Ao gritted his teeth and nodded. "I will go deploy the troops."
Mei Terumi gazed into the distance, toward the direction from which the Hidden Cloud was approaching.
Hidden Cloud, consider yourselves lucky.
Having made her decision, Mei immediately summoned the detection squad.
"When will the Hidden Cloud fleet reach this position?"
The leader of the detection squad was Bito, an elite jonin. He swam closer and said, "Lady Mizukage, they are still a hundred li from the optimal location."
Mei's brow furrowed. "Prepare to submerge. We're activating the great tidal wave ahead of schedule."
Bito was stunned. "Lady Mizukage, the damage to the Hidden Cloud at that position will be minimal! At most, we'll destroy a few ships. The cost will outweigh the benefit!"
Mei shook her head. "Our intelligence has been compromised. Activate the formation immediately."
Bito understood. Once their plans were leaked, all their efforts would be for naught.
He complied with simmering anger. "Yes, ma'am!"
Soon, the order was relayed to the entire army.
The Hidden Mist shinobi deep beneath the sea received the command and began moving to safe locations. A select few elites started injecting chakra into the colossal formation.
Nearby marine life fled in a frenzy. The silt on the ocean floor began to churn, and the water below the surface grew murky.
Mei surfaced and stood upon the water, her eyes fixed on the horizon. The sky was clear, and visibility was excellent.
The underwater formation had been fully activated. A faint light emanated from the seabed, and the water pressure fluctuated erratically. All the Mist shinobi used this opportunity to withdraw completely.
One by one, they swam to the surface and stood upon the sea. They all looked exhausted, having poured most of their chakra into the formation. If an enemy were to appear now, they would be sitting ducks.
However, the effect of a formation activated by so many Mist shinobi was quite spectacular. The sea ahead seemed as if a coagulant had been poured into it, slowly turning viscous. The seabirds in the vicinity had all fled far away, sensing impending disaster.
The surface of the sea ahead began to ripple. As the underwater formation hummed to life, the ripples grew more violent. Suddenly, it was as if a hole had opened on the ocean floor. The sea surface in front of them plunged downward.
The entire sea began to sway. Amidst the churning water, wave after wave began to swell. The sea was tossed about as if by an unseen, giant hand, gradually forming larger and fiercer crests.
A deafening roar echoed clearly in the ears of the Mist shinobi, making them feel dizzy and tight-chested. Mei and the others were forced to retreat continuously. The sea rocked violently, and the shinobi bobbed up and down with the waves.
Gazing at the fifty-meter-high waves forming in the distance, every Mist shinobi wore a look of shock. It wasn't a single wave, but a continuous series of them, rolling relentlessly forward toward the Hidden Cloud fleet.
The Hidden Cloud ships were cutting through the waves. The fleet relied on telescopes, summoning animals, and reconnaissance ninjutsu to survey the waters ahead. They had been sailing peacefully for nine days without encountering any major storms, and everyone was relatively relaxed. Today's weather was clear and sunny, offering excellent visibility, which naturally made them feel even safer.
Suddenly, the continuous cries of eagles shattered the calm, and the Hidden Cloud reconnaissance squad tensed up. A member of the squad rushed to the Raikage's office to report.
"Lord Raikage! A tsunami has appeared on the sea ahead! The waves are over twenty meters high and are rapidly approaching our fleet!"
Raikage A was inwardly shocked. This area of the sea was only a few hundred meters deep and had no volcanoes. How could there be a tsunami? "Issue the order! Abandon ship immediately! Get away from the vessels!"
A ship was certainly no match for the speed of a shinobi. By the time the ships could sail out of the tsunami's range, the waves would have already crashed down upon them.
Upon receiving the order, the Cloud shinobi scattered like a disturbed hornet's nest. Everyone began leaping from the ships, distancing themselves from the fleet. But the speed of the waves was immense. From the moment the summoning animals spotted the waves to the moment they struck the fleet, only two minutes had passed. Some had managed to evacuate, while others had just received the command.
BOOM! An earth-shattering roar erupted.
