"Has the authenticity of the information been confirmed?"
Ayai, wearing the Raikage's hat, had a firm expression, and as he spoke, faint electric sparks flickered in his hair. He was devoted to cultivation, constantly pursuing the realm his father had once reached.
But at this moment, the importance of this information forced him to stop his cultivation.
Qi La Bi, who was usually without proper form all day, now also wore sunglasses and appeared beside Ayai. The two were the absolute core fighting force of this generation of Cloud Village.
The scout responsible for information was also brought over at this time. He nodded, his expression serious, and confirmed,
"Absolutely true. Uchiha Shisui of the Uchiha Clan, along with a fellow clan ninja, engaged in battle with unidentified ninjas in a small border town not far from the border, and ultimately... disappeared."
The name Uchiha Shisui had already gained renown during the Third Shinobi World War. As a top-tier expert who had re-emerged from the Uchiha Clan, even a ninja like Qi La Bi, who spent his days in the village researching RAP, had heard of his name.
After the death of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, he had already become an important target of precaution for other ninja villages, especially his Sharingan...
Ayai's face was still furrowed in a frown, without the happiness the scout had expected to see.
"Ayai, just before this battle occurred, there was news that Konoha had lost a top-secret information, and the content of the information was deliberately spread."
"The Uchiha seem to be very displeased with the Konoha high-level. This incident is probably... another internal struggle within Konoha."
This was the answer that the Cloud Village's strategists believed to be the most probable after synthesizing information from various sources.
It was impossible for someone of Uchiha Shisui's caliber to be easily defeated by mysterious ninjas who appeared out of nowhere, and Konoha had always had a tendency for such "internal attrition."
The death of Konoha's White Fang, Sakumo Hatake, a few years ago, had already made it difficult for these ninja villages to conceal their joy. They never expected that "Shisui of the Body Flicker" would also meet with misfortune at this time.
What a godsend!
"Would Konoha's high-level do such a foolish thing as cutting off their own arm?"
Some also questioned this, because such a thing indeed sounded too incredible.
Despite being the strongest force among the Five Great Ninja Villages, they continuously lost top-tier combat power outside of war. Such a thing was simply a fantasy.
It should be known that when the Cloud Village's previous generation's top combat power, the Third Raikage, was killed on the battlefield, he was fighting tens of thousands of people alone. A top ninja of this level was completely a national treasure.
Konoha just eliminated him like that?!
Ayai thought for a moment, then suddenly stood up. Although he was also skeptical of this analysis result, Cloud Village could not fail to react to such a major event.
As the ninja village with the deepest enmity with Konoha and the closest in strength, Cloud Village could not let go of any opportunity.
The Land of Lightning had also coveted the fertile and vast lands of the Land of Fire for a long time.
"Immediately dispatch all personnel along the Land of Fire border and those who have infiltrated it. We must confirm the authenticity of this information within one day."
"Also, find a way to investigate the current situation within Konoha. If Konoha has an internal war, we will immediately declare war!"
"Begin war mobilization now!"
Ayai's style had always been decisive and very strong. Even if he could not fully confirm it, he still issued a war mobilization.
"Hah!"
A group of ninjas responded in unison, quickly leaving to prepare.
They were all secretly excited. The Fourth Shinobi World War might soon begin, and this time... Konoha would surely lose!
...
In Iwa忍村 (Rock Village), the Iwa忍村 (Rock Village) elite Jonin, Kitsuchi, simultaneously reported this information to his father, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki.
Ōnoki was short in stature, wearing a long robe that almost completely covered his body, and floated in the air. As one of the very few ninjas who had mastered Kekkei Tota, which was above Kekkei Genkai, he could fly freely in the air.
"You're saying that Uchiha Shisui might have already been defeated by that mysterious ninja?!"
Kitsuchi nodded. Iwa忍村 (Rock Village) had an information advantage compared to Cloud Village: their squad sent to seize that top-secret information had not been completely wiped out, and several of them were now in the Tsuchikage's office.
Facing Ōnoki's inquiry, the few of them exchanged glances and nodded, saying,
"We received news at the time that someone within Konoha had leaked a top-secret information. Jonin Sulfite led a team to contend for it, and ultimately confronted the information squad led by Cloud Village's Ayai."
