"What? The Daimyo was killed?"
On the border of the Land of Hot Water, Sarutobi Hiruzen abruptly heard the terrible news and choked on a mouthful of smoke in shock.
Beside him, Uchiha Kagen suddenly had a bad feeling.
The excellent situation might be about to go wrong.
Deputy commander Namikaze Minato and Uchiha Kagen exchanged a glance, both seeing the worry in each other's eyes.
The situation in the Land of Hot Water was very favorable. Konoha held a major advantage. They absolutely could not allow some unexpected incident to ruin this hard-won momentum.
The Cloud force had eight thousand men, while Konoha had only three thousand.
Whether it was the Uchiha clan or Konoha's other ninja, everyone had fought with immense determination, paying a heavy price to hold the Cloud at the Land of Hot Water border.
After the Third Hokage arrived at the front, they had even shifted from defense to offense and had already pushed into the Land of the Moon.
Uchiha Kagen tested the Hokage's attitude.
"Lord Hokage, if we keep up the momentum, we may be able to wipe out the Cloud's main force in one stroke and completely end the Land of Hot Water war."
After hesitating briefly, Sarutobi Hiruzen said with great firmness, "One nation, one village is the foundation of Konoha. The Fire Daimyo being assassinated is a despicable method used by the enemy to delay Konoha.
No matter what, Konoha must guarantee the Fire Daimyo's safety.
Clan Leader Kagen, the front line will remain under your and Minato's command.
The Daimyo's assassination is too serious. I must personally return."
Uchiha Kagen frowned.
"Lord Hokage, if you return to the Land of Fire, wouldn't that be exactly what the enemy wants?
What they want is to create chaos in the rear and force Konoha to divide its forces.
We don't know where the Third Raikage has gone. Ōnoki is dead, and he was not injured during the surprise attack on Konoha.
Perhaps once you return to the Land of Fire, the Third Raikage will appear on the battlefield.
Lord Hokage, you have also seen the Raikage's son. His son is extremely outstanding and already possesses a portion of the Raikage's strength.
The Raikage's son and the new Eight-Tails Jinchūriki cooperate with great precision and are very difficult to deal with. If the Third Raikage himself arrives as well, I'm afraid…"
Uchiha Kagen did not continue.
He truly feared a catastrophic collapse on the Land of Hot Water battlefield.
"Enough, Clan Leader Kagen," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, his attitude even firmer. "I leave this place to you. I trust your strength."
Namikaze Minato was still young. He did not want to defy the Hokage and the village leadership.
But this matter was too important, so he had no choice but to speak.
"Lord Hokage, Lord Fox seems to hold a different view toward the Daimyo and nobles.
In Lord Fox's plan, after the war, Konoha ninja will not need to rely on the power of the Daimyo and nobles. Konoha ninja can appear in any town by themselves.
Why not ask Lord Fox's opinion?"
"Ask Fox?" Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head. "I can already guess what choice Fox would make.
He would certainly say that since the enemy used the assassination of the Fire Daimyo to create chaos, Konoha should also send elites to assassinate the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth.
There is no need to ask Fox. He has a bias against the Daimyo and nobles. After the war, I will persuade Fox to put aside his prejudice.
I will leave tonight. Clan Leader Kagen, Minato, continue the command."
Sarutobi Hiruzen hurriedly left the frontline command camp.
Namikaze Minato tried to comfort the deeply worried Uchiha Kagen.
"Commander-in-chief, there is a teleportation shrine built by the Uzumaki ninja in the capital of the Land of Hot Water. Lord Hokage will return very quickly."
Uchiha Kagen sighed. After thinking for a moment, he remembered Fugaku.
The Cloud had many ninja, far more than Konoha. When they had first clashed with the Cloud, the fighting had been brutal. Fugaku's teacher, Uchiha Tōki, had died, yet Fugaku had still failed to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Fugaku's talent was somewhat weaker than he had imagined.
Uchiha Kagen made up his mind.
"If the Third Raikage personally arrives, I will hold him back. Minato, use your superior speed to kill as many Cloud ninja as possible until they collapse."
Minato quickly said, "Commander-in-chief, I'm fast. I'm confident I can delay the Raikage!"
