Orochimaru's Suggestion

"What? The plan failed?"

Inside the central tent of the Hidden Mist Front camp, the baby-faced Fourth Mizukage Yagura abruptly rose to his feet and slammed his palm hard onto the table. Bang! The table instantly shattered into pieces.

"Yes. Though I hate to admit it, that is the truth."

"The ninja assigned to provide cover noticed that the Anbu had not contacted them on schedule. Suspecting something had gone wrong, they sent people to search."

"At a cliff by the edge of a forest, they found that all the Anbu ninja from both squads had been killed."

"And... and..."

"And what?"

Yagura glared furiously at the Anbu Commander before him and demanded in a deep voice.

"Most of the Anbu ninja died to Wood Release!"

"What? They died to Wood Release?"

As the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure, Yagura was naturally no stranger to the Wood Release used by Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi. Kirigakure had dedicated records on it.

Yagura dropped heavily back into his chair and muttered, "Could Konoha have produced another ninja who awakened Wood Release?"

"To leave two Anbu squads unable even to escape, that level of Wood Release cannot be underestimated, even if it has not reached the level recorded in the files."

The power of Wood Release recorded in the files genuinely left Yagura chilled to the bone. It even made him suspect that the records had been exaggerated.

How could any human possess that kind of power?

"What about the Three-Tails Jinchuriki?"

Forcing himself to calm down, Yagura asked uneasily.

If the Three-Tails Jinchuriki had survived and returned to the Konoha Frontline Camp to have the seal reinforced, their losses would be devastating.

Not only would the plan have failed, but Konoha would gain another tailed beast while Kirigakure lost one. One side would rise while the other fell.

Moreover, they would no longer be as confident when facing the other ninja villages. Just thinking about it made him regretful enough to want to smash his head against a wall!

"The scene was in complete chaos, making it difficult to uncover any useful clues. Because I understood the importance of the Three-Tails, I activated a high-ranking spy hidden on the Konoha front."

"Since the incident happened so suddenly, deliberately asking around may have exposed the high-ranking spy. I ask the Mizukage's forgiveness."

Every high-ranking spy was hard to come by. Even if they were not stationed in crucial positions, they still held a certain status and could access plenty of useful intelligence.

The Anbu Commander had the authority to activate high-ranking spies, but he was required to report to the Mizukage beforehand. Acting on his own was clearly taboo.

The fate of an exposed spy went without saying. In any case, it would not end well.

"Hmph. That depends on whether you bring me good news or bad news."

"If it is bad news, then combined with the failure of the plan, you need not remain Anbu Commander any longer."

The Hidden Mist Anbu Commander cursed inwardly. It wasn't my idea. I merely carried out your arrangements. Does a failed plan mean it is entirely the fault of those executing it?

Fortunately, the information he had received was good news. His position was secure.

"According to the intelligence sent back, the girl who had the Three-Tails sealed inside her is already dead."

Yagura instantly let out a huge sigh of relief. Dead was good. Dead was good.

With the Jinchuriki dead, the Three-Tails would die as well. But after some time, the Three-Tails would revive, and Kirigakure would still have a chance to recover it.

Yagura had no idea that because of this chain of events, he would become a puppet with no autonomy in the future, intensify the Blood Mist Policy to an extreme degree, and drive Kirigakure into decline until it ranked at the bottom among the Five Great Ninja Villages.

Kirigakure and Sunagakure would become strong contenders for last place.

Whenever there were policies from above, there would be countermeasures below. In ancient times, when landlords and officials faced policies unfavorable to themselves, they often responded by enforcing them several times over until the policies were ruined.

Overenforcing a policy could easily destroy it, let alone enforcing it to such an absurd extreme.

Kirigakure would be fortunate enough if it did not decline so far as to fall out of the Five Great Ninja Villages altogether.

"That girl used her powerful will to gain a measure of autonomy, then deliberately threw herself into Kakashi Hatake's Chidori and killed herself."

After a moment of silence, Yagura said, "She was a fine ninja. They chose the wrong target. They should have chosen a ninja afraid of death."

