Nightfall: The Third Mizukage Convenes an Emergency Meeting!
This was a high-level expanded meeting. In attendance were not only the top officials of Kirigakure but also the commanders of major military corps, captains of various special forces, and clan leaders of the village.
The primary topic of discussion? Haruto Saito.
Feiyu had just received crucial intelligence—information regarding Gutian Village!
Kirigakure's Anbu and infiltration units had been monitoring the Land of Whirlpools for years. Even though Haruto Saito had twice dismantled their covert operations, the Hidden Mist's reconnaissance efforts never ceased.
Since the fall of the Land of Whirlpools, Kirigakure's long-term strategic goal had always been to claim its territory. As such, they maintained continuous surveillance and intelligence gathering on its various settlements. Gutian Village was no exception.
Initially, Gutian Village was an insignificant settlement. A mere six months ago, Kirigakure's infiltration units barely took note of it. It was only mentioned in passing in intelligence reports, with little concern over its accuracy. However, in the past six months, the village had undergone a complete transformation, something Kirigakure could not ignore.
Despite this, no one had connected the dots. The Land of Whirlpools was a chaotic region filled with countless factions constantly rising and falling. Such upheavals were normal. Many sought to claim a piece of this ungoverned land. Even Iwagakure likely had secret operatives nurturing influence there.
Gutian Village's sudden rise did not appear particularly unusual. Its ninja population was still relatively small, making it seem unremarkable. Nevertheless, Kirigakure continued its standard reconnaissance efforts.
Inside the Dimly Lit Conference Room
Dozens of individuals sat around a massive table, discussing their latest findings.
"Based on our current intelligence, there is only one Gutian Village in the Land of Whirlpools. Reviewing past reports, the village was established during the most chaotic period following the fall of Uzushio Village. For a long time, it remained stagnant. However, about six months ago, it began expanding rapidly. Rumors suggest that a powerful ninja, skilled in tool-based summoning techniques, took control and invested vast resources into its development. Since then, the village has undergone rapid construction, and its permanent population has skyrocketed."
The speaker was Kirigakure's newly appointed Anbu Captain, code-named "Itsuka."
"It must be that Gutian Village!"
"The timeline fits perfectly!"
"Haruto Saito arrived in the Land of Whirlpools around the same time..."
One by one, the attendees voiced their agreement. It became increasingly apparent that Gutian Village was Haruto Saito's creation.
In truth, Gutian Village was already on the verge of being exposed. Its expansion had reached a scale that posed a growing threat to other villages in the northern coastal region of the Land of Whirlpools.
At first glance, Gutian Village did not seem particularly special. Most outsiders had no idea what Haruto Saito was planning. But once someone made the connection between him and the village, everything became much clearer.
Then, another unsettling piece of intelligence surfaced.
"Furthermore…" Itsuka hesitated before continuing, "The site where Lord Tatsuno fell in battle is only a few dozen kilometers from Gutian Village..."
The room fell silent.
Hattori Tatsuno's death had been one of the most significant casualties of the Second Shinobi World War. Among all the great ninja villages, he was the highest-ranking and most powerful individual to have perished thus far.
There had long been rumors that Haruto Saito had revived Hattori Tatsuno using a technique similar to the Reanimation Jutsu. However, there was no concrete evidence to support this claim.
"It's almost certainly the case!" Feiyu finally spoke, his voice cold. "There is only one Gutian Village. It just so happens to have started growing after Haruto Saito entered the Land of Whirlpools in secrecy. That means…"
"Mizukage-sama, we should be cautious," someone interjected.
The voice belonged to a tall middle-aged ninja sitting beside Feiyu—Kirigakure's senior advisor, Hozuki Genpaku.
Feiyu turned to face him.
"This intelligence came to us far too suddenly and conveniently," Genpaku continued. "Given Konoha's cautious approach to information dissemination, they wouldn't normally reveal Haruto Saito's exact whereabouts so easily. Something feels off."
"Agreed," said a white-haired ninja sitting on Feiyu's other side—another senior advisor named Xiguashan Kagero. "There are only two possible explanations for this. First, this is a trap designed to lure us in, with Konoha waiting in ambush. But if that were the case, it would be a rather clumsy attempt."
"The second possibility is that there is internal conflict within Konoha, and someone deliberately leaked this information to us."
"The second scenario is highly likely," Genpaku added. "Haruto Saito stayed hidden in Konoha for a year before leaving early this year. At the time, Konoha should have been fully aware of the danger he faced. Too many factions wanted him dead. They would have done everything possible to keep his movements secret. Yet, his departure was leaked almost immediately..."
"That suggests someone inside Konoha wants Haruto Saito dead! He may have been betrayed from within before, and this could be happening again."
Feiyu let out a cold chuckle. He almost wanted to laugh—at Konoha, at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Even though Haruto Saito was their enemy, no one in the shinobi world could afford to underestimate him. His abilities and importance to Konoha were undeniable. And yet, his own allies had betrayed him multiple times?
"Even if Konoha's internal struggles led to this intelligence falling into our hands, we still cannot ignore the possibility of a trap," Genpaku cautioned. "Haruto Saito is a cunning strategist. He might have orchestrated this himself. We are his greatest adversaries in the Land of Whirlpools, and he would go to great lengths to counter us."
His voice dropped to a grave tone.
"If this is truly a trap set by Haruto Saito, then the intelligence itself is real. He would use his most valuable assets as bait. Who knows what might be waiting for us? Based on his history, he is definitely capable of such a scheme."
Haruto Saito was infamous for his reckless, daring strategies. Everyone knew that he was capable of anything.
Feiyu's eyes narrowed. "I will personally go to Gutian Village."