Kirigakure.
Kimimaro stood before the Third Mizukage with unwavering loyalty written across his face, his expression neither joyful nor sorrowful.
He seemed like nothing more than a tool awaiting its master's command. Wherever the Third Mizukage pointed, that would become the target of his blade.
Genji pondered for a moment before finally speaking.
"Given the village's current situation, I do believe what you've proposed—starting a war—is indeed a good choice."
"The Bloody Mist policy has already tempered our shinobi to the level we expected. As you know, there was quite an incident at the Academy this year, and public outrage over it still hasn't died down..."
He was referring to the major incident Zabuza had caused in defiance of the Bloody Mist.
During the live-combat graduation exam, Zabuza had not only slaughtered many of his fellow students, but had even wounded several examiners—and afterward, he had flatly refused to apologize.
His actions had shocked countless Kirigakure shinobi.
The nerves they had gradually numbed under relentless oppression were suddenly jolted back to life, and more and more of them found themselves unable to tolerate the Bloody Mist any longer.
No one approved of Zabuza's extremism.
But through that madness forced out of him, most Kirigakure shinobi finally saw the rotting truth of their village.
Was this still a village?
It was nothing more than an arena stripped of all humanity!
If things kept going like this, regressing all the way back to the Warring States Era might actually count as progress...
The tragedy born from the Bloody Mist, coupled with Hi-kun and Black Zetsu breaking the prisoner's dilemma that had everyone living in fear, caused opposition against the Third Mizukage to explode almost overnight.
The Third Mizukage breathed heavily as he silently mouthed Zabuza's name.
"Those fools don't understand!"
"I've done all this for Kirigakure's sake! Why are they still opposing me?"
"Only war... only war can make Kirigakure's shinobi realize just how far ahead the Bloody Mist has pushed their combat strength compared to the rest of the shinobi world! I'll lead them to seize the richest lands and resources!"
"Only then will they understand the effort I've poured into all this. Only then will they realize I was right all along!"
Genji nodded.
"That's exactly right, Mizukage-sama..."
Truthfully, even Genji believed the Third Mizukage had gone too far.
But he had always firmly adhered to one principle:
Whoever becomes Mizukage has my support.
Because of that, he had never voiced any objections.
From Genji's perspective, Konoha had already become astonishingly weak. It couldn't even keep its own rank-and-file shinobi under control. Compared to the ninja clans of the Warring States Era, it actually fell short.
Even if they had been fortunate enough to obtain some of the Sky Ninja's technology, such as integrated sea-air cruisers, it was meaningless.
Having lived through the Warring States Era, Genji understood one truth better than anyone.
If a collective couldn't clench itself into a single fist, then no matter how abundant its resources looked on the surface, once the fighting began, less than a tenth of its true strength would actually be brought to bear.
"Konoha may appear stronger on the surface, but pampered shinobi and advanced equipment both demand an exceptionally high level of organization and discipline before they can be transformed into genuine military strength on the battlefield."
Genji narrowed his eyes as he analyzed the situation.
"Those arrogant shinobi who refuse to follow Sarutobi Hiruzen will all fight independently once the war begins. Some will even use the chaos of war as an opportunity to eliminate each other, exposing weakness after weakness."
"You could say..."
"The stronger Konoha appears, the weaker it truly becomes!"
"Mizukage-sama, allow me to congratulate you in advance. Under your leadership, Kirigakure has already won this war."
His tone carried absolute certainty.
Nakamaro's expression remained unchanged, though inwardly he nodded slightly.
In truth, Genji's logic wasn't wrong.
Whether it was the Uchiha, the Kaguya, or any clan capable of producing multiple powerful shinobi, they had all encountered similar problems.
A hidden village could, in a rather crude sense, be viewed as one enormous ninja clan.
This was precisely what people meant by perishing through one's own strength.
Genji isn't some empty-headed fool. He actually knows what he's talking about. No wonder he managed to serve as the strategist of three Mizukage.
Unfortunately... while his reasoning is correct, his premise is completely wrong.
Nakamaro kept his face perfectly composed.
Every time he thought about the Hokage's overwhelming prestige within Konoha...
He wanted to laugh.
What kind of heroic figure had Hyuga Tenzō been?
Without ever leaving the Hyūga main house, he had remained fully informed about major and minor events throughout the entire shinobi world.