"They cannot be entirely blamed. Under normal circumstances, female ninja should have been easier to control."

"It is too late to say such things now. All we can say is that man proposes, but Heaven disposes. Konoha's fate has not yet run out. It was not destined to perish."

"Mizukage-sama, what should we do next?"

Yagura gave a helpless smile. "What else can we do?"

"Withdraw the troops, then gather and fall back to defend the Land of Whirlpools."

"With the plan having failed, there is no need to continue fighting within the Land of Fire."

"If we keep bleeding each other dry like this, Cloud, Rock, and Sand will be the ones celebrating."

The Anbu Commander nodded, then revealed a worried expression. "But Mizukage-sama, can we hold the Land of Whirlpools?"

"The Land of Whirlpools occupies a critical location. Konoha will never allow us to occupy it alone."

"How about transferring the Six-Tails Jinchuriki from the village?"

Yagura was tempted at first, but after giving it some thought, he shook his head.

"No. Utakata is only seven years old this year. His control over the Six-Tails is far too weak."

"Once he transforms into a tailed beast, he will definitely go berserk. If the Six-Tails breaks free of its seal, that will be trouble."

"If Utakata is killed, the Six-Tails will be reborn just like the Three-Tails. How can the village manage without a single tailed beast then?"

"Sigh. We will defend it as best we can."

"If we truly cannot hold it, we will withdraw, and let the Land of Whirlpools remain the ungoverned, chaotic region it was before."

"If Konoha does not wish to continue fighting, they should maintain that understanding with us."

If Kirigakure occupied the Land of Whirlpools, it would become the finest bridgehead for attacking the Land of Fire, and the reverse was also true.

Of course, given the Land of Fire's prosperity, Konoha disdained attacking the Land of Water. But Kirigakure could not allow even that possibility to exist.

"Yes. Then, Mizukage-sama, I will go relay the orders."

"Go." Yagura waved weakly.

With the plan having failed, he had a premonition that Kirigakure would end up like Rock and the others, unable to gain even an inch of land.

"Yes."

The Anbu Commander put on his mask, turned, and left the tent.

At the same time, inside Tsunade's main tent at the Konoha Frontline Camp, the four commanders and Shikaku Nara sat together in a meeting.

Tsunade sat at the head of the table. Orochimaru and Shikaku Nara sat to her left, while Jiraiya and Minato sat to her right.

Minato Namikaze, who usually wore a smile, was expressionless now. Clearly, he was in a terrible mood.

Since becoming a ninja, Minato Namikaze had grown accustomed to life and death. Ordinary deaths could not shake his resolve, but Rin, who had also come from a civilian background and was gentle and kind, was clearly no ordinary case.

With Minato Namikaze's mature mind and way of thinking, he naturally would not remain trapped in grief over Rin's death for a long time like Kakashi.

Minato Namikaze would recover before long, but his sorrow at this moment was utterly real.

"Everyone already knows about Rin Nohara. Share whatever thoughts you have."

Tsunade sat upright in her seat. Her light golden, medium-short hair was held back by a Konoha forehead protector. A blue-violet diamond-shaped mark rested between her brows, above fine, short light golden eyebrows and bright brown eyes. Her pale red lips, sky-blue fitted clothing, and Konoha green flak jacket gave her a clean, capable, heroic appearance.

"I'll go first."

Hearing that hoarse, low voice, everyone was slightly startled. Shouldn't Minato Namikaze, as her teacher, be the first to speak on such a matter?

If not him, then surely Jiraiya, as her Grandteacher?

"What, I can't?" Orochimaru asked with a faint smile.

"Of course you can, Orochimaru-senpai. Please."

Of those present, only Minato addressed Orochimaru as senpai. His teammates called him directly by name, while Shikaku Nara had to add "-sama."

"Rin Nohara was without question a hero, and the Hidden Mist's intentions were far too sinister and vicious."

"To avenge our hero, and to retaliate against the Hidden Mist, I suggest deploying the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!"

During the recommendation period, I strongly ask everyone to keep reading!!!