Uchiha's personal opinion

In particular, before the three Sannin villages besieged the Land of Whirlpools, the Kumogakure's Two-Tails Jinchuriki, who was ordered to secretly go to the Land of Waterfalls to discuss military matters with the Iwagakure, mysteriously disappeared and his fate was unknown. This caused a huge shock to the Kumogakure leadership. As a result, later investigations showed various signs that the instigator was Konoha. Therefore, the Kumogakure also had the motive and demand to launch a war against Konoha.

In this way, the drama of the three great ninja villages fighting against Konoha is about to begin.

As the only major ninja village located overseas, Kirigakure has maintained its strength relatively intact since it did not directly participate in the First Shinobi World War. However, after a period of relative calm, it began to have some designs on Konoha.

Since intelligence indicates that the three major ninja villages may besiege Konoha, Kirigakure, as the only one that has not yet explicitly expressed hostility, should have some value in choosing sides, right?

So, it's not unreasonable for Kirigakure to demand the Land of Whirlpools, which has already been reduced to ruins, right?

For the sake of the friendship between Konoha and Kirigakure, wouldn't it be alright to return the two captured ninja swords?

If Konoha compromises, it would be reasonable to force them to hand over the murderer who killed Yuan Shi, right?

Perhaps due to the closed nature of the island nation, the deductions of the high-ranking members of the Hidden Mist were full of subjective assumptions such as "should" and "ought to be".

If Konoha were entirely under the control of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, even if Kirigakure didn't achieve its goal completely, retrieving the two ninja swords wouldn't have been a problem. It's just that they didn't expect Uchiha Tokumitsu and Hatake Sakumo to have such a large amount of influence and power.

Thus, the Kirigakure delegation was sent to Konoha based on the assumptions of a group of Kirigakure high-ranking officials, and then they were expelled from the country.

Feeling humiliated, Kirigakure naturally began to gather its ninja army, intending to teach the ungrateful Konoha a lesson.

However, news of the Konoha Ninja Alliance's departure to the eastern region of the Land of Fire quickly reached Kirigakure, putting Kirigakure, which was originally preparing for war, in a dilemma.

Should we fight? The other three major ninja villages on the ninja continent haven't even made a move yet. Isn't it too reckless for Kirigakure to initiate a war like this?

If we pretend to be deaf and dumb and don't fight, the higher-ups' rivals in the village will probably use this as an excuse to attack us, saying we fear Konoha like a tailed beast and are unworthy of being a brave Kirigakure ninja. Then one day, some mentally unstable Kirigakure genin will strap on explosive tags and try to take us down with them...

Amidst the internal strife among the Kirigakure leadership, the Kirigakure Ninja Army was officially assembled.

The lower-ranking Hidden Mist ninjas didn't have many tricks up their sleeves. They only knew the village's propaganda that Konoha was in dire straits and that the Konoha ninjas would collapse at the slightest touch, and they were filled with anticipation for the upcoming war.

"The three thousand ninja troops have been assembled..."

In the Mizukage's office, the Kirigakure elder reported to the Mizukage on the ninja army's situation: "The ninja army's morale is high, and they are ready to launch an attack on Konoha at any time!"

"There are no outsiders here, so there's no need to put on airs like outsiders..." The Mizukage glanced at the Kirigakure elder and said calmly, "Konoha is ready. Can the village's ninja army win?"

"...The arrow is on the string, and it must be released." The elder of Kirigakure hesitated for a moment, but still chose to speak the truth: "The commanders of Konoha are Hatake Sakumo and Uchiha Tokumitsu, and the newly stationed ninja are all ninja from various Konoha clans. I am very worried..."

"The Kaguya clan has quite a few ninjas participating in the war..." The Mizukage ignored the Kirigakure elder's words and instead brought up another topic in a strange tone.

"Clan Chief Kaguya declared that she would avenge the Battle of the Uzumaki and even twist off the heads of Hatake Sakumo and Uchiha Tokumitsu to use as sake bottles..."

Upon hearing the voice, the Kirigakure clan leader immediately understood what was being referred to and said, "Nearly half of Kaguya's ninjas have already participated in this battle..."

"This is really troublesome... Since the madmen of the Kaguya family are involved so deeply, then war is destined to be unavoidable, don't you think..." The Mizukage's fingers kept flicking, as if trying to grasp something.

Elder Wuyin dared not speak in agreement.

