"We must end this quickly!"
Hyuga Soushu's stance was firm and unwavering.
This sudden switch to an offensive plan was a sharp contrast to his earlier scorched-earth defense, leaving many Jonin from the New Mist Ninja Clans momentarily stunned.
"But the Bloodline faction has two Tailed Beasts' Jinchuriki under their control!"
At a silent signal from Suiton Clan Head, a Suiton Jonin nervously rose to voice his concerns: "Clan Head Soushu, perhaps we should..."
Yet beneath Hyuga Soushu's cold, piercing gaze, the unfortunate man chosen to voice dissent lost his nerve before fully expressing his thoughts.
It was actually because of morning sickness that Uchiha Mahiru discovered her pregnancy. According to the Medical Ninja's examination, Mahiru-chan had already been pregnant for nearly two months, but due to a ninja's superior physical condition, she hadn't noticed it herself so soon.
Therefore, Soushu couldn't afford to stay long in this lousy Land of Water. Ending things quickly was definitely the best option—at least as far as whether the Mist Ninja Clans would willingly accept the resulting consequences, that simply wasn't Soushu's concern.
"The exact number of Ninja Force members deployed by the Bloodline faction remains unknown, and what's clear is that with Privateer Ninja suffering heavy losses and no longer tying up resources at home, they're continuously diverting more forces here."
Soushu spoke slowly: "Prolonging this conflict won't benefit anyone."
Actually, this reality was well understood by the New Mist Ninja Clan ninja.
Ninja Clans built on blood ties had always been inward-looking and exclusive by nature—they just weren't meant to stick together tightly.
Even the Ninja Clan Capital Corporation—built around the Hyuga Clan—functioned only by uniting various Konoha Ninja Clans through shared interests; yet expecting them to sacrifice greatly or work themselves to death for the company's benefit remained impossible.
If even the core Konoha Ninja Clans—acting as the backbone of the company—felt this way, then the peripheral Mist Ninja Clans certainly felt it even more strongly. Therefore, asking the Mist Ninja Clans to make some small sacrifices for Soushu's personal plans was perfectly reasonable.
After all, Mist ninja needed only to risk their lives on the battlefield, while Soushu had far more considerations to manage!
"We can't prolong things unless we're able to maintain our position."
Kaguya Tsunashige was the first to break the heavy silence.
"Let's not forget, even if every clan mobilizes its complete strength, we could only muster about four thousand ninja total, and among them there will certainly be great variance in quality. Not every clan will be useful in gaining an edge over the Bloodline faction."
"That's right!"
Soushu especially appreciated this aspect of Kaguya Tsunashige.
"You've got to pick a side and commit fully! Otherwise, how can you ever be seen as one of us?"
Though Suiton Clan Head and Hozuki Elder harbored countless objections internally, ultimately they still lacked the courage to voice their true feelings.
After all, since the current conflict with the Bloodline faction has escalated beyond repair and an endless cycle of bloodshed has bound both sides in a feud too deep to reconcile, there's no room left for compromise. Even by leveraging their home ground advantage to capture Hyuga Soushu—the sly little fox—as a bargaining chip, reconciling the Ninja Clans with the Bloodline faction would still be impossible. The only remaining path is to go all-in, hoping to carve out a way forward through sheer sacrifice.
"If that's the case, then how can we end this quickly?" asked Hozuki elder.
"Break our forces into smaller units, strike deep behind enemy lines, and target the nobles, courtiers, and even the Daimyo of the Land of Water!" finally revealed Soushu.
"What kind of quick resolution is that?"
The New Mist clan's ninjas stared in disbelief, unable to grasp his meaning.
"Surrendering the southern islands while seizing the Land of Water—that is decisively swift, isn't it?" countered Soushu.
"But..."
The Hozuki elder was momentarily at a loss for words.
Though Soushu's argument seemed flawed, he never meant to convince the Mist ninjas through logic alone.
He aimed instead to force upon them a costly yet expedient strategy. As for the number of casualties inevitably incurred, they were trivial compared to his greater goal—returning to headquarters and reuniting with Mahiru Uchiha sooner rather than later.
"The Bloodline faction advances fiercely, seeking a single decisive battle to end everything. Whether through scorched-earth resistance or head-on confrontation, judging from each clan's strength, victory seems unlikely."
Abiding by the rule of speaking truth without full disclosure, Soushu began presenting facts and figures: "Perhaps the four thousand ninja of the clans could match the ten-thousand-strong Ninja Force of the Bloodline faction, but if you add in two Tailed Beast Jinchuriki, the balance tilts completely. Worse yet, the false Mizukage will most certainly lead the charge personally."
