463. The Land of Water Must Fall

In a conference room in Kirigakure, the atmosphere was as heavy as the calm before a storm.

"What do you mean by that?"

Hearing Ao's sarcastic remark, Zabuza slammed the table and stood up like a leopard ready to pounce.

His already cold expression grew even darker, and his narrowed eyes flashed with a chilling light, radiating an astonishing killing intent.

In an instant, the entire conference room seemed to be enveloped in a layer of frost, filled with an oppressive sense of impending violence.

The air itself felt frozen, as if it might solidify at any moment.

However, Ao, the Mizukage's assistant, showed no signs of backing down in the face of Zabuza's intimidation.

He merely tilted his chin up slightly, his lips curling into a deeper, more mocking smile, filled with disdain and contempt.

"Konoha's so-called 'assistance' to Kirigakure was nothing more than a ploy to drain the Land of Water's strength and cultivate a pro-Konoha faction like you, wasn't it?"

Ao's voice wasn't loud, but each word struck like a hammer, resonating in the hearts of everyone present.

"They simply wanted to quietly take control of Kirigakure through you."

His words were like pouring oil onto an already raging fire, completely igniting Zabuza's fury.

Unable to contain his anger any longer, Zabuza's hand, which had been clenched at his side, moved abruptly.

The kunai in his hand flashed out of its sheath, accompanied by a cold gleam, and shot straight toward Ao.

The kunai sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, carrying all of Zabuza's rage and resentment.

Seeing this, Mei Terumī, seated at the head of the table, instantly darkened.

Her usually beautiful face was now covered in a frosty layer, her eyes revealing a cold fury.

"How dare you!"

Almost simultaneously, Mangetsu Hōzuki, who had been on guard, swiftly stood up.

His figure moved like a ghost, instantly appearing in front of Ao, his weapon precisely blocking Zabuza's fierce strike.

The sound of metal clashing was particularly piercing in the silent conference room, sparks flying in all directions.

At the same time, Mei Terumī quickly formed hand seals and activated the Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique, trapping Zabuza within a molten prison.

"Sorry, Zabuza, but given the current situation, you'll have to spend some time in the dungeon," Mei said coldly, her pale green eyes filled with icy resolve.

At this moment, she showed none of her usual warmth and kindness, instead embodying the authoritative demeanor of the Mizukage.

Hearing this, Zabuza, trapped within the molten prison, let out a mocking laugh, filled with scorn and disdain.

"If you've already made your choice, why bother pretending to be righteous?"

After Mangetsu and Mei had both taken action against him, Zabuza instantly realized that this meeting had been a carefully orchestrated trap from the very beginning—a
"Assassination banquet" designed specifically for him.

The purpose was clear: Mei wanted an excuse to suppress the pro-Konoha faction, which Zabuza led.

Over the past few years, the pro-Konoha faction in the Land of Water had grown robustly under Konoha's influence, their power expanding to the point where they were beginning to rival Mei's faction.

As the Mizukage, Mei naturally couldn't allow this situation to continue.

She had no choice but to take preemptive action, using this opportunity to imprison Zabuza, the leader of the pro-Konoha faction, and suppress their influence.

Realizing this, Zabuza simply gave up resisting.

As he was being escorted out of the conference room, he cast a look of pity at the people inside, sneering:

"Utterly foolish..."

"Utterly foolish!!"

After Zabuza was taken away, the grim expressions on Mei and the others gradually softened.

After a moment, Mei spoke slowly, her voice carrying a tone of determination:

"From now on, we must do everything we can to suppress the pro-Konoha faction within the country."

"Although Konoha has helped us in the past, I will never allow the Land of Water to become someone else's puppet!"

With that, she clenched her teeth and looked resolutely at the "key officials" before her, continuing:

"Next, I will personally attend the Four Kage Summit convened by Ōnoki. I leave domestic affairs in your hands!"

Hearing this, Ao and Mangetsu quickly stood up.

Their expressions were serious, their eyes filled with unwavering determination, as they spoke in unison:

"We will not fail you!"

---

Not long after, the news of Zabuza's house arrest and the purge of the pro-Konoha faction in the Land of Water caused an uproar internationally.

This news quickly reached Danzō—or rather, the entire Konoha leadership.

"That Kirigakure... truly an ungrateful pack of wolves!"

Fugaku Uchiha slammed the table, his face filled with anger as he indignantly raged: "We gave them so much support, and now they dare to stab us in the back!"

In contrast, Danzō, Minato, and Shikaku remained remarkably calm.

Shikaku sighed softly and pushed a cup of tea toward Fugaku, saying gently:

"Elder Fugaku, there's no need to be so angry. Have some water first."

To be honest, the Konoha leadership had long been prepared for the Land of Water's betrayal.

After all, the Land of Water was fundamentally different from smaller nations.

It had always held the status of a major power in the ninja world.

This meant it would never easily submit to the Land of Fire like smaller nations might.

The relationship between major powers was simple and direct: it was all about interests!

Two years ago, when the Land of Water was in dire straits and desperately needed Konoha's assistance, the two nations were naturally close allies.

But now, the situation had changed dramatically.

The Konoha Alliance was rapidly expanding, its sphere of influence growing larger and larger, which posed a serious threat to the Land of Water's national security.

Moreover, within the Land of Water, the pro-Konoha faction, supported by Konoha, continued to grow, creating an unprecedented sense of crisis for Mei and the other leaders.

If they didn't want the Land of Water to be swallowed up and assimilated, their only choice was to unite with other major powers to oppose Konoha.

From a purely interest-based perspective, it was easy to understand why Mei had made this decision.

This was also the main reason why Danzō and the others weren't surprised or shocked by the Land of Water's betrayal.

Of course, being prepared was one thing. The more important issue now was how to properly resolve this situation.

If Konoha simply stood by and did nothing in the face of the Land of Water's betrayal, the newly joined nations like the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers might begin to look down on the alliance.

Thus, amidst the silence, Danzō slowly spoke.

"Since the Land of Water is so eager to be the first to defy us, let them experience the might of a major power."

His voice was low and powerful, his eyes flashing with a dangerous light as an overwhelming aura of authority erupted from him.

"Lord Danzō, are you suggesting we take military action against the Land of Water?"

Minato leaned forward slightly, his hands resting lightly on the table.

His tone carried a mix of concern and anticipation.

He was worried about the potential unknown consequences of war, especially since Konoha was in a critical period of rapid development.

If possible, he genuinely hoped to maintain a peaceful development trajectory.

But he also understood the delicate balance between war and peace.

"Peace sought through struggle endures; peace sought through compromise perishes."

This was a truth Danzō had written in his books, and Minato had always held it as a guiding principle.

Thus, beneath his concern, there was also a sense of anticipation.

He was eager to see just how powerful Konoha's forces, after years of development, would perform on the battlefield!

In fact, it wasn't just Minato. Fugaku and Shikaku also looked at Danzō with anticipation.

They were among the first to know of Danzō's ideals and had steadfastly chosen to follow him.

No one longed for the arrival of a new era more than they did.

Thus, under the expectant gazes of everyone present, Danzō smiled faintly.

He slowly pressed his palm down on the ninja world map before him, his finger landing precisely on the continent representing the Land of Water in the southern ocean.

His voice grew colder as he spoke:

"The Land of Water... must fall."