Land of Water, Kirigakure.
Mizukage Building, conference room.
The five high-ranking Kirigakure officials in the spacious conference room all wore dark expressions.
The happier Konoha's higher-ups were, the angrier they became.
They had originally intended to take advantage of Konoha's crisis and profit from raiding them, yet not only had they gained nothing, they had suffered considerable losses instead.
Not only had the Seven Ninja Swordsmen been reduced from seven to two, but even their specially forged precious ninja swords had not been recovered. All five swords had been seized by Konoha.
To Kirigakure, those ninja swords were actually more important than their wielders. People could be replaced, but how could they select wielders without the swords?
What left Kirigakure's higher-ups even more speechless was that losing five of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen was not even their greatest loss. Kirigakure had also lost a Three-Tails Jinchuriki, and the Three-Tails itself had died. Before the Three-Tails revived, Kirigakure had only one Six-Tails Jinchuriki remaining.
Furthermore, Hana Minazuki and Gengetsu Hozuki, two renowned Kirigakure powerhouses, had also died on the battlefield, becoming stepping stones for Mu Yue's rise to fame.
Compared to those losses, the losses suffered by the Kirigakure ninja forces were relatively minor. Karatachi Yagura's measures had effectively preserved their fighting strength.
"Let's discuss how to deal with Karatachi Yagura first," the Third Mizukage said coldly, looking as though he had already decided to punish Karatachi Yagura severely.
The other Kirigakure higher-ups exchanged furtive glances, unable for the moment to discern the Third Mizukage's intentions.
Everyone knew that Karatachi Yagura was the Third Mizukage's favored candidate for the next Mizukage. They could not tell whether the Third Mizukage had become disappointed in Karatachi Yagura and intended to abandon him, or whether he was taking the initiative because he did not