War is a progressive matter—this was merely Haseo's wishful thinking. If everything could proceed step by step, how would unpredictability and the sudden surprises during wars arise in the first place?
The very nature of war between ninja villages lies precisely in unpredictability and unexpectedness.
Therefore, even a Kage-level ninja resorting to something like a ['Monkey Steals the Peach'] maneuver just to achieve his goal is entirely normal.
"Haseo, should we request reinforcements from the camp?" Looking at the more than twenty enemies steadily closing in led by the Mizukage, Nagisa Nara asked this.
He phrased it as a question, but it was clearly meant as a suggestion.
Although Haseo was a powerful ninja, Nagisa didn't know exactly how much strength Haseo still had left under current circumstances... At the very least, the blood loss was a serious concern.
"No, quite the opposite. We should notify the camp not to act recklessly, and even prepare for an immediate retreat... Since the Third Mizukage has personally appeared like this, do you really think Mist's objective here is simply to eliminate our small group?"
After covering his wounds, Haseo slowly straightened his spine. This slight movement tugged at his wounds, sending waves of pain through his body and forcing a grimace.
"What do you mean..."
By appearing at the front line like this, the Mizukage strongly suggested that Mist's true intention might be to wipe out the entire Konoha eastern front force... After all, Konoha had limited numbers in this direction, and "total annihilation" wasn't an impossible target.
Under such circumstances, the top priority for those on Haseo's side was naturally to avoid direct confrontation. That was what the frontline should do—but as for Haseo himself... where could a commander possibly retreat to?
Theoretically, Haseo could immediately withdraw from the battlefield, but the role he was playing now wouldn't permit it.
"If there were any Sensor Ninja from the Uzumaki clan specializing in chakra detection among the ninja who came to the Land of Whirlpools, things would have been better," thought Haseo at this moment. "Then we might have discovered the enemy's ambush earlier. Strong as the Byakugan's perception ability is, it's still visually oriented."
Strictly speaking, Sensor Ninja and Scout Ninja were actually two different classifications, but no matter who you were, enemies hiding underground were always relatively hard to detect.
Nagisa Nara understood what Haseo meant and proceeded to transmit the information and orders backward toward the camp accordingly. With such orders given, Uzumaki Shikou should already know what to do next.
A smaller force meant greater flexibility, and with Sakumo Hatake stationed at the camp, there was little cause for concern.
At this point, the Mizukage's group had already arrived directly before Haseo.
"Mizukage-sama, personally ambushing us here with your Mist ninja... Is this another one of those 'traditionally customary' undeclared wars between ninja villages?"
Haseo's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Though Konoha and Mist occasionally have conflicts, our relations haven't deteriorated to the point where military confrontation becomes necessary, have they?"
"I don't see any reason for war between our two villages. Are you certain you're thinking clearly?"
Faced with Haseo's sarcasm, the Mizukage, as a figure of standing, would not remain silent—especially given their overwhelming advantage at this moment.
Although Haseo's words were unpleasant to hear, they largely reflected reality. Despite being personally led by him, over the past ten years there had already been two major conflicts between Konoha and Kirigakure: one during the capture of the Two-Tails, and another when the Uzumaki clan relocated from the Land of Whirlpools.
Yet the first was a "fair competition," where Kirigakure simply proved inferior. The second conflict was instigated by Kirigakure itself, forcing both Konoha and the Uzumakis into retaliation. Even if tensions existed between Konoha and Kirigakure, it was clearly Kirigakure that created them.
"Haseo Yu, Konoha Jonin—I've long heard of your reputation. It's finally a chance to meet you in person." The Third Mizukage merely said this.
He was a middle-aged man with long black hair. Compared to the previous Mizukage—who had an imposing presence—this one came across as quite ordinary, especially considering how strong the last leader's personality had been.
To Haseo, this man gave off vibes similar to Orochimaru.
"Meeting you only reinforces my belief in the significance of this campaign. Even eliminating just someone like you would make my personal involvement worthwhile. There are countless more shinobi like you within Konoha, which is exactly why we plan to launch our campaign into the Land of Fire."
The Mizukage continued speaking, effectively answering Haseo's question.
Obviously, this was somewhat exaggerated—if Konoha truly had dozens of shinobi like Haseo, other villages wouldn't need to oppose it… it would tear itself apart from within.
Still, the Mizukage's message was unmistakable.
"I understand," Haseo nodded slightly, as though he completely grasped the Mizukage's reasoning. "So you want to play the role of a shit-stirrer? That's easy enough to understand."
The Land of Water consisted of a central large island surrounded by smaller ones. Geographically, it could easily isolate itself from external affairs and passively observe the ever-changing situation on the continent to its west.
However, all island nations with such strategic geographical positions shared one trait—they refused to accept mediocrity, always eager to meddle in mainland politics, stirring chaos merely to gain advantages from unstable situations. The Land of Water wasn't content staying isolated—it aimed to become the Aquagrande Empire.
Ambitious island nations either crave continental territory or seek to become "troublemakers"—this certainly didn't exceed Haseo's understanding, as he was an informed individual.
Even after losing several transcendent-level ninja and being weakened by the aftermath of the First Great Ninja War, Konoha still stood as the strongest among the Five Great Ninja Villages. Its strength surpassed the others by a noticeable margin—an uncomfortable reality for every other Hidden Village besides Konoha.
In short, only a weakened Konoha is a tolerable Konoha.
Although Mist lacked the same territorial ambitions as Sunagakure (commonly known as Sand), it still displayed hostility toward Konoha out of strategic concerns for the future. Truthfully, Konoha was simply too strong—this alone was sufficient reason for other villages to wage war.
Sunagakure, Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and the indecisive Kumogakure—all within a single month of the war's outbreak, Konoha's external situation had deteriorated drastically.
They were enemies, not allies. The conversation barely lasted two or three sentences before ending abruptly. Then, the Third Mizukage slightly raised his hand. Behind him, elite Mist ninja surged forward at full speed toward Konoha's battered squad.
When battle becomes necessary, hesitation has no place—it must be faced head-on.
Haseo lowered his gaze, his right hand resting on the hilt of his sword behind him. He took a deep breath, and by the time he reopened his eyes, enemies were already at his doorstep.
Yet his eyes remained unusually calm. A ninja standing amidst the battlefield—just like now, Haseo indeed had to remain emotionless.
However, just as Haseo braced himself for battle, one of the remaining Konoha ninjas behind him suddenly launched into action at an unbelievable speed.
It was just an unremarkable young man, yet with a high-speed body technique far beyond what ordinary ninja could imagine, he intercepted the attackers with a devastating use of [Strong Fist].
The crushing tide of attacks from Mist's elite was stopped cold—completely flattened by this previously unheard-of "nobody."
It felt exactly like...
No matter how flashy your techniques or dazzling your effects might be, I've got just one simple response called [Pīwǎ]—Breaking Tiles.
Not only the enemy Mist ninja but even Haseo himself was momentarily stunned... Where did this guy come from?
After a brief moment of shock, Haseo finally understood the weight of having loyal subordinates—this was what true leadership felt like.
Haseo's gaze lingered slightly on the back of that ninja, then sharply fixed upon the Third Mizukage once again.
So...
"Mizukage, calling someone a 'young ninja' should have applied to me ten years ago. Now? If you dare take a step forward, feel free to test your luck."
But once the Mizukage advanced even one step, it would become a gamble.
You want my life? Fine. We're both ninja—no one's guaranteed victory over the other. But once it becomes gambling, in this duel, Mizukage himself would also have to wager his own life.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>