Mizunuki Tetsuchu's original plan was actually quite peaceful, effectively aiming to subdue the enemy without a fight.
It primarily relied on a comprehensive propaganda offensive using over a dozen newspapers, magazines, and other media, creating a multi-tiered, multi-wave, broad, and deep saturation to achieve a kind of brainwashing.
The goal was to present a perfectly sculpted, flawless image and charisma of Momochi Zabuza to the people of the Land of Water and the shinobi of Kirigakure.
Through this, Zabuza would become a friend of the Land of Water's people, enabling him to win in any potential vote or election.
However, the recent assassination attempt on the two of them, ordered by the high command, meant this path was now blocked!
The Advisor (Moto-Shishu) was truly despicable!
Ao was even worse!
Kirigakure was refusing a toast, so they'd have to drink a forfeit!
Tetsuchu now had no choice but to activate his backup plan!
This plan, however, would require some bloodshed.
Mizunuki Tetsuchu was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see anyone hurt, so he originally hadn't planned to use this approach. Now, he was 'forced' into it!
Kirigakure and the Land of Water were about to face a storm of violence!
"Zabuza-san, are you ready to become a hero?"
Thinking of his plan, Tetsuchu looked at Zabuza with a subtle smile.
"A hero...?"
Momochi Zabuza savored the word. He had been a hero once in the Land of Waves. What about this time?
"How does one become a hero?"
Hearing this, the smile on Tetsuchu's face widened. "One who saves the people from peril is a hero."
"Peril?"
"Yes, peril!"
Noticing the change in Zabuza's expression, he advised, "Don't worry about how they get there! When has a change of dynasty ever been bloodless?"
Noting Zabuza's silence, Tetsuchu quickly changed the subject. "After this, you'll be the Mizukage. What? Are you not ready yet?"
"Mizukage, huh?"
Zabuza muttered the word. His expression beneath the bandages was unclear, but Tetsuchu distinctly saw a flicker of memory in his eyes.
Becoming the Mizukage was his friend Sakuragi Hanamichi's old dream. That guy had entrusted his dream to him.
Thinking of the friend who had died in his arms, the confusion in Zabuza's eyes vanished.
He nodded decisively. "Mizukage? Of course, I'm ready!"
He had been preparing for the Mizukage's throne for a long time!
Not only that, but he already had a basic blueprint for how to change Kirigakure.
"Good!"
Mizunuki Tetsuchu exclaimed in admiration, raising his head to indicate the four figures standing in the center of the room. "These four will be your best helpers!"
"People who defected?"
Zabuza glanced at them.
He hadn't been in Kirigakure for years, so he didn't know these Anbu, but were they reliable?
Tetsuchu, who was constantly observing his partner Zabuza, reassured him, "Don't worry, they are completely on our side, you can rely on them."
They've been modified. How could they not be on our side?
Hearing this, Zabuza didn't question further and simply nodded.
"Oh, right,"
Tetsuchu said, as if suddenly remembering something. He asked, "How much do you know about 'Ao'?"
"Ao, you say?"
Remembering the face of the man he'd met over ten years ago, who had now become the chief instigator of his assassination, Zabuza felt a moment of melancholy.
However, years of traveling, and even fleeing, had hardened his heart like steel.
Betrayal and assassination had become commonplace over the years, so he wouldn't waste another second mourning this situation.
Thus, Zabuza unhesitatingly sold out the man who stood in the way of his becoming Mizukage and fulfilling the ideals of himself and Sakuragi Hanamichi.
He spoke calmly, "Ao is an experienced Jonin. You might not know this."
He looked specifically at Tetsuchu. "He has a special eye on his right side."
"An eye?"
Tetsuchu was puzzled.
Something Zabuza specifically pointed out must have special significance.
But what was it?
Recalling the Sharingan that the Boss had shown Zabuza earlier, Tetsuchu instantly felt he knew the answer.
"The Sharingan?" he said.
But Zabuza flatly denied it. "No, it's a Byakugan."
"A Byakugan?"
Tetsuchu was stunned. Because he had split from the Boss relatively early, he hadn't inherited much of the Boss's memory from that period, so he was particularly surprised.
As everyone knew, the Byakugan was protected by the Caged Bird Seal; outsiders couldn't possibly obtain one.
Had someone actually found a loophole?
Had the Hyuga Main Family died out?
Was it one of Hinata's uncles, or...?
"Yes, it was a Byakugan that Kirigakure accidentally obtained during a previous war."
So that's it?
During a war, presumably the Third Great Shinobi War, Kirigakure inadvertently, no, intentionally acquired a Byakugan.
This explained many things.
Why was the puppet Fourth Mizukage, controlled by Uchiha Obito, discovered?
The credit naturally went to the Byakugan!
