Promoting the Konoha threat theory, and talking about the Hidden Mist Belt!

"What's more..." He glanced at Yukinagi, who was staring intently at Hozuki Shingetsu. Everyone knew what this girl was thinking!

"You know, we grew up together. I only ever saw Nagi as a little sister. Besides, I don't want our friendship to change." Hozuki Shingetsu replied calmly, his eyes fixed on the fishing rod in his hand.

This is of course a lie.

As the legitimate daughter of the Yuki clan, Yuki Nagi lives up to her name, with skin as white as snow. She possesses long, silver-white hair and a pair of perfect, long legs. Knowing some of Hozuki Shingetsu's preferences, she often goes out wearing over-the-knee socks. Combined with the marks left between the socks and her thighs, it's fair to say that her entire body is completely rooted in Hozuki Shingetsu's XP system.

Well, aside from the upper body, which is hard to describe.

If Hozuki Shingetsu's goal is only the Mizukage, then as Yagura Karatachi said, the alliance between the Hozuki clan and the Yuki clan would be the best combination.

However, once Hozuki Shingetsu's goal expanded to unifying the ninja world, the Yuki clan was no longer the best choice.

Although the Yuki clan, a native ninja clan of Kirigakure, could provide Hozuki Shingetsu with tremendous assistance, they were still somewhat inferior to the Uzumaki clan.

This isn't just because the Yuki clan is weaker than the Uzumaki clan; the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques have a wider range of applications and are more powerful. More importantly, Hozuki Shingetsu's future wife isn't from a main Kirigakure ninja clan, which makes her even more valuable to others.

Most importantly, the Hozuki clan and the Yuki clan already have a very close relationship. As long as Ren is still in power, it's impossible for them to turn against each other; intermarriage would only be icing on the cake. As for after Ren's downfall, Hozuki Shingetsu has a series of methods to win over the Yuki clan.

Of course, there is also the most difficult thing for Hozuki Shingetsu to say: after nearly ten years of companionship with his childhood friend, Hozuki Shingetsu believes that Yukinagi looks down on everyone except himself, including his playmates Yagura and Ao.

Because when he was still young, he secretly used his special ability to connect with Yukinagi's heart. It can be said that Yukinagi's trust in Hozuki Shingetsu was built up over time and through his special ability, so Hozuki Shingetsu is naturally not afraid of others poaching him.

Based on this, despite its shamelessness, Hozuki Shingetsu, being a true villain, naturally wouldn't choose to marry Yukinagi. Because while he could still have affairs with Yukinagi while married to others, he'd have to find a way to have affairs with other women after marrying her. Faced with the other female ninjas with whom he had no emotional connection, he could only offer words like, "Madam, you didn't want to…", and "Trust me, he'll be alright."

Although it's quite interesting, it's ultimately a hassle.

Of course, even if the above things were to happen, it would only happen after Hozuki Shingetsu becomes the Mizukage and integrates the internal forces of Kirigakure.

After all, although he possessed the spirit of Cao Cao and the integrity of the Jian'an era, he was also well aware of the warning that lust could be a double-edged sword. Before he had a firm grasp on the situation, he would still maintain his image as a virtuous gentleman in front of Yukinagi. Moreover, even when the time was right, he would entice Yukinagi to take the initiative to push him down, in order to create the illusion that he was helpless.

"What a bastard!" Hozuki Shingetsu glanced at Yukinagi's reflection in the water—the absolute territory between her knee-high socks and shorts—and cursed himself inwardly for being such a despicable person.

That's right. He always knew who he was. He was just an ordinary, cunning man, loyal to his own desires, but with a clear head.

He coveted fame, hence the title "Timely Rain of Kirigakure"; he loved beautiful women, hence the desire to collect them all in the ninja world; he longed for success, hence the ambition to unify the ninja world; he enjoyed life, hence the constant abundance of luxury items in his home; he hated death, hence the desire to achieve immortality.

However, at the same time, his experience of living a second life also gave him the courage to risk his life in the face of a real crisis, and a crazy gambling mentality in the face of greater benefits—this life was a bonus, so why not fight for it?

This is Hozuki Shingetsu, just an ordinary person with many facets, though he has some principles. He is keenly aware of his current situation, understanding what he can do now, what he can do later, what he can only think about in his heart, and what he can say to others.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became somewhat awkward after Hozuki Shingetsu answered.

