Lure the Snake from Its Hole!

Morning.

Konoha's main camp in the Land of Whirlpools, inside the Hokage's Office.

The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, sat upright at the head of the table, his stern gaze sweeping over the Konoha higher-ups and jōnin squad leaders below.

"The Second Mizukage of the Land of Water is dead, and Kirigakure Village is busy electing a new leader. At a time when they have no leader, what they fear most is us launching a full-scale offensive."

Tobirama lightly tapped his fingers against the table as he analyzed the situation in a deep voice:

"However, our foremost task right now is not to counterattack the Land of Water.

Iwagakure has been firmly pinned down by Kumogakure's main force at the border of the Land of Waterfalls, suffering heavy casualties. Ōnoki has already agreed to my terms.

Therefore, we must completely wipe out the four thousand remaining Kirigakure troops within the Land of Whirlpools in the shortest possible time, then march to Iwagakure's aid!"

Uchiha Kagami furrowed his brow slightly and spoke first. "Lord Hokage, unless we make Kirigakure suffer, they will not submit easily. I suggest concentrating our forces and using absolute military might to force the Land of Water into signing a ceasefire agreement!"

Homura Mitokado shook her head and voiced her concern. "Lord Kagami, the Land of Whirlpools is surrounded by sea on all sides. Most of us in Konoha specialize in Fire, Earth, and Wind Release. Out at sea, Fire Release and Earth Release are greatly weakened. If we clash head-on, the casualties will be severe."

Koharu Utatane added, "According to intelligence, the commander of these four thousand Kirigakure troops is an expert from the Mizunazuki Clan. Trying to annihilate them all would be harder than scaling the heavens."

"The sea is my domain as well." Tobirama snorted, cutting off the debate.

"The Mizunazuki Clan's Ice Release does have some merit and can counter Water Release to a certain extent. Especially that clan head—he can form hand seals with one hand to use secret techniques, so he is indeed formidable. But I, Tobirama Senju, am not about to take such tricks seriously!"

"The biggest problem now is that Kirigakure has scattered its forces, hiding across the islands and within the dense fog of the Land of Whirlpools. The key is how to lure them out and wipe them out in one stroke!"

Everyone fell into thought, and for a moment, no one spoke.

Just then, Lin Hai in the back row raised his hand.

Tobirama nodded in acknowledgment, and Lin Hai laid out his plan.

"We can release false intelligence claiming that Konoha has reached a secret agreement with one of Kirigakure Village's major clans."

"We will support that clan's rise to power, in exchange for the locations of these four thousand Kirigakure troops and defense maps of the Land of Water itself."

"We'll choose a strategically dangerous location that is easy to defend and hard to attack as the 'trading site.' I refuse to believe these four thousand Kirigakure shinobi can stay put after hearing that their own backyard is on fire."

Homura Mitokado's eyes lit up.

"What a brilliant way to lure the snake from its hole!

Not only can we draw them into the encirclement, but we can also sow suspicion within Kirigakure!

As for the location... Despair Valley in the heart of the Land of Whirlpools. Mountains surround it on three sides and the sea lies on the fourth. A natural slaughterhouse!"

Tobirama gave Lin Hai an approving glance and made the final decision. "We'll do it that way!"

Land of Earth, Iwagakure.

The newly appointed Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, looked at the blood-covered messenger before him, fury burning in his chest.

"Are you certain that what Tobirama Senju specifically demanded is all the core information on the Kekkei Tōta?!"

The messenger trembled. "Absolutely! The Hokage said that if even one word was missing, he would not send reinforcements!"

Ōnoki clasped his hands behind his back and paced anxiously around his office.

"Konoha wants to get its hands on the Kekkei Tōta too? That's impossible!"

"Teacher Mu spent thirty years of painstaking effort developing Dust Release! Konoha doesn't even have a genius born with three chakra natures!"

He spun around abruptly and stared at the ANBU commander. "Have the spies sent back any unusual intelligence? Has Konoha recently produced a genius with three chakra natures?"

