Revitalizing the Uchiha clan starts with becoming a Kage.

However, after a day of discussions, Yagura and Genshi also made up their minds!

Our village has really declined a lot in the past two or three years. The middle and lower levels are okay, but the loss of the near-high level, that is, the Jonin level, is simply too terrible. The elite Seven Ninja, as well as the Kaguya clan and the Yuki clan, the number of Jonin who have died has accounted for a quarter or even more of Kirigakure!

In the ninja world landscape for at least the next ten years.

They, the Hidden Mist Village, all have to be subservient. Since they're going to be underlings anyway, there's no problem choosing a stronger one as the leader. Konoha used to be the dominant village, and for the next ten years or so, the Hidden Stone Village will just be the leader!

They, the Hidden Mist Village, have no shortage of relevant experience.

As long as they can get through this period and allow the younger generation to grow up, Kirigakure can return to its former glory. This difficult period will pass if they just persevere.

Of course, this is also because Yagura and Genji were completely unaware that Shoji's ultimate goal was to destroy all countries and ninja villages except for the Land of Earth and Iwagakure. Otherwise, they would never have been able to reach an alliance agreement with Shoji, even at the cost of their lives.

It can only be described as a common practice in the ninja world over the past few decades.

This has led these people to develop a habitual 'false mindset'.

Subconsciously, it's impossible to consider that level.

"Since you've said so, I can agree. However, some specific details need to be explained. Our Hidden Mist Village is willing to do its utmost to assist your village, but certain special circumstances still require exceptions!"

Yagura seemed to have considered it for a long time before finally making up his mind to say such words, but in reality, he would have agreed to Shoji's request even if he didn't need to think about it at the beginning.

From Yagura's perspective.

The reason they bestowed such favors upon Kirigakure is undoubtedly because they value Kirigakure's massive military strength. Even in its weakened state, Kirigakure can still mobilize over ten thousand troops. During his discussions with Genji, Yagura Karatachi roughly understood the current situation in the ninja world: Iwagakure had completely broken ties with Konoha and Sunagakure, invaded the Land of Wind to the south, occupied its northern fortress, and even severely injured the Fourth Kazekage. To the east, they annexed the entire Land of Grass and Kusagakure, and even achieved the goal of invading the Land of Fire with a large army, something the four great nations had not accomplished in the past few decades, and occupying important military strongholds.

It should be noted that in the past, the four great nations had only ever invaded the Land of Fire with small, elite units. For example, the elite Cloud Ninja troops led by the A and B brothers from the Hidden Cloud Village. This is the first time that the Hidden Stone Village has managed to invade the Land of Fire with a large army!

From one perspective.

It really strained relations with Konoha Village, not to mention that the Uchiha clan broke away from Konoha and joined Iwagakure Village.

This is an even greater hatred.

Let's not even talk about Kumogakure.

The Third Raikage, whom they had just killed in the Third Shinobi World War, was the father of the current Raikage. It's obvious that the current ninja environment in Iwagakure is very delicate. Of course, the relationship between the five great ninja villages cannot be easily defined by hatred. If it were true that if everyone had a grudge against each other, they would have to fight each other to the death. Konoha would have been destroyed long ago after the death of the First Hokage!

Even if Tobirama is strong.

It was also impossible for them to withstand the siege of the four great ninja villages.

The village of Kirigakure and Iwagakure could barely be considered to have won the First Shinobi World War, mainly because the two villages broke down in negotiations over spoils of war, leading to a fight between the Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hozuki, and the Second Tsuchikage, Mudai.

They would perish together.

Then the two villages went to war.

This allowed Konoha to truly escape a calamity.

Such incidents have been commonplace over the past few decades, and recently there have been instances of Iwagakure and Kumogakure joining forces to put pressure on Konoha.

Ultimately, the relationship between ninja villages is primarily driven by self-interest.

Hatred? That's secondary. This isn't to say that Iwagakure will definitely be besieged by the three great ninja villages, but rather to point out that it's perfectly reasonable for Iwagakure to come and win over Kirigakure!

