While Shimura Danzō and his subordinates rushed forward at full speed, charging toward the still-occupied former Kirigakure camp where the Kumogakure forces remained, Chiyo and Ebizō immediately understood Konoha's true intentions after hearing Ding Yi's report.
"How disgusting,"
Chiyo said with an expression of pure revulsion. It was nauseating—utterly so.
"An opponent like this? I'd actually like to see more of them,"
Ebizō chuckled cheerfully, clearly enjoying himself.
"You're getting more and more disgusting yourself,"
Chiyo shot him an annoyed look, then her expression hardened as she issued orders:
"Entire army, advance! The moment Konoha clashes with the Cloud forces, immediately launch a full assault on UzUzushiogakure. Speed is essential. Primary objective: seize the sealing techniques."
Based on the intelligence they had, Kumogakure was clearly serious this time—not only had they deployed only elites, but even the Third Raikage himself had taken the field.
That man was known as the strongest Raikage in history, terrifyingly powerful.
Konoha's forces were limited in number. Even if they were elites, they wouldn't be able to stall the Cloud forces for long. The battle had to be decided quickly—secure the sealing techniques and withdraw.
If possible, the Uzumaki clan should be completely wiped out—roots and all—to eliminate future threats.
Rasa was exhilarated. The decisive moment had finally arrived. It was just a pity he wouldn't be facing the Cloud ninjas directly—otherwise, he'd love the chance to kill Tamura Zairo himself.
That boy's mind was too dangerous. If allowed to grow, he would surely become a mortal threat to Sunagakure. The earlier he was eliminated, the better.
Meanwhile, Karura and Pakura felt conflicted. To be honest, they rather liked that kid.
They could only hope he wouldn't die in this war.
On the other side, the Iwagakure forces also received Ding Yi's message. Their commander, Shishio, made the same judgment as Chiyo and immediately ordered a rapid assault on UzUzushiogakure.
The Uzumaki elites had just joined forces with Kumogakure to annihilate the Mist forces—there was no way they hadn't suffered significant exhaustion. Now was the perfect moment to strike.
The instant the various forces began mobilizing and rapidly refining chakra to advance, several Uzumaki elders who had just returned to the village sensed it.
"That chakra… it's Shimura Danzō's, along with over a hundred others—all at jōnin level. Judging by their movement, they're heading straight for the Cloud forces.
And the brats from Iwagakure and Sunagakure should be attacking soon as well."
After sensing the situation, Uzumaki Ashina—who was forcefully recovering chakra by continuously swallowing soldier pills—turned to the clan head, his own nephew.
The other four elders stared at the clan head with fury.
Konoha had clearly sent people long ago, hiding in the shadows. Only now did they reveal themselves—and immediately struck at the Uzumaki's allies, the Cloud ninja.
This wasn't even pretending anymore.
"Have the children retreat through the underground tunnels,"
Uzumaki Masahiko said weakly.
"All women under thirty-five—single or married, it doesn't matter—evacuate them all."
The outcome he had most feared had finally arrived.
This wasn't Konoha's collective will, nor the intent of the Senju clan or his sister… but for the Uzumaki clan, it was fatal all the same.
After a long silence, Masahiko steadied himself, inhaled deeply, and stood up. He swept his gaze across everyone present, his expression resolute.
"The survival of our village and our clan depends on this battle.
Everyone—may our martial fortune be strong."
"Martial fortune be strong!"
Ashina and the others stood as well, their faces filled with determination.
This was their home. They would not abandon it.
Now that the younger generation had a path of retreat, they had nothing left to hold back. They would fight to the bitter end, making the invaders pay a devastating price—if nothing else, to buy time.
At the same time, the Kumogakure forces, who had been cleaning up the battlefield at the former Mist camp, also began to move, preparing to intercept Konoha's troops.
Though they had suffered considerable losses in the previous battle, Konoha hadn't sent many people. Holding them back wouldn't be difficult.
Meanwhile, near the coast, Tsuchidai and an Uzumaki Ashina shadow clone handed a scroll to a Mist ANBU squad leader.
This man was an operative directly under the Third Mizukage, dispatched to accompany the army and monitor the ninja clans.
He was aware of Kirigakure's internal conflicts.
Back then, the Second Mizukage, Hōzuki Gengetsu, had seized power by joining forces with several ninja clans, robbing the current Third Mizukage of the position.
After ascending to power, the Third Mizukage had been openly hostile toward those clans, even implementing the Blood Mist policy to suppress and weaken them. The two sides were practically mortal enemies.
This was the perfect pressure point—use it well, and the hatred surrounding this battle could be redirected.
"We have completed the plan agreed upon with the Mizukage,"
Ashina's shadow clone said gently.
"These are sealing techniques suitable for the Three-Tails and Six-Tails. We hope that in the coming war, Kirigakure will form a permanent alliance with UzUzushiogakure and Kumogakure, supporting one another."
Tsuchidai stood beside him, equally cordial. Everything was proceeding exactly as planned.
The ANBU squad leader was utterly dumbfounded.
This… was the Mizukage's plan?
Using Kumogakure and UzUzushiogakure to wipe out the elite forces of the ninja clans, while obtaining powerful tailed-beast sealing techniques in the process?
As expected of the Mizukage-sama!
The other surviving Mist ANBU silently marveled as well, fully convinced that this was all the Mizukage's grand design.
Impressive.
"Kirigakure will stand as a steadfast ally of Kumogakure and UzUzushiogakure,"
the squad leader replied solemnly.
No matter what, his life had been deliberately spared—and he had been given these sealing techniques. There was no reason to doubt their sincerity.
Besides, he was only a squad leader. The ANBU captain who came with the army was already dead—surely the captain had been aware of the plan as well.
Though the captain had fallen, the Mizukage's mission had to continue. These sealing techniques had to be delivered back to the village.
"We won't escort you any further,"
Tsuchidai said with a warm smile.
"Please send our regards to the Mizukage."
Their cooperation was ideal—this man would carry the blame straight back to the Mizukage, igniting cZairos within Kirigakure.
Even if the Third Mizukage eventually realized he'd been used, it wouldn't matter.
The sealing techniques were real.
"And please give our regards to the Third Raikage and the Uzumaki clan head as well,"
the ANBU leader replied earnestly, before ordering his men to raise the sails and ride the wind out to sea.
"Such ruthlessness from the Third Mizukage,"
Ashina's shadow clone muttered as he watched the ship shrink into the distance, casting a sidelong glance toward a patch of seawater.
The Hōzuki clan's Water Transformation Technique was excellent for concealment—but before the Uzumaki clan's sensing abilities, it was worthless.
"He lost the Mizukage seat once because he wasn't ruthless enough,"
Tsuchidai added smoothly.
"Having learned that lesson, of course he wouldn't show mercy again. Only by exterminating those clans can his position truly be secure."
The blame was firmly pinned on the Mizukage.
After chatting a bit longer, the two departed.
Moments later, a head surfaced from the water—it was a Hōzuki ninja who had been left behind to guard the fleet. Sensing something wrong, he had hidden underwater.
"Third Mizukage…!"
He growled with hatred, then immediately submerged and fled.
He had to return to the village at once and inform the clan heads.
Those clansmen had not died for nothing.
The Third Mizukage would pay for this.
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