"No," Uchiha Kagen said firmly. "You are better suited to expanding the battle results.
The Raikage is not only fast, but his defense is also powerful. The lightning armor of Lightning Release Chakra Mode cannot be broken by ordinary means.
If you fight the Raikage, you can only rely on speed to interfere and delay him. It would be extremely exhausting.
I'll go instead."
Uchiha Kagen stood, his eyes calm.
"As commander-in-chief of the Land of Hot Water front, clan leader of the Uchiha, and captain of Konoha's Military Police Force, I have a few trump cards of my own. There is no need to say more, Minato. Go all out against the other Stone ninja."
Namikaze Minato walked out of the command tent and saw Konoha ninja moving back and forth outside.
Kakashi, Rin, and Uchiha Hato happened to pass by.
Hato, who had always been lively, looked especially radiant now.
Lord Hokage had personally arrived at the front, and everyone believed the war would soon end.
However, in the foreseeable future, once the Third Raikage arrived at the front, the war would instantly take a sharp turn for the worse.
Behind Sarutobi Hiruzen followed staff ninja led by Yamanaka Kari, as well as an ANBU division led by Black Ant.
They quickly returned to the capital of the Land of Hot Water and used the teleportation shrine there to return to Konoha Village.
This saved them at least nine days of travel.
Yamanaka Kari said, "The teleportation shrine developed by Commander Fox truly is convenient and fast.
Commander Fox has also mastered Dust Release. He can be called a true ninjutsu genius."
After observing Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression, Yamanaka Kari hurriedly added, "Unfortunately, Commander Fox is overly eager to reshape the Land of Fire according to his own ideas. He is only twenty-five, after all, so his thinking is not comprehensive enough."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded.
"Fox's strength is beyond question. He is simply too impatient and too impulsive.
Kari, gather at least twenty reconnaissance ninja. Elite scouts from the Hyūga clan, Inuzuka clan, Aburame clan, and others must all go to the capital of the Land of Fire.
We depart in one hour."
Yamanaka Kari quickly left the temple to gather personnel from the village.
The group left Konoha Village in a grand procession, and after another two days on the road, they arrived at the capital of the Land of Fire.
Guardian Ninja Captain Sarutobi Seihi had been waiting outside the capital early and welcomed the Hokage's group inside.
At the gate of the castle, the First Prince, who was anxiously waiting to inherit the position, personally came out to meet them.
The Daimyo's death had not yet been investigated, so it was inappropriate for him to immediately succeed the position.
"Lord Hokage!" the First Prince said. "Please do not neglect the castle's defenses because of the war!
Someone actually assassinated my father, and even assassinated the visiting Daimyo of the Land of Hot Water. This is appalling!"
"Your Highness, I feel your grief as if it were my own," Sarutobi Hiruzen said. "Since the First Hokage established the one nation, one village policy, this is the second vicious assassination of a Daimyo.
Please rest assured, Your Highness. I will definitely uncover the murderer."
The First Prince's face looked grim.
Back when Sarutobi Hiruzen had succeeded as the Third Hokage, Konoha's internal situation was chaotic, and someone had taken the opportunity to assassinate his grandfather, the previous Daimyo.
Now his father had also been assassinated.
The Daimyo might be noble, but when assassination came, he was assassinated all the same.
Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "I also have some suspicions regarding the killer's identity.
Within the Akatsuki organization left behind by Uchiha Madara, there is an Uchiha rogue ninja who possesses a space-time dōjutsu. He can infiltrate anywhere without a sound and is extremely difficult to deal with.
Rest assured. We will do everything in our power to eliminate Akatsuki and remove this future threat."
The First Prince's expression improved somewhat.
After entering the castle, Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately went to the Daimyo's bedchamber.
Inside were two coffins. Within them lay the frozen bodies of the Fire Daimyo and the Daimyo of the Land of Hot Water.
Aside from being frozen, the bodies had been preserved exactly as they were. Even the kunai in their chests had not been removed, all for Konoha's investigation.
Black Ant stepped forward and turned over the Fire Daimyo's body, revealing the handle of the kunai embedded in the back of the corpse.
At that moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes changed.
On the back of the Daimyo's neck, there was a curse mark.
That was…