Amada had already pieced together the situation.
He knew the Sunagakure shinobi would act soon, and Inada Kai's plan had entered its final stage.
All he had to do was tell Kushina everything.
Meanwhile, Shari, the leader of the Sunagakure shinobi,
stood in a hidden outpost in Rice Field Country, studying a map of the entire country.
His eyes held a resolute look as he silently considered what to do next.
"This plan has to succeed."
Shari spoke in a low voice.
He had agreed to Inada Kai's plan not only because of Kai's promises, but also because of the Land of Wind's pressing needs.
The Land of Wind lay in the desert, with few resources and a meager harvest, leaving the country far behind the other great nations in development.
If they could bring Rice Field Country into the Land of Wind's sphere of influence and secure a steady supply of food,
the Land of Wind's predicament would improve considerably.
"The food from Rice Field Country is our hope for the Land of Wind's rise."
Shari clenched his fist.
"No matter what, this plan cannot fail."
He turned to face the few Sunagakure shinobi behind him.
"Everyone, follow the plan. Tonight, Princess Tachibana must be dealt with. Remember, move quickly. Don't give Konoha's shinobi a chance to react."
The Sunagakure shinobi answered in unison:
"Yes, Lord Shari!"
Shari nodded, then waved his hand to signal them to begin.
He silently prayed:
I hope everything goes smoothly.
Meanwhile, back in Konoha, Danzo sat in his office, holding a report that had just arrived.
A knowing smile appeared on his face.
"The Daimyo of Rice Field Country is dead... It seems Uchiha Amada has completed his mission."
Danzo's voice held a note of satisfaction.
Just then, the office door opened, and the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi walked in.
His face was stern as he looked at Danzo, who sat behind his desk.
Danzo looked up at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Well, this is a rare sight, Lord Hokage. What brings you to my office today? What do you need?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi ignored Danzo's teasing and got straight to the point, demanding:
"You were behind the Daimyo of Rice Field Country's death, weren't you?"
Danzo's smile slowly faded. He rose to his feet and met Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze, his voice edged with steel.
"If you don't want to get your hands dirty, then let me do it. You should understand—we have no other choice."
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned.
"Couldn't you have tried talking to him first? There might have been another solution."
Danzo gave a cold laugh.
"Talk? My people have already confirmed that Sunagakure shinobi have entered Rice Field Country. Do you think there's still any point in talking?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent for a moment, a complicated look passing through his eyes.
He knew Danzo was right. They had no choice left.
Rice Field Country was far too important strategically. They could not let it fall into the hands of the Land of Wind.
Hiruzen Sarutobi finally sighed.
"If there are any similar operations in the future, I need to know first. After all, I'm the Hokage."
Danzo didn't answer directly. He only smiled faintly.
"Hiruzen, sometimes it's better not to know too much. You only need to trust that everything I do is for Konoha's benefit."
"I hope so."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said at last, his voice carrying a note of warning.
"But remember, you don't get to decide what's in Konoha's interests on your own."
Danzo smiled without a word and merely nodded, unconcerned by Hiruzen Sarutobi's warning.
Hiruzen Sarutobi turned to leave, but stopped at the door and looked back.
"By the way, who carried it out? I hadn't heard that anyone from Root Division was taking action."
Danzo smiled mysteriously.
"A promising young man."
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned but didn't press him further.
He knew that no matter how much he asked, Danzo wouldn't tell him what he didn't want to know.
So he nodded and left Danzo's office.
Meanwhile, inside the palace of Rice Field Country,
a small squad of shinobi slipped into the palace without a sound. It was Shari, a Sunagakure Jonin, and his three subordinates.
"Move quickly. Our target is Princess Tachibana."
Shari ordered in a low voice.
"Yes, Lord Shari!"
His three subordinates answered in unison, keeping their voices low.
They soon made their way into Princess Tachibana's bedchamber.
But, unexpectedly, the room was utterly quiet. There wasn't even a single guard.
Shari's brow furrowed slightly, and a faint sense of unease crept over him.
"This is too easy... too easy to be normal."
"Something's wrong! It's a trap! Retreat!"
Shari realized what was happening and barked the order under his breath.
But the moment he finished speaking, countless things whistled through the air inside the bedchamber.
Hidden weapons shot toward them from every direction, kunai and shuriken raining down on them.
At the same time, a loud voice rang out inside the bedchamber—
"Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning!"
In an instant, black smoke surged in from every direction, quickly engulfing Shari and his subordinates.
Red-hot sparks flickered in the smoke, completely obscuring their vision.
With their sight blocked by the black smoke from Ash Pile Burning, the Sunagakure shinobi were forced into an extremely disadvantageous position.
The hidden weapons flying at them from all directions were difficult to dodge in the smoke,
especially for Shari's three Chunin subordinates.
They did their best to evade the attacks, but several kunai and shuriken still struck them,
and blood trickled slowly from their wounds.
"Damn it!"
One Chunin gritted his teeth and hissed, his movements slowing considerably.
As a Jonin, Shari far surpassed his subordinates in both strength and experience.
He dodged most of the hidden weapons, but his heart grew heavier by the moment.
He knew he couldn't let things continue like this. He had to change the situation.
"Wind Release: Wind Blowing Technique!"
Shari quickly formed Hand Seals and thrust both hands forward.
A powerful whirlwind burst from his palms, instantly blowing away the black smoke around them.
As soon as his vision cleared, Shari spotted Kushina standing not far away.
But before he could react, Kushina had already rushed toward him like lightning.
Her fist, wrapped in powerful chakra, shot straight for his chest.
"Bang!"
Shari hurriedly raised a kunai to block, but Kushina's strength far exceeded his expectations.
The kunai snapped under the force of her punch, and Shari's body flew through the air like a kite with its string cut,
crashing hard into the building outside the bedchamber.
The wall was smashed open, sending rubble and dust flying in every direction.
"Amada, Asuma, find a way to hold those three shinobi off. I'll finish the fight as quickly as I can."
Kushina stood at the bedchamber entrance, watching the direction Shari had been thrown, and spoke sternly.
Amada and Asuma nodded and charged toward the three wounded Chunin.
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