The three secret strategies he had left Nakamaro only required minor adjustments before Nakamaro rapidly climbed Kirigakure's ranks and became one of the Third Mizukage's most trusted confidants.
Yet even such an extraordinary man had never once shown the slightest disloyalty toward Sarutobi Hiruzen. Whenever he taught Nakamaro, his admiration for the Hokage had been unmistakable.
Nakamaro wasn't a fool.
He could tell genuine sincerity from empty pretense.
After returning to Kirigakure, he quietly built up his own faction while studying every aspect of Konoha's culture and political structure.
Only then did he realize that both the Hyūga main family and branch family had become deeply intertwined with Konoha itself, forming an intricate yet remarkably stable balance.
Beginning with Hyūga Hizashi...
Then the Council Member system...
Then the branch family's entry into the ANBU...
Then the diplomatic role assumed by the main family...
Then the complete reform of the next generation of the Hyūga Clan...
Looking at this entire chain of events, Nakamaro could almost picture Sarutobi Hiruzen himself.
Smiling gently as he sat across from Tenzō...
Advancing step by step...
Gradually extending the Hokage's authority into the Hyūga Clan until it became thoroughly infused with the Will of Fire.
As though he had settled the entire Hyūga Clan while calmly sipping tea and smoking a pipe.
Most importantly...
Everyone had come out satisfied.
The Hyūga main family had surrendered what they once considered their status, but in exchange they gained a privileged head start in diplomacy while also eliminating the resentment the branch family had accumulated over a thousand years.
As for the branch family...
There was hardly any need to mention them.
Abolishing the Caged Bird Seal had been the single most popular decision imaginable.
Whenever Nakamaro thought about it, he couldn't help feeling deeply moved.
Throughout the shinobi world, genuine cooperation was already exceedingly rare.
Cases where both sides truly benefited were even rarer.
Yet somehow...
Every example involving the Hokage was exactly like that.
"Nakamaro, what do you think?"
The Third Mizukage was extremely pleased with Genji's assessment.
Like a drowning man clutching at a single straw, he desperately convinced himself it was actually a life raft.
Besides, Genji's analysis wasn't without merit.
It truly was the advice of a seasoned statesman.
"Genji-sama's analysis is truly brilliant. I'm still just a young man. Compared to veterans like you and Genji-sama, I can clearly feel just how wide the gap between us is."
"You know how the Kaguya Clan has always been hopeless when it comes to strategy. I've tried my best to make up for that and keep pace with the way you think..."
Nakamaro smiled somewhat sheepishly.
"But I still can't do it. So I figured I'd just follow your orders. It's much more efficient that way."
For the first time in a long while, the Third Mizukage laughed.
"You, honestly..."
"Don't put yourself down like that!"
"As for the Kaguya Clan when it comes to brains... well..."
The Third Mizukage thought for a moment before finally bursting into laughter.
It was one of Kirigakure's oldest jokes.
"They really have quite the reputation. But you're different!"
Even Genji smiled.
The Kaguya Clan's intelligence had been tested by history for over a thousand years.
Producing someone as obedient and reliable as Nakamaro was already remarkable enough.
It wasn't the Hyūga Clan.
No one actually expected the Kaguya Clan to suddenly start producing geniuses.
Simply working alongside the Hyūga Clan wasn't magically going to make the Kaguya smarter.
History had already proven that.
What Genji didn't know...
Was that previous cooperation between the Hyūga and the Kaguya had always had its limits.
Nakamaro, however, had received the benefit of Uchiha-style thinking, complete immersion in Konoha's environment, and Tenzō's wholehearted instruction.
"I have great expectations for you."
"Stay by my side and continue learning."
The Third Mizukage nodded in satisfaction.
Nakamaro's heart stirred.
That was practically hinting that he was being groomed as the successor.
Even so, Nakamaro merely nodded with the same honest smile and said nothing further.
The Third Mizukage and Genji exchanged glances.
Unable to help themselves, both burst into laughter before shaking their heads with amused sighs.
He didn't even understand what they were implying?
He really was adorably simple-minded...
"Genji, inform every shinobi in the village immediately."
"The time has come to prove the results of the Bloody Mist!"
The Third Mizukage smiled at Nakamaro before his expression turned serious.
"Dispatch envoys to Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kumogakure."
"Tell them Kirigakure is going to Konoha to feast on meat."