"That's true enough," sighed Suiton Clan Head bitterly, filled with mixed emotions.
Events are moving too quickly, making adaptation difficult.
Since finalizing cooperation with the Ninja Clan Capital Corporation, everything feels like boarding a high-speed train. Suddenly, past experience felt rendered obsolete overnight. Now, even if we're driving headlong toward a cliff, we can only floor the gas, hoping this reckless speed will carry us through the crisis.
"But what about our people?"
One of the clan's ninja raised his hand and asked, "Clan Leader, you know very well that many among us aren't actually ninja. If we divide our forces, what will happen to them?"
"The Ninja Clan Capital Corporation will provide protection."
Soushu answered seriously. "As long as everyone is willing to trust the company just as the Kaguya Clan did, I assure you—you won't be let down in the end!"
Upon hearing those words...
The gathered Mist ninja looked at each other, uncertain of what to say.
It was no secret anymore that the Kaguya Clan had already sent all their children to be sheltered under the protection of Soushu's clan.
Everyone had witnessed how each clan's members evacuated. Naturally, there was no reason for those Kaguya children—once universally despised—to vanish overnight without explanation. Combined with rumors circulating across the Ninja World Mainland, it was clear where they had gone.
But this didn't mean they were willing to follow the Kaguya Clan's strategy.
Although other ninja clans might have been weak and isolated, their hearts remained deeply proud. They had only bowed slightly under current circumstances. Deep down, they refused to truly emulate the Kaguya Clan by handing over their vulnerabilities—and even their future—to the Hyuga Clan.
"How about this?" proposed Soushu Hyuga generously. "The Snow Country can establish an autonomous zone. Any ninja clans wishing to travel to the Ninja World Mainland may relocate there at their own discretion and support themselves. Alternatively, those who place trust in the company may reside temporarily within the eastern ninja force district of the Land of Fire."
However, from the perspective of representatives of the Hozuki and Suiton Clans, although Soushu Hyuga appeared sincere, his proposal would lead to lasting repercussions. This approach would inevitably divide the Mist ninja clans forced together by necessity. The most direct consequence would be that clans choosing self-rule in the Snow Country and those accepting shelter in the eastern Land of Fire would gradually drift apart until finally going separate ways.
"Don't worry," Soushu Hyuga said gently. "Even if the Hidden Villages are destroyed, they can always be rebuilt. As long as our people survive, there will always be hope."
He continued sincerely, "Besides, the Southern Islands are still new territory for most of you—with little established. If things get damaged, it's not a big loss. As long as it brings more trouble to the Bloodmist Faction, anything is possible."
As for what kind of possibilities he meant, Soushu Hyuga didn't elaborate, nor did the Mist ninja clans ask.
With that, he left the meeting hall, leaving these hesitant Mist ninja clans to freely discuss their future options.
Eventually, they could only choose one of the two paths offered by Soushu Hyuga.
The Suiton Clan, taking some other clans with them, chose temporary autonomy in the Snow Country, while the Hozuki Clan decided to settle their people temporarily within the eastern ninja force district of the Land of Fire. Once closely allied, these two powerful families officially showed the first sign of division between them.
Soon afterward came massive population movements.
New Mist still controlled quite a few transport ships, and the Ninja Clan Capital Corporation also had swift transport vessels at its disposal. Although these ships possessed virtually no combat capability, they more than sufficed for transporting ninja clan descendants.
Immediately after, Soushu Hyuga ordered reorganization among the Mist ninja clan shinobi. Each unit of one hundred was allowed to select their own teammates—not for maximum strength, but to ensure mutual trust among members.
Trust was the cornerstone when it came to executing scattered guerrilla tactics.
After all, this was essentially demoting the New Mist Clan's ninja from official village forces directly to privateer status. Since these units would need to conduct mobile operations behind enemy lines across the Land of Water, only bonds of blood and kinship could maintain long-term unity within each unit. As for abstract ideals such as goals and dreams, such lofty notions held no weight when confronted with the brutal realities of war.
In addition, Hyuga Soushu ordered the Hyuga ninjas who had come with him to the Land of Water to integrate into the New Mist Clan's hundred-man squads, ensuring that each squad had one Hyuga ninja serving as a scout, thus maximizing their ability to avoid being encircled during enemy territory operations.
Meanwhile, the Crimson Mist faction's army did not halt their advance.
