Of course.
In political matters, announcements are one thing, reality is another. The two are distinct yet relatively unified entities.
For example, after proclaiming that the Third Mizukage died fighting the Six-Tails, sacrificing himself for the village after being severely wounded, Kirigakure's Anbu and elite Ninjas of Chunin rank and above mobilized in full force, arresting all of the Third Mizukage's direct subordinates cleanly.
Even the Third Mizukage's residence and various assets under his name were turned upside down.
Many secret documents were found and quickly delivered to the Fourth Mizukage, Sora.
As for the Third Mizukage's direct Anbu who resisted Sora with force during the coup, they were all imprisoned for interrogation.
Led by the Byakugan-wielding Ao, they were interrogated and filtered one by one. The basic principle was to rather mistakenly kill a thousand than let one guilty person escape, ensuring that Madara's influence within Kirigakure was completely and thoroughly erased.
Searching, fighting, capturing, interrogating, imprisoning.
Similar tasks were repeated incessantly.
Seventy-two hours later, the Third Mizukage's core faction within the village was uprooted.
Intelligence documents were sealed as necessary, responsible parties were arrested or executed as appropriate, all handled cleanly and efficiently.
Sora remained firmly behind the scenes, wielding the power of life and death, yet stayed completely hands-off throughout.
For a true person in power, while maintaining absolute control over core authority, appropriately delegating secondary power is a rather necessary practice.
If this isn't done well, one ends up at the opposite extreme of Hashirama… becoming a future Hokage like Naruto, who would micromanage even helping an old lady cross the street.
Handling such trivial matters personally, in Sora's view, the Seventh Hokage Naruto's work approach was clearly diametrically opposed to rationality and not worth referencing.
Of course, Naruto's luck was good enough.
After the Fourth Great Ninja War, another top-tier combatant of the Ninja World, Uchiha Sasuke, did not turn against him.
Instead, he practically acted as a 'loyal' version of Danzo, giving Naruto a power base second to none, providing the foundation to suppress the Ninja World.
This was Naruto's good fortune, though Sora had only heard later about incidents like the Otsutsuki invasion and Naruto and Kurama's death, about which he wasn't clear.
However, it was predictable that in a world where strength matter the most like this, when an absolute pinnacle of power dies, the world would, by its original inertia, once again plunge into endless warfare.
Human desire is limitless. Expecting generations of ambitious individuals to remain docile without overwhelming power to suppress them is fundamentally impossible.
Sora was different from both Hashirama and Naruto. He was sufficiently powerful, his lifespan was sufficiently long, and he had ample time to change this world and establish a unified, immortal force.
Historically, countless powerful Ninjas had attempted to end this hate-filled world of war, which was probably an instinct of the strong.
When power becomes great enough, a corresponding sense of responsibility is born within the heart, leading one to choose their own method to guide the world towards a better future.
Whether it was Hashirama, Naruto, or even the Sage of Six Paths, Asura, Madara, Nagato, Obito, the Five Kage, and many others… they had all had similar awakenings in their hearts and had exerted arduous efforts for it.
Yet, ultimately, they fell short due to the force of history.
What is the force of history?
The advanced will eventually replace the backward, new systems will eventually replace old ones, relative unification will eventually replace relative division.
This is the force of history.
The wheel of history rolls forward, always ruthlessly crushing into fragments those things that obstruct its progress.
Just like decades ago, with the emergence of the village system single-handedly created by Hashirama and Madara, the century-old clan model was completely destroyed.
Because compared to the Ninja Village System, the clan model was more fragmented and more outdated, a relic of the old era, and was naturally replaced by the new era.
Of course,
This replacement isn't necessarily peaceful.
When a new era dawns, the remnants of the old era always feel discontent, anger, panic, and even impulses towards destruction. The only thing needed then is to suppress them with absolute power.
Evolution is cruel, just like human history, where every step forward treads upon piles of white bones.
Now,
As the one who single-handedly opened the new era, Sora also had matters that only he could face.