Based on this point, Yagura made the corresponding judgment, and in the end, he still left himself some room for maneuver.

"Haha, of course. We can discuss the details later. We're just here to reach the most important agreement first!"

General laughed and said.

"Since neither Lord Mizukage nor Lord Genshi has any objections to this, then the next issue is about Obito, and then there is..."

After all.

This time, the commander has come to the Land of Water.

The biggest goal was actually to disrupt Obito's plans. Kirigakure was the perfect place for Obito and the Akatsuki to exploit each other. In the past, when they weren't facing each other, Shoji thought he could hold out a little longer to develop, but now that he had been completely exposed, there was no need to hold back anymore.

Apart from that.

The rest are just incidental targets.

Or perhaps it could be said to be laying the groundwork for a more distant future.

That's it.

414. An unexpected encounter on the way back

Yagura and Genji were naturally unaware of Shoji's plans.

So, if they genuinely believed that Shoji's trip was entirely for the sake of Kirigakure, they were bound to make a misjudgment. However, this was only in the future. After all, in the current situation, everything was still reasonable!

In this seemingly smooth meeting, Shoji shared almost all the information he knew about Obito, as well as some information about Konoha, with Yagura and Genji, only slightly concealing one or two key issues.

For example, regarding the Akatsuki organization.

Shoji doesn't intend to reveal himself so early. He wants to make use of these ninja villages, and he also wants to make use of Obito and Nagato's Akatsuki organization!

That's what smart people do.

Although it was a very formal negotiation between the two villages, and it involved the overall strategic issues of the villages, it was only about two aspects and did not involve details, so the discussion between the three did not last very long.

It will take about two hours.

Yagura, carrying with him some key information about Obito and Konoha given to him by Shoji, left the inn where Shoji was staying with Genji.

Compared to the solemnity and gravity of their arrival.

As he left, Yagura's expression relaxed slightly.

"Master Genji, we'll be relying on you a lot from now on. Mei Terumi is outstanding, but she's still very young. And now, there's a terrifying existence in the ninja world, Uchiha Shoji, who is almost on par with his ancestor. We in Kirigakure should choose to keep a low profile!"

On the way back.

Gazing at the cool moonlight high in the sky.

Yagura also sighed softly.

"Mizukage... no, Yagura, is it really that serious? Even if the medical standards in our village aren't good enough, we can still look for solutions outside. I heard that Tsunade from Konoha left the village many years ago and is traveling all over the ninja world. We can try to find her and ask her to treat you!"

Master Yuan frowned and spoke in a very solemn tone.

Their own ninja village has already suffered some damage; if the Mizukage were to die in a short period of time, it would be an even greater blow to Kirigakure.

"No need, Master Yuan, I'm not injured, but my vital energy is completely depleted. However, you don't need to worry too much. I estimate that I can hold on for at least two or three years. As long as we get through this period, we can try to train Mei Terumi and the other young people in the village. Even if I'm gone, the village shouldn't have too many problems with you in charge."

Yagura Karatachi forced a smile and said.

Three years of torment.

It truly utterly devastated the Fourth Mizukage's mind and body. In the original story, he died shortly after being rescued. Because the time was too short, there was no time to prepare, which led to the Three-Tails breaking free from Kirigakure's control.

This life is already much better than the original story.

It saved some of the torment time.

Allowing Yagura Karatachi to at least survive for another two or three years not only allows for a smooth transition of power among the village's higher-ups, but also enables the proper handling of the Three-Tails issue. For Kirigakure, this is already a very good outcome.

"No matter what, it's not time to give up yet, so we absolutely cannot give up. I will immediately arrange for people to search for Tsunade's whereabouts. You are the Mizukage of Kirigakure. As long as there is even the slightest possibility, we must persevere!"

Master Yuan shook his head heavily, looking at Yagura with a very serious expression, and said this.

Upon hearing Master Yuan's words.

