Start with a Zanpakuto and build the strongest Mist Village.

However, after the passing of their two ancestors, Konoha lost these two forces. The Uchiha only had the three-tomoe technique, and the Senju clan, let alone Wood Release, had very few members left with names and surnames!

Now, these two forces have reappeared in the world and have become enemies of Konoha!

They created the power of Konoha, but now they want to destroy it...

Could it be that everything is really as Minazuki Yoru said?

The experimental subject, created through inhumane human experimentation, accumulated endless pain and resentment before unexpectedly breaking free and embarking on a journey of revenge against Konoha...

Various exciting dramatic scenarios kept flashing through everyone's minds, and the way they looked at the Third Hokage and Minato Namikaze became increasingly strange.

"Please, Lord Mizuki, refrain from making unfounded speculations!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi suppressed his anger and said in a low voice, "The Hokage is a towering tree that protects all the people of Konoha. He would never conduct such inhumane experiments!"

"Is that so? Hehe."

A mocking laugh came from Night's mouth: "Alright, alright, then according to the Hokage-sama's words, that guy who appeared on Mount Higashimatsu was a monster created by an evil and ambitious person because your Konoha's bloodline was not properly guarded, resulting in the bloodline leaking out."

"should be."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded solemnly.

He wasn't lying about this, of course. While Konoha did indeed have its share of dark human experiments, the progress was incredibly slow. He truly had no idea who had created that guy on Mount Higashimatsu who possessed the Mangekyou Sharingan and Wood Release.

After all, if Konoha had truly mastered these two ultimate powers and could fuse and concentrate them into one person, then Konoha would never have been mired in the current quagmire of war.

Let alone fighting the Hidden Mist Village to a standstill or the Hidden Stone Village to a standstill, they would have already swept through the ninja world!

Susanoo-clad Buddha, shattered the four great kingdoms.

Do you think this is just a casual saying or a catchy phrase?

As a disciple of the First Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi was all too aware of the terror of the two predecessors who dominated that era. They were truly powerful enough to suppress an entire era!

"So, Konoha is also a victim."

Mizuki Yoru said coldly, "The Mangekyou Sharingan and Wood Release... It seems that there is a terrifying force hidden in the ninja world that none of us know about. But then again, I was originally going to make trouble for you. After all, our village has suffered from the power of the Sharingan for quite some time. Now that you mention it, I'm even a little embarrassed to make any more demands on you."

"He suffered from the power of the Sharingan for a considerable period of time..."

Minato Namikaze frowned deeply: "What do you mean by that?"

"literal meaning."

Mizuki Yoru's tone was unfriendly, but the Third Mizukage beside him let out a self-deprecating laugh: "Let me handle this matter."

"I'm not afraid to tell you this, because of my weakness and incompetence, as the Mizukage, I was controlled by a guy with Sharingan using genjutsu for a period of time, which led to Kirigakure falling into great suffering until I was awakened by Yoru recently..."

"Wha, what?!"

"Controlled by the Sharingan, the Third Mizukage, this..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato Namikaze showed the same shock as everyone else. The fact that the Kage of a village had been silently controlled was truly horrifying.

The Sharingan... it actually possesses this level of power?!

No, that's impossible. Even Fugaku, and Kagami back then, didn't possess that power at all.

Otherwise, with these high-ranking members targeting the Uchiha clan so aggressively, they would probably have been completely controlled by the Uchiha clan long ago!

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked somewhat surprised and uncertain, recalling the monster he had encountered earlier who possessed the Mangekyou Sharingan and Wood Release...

There really are bad people in the ninja world, and they are even the worst ones who stole Konoha's ultimate power!

"Laugh if you want to. This is indeed the burden I, incompetent as I am, should bear..."

"Alright, Third Hokage!"

Night interrupted the Third Mizukage, his gaze fixed indifferently on the two before him: "You've both heard the great joke our Hidden Mist Village has made. To prevent this from happening again, we in the Hidden Mist Village must master the power to counter the Sharingan."

"Lord Hokage, you should know that the best way to deal with the Sharingan is to use another pair of Sharingan to fight against it. Therefore, Kirigakure must obtain the Uchiha clan's bloodline; there is no room for negotiation on this point!"