Under the violent shaking of the sea, the Hidden Cloud's ships were tossed about like children's toys, thrown high into the air. Then, the colossal waves came crashing down, smashing the ships into the sea. Their hulls shattered instantly.
In the face of such a monstrous wave, the Cloud shinobi had no ninjutsu capable of resisting it. Even the Raikage could only protect a few people. Anyone who failed to escape the wave's path in time was almost instantly swept into the sea.
"Help..."
"Ahhh..."
"Run..."
"Get away from the ships!..."
"Quick!..."
The scene was filled with countless screams and wails. But most people didn't even have the chance to cry out before being devoured by the waves. The entire fleet was torn to shreds, a scene of hell on earth.
The quicker Cloud shinobi who had escaped the ships stood on the heaving sea surface, drenched by the churning water. The violent undertows made it difficult for some to even maintain their footing on the water. They could only flee from the wreckage and the range of the waves.
The surface was perilous, but the depths were just as dangerous. When the waves smashed the ships into the sea, they created massive underwater vortexes. The fluctuating pressure could render a person unconscious instantly, their chakra thrown into chaos. No matter how strong they were, their only option was to flee for their lives.
Wave after wave crashed down. Even the Hidden Cloud's steel-hulled vessels could not escape their fate. The metal on the ships twisted like clay into various shapes.
Those at the rank of Special Jonin or above were relatively safe. But for chunin and below, if their ship was even slightly at the front, being swept into the sea was almost a death sentence. The desperate cries of the Cloud shinobi were all swallowed by the roar of the tsunami.
Ten minutes later, the sea suddenly returned to a state of calm, just as strangely as the tsunami had appeared. The surface was littered with the wreckage of ships and many injured Cloud shinobi.
The Raikage stood on the water, his face ashen and his eyes burning with rage as he surveyed the decimated fleet. He could tell at a glance that this tsunami was man-made. Otherwise, it would be impossible in this sea and under these weather conditions. Moreover, it had stopped so abruptly.
What he didn't know was that the Hidden Mist had been forced to trigger the tsunami prematurely. Had the Hidden Cloud reached the intended position, their losses would have been far greater.
The Raikage estimated that their vanguard of three thousand had lost about a third of their ships. All the Cloud shinobi were currently engaged in rescue efforts, so the death toll had yet to be calculated, but the number of injured was likely substantial.
"Hidden Mist, I truly underestimated you," the Raikage gritted out.
Mabui had been by his side the entire time and was unharmed.
"Send a message to Killer Bee. We've been attacked. Our estimated landing time will be delayed by three days. Tell him he must hold the base on Tsuzawa Island. He is not to attack without authorization before I arrive."
"Yes, sir!"
"The Hidden Mist will surely take this opportunity to assault the base. Bee and Yugito's injuries haven't fully healed yet. The situation is a bit dangerous." The Raikage pondered for a moment. "Mabui, I will go ahead alone as reinforcements. The rest of the fleet will follow."
Mabui's expression changed. "Lord Raikage, isn't that too risky?"
With the Raikage's speed, he could indeed provide swift support, but C and Darui had already been dispatched to the outpost. The Raikage had no guards with him. What if something happened while he was traveling alone?
The Raikage waved a hand dismissively. "The situation on the front lines is critical. Only my early arrival can relieve the pressure. With my speed, it won't be easy to trap me. It's decided."
Mabui knew this was a necessary risk. "Very well, Lord Raikage. Please be careful on your journey. I will command the fleet to catch up as quickly as possible."
...
On the sea near the Hidden Cloud fleet, a yin-yang face wrapped in an aloe-like leaf broke the surface. It was Zetsu.
After the Hidden Mist decided to activate their formation, Zetsu had not fled. He had used his Mayfly Technique to sneak over, wanting to see just how powerful this formation truly was. He had arrived just in time to witness the entire man-made tsunami.
"This Hidden Mist formation is quite impressive. If the Hidden Cloud had been a little further, they probably would have lost half their forces, haha," White Zetsu chuckled gleefully.