Just as the various ninja clans of the New Mist began operating rapidly, over ten thousand former Mist ninjas—either willingly or under pressure—marched powerfully toward the southern islands.
Wherever they went, there was virtually no defense. Except for a few scattered harassment teams still moving between islands, there had been no organized resistance whatsoever. Once the "home-switching" strategy was confirmed, the New Mist had already recalled all their external forces for consolidation.
The efficiency of ninjas was naturally extremely high.
Just as the Crimson Mist army approached the main island where the New Mist was based, the preliminary preparations of the "home-switching" tactic had already finished successfully. Dozens of transport ships ferried the Mist Clan's ninja families and personnel one after another to safer locations at the rear, while forty-two newly formed hundred-man units of the New Mist had begun to move out in succession, bypassing the Crimson Mist forces, which loomed like a mountain overhead, crossing the sea and maneuvering deep behind enemy lines into the heartland of the Land of Water, ready to execute their home-switching operation.
Hyuga Soushu wanted to shed his burdens as quickly as possible, so he was very generous with supplies.
Within just two days, massive quantities of military equipment were transported from the Ninja World mainland to the southern islands, though some deliveries were hesitant or delayed, and then distributed to these loyal Mist warriors who had vowed to resist until death.
The sheer volume of supplies was staggering—enough to sustain each hundred-man unit in independent mobile operations for six months!
To avoid repeating the disaster caused by privateer ninjas' reckless greed, the ninja units carrying out behind-enemy-lines missions even adopted a principle so strict it bordered on ruthlessness: No mutual rescue unless absolutely necessary.
Thanks to the unique geography of the island nation in the Land of Water, even after these hundred-man ninja units departed in batches, the advancing Crimson Mist forces still failed to detect their movement.
In response to this situation, the Crimson Mist commander leading the southern campaign, Fuguki Suikazan, believed this was probably because those rebellious clans intended to gather all their strength for a final desperate battle, which explained why they left the route entirely undefended along the way.
Based on this understanding, after discussion with other swordsmen, Fuguki Suikazan reached a shared conclusion: they jointly petitioned the Crimson Mist headquarters in the rear for additional supplies and reinforcements, aiming to ensure a decisive victory in one fell swoop.
At that time, the Third Mizukage, who was commanding affairs from the Daimyo's court within the Land of Water, appeared indifferent toward the progress at the front line. He simply forwarded the request for reinforcement from the front directly to Master Genzu, who was stationed at the village headquarters, for handling.
"There are already tens of thousands of Ninja on the front lines. What more help could we possibly need?"
Master Genzu, showing obvious signs of old age, also looked helpless.
"It's just about gaining control over more Ninja Forces to strengthen their influence!"
A Mist Elder stamped his cane on the ground and snorted coldly, "The Bloodline faction's younger generation is growing bolder with every passing day!"
"Now isn't the time to dwell on insignificant details. The only way to restore peace to our village as soon as possible is by quickly eliminating these rebellious Ninja Clans."
Another Mist Elder added, "But whether to continue sending reinforcements remains a matter needing careful consideration."
"What about replacing them?"
Someone suggested.
"Who could possibly replace someone capable enough to command those arrogant Swordsmen?"
But opposing opinions also emerged.
After their fruitless debate, the Mist Elders turned their eyes to Master Genzu, who had sat in silence with his eyes shut, awaiting his judgment.
It was also how the Mist Elders protected themselves—offering suggestions while staying safely removed from actual decisions.
"Supplies can be provided, but as for sending troops..."
Master Genzu spoke slowly, "The village currently lacks sufficient manpower. Therefore, let's send 100 Ninja in five batches."
"Excellent!"
"Very reasonable!"
The Elders were all convinced.
This way, they'd done all that was expected of them. Even if the hardline supporters of the Bloodline faction at the front became upset, they would have no grounds for criticism. After all, the headquarters' real difficulties were visible to everyone.
While the front-line Ninja Force just needed to fight bravely against the enemy, the Elders behind the scenes had far more complex issues to handle.
However, soon after the first shipment of Supplies was sent out, the Mist Elders were hit with a new wave of terror: Dozens of fierce Privateer Ninja appeared along the coasts of various islands in the Land of Water. They were so powerful that they left a trail of carnage and destruction wherever they marched. Local ninja squads stationed across the region were repeatedly wiped out!
"Could it be that forces from the Hyuga Clan have entered the battlefield?"
Upon hearing this terrible news, the first thought among the Mist Elders was exactly that.
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