The ANBU commander shook his head. "Among the Konoha geniuses currently known to us, Hiruzen Sarutobi possesses only two chakra natures, while Shimura Danzo specializes in Wind Release. As for the other major clans, there have been no signs of anyone with three chakra natures."

There must be some trump card Konoha has secretly cultivated! If I refuse, a thousand men will die at the front every day!

"Damn it!"

Ōnoki's eyes went bloodshot as he finally made his decision.

"Go to the top-secret archives immediately. Make a copy of all of Teacher Mu's research manuscripts on the Kekkei Tōta and send them to Konoha at once! Hurry!"

Land of Whirlpools, Konoha's main camp.

Homura Mitokado entered Tobirama's office at a brisk pace, carrying a top-secret intelligence report.

"Teacher, everything is proceeding smoothly. Not only has the false intelligence been released, we've even hooked a big fish."

Tobirama was somewhat surprised. "The act became real?"

Homura suppressed a laugh. "One of the major clans actually contacted our spy and asked us to fund their bid for the Mizukage position."

Tobirama sneered. "At a time of life and death, instead of uniting against the enemy, they're scrambling for power and profit! A clan like that deserves Kirigakure Village's decline!"

"What is that clan called?"

"The Kaguya Clan," Homura answered. "They are extremely warlike and bloodthirsty. They lost to the Hōzuki Clan in the election back then and have held a grudge ever since."

"Utterly foolish." Tobirama closed his eyes again. "Proceed according to the original plan. Once the encirclement operation is over, return the news that the Kaguya Clan secretly colluded with Konoha to the Land of Water exactly as it is. I want them to tear each other apart!"

"Brother Monkey, I heard the men of the Mizunazuki Clan are even prettier than women?" Lin Hai asked curiously, gnawing on an apple.

Hiruzen Sarutobi rolled his eyes. "That backwater called the Land of Water may have nothing else, but it sure has plenty of bloodline-limit clans! Every last one of them looks bizarre. Why ask me? Who am I supposed to ask?"

"But Sister Homura said you flirted with a Mizunazuki Clan shinobi right on the battlefield and nearly got chased for dozens of miles?" Lin Hai leaned closer with a wicked grin.

Hiruzen sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Don't listen to Homura's nonsense! How was I supposed to know he was a man?! He had such delicate skin and tender flesh, so I casually said, 'I don't fight women.' Then that guy chased me down three streets with an ice blade!"

Lin Hai burst out laughing.

Just as the two were bantering, Koharu Utatane rushed over with a grave expression and shouted, "Stop fooling around! Kirigakure didn't go to the trading site. They launched a direct surprise attack on our ambush encirclement instead! The battle has already begun, move!"

"What?!"

Lin Hai and Hiruzen's expressions sharpened. They grabbed their ninja tools and rushed toward the battlefield.

The edge of the Despair Valley basin.

Nearly four thousand Kirigakure shinobi surged forward like a tide, counter-surrounding several thousand Konoha shinobi.

The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, wore a white Hokage robe and stood alone at the very front, facing the Kirigakure army head-on.

He folded his arms across his chest, his eyes blazing as he coldly watched the handsome Kirigakure commander opposite him.

"State your name." Tobirama's voice was not loud, yet it rang clearly across the battlefield.

The Kirigakure commander looked at the legendary Hokage before him, a trace of wariness flashing through his eyes.

"As expected of the Second Hokage, standing alone before four thousand men. I admire such courage."

A wild, arrogant sneer curled Tobirama's lips. "In this old man's eyes, you four thousand are nothing more than a pack of rabble."

The Kirigakure commander's face turned cold as he waved his hand and gave the order. "All troops, break through! I will hold Tobirama back!"

He turned around, frost appearing across his handsome face.

He rapidly formed hand seals with one hand. "I am Mizunazuki Jingyu, clan head of Kirigakure Village's Mizunazuki Clan. Let me witness the Second Hokage's prowess!"