CHAPTER 342: KAZEKAGE NINJA-CHAPTER 131: THE MIST HIDDEN STORM

"Sigh... Minato, this isn’t good!"

After descending from the high wall, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up at the crescent moon and star-filled night sky, letting out a long sigh.

Minato Namikaze was puzzled. Hadn’t you just handled that perfectly? The whole process was a masterclass in leadership—discipline tempered with compassion, raising the issue high but letting it fall gently. Not only did it serve as a warning, but it also won the unwavering loyalty of a grassroots officer. A textbook example of managing subordinates.

Hiruzen lowered his head with a bleak expression.

"Back when I followed Lord Tobirama, Konoha wasn’t nearly as strong as it is now. Wars were constant, battles never ceased, and ninja fought endlessly, exhausted to the bone. But whether in good times or bad—even when Lord Tobirama heroically sacrificed himself—we always maintained our fighting spirit and resolve to die if necessary. With that will, we overcame enemy after enemy, won victory after victory.

But now? Look at them. Just two defeats, and they’re... This is something even more terrifying than defeatism—giving up entirely!

From one small glimpse, we see the whole picture. What we witnessed was just one chūnin guarding five hundred meters of wall. How many ninja along the entire wall share this mindset? How many throughout all of Konoha? Forget the courage to win—they’ve lost even the will to fight with everything they have. How can I expect them to defeat our enemies?"

The more Hiruzen spoke, the more agitated he became, his words speeding up until his chest heaved with grief and fury.

Minato tried to console him.

"Lord Hokage, I believe Konoha is currently at a crossroads between old and new generations. The new ninja were born into Konoha’s glory—they never experienced those harsh times. After completing a few A-rank missions, they think they’re invincible, full of arrogance. The battles at Moon Lake and Lishi—we lost too brutally, too completely. Their mindset crashed from the clouds into the mud. Such a massive fall is impossible for them to accept.

Only by winning this war can they regain their confidence and truly understand the essence of the Will of Fire. You don’t need such pessimistic feelings—everything requires a process."

Hiruzen looked at Minato’s young, resolute face, his expression filled with satisfaction and relief. Minato’s words carried another layer of meaning, which he understood perfectly.

As Hokage, countless eyes are watching me. I cannot fall. I absolutely cannot waver in my ideals and beliefs.

Gradually, Hiruzen’s gaze became unwavering.

"Minato, you’re right. We truly need a victory. Have you and Kushina made arrangements?"

Minato bit his lip.

"She... has already agreed. She’s ready to fight for the village at any time."

Hiruzen fell silent for a moment.

"Good."

Hiruzen said only those three words, then walked straight toward the Hokage building without another word.

Minato didn’t hurry to follow, silently praying in his heart.

Jiraiya-sensei, how are things on your end? Only if Kirigakure joins the war can Kushina be truly safe.

The Konoha and Sunagakure delegations arrived almost simultaneously, running into each other right at Kirigakure’s port.

Instantly, both sides bristled with tension, facing off directly on the docks.

Jiraiya drew his kunai, positioning himself protectively in front of Koharu Utatane, his eyes locked deadly on Maki.

Fugaku Uchiha also wore a grim expression, arms crossed, watching everything with cold indifference.

"Don’t act rashly. They outnumber us and have taken advantageous positions in battle formation," Koharu whispered, quickly tucking her clothes into her belt and assuming a combat stance.

The Konoha group was small—barely a dozen including attendants.

In contrast, Maki’s delegation was much larger, a full fifty-plus strong.

Maki at the front had already drawn his ninja blade, his gaze never leaving Jiraiya.

"Be careful—that’s one of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya. None of us could take him one-on-one. If fighting breaks out, tie him up first. And that kid—the Uchiha—he specializes in genjutsu. Gaojin!"

Maki barked in a low voice.

Xuechi Gaojin quickly flipped up his forehead protector, revealing a three-tomoe Sharingan in his right eye, but kept his body hidden behind Maki.

"Capture the leader first! Fugaku, use genjutsu to bind Maki. Jiraiya, attack immediately after. Everything follows Fugaku’s signal," Koharu immediately laid out tactics, clearly intending to eliminate Sunagakure’s envoys right here on the docks.

The distance between them was only thirty meters—for ninja, that was practically close combat.

Fugaku Uchiha suddenly channeled his ocular power. The three tomoe in his eyes spun rapidly, almost forming complete circles, as his gaze fixed on Maki.

In that lightning-fast instant, Maki and Xuechi Gaojin behind him completed a crossover switch at nearly imperceptible speed.

Xuechi Gaojin’s blood-red eyes met his gaze defiantly.

"Impossible!"

Within the genjutsu realm appeared a bizarre scene—on one side was Fugaku Uchiha’s "mental black room," on the other, a vast white space.

The two spaces overlapped discordantly. If there were eyes beyond space-time observing from outside, the scene would appear extraordinarily strange.

The space was split in half—one black, one white.

"How do you have the Sharingan! Are you a rogue ninja from the Uchiha clan?" Fugaku’s astonished voice echoed from the dark space.

"Hehe, that’s right, that’s right. Didn’t you know? I’m actually your long-lost grandfather," the white space mocked.

"You’re asking for death!"

The black space trembled violently, surging toward the other side.

"Ungrateful brat!"

The white space gave no ground whatsoever.

Two forces clashed in the void, compressing and twisting, neither yielding.

All of this, in real-time, took less than two seconds.

"That kid’s trouble. Fugaku’s met his match. Elder Koharu, cover the rear—I’ll take Maki’s head first."

With that, Jiraiya used Body Flicker, grabbing his kunai and thrusting toward Maki.

Thirty meters was no distance at all—no time for hand seals. Maki didn’t hesitate, raising his ninja blade to block.

Clang!

Weapons clashed, producing a pleasant metallic collision sound.

Just then, a long sigh drifted from the distant white mist.

"Sigh, since both of you have come, you’re guests of Kirigakure. Why must you clash the moment you meet? How about giving me some face and withdrawing for now?"

Hearing this, both Jiraiya and Maki withdrew their attacks and stepped back, looking toward the source of the voice.

From the thick mist, a small figure slowly emerged.

As the white fog gradually dispersed, everyone could finally see the person’s face clearly.

Small stature, baby face, a scar over his left eye, carrying a flower-decorated iron staff on his back—who else could it be but the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi

!

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