…
Mizukage Building.
Secret Chamber.
A three-party meeting was in progress.
The various incidents in Kirigakure had long reached the ears of the Land of Water's Daimyo. That Daimyo, with his indecisive and somewhat timid personality, had no choice but to personally come to the Kirigakure that even instilled some fear in him.
"The Three-Tails and Six-Tails died one after another, the Third Mizukage was secretly controlled and turned into a puppet... Kirigakure has truly experienced many incredible things..."
The Land of Water's Daimyo's face turned somewhat pale after hearing Genji's account. He hadn't expected such massive changes to occur in Kirigakure in just a few months.
"It is indeed quite incredible, even somewhat absurd. I also find it hard to believe that Uchiha Madara, who should be dead, has reappeared in this world."
The aged Genji's voice was hoarse. Even after three days, he still found it somewhat hard to believe that Madara was still alive.
"If the Third was controlled, it should have had a very negative impact on Kirigakure, right?"
The Land of Water's Daimyo was silent for a moment before speaking slowly: "Will Konoha and Kumogakure use the timing of the Third's death to launch a more comprehensive war against Kirigakure?"
This was something the always cautious Land of Water's Daimyo was very worried about.
Among the Five Great Nations, the Land of Water's national power was originally the weakest, and Kirigakure's strength was also bottom-tier.
If Konoha and Kumogakure jointly invaded the Land of Water, the consequences would be hard to predict.
As he spoke, the Land of Water's Daimyo's gaze occasionally stole glances towards the handsome youth in the secret chamber who had remained silent, or rather...
The Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure!
"Comprehensive war?"
Genji, upon hearing this, shook his head and said with rare self-satisfaction: "With the Fourth Mizukage here, I'm afraid Konoha and Kumogakure lack the courage to go to war with us."
The Land of Water's Daimyo glanced at Sora again and asked somewhat hesitantly: "Genji, entrusting the Land of Water's future entirely to a young man like the Fourth Mizukage, wouldn't that..."
"Be too demanding on him? At his age... can he withstand such pressure?"
Before coming, the Land of Water's Daimyo had pored over Sora's profile over a hundred times. He truly found it hard to believe that a sixteen-year-old youth could accomplish so many unbelievable things.
"Young? Demanding?"
Genji, however, smiled with a somewhat odd expression and said, "Youth is the Fourth Mizukage's greatest advantage. As for his strength, isn't the fact that the Land of Water hasn't been engulfed by war the best proof?"
"If not for the Fourth Mizukage's existence, why do you think the strong and well-equipped armies of Konoha and Kirigakure haven't marched in large strides into the Land of Water's territory to wreak havoc?"
"Don't forget, if we exclude top-tier powerhouses and only look at the combat power of Ninja Army, we are simply no match for either Konoha or Kumogakure. Our previous great victory in the war against Konoha relied entirely on the Fourth Mizukage's overwhelmingly powerful combat strength."
Pausing for a moment, Genji continued: "Daimyo-sama, cast aside your disdain. The person sitting before you now is the Fourth Mizukage, whose abilities in all aspects far surpass those of previous Mizukage. His capacity is sufficient to rival the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama. I believe it won't take too much time for him to surpass Senju Hashirama, which wouldn't be too difficult a feat."
"Become stronger than Senju Hashirama?"
Upon hearing this, the Land of Water's Daimyo's face showed a rather shocked expression. These words clearly had a very significant impact on him.
That was the God of Ninja, Senju Hashirama!
Even an ordinary person like the Land of Water's Daimyo knew how difficult and unbelievable surpassing this pinnacle of Ninja would be.
And now,
As the center of their discussion, Sora's demeanor was quite composed and still.
He simply sat upright in the seat of honor, silently listening to the discussion between Genji and the Land of Water's Daimyo, without offering any opinion.
This seemingly detached attitude, however, made the Land of Water's Daimyo and Genji present think even more highly of him.