"This……"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression froze.

If the original Kirigakure coveted the power of the Sharingan, then the current Kirigakure desires the Uchiha bloodline to prevent its ninja village from suffering further harm from the Sharingan.

Although the result is the same, different starting points bring completely different meanings!

Plunder and protection...

“I understand your eagerness, Lord Minazuki, but this…”

"boom!!"

A deep, rumbling sound came from outside, abruptly interrupting everyone's conversation.

"It seems that someone has emerged who doesn't want us to settle things this way."

Mizuki Yoru sneered, "Who does the Hokage think will come? The Sand Village, which was just defeated? The Cloud Village, which is watching from the sidelines? Or the Iwa Village, which is currently fighting you to the death?"

"...Peace is hard-won. No matter who comes, they cannot interrupt our peace talks," Hiruzen Sarutobi said in a low voice.

"Well said. Then please take this opportunity to think it over carefully, Lord Hokage!"

The meeting room fell into dead silence, but everyone present looked increasingly tense.

Admiral Mifune, who had been enjoying the show, now had his big toes tightly bound and his eyes fixed on the conference room door, hoping that the warriors of the Land of Iron and the Akatsuki organization could stop the intruders.

Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi was caught in a dilemma by Yoru's demands, while Minato Namikaze had already taken out his Flying Thunder God Kunai, ready to lead his Hokage to retreat at any time.

Only Mizukiyo and the Third Mizukage remained calm and unhurried.

After a long while, the noise from the outside world gradually subsided.

A samurai trotted into the meeting room and whispered in Mifune's ear, "General, our losses are quite severe, but fortunately, with the help of Akatsuki, all the assassins who came to cause trouble have been dealt with."

"Is it resolved? That's good..."

Mifune breathed a sigh of relief. The losses were nothing compared to the reputation of the Land of Iron and the 'Shadow Conference' at this moment!

However, Mizuki Yoru, who had sharp ears, narrowed her eyes slightly after hearing the news.

It seems... I've heard the name of an incredible organization.

It seems that this time, in addition to being able to dig up a lot of things from Konoha, we may also encounter some rather interesting things.

"Gentlemen, although there has been a minor incident outside, with us here, this Shadow Meeting will not be disrupted!"

Admiral Mifune raised his hand, breaking the silence, and said loudly, "Please continue, Shadows!"

"..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at Mifune with a somewhat speechless expression.

Continue my ass! Dude, can't you see I'm in a tough spot right now?

After a long silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi could only bite the bullet and say, "Lord Mizukage, Lord Minazuki, and Admiral Mifune, we have traveled a long way from Konoha and are exhausted. Would it be possible to suspend the meeting and rest for a day before discussing it again..."

……

Chapter 96 Minazuki Yoru's First Meeting with the Akatsuki Organization

The first day of the Shadow Conference ended in a stalemate between the two sides.

Negotiation itself is an activity that requires constantly testing each other's patience, probing each other's bottom line, balancing interests, and using force to finally reach a result that is barely satisfactory to both sides. The more impatient you are, the less likely you are to get what you want.

With Mizuki Yoru, the humanoid calamity, on the Kirigakure side, they are naturally able to demand more from this negotiation.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had to find the most suitable point by weighing the pros and cons before making a decision.

This is not easy; besides careful consideration, it requires decisiveness!

……

The Konoha faction was upset and felt uneasy because of Kirigakure's request.

Ye, meanwhile, happily strolled around this samurai kingdom with the Third Mizukage.

"This is the second time I've come to this country in my life. The most impressive thing about my last visit was the hot springs here."

The Third Mizukage said with a smile, "Although today's meeting has not yet reached a conclusion, the progress of their negotiations with Konoha has made him quite pleased: 'The hot springs here are not as magical and diverse as those in the Land of Hot Springs, but the unique climate has still created several nice hot springs. Would you like to try them with me tonight?'"

"You should go and enjoy yourself. Soaking in hot springs is indeed very beneficial for the elderly. I'd better find a place to get some food."

"That's a real shame."

Yoru casually waved goodbye to the Third Mizukage.

He had no interest in chatting with the old man in a hot spring.

"Welcome! What would you like to order?"

"A pot of sake, along with some of your local signature snacks, will suffice."

