A Simp

Deep in the night, the silver-spotted cat, not wanting to return and face Daju's fawning early in the morning, curled up in its pink cat bed to sleep, its fur rising and falling gently with every breath.

Ren was in no rush; he leaned against the window frame, carefully sorting through the various events of the day's clan meeting in his mind.

Moonlight filtered through the lattice, casting flickering shadows across his well-defined profile.

Ren's thoughts eventually settled on the bounty hunter, Kakuzu.

This rogue ninja from Takigakure, who had yet to join the Akatsuki, could walk sideways through most of the current ninja world thanks to his genuine Kage-level strength.

Because of his professional work ethic and his obsessive, money-grubbing nature, he still had his merits despite his eccentric temperament and murderous tendencies.

As a transmigrator who had gradually taken control of the Hawk Faction during his growth, Ren could not afford not to utilize him.

In the name of the ninja cats, he had secretly commissioned him to complete quite a few missions.

The assassination of Kumogakure ninjas and framing Konohagakure was just one of them.

"I need to think carefully about the upcoming conflict with Kirigakure; perhaps I can reach a tacit understanding with the leaders on the Kirigakure front line."

Ren began to ponder slowly.

The person currently ruling Kirigakure was not the Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura, but the Third Mizukage, who had already begun implementing the Bloody Mist Policy.

One of the core tenets of this policy was the reform of the ninja graduation exam.

The original team-based exam was changed into a survival elimination system.

Students of the same class had to kill each other until only half remained, and the failures were executed on the spot.

This extreme method of selection was euphemistically called a way to improve the combat capabilities of Kirigakure ninjas, cultivating excellent ninjas through blood.

However, the Third Mizukage was not from a bloodline clan, and his strength was only at the level of an ordinary Kage.

He did not possess enough prestige to truly enforce such an extreme policy.

According to intelligence gathered by Kakuzu and the ninja cats, the Third Mizukage intended to incite conflict between the bloodline clans and the commoner ninjas.

He seemed to want the bloodline ninjas to suppress the commoner ninjas, causing tensions to escalate and effectively forming a survival elimination system in disguise.

"Such methods..."

A cold light flashed in the depths of Ren's eyes.

"I fear the Third Mizukage has long been kept alive by a thread, manipulated by Uchiha Madara hiding behind the scenes."

The value of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan was beyond doubt; in the current ninja world, whoever it looked at was doomed.

This also explained why, in the late stages of the Third Great Ninja War, the Three-Tails, a strategic resource of Kirigakure, could be sealed into the body of Nohara Rin, a mere genin.

Then, it followed logically that Kakashi would kill Nohara Rin, causing Uchiha Obito, who witnessed it all, to fall into despair and awaken his Mangekyo Sharingan amidst his collapsing faith.

Everything was a trap laid long ago.

"So, how should I communicate with the Kirigakure ninjas, and how can I extract benefits from it?"

Even if commoner ninjas stood out, the main combat power of the major ninja villages mostly consisted of those with bloodline limits or secret techniques.

With Kirigakure invading the Land of Fire this time, their front-line command must surely be filled with elites from bloodline and secret technique clans.

This gave Ren room to negotiate.

The Third Mizukage's policy would not receive support from the bloodline and secret technique clans.

Especially the Hozuki Clan, the premier clan in Kirigakure; the former patriarch of the Hozuki Clan, Hozuki Gengetsu, had been a late bloomer who relied on his strength to forcibly become the Second Mizukage.

The current Third Mizukage had originally served the Second, so in the eyes of the clans, he was nothing but a failure.

At the same time, the Third Mizukage could not win the support of the commoner ninjas.

Because the starting point for clans and commoners was different; if the elimination system were followed, the ones dying the most would undoubtedly be the children of commoners.

How would those Kirigakure ninjas who rose from commoners to Jonin look at this, and what would they think?

But then again, in the Naruto world depicted by Kishimoto, the mindset of a ninja was for the subordinate to obey the superior.

Even if nobles pointed at their heads and cursed them, they would still respectfully act like dogs, let alone their true leader.

As long as it was handled well, the Third Mizukage's Bloody Mist Policy would surely be pushed through.

Then, with the Fourth Mizukage taking over under the control of Uchiha Obito, the retaliated-against Kirigakure would become the true "Village of the Bloody Mist."

"Bloodline clans, commoner ninjas, the Third Mizukage—as long as this triangular relationship is managed well, the Uchiha can profit."

"And as for the benefits I can gain, there are two main points: one is to use Kirigakure to command Konohagakure, store up grain, and delay claiming the throne; the other is to plot for the Three-Tails."

As his thoughts flowed, Ren thought of Uchiha Obito, who had yet to awaken his Sharingan, was still a dead-last, and liked to help old ladies cross the street.

He could not judge Uchiha Obito for things that had not yet happened.

In fact, if handled well, the Uchiha clan might just harvest a sycophant—no, a great general.

Through years of observing and training Daju and Ayan, Ren had fully collected data on sycophants.

As for Obito, as long as he held onto Nohara Rin and let him live in a world with her, he would be an invincible god of pure love.

Without Rin, Obito was a complete lunatic living in his own world.

"Next, I just need to wait for the results of the negotiations between the clan head and Sarutobi Hiruzen. Afterward, I'll have Kakuzu add fuel to the fire so those barbarians in Kumogakure can no longer hold back."

A cold glint flashed through Ren's eyes.

Once Kumogakure stepped across the border of the Land of Fire, Iwagakure and Sunagakure would surely swarm in like jackals catching the scent of blood.

By then, the flames of war would spread across the land.

There would no longer be any room for that Hokage to weigh his options or proceed with such calculated caution.

"And the Uchiha can use this opportunity to leap out of the most brutal chaos and preserve our clansmen."

With his thoughts settled, he looked toward the direction of Uchiha Mikoto's residence, whispered a soft "goodnight," and turned away from the window.

The night breeze brushed past, causing the hem of his black yukata to sway slightly.

Ayan twitched her ear tips in her sleep; Ren casually tucked the thin blanket around her cat bed before lying down on his own futon.

A night where some tossed and turned while others slept soundly passed by without notice.

The Hokage Building remained brightly lit, like a heart that never grew weary.

Dark figures carrying urgent orders flew out from within, and the silhouettes of Anbu ninjas vanished beyond the borders of Konohagakure after a few leaps through the mist before dawn.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had not slept all night, stood before the window, the blue smoke from his pipe spiraling into the morning light.

He watched as Mitokado Homura walked steadily toward the gates of Konohagakure, embarking on the journey to the Daimyo Palace.

His gaze shifted, landing on the specially crafted crystal ball on his desk.

Inside, it showed Shimura Danzō, who was about to set off to lobby the various ninja clans, his sinister eyes filled with reluctance.

A long, drawn-out sigh melted into the cool morning breeze.

"I hope... everything goes smoothly."

The rising sun stretched Sarutobi Hiruzen's shadow long across the empty office, making it appear exceptionally lonely.