In Kirigakure, the Kaguya clan was like an enhanced version of the Uchiha clan in Konoha, truly hated by gods and demons. Even the most radical Kirigakure ninjas were unwilling to get too close to the Kaguya clan.

Behind the seemingly refined appearance of the Kaguya clan lies a ferocious image of the entire clan, characterized by madness, war, and recklessness.

However, the Kaguya clan's fighting strength, especially the Kaguya ninjas after awakening their bloodline limit, is one of the pillars of Kirigakure's fighting power.

According to the elders of Kirigakure, the Mizukage seemed to intend to use the war against Konoha to eliminate the Kaguya clan.

This made him even more apprehensive.

"In that case, let's hand this ninja army over to Suigetsu Hozuki, and then the Hozuki family should also conscript some more ninjas to join the army in battle..."

The Mizukage seemed to realize that his words were somewhat inappropriate, so he changed the subject: "Then the village will gather a second ninja army and hand it over to Yagura Karatachi..."

"Yes, sir..." Elder Wuyin breathed a sigh of relief and quickly replied.

"Those two are quite interested in my position, aren't they? Let them give it a try and see how they perform commanding the ninja army on the battlefield..."

The Mizukage chuckled twice and continued speaking words that sent chills down the elders' spines: "If they are defeated by the Konoha Ninja Army, I think they will have no face left to continue forming factions..."

Although Elder Wuyin's expression didn't change much, he was already drenched in sweat.

This is not a topic that an elder who rose through the ranks based on seniority should be involved in!

Since the death of Master Yuan in the Battle of the Vortex, the prestige of the Elder Council has plummeted. Without a leader, the original dualistic political system has lost its balance, and the Kirigakure Elder Council has lost the strength to contend with the Mizukage.

"Order Suigetsu Hozuki to lead his ninja army toward the Land of Whirlpools and utterly crush the Uchiha Tokumitsu forces stationed there!"

"As ordered!"

Elder Wuyin bowed and accepted the order.

"We must complete the assembly of a second ninja army within three days, with the same number of three thousand. We will have Yagura land directly in the Land of Fire and make sure to hold off Hatake Sakumo and the subsequent Konoha reinforcements!"

"Yes!"

"Furthermore, issue a notice to all ninjas in the village—whoever reclaims the ninja sword will be the next ninja swordsman of the village!"

"...Yes, sir."

Elder Kirigakure didn't dare to argue about the selection rules for ninja swordsmen, and after a slight hesitation, he immediately agreed.

He could already imagine how the other elders of the council would question him after the announcement was made, and how he would be forever branded with nicknames like "soft-nosed slug in front of the Water Shadow."

However, he was merely an elder who had been sidelined as a scapegoat due to his low strength, and dared not disobey the Mizukage in the slightest.

"You may leave... Immediately order Suigetsu Hozuki to lead his troops to depart. I await his presentation of the Uchiha Sharingan to me..."

Shuiying waved her hand, signaling the elder to step down.

After Elder Wuyin left, the Mizukage's once lively eyes gradually became dull and lifeless. Like a puppet, she stiffly placed the documents in her hand back in her office, then slumped back in her chair as if she had lost her spine, her eyes flashing with red light...

"Uchiha... I really can't wait to see this..."

Chapter 133 A Glimpse into the World of People on the Battlefield

Suigetsu Hobuki is one of the elite members of the Hidden Mist's Jonin. He is skilled in Water Release ninjutsu, and his swordsmanship and secret techniques are also highly accomplished. As a Hidden Mist Ninja Swordsman, his greatsword Samehada can absorb the enemy's chakra and inject the absorbed chakra into the swordsman's body for his own use. In this way, even an evenly matched enemy ninja can be worn down and killed.

It can be said that Suigetsu Hobuki is a very rare all-around turret-type ninja in Kirigakure, which advocates burst attacks in a short period of time.

Even so, when he received the combat orders from the Mizukage's office, he still felt a bit of a toothache.

"The Land of Whirlpools... the Uchiha..."

The Water Pufferfish Demon gritted its teeth, the signature serrated steel teeth of the Land of Water, making a "crunching" sound, its heart filled with reluctance.

First, among the three thousand ninja under his command, there were nearly a hundred Kaguya ninjas, which was his biggest headache.