"Okay, we'll prepare it for you right away. Which seat would you like to sit in?"

"This is it."

Ye walked towards a table with many people dressed in matching black robes. Amidst the waiter's confusion and the bewildered looks of the two young men at the table, he pulled up a chair and sat down.

The boy with orange hair put down the chicken and bell pepper skewers in his hand, and a strange look appeared in his eyes as he looked at Ye.

"There are plenty of empty seats in this restaurant, why do you have to sit here?"

"I just wanted to have a chat with you who are guarding this Shadow Meeting."

Night picked up the sake that the waiter had just brought, poured himself a cup, took a small sip, and savored the subtle sweet and sour taste of the sake. He said calmly, "Besides, we shouldn't have any conflicts between us, so why are you so hostile towards me, Akatsuki's leader?"

Hostility?

Yahiko clenched his fist and said coldly, "I just don't like eating at the same table with strangers."

"Alright, I admit I was being presumptuous. I was just surprised to see a descendant of the Uzumaki clan here, and I wanted to chat for a bit. After all, I also have a very capable member of the Uzumaki clan under my command, and he's always been nostalgic for the old Uzumaki Village..."

The Uzumaki clan?

The red-haired boy, who had been silent all along, paused slightly, but Yahiko interrupted him directly, saying, "You've mistaken me for someone else. There are no members of the Uzumaki clan here!"

“I wouldn’t mistake such a conspicuous mark. In the entire ninja world, only their clan can have such bright and beautiful red hair.” Night shook his head, not giving up on the topic because of Yahiko’s refusal, and continued, “Of course, I know that you don’t want your companions to have too much contact with me, but you should also know that I’m just starting this conversation to get the topic started and thus elicit my willingness to cooperate.”

"Would you be interested in accepting a new commission, one that could promote peace?"

"...Can the Blood Mist's request be described as peaceful?"

The unusual vocabulary altered Yahiko's words, but his hostility remained undiminished.

Night didn't care. He knew the source of this hostility, after all, the news of his killing Jiraiya had already spread throughout the ninja world.

"Your information is outdated. The thick blood fog that shrouded Kirigakure has been dispelled. Moreover, if it weren't for the Daimyo's procrastination ceremony, the person speaking to you right now would be the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure."

"so."

Ignoring the incredulous and shocked looks around him, Yoru calmly gazed at Yahiko and said, "I don't know where your hostility towards me comes from, but I'm going to ask you again now."

"Are you going to refuse the goodwill of Kirigakure, one of the Five Great Ninja Villages?"

"You guy..."

Yahiko never expected that the seemingly young Minazuki Yoru would actually be the future Fourth Hokage of Kirigakure, and that the succession ceremony was already being prepared.

In other words, this meeting with the Akatsuki was not just a casual chat over drinks, but a prelude to a collaboration between a mercenary organization and a major ninja village?!

Yahiko gazed at the amber-colored single eye exposed to the night, their eyes meeting in mid-air.

A moment later, the Akatsuki leader, somewhat irritated, picked up the chicken and bell pepper skewers on the table, stuffed them into his mouth, chewed them fiercely, and then downed the sake in front of him in one gulp.

"That's my drink..."

"Don't worry about these things, just consider them as a deposit."

Yahiko wiped his mouth, looked at Yoru seriously, and said, "Speak, future Fourth Mizukage, what do you want to entrust Akatsuki with?"

"That's too much."

Night silently took out a brand new cup and filled it with sake: "The village is in dire need of rebuilding, and we need people in many places, such as trade management, tax collection, material distribution, and construction..."

Yahiko's expression gradually stiffened, and he couldn't help but say, "We are mercenaries!"

"Although this may be offensive, to be honest, apart from a few individuals who are quite good, most of your organization members are just ninjas with very average talent. It's just that they have high aspirations. If I were to send you to the front lines and give you any combat missions, could you, as the leader of Akatsuki, tell me how many of your members would be left alive after such a mission?"

"Actually, the missions I mentioned are not simple either. There are roaming ninjas, thieves, thugs, and even saboteurs from other ninja villages... These guys are quite troublesome and a headache."

Do you really believe that a monster who single-handedly froze thousands of ninjas and ended a war would have a headache over those guys?