Yagura Karatachi shook his head helplessly. Given Hozuki Shingetsu's clear refusal, he naturally couldn't continue the topic. Glancing at the dejected Yukinagi, sensing the awkward atmosphere, he immediately changed the subject, trying to liven things up again.

"Speaking of which, is there any chance we'll get the sealing technique for the tailed beasts from Uzushio Village this time?"

Although he didn't know Hozuki Shingetsu's reason for going to Uzushio Village, Yagura Karatachi naturally connected it to the sealing techniques of the Tailed Beast Jinchuriki.

"The sealing techniques of the Tailed Beasts... By the way, Yagura, you still want to become a Jinchūriki of a Tailed Beast, don't you?"

“Of course. If we’re going to contribute to the village, we should start with what’s most valuable. Right now, the Three-Tails and the Six-Tails are forcibly sealed in containers, which not only makes them unusable but also raises concerns about the risk of them going berserk. If we can obtain the sealing technology for the Tailed Beast Jinchuriki from Uzushio Village, I’m willing to be the first to become the Three-Tails Jinchuriki.”

As a passionate young man who loves his village, Yagura Karatachi has always had a dream: to become a Jinchuriki of a Tailed Beast and serve the village.

Of course, he had dreamed of becoming the Mizukage before, but he naturally forgot about it after meeting Hozuki Shingetsu.

After all, becoming the Mizukage as a Jinchuriki of a Tailed Beast is already a pipe dream, let alone competing with Hozuki Shingetsu.

"The sealing technology for the Jinchuriki of the Tailed Beasts... will come." Hozuki Shingetsu reviewed his plans in his mind once again, confirming his suspicions.

Chapter 36 The storm is coming

This gathering, besides discussing the upcoming mission to Wochao Village, also aimed to deepen the bonds between everyone.

So after Yagura deliberately avoided this heavy topic, the atmosphere in the room began to liven up again.

"I've heard that once you become a Jinchuriki of a Tailed Beast, your life is bound to the Tailed Beast. Once the Tailed Beast breaks free, the Jinchuriki will surely die."

As Yukinagi said this, she glanced worriedly at Yagura Karatachi. Their bond, forged since childhood, was genuine, and Yagura Karatachi had proven himself with his own strength. Yukinagi naturally didn't want to see someone like him die because of a tailed beast.

Hozuki Shingetsu looked at Yagura Karatachi, also pondering this matter. Undoubtedly, from the village's perspective, making Yagura the Three-Tails' jinchūriki was a very worthwhile move.

In the original work, Yagura Karatachi also proved with his actions that he was very talented in this area, which is one of the reasons why Shingetsu Hozuki wanted to take him to Uzushio Village, to see if there was an opportunity for him to acquire the technology, thus laying the foundation for him to become a perfect Jinchūriki.

"Alright, there's no point in arguing about this now. After all, we're not even sure if we can get to Wochao Village, so there's no point in discussing these things here."

The awkwardness was successfully resolved, and Yukinagi returned to her usual carefree self, starting to discuss her fishing techniques with Hozuki Shingetsu. Amidst their playful banter, the youthful energy was on full display.

However, this kind of life won't last much longer.

-

Three days after the gathering, Ren formally summoned Hozuki Shingetsu. As expected, it was about sending him as an envoy to Uzushio Village. Moreover, not only the Mizukage and he were present, but also Elder Genshi.

In order to make things a done deal, Lian visited Master Yuan in advance, hoping to get his help.

Of course, he wouldn't reveal his true intentions. He only said that he wanted to send Hozuki Shingetsu to Uzushio Village to strengthen the village and hopefully obtain the sealing technology for the Tailed Beast Jinchuriki. For various reasons, it was best for Hozuki Shingetsu, as the foreign affairs officer, to carry out this initial contact. However, he was afraid that Hozuki Shingetsu and the Hozuki clan might be unwilling to put in the effort due to personal grudges.

Upon hearing this, Genji was naturally willing to lend a hand to Ren. As the right-hand man of the First Mizukage, Genji, now over sixty years old, was one of the few remaining elders in the village who had survived since the Warring States period, and his prestige in Kirigakure was immense. With him involved, as long as it didn't involve their core interests, everyone in Kirigakure would give him face, and this small matter was no problem for him.