Mizunuki Tetsuchu suddenly felt that the organization's intelligence network in the Land of Water was too thin.
They hadn't even gathered this piece of information.
The Land of Water was remote, isolated on an island, and not given much importance by the Boss to begin with.
Furthermore, in preparation for the Fourth Great Shinobi War, most of the organization's intelligence efforts were focused on the mainland.
Fortunately, because of this unexpected event, the Boss would certainly deploy more spies in the Land of Water.
However...
Kirigakure has a Byakugan?
They dare?
What outrageous audacity!
What?
Obtained during a war?
What, you couldn't politely and voluntarily return it after the war ended?
Huh?
Because Konoha wasn't strong enough to reclaim it?
Fine, fine!
In a while, a stronger Konoha will be coming!
Tsk tsk tsk...
Tetsuchu already foresaw a monumental drama unfolding in Kirigakure once this information was reported.
He couldn't even predict what the Boss would do when he found out about this!
In short, something big was coming!
In any case, Tetsuchu was ready to sit back and watch the show.
Regardless, big news always boosted newspaper sales. He couldn't even imagine how much big news there would be then!
Tetsuchu was secretly delighted.
Creating a big headline?
He loved it too much!
Zabuza continued, "Speaking of Kirigakure, I also remember that woman, Terumī Mei."
"Terumī Mei?"
Tetsuchu immediately focused on the name.
This person seemed to have high prestige in Kirigakure!
She was Zabuza's biggest competitor for the Mizukage position!
"That's right. That woman was two grades ahead of me. She's a strong woman."
"Is that so."
Tetsuchu pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you have any more information?"
Zabuza thought for a moment and replied, "No. I left Kirigakure over ten years ago. I personally killed most of the people I was familiar with back then. I don't really know anyone else."
Tetsuchu nodded.
Understood. It seems Zabuza wasn't a very sociable person even before he defected!
Suddenly recalling something, he asked, "Then you don't know much about the Advisor (Moto-Shishu) either?"
Zabuza shook his head again.
Tetsuchu gave him a meaningful glance.
How is it that this guy acts like he never even stayed in Kirigakure?
But it didn't matter much.
No intelligence was fine; once the plan started, the people mentioned earlier would all be dead soon!
That's right!
Eliminate all competitors—this was Tetsuchu's subsequent plan.
You want to compete with Zabuza for Mizukage?
If all the competitors were wiped out, wouldn't there be no one left to contend with Zabuza for the Mizukage seat?
Simple and highly effective!
After the Kirigakure experts were taken out, when Uchiha Sasuke came to cause trouble, and when Kirigakure and the Land of Water were plunged into dire straits...
Kirigakure's hero, the savior of the Land of Water—Momochi Zabuza—would emerge!
Absolute control!
Total domination!
The plot might be cliché, but it was practical!
So, to carry out this plan...
Tetsuchu's gaze fell on the four Kirigakure Anbu. To execute the plan, they first needed to infiltrate Kirigakure.
These four would come in handy.
After a brief discussion with Zabuza, the two decided to temporarily stay put.
Meanwhile, the four completely controlled puppet clones were ordered to return to Kirigakure immediately to execute the mission!
The plan was named—The Trojan Horse!
The scene shifted. It was still the excessively moist, misty Kirigakure Village.
Ao woke up today with his right eye twitching non-stop. He was a little puzzled, wondering if this Byakugan suddenly had some side effect.
But he had never encountered anything like this in all these years.
He could only proceed with his normal workday.
Soon after starting his shift in the guard room, he received a notification from the Anbu. The Anbu sent out earlier had returned, and he was urgently summoned back.
Anbu?
Hearing the word, Ao immediately thought of the Anbu dispatched a few days ago to carry out those two missions.
Had the mission been completed?
He asked the messenger Chunin and learned that four Anbu had returned in total.
Only four?
Ao's expression darkened. Did this mission really result in so many casualties?
This was somewhat expected.
The problem was, losing so many people... and if the mission wasn't completed, and they had returned...
Many suspicions surfaced in his mind, and Ao involuntarily quickened his pace.
Traversing buildings and returning to the Anbu headquarters, he finally arrived at a specific Anbu basement where he met the four returning Anbu.
On the way, Ao had wondered why they were being hidden so securely.
However, seeing the four of them, he was temporarily reassured.
The four looked travel-worn, but fortunately, they had no visible injuries.
"Ao-sama." ×4
Seeing Ao enter, the four quickly greeted him.
"What happened to you?" Ao examined the four from head to toe.
"Ao-sama, there was an unexpected change in the situation."
The subordinate closest to Ao, whom Ao trusted quite a bit, spoke with a sorrowful expression.
The ninja couldn't help but shed a tear, clearly still grieving the sacrifice of a close friend among the eight who had perished.
