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Since Menma said it was a more important matter...
Then it must be something at least on the same level of importance as searching for the Three-Tails.
"What is it? Menma-kun!"
Shibuki also straightened his body subconsciously, asking with a slightly grim expression.
"That is to take action against the Hidden Grass Village! Forcefully annex the Hidden Grass Village!"
Menma's eyes flashed, speaking with a very sharp tone.
"What!?"
"Annex the Hidden Grass Village!?"
Let alone Shibuki and Agun.
Even Utakata sitting diagonally behind Menma showed a look of shock at this moment.
The Hidden Grass Village wasn't some insignificant ninja village. In terms of strength, it was an existence that could keep pace with the Hidden Waterfall and Hidden Rain villages in the ninja world, with a ninja count reaching nearly three thousand.
Although they were tormented by the Hidden Stone and Hidden Leaf villages in the Third Great Ninja War, their foundation remained.
They were not an existence to be underestimated.
If one of the Five Great Ninja Villages wanted to annex the Hidden Grass Village, without outside influence, they could indeed do it. But the Hidden Waterfall Village?
"Menma, you're not joking, are you? Annex the Hidden Grass Village? Just us? The strength of the Hidden Grass Village isn't much weaker than our Hidden Waterfall Village. Moreover, doing so will easily attract the attention of those major ninja villages faster, right?"
Shibuki said in disbelief.
He thought it was some other special preparation, but he didn't expect Menma to drop a bombshell right from the start.
Annexing the Hidden Grass Village... what did their Hidden Waterfall Village have to annex them with?
Isn't this a fantasy?
Agun also shook his head very decisively, clearly showing a very disapproving expression on his face.
"I'm not joking, Shibuki-san, Agun-san. And this isn't a whim of mine. As early as last year, I already started preparing!"
Menma replied with a very affirmative tone.
After defecting from the Hidden Leaf Village.
During the time he stayed at Orochimaru's base in the Land of Rice Fields, Menma had been considering which ninja village would be the most suitable starting point for him.
Cloud, Stone, Sand, Mist—these only passed through Menma's brain once before being abandoned by him.
Among the remaining ninja villages...
Too weak ones like the Hidden Hot Water and Hidden Star were impossible to consider.
The Hidden Rain Village was currently under Nagato's control.
Looking around.
Only the Hidden Waterfall and Hidden Grass villages could be considered.
The reason for ultimately choosing the Hidden Waterfall Village was not only because it had the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki and the Hero Water, but also because the leader, Shibuki, was a very young and good-natured person, suitable for Menma to integrate with and strive for a future position.
But the Hidden Grass Village also had corresponding advantages.
For example, in terms of ninja quality.
Over the years, the combat quality of the Grass ninja, who frequently engaged in battles, was on average just a notch lower than the Leaf, Cloud, and Stone, and on par with the Mist and Sand. Furthermore, they possessed the Box of Ultimate Bliss, a treasure inherited from the Sage of Six Paths!
That was a true weapon of war!
Absolutely a powerful existence comparable to a Tailed Beast, or perhaps even capable of suppressing Tailed Beasts from One to Seven. It's just that the risk was also very high.
Based on this point.
Even after joining the Hidden Waterfall Village, Menma still didn't give up on investigating and infiltrating the Hidden Grass Village. From the plot of the original story, this ninja village wasn't a monolith either.
At least it was blatantly divided into the "Ninja Village Faction" and the "Ghost City Faction"!
The former was the conventional Grass ninja power group led by the Hidden Grass Village leader—Kisuke Yano. The latter was the power group permanently stationed in Hozuki Castle (Ghost City), led by several Hidden Grass leaders and the current warden of Hozuki Castle, known as the largest prison in the ninja world—the Hidden Grass Jonin Mui.
When Menma first considered the Hidden Grass Village, he planned to start from this point to divide the Hidden Grass Village's forces and then gradually control its power. But the difficulty of that was obviously very high.
And the leaders of either side were solidly old foxes. Unless there was really no choice...
Otherwise, Menma wasn't willing to play mind games with these old guys.