"If they want a share of the soup, they can follow behind us."
"To show our sincerity, Kirigakure will launch the first assault from the coastline."
"The entire army will move out!"
"Make sure they understand this: even if they intend to turn on each other after everyone's had their fill, they can hold themselves back until Konoha has been completely crushed."
"Don't repeat the First Shinobi World War."
"The moment they ran into setbacks, they immediately retreated and started fighting among themselves."
As one of the shinobi world's elder statesmen, the Third Mizukage had once served as the First Mizukage's personal guard.
He had lived through the Warring States Era and both complete Shinobi World Wars.
The collapse of the four-village alliance during the First Shinobi World War remained vivid in his memory.
Back then, with both Hashirama and Madara gone from Konoha, although Tobirama's countless tactical innovations were still unforgettable even now...
The other four great villages had possessed brilliant talents of their own.
If they had truly united...
They could have won.
Unfortunately, becoming a single united force had never been realistic.
Konoha certainly inspired caution.
But the hatred among the other great villages wasn't something to be underestimated either.
Mutual suspicion came naturally.
Still...
Did they really have to descend into total chaos the moment they encountered difficulties?
The Third Mizukage sighed.
Achieving unity within a single hidden village was already difficult enough.
Trying to forge a stable alliance with several others was an entirely different matter.
"That Will of Fire Konoha keeps talking about..."
"It does have some value in that regard."
The Third Mizukage snorted.
"If it weren't for the God of Shinobi's reputation—and Sarutobi Hiruzen's foolish sense of decency—if Konoha acted just a little more aggressively, it might actually become the common external threat capable of uniting the other four great villages."
But now...
If the Third Mizukage wanted to mobilize the other great villages, Kirigakure itself had to charge in first.
That would undoubtedly mean bearing the brunt of Konoha's military strength.
It was entirely possible Kirigakure would suffer heavy losses just to rally everyone else.
But at this point...
The Third Mizukage had no other choice.
If things dragged on any longer...
Civil unrest might erupt within Kirigakure itself.
Genji nodded.
"Everything has two sides."
"The Will of Fire may have made Konoha overly tolerant toward its rank-and-file shinobi, but it has also convinced the other villages that Konoha isn't much of a threat."
"There's no need to worry, Mizukage-sama."
"The moment we land in the Land of Fire, they'll all follow suit."
"The sincerity we're demonstrating this time is unprecedented in the history of the shinobi world."
The Third Mizukage nodded.
After all, Hiruzen was carrying Hashirama's banner...
Not Madara's.
Thinking about that left the Third Mizukage feeling somewhat regretful.
How had the Shinobi World Shura lost at the Valley of the End?
If only he had defeated the God of Shinobi first and then been left gravely wounded...
That would have been perfect.
Nakamaro blinked but remained silent.
He had personally witnessed Hiruzen demonstrate Ice Release at the Ninja Academy.
With power like that...
Even the greatest expert the Ice Release Clan had ever produced probably couldn't reproduce it.
I wonder whether Hokage-sama has grown even stronger during the two or three years since I left Konoha.
Reached the level of the Shinobi World Shura?
No... that's impossible.
Tenzō-ojiisan never mentioned anything like that.
At the thought, Nakamaro found himself missing his days in Konoha.
Although he now held tremendous authority in Kirigakure, every step he took felt like walking on thin ice.
One careless mistake could invite suspicion and doubt.
He could hardly ever sleep peacefully.
Yet during the days he had stayed with the Uchiha Clan...
He had slept soundly every single night.
Even the air itself had seemed sweeter.
In an environment as extremely unstable as Kirigakure, it was not only Nakamaro who found it difficult to sleep soundly. Even Genji and the Third Mizukage struggled to get a good night's sleep.
Everyone was wary of everyone else. The tension spread upward from the lower ranks, constantly colliding and feeding off itself.
"Go. Inform the village's shinobi of my decision!"
The Third Mizukage swept a hand through the air and loosened his muscles.
A sharp glint flashed through his eyes. Compared to the Kage of the other hidden villages, he had a hidden trump card.
He could communicate with the Three-Tails!
Through a special technique, he could obtain chakra from the Three-Tails even without becoming its jinchūriki…
With the combat strength of a Kage and the support of a tailed beast, the Third Mizukage was confident that he was invincible near any body of water…
'If only I had been able to control the Three-Tails back then…'
'That madman could never have defeated me! I really wish I could dig him out of his grave and fight him again…' the Third Mizukage muttered to himself.
