In truth, the military operation against Hidden Mist Village's stronghold in the Land of Rivers had been under constant surveillance by spies from every nation. Summoning beasts carrying intelligence darted back and forth, while many planted "sleeper agents" gradually surfaced.
Yet both Hiruzen Sarutobi and Keiko chose to ignore these matters. Rasa and Danzo, on the other hand, became so busy that their hands never left their pens and their feet never touched the ground.
After all, the two men were not only commanders of this military exercise, but also the ones spearheading their villages' intelligence work. For now, they needed these "hooks" to pass along information and intimidate the Earth and Lightning countries. Once the exercise was over, they could arrest whoever needed arresting.
The Yoshizawa Mountain Operation was undoubtedly another tremendous success. Of the 268 Hidden Mist Village "rogue ninja," every last one was either killed or captured. Their leader, former Hidden Mist Village junior councilor Shimizu Ren'o, was beheaded, while the allied forces suffered fewer than thirty casualties. It was an unquestionable sweeping victory.
The day after the operation ended, the Kazekage and Hokage personally visited the ninja injured in the battle. Before everyone, they fulfilled their promise and awarded Akasuna Hideki's Sunagakure squad four hundred thousand ryo for killing Shimizu Ren'o, leaving the ninja of both participating villages green with envy.
Third Kazekage Keiko immediately announced that, to raise morale, he would personally contribute another two million ryo as rewards for future battles. He hoped his brothers would fight valiantly and earn further glory.
Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi also gritted his teeth and declared, "Whatever amount Lord Keiko puts up, Konoha will match it."
For a time, the ninja cheered jubilantly, and even the piles of Hidden Mist Village heads no longer looked quite so terrifying.
Incidentally,