That really wasn't Menma's strength. One slip and he could easily fall into someone else's trap. Play wits with those who aren't deep, play hardball with those who aren't strong.
Choosing different strategies for different people in different situations.
Play to strengths and avoid weaknesses!
This is the correct way.
"Now is the most suitable time to act against the Hidden Grass Village. I have already made initial contact with..."
Immediately after, Menma told Shibuki and Agun in front of him about all his preparations over the past half-year in detail.
He also told them all the plans he had currently set.
After all, it involved the overall military action of the Hidden Waterfall Village.
First, unlike an annihilation battle, the goal was to annex the Hidden Grass Village. This meant that at necessary moments, a large number of troops would be needed to restrict the Grass ninja's actions. No matter how strong Menma, Utakata, and others were, they could at most kill more enemies. But to capture enemies, their strength would fall short.
Dispatching a corresponding number of Waterfall ninja troops at the critical moment was a necessary meaning, so naturally, he needed the approval of Shibuki and Agun.
Second, the low combat quality of ninja was partly a training issue and partly a lack of necessary combat.
If Waterfall ninja were made to fight Leaf, Cloud, or Stone ninja right from the start, the pressure would be immense!
But Grass ninja were the most suitable targets.
Sweeping battles and capture battles could equally improve combat quality and skills.
Grass ninja were the best whetstone for their Hidden Waterfall Village!
As Menma continued to introduce and arrange in depth, the shock on Shibuki and Agun's faces gradually calmed down.
Plan before acting.
This is a quality an excellent leader must possess.
Menma certainly hadn't reached this height yet.
But doing his best to consider multiple aspects before making arrangements was the direction Menma had always striven for.
Just as Menma said himself.
Every step now couldn't be wrong.
One wrong step, and he might fall into an endless abyss of hell.
"This is my plan. I dare not say the success rate is 100%, but as long as we grasp the timing well and take down the Hidden Grass Village before other ninja villages react and intervene, there is still a 70-80% certainty!"
Menma paused, speaking with a serious expression.
Understanding was possible.
And they indeed felt this was an opportunity.
The probability of success could be considered high.
But to act against a ninja village almost the same size as their Hidden Waterfall Village, and not just a small skirmish but to annex the entire Hidden Grass Village in the shortest time... Shibuki and Agun still felt it was a bit outrageous.
Not to mention they were currently in an uncertain situation where they could be monitored and attacked by several major nations at any time.
"I still think it's too risky. Once the plan is hindered, or if we attract the attention of the Leaf, Cloud, or Stone ahead of time, we could easily fall into a very dangerous situation. Think twice, Menma-kun."
There was certainly temptation.
If they really succeeded.
Even if they couldn't win the hearts of those annexed Grass ninja for a while, and internal strife might occur, at least on the surface, the scale and volume of the Hidden Waterfall Village would directly expand to rival the Hidden Sand and Hidden Mist villages.
At that time, adding high-end combat power like Menma...
The Hidden Waterfall Village could solidly be called the Sixth Great Nation.
The leader could openly be called the Takikage. Whether the major nations dared to declare war directly on the Hidden Waterfall Village would be a big question mark.
The prospect was undoubtedly very wonderful.
But the premise here was that everything went smoothly.
If the Hidden Grass Village's resistance was stronger, lasted longer, or if after defeat they kept maneuvering and refused to join the Hidden Waterfall Village... as time went on, problems would follow one after another.
Once the Leaf, Cloud, or Stone intervened...
The consequences would be unimaginable!
This was the biggest reason Agun resolutely opposed it. He really wasn't willing to take such a big risk. 70-80% certainty? Agun didn't think the probability was that high. In Agun's view, this was an overly optimistic estimate by a young man.
Of course, Agun himself didn't notice that after Menma reverted to his true identity, a subtle change occurred in his heart.
A 20-something adult vs. a 13-year-old boy.
As long as one is a normal person, there will definitely be a difference in mentality.
Without considering extra factors.
Generally speaking, people are still willing to recognize and trust the former rather than the latter!
