After sending Orochimaru off, there was no need to dwell on whether he would succeed in his task.
Yagura's strategy was already in place. Now, it was up to him to execute his part effectively.
Just then, Yuki Murasaki, who had knocked on the door moments ago, stepped inside with a serious expression. "Mizukage-sama."
"Is it about Kumogakure?"
"Yes."
Kumogakure had finally made their move. They had assembled a large force to attack a heavily guarded transport convoy.
The battle ended in a victory for the Kumonin, who plundered the cargo ship's supplies.
More importantly, the casualties on Kirigakure's side were significant.
"The escort force consisted of five Chunin squads and two Genin squads led by Jonin."
"They faced a Kumogakure unit of at least a hundred shinobi. We lost one Genin, six Chunin..."
"And one Jonin."
That last part was the most critical. The deaths of Genin and Chunin were unfortunate but still left room for diplomatic resolution. The death of a Jonin, however, escalated the situation to an entirely different level.
"Jonin Kiriha Sōsō stayed behind to cover the retreat, holding off all the attacking and pursuing Kumonin, buying enough time for the Genin and other shinobi to escape."
Another member of the Kiriha clan.
Yagura clenched his teeth. Kumogakure had just created a major problem—for both him and themselves.
To many, the Kiriha name might not mean much. But when put another way—the Boil Release Kiriha clan—it became clear.
This was Terumi Mei's maternal family.
It had only been half a month since Yagura and Elder Genshi had held a strategy meeting, and now Kumogakure had given Yagura a reason to take personal action.
Yagura immediately ordered the Anbu to notify the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Military Affairs Department.
Elder Genshi was not in Kirigakure at the moment. He had personally traveled to the Land of Artisans.
Currently, Konoha was consuming nearly all of Kirigakure's military exports. The other route—Sunagakure—had been cut off due to their financial struggles.
For the war to continue, Sunagakure could not be allowed to collapse.
Kirigakure had sent diplomatic envoys to negotiate, signaling that they were willing to allow Sunagakure to purchase supplies on credit.
Meanwhile, Elder Genshi, accompanied by Kaguya clan shinobi, traveled to the Land of Artisans to pressure them into increasing weapon production and expanding the number of Kirigakure's blacksmiths.
A strategy meeting was set for an hour later.
The Kiriha clan, having received news of their fallen member, also sent representatives to attend.
The conclusion of the meeting was unanimous: Kirigakure would put pressure on Kumogakure.
Unlike Sunagakure, which was relatively easy to manipulate, Kumogakure was not a pushover. Standard diplomatic measures would be ineffective.
...
The next day, news of Kumogakure's attack on a neutral country's Kirigakure trade ship, resulting in the deaths of multiple shinobi—including a Jonin—spread throughout the ninja world.
That night, Sarutobi Hiruzen woke up laughing in the middle of the night.
Kirigakure's diplomatic personnel stationed in Kumogakure sent back their response.
And it was the worst possible answer for both Kirigakure and Yagura.
The Raikage and Kumogakure's leadership had demanded that Kirigakure cease all military exports to Konoha in the future.
Their diplomatic stance was aggressive.
While many in Kirigakure debated how best to counter Kumogakure's demand, Yagura made his decision swiftly.
"I'll go."
He stood up and declared without hesitation, "We'll force Kumogakure to back down with strength."
Gasps filled the room. "What?!"
Some wanted to dissuade him, but Yagura shut them down with a single, irrefutable question: "Does Kirigakure have anyone more suited for this?"
Silence.
No. There was no one.
If there were, it wouldn't have fallen to the Mizukage himself to take action.
From the Third Mizukage's era, the village's elite forces had dwindled. Among them, only Jinin Akebino remained. Meanwhile, the Fourth Mizukage's generation had yet to fully mature.
Even Jinin Akebino alone wasn't enough. He did not possess the overwhelming power needed to make Kumogakure hesitate before engaging in war.
With reality laid bare, there was no longer room for argument.
After delegating tasks to Yuki Murasaki, Yagura prepared to depart.
However, he stopped Mangetsu and Zabuza in their tracks. "You two stay behind."
Mangetsu was taken aback. "Why?!"
Zabuza, having anticipated this, still scowled with dissatisfaction. "We won't hold you back."
Yagura wasn't implying that they would. But even if he thought so, he wouldn't say it outright.
"If the Mizukage and most of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen are gone, what happens if something occurs in the village?"
After a pause, his expression softened. "I'm counting on you. You're the ones I trust the most."
The two had no choice but to step down.
Typically, a Mizukage would be accompanied by two Jonin guards.
But at the moment, Kirigakure's Jonin were all occupied with missions. It was a predicament similar to when Tsunade had just taken office and had no available manpower to send after Sasuke.
Yuki Murasaki was a Jonin, but as Yagura's secretary and assistant, she needed to stay behind to manage daily affairs.
Terumi Mei, seeing the two reluctant guards remain behind, stepped forward.
"In that case, Mizukage-sama, I request to accompany you as a bodyguard. I'm just an ordinary Jonin—surely that's acceptable?"
This incident involved her family, and her strength was up to par. She had recently passed the Jonin exam.
Yagura hadn't considered bringing anyone along. Mei's initiative surprised him.
He thought for a moment before agreeing. "Alright."
With only Mei and a few Anbu, Yagura set off immediately.
...
They traveled westward toward the border of the Land of Water.
From Kirigakure, a new waterway system had been under construction to connect to the western border. The elevated bridges had already begun taking shape near the village.
Following the unfinished route allowed them to assess its progress while remaining unnoticed.
According to intelligence reports, Kumogakure had dispatched over a thousand shinobi.
Compared to the twenty thousand they had deployed against Konoha, this was a mere fraction. But for neutral Kirigakure, it was a disproportionately large force—far beyond what the trade ship's escort could handle.
...
After half a day's journey, night fell.
The two stopped in a bamboo forest to rest.
Yagura sent an Anbu scout ahead to gather information, while Mei set traps and ensured the area was secure.
Yagura lit a small fire and began heating water to cook frozen chicken.
Mei returned, laid out a map, and estimated their arrival time.
"If we depart at dawn, we'll reach the port before noon."
Steam rose as the water reached a boil. Yagura poured a cup for Mei.
"Thank you, Mizukage-sama."
Yagura smiled faintly. "No need for formalities. Just call me by my name."
"Alright."
Mei studied his expression, sensing his underlying tension but knowing she couldn't help. Instead, she simply did what she could—supporting him however possible.
...
Suddenly, her senses sharpened.
Her gaze snapped to the bamboo forest at eight o'clock.
She immediately stood, shielding Yagura. "Who's there?!"
----------------
Just dropped a new fanfic! It's a chill, easy-to-read story with a fun twist, the main character has the Flame-Flame Fruit in the Naruto world. The powers are cool and used in interesting ways, but don't worry, he's not insanely overpowered. There's a good balance, solid pacing, and some nice character moments.
Highly recommend checking it out.
You can find it by the title In Naruto with the Flame-Flame Fruit or just head to my Webnovel profile!
Pls Drop some Power Stones
Fanfic is finished on Patreon (265 chapters in total.)
Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)