Chapter 51: The Plan to Raid Konoha Village
"So, Kirishima jonin, you already have a comprehensive plan?" Yagura Karatachi stared at Kirishima Shinya, his amethyst-like eyes ice-cold, harboring not the slightest warmth.
Kirishima Shinya acted as if he noticed nothing, still smiling as he answered, "Not only do I have a plan, I've also identified the people needed to execute it."
At these words, Yagura Karatachi's gaze grew three degrees colder. He asked in a voice as flat as a straight line, "What do you plan to do? Take the Gami Pot and infiltrate near Konoha Village before releasing the Three-Tails?"
"Of course it won't be that crude. Done that way, the Three-Tails might not cause much destruction to Konoha at all. I plan to seal the Three-Tails inside some Konoha shinobi, then send them into Konoha Village—giving Konoha a flowering explosion from the center!"
"Aren't you afraid of doing this and having the Three-Tails fall into Konoha's hands? Don't forget, all those good things from the Uzumaki clan were taken by Konoha. When it comes to sealing tailed beasts, they're professionals!"
Terumi clan head spoke up quietly, throwing cold water on the idea.
"How could there not be risk? If you want to reap success, you must bear risk. Besides, I didn't say we'd just send the Three-Tails into Konoha and ignore it. As soon as the Three-Tails starts wreaking havoc, small elite forces lurking outside Konoha Village can begin operations. We can take the opportunity to expand the damage to Konoha and recover the Three-Tails at the appropriate time."
"Don't you think what you're saying is far too idealized? In your plan, the Konoha shinobi sound like puppets for you to manipulate."
"Success depends on people. I actually think you're being overly fearful of Konoha shinobi, Mang-senpai. Everyone has two shoulders carrying one head—what's there to fear?"
"Fear? You think I'm afraid of Konoha shinobi?"
The middle-aged man whose full name was Terumi Mang sneered coldly. "Kirishima Shinya, use your brain before speaking. If my wife weren't your cousin, I'd tear your head off right now and use it as a chair!"
"Heh heh!"
Kirishima Shinya laughed dryly twice, lowering his eyebrows submissively to acknowledge his error. "Mang-senpai, please forgive me. My words were careless."
He had no choice but to back down.
The Terumi clan stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his own Kirishima clan as prominent families. Aside from still lacking a Mizukage from the Terumi clan, their strength in every other aspect was no less than the Kirishima clan's.
As the first-in-line heir to the Kirishima clan, he truly couldn't afford to provoke Terumi Mang, the clan head. Even if Terumi Mang actually killed him, he'd simply die in vain—at most they'd pay some compensation.
"For the sake of Mei calling you uncle, I'll let it go this time. Next time you say such things, you'd better already be the Kirishima clan head. Otherwise... weigh it yourself."
"Yes, Mang-senpai."
At this moment, Kirishima Shinya was as obedient as could be.
However—
Being obediently apologetic didn't mean he'd abandon his plan.
"Mizukage-sama, please authorize me to execute this plan."
Kirishima Shinya didn't dare continue entangling with Terumi Mang. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Yagura Karatachi seated in the position of authority, speaking words of request in a demanding tone.
Yagura Karatachi's expression was grim as water. He didn't make a sound.
But Kirishima Shinya was clearly prepared.
"Mizukage-sama, I think Kirishima jonin's plan is quite good. Konoha may not truly be so formidable. If we can really strike Konoha Village directly, the situation might reverse in an instant."
The speaker was Suikazan Fuguki. This fat man had clearly coordinated with Kirishima Shinya. He looked at Yagura Karatachi seated in the main position and said in a relaxed tone, "Moreover, we've already invested far too much into this war. If we just withdraw silently like this, I'm worried morale below will completely collapse."
"So, even taking a step back, we can't just directly retreat. Before withdrawing, we need to find a way to inflict more casualties on Konoha—ideally eliminate one or two famous Konoha shinobi. Only then can we maintain morale and withdraw steadily!"
Suikazan Fuguki's reasoning wasn't completely without merit.
Terumi Mang merely glanced at these two singing in harmony and said nothing more.
"Suikazan Fuguki, are you planning to go to Konoha and take risks together with Kirishima jonin?" Yagura Karatachi stared at Suikazan Fuguki and asked.
"That's right. He'll help me hunt Konoha's White Yaksha first, then we'll rush to Konoha."
Suikazan Fuguki answered frankly, not concealing his private coordination with Kirishima Shinya. In his view, everything he was doing was entirely for the village.
"White Yaksha..."
Yagura Karatachi murmured this name he'd also heard many times recently. His gaze swept across everyone's faces one by one. Aside from Terumi Mang and some affiliated with the Terumi clan, the rest clearly supported Kirishima Shinya's plan to take this risky gamble.
"In that case, go ahead and do it!"
Yagura Karatachi didn't stop them.
Because he understood that unless he used violence, even if he vetoed Kirishima Shinya's plan, he couldn't prevent them from acting privately in secret. And he couldn't possibly use violent suppression against Kirishima Shinya and the others—not because he couldn't, but because doing so would become self-destructive infighting.
Being that the case, he might as well not obstruct them. Let Kirishima Shinya and the others take the risk. At least this way, they'd be using their manpower in the struggle against Konoha rather than dying in meaningless internal strife.
Today's meeting made him realize that even as the Mizukage, he still often had the will but lacked the power. Though the Yagura clan wasn't exactly a minor household, neither was it a prominent family like Kirishima, Terumi, or Hozuki.
To become a Mizukage with full authority—the road was long and obstructed indeed!
"Mizukage-sama, this is the personnel my plan requires. Please approve it." Kirishima Shinya pulled out a list and presented it before Yagura Karatachi.
Yagura Karatachi picked up the list and scanned it. Without exception, everyone on it was a capable fighter.
"Juzo, Mangetsu, you both also want to participate in this plan?"
Yagura Karatachi simply directly inquired the opinions of those present.
"I want to participate."
Biwa Juzo agreed. His face was full of killing intent—clearly, he absolutely refused to retreat like this.
However, Hozuki Mangetsu said, "I don't care either way. If you order me to go, Mizukage-sama, I'll go."
"Very good. Then Mangetsu, you don't need to go. I have other tasks for you to handle. As for the rest on the list—those who want to go, go. Those who don't want to or who, like Mangetsu, have no opinion either way, don't need to go. There are still plenty of tasks that need people to handle them."
Yagura Karatachi made his decision with finality.
He wouldn't veto Kirishima Shinya's plan, but neither should they expect his strong support. Not deliberately sabotaging it was his greatest support.
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