Age isn't absolutely important, but sometimes it just appears that important.
Menma himself keenly perceived this.
Especially seeing Shibuki wavering greatly because of Agun's words.
At that moment, he took a deep breath, shook his head gently with a grim look, and said: "It might not be appropriate for me to say this, but Agun-san, do we still have room to retreat? Indeed, in your view, this is a risky move. With our ninja village's current strength, there is a high probability we can withstand the Leaf and Cloud's assault, plus the extra assistance from Orochimaru-san and Ohnoki-san. It's not necessary to take too much risk. But those are ultimately external forces. Our strength still appears too illusory, not solid enough!"
"If we retreat here because of cowardice, then we can't estimate how terrifying the danger coming next will be. A gambler's mentality is dangerous and generally undesirable, but we have no choice. Taking down the Hidden Grass Village, gathering and integrating the power of two ninja villages—only then will our Hidden Waterfall have a true foothold in this ninja world!"
Menma looked at Shibuki and Agun with burning eyes.
Menma admitted his actions and words solidly had the meaning of coercion.
Or to be more precise, from the moment Menma joined the Hidden Waterfall Village, this ninja village was forcibly bound to Menma.
Unless Shibuki had made up his mind at the very beginning to stab Menma in the back directly and tell Menma's intelligence to the Leaf, Cloud, and other ninja villages... otherwise, from the moment Menma began to integrate into the Hidden Waterfall Village and brought benefits to it...
This village couldn't escape Menma's imprint.
Either move forward together or fall into the abyss together.
Shibuki actually had a clear understanding at the beginning.
Sō Mizuno could see this even more.
But similarly, they both chose to be willing to gamble, not only because they saw that possibility in Menma but also because under the situation at that time, they had no choice. The threat of Suien and the Rain ninja was close at hand.
Once rejecting Menma, it was 100% impossible for Shibuki to survive, and the entire Hidden Waterfall Village would fall into Suien's control.
As for regretting it later?
Shibuki wasn't that kind of person, and even less did he have that kind of guts.
Therefore, as Menma said.
They already had no way of retreat.
"Indeed, we already have no way of retreat. We can only keep moving forward!"
Shibuki took a deep breath.
Just as Agun wanted to say something, Shibuki spoke first.
Blame Menma?
That's a stupid question.
Although Shibuki couldn't be called an excellent leader, he was definitely not stupid. Weaknesses like hesitation and cowardice were corrected by Shibuki himself as early as the Suien rebellion incident.
Bound deeply with Menma...
They could only run wildly on this single-log bridge until the moment that broad, sunny road appeared!
"Let everything proceed according to your plan, Menma-kun. Agun-san, pass the order down. Let the village enter Level 1 Combat Readiness. At the necessary moment, let the troops invade the Hidden Grass Village!"
Shibuki said in a deep voice with a very decisive expression.
"!?"
Agun looked worried, opened his mouth to say something, but finally, as Shibuki turned those incredibly firm eyes toward him, Agun silently sighed in his heart, nodded gently, and replied: "Yes, I understand."
Subsequently.
Agun further confirmed some details with Menma, then left first to make necessary preparations before mobilization.
Wars between ninja villages, although not as complex as wars in the society of Menma's previous life and having many convenient means, still required a lot of preliminary preparation.
Although Menma said the war against the Hidden Grass Village would be launched in the near future...
It would take at least half a month to prepare at the fastest.
Moreover, before officially declaring war.
Menma still needed to infiltrate personally to trigger internal chaos within the Hidden Grass Village, greatly weakening its resistance.
Strong sense of déjà vu, right?
This was actually a replay of the action before Menma joined the Hidden Waterfall Village.
The difference was...
This time the means would appear more brutal!
Those high-level personnel in the hostile forces, as long as they were the relatively stubborn kind—count one, kill one. They all had to be cleaned up.
"Menma-kun, Agun-san is just a more cautious person. He's not really questioning your choice and ability."
After Agun left, Shibuki seemed to hesitate for a moment, then looked at Menma and spoke slowly.