They're promoting the "Konoha threat" theory, and spouting nonsense about the Hidden

Chapter 45: Plans Change, Ready to Go All In

"..."

In truth, having come to this point, Takumi Uzumaki had already realized that, objectively speaking, Kirigakure was indeed a good place. Firstly, its terrain was easy to defend and difficult to attack; secondly, apart from trade, it didn't have particularly rich resources, making an invasion of the Land of Water far more unprofitable than an invasion of the Land of Fire.

All the previous rejections were just emotional, subconscious rejections. Thinking about it carefully, Kirigakure... isn't so bad?

However, such an important matter cannot be decided so simply. At the very least, it is necessary to convene many elders to discuss it before a final decision can be made.

Moreover, whether Konoha would even send reinforcements was another question. The idea that Konoha would stand by and watch them die was merely speculation; what if they had just agreed to join Kirigakure, and then Konoha reinforcements arrived? Wouldn't that be ridiculous?

Roughly estimated, the front line can hold out for another three days. If Konoha doesn't give a clear answer within two days, don't blame the Uzumaki clan for being ruthless!

Therefore, Takumi Uzumaki dodged the question and did not answer Shingetsu Hozuki's question directly, only saying that he needed to think about it and told him to go back and wait.

However, Takumi Uzumaki's change can already be seen from his attitude.

As for the specific degree of change... well, it must have changed from "tea" to "serving tea".

Hozuki Shingetsu already knew that Konoha Village would never send troops to rescue them, so he didn't care at all, giving Uzumaki Takumi enough time to think before leaving the castle tower.

"So, the Uzumaki clan is just going to join us like this?" Yagura Karatachi was still a little dizzy, unable to believe that the Uzumaki clan, which was famous throughout the ninja world and had established its own country, had joined Kirigakure so easily. This left the passionate village-loving youth speechless for a moment.

"Don't talk nonsense, you haven't joined yet!" Hozuki Shingetsu corrected his grammatical error with a meticulous attitude, but judging from the smile on his face, he also thought that this matter was almost certain.

"But the Mizukage didn't promise any of those things. What if the Uzumaki clan finds out they were all fake after joining Kirigakure?" Yukinagi thought for a moment and realized there was a fatal flaw in the matter: the issue of Hozuki Shingetsu's forged edict.

"What should we do? By then they'll all be in Kirigakure. How can we let them come out? Besides, I'm the one who can bring in such a powerful ally for the Mizukage. He'd be overjoyed. Why would he bother me?" Hozuki Shingetsu didn't care about Yukinagi's question at all, looking completely relaxed.

"..." Yagura and Yukinagi looked at each other in bewilderment.

There is a problem, but it's hard to pinpoint exactly what the problem is.

"Those are... people from Konoha?"

As the group chatted, they suddenly saw a group of four people, led by a Uzumaki clan ninja, about to enter the castle tower.

That swirling headband clearly belongs to someone from Konoha.

"What are the people from Konoha doing here at this time?" Hozuki Shingetsu suddenly felt uneasy. According to his calculations, once his backup plans took effect, Konoha shouldn't have sent anyone. So what were these people doing here?

However, he couldn't just go up and ask, so he could only return to the embassy district with a lot of doubts.

"Those are people from Kirigakure?"

When Hozuki Shingetsu saw the Konoha ninja, the Konoha ninja naturally saw them as well. This Konoha squad was led by Nara Shikacho, a member of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, and belonged to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He led a four-person team consisting of members of the Yamanaka and Akimichi clans, as well as a member of the Hyuga branch family. Their mission was to smuggle a talented Uzumaki clan member from Uzushio Village back to the village to serve as the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki. To avoid being attacked, they also brought a member of the Hyuga branch family to act as an informant, ensuring everything went smoothly.

The reason for choosing Nara Shikadai is quite simple: only the high intelligence of the Nara clan could barely fool the Uzumaki clan into agreeing to let Konoha take their clansmen away.

So when Nara Shikacho saw Hozuki Shingetsu and his group, he immediately realized that something was wrong.

Why would Kirigakure go to Uzushio Village when it's neither a holiday nor a festival? — Shimura Danzo didn't inform Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shingetsu Hozuki about Uzushio Village's mission because his subordinates hadn't replied in time, which also meant that Nara Shikanobu was unaware of this information.

Therefore, he naturally deduced Kirigakure's purpose based on his own understanding. Of course, he never imagined that Hozuki Shingetsu wanted to take the entire Uzumaki clan with him. His guess was that Kirigakure wanted to take advantage of the chaos and gain some benefits from Uzumaki Village while it was in trouble.

This led him to adjust his storyline in time when he met Takumi Uzumaki.

"Lord Daimyo, our Konoha reinforcements are on their way."

These very first words put Takumi Uzumaki at ease. As long as Konoha sent reinforcements, everything would be fine.

"The most important purpose of our visit is to inform you of this news. We hope that you can hold on, as our Konoha reinforcements will arrive on the battlefield in two days at most."

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, this timing happened precisely on the edge of Takumi Uzumaki's mental state, which only proves that he is indeed a highly intelligent talent from the Nara clan.

"Just in case, we hope that Lord Daimyo can entrust a few of our Uzumaki clan geniuses to us so that we can escort them to a safe place. After all, war is unpredictable, and no one can be sure of anything."

Under Nara Shikagami's calm demeanor and refined rhetoric, it was clear that Uzumaki Takumi interpreted these children as hostages, or as the price for Konoha's intervention. Uzumaki Takumi was naturally aware that Uzumaki Mito was getting old and Konoha urgently needed the next Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, so he naturally assumed that this was a transaction.

A deal to exchange these children for the safety of the Vortex Clan.

For the head of a clan, it's an easy choice, isn't it?

As for whether Konoha would lie to him—unless Konoha had no shame, why would they do such a thing?

Clearly, despite having served as daimyo and clan head for his entire life, Takumi Uzumaki's political acumen is inferior even to that of Tomoyuki Hyuga. It can only be said that he has too many low-level skills and thinks he is really capable.

So he immediately ordered the most talented children in the clan to set off with the people of Konoha early the next morning.

And Kushina Uzumaki happened to be among them.

When the restless Hozuki Shingetsu tried to visit the daimyo again that night to try and win him over, he inadvertently learned from the Uzumaki Guards that the Konoha army would be arriving soon, which was undoubtedly a blow to his head.

He knew, of course, that Konoha wouldn't send reinforcements, so this news was likely just a fabrication by the Konoha envoy. Thinking further, what was their purpose in lying? It was to appease the Uzumaki clan and then achieve their own goals. As for those goals…

Hozuki Shingetsu's eyes narrowed, and he quickly realized what their purpose was.

Kushina Uzumaki, the vessel for the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki.

"Plans have changed; we're now going all in."

He immediately informed Yagura and Yukinagi of the plan for the evening.

"New Moon, aren't we being too disrespectful to the Uzumaki clan by doing this? How about we try diplomacy first, then force?" Yagura Karatachi was startled when he heard about New Moon's plan and hurriedly tried to dissuade him, but New Moon interrupted him with a wave of his hand.

Damn it, they've already tried to steal it from us, why should we reason with them?

Dry them up!

(End of this chapter)