved themselves in this time, showing their strength and solidarity by preventing any would-be takeover ideas to root themselves.

Their steadfastness gave the council time to find someone truly worthy of the position. Except they couldn’t find someone willing to take the title that they trusted enough to keep the village safe. Days turned to weeks and then turned to months. The village began to slowly deteriorate.

1017 | Seventh Kusa Leader Appointed

Finally, after years of begging from the council, Juryoku returned to Kusagakure from her travels, enraged by Raimaa's failings as a leader and the council's incompetence for selecting her. She gave the council little choice in the matter, simply taking the mantle and officially becoming the Seventh Lady of Kusagakure. The new Lady's first order of business was to reinstate the Wasuremono.

1019 | Interim Leaders

Tani's rule was uneventful for the next two years, though the stresses of being leader caused her to step down down from the position when an aspiring Eyashi Shima offered to take her place. In the same vein, Shima also found the position too demanding, and before he could officially be appointed Lord, he gave up the position to Hideki Yomi. But as is the pattern with Kusa leaders, Yomi found himself wishing to step away the position, once again opening up the seat for anyone brave enough to take on the mantle of Kusa Leader.

Eventually the seat would be claimed by a capable young teacher who would lead the village in an entirely new direction. Hisakawa Yamato's goal was stability and peace and he was able to manifest the start of both before he stepped down in 1022. He set the framework for Kusagakure, and Nohara no Kuni as a whole, moving forward.

1022 | Ninth Kusa Leader Appointed

After an attempt on the Daimyo's life, the ruler of Kusagakure decided to step down, having lost hope in Kusagakure's future. Luckily, he wasn't the only shinobi whose heart burned with a passion for the Land of Fields. Bursting with hope and an unparalleled focus, Kouga Kanoh was appointed by the Daimyo from his own personal guard to rule over Kusagakure. Her aim congruent to Yamato's; peace.