From Naruto onwards, I've become a dreamer.

Chapter 108 The War Begins! (Seeking First Subscription)
The rain was torrential, and thunder was rumbling.

An elite squad of dozens of Mist Ninja braved the torrential rain and sped through the flood-ravaged mountains and forests.

Fearing the destruction caused by the Tailed Beasts, the Mizukage led a small sealing team alone as the first wave of troops to hastily depart. They were ordered to form a support force later, gathering elite Jonin from the village and setting off after making thorough preparations.

"Those behind, keep up! Speed ​​up!"

The leading Jonin gazed solemnly at the quiet lake not far away.

There was absolutely no trace of the intense battle he had imagined; all that remained was a deathly silence, an eerie calm that filled him with deep unease.

No, he must be overthinking it. The Mizukage couldn't possibly be in trouble!
The Jonin leading the team shook his head vigorously, reaffirming his resolve and confidence. He believed in the Mizukage's strength; such silence meant the battle had ended prematurely.

The entire team instantly sped up in silence, like ghosts emerging from the rain.

Soon, as they approached the edge of the lake, they finally saw traces of the battle, and their faces immediately showed expressions of utter horror, their pupils filled with shock.

The terrain around the lake underwent a dramatic transformation during the fierce battle. The original soil was washed away by the water, revealing the hard rock layers beneath, with a dense network of cracks and gullies resembling a spider web, as if the land had been plowed by an iron rake.

Not only that, the water level of the entire lake has dropped by several meters.

The nearby jungle trees looked as if they had been swept away by a violent hurricane, uprooted along with the soil, or snapped in half.

The battlefield was a scene of utter chaos and devastation.

But what's puzzling is that there wasn't a single person in sight.

Whether it's the tailed beast Isobu mentioned in the intelligence, the intruder Uchiha Muneki, or the Third Mizukage and the sealing team, they all seem to have disappeared.

"Everyone, spread out! Search!"

The Jonin leading the team looked stern and his mood grew increasingly somber as he waved his hand to issue the order.

Dozens of elite Jonin instantly dispersed from their original positions.

The search process was short-lived. Soon, a terrified scream caught the attention of the other Jonin, and everyone immediately moved toward the sound.

But when they followed the sound and found the Jonin who screamed, they were shocked by what they saw. Their expressions changed several times, from fear to horror to anger, and their pupils trembled violently as if in an earthquake. Their throats seemed to be blocked, and they could not utter a single word.

"Lord Mizukage!"

Finally, someone couldn't hold back any longer and shouted it out in a trembling voice.

The Third Mizukage of Kirigakure leaned against the rock wall, his body soaked in blood. His head drooped limply, and blood continued to gush from a fist-sized hole in his chest, staining the surrounding land a glaring red.

The result is already obvious!

The Third Mizukage of Kirigakure was unfortunately defeated and killed in battle against Uchiha Munegetsu and the Tailed Beasts!

Silence, still silence!

Those present were all elites, capable individuals who could stand alone in Kirigakure. Even as such a horrifying scene unfolded before them, they remained calm.

Even so, the tragic death of the Third Mizukage still enraged them immensely.

Everyone's eyes were bloodshot and bulging, and a chilling, murderous intent permeated the silent atmosphere.

One of the Jonin stepped forward, squatted down, and carefully examined the Mizukage's body. He moved the head from side to side, observing the eyes and facial expressions. After a long silence, he said in a low voice, "The cause of death is that the internal organs in the chest were pierced. The amount of chakra remaining is extremely small, which proves that he consumed a large amount of chakra before he died."

As he spoke, he looked around again and added, "Judging from the signs of destruction nearby, it's very likely that Lord Mizukage used powerful high-level ninjutsu multiple times."

Another person spoke up: "The remains of the Mizukage's summoning beast were found in the lake, indicating that a fierce battle must have taken place."

"The Three-Tailed Isobu has returned to the bottom of the lake and is currently in a state of slumber," another person added. After carefully listening to the autopsy report and the search reports from others, and combining all the intelligence, they did not immediately shout or yell.

Instead, he directly simulated the approximate situation in his mind!

The Third Mizukage used all his strength to seal the Tailed Beast, but in doing so, he exhausted his chakra and was ultimately killed by a sneak attack from Uchiha Munetsuki!
Otherwise, with the strength of the Third Mizukage, it would have been impossible for him to be killed by a mere Jonin!

Should we issue an arrest warrant?

Someone suggested, "Uchiha Munetsuki killed the Third Mizukage; we absolutely cannot let him live!"

"No! We can't let the news get out!"

The Jonin leading the team shook his head, gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and suppressed his anger. In a hoarse voice, he growled, "At least not now. Otherwise, with our current strength, we can't guarantee that the old fox from Iwagakure won't turn against us!"

"You mean, we shouldn't seek revenge?"

Although they knew he made a lot of sense, the others were indignant and angrily questioned him.

To be the Kage of a village, to be ambushed and killed by ninjas from another country's ninja village after they invaded the country's borders, is an immense disgrace!

If they can tolerate this and not seek revenge, who knows how the other small ninja villages will laugh at them? They might as well give up their Kirigakure days and go back to farming!
"No, I don't mean we shouldn't seek revenge." The team leader was clearly very rational. He suppressed his anger and explained, "We must avenge this, but definitely not now."

"Don't forget, we're still in the cooperation period with Iwagakure!" He said earnestly, word by word, "If that old fox finds out about the Mizukage's death, who knows if he won't turn around and side with Konoha, launching a war against us!"

There were no fools present; they were just blinded by anger. After his careful explanation, they instantly understood the difficult situation that Kirigakure was in.

On one side is the menacing Konoha, and on the other is a treacherous ally.

If not handled properly, Kirigakure might become a "piece of meat" in the eyes of these two sides, to be torn apart and devoured.

"What do you mean?"

Everyone looked at the Jonin leading the team; he was the only one whose reputation and strength were closest to that of a Kage.

Given the current situation, there is no better option.

"Keep the news of the Mizukage's death under wraps! Absolutely no leaks are allowed!"

The Jonin leading the team swept his sharp gaze across the crowd and said in a deep voice, "Speed ​​up the cooperation with Iwagakure. We must make Konoha pay for their blood debts!"

"eye for eye!"

"eye for eye!"

"eye for eye!"

In an instant, everyone's anger seemed to set the cold valley ablaze.

The team leader, a Jonin, had fierce eyes like a hungry wolf, and his entire being exuded a terrifying killing intent: "Gentlemen, the war has begun!"

There was no fear on anyone's face. On the contrary, when they heard the word 'war,' their nerves were stimulated, releasing a large amount of hormones. The excited emotions mixed with the anger of revenge intertwined and entangled, like mad beasts, craving the killing and bloodshed of war!

However, no one noticed that a figure was sitting just a hundred meters away from them.

Uchiha Munezuki's eyes were deep and lonely, as if he had been forgotten by the entire world.

"The war has begun!"

(End of this chapter)