Ao was aware of this, gently patted his shoulder, and said, "My condolences."
But he quickly followed up with, "What exactly was the unexpected incident?"
"Ao-sama, hehe... hihhih."
Hmm?
A sharp, high-pitched giggle came from the man's mouth. Ao instantly felt a chill.
These four were people he knew well. Especially the one who spoke; he had lost his closest friend during the mission.
But this was a moment of utmost seriousness!
How could this man be giggling?
Ao instantly retreated two steps in alarm, scrutinizing the man again.
He saw that the sorrow on the man's face had completely vanished, replaced by an uncontrollable smirk.
"Fūta, you..." Ao stared at the man in shock, trying to spot any abnormality, but nothing was apparent on the surface.
He quickly performed hand signs.
"Byakugan!"
Blue veins popped up around Ao's right eye as he activated the Byakugan's power.
He narrowed his eyes and looked at the four again.
This time, he saw that the chakra of all four had undergone a bizarre transformation; it was no longer the familiar chakra he knew.
In fact, the sheer volume of their chakra was several times greater, far exceeding the level of ordinary shinobi.
"You... you..."
Swoosh!
The four instantly moved to block all escape routes, surrounding Ao.
"We've been found out, Ao-sama!"
Fūta had already ripped off his mask.
He was now laughing ruthlessly, his smile utterly devoid of warmth.
Fūta reached behind his back. Just as Ao thought he was going to attack, Fūta pulled out a strangely shaped kunai and channeled chakra into it.
Then,
Swoosh!
A black flash appeared, and a human figure suddenly materialized in the secret, completely sealed room.
"This... this is?"
Ao was startled by the sudden appearance of the person.
This sudden appearance ability, why does it resemble a certain forbidden jutsu I once heard of?
But...
The man who used that jutsu is dead!
He took a closer look at the newcomer.
The lightly fluttering, excessively smooth black hair, the flawless, porcelain skin, the dazzling, peerless beauty...
Even in this tense situation, Ao couldn't help but inwardly admire the person's beauty.
"Who are you?"
He asked in a low voice, while covertly preparing himself.
His gaze swept around, and he realized he was completely surrounded by the four.
No escape?
Recalling the strength of the four, Ao felt he still had a chance to escape. The key was the strength of this newcomer.
Seeing Ao, Mizunuki Tetsuchu smiled faintly. That subtly hooked smile made Ao gasp.
What a captivating succubus!
"You must be Ao, right?"
?
That voice?
It's a man?!
Though shocked, Ao quickly regained his composure.
"Who are you?"
Tetsuchu did not answer, instead giving a non-sequitur.
"If it's you, then that's perfect."
Noticing the eye patch over Ao's right eye, Tetsuchu sighed softly. "What a pity. As everyone knows, the Byakugan is Konoha's property, and yet you dared to steal Konoha's property. I'm afraid we'll have to have a fight."
"Konoha?"
Ao frowned, pondering slightly. "Are you from Konoha? Is Konoha behind Zabuza as well?"
True to his nature as a seasoned Jonin, even under these circumstances, he was still trying to extract information from the enemy.
"Tsk tsk."
Tetsuchu glanced at him. A trace of disdain flashed in those beautiful, almond-shaped eyes.
Just this beautiful gaze alone was enough to make certain specialized individuals climax.
"As a preparatory puppet, you don't need to know these things."
"A puppet...?"
Ao instantly understood the subtext.
At this moment, he knew he had to break out.
Although the four had sealed off the area, Ao was confident in his ability to fight his way past the encirclement of his former subordinates.
His gaze quickly swept the surroundings, searching for an escape route.
"Still thinking about running? It seems you don't put me in your eyes at all."
Hmm?
Ao turned back, puzzled, and instantly froze.
Those eyes...
Huh?
Those purple Rinnegan eyes steadily grew larger in his vision, expanding, expanding...
Then, they filled his entire world.
"Come, let me see what's inside your head."
Looking at Ao, who was caught in the genjutsu, Tetsuchu reached out with his dark, no, his delicate, graceful hand.
Three minutes.
Memory reading in progress.
A moment later, an expression of surprise appeared on Tetsuchu's face.
Unexpectedly, this person is very familiar with Terumī Mei.
Or rather, this person specifically advocates for Terumī Mei to be the next Mizukage.
How surprising!
Looking at Ao, still trapped hopelessly in the genjutsu, Tetsuchu pondered for a moment and decided to exploit this peculiar relationship.
A concrete plan quickly formed in his mind.
Take out the Advisor and then frame Terumī Mei for it.
This way, he would eliminate one enemy and cripple one competitor.
Killing two birds with one stone!
It couldn't be more perfect!
Tetsuchu revealed a satisfied smile. "All is ready; we just need the East Wind!"
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