Hiruzen Sarutobi was having a massive headache at this moment, troubled by who to send for negotiations.
Konoha had many talented individuals, and the Nara Clan, with their excellent intelligence, could handle negotiations very well.
Having learned his lesson from last time, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not plan to send another envoy from Konoha; the back-and-forth would take too long.
However, the highest-ranking Nara Clan member in the border camp was only a Chunin, sending him to negotiate with Kumogakure would be an insult to them.
After much consideration, Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly remembered that his old friend, Homura Mitokado, seemed to be in that camp.
He had directly ordered Homura Mitokado to report there, and the roster he held had not been updated yet.
This caused Hiruzen Sarutobi to not remember for a while.
At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes lit up; Advisor Yan, as a disciple of the Second Hokage and a current Konoha Advisor, had more than sufficient status.
As long as he was paired with a Nara Clan Ninja, it shouldn't be a big problem.
Hiruzen Sarutobi did not want war; firstly, having experienced multiple wars, Hiruzen Sarutobi understood that once war began, no matter the outcome, there would be no winners.
Secondly, if war truly started, he would probably have to personally enter the fray.
Hiruzen Sarutobi no longer wanted to send Yuuki out; as for what Konoha would do without him as Hokage.
Hadn't Yuuki already provided the answer before? Hiruzen Sarutobi just needed to copy it.
Hiruzen Sarutobi finally decided to appoint Homura Mitokado as the envoy, with the Nara boy named Shikano serving as the vice-envoy.
Homura Mitokado had planned to slip away when the Kumogakure Ninja arrived in the Land of Hot Water.
He found the commander and requested an order to return to Konoha for rest.
The commander, who had always shown him great respect, when Homura Mitokado wanted to return for rest.
How could he not guess Homura Mitokado's true intention? After all, he was also the commander here.
A commander isn't just about strength; there are no fools among those who become commanders.
Uh, except for Masai Taichi, who was impersonated by White Zetsu earlier...
The commander stared intently at Homura Mitokado with a look of disdain.
"Advisor Yan, do you really need to go back to rest?"
Homura Mitokado's face also turned red; after all, this commander respected him greatly.
He had heard many of his boasts, and now that his bluff had been called, Homura Mitokado's old face was a bit hard to maintain.
But in the end, he still nodded with difficulty.
"Yes."
The commander shook his head, preparing to let Homura Mitokado leave.
It was then that he received an order from Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The commander held the scroll and looked at Homura Mitokado strangely, wondering if this old man was really suitable to be an envoy.
However, the Hokage's order was clearly not something he could disobey, so he eventually handed the scroll to Homura Mitokado.
I want to escape, but I can't....
Homura Mitokado looked up at the sky in exasperation when he saw the appointment given by Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen, I appreciate your trust, but you've really overestimated me!
He couldn't fight against the inevitable, so Homura Mitokado put his packed luggage back in his living quarters.
He set off towards the Land of Hot Water with Nara Shikano and three guards provided by the commander to make their presence known.
Kabuto and the other three, along with a Shadow Clone, quietly approached a giant rock outside Iwagakure.
They carved a hidden mark in one spot.
Then they went to a town and waited.
Since planning to use Deidara and Kurotsuchi, Yakushi Nonou had made no other special moves.
She simply smiled and patted the two.
"Kurotsuchi, Deidara, I'm going back to the hospital now."
She had just applied a special medicine to her hands, and its effect was quite simple.
It would cause a person to faint when coming into contact with another specific medicine, while also exhibiting symptoms similar to epilepsy.
These symptoms would then recur intermittently for three days, eventually returning to normal after three days.
This was something Yakushi Nonou had created by combining records left by Tsunade at the Konoha Hospital with special Root poisons.
That night, Yakushi Nonou thoroughly explored the main streets of Iwagakure, leaving behind the second medicine, waiting for it to slowly volatilize.
Then, the next day, Kurotsuchi and Deidara successively exhibited the same symptoms.
Even Ōnoki was alarmed, and it was easy to connect it to a spy trying to destroy Iwagakure's future.
The entire Iwagakure fell into a state of chaos.
After all, one was the future Tsuchikage's successor, and the other was the current Tsuchikage's granddaughter.
Both of them being affected simultaneously did not look like a normal phenomenon.
Everyone who had contact with the two was investigated, and indeed, several spies were caught among them.
The only person who had contact with them but was not found was one.
The Iwagakure hospital doctor, Noe.
Yakushi Nonou had already taken advantage of the chaos, at the beginning of Iwagakure's extensive investigation.
She seized a fleeting opportunity and quietly slipped out of Iwagakure.
She cautiously moved towards Konoha, knowing that at this time, speed was not as important as concealment.
Yakushi Nonou carefully erased all traces she left behind.
Yakushi Nonou was unsure if she could return to Konoha.
Upon learning of Danzo's death, every time Yakushi Nonou saw the children of Iwagakure.
She would think of the children in the Konoha orphanage, and also that child who also joined Root, Kabuto.
After several months without a contact, Yakushi Nonou no longer wanted to continue her infiltration; she just wanted to go back.
Yakushi Nonou's plan actually had many flaws; she only managed to escape Iwagakure during a brief moment of laxity, but escaping the Land of Earth was the real test.
But when she walked past a giant rock and saw the mark left by Kabuto and the others.
She was completely shocked.
Root?! It still exists?!
Yakushi Nonou instantly thought of several possibilities.
Danzo faked his death and deceived everyone, and Root went even deeper into hiding.
Or a new department took over Root's work.
Yakushi Nonou, who already had little confidence in returning safely to Konoha, smiled.
"Kabuto, and the children in the orphanage, I'll never see you again!"
Years of spy experience had long made her aware of her fate: to die at the hands of another spy.
At this moment, Yakushi Nonou had let go of everything and walked towards the town where Kabuto and the others were.
Meanwhile, Kitsuchi was already beyond furious.
Kitsuchi had always cherished his daughter, and thus had always disliked Deidara.
Now, looking at his constantly twitching daughter, Kitsuchi did not hesitate at all.
He directly led three people in pursuit towards Konoha.
As for why Konoha?
Among the spies previously investigated, there were some from Kumogakure, some from Sunagakure, but none from Hidden Mist or Konoha.
Kitsuchi thought about Hidden Mist, that little punk, and just felt it was impossible.
Putting aside their lack of strength, the Land of Water and the Land of Earth were separated by the sea and the Land of Fire.
Hidden Mist sending spies to Iwagakure would be like them having too many Ninja.
When Yakushi Nonou arrived at the designated location, she saw a cloaked youth standing with his hands behind his back.
"You're here?"
".....?"
Yakushi Nonou was bewildered.
"You shouldn't have come."
The youth continued.
"...?"
Yakushi Nonou remained bewildered.
Seeing that the Shadow Clone couldn't get a reaction to his joke, he stopped fooling around.
He slightly tilted his head, motioning for Yakushi Nonou to enter.
"Is this my end?"
Yakushi Nonou hesitated for a moment, then, as if letting go of everything, walked inside.
The moment Yakushi Nonou was about to enter the door.
The Shadow Clone spoke.
"Everyone must die, and some people just need a little help!"
Yakushi Nonou gradually walked further inside, still vaguely hearing the voice from the doorway.
"The life of a fallen leaf, in the end, is only for...."
Then Yakushi Nonou entered a room and saw a Hyuga Ninja and three other Ninja.
Yakushi Nonou was slightly puzzled; it seemed only the white-haired youth had some Root Ninja characteristics.
Yakushi Nonou, who had long resigned herself to death, looked at Kabuto.
"Do it!"