The fact that Master Yuan was willing to help was mainly due to information asymmetry.

In Yuan Shi's eyes, Ren and Kaguya's side, despite having conflicts with the Hozuki and Yuki clans, were at most on par with the conflicts between the Uchiha and Konoha clans. They were capable of cooperating on matters of principle, far from reaching the point of life-or-death struggles. He naturally couldn't have imagined that in the original story, Ren would open the "Village of Blood Mist" and launch a heavy attack on the various ninja clans.

In this situation, he would naturally be willing to act as a peacemaker and mediate the conflict between the two parties.

Sure enough, when Ren saw Hozuki Shingetsu initially reluctant but then reluctantly agree to go to Uzushio Village after being persuaded by Genji, she knew she had made the right choice.

Although a "make do" document was signed at Hozuki Shingetsu's request, everything is fine as long as the person is appeased.

"Then the next step is to notify Konoha. Hopefully, Danzo will live up to his title of 'Dark Ninja'!" Ren watched the departing Anbu members, his mind filled with endless reverie.

Meanwhile, Hozuki Shingetsu, watching his departing subordinate, shared the same sentiment. However, his feelings were entirely different from Ren's.

"Hopefully, the Third Raikage and Onoki will realize this golden opportunity!"

Hozuki Shingetsu's instructions to the ninja were very simple: to inform Onoki and the Third Raikage through various means that Konoha was actively pushing for Kirigakure to learn the sealing techniques of the Tailed Beast Jinchuriki in exchange for Uzushio Village teaching Kirigakure the sealing techniques, in order to win over Kirigakure and prevent them from being isolated and attacked from both sides by Kumogakure and Iwagakure in the upcoming Shinobi World War.

The current situation in the ninja world may seem chaotic, but it's actually quite clear. Five nations dominate the ninja world's power dynamics. With Kirigakure (Hidden Mist Village) in seclusion, the relationships between the four nations of Wind, Earth, Lightning, and Fire determine the overall situation. Furthermore, after Hozuki Shingetsu's propaganda about the "Konoha threat," Konoha has been portrayed as the strongest nation in the ninja world.

Despite the numerous false reports and misinformation spread by various countries afterward, Konoha's strength was undeniable. Its numerous bloodline clans, substantial military budget, and large pool of skilled ninja were facts that could not be faked. This led insightful individuals to realize that if the Second Shinobi World War were to break out, Konoha would likely face a combined attack from various nations.

In this situation, it makes perfect sense for Konoha to seek out Kirigakure, the only "neutral force." Although Kirigakure was the first to launch the "Konoha threat" theory, it is quite possible that Konoha would abandon these disputes under the pressure of survival.

As for Kirigakure, they do need the control techniques of the Tailed Beast Jinchuriki. If Konoha uses this as an excuse to form an alliance with them, they do have a very good chance, and a very high chance at that.

If Kirigakure and Konoha were to unite, it would become a factional conflict between Earth, Wind, and Lightning against Fire and Water, inevitably leading to a stalemate. No one with a modicum of foresight would want to face such a situation.

So, in order to wait for the right news, Hozuki Shingetsu went to great lengths to postpone his trip—he would only set off for Uzushio Village when the exact time came.

He went to so much trouble, devising so many intricate plans; if it were just for fishing, it would be a huge waste of time. His plan was simple: he wanted to use this opportunity to take over Wochao Village in one fell swoop!

Relying on trade to acquire the tailed beast jinchūriki technology? If you can just bring everyone over, why would you need to trade?

The bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish. Only by pushing the situation in Whirlpool Village to the extreme can the most fruitful results be achieved—even if it requires him to get involved himself.

-

Because it was a point-to-point information transmission, Shimura Danzo was the first to receive news that Hozuki Shingetsu was about to go to Uzushio Village.

"What a God-given opportunity!"

The moment Shimura Danzo saw this information, his intuition told him that it was true and definitely came from inside Kirigakure.

He was all too familiar with this method of cleverly using others to eliminate dissidents—because that's how he killed Uchiha Kagami back then.

"This news... no, we can't tell Hiruzen."

