443. More Important Matters

In the mist-shrouded village of Kirigakure, surrounded by water, the atmosphere in the Mizukage's office was as heavy as the calm before a storm.

"What? The Blood Mist faction is also trying to purchase weapons from Konoha?"

Mei Terumī's voice rose sharply, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief.

Her auburn, crisscrossed curls trembled slightly as she moved, and her already pale face grew even darker.

Sunlight filtered through the mottled leaves outside, casting dappled shadows on the ground, but it did nothing to dispel the gloom that hung over the office.

Ao, her assistant, stood clutching a file, the papers rustling slightly in his nervous hands.

He swallowed hard and nodded solemnly.

"Yes, although the negotiations between the Blood Mist faction and Konoha are still in the early stages, both sides have shown a clear interest in cooperation. Intelligence suggests that the Blood Mist faction has already made initial contact with Konoha. They've expressed strong interest in Konoha's advanced weaponry, particularly the cannons, tanks, and the so-called 'Aerial Killer Whale' airships."

Mei's hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms.


The cold aura around her intensified, as if the very air in the room was freezing.

She knew all too well that the reason they had gained the upper hand in their struggle against the Blood Mist faction and the noble factions was due to the advanced weapons provided by Konoha.

If the Blood Mist faction acquired similar weapons, the balance of power on the battlefield would shift dramatically.

The war would likely devolve into a prolonged and brutal stalemate.

What worried Mei even more was that the daimyo's side had an absolute advantage in terms of financial resources.

If the war dragged on, it would be a fatal blow to Kirigakure. The Land of Earth was a prime example of this.

"No, we absolutely cannot let this happen to the Land of Water!"

Mei slammed her hands on the table and stood up, her gaze resolute.

The Land of Water had already been worn down by war, its economy in shambles and its people suffering.

Only by ending the civil war quickly and restoring stability could the nation begin to rebuild and develop.

Otherwise, the Land of Water would sink deeper into the abyss of war and eventually face ruin.

As for Konoha's aid?

Mei admitted that the support from Konoha had indeed provided Kirigakure with a lifeline in its darkest hour.

But between nations, there was no such thing as sentiment—only pure interest.

Konoha's assistance was not without its own agenda.

Thanks to this aid, a significant pro-Konoha faction had emerged within Kirigakure.

They believed that Kirigakure should form an alliance with Konoha, fully adopt Konoha's systems, and follow Konoha's lead.

As the Mizukage, Mei could not accept this.

But for now, she had no choice.

She couldn't very well accept Konoha's support while simultaneously suppressing the pro-Konoha faction at home.

Doing so would only plunge Kirigakure back into division and chaos.

Mei knew all too well the methods of the "Darkness of the Shinobi World."

Because of this, to prevent Kirigakure from becoming a puppet of Konoha, she had to end this war as quickly as possible.

"Immediately order all forces to prepare for a decisive battle against the Blood Mist faction!"

Mei took a deep breath and slammed her hand on the table again, causing the documents on it to scatter.

Her voice was firm and powerful, echoing through the office.

"We must end this war within two months!"

The high-ranking officials in the room all wore serious expressions.

They knew that this decisive battle would determine the fate of the Land of Water.

Soon, the entire village of Kirigakure was in motion.

At the docks, ships loaded with supplies bustled back and forth, transporting weapons, food, and medicine to the front lines.


Shinobi who had been training daily returned home to pack their belongings, preparing to head to the battlefield.

Their eyes reflected both the tension of war and the desire for victory.

The village was filled with a tense yet fervent atmosphere, as everyone understood that this was a battle for survival.

Meanwhile, in the distant Hokage's office, a discussion about the situation in the Land of Water was also underway.

"Launching a decisive battle so soon... It seems Mei has gotten wind of something."

Shikaku Nara stood before a large map of the Land of Water, his pen marking various symbols and lines on the map.

According to their earlier analysis, Kirigakure's best strategy was to use its aerial superiority to harass and wear down the Blood Mist faction over time, gradually weakening their forces before engaging in a decisive battle.

This would allow Kirigakure to achieve victory at the lowest cost.

The optimal time for such a battle would have been eight months later.

But Mei had changed the plan, moving the decisive battle forward by so much.

It was hard not to suspect that she had learned something.

"It seems Mei has the courage befitting a Kage."

Rather than being angered by Mei's subtle resistance, Danzō actually seemed somewhat impressed.

In his view, a leader of a major nation needed to have the independence and resolve to not be controlled by others.

Of course, admiration aside, if circumstances forced the two nations into opposition, Danzō would show no mercy.

"So, what should we do next?" Shikaku put down his pen and looked at Danzō.

"Should we provide support to the Blood Mist faction and turn the Land of Water into a second Land of Earth?"

With Konoha's current military-industrial strength, they were fully capable of supplying the Blood Mist faction with large quantities of weapons and resources, dragging the Land of Water into a prolonged internal conflict, just as they had done in the Land of Earth.

Danzō was silent for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

"Dealing with these major nations requires a tailored approach. Each country's internal situation is different, and our policies must reflect that. The Land of Earth is deeply divided, and Ōnoki has never had good relations with Konoha.

Naturally, we could support the weaker daimyo to keep them mired in internal conflict.


But the Land of Water is different. We've already cultivated a significant pro-Konoha faction within Kirigakure. If we were to turn around and support the Blood Mist faction now, all our previous efforts would be wasted."

"Therefore, what we need now is to continue supporting Kirigakure, and to focus that support on the pro-Konoha faction.

This way, even if Mei ends the civil war and tries to purge Konoha's influence within Kirigakure, she'll come into conflict with the pro-Konoha faction, which has benefited greatly from Konoha's support.

This will plunge Kirigakure back into turmoil."

Danzō's words were calm, but they sent a chill down the spines of Minato and Shikaku.

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

"Additionally, our current focus isn't on the battlefields in the Land of Earth or the Land of Water, but on something beyond the battlefield."

"For example..."

"The establishment of Konoha's military-industrial complex."

Danzō's eyes narrowed, a sharp glint shining within them.