The Mizukage and the Mizukage Aide Are in Cahoots!!

In Jiraiya's ward at Konoha Hospital

Kakashi, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and Tsunade sat by the hospital bed and recounted in detail to Minato and Jiraiya the entire process of their recent meeting with the Mist Village delegation.

"The Odd Jobs Agency... huh?"

Jiraiya lay half-reclined on the hospital bed, turning his gaze from the ceiling to the blond boy beside him who was quietly waiting for him to speak.

"Minato, what are your thoughts on that ' Odd Jobs Agency ' and the alliance proposed by Mist Village?"

Minato pondered for a moment, and the calm and focus befitting Hokage gradually emerged on his youthful face:

From Konoha's perspective, forming an alliance with Mist Village does indeed offer considerable benefits.

"Secondly, from the perspective of the overall strategic landscape of the Ninja World, forming an alliance with Mist Village is a very valuable move for Konoha."

Although Sand Village is our ally, over the years, especially after the Nine-Tails Incident, Sand Village has never stopped its underhanded tactics.

"With closer ties to its interests and a more sincere attitude towards its alliance, Mist Village is clearly much stronger than Sand Village."

Minato paused, then couldn't help but exclaim in admiration:

"On the other hand, it's remarkable that they were able to break free from the traditional task market mindset and come up with such a novel idea as the Odd Jobs Agency)."

That Mizukage Aide from Mist Village is truly a very capable person...

If things really develop in this direction, it will indeed be of great benefit to both Konoha and Mist Village.

"Only..."

At this point, Minato looked at the crowd waiting quietly for him to continue, and the light in his eyes dimmed slightly:

"Regarding Mist Village, the Fourth Mizukage's attitude is something we must consider."

"The Mizukage's attitude?"

Tsunade, a hint of confusion flashing in her beautiful eyes:

"For such a significant matter as an alliance, Mist Village should have reached an internal consensus before sending a delegation, right?"

The fact that the Fourth Mizukage could send Shiina Sora proves that he at least knew about and agreed to this matter, doesn't it?

"... That's exactly what I'm wondering about."

Minato nodded and turned his gaze to Jiraiya on the hospital bed:

"According to the information that Jiraiya- Teacher had previously gathered, the village of Mist Village is currently divided into two factions: a Reformist Faction faction led by Mizukage Aide, the Shiina Sora's assistant, and a conservative faction led by the Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura."

The conflict between these two factions is almost irreconcilable; a delicate balance has only been maintained on the surface because their strengths are roughly equal and they are wary of each other.

Minato looked at the Third Hokage Hokage and continued in a serious tone:

"But if things really develop in the direction of the alliance, Mist Village's economic structure will inevitably undergo profound changes due to the establishment of the Odd Jobs Agency."

A change in the economic structure will inevitably tip the political scales in the same direction.

The already disadvantaged conservative forces will suffer a severe blow, while the Reformist Faction can use this alliance agreement and the huge economic benefits brought by the Odd Jobs Agency to seize control of Mist Village from the conservatives led by the Fourth Mizukage!

At this point, Minato frowned, a hint of doubt inappropriate for his age mingling with Naruto's childlike voice:

"Logically speaking, this should be something that the Fourth Mizukage, as the leader of the conservative faction, would absolutely not accept."

But why didn't he oppose the proposal? Instead, he even sent Shiina Sora, the leader of the Reformist Faction, to personally lead a delegation to negotiate with Konoha... This is completely illogical!

As Kakashi listened to Minato's meticulous analysis, he couldn't help but recall the time when he, Guy, and Kabuto went to Mist Village, and how the two of them had confronted each other so fiercely in that simple office...

Although they were indeed attacking each other at that time, for some reason, they always had a very subtle illusion.

That illusion called "tacit understanding"!

Kakashi suddenly raised his head and, with a hint of uncertainty in his voice, tentatively asked Minato:

"Minato-sensei! Is it possible... that the changes in Mist Village are actually what the Fourth Mizukage himself wanted to see?"

Upon hearing Kakashi's idea, Minato's blue eyes widened slightly involuntarily.

He lowered his head and pondered for a long time, finally shaking his head in doubt:

No. That's unlikely.

The reforms will shake the very foundations of the conservative rule led by the Fourth Mizukage.

Once the foundation is shaken, the power of the Fourth Mizukage, who is already unpopular within Mist Village, will be greatly weakened, or even completely disintegrated.

Minato looked at Kakashi and analyzed with certainty:

"Judging from the various policies implemented by the Fourth Mizukage over the years, he should be a person with an extremely strong desire for control and who is extremely thorough in implementing the Blood Mist Policy."

Logically speaking, such a person would not genuinely support Mist Village's reforms.

At this point, Naruto's young face immediately turned sullen.

Konoha's understanding of Mist Village was ultimately too limited.

That isolated archipelago, after so many years of isolation, has long become the most ambiguous blank spot in the entire Ninja World's intelligence network.

With the limited information we currently have, it is really difficult to figure out the true intentions of the Fourth Mizukage.

If one does not have a general understanding of the specific situation and true purpose of the Mist Village faction, then the foundation of the so-called alliance is unstable.

Just as Minato was lost in thought, Jiraiya, who had been silent Jiraiya, pondered Kakashi's words. Suddenly, as if recalling something extremely distant from the past, a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

"What Kakashi said might... could be true."

Inside the ward, everyone's eyes were fixed on Jiraiya.

"Alright, stop keeping me in suspense, just tell me what you've figured out!"

Although Tsunade's tone remained as impolite as ever, her voice had noticeably calmed down.

Although she had always had countless complaints about Jiraiya's various faults,

But when it comes to the value of "Jiraiya's intelligence," as her comrade and comrade-in-arms for over a decade, apart from that stinky snake who's been wandering around somewhere, no one in the entire Ninja World understands it better than her!

Jiraiya nodded to Tsunade, a hint of reminiscence flashing in his eyes:

"Based on information I gathered many years ago, the current Fourth Mizukage, the Three-Tails Jinchuriki Karatachi Yagura."

He originally succeeded as the Fourth Mizukage by opposing the Mist Village Blood Mist Policy and advocating for reform of Mist Village.

However, shortly after becoming the Mizukage, he suddenly reversed his previously widely supported views and began to vigorously promote the Blood Mist Policy.

The reformist forces in Mist Village suffered a devastating blow due to his sudden betrayal, and were even on the verge of complete collapse.

It wasn't until the current Mizukage Aide, Shiina Sora, emerged four years ago and reunited the fragmented Reformist Faction that the Mist Village Reformist Faction stopped their decline.

And in these years, they have grown rapidly at an astonishing pace, eventually becoming a powerful force capable of directly confronting the conservative faction of the Mizukage's lineage!

Hearing Jiraiya's words, Tsunade fell into deep thought.

Her brow furrowed slightly, then, as if she had thought of something unbelievable, her pupils suddenly contracted, and she looked at Jiraiya in shock:

"Hey, Jiraiya, you don't mean to mean...?"

"Ah."

Jiraiya nodded, a rare seriousness appearing on his face, which still bore the mark of his fist.

"The Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura, was perhaps always a Reformist Faction!"