Yagura was also slightly taken aback, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He knew that at the beginning of his reign, he had a very negative view of Yuan Shi. In fact, after the death of the first Mizukage, Byakuren, the three successive Mizukage disliked Yuan Shi very much, always feeling that Yuan Shi had divided the power and prestige that should belong to them as Mizukage. A considerable number of Kirigakure even believed in their hearts that Yuan Shi's status was above that of the Mizukage.

At the beginning of his reign, Yagura himself tried every means to squeeze the power of the Master. He hadn't realized it before, but now that he thinks about it, the Master never seemed to object to his repeated probing and squeezing, and instead made concessions time and time again.

This made Yagura's emotions even more complicated.

'I was too young and impetuous back then.'

Yagura, a man with a touch of annoyance, thought to himself.

"Yes, Master Yuan, I understand!"

It was because of Master Gen's words that Yagura Karatachi regained his spirits. Indeed, they hadn't really reached the end of their rope yet, and as the Kage of the village, how could he give up so easily? Moreover, thinking of his young child, he knew that no matter what, he had to persevere to the very end!

"Ok!"

Seeing that the darkness in Yagura's pupils had faded considerably and a glimmer of light had returned, Master Gen nodded with satisfaction.

"Then let's go back first!"

"Yes!"

Yagura and Genji also walked back in unison.

It must be said that as the most senior elder of Kirigakure, Genji truly devoted his entire life to Kirigakure. Especially after the death of the First Mizukage, Byakuren, Genji had to worry about him every moment for the next forty or fifty years. Apart from the Third Mizukage, who was a relatively calm person, the earlier Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hozuki, was even more arrogant than Yagura Karatachi when he first took office!

It was precisely because of this personality that he perished alongside the Second Tsuchikage in the First World War. Keep in mind that at that point in time, Hozuki Gengetsu had only been in power for a few years. It can be said that the original work simply didn't show it much, but Kirigakure had indeed been constantly in the midst of a storm for the past few decades.

The constant upheavals caused Kirigakure to suffer heavy losses several times.

Without Master Yuan.

The weakest of the five great ninja villages is probably not Sunagakure, but Kirigakure.

Master Yuan's decades-long dedication truly exemplifies the saying, "Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure!"

If the four Konoha F4, especially Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura, had half the magnanimity, mentality, and ability of a Genji, Konoha would not have grown stronger, but at least it wouldn't have been on a downward spiral since the Third Shinobi World War.

For the ninja village system, the quality and ability of the top leaders can truly determine everything. In this respect, among the current Kage of the five great ninja villages, only the Third Tsuchikage Onoki and the Fourth Raikage A have done a good job. At least the two of them have been able to achieve stable internal development!

Konoha could have been a good choice.

However, Minato Namikaze's death and Hiruzen Sarutobi's return to power truly interrupted Konoha's revival process.

It wasn't until Naruto's generation in the original story grew up that the situation in Konoha began to improve.

This is why when Shoji decided to lead his clan to escape Konoha, he made up his mind that his clan should either join Iwagakure or Kumogakure. He truly valued that Onoki and A were far superior to others in terms of their magnanimity and character as Kage!

After reaching a preliminary agreement with Yagura and Genji, Shoji's intentions for coming to the Land of Water have been almost entirely achieved. His primary goals were to thwart Obito's plans and form an alliance with Kirigakure. Next, Kirigakure will cooperate with Iwagakure to issue a warrant for 'Uchiha Obito' to the entire ninja world!

They directly revealed everything Obito had done over the years, including the Nine-Tails attack four years prior.

And to Konoha, we must put as much pressure on Hiruzen Sarutobi as possible, forcing him to order Kakashi Hatake to hand over the other Sharingan of Obito Uchiha, the 'S-rank rogue ninja'!

Konoha might not hand it over.

But some pressure is definitely necessary.

Furthermore, Shoji will definitely need to find a way to locate Kakashi. If given the opportunity, Shoji will certainly want to personally steal the other Obito eye from Kakashi.