Chapter 37: War is Coming
Land of Water, the capital city. The Second Squad of the Hidden Mist Anbu First Division, led by Squad Leader Murasaki, was completing the mission given to them by Kiyoshi.
After receiving Kiyoshi's orders, the Second Squad, disregarding Chakra consumption, traveled day and night to the capital of the Land of Water, arriving at 11 PM on the second night.
Upon arriving in the capital, Murasaki quickly contacted the member within the underground exchange responsible for collecting ninja world intelligence for Kiyoshi, using the contact method Kiyoshi had recorded in the mission scroll.
After going through a series of identity verifications following the method Kiyoshi had taught him, Murasaki obtained their mission target.
It turned out that on the very day Kiyoshi took over as the squad leader of the First Division, on his way to the Anbu Main Base, he received an urgent contact signal from Dark Crow, the intelligence agent who was supposed to collect and deliver ninja world intelligence to him monthly.
Dark Crow was an intelligence agent specially selected by Kiyoshi from the intelligence division of the underground exchange he controlled to gather intelligence specifically for him.
The current communication methods in the ninja world were still very backward. The transmission of most information could only rely on manpower, or large ninja villages like Konoha and Kirigakure could use the entire village's strength to train dedicated messenger ninja hawks.
Alternatively, summons could be used, but only a very small number of summons in the ninja world possessed both intelligence and strength to transmit messages through summoning and reverse summoning.
When Kiyoshi had the intelligence agent Dark Crow specifically collect ninja world intelligence for him, he specifically told the agent that emergency contact should only be initiated for extremely important intelligence concerning the Hidden Mist Village. Therefore, after seeing the emergency contact signal, he attached great importance to it.
It also happened to coincide with his taking office, so after quickly defeating and subduing Suikazan Fuguki and Murasaki, he sent Murasaki to the capital to retrieve the specific intelligence.
Murasaki quickly browsed the intelligence according to the code Kiyoshi had given him, and his expression changed drastically in an instant.
The members of the Second Squad immediately went to the Anbu's station in the capital, placed the intelligence in the small box tied to the hawk's claws, and then quickly released the ninja hawk to transmit the message back to the village.
"Kree! Kree! Kree! Kree! Kree!"
Five consecutive clear hawk cries echoed in the sky above the Hidden Mist Village.
"It's here!" Kiyoshi, who was reviewing recent relevant intelligence in the Anbu base, felt a movement in his heart. He quickly rushed out of the office and came outside.刃, the squad leader of the Second Division in the base, and Commander Ken also came outside. Kiyoshi quickly formed the corresponding hand seals and summoned the ninja hawk down.
The ninja hawk swooped down and finally obediently landed on Kiyoshi's outstretched arm. Taking the intelligence, Kiyoshi quickly deciphered the content according to the corresponding code, and his face turned a bit grim.
"Lord! The Third Kazekage of the Sand Village, Iron Sand, personally led a ninja force to invade the Land of Rivers. The leader of the Hidden Rain Village, Salamander Hanzo, appeared at a critical moment and blocked the Third Kazekage, Iron Sand. The two fought to a draw, but according to intelligence, the Third Kazekage, Iron Sand, was at a disadvantage and was constantly being suppressed by Hanzo," Kiyoshi said, dropping a bombshell that left 刃 and Ken feeling dizzy.
"The Hidden Rain Village has developed rapidly in recent years. Coupled with such an extraordinary leader, their ambition is great!" 刃 exclaimed.
"After repelling the Third Kazekage, Salamander Hanzo publicly declared that he would lead the Hidden Rain Village to become the sixth great ninja village, and he challenged the Third Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, Sarutobi Hiruzen, to a battle at the Rain-Fire border on July 7th of Hidden Mist Year 33," Kiyoshi continued.
"The small area and scarce resources of the Land of Rain are not enough to support the Hidden Rain Village becoming the sixth great ninja village. It seems war is about to break out," Ken commented calmly, then turned to Kiyoshi and instructed, "There isn't much time left before the agreed battle between Hanzo and the Hokage. Take some people with you and go observe the battle personally. Gather some intelligence as well. We also need to decide what attitude our Hidden Mist should take in the next great war based on the intelligence."
"Yes! I will gather the personnel immediately and depart as soon as possible," Kiyoshi accepted the mission.
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At the same time, Land of Fire, Hidden Leaf Village, Hokage Building, in the office of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"What in the world is that damn Hanzo trying to do! This is a provocation against our Konoha! Who does he think he is!" A low voice filled with intense anger and resentment came from within.
The speaker had brown hair with neat sideburns. His head and right eye were wrapped in bandages, revealing only one slender eye. Most noticeably, he had a cross-shaped scar on his chin. It was Sarutobi Hiruzen's good friend, Konoha's famous hardliner, the future 5.5th Hokage, known as the "Darkness of the Shinobi," Shimura Danzo.
"Danzo, calm down!" Utatane Koharu beside him劝道, "Hanzo might just be demonstrating his power to us, asserting his presence!"
"Yes, old friend, the Land of Rain is such a small place that we could easily destroy them with a wave of our hand. We keep them around only as a buffer zone between us, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Wind. As long as Hanzo isn't stupid, how could he possibly have designs on our powerful Konoha?" Mitokado Homura said confidently.
"You underestimate Hanzo's ambition too much! We should immediately send troops to the Land of Rain and directly destroy the small Hidden Rain Village!" Danzo's voice couldn't help but rise.
"Danzo! You are too radical. My mind is made up. Reply to Hanzo that I will be there on time!!!" Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was just over 40 years old at this time, was in his prime and not at all afraid of Hanzo, who could easily repel the Kazekage. After all, he was also known as the "Strongest Hokage" of Konoha Village, possessing the title of "Professor of Ninjutsu."
"Sarutobi!" Danzo roared, extremely dissatisfied with his friend for not listening to his opinion. "You will regret this!"
"Danzo, I am the Hokage!" Sarutobi Hiruzen, who hadn't yet degenerated into the old and weak man he would become after the Third Great Ninja War, was incredibly forceful at this moment.
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