328. Casting a Long Line to Catch a Big Fish

As the situation in the Land of Hot Springs grew increasingly tense, Kumogakure began to ramp up its support for the Hidden Hot Water Village.

Every day, large quantities of weapons were delivered to the front lines, and a small number of Kumogakure ninjas began to secretly join the conflict under the guise of rogue ninjas.

Of course, neither Kumogakure nor Konoha openly intervened; instead, they engaged in a covert struggle within the Land of Hot Springs.

Even so, the civil war in the Land of Hot Springs placed a significant military burden on Kumogakure, especially since they were still required to pay reparations to Konoha in installments.

This situation was quickly compiled into intelligence reports and delivered to the Hokage's office in Konoha, their longtime rival.

"Shisui's abilities are becoming more and more impressive," remarked Minato, the Hokage, as he reviewed the frontline reports, not hesitating to praise the young ninja.

Danzo had not hidden anything from Minato and Shikaku regarding the situation in the Land of Rice.

As a result, Shisui's outstanding performance was evident to all.

Even Minato and Shikaku couldn't help but privately acknowledge the praise Shisui had received as the "Little Darkness of Shinobi."

That kid truly had the potential to be another Danzo!

Despite being an Uchiha, he had taken charge of a region at such a young age and performed exceptionally well.


With a bit more experience, some notable achievements, and his unique background, a position as an elder in the future was almost guaranteed.

He might even have a shot at becoming the first Uchiha Hokage in history, especially since the current Konoha leadership held no prejudice against the Uchiha clan.

Faced with their praise, Danzo simply waved his hand, pretending to be indifferent, but the smile on his lips betrayed his pride.

Minato chuckled softly.

At this moment, Danzo looked like an ordinary old man proud of his grandson.

It was hard to imagine that this same old man had once struck fear into the hearts of the entire shinobi world...

After a moment of reflection, Minato brought the conversation back on track.

"So, Senior Danzo, what's your next move? Will you continue to increase pressure in the Land of Hot Springs and take it over completely?"

Danzo shook his head lightly.

"Our objective has already been achieved. Now, we just need to maintain pressure in the Land of Hot Springs and continue to drain Kumogakure's resources. If an opportunity arises, we can also look for suitable targets within the Land of Frost. After years of Kumogakure's rule, I'm sure there's plenty of discontent among the smaller neighboring nations."

Danzo's voice was cold and calculating, sending shivers down the spines of those who heard him.

His strategy against Kumogakure was simple: create as much tension as possible in the regions surrounding Kumogakure.

By cultivating suitable proxies in neighboring countries like the Land of Rice, the Land of Hot Springs, and the Land of Frost, he could keep Kumogakure's attention divided and continuously deplete their military strength.

Combined with the war reparations Kumogakure was already paying, this strategy would perfectly achieve the goal of "bleeding them dry."

Konoha didn't need these proxies to actually defeat Kumogakure; they just needed to keep Kumogakure constantly occupied and slow their recovery, if not halt it entirely.


Meanwhile, Konoha would focus on domestic economic and industrial reforms, steadily strengthening its national power.

By the time Kumogakure resolved its troubles, Konoha would have grown into an unstoppable behemoth!

This was Danzo's grand plan.

Both Minato and Shikaku, being sharp-minded individuals, quickly grasped the essence of his strategy, their eyes filled with admiration.

Truly, the "Darkness of the Shinobi" lived up to his name.

While others were taking one step at a time, Danzo was already looking ten, even a hundred steps ahead.

After concluding the discussion on matters related to the Land of Lightning, Danzo turned his attention back to domestic affairs.

"How is En's 'Reclaim the Land of Fire' plan coming along?"

Hearing the name of the plan, even the usually composed Shikaku couldn't help but smirk, while Minato outright laughed.

After a few seconds, Shikaku reported, "The conservative nobles and merchants within the Land of Fire have already been mobilized. They've responded to En's call, forming a united front and cutting off all cooperation with the Konoha Merchant Association.

Not only that, they're advocating for a joint effort to economically restrict Konoha and reclaim control over the Land of Fire.

To this end, they plan to hold a grand banquet on a secluded island near the Land of Waves in a month's time.

All the nobles and merchants from the Land of Fire will attend, including the Daimyo's younger brother, Enishi, who's known as the 'Money Bag of the Land of Fire.'"

Hearing this, a meaningful smile spread across Danzo's face.

"They're all coming, huh? It seems we'll finally be able to catch them all in one net."

Danzo had been patient with these nobles and merchants who hindered Konoha's economic development and monopolized local finances.


If these rotten conservatives faction weren't thoroughly swept away, Konoha's progress and the Land of Fire's advancement would remain a distant dream.

That's why Danzo had allowed these nobles and merchants to collude and even recruit rogue ninjas—all to gather them in one place and deal with them in one fell swoop!

Of course, the main goal was to have a justifiable reason for taking action.


After all, they were still nobles, and even Danzo couldn't simply eliminate them all without cause.

But if they gathered together to plot against Konoha, that was a different story.

If they were planning to overthrow Konoha, then it was only natural to strike back, right?

However, Minato, as the Hokage, still had some concerns.

"Won't our actions be too drastic? After all, Enishi is the Daimyo's younger brother. I'm worried the capital might react strongly."

Danzo snorted coldly. "A strong reaction? I'm counting on it."

This bloodthirsty statement made it clear to Minato and Shikaku what Danzo was really after.

The "big fish" he was aiming to catch wasn't just the "Money Bag."

It was the figure behind him—the Daimyo, who was revered like a god by ordinary people. That was the true big fish!

The moment had finally come. Minato's eyes showed a mix of unease and... excitement.

The unease came from the uncertainty and confusion about the future.

As for the excitement, it stemmed from the realization that they were being led by Danzo to accomplish something unprecedented and earth-shattering—a feat that would be hard to replicate in the future!