Danzo was about to go out and discuss with Hiruzen Sarutobi how to kill Shingetsu Hozuki, but he quickly dismissed the idea. Due to his inappropriate remarks during the Uchiha incident, he had been placed under house arrest for three months by Hiruzen Sarutobi, and was still under house arrest.

Of course, everyone knew that this confinement would not have any effect on him, but Danzo used it to realize the huge difference between him and Hiruzen Sarutobi—Hiruken Sarutobi, as the Hokage, valued stability too much.

He didn't know if Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, upon learning this news, would risk incurring the wrath of the Hozuki clan and starting a Second Shinobi World War by killing a twelve-year-old child. Although the boy was currently displaying extraordinary talent, and disgusting to everyone in Konoha, that was all. Konoha had no shortage of geniuses; possessing the most top-tier ninjutsu lineages in the world, they feared no challenge from any prodigy. In this world, strength ultimately prevailed.

As Hiruzen Sarutobi stated, Shingetsu Hozuki can currently do nothing more than spew saliva in their faces. Although his "Konoha threat theory" has caused Konoha a great deal of trouble, that's only because Konoha itself is very strong, which aroused the vigilance of others; Shingetsu Hozuki's remarks merely added fuel to the fire. The same applies to the "Uchiha Human Rights Report"—Konoha itself has loopholes, and Shingetsu Hozuki is simply using them to his advantage, leveraging their strength against them.

Scabies is a minor ailment.

But Shimura Danzo saw it differently. It was simple: like repels like. He saw his own reflection in Hozuki Shingetsu's actions—that way of hiding one's true intentions through various behaviors was all too familiar to him.

"If we could get an elder of the Uzumaki clan to use 'Dead Demon Seal,' that would undoubtedly be the simplest way... but without Hiruzen, we definitely can't get Uzumaki Village to agree. So, we'll have to get Root to do it..."

Danzo thought for a moment and then ordered Ryoma Aburame to lead three Root squads to ambush Hozuki Shingetsu on his way to Uzushio Village.

-

Through the skillful intermediaries, the message delivered by Hozuki Shingetsu finally reached Onoki and the Third Raikage.

The real challenge with messages isn't how to deliver them, but how to convince the recipient. After all, messages are everywhere; finding the right information, making the right judgments, and taking the right actions from this vast sea of ​​information is a true test of a leader's abilities.

When this news was placed on the desks of Onoki and the Third Raikage, they immediately analyzed the logic behind it.

Well, although the Third Raikage analyzed it with Tsuchikage's clever "reminder," he still managed to figure out Konoha's "intention" to use Kirigakure as a way to break the deadlock.

Both of them, who harbored ambitions for the rich lands of the Land of Fire and their status in the ninja world, naturally could not stand idly by and watch this happen. So, they made the same decision without prior agreement—to destroy Uzushio Village!

In their view, although this was an agreement reached between Konoha and Kirigakure, the key was Uzushio Village.

Without Uzumaki Village, this plan will never be feasible unless Kirigakure transports the Tailed Beasts and potential Jinchuriki to Konoha for Mito Uzumaki to teach them personally, or Kirigakure starts from scratch using ninjutsu scrolls, sacrificing a large number of talented individuals to develop the technique themselves. Without Jinchuriki sealing technology, Kirigakure has no reason to ally with Konoha; in other words, what Konoha can offer is temporarily insufficient to entice Kirigakure.

Moreover, eliminating Uzushio Village before the war even begins would cripple Konoha, so why not? During the First Shinobi World War, the Uzumaki ninja resolutely stood by Konoha's side when the village was in turmoil, risking their lives to help stabilize the situation. Back then, a Uzumaki clan elder even used the "Reaper Death Seal" to forcibly exchange one enemy expert for another. Now, of course, lessons must be learned from the last Shinobi World War; annihilating Uzushio Village is the first priority.

Of course, in addition to the reasons mentioned above, there is another very important reason, which is that the Tailed Beast Jinchuriki technology is coveted not only by Kirigakure, but also by Kumogakure and Iwagakure!

As the only Jinchuriki of a Tailed Beast in the current ninja world, Mito Uzumaki's combat power was evident during the First Shinobi World War. Naturally, they also hoped that such a person would appear in their village, instead of having to spend a lot of manpower and resources to seal a time bomb that could not be used.