Even though Suigetsu Hozuki was one of the representatives of the Kirigakure radicals, in front of the Kaguya clan, who were known for their tyranny, the so-called Kirigakure radicals were just a bunch of docile lambs.

If the Kirigakure ninja were to anger these Kaguya-sama during the march, the Kirigakure ninja army would probably have to fight an internal war first; but if it comes to serving or subduing the Kaguya ninja, it seems that Kirigakure has never had such a talent since the death of the master.

"Hopefully, the Kaguya clan won't go berserk on the way; the ninja army won't remember their antics!"

Watermelon Mountain Pufferfish Demon complained grumbling.

The elder in charge of relaying the order chuckled twice, then immediately felt that this was not a good idea. "...It should be fine. After all, this time the Kaguya clan chief is personally leading the troops, and they will be taking sedatives during the march."

It's precisely because Chief Kaguya is leading the team that I'm worried!

Watermelon Mountain Pufferfish Demon glared at Elder Wuyin, his belly full of resentment.

Secondly, there's the opponent we'll be facing in this match.

Suigetsu Hozuki was extremely reluctant to fight Hatake Sakumo and the Uchiha clan ninjas again; the psychological trauma from the ambush in the Land of Whirlpools was too great.

In particular, the scene where his fellow ninja swordsman, Jinpachi Murashi, was pierced from bottom to top by Sakumo Hatake with the extremely vicious "Thousand Years of Death" had become a nightmare for him.

Although intelligence indicated that the Konoha ninja currently stationed in the Land of Whirlpools region were only the Uchiha ninja army led by Uchiha Tokumitsu, he still felt a little uneasy.

"Jonin of Watermelon Mountain? Are you alright?"

Elder Kirigakure called out to Suigetsu Hobutsuki, who was in a daze, with some confusion.

"...When will Yagura Jonin's ninja army depart?"

Suddenly snapping out of his daze, Kisame Hozuki didn't respond to Elder Kirigakure's words, but instead changed the subject with a hint of reluctance.

"The day after tomorrow." The elder of Kirigakure suppressed his doubts. "However, Jonin Yagura's attack direction is the Land of Fire. At that time, he will tie down Sakumo Hatake's troops and the subsequent Konoha reinforcements. Please have your unit cross the sea and launch the attack as soon as possible!"

Finally, he added, "Lord Mizukage hopes that you will present Uchiha Tokumitsu's Sharingan to him as soon as possible!"

"I will obey Lord Mizukage's command!"

Knowing that there was no turning back or escape after the appointment to the Ninja Army was issued, Suigetsu Hobuki suppressed his unease and answered solemnly.

Elder Wuyin left satisfied.

The face of the Watermelon Pufferfish Demon immediately fell.

After a long while, he picked up his greatsword Samehada and strode out of the mansion, heading towards the ninja army's gathering place.

No matter how brave and skilled the Uchiha clan was, or how fierce and powerful Uchiha Tokumitsu was, it was impossible for a mere hundred or so people to defeat the three thousand ninja of Kirigakure!

As long as he doesn't directly engage in battle, but instead oversees the battle from the rear under the guise of command, urging over three thousand Mist Ninja soldiers to fight against one hundred-plus Uchiha, he could probably overwhelm the Uchiha by piling up their corpses!

Watermelon Mountain Pufferfish Demon secretly hardened his heart, his sharp teeth grinding together with a crunching sound.

……

The Land of Whirlpools.

Ruins of the Uzushio Ninja Village.

Uchiha Tokumitsu also received a briefing on the military situation of Kirigakure from Konoha's intelligence department.

"Suikazan Fuguki... and three thousand Kirigakure ninja soldiers, they are indeed not easy to deal with..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu was looking through the intelligence documents, feeling quite troubled.

He wasn't worried about himself; even if he were surrounded by the Hidden Mist Ninja Army, he was confident he could escape. But that didn't mean his Uchiha Ninja Army could do the same.

“The ninja forces on the eastern border can cross the sea to provide support at any time.”

Sakumo Hatake said calmly.

After receiving military intelligence from Kirigakure, he immediately led his operations staff officer, Nara Muramasa, to the front-line command post in the Land of Whirlpools.

"But this might leave the eastern region somewhat vulnerable..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu hesitated.

"The two Kirigakure ninja forces have been separated for about two days. If one of them can be defeated quickly, it might still be enough time..."

Nara Muramasa whispered his thoughts.

"Two days... that's too short a time..."