Inside the council hall of Kirigakure in the Land of Water, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed as if water could be squeezed out of it. The heads of the various clans sat around the hall, their faces filled with unease and anxiety. The news of the assassination of the First Mizukage, Minazuki Teru, was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples everywhere.
Hozuki Gengetsu sat quietly in the corner, his eyes deep and cold, making his thoughts unfathomable. He looked at the chaotic situation before him, but he had already planned everything in his mind. For him, Minazuki Teru's death was both an opportunity and a challenge.
"Gentlemen, now that the Mizukage has been tragically killed, Kirigakure cannot be leaderless. We must elect a new Mizukage as soon as possible to stabilize the situation!" Minazuki Kiyoshi, the elder of the Yuki Clan, broke the silence.
"That's right! But this new Mizukage must be able to lead our Land of Water out of its predicament!" Kaguya Tsukino Na echoed.
Immediately, the crowd erupted in discussion, each family vying to nominate their representative to compete for this supreme power. Hozuki Gengetsu, however, remained silent, only occasionally glancing at the crowd's reactions out of the corner of his eye.
Just as everyone was arguing, the daimyo of the Land of Water slowly walked in. The hall immediately fell silent, and everyone bowed in greeting.
"Gentlemen, the position of Mizukage is crucial to the survival of the Land of Water. I, the Daimyo, believe that Hozuki Gengetsu, with his wisdom and courage, and his numerous victories in past battles, is the right candidate for the new Mizukage." The Daimyo's voice was steady and powerful, echoing throughout the hall.
Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback. Hozuki Gengetsu was secretly pleased, but outwardly remained calm. He slowly rose and bowed to the daimyo. "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Gengetsu. I will certainly do my utmost to live up to your expectations. However, Gengetsu am keenly aware of the heavy responsibility and need to hear the opinions of the clan heads."
These words demonstrated his humility while cleverly presenting the difficult problem to everyone. Some clan leaders who were on good terms with the Hozuki Clan expressed their support, while other families, though unwilling, could only reluctantly agree under the pressure of the daimyo.
After a heated debate and careful consideration, Hozuki Gengetsu, with the support of various clans and the daimyo of the Land of Water, finally ascended to the position of Mizukage. As the robe symbolizing the power of the Mizukage was draped over his shoulders, a barely perceptible ruthlessness flashed in his eyes. He secretly vowed to make those who had humiliated him pay the price, especially Shikaboshi Nara from the Land of Whirlpools, and the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans behind him, who had defeated and mocked him.
Upon becoming the Mizukage, Hozuki Gengetsu quickly began organizing an elite force. He knew that to exact revenge, he needed a powerful team. He first gathered the elites of the Hozuki Clan, who were utterly loyal to him. Then, in his capacity as Mizukage, he selected a group of powerful ninjas from other clans.
"Everyone, the team we've assembled this time shoulders an important mission. We will spread the fame of the Land of Water far and wide, and make those who dare to underestimate us pay a heavy price!" Hozuki Gengetsu said to the two thousand carefully selected Clan Head Level leaders standing on the training ground.
These ninjas all had determined eyes and high morale. They knew that following Hozuki Gengetsu would lead to an earth-shattering battle. Hozuki Gengetsu began to put the team through rigorous training, personally designing a training plan that covered everything from physical fitness to Ninjutsu, from teamwork to tactical application, leaving no aspect untouched.
While training, Hozuki Gengetsu's hatred for the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans deepened. He would never forget that day in the Land of Whirlpools when Shikaboshi Nara slowly lured and slaughtered his army; the way he looked at Nara Shikahoshi as if he were a clown was still a nightmare for him. Minazuki Teru's words calling him a pig were like a sharp blade, deeply wounding his pride.
" The Ino-Shika-Cho Clans think they can humiliate me at will just because they have the protection of Konoha. Hmph, I will make them know what happens when they offend Hozuki Gengetsu!" Hozuki Gengetsu said through gritted teeth, clenching his fists in his study late at night.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and the fire of revenge burned fiercely in his heart. He decided that he would make the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans disappear from this world; only in this way could he quell the hatred in his heart.
Finally, after a period of training, this elite force had acquired formidable combat power. Hozuki Gengetsu believed the time was ripe and began to implement his revenge plan. He ordered the army of the Land of Water to garrison in the waters off the Land of Whirlpools as a feigned attack, waiting for the Konoha to assemble in the Land of Whirlpools. He knew that the water was the Land of Land of Water's home ground, where they had an absolute advantage, and Konoha would never dare to go into battle.
He then divided his two thousand clan Clan Head Level powerhouses into two groups. He sent one thousand men to cause trouble within the Land of Fire, disrupting the rear of Konoha, while he personally led one thousand men to attack Konoha. His goal was clear: to exterminate the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans and make them pay a heavy price for their past humiliation.
Meanwhile, a similar situation occurred in the Land of Earth.