Black Zetsu's voice was deep. "Who is this Hihō? Why is he involved with the Uchiha, and why is he poaching members from our organization?"
White Zetsu snorted. "Hihō must be one of Nagato's people, obviously."
Black Zetsu shook his head. "Then why would he send members of the organization back to the Hidden Mist?"
Black Zetsu mulled it over. There were two possibilities. First, Hihō was a spy planted in the organization by the Hidden Mist, who then collaborated with the Uchiha to plot against the Hidden Cloud. When he saw former Mist shinobi in the organization, he recalled them. The second possibility was that Hihō was acting on his own accord.
Only these two scenarios could explain the sequence of events. The Hidden Mist Village was clearly not as simple as it seemed. Black Zetsu had thought the Mist were sheep ready for the slaughter, but they had laid a massive tsunami formation on the seabed, destroying a third of the Cloud fleet and likely causing seven or eight hundred casualties.
If "Hihō" of the Akatsuki was truly a plant from the Hidden Mist, it meant the village still had some tricks up its sleeve. As for how Hihō got connected with the Uchiha clan, used them to obtain intel on the Hidden Cloud, and then leveraged the Akatsuki's power against them—whether it was Hihō's scheme or the Hidden Mist's arrangement was unknown.
Would Hihō use the Uchiha to wear down the Akatsuki's members in the future?
Zetsu felt a mix of emotions and decided not to report this to Nagato for the time being. With the Hidden Mist currently weak, covering for Hihō might allow the Hidden Cloud to suffer even greater losses. The top priority now was to report Itachi and Shisui's location to Obito. It would be best if both of them met their end here!
The Uchiha's strength had grown too formidable since Kawasaki's appearance. The number of Mangekyo Sharingan users in the clan had become public knowledge—several of them. Without financial burdens, the entire clan was experiencing explosive growth. The number of Uchiha born in the last few years nearly equaled the total from the previous twenty. If the Uchiha were allowed to develop unchecked, the future would be filled with uncertainty.
Since an opportunity had presented itself, Zetsu intended to weaken the Uchiha. First, he would go find Obito.
His mind made up, Zetsu used the Mayfly Technique and vanished from the sea's surface.
...
News of the Hidden Cloud's invasion of the Hidden Mist spread like wildfire, and the number of spies tracking them on the road increased daily. Spies from various powers used all their skills, some using flying summoning animals to track from the air, others using aquatic summons to follow from below. Their goal was singular: to monitor the Hidden Cloud's movements.
News of the Cloud army encountering a tsunami spread quickly. People soon guessed that the bizarre and sudden tsunami was the work of the Hidden Mist. Although it was unclear how they had accomplished it, it was undeniably a heavy blow to the Hidden Cloud, crushing their momentum.
The Cloud's vanguard lost over seven hundred people, more than half of whom vanished without a trace, their bodies washed away by the ferocious tsunami to unknown locations. Casualties are inevitable in war, but for the Hidden Cloud to lose hundreds of shinobi before even seeing the enemy was a great loss of face.
Though a third of their ships were lost, the remaining vessels could still carry the surviving personnel, albeit in crowded conditions. After the tsunami, the Hidden Cloud became much more cautious. After regrouping the fleet, they no longer advanced as a single body but in smaller, staggered groups, fearing the Mist might have similar tricks in store.
This change drastically reduced their travel speed, completely erasing their initial advantage. If the Cloud army hadn't captured the Twin Islands by the time they reached the Mist, the Hidden Stone would likely seize the opportunity to attack the Cloud's homeland. At that point, the Hidden Cloud would face immense pressure.
But they were already past the halfway point and closing in on the Mist. The Raikage had decided to land on the island first. With two jinchuriki there, it was a gamble worth taking. Now, it all depended on whether the Uchiha could stop the Hidden Stone from making a move.
...
Inside the Hokage's office.
"Old man, have you received the news from the Hidden Mist?" Orochimaru walked in, looking unusually invigorated.
