Chapter 16 A Dog Licker
In the dead of night, not wanting to go back to see the silver-spotted cat with its big orange tabby fawning over it early in the morning, I lay down in the pink cat bed in the house and fell asleep, my fur rising and falling gently with my breath.
Anlan was not in a hurry.
He leaned against the window and carefully sorted through the events of the day's clan meeting in his mind.
Moonlight streamed through the window lattice, casting flickering shadows on his sharply defined profile.
Anlan's thoughts eventually settled on the bounty hunter, Kakuzu.
This rogue ninja from Takigakure, who hasn't yet joined Akatsuki, can practically roam freely in the current ninja world thanks to his genuine Kage-level strength.
Furthermore, due to his good professional ethics and his obsessive love of money, even though he is eccentric and ruthless, he still has some redeeming qualities.
As a time traveler who gradually took over the power of the hawks during his growth, Anlan couldn't possibly not take advantage of it.
He secretly commissioned the cat to complete many tasks under the name of Ninja Cat.
Assassinating a Cloud Village ninja and framing Konoha were just some of his schemes.
'The upcoming battle with Kirigakure requires careful consideration; perhaps we can reach an agreement with the leader of Kirigakure on the front lines.'
Anlan began to ponder slowly.
At this moment, the one in charge of Kirigakure is not the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, but the Third Mizukage who has already begun to implement the "Blood Mist Policy".
One of the core aspects of this policy is the reform of the ninja graduation exam.
The original teamwork exam was changed to a survival elimination system.
Students in the same year must kill each other until only half remain; the losers will be executed.
This extreme selection method is euphemistically called improving the combat capabilities of Kirigakure ninjas and cultivating outstanding ninjas with blood.
However, he was neither born into a bloodline family nor was he stronger than the Third Mizukage, whose strength was only at the level of an ordinary Kage.
His own prestige was insufficient to truly implement such extreme policies.
According to information gathered by Kakuzu and the Ninja Cat, the Third Mizukage intentionally instigated a conflict between bloodline clans and commoner ninjas.
It seems the intention is to have bloodline ninjas suppress civilian ninjas, leading to escalating conflicts and creating a survival-of-the-fittest system in disguise.
Such methods…
A cold glint flashed in Anlan's eyes.
'It's likely that the Third Mizukage was already being controlled by Madara Uchiha, who was barely clinging to life and hiding behind the scenes.'
The value of the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan is beyond doubt; in the current ninja world, anyone who possesses it is doomed.
This also explains why, in the later stages of the Third Shinobi World War, the Three-Tails, a strategic resource of Kirigakure, was able to be sealed inside Rin Nohara, a mere genin.
Then, naturally, Kakashi kills Rin Nohara, causing Obito Uchiha, who witnessed everything, to fall into despair and awaken his Mangekyou Sharingan amidst his collapsing faith.
Everything was a pre-arranged plan.
So, how do we communicate with the Hidden Mist ninja, and how do we gain benefits from them?
Even though some commoner ninjas have emerged, the main fighting force of the major ninja villages is mostly composed of bloodline limit holders or masters of secret techniques.
With the Hidden Mist Village invading the Land of Fire, its frontline command must include many elites from families with bloodline limits and secret techniques.
This gave Anlan room to communicate.
The Third Mizukage's policies could not gain the support of bloodline limit and secret technique ninja clans.
In particular, the Hozuki clan, the number one ninja clan in Kirigakure, had a former clan leader named Hozuki Gengetsu who rose to power and became the Second Mizukage through sheer strength.
The current Third Mizukage was originally the Second Mizukage, so in the eyes of the ninja clan, he is a failure.
At the same time, the Third Mizukage did not receive the support of ordinary ninjas.
Because the starting point for ninja clans is different from that of commoners, if a system of elimination were implemented, the children from commoner families would undoubtedly be the ones who die the most.
How do the Hidden Mist Village members, who rose from commoners to Jonin, view and think this?
However, in the Naruto world depicted by Kishimoto, the mindset of ninjas is that subordinates obey superiors.
Even if nobles pointed at their heads and cursed them, they would still respectfully act like dogs, let alone their true leaders.
If handled properly, the Third Mizukage's Blood Mist policy will definitely be implemented.
Then, under the control of the Fourth Mizukage and Obito Uchiha, Kirigakure, which was subjected to retaliation, became the true "Village of the Bloody Mist".
'A bloodline clan, a commoner ninja, and the Third Mizukage—if this love triangle is handled well, the Uchiha clan can profit.'
'As for what I can gain, there are only two things: one is to use Kirigakure to control Konoha, stockpile provisions, and delay declaring myself king; the other is to seize the Three-Tails.'
As her thoughts wandered, Anlan recalled Uchiha Obito, who had not yet awakened his Sharingan, was still a loser, and liked to help old ladies cross the street.
He cannot use events that did not happen to convict Obito Uchiha of crimes.
If handled well, the Uchiha clan might even gain a sycophant, well, a great general.
Through years of observation and training of Daju and Anlan, Anlan has collected extensive information on sycophants.
As long as Obito holds onto Rin Nohara and lets her live in a world with Rin, he is an invincible god of pure love.
Without Rin, Obito was a complete madman, living in his own world.
'Next, we just need to wait for the outcome of the negotiations between the clan head and Hiruzen Sarutobi. Then, let Kakuzu add fuel to the fire, so that those barbarians from Kumogakure will finally lose their temper.'
A cold glint flashed in Anlan's eyes.
Once the Hidden Cloud Village breaks through the borders of the Land of Fire, the Hidden Stone Village and the Hidden Sand Village will surely swarm in like jackals smelling blood.
By then, war will have broken out.
Then there was no longer any room for the Hokage to weigh the pros and cons and proceed cautiously.
'And the Uchiha clan can use this opportunity to escape the most brutal chaos of battle and protect their people.'
Having made up his mind, he looked in the direction of Uchiha Mikoto's residence, whispered "Goodnight," and then turned away from the window.
A night breeze blew by, causing the hem of the dark yukata to sway slightly.
Ayan gently twitched her ear tips in her sleep.
Anlan casually tucked the thin blanket next to the cat bed around her before lying down on the bed.
A night passed by unnoticed, with some tossing and turning, while others slept soundly.
The Hokage Building remains brightly lit, like a tireless heart.
One after another, dark figures carrying urgent orders flew out from within, the figures of the ANBU ninjas disappearing beyond the borders of Konoha in a few leaps in the pre-dawn mist.
Having not slept all night, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood by the window, the blue smoke rising from his pipe swirling in the morning light.
He watched as Mitokado Homura steadily walked towards the gates of Konoha, embarking on his journey to the Daimyo's residence.
His gaze shifted and landed on the specially made crystal ball on the table.
The image inside shows Shimura Danzo, who is about to travel to various ninja clans to persuade them, his sinister eyes filled with reluctance.
A long sigh blended into the cool morning breeze.
"I hope... everything goes well."
The rising sun cast a long shadow of Hiruzen Sarutobi, making the empty office seem especially desolate.
Ps..
I'm working on Translation..
End of this chapter...