"At that time, several mysterious ninjas suddenly appeared in the town's inn. One of them released a terrifying Wind Release, killing Captain Sulfite. Another very tall individual attacked and defeated the Cloud Village squad, seizing the woman who held the information. Cloud Village Jonin Ayai was probably also killed."
"Combining the information obtained this time, we deduce that the top-secret information was probably about the discord between the Uchiha and the Konoha high-level, and their intention to rebel. This led to the Uchiha sending Uchiha Shisui to pursue, and he ultimately lost and disappeared."
Ōnoki slowly descended from the air. He had complex feelings towards the Uchiha Clan. In his youth, Uchiha Madara had severely wounded him and his master, the Second Tsuchikage, Mū, at the same time, making him quite wary of this clan.
He thought for a moment, then suddenly said,
"Kitsuchi, go arrange for a few intermediaries to go to the Uchiha Clan in Konoha and deliver a message, saying that our Iwa忍村 (Rock Village) would be very happy to accept the Uchiha Clan!"
Kitsuchi was startled, not expecting his usually stubborn and rigid father to resort to such a cunning divisive tactic at this moment.
"Father, you..."
Ōnoki waved his hand and snorted coldly.
"What I say is naturally not false. If the Uchiha are truly willing to join our Iwa忍村 (Rock Village), I will naturally treat them with courtesy."
He was speaking the truth. Even if the Uchiha Clan would bring many troubles, he was willing to deal with those troubles for the sake of that power.
However, everyone knew that Konoha would not sit idly by and let such a thing happen. The signal he sent would intensify the dissatisfaction between the Konoha high-level and the Uchiha. As long as Konoha began an internal struggle, the Land of Earth's opportunity would arrive.
Please... you... collect _6Ⅰ9ⅠBookⅠBar (six\\\nine\\\book\\\bar!)
He watched as the village began war mobilization, with large numbers of ninjas assembling, and sighed. War was always cruel, but if they couldn't seize this opportunity, what would happen to his country and people when Konoha became strong again?
Hatred could never end. All he could do was ensure his country was not the one eliminated.
...
Inside the Konoha Hokage Building, the situation was now extremely grim.
Uchiha Fugaku sat across from Hiruzen Sarutobi with his arms crossed, while Uchiha Inabi, Uchiha Yashiro, and other elites of the Uchiha Clan stood coldly behind their clan head, their scarlet Sharingan eyes looking indifferently at the high-ranking officials before them, their gaze as if looking at insects.
Koharu Utatane frowned. She also disliked this clan; a group of individuals who could go mad at any time due to power, too emotional, which often led to anomalies within the clan, making it difficult for them to integrate into the village.
"Fugaku, Uchiha..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke, but hesitated for a moment, not mentioning the incident that left no room for maneuver for either side. Instead, he said,
"Are Zhi Shui and Itachi really missing?"
Uchiha Fugaku opened his eyes, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan slowly rotating. He too, at this moment, showed a rare emotional fluctuation.
"The village knows about that better than we do, don't they? Shouldn't your Anbu have been keeping an eye on them?!"
Uchiha Fugaku did not believe that there could really be a mysterious ninja capable of defeating Zhi Shui and Itachi. Although they were young, their strength was extremely high. In this Shinobi World, to achieve such a thing, it would certainly require the top combat forces of the major ninja villages to act.
"Hokage-sama, I probably know the identity of the person who attacked Uchiha Shisui."
At this moment, Ten'i, wearing an Anbu mask, walked in from outside and spoke, interrupting the tense atmosphere.
She calmly met the gaze of several pairs of angry Sharingan eyes.
"Probably, a madman named Tao Bai Bai."
—
In a swamp in the Rain Country, Uchiha Shisui regained consciousness. His whole body was in excruciating pain, and he couldn't move at all, as if all his bones were broken. His eyes were also wrapped in something, preventing him from opening them.
A familiar laugh appeared in his ear.
"Heh, look, Uchiha Shisui, because of your disappearance, the world is in chaos, isn't it? War... is probably about to begin."
Uchiha Shisui's whole body trembled. Amidst the intense pain, he tried to release Chakra, but his wounds burst open, and a huge sense of exhaustion appeared.
"Hey, hey, don't get excited. I managed to save your life with great difficulty."
"If you want to stop everything, if you want to save the life of this young man named Itachi, then become my servant. Find everything I want..."