The air in the Hokage Office was somewhat heavy.
Arashi casually tossed the report, stained with sand and the scent of blood, onto the desk. The paper slid across the mahogany surface with a soft sound, finally stopping beside Hiruzen's teacup.
"Special operation?"
Arashi lightly tapped his fingertips on the armrest, creating a rhythmic drumming sound.
"Fugaku, this blade of ours, is getting sharper the more it's honed."
Hiruzen picked up the report and quickly scanned it. A crack appeared in the permanent mask of amiability on his aged face.
The last line of the report, written with force, had pierced through the paper: Requesting cross-border strike operations to purge Kirigakure spies, regardless of survival.
"Daimyo-sama." Hiruzen put down the report. The tobacco in his pipe had long gone out, but he hadn't noticed. "Rashly attacking the Land of Water might trigger the Fourth Great Ninja War. The Land of Wind has just been stabilized, and we need time to consolidate."
"Time?"
Arashi stood and walked over to the massive map of the Ninja World.
Red markers already covered the entirety of the Land of Wind, while the Land of Water to the east remained a glaring blue.
"Third Hokage, you've misunderstood one thing."
Arashi turned around, his back to the bustling scenery of Konoha outside the window. Bathed in the backlight, his expression was unreadable.
"The war has never stopped."
"The moment Kirigakure extended its reach into my land and supplied exploding tags to those rebel forces, the war had already begun."
"If we play deaf and dumb now, others won't think the Land of Fire is magnanimous. They'll only think we're weak and easy to bully."
Hiruzen opened his mouth, but in the end, he could only remain silent.
"Approved."
Arashi's voice was devoid of warmth.
"Tell Fugaku, since he's going, don't be petty."
"If that rat Ao runs fast, then burn down his nest."
"I want Kirigakure to understand. Whichever hand they reach out with, I will chop that hand off."
…Eastern border of the Land of Wind.
The night was like ink, and the strong wind whipped sand against their faces, causing sharp pain.
Fugaku sat cross-legged atop a piece of weathered rock. The red and white Uchiha fan crest was faintly visible in the darkness.
A ninja hawk pierced the night sky, swooped down, and landed steadily on his forearm guard.
He removed the message cylinder and unfolded the scroll.
On it was only a single, bright red character: "Approved," followed by a line of smaller text, written with force:
[No survivors necessary. Deterrence is the priority.]
Fugaku crumpled the note in his palm. Chakra surged, and the paper instantly turned to ash, scattering in the wind.
"Clan Head?"
In the shadows below, ten Uchiha elites were already fully prepared. They had not activated their Sharingan, but the murderous aura they exuded caused the surrounding snakes, insects, rats, and ants to tremble.
"The Daimyo-sama has given the order."
Fugaku stood, drew his long sword, and pointed the blade toward the mist-shrouded coastline to the east.
"Kill."
…At the border between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Wind, a hidden underground exchange post.
This was a lawless zone, a hotbed for intelligence gathering and black market transactions.
Ao sat in a dim corner, a cup of low-quality sake in front of him. The eyepatch over his right eye concealed the precious Byakugan, while his left eye constantly scanned the surroundings with vigilance.
This operation had failed.
That trash Fūrai couldn't even last three days.
What shocked him more were the methods of Fugaku. Massacres, Pyramids of Skulls, collective punishment.
The man who used to be timid and compliant in the Konoha Military Police Force had turned into a ravenous wolf in the Land of Wind.
"I must bring this intelligence back to the village."
Ao put down his cup, ready to stand and leave.
Boom.
The exchange post's thick iron door exploded inward. Twisted, warped iron plates flew out like cannonballs, smashing the owner behind the counter into a pulp.
Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, several black figures rushed in like phantoms.
There was no unnecessary talk, no declaration.
Several gigantic Great Fireballs instantly engulfed the confined space.
"Enemy attack!"
The rōnin and rogue ninja inside frantically drew their weapons.
But in the next second, they saw those crimson eyes.
The color of nightmares.
Pfft.
A rōnin had only half-finished his hand sign before his head flew up to the ceiling.
The slaughter carried out by the Uchiha elites in the confined space was nothing short of art.
The observational prowess of the Sharingan, combined with exquisite Taijutsu, ensured every swing of the blade claimed a life.
The moment the explosion sounded, Ao activated his Byakugan. His vision penetrated the smoke and locked onto the figure standing like a mountain at the entrance.
Fugaku.
"Damn it. How did he get here so fast!"
Without hesitation, Ao smashed through the wall behind him and sprinted toward the dense forest outside.
He couldn't die here.
He was the eyes of Kirigakure. His mind held crucial intelligence about the Land of Fire.
"Trying to run?"
A cold snort came from behind.
Immediately after, a wave of scorching air rushed toward his face.
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique."
Several gigantic fire dragons roared as they burst through the wall, blocking all of Ao's escape routes.
Ao gritted his teeth, turned around, and formed hand signs.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall."
Zzz.
Water and fire collided, instantly erupting into a sky full of white mist.
Using the white mist as cover, Ao changed direction, attempting to break through from the side.
However, the moment he charged out of the mist, he abruptly stopped.
Fugaku was standing in front of him, having appeared without warning.
The Mangekyō Sharingan slowly rotated in the darkness, radiating a suffocating sense of pressure.
"Ao of Kirigakure."
Fugaku's voice was calm, as if he were looking at a dead man.
"When you delivered exploding tags to Fūrai, you should have realized this day would come."
Ao's palm, gripping the kunai, was slick with sweat.
Since he couldn't run, he would fight.
"Water Release: Azure Dragon Palm."
Ao roared, his chakra erupting, and he shot toward Fugaku like an arrow released from a bowstring.
Fugaku stood his ground, not moving an inch.
Just as Ao's attack was about to strike him.
Fugaku moved.
It wasn't Ninjutsu, nor was it Genjutsu.
It was merely a simple kick.
Bang.
The kick was so fast that even the Byakugan could only catch an afterimage.
It landed squarely on Ao's abdomen.
"Waaah!"
Ao doubled over like a cooked shrimp, spat out a mouthful of blood, and was sent flying backward, breaking two large trees before finally stopping.
At least three of his ribs were broken.
Internal organs damaged.
Is this the power of a Kage-level expert?
Ao struggled to get up, but a foot stomped heavily onto his chest.
Crack.
The sound of his sternum shattering was clearly audible.
Fugaku looked down at him, slowly raising the long sword in his hand.
"Don't… don't kill me…"
Ao gasped with difficulty. His desire to survive made him abandon his ninja dignity.
"I have intelligence… I know the Mizukage's secret…"
Fugaku's movement paused slightly.
Joy sparked in Ao's heart. There was a chance.
"Are you talking about Yagura Karatachi?" Fugaku asked lightly.
"Yes, yes!" Ao said urgently. "The Fourth Mizukage is not right. He's being controlled. If you let me go, I can help you…"
Swish.
The blade flashed.
Ao's voice abruptly ceased.
A head rolled onto the ground, the single remaining eye still holding traces of unvanished hope and shock.
Fugaku flicked the blood off his blade and glanced coldly at the corpse on the ground.
"Daimyo-sama said."
"Only the dead keep the best secrets."
"As for the Mizukage being controlled?"
Fugaku sheathed his sword and turned to leave.
"Daimyo-sama already knew."
Behind him, the ruins of the exchange post burst into a roaring fire, cleanly burning the place of sin to the ground.
(To be continued.)