As dusk fell on the border of the Land of Earth, billowing yellow sand rose, and hundreds of thousands of Land of Earth troops retreated into the country like a tide. The body of the Tsuchikage Ishikawa had already been buried, and the hastily appointed new Tsuchikage, "Mu," stared at the map of the Land of Earth, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists—he was receiving not only the Tsuchikage hat, a symbol of power, but also the earth-shattering crisis that was about to erupt.
Three days after the assassination of Tsuchikage Ishikawa, the crimson Gunbai banner of the Uchiha Clan tore through the sky of the Land of Earth. The leading Uchiha Clan Head, Uchiha Tomioki, was enveloped in the glow of his scarlet Sharingan, his blade-like gaze sweeping over every Land of Earth ninja standing on the city walls. "Hand over Uchiha Uguisu!" A hoarse roar, accompanied by a hurricane of Chakra, crushed the stone tablet beside the city walls into dust.
This vengeful army of 60,000 Land of Fire ninjas, led by elite Uchiha, swept across the land like the scythe of Death God. They wreaked havoc and slaughtered in cities on the outskirts of the Land of Earth. When the Earth Ninjas attempted to stop them, the Uchiha ninjas unleashed the Great Fireball Technique. The raging flames engulfed the cities, the cries of children swallowed by the inferno, turning into distorted black smoke in the air. Wherever they went, farmland was scorched, wells were polluted with blood, and even fleeing wild dogs were disemboweled, their entrails dragging on the blood-stained ground.
" Lord Tsuchikage! Urgent report from the southern fortress! The Uchiha have used Genjutsu to control five hundred civilians as human shields!" A blood-soaked Tsuchikage ninja rushed into Mu's tent. Mu gripped his long sword tightly, his scarred face twitching. At that moment, sixteen-year-old Ōnoki knelt on one knee. "Please, Lord Tsuchikage, allow me to lead the Iwagakure Anbu! The Uchiha excel at frontal assaults; we'll use the tactics they despise most!"
That night, Ōnoki led three hundred Anbu Ninja to infiltrate the outer perimeter of the Uchiha camp. They used Earth Release to create dozens of fake tunnels, luring the Uchiha reconnaissance ninjas deep into them. When ten Sharingan users chased them underground, Ōnoki Hand Seals, and the entire tunnel collapsed with a roar. At the same time, another squad used Explosive Tag to sever the Uchiha's supply lines, causing the horses carrying provisions to bolt wildly, tumbling mountains of supplies into the canyon.
For the next two weeks, the Land of Earth became a nightmare for the Uchiha. Ōnoki directed the Anbu to lay numerous Clay Bomb traps throughout the area, killing any Uchiha ninja who passed by. When the Uchiha attempted to set up camp near a water source outside the city, the Earth Ninja poisoned the water beforehand, causing hundreds of ninja to vomit and suffer from diarrhea, rendering them incapable of fighting. These "dishonorable" tactics inflicted heavy losses on the Uchiha, bringing their supply lines to the brink of collapse, forcing them to temporarily retreat to the border between the Fire and Earth factions.
However, the Uchiha did not give up. The arrival of 30,000 reinforcements from the Land of Fire reversed the situation once again. The garrison at the Land of Earth's border was reduced to 20,000, while the Uchiha built an impregnable fortress in their camp. Even though Ōnoki's sneak attack tactics were still effective, they could not shake their foundation. The Uchiha Clan Head raised a blood-red flag at the front lines. "Without finding the harbinger of the night, the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth will never have peace!"
Late at night, inside the Tsuchikage's palace, Mu stared intently at the map of the Shinobi World on the wall, his gaze finally settling on the location of Konoha. "Send the order: assemble three thousand elite ninjas." Mu's voice was low and cold. " Ōnoki, you take two thousand men and create chaos within the Land of Fire, making sure to draw away more than half of Konoha's forces. I will personally lead a thousand men in a surprise attack on Konoha."
In the training grounds of the Land of Earth, Mu personally selected elites. Only Clan Head Level leaders or Elite Jonin who passed the test could become members of the raiding party. When the last ninja passed the trial, Mu announced, "This operation has only one objective—to ignite war throughout Konoha! Only by plunging the heart of the Land of Fire into crisis will the Uchiha return to defend the Land of Earth!"
Three days later, three thousand Earth Ninja infiltrated the Land of Fire under the cover of night. Ōnoki's squad appeared like ghosts in the southern part of the Land of Fire, using Earth Release and Explosion Release to create panic and lure the Land of Fire Konoha Ninja into a pincer attack. Meanwhile, Mu, leading a thousand elite troops, bypassed the Uchiha defenses and headed straight for Konoha. Under the moonlight, the Tsuchikage's black cloak fluttered in the wind, his eyes burning with the flames of revenge. " Uchiha, this fire, I will set your stronghold, Konoha!"