The Third Hokage took a drag from his pipe, slowly exhaling a cloud of smoke that wreathed his face. "We have many spies in that area. The news came as soon as it happened. All the major powers know about the commotion at sea. Ibiki is the closest; he was on a mission nearby and should be able to land today."
Orochimaru nodded, then let out a sinister laugh. "That group of Uchiha from the Sound Village went to the Land of Four Roads. Itachi and Shisui are on the battlefield in the Land of Water."
"Oh?" The Third's expression grew serious. "Is this information reliable?"
Orochimaru extended his tongue and licked his lips. "Relax. Kawasaki told me himself. He wanted me to help him keep you occupied, to make you think the Uchiha were near Konoha. In reality, he doesn't want you to interfere with his cooperation with the Hidden Cloud."
The Third Hokage fell silent for a moment. If the Uchiha were truly near Konoha, the Leaf would never allow the Hidden Sand or Hidden Stone to pass through its borders. The risk was too great. If either village allied with the Uchiha to attack Konoha, the consequences would be dire. To play it safe, the Leaf would likely seal its borders, which would temporarily prevent the Hidden Stone from using the Land of Fire as a shortcut to the Mist battlefield. Kawasaki's collaboration with the Hidden Cloud would then proceed smoothly.
"Kawasaki is quite the schemer." The current Uchiha clan head was the polar opposite of Fugaku.
A morbid smile spread across Orochimaru's face. "A pity he miscalculated."
Seeing this, the Third knew Orochimaru already had a countermeasure. "Orochimaru, what is your plan?"
Orochimaru spoke with brimming confidence. "With a large portion of the Hidden Cloud's forces heading to the Mist, their homeland is inevitably vulnerable. You just need to open a small path for the Hidden Stone. The Uchiha went to the Land of Four Roads specifically to obstruct the Stone from passing through. The two sides are bound to clash. As long as you leak the information, the Hidden Stone will dispatch their elites, and Kawasaki's group will have to intercept them."
The Third Hokage looked at Orochimaru, unable to hide the delight in his eyes. He never expected Orochimaru to possess such political cunning. Indeed, that Uchiha squad from the Sound Village was a hidden threat. If the Leaf released this information, the Uchiha wouldn't dare take the risk. Given the old grudge between the Stone and the Cloud, the Hidden Stone was unlikely to pass up this chance to strike at their rival. Although the Uchiha's ultimate goal was unclear, they certainly wouldn't let the Stone pass now.
It was better to deal with a known threat than a hidden one. The Third nodded. Konoha could weaken the Uchiha without lifting a single finger. What could be better? It was just a matter of letting two hundred Stone shinobi pass through.
It seems Kawasaki's greatest mistake was controlling Orochimaru with Kotoamatsukami!
Thinking of how Orochimaru had quietly handed over the Uchiha's prized culinary secrets to the Daimyo, the Third Hokage felt a surge of satisfaction. All they needed was the right moment, and Konoha could have its reckoning with the Uchiha.
"Rest assured, Orochimaru. I will notify the Tsuchikage at once." The Third was growing more and more pleased with Orochimaru.
However, Orochimaru's next words made his face sink again. "I'll leave this to you, old man. I'm heading back to my lab."
Watching Orochimaru's retreating figure, the Third felt a little helpless. The current Orochimaru was solely focused on his revenge against the Uchiha clan. He had no interest in the Hokage position, didn't train any subordinates, and accepted no missions. His favorite pastime was tinkering with experiments in his lab.
Faced with this version of Orochimaru, the Third Hokage hesitated once more. But his hesitation didn't last long, and he soon relaxed. There was still time. He could observe a while longer. After all, Orochimaru was far more reliable than Jiraiya these days.
...
In the Hidden Leaf Village.
Orochimaru returned to his laboratory. As soon as he entered, he saw Anko Mitarashi pacing back and forth at the door.
A smile curled on Orochimaru's lips. "Little Anko. What's this? Have you finally decided to come see your sensei?"
Anko hesitated for a moment before finally mustering her courage. "Sensei, I want to know why you didn't take me with you when you left all those years ago. What are the memories you sealed away from me?"