They believed Sora possessed a steadiness and competence that ordinary youths lacked, as well as the calm composure of someone unflustered even if the world collapsed before them. This low-key, steady approach to handling affairs was the demeanor a leader should have.
"Then..."
"Whether to advance towards further war or retreat towards concession rests entirely on the Fourth Mizukage's single thought?"
The Land of Water's Daimyo also understood the current situation. The reason he could still sit here safely for a meeting was Sora's overwhelming combat power.
Without this Fourth Mizukage's suppression, the strong and well-equipped Konoha would have probably turned the Land of Water upside down long ago.
At this moment,
Both Genji and the Land of Water's Daimyo turned their gazes towards Sora, who had remained silent.
These two were old foxes. They deeply understood that their discussion could only serve as a proposal. The one who truly made the final decision was the young Fourth Mizukage before them.
"Anyone can utter pretty lies, just like the previous Third Mizukage, who used lies that would make everyone happy to immerse the entire village in a wartime atmosphere. But lies are ultimately just lies. No matter how they are disguised, there will always be a day when they are exposed."
Sora's face was as calm as still water as he spoke: "And the truth now is that the village can no longer withstand a full-scale war. Even if I kill the Kage of Konoha and Kirigakure, we cannot achieve final victory, because..."
"There are too few people."
Sora pushed two copies of statistical data towards the Land of Water's Daimyo and Genji.
After they had roughly looked through them, he slowly continued:
"As of the day the Third Mizukage died, 782 Ninjas from the village have sacrificed their lives in the war against Konoha and Kumogakure. Additionally, the number of injured Ninjas exceeds one thousand."
"Before the Third Great Ninja War began, the real-time registered Ninja count in Kirigakure was 2,982. Now, subtracting the fallen Ninjas, there are only 2,200 left."
"Only two thousand people left?"
The Land of Water's Daimyo's face showed horrified expression: "I remember the Ninja Army numbers for Konoha and Kumogakure both exceed ten thousand. Our Land of Water only has one-fifth of Konoha's combat power?"
"Not even that many."
Genji chimed in from the side: "As the Fourth Mizukage said, the number of injured in the war also exceeds 1,000. Plus, many of them are Genin without combat experience. I'm afraid the number of proper Ninjas the village can field now should be below one thousand."
The Land of Water's Daimyo's expression instantly became appalled. He flipped to the end of the statistical data in his hand and saw the shocking/eye-catching statistical figures.
Elite Jonin: 36 people
Jonin: 152 people
Chunin: 403 people
Genin: 855 people
This was Kirigakure's current war strength. Strictly speaking, it was probably not even one-tenth of Konoha's.
Furthermore, the members of Kirigakure's clans were still engaged in a meat grinder with Kumogakure on the Karra Island front line.
Daily casualty reports flew in like snowflakes, so the actual situation was likely even worse than reported.
"Resting and recuperating is the most suitable strategy for the Land of Water."
Sora said lightly: "With the existing manpower, controlling the captured Land of Fire's territory is sufficient to achieve our strategic objectives. If we rashly advance further, we are easily susceptible to a fatal blow from Konoha."
"Biting off more than one can chew. The Land of Fire's resources we currently control are enough for Kirigakure to digest. Using a few years to nurture more manpower is the true moment to contend for supremacy over the land."
After pondering for a moment, the Land of Water's Daimyo asked with some anxiety and unwillingness: "Then, Fourth Mizukage, does our war against Konoha end here? Do we need to send someone to arrange peace talks as soon as possible?"
"Peace talks?"
"No."
Sora shook his head, his expression subtle/complex: "The war will continue, just in a way that is more beneficial to the village."
"More beneficial to the village?"
"Fourth Mizukage, what do you mean?"
Upon hearing this, both the Land of Water's Daimyo and Genji showed rather surprised expressions.
Sora smiled lightly. Now that he had ascended to Mizukage, the pawns he had left in Konoha were also due to play their roles.