Even after so many years, he still could not forget the humiliation of losing to Hōzuki Gengetsu.
...
Kirigakure.
The Internal Affairs Department.
A hidden room.
Nakamaro, Snow, and Kisame had gathered together.
The three exchange students from Konoha had already established a certain foundation in Kirigakure. By exploiting loopholes in the Bloody Mist through Nakamaro's position, they had built up an energetic underground group.
"The Third Mizukage is finally going to declare war on Konoha!"
Nakamaro said with a grave expression: "Make sure you two warn the brothers. Whenever they encounter Konoha shinobi, they are to fall back. I'll arrange some assignments for you that will keep you out of the fighting. If you get blood on your hands, things will become troublesome later…"
"Tell them this is for their own good. You and I both know the quality of Konoha's shinobi. Kirigakure shinobi simply cannot compare with that level of training intensity and organization."
"Besides, Kirigakure is currently supposed to have friendly and cooperative relations with Konoha. If we suddenly betray them, Konoha's fury is entirely predictable. It would be terrible if our people got too close to the front and were killed."
"We did not come to live a life in the shinobi world just to serve as cannon fodder for that moron Kiritori!"
Kisame and Snow nodded naturally. "We understand!"
During their time in Kirigakure, they had both come to recognize Nakamaro as the brains of their group…
The man truly was clever and capable!
Kisame had even once asked Nakamaro, 'Nakamaro, I'm half shark-man, and I don't mean any offense by this, but are you half Kaguya?'
The question had made Nakamaro laugh.
"As for Terumī Mei…"
Nakamaro pondered briefly. "Kisame, give her a subtle hint and let her understand what we mean. After all, we all studied abroad in Konoha together. Consider it our way of honoring that bond."
Because of her family's position, Mei was also dissatisfied with the Bloody Mist.
However, her rebellious awareness was not as strong as Nakamaro's and the others', so she had not been brought into the group's inner circle.
Nakamaro's cooperation with her rested on an unspoken understanding. Neither of them had openly stated their attitude toward Konoha.
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Karatachi Yagura, Genji, and the Three-Tails will all be fully mobilized this time…"
"Let them hold the front line while we preserve our effective strength. Wait for Tenzō-ojiisan and me to find an opportunity to establish contact. After that, wait for my orders."
Kisame nodded, then said thoughtfully: "That should not be difficult. The village is currently divided into multiple factions. Even without us deliberately avoiding battle, once the fighting truly starts, the orders issued by the various sides will probably conflict with one another…"
The Konoha that Genji had analyzed was actually much closer to Kirigakure's true situation.
Once battle began, Kirigakure's poor level of organization would throw battlefield commands into chaos. It would not be difficult to muddy the waters and slip through unnoticed.
Especially with the battlefield supervision unit still under Nakamaro's control.
"The situation on a battlefield can change in an instant, but this time, we should do everything we can to get the Third Mizukage killed. Ideally, we should also eliminate that troublesome old man Genji. Once they're gone, no one in Kirigakure will be able to stop us…"
Kisame spoke in a low voice. The Bloody Mist had wounded him so deeply that he was already beginning to show faint signs of turning dark.
With vermin like these running Kirigakure, there was no hope of things improving even in their next lives!
Snow added, "If we get the chance, we should also eliminate Suikazan Fuguki, Munashi Jinpachi, and Kuriarare Kushimaru. Those three are no longer mentally normal. They've become completely immersed in killing…"
A trace of anger flashed through Kisame's eyes.
The Heartless Duo were exceptionally brutal even toward their own shinobi, while Suikazan Fuguki knew nothing except how to curry favor with the Third Mizukage…
"I'll find an opportunity to eliminate them! Samehada and the other two ninja swords are being disgraced in their hands."
Nakamaro nodded and declared solemnly: "Comrades, let us bring the Bloody Mist to an end together!"
Kisame and Snow exchanged a glance, then extended their hands toward Nakamaro. Their three palms came together with a heavy slap.
"For peace and Kirigakure!"
That was their group's slogan.
Nakamaro drew a quiet breath and said inwardly, 'So I can become a Konoha Council Member as soon as possible!'
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