Itachi and Jūzō walked side by side down the road at a leisurely pace, heading to see how Mei Terumī planned to host their visit.
It was likely that Mei was just now setting out to welcome them.
"Kai, what do you think of Kirigakure compared to our Konoha?"
In a quiet room, Might Guy and Kurenai Yuhi sat together, sipping tea.
Kurenai posed the question softly.
"The environment here isn't very comfortable—there's too much mist," Guy replied.
Taking a sip of tea, he noticed his clothes were damp and felt a bit irritated.
"The situation in Kirigakure has been unstable for years. Compared to our bustling Konoha, this place has been plagued by internal strife," Kurenai explained, summarizing the events in the Village Hidden in the Mist.
"I don't really understand all that," Guy said apologetically, noticing Kurenai's slightly uneasy expression.
Kurenai felt a tinge of disappointment at his response. Remembering the Hokage's instructions, her mind buzzed with worry.
She had heard that the new Mizukage had a temper. What if things didn't go well and it turned into a fight?
Her thoughts were chaotic, but her gaze remained firm.
The Hokage must have had a reason for arranging things this way.
"What's our mission here in the Land of Water?"
Elsewhere, Kisame Hoshigaki and Sasori stepped into the territory of the Land of Water.
"Our task this time is for a foreign employer. We're to investigate how the talks between Konoha's envoy team and the Mizukage are progressing. If things go too smoothly, we're to disguise ourselves as Konoha shinobi and cause trouble..." Kisame explained candidly, responding to Sasori's rare inquiry about their mission.
"I didn't expect our organization to take on this kind of job. Which village would stoop so low to hire us for something so sneaky?" Sasori remarked with a mix of surprise and disdain.
"Only the leader knows who the employer is, and it's confidential. We just need to do our job and not overthink it," Kisame replied nonchalantly to Sasori's ridicule.
He perfectly embodied the essence of what it meant to be a ninja...
Perhaps in the Akatsuki, Kisame was the only one who truly lived like a traditional shinobi.
"Itachi, what do you think of my plan?"
In the Mizukage's office, Itachi and Jūzō sat together as Jūzō casually shared his thoughts.
Itachi's expression was a bit peculiar.
Jūzō's idea wasn't bad, but something about it felt off to Itachi.
"How strong is your Kirigakure right now? If you go through with this, won't it backfire and hurt you instead?" Itachi questioned, expressing his doubts about Jūzō's plan.
"Then lend me a hand," Jūzō replied softly, undeterred by Itachi's skepticism.
His plan was to organize a large-scale military exercise to flex Kirigakure's strength in front of their potential allies.
But his true intention went deeper. He hoped to use the alliance with Konoha to unite Kirigakure's forces and solidify its power.
The idea was ambitious, but Itachi thought Jūzō was being overly extravagant.
It would undoubtedly consume significant resources.
"Forget it. I think going to such lengths won't yield much benefit. I can help you, but you'll need to adjust your plan a bit," Itachi said after some thought.
"How would you change it?"
Jūzō, who had already decided on the exercise, initially planned to use the encounter he and Itachi had experienced in the Land of Water as a template. It would be a red team versus blue team exercise.
The only difference was that their two-person infiltration would be replaced by an entire squadron's invasion, while the rest of the forces defended.
"Just directly evaluate for Jonin. As long as someone reaches Chunin, they're eligible to take the exam for promotion to Jonin. There's no need to worry about whether they meet the task count criteria."
"It's a time of crisis for your Kirigakure. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. This simplifies things, too."
In response to Jūzō's inquiry, Itachi spoke softly.
From his perspective, Kirigakure's current combat strength was lacking. Promoting a batch of Jonin first would be the best step.
Moreover, Jonin authorized by Jūzō were likely to be loyal to him, thus strengthening his power base.
"That doesn't sound too bad, but isn't this kind of rushing things? Typically, Jonin who qualify based on task completion are seasoned, highly experienced, and incredibly powerful. They can achieve a lot."
Hearing Itachi's suggestion, Jūzō frowned slightly, feeling it was a bit unreliable.
However, in Itachi's view, simple tasks could be done by anyone, while difficult missions often led to disaster, even for genuine Jonin.
The difference didn't seem that significant to him.
"Then why not set up a Chunin exam specifically for Kirigakure? Highlight the future potential, and use the opportunity to win over the younger generation of Mist ninja. Groom them to grow into assets for you."
In response to Jūzō's hesitation, Itachi offered another suggestion.
This approach felt more grounded.
From his perspective, since Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't coming here personally, Jūzō's grand gestures seemed ineffective and a waste of resources.
"But if we're going to hold a Chunin exam, why limit it to Kirigakure's kids? We might as well invite participants from other villages. That way, we could subtly expand our influence and send a message: 'Kirigakure is back.'"
Upon hearing Itachi's words, Jūzō made another proposal.
Once again, the budget and scale of the plan grew.
Jūzō's words left Itachi feeling powerless.
Itachi felt Jūzō had a habit of aiming too high, always wanting to go big.
This left Itachi with some concerns.
If other villages were invited, it might not be a huge issue. With Kirigakure's remaining foundation, they could manage a Chunin exam and pull it off successfully.
However, if something went wrong—like a situation akin to Orochimaru's destruction plan—it would ruin Jūzō's reputation entirely.
While such an event might stimulate the economy, with outsiders spending money in Kirigakure, a fight breaking out could be catastrophic. If innocent civilians or weaker individuals were caught in the crossfire, Jūzō would surely face a storm of backlash.
The risks outweighed the benefits.
Given Kirigakure's current fragile state, a misstep by Jūzō could leave the village in even worse condition.
It was a risk they couldn't afford.
"Taking too big a step could backfire. Jūzō, I suggest you think it over carefully…"
With these thoughts in mind, Itachi paused and earnestly advised Jūzō.
After all, Itachi wasn't from the Land of Water or Kirigakure, and he wouldn't be staying there permanently.
While he could maintain order if he remained, his presence risked exposing his identity, which could lead to other complications.
The Akatsuki might even descend upon the village en masse…
Looking at the bigger picture, Itachi felt Jūzō's plans were not very reliable.
"Itachi… How about you stay in Kirigakure? I'll abdicate and make you the Mizukage instead…"
Hearing Itachi's repeated rejections, Jūzō looked helpless.
He had a gambler's mindset, always trying to achieve great things with minimal resources.
But knowing Kirigakure's dire situation, it was hard for him not to feel anxious.
After all, as one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, Kirigakure had fallen far behind the others.
Their true foundation had been squandered long ago by Yagura…
"Don't even joke about that. You should consult Mei Terumī and Ao more often. Don't try to handle everything on your own."
Seeing Jūzō's weary demeanor, Itachi refrained from saying anything more.
He understood that Jūzō was in a tough spot.
Feeling anxious was only natural.