Late at night, when the compound had fallen silent, the silver-striped cat—unwilling to return and watch Big Orange fawn over her first thing in the morning—curled up in a pink cat bed inside the house. Her soft fur rose and fell gently with each breath.
Anlan, however, was in no hurry to sleep.
Leaning against the window, he carefully sorted through everything that had happened during the clan meeting earlier that day.
Moonlight filtered through the window lattice, casting shifting shadows across his sharply defined profile.
In the end, Anlan's thoughts settled on a particular person—
The bounty hunter Kakuzu.
This rogue ninja from Takigakure, who had yet to join the Akatsuki, possessed genuine Kage-level strength. In the current ninja world, he could practically walk sideways wherever he went.
Because of his decent professional ethics and obsessive love of money, even though his personality was eccentric and he killed without hesitation, he still had qualities worth exploiting.
As a transmigrator who had gradually taken control of the Hawk faction during his growth, Anlan had no reason not to make use of him.
Under the name of the Ninja Cat Clan, he had secretly hired Kakuzu to carry out many missions.
Assassinating Kumo ninja and framing Konoha was only one of them.
Next would come the conflict with Kirigakure…
I need to think about it carefully. Perhaps I can reach some kind of tacit understanding with the Kirigakure commander on the frontline.
Anlan pondered quietly.
At this time, the one ruling Kirigakure was not the future Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, but rather the Third Mizukage, who had already begun implementing the infamous Blood Mist Policy.
One of the core elements of that policy was the reform of the ninja academy graduation exam.
The original teamwork test had been replaced with a survival elimination system.
Students of the same class were forced to slaughter one another until only half remained alive.
Those who failed were executed on the spot.
This brutal selection method was glorified as a way to enhance Kirigakure's combat strength—using bloodshed to cultivate elite ninja.
However—
The Third Mizukage was neither from a bloodline clan nor particularly powerful. His strength barely reached ordinary Kage level.
His prestige alone was insufficient to truly enforce such an extreme policy.
According to intelligence gathered by Kakuzu and the Ninja Cats, the Third Mizukage had deliberately stirred up conflict between bloodline clans and civilian ninja.
It seemed he wanted bloodline users to suppress civilian ninja, escalating tensions and indirectly creating the survival elimination system he desired.
Such methods…
A cold light flashed through Anlan's eyes.
The Third Mizukage is most likely already being manipulated by Uchiha Madara, who is hiding behind the scenes while clinging to life.
The value of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan needed no explanation.
At this stage of the ninja world, whoever Madara targeted was simply unlucky.
This would also explain why, during the later stages of the Third Shinobi World War, the Three-Tails, a strategic asset of Kirigakure, could somehow be sealed inside Nohara Rin, a mere genin.
And then—
Kakashi killed Rin.
Uchiha Obito, who witnessed everything, fell into despair.
His faith collapsed, and he awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Everything had been part of a carefully prepared plan.
So…
How should I communicate with Kirigakure ninja?
And how can I profit from it?
Even though some civilian ninja had begun to stand out, the primary combat strength of the major villages still largely came from bloodline users and secret technique clans.
Among the Kirigakure forces invading the Land of Fire, the frontline command would certainly include elites from such clans.
That gave Anlan room to maneuver.
The Third Mizukage's policy had little support from those clans.
Especially not from Kirigakure's most powerful clan—
The Hōzuki clan.
In the past, Hōzuki Gengetsu, the clan's leader, had risen to power through sheer strength and become the Second Mizukage.
The current Third Mizukage had originally served under him.
To the ninja clans, he was nothing more than a failure who inherited the position.
At the same time, the Third Mizukage also lacked support from civilian ninja.
Because the starting point of civilian families and ninja clans was completely different.
Under an elimination system, the ones who would die most often were inevitably the children of civilians.
So how would those Kirigakure ninja who had risen from civilian origins to become jōnin view such a policy?
However—
In the world portrayed by Masashi Kishimoto, ninja were trained to obey superiors absolutely.
Even if nobles pointed at their heads and cursed them, they would still bow respectfully like obedient dogs.
So how could they resist their true leader?
As long as the Third Mizukage handled things carefully, the Blood Mist Policy would inevitably be implemented.
Later, it would be inherited by the Fourth Mizukage, and under Obito's control, Kirigakure—driven by revenge—would become the true Village of the Blood Mist.
Bloodline clans.
Civilian ninja.
The Third Mizukage.
If this triangular relationship was handled properly, the Uchiha could profit from it.
As for the benefits he could obtain—
Two things.
First: use Kirigakure as leverage against Konoha—build strength quietly and delay claiming power.
Second: seize the Three-Tails.
As these thoughts flowed through his mind, Anlan suddenly remembered Uchiha Obito, who had not yet awakened the Sharingan.
At this time, Obito was still a clumsy underachiever—
A boy who liked helping old ladies cross the street.
Anlan could not condemn someone for crimes that had not yet happened.
In fact—
If handled properly, the Uchiha clan might gain not only a powerful ally…
But perhaps even a devoted simp.
Or rather—
A future general.
Over the years of observing and training Big Orange and Ayan, Anlan had gathered extensive research data on simps.
Obito was simple.
As long as Nohara Rin remained in his world—
He would be an unstoppable pure-love warrior.
But without Rin—
Obito would become a complete madman, trapped in his own twisted reality.
For now…
All he needed to do was wait for the negotiation results between the clan head and Hiruzen Sarutobi.
After that, Kakuzu would add another spark.
Then those barbaric Kumo ninja wouldn't be able to hold back any longer.
A cold glint flashed in Anlan's eyes.
Once Kumogakure crossed the border of the Land of Fire—
Iwagakure and Sunagakure would swarm forward like wolves smelling blood.
And once the flames of war spread—
The Hokage would no longer have the luxury of weighing every decision carefully.
At that time…
The Uchiha could step away from the most brutal battlefield and preserve the clan.
With his thoughts settled, Anlan glanced in the direction of Mikoto's residence.
"Good night."
He spoke softly before leaving the window.
The night wind rustled the hem of his dark bathrobe.
Ayan twitched her ears slightly in her sleep.
Anlan casually tucked the thin blanket beside her cat bed before lying down.
Some people tossed and turned in sleepless worry.
Others slept soundly through the night.
Unknowingly—
The night passed.
The Hokage Building remained brightly lit, like a heart that never grew tired.
Shadow after shadow leapt from its halls carrying urgent orders.
ANBU ninja flickered through the thin fog before dawn and disappeared beyond the borders of Konoha.
Having stayed awake the entire night, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood by the window.
Smoke curled slowly from his pipe in the morning light.
He watched as Mitokado Homura steadily walked toward the village gates, setting off for the Daimyō's residence.
Then his gaze shifted to the crystal ball on the desk.
Within it appeared Shimura Danzō, reluctantly preparing to visit the various ninja clans to persuade them.
His sinister eyes were filled with unwillingness.
A long sigh drifted into the cool morning wind.
"May everything… go smoothly."
The rising sun stretched Hiruzen's shadow long across the empty office.
It looked unbearably lonely.
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