"What did you say? The Uchiha attacked Kirigakure's delegation?"
In the Hokage's office in Konoha, Hashirama looked at the intelligence operative in front of him in shock. "Is the news verified?"
In front of the desk, a ninja wearing an Anbu mask knelt on one knee and replied respectfully, "According to reports sent by the intelligence squad in the Water Country, the Mizukage and his entourage were indeed ambushed by the Flame Hidden Village while returning to Kirigakure. Among them, a ninja named Shuiwu was taken away by the Uchiha, and Mizukage Byakuren was heavily injured, his life or death still unknown."
"Why did it come to this?" Hashirama slumped into his chair, disbelief still lingering unbreakably on his face. "The peace treaty was just signed."
Standing to Hashirama's left and right respectively were Tobirama Senju and Toka Senju serving as Hokage's assistants. Unlike Hashirama's distraught state, Tobirama immediately caught the crucial point in the words. "You mean they only took one person?"
"Yes. Aside from that, Kirigakure did not suffer many casualties." The intelligence ninja replied respectfully.
Toka Senju mused, "That is to say, they do not intend to go to war with Kirigakure. But does this Shuiwu have a grudge against the Uchiha Clan, to actually make the four strongest members of the Uchiha Clan move simultaneously?"
Hashirama said belatedly, "Oh? You mean Madara doesn't want to start a war?"
"Of course not." Tobirama said irritably. "First of all, the Flame Hidden Village has not yet taken resources from us, so they cannot possibly initiate a war first. Secondly, several nations lie between the Land of Flame and the Water Country; waging a cross-country war across a thousand miles is impossible. Even if they were to fight, they would strike the Land of Earth or our Land of