Kirigakure was fighting wildly, throwing themselves recklessly into battle as though bent on mutual destruction with Konoha. Konoha had no choice but to respond in kind, matching their relentlessness.
And now Sunagakure had arrived. But what difference could they make?
Could a mere thousand ninjas really change the outcome of this war?
It was impossible, no matter how one looked at it.
The initiative was entirely in Kirigakure's hands.
Neither Konoha nor Sunagakure had many warships at their disposal, leaving them helpless in securing dominance over the battlefield. In this regard, only Kumogakure could compete with Kirigakure.
Unlike the other villages, Kumogakure had invested heavily in naval development over the years. As a result, they frequently clashed with Kirigakure.
Without significant support from Kumogakure, neither Konoha nor Sunagakure stood a chance of regaining control.
"What nonsense is this? Like I have a choice!"
Orochimaru's sharp tone broke the tension. This situation wasn't something Konoha orchestrated intentionally. The war had simply unfolded this way. As reinforcements, it wasn't realistic for Sunagakure to sit idly at the rear enjoying safety.
"Since you're reinforcements, you'll be treated like everyone else. I, Orochimaru, have done nothing wrong. If you have complaints, take them up with the Third Mizukage—it's all his fault this happened!"
There was even a rare moment where Orochimaru found himself missing Yagura.
The frustration had been building within him for days, and he nearly wanted to sing out: "Come back, I can't handle this on my own, come back…"
Chiyo wracked her brain for any solutions, but none seemed promising.
In the end, she had no choice but to accept the arrangement.
The initiative simply wasn't in their hands.
For years, Kirigakure had relied on the sea for its development, while Konoha and Sunagakure had been the opposite. When war broke out, this difference in strategy meant that Kirigakure held the upper hand.
Coupled with the unpredictable, unorthodox behavior of the Third Mizukage, the battlefield had devolved into utter chaos.
Chiyo frowned deeply, her graying eyebrows furrowing together as she said, "Something is very wrong with Kirigakure. More precisely, there's something wrong with the Third Mizukage. Kirigakure is fighting like they're desperate to destroy Konoha at all costs. No rational person would behave this way."
"The problem must lie with the Third Mizukage."
"Has Konoha gathered any intelligence on this?"
Orochimaru nodded slightly. "Yes. Ever since the war began, I've sent people to collect intelligence. But Kirigakure is isolated in the middle of the ocean, and their strict policies make it difficult to obtain anything valuable."
He paused, his expression darkening slightly. "However, the Third Mizukage had been bedridden for years. Right before the war began, his condition suddenly improved, and his personality became noticeably more extreme."
This wasn't normal.
An old man, so frail and aged that he could barely move for years, suddenly recovering and acting like this—it was too suspicious.
The erratic and disorganized nature of the war only added fuel to Chiyo's doubts. Was the Third Mizukage being controlled?
Konoha must have been wondering the same thing.
"Something is wrong with the Third Mizukage," Chiyo said firmly. "Has Konoha gathered any detailed intelligence on this?"
Orochimaru and Jiraiya exchanged glances, their expressions turning somewhat awkward.
Chiyo blinked in confusion.
After a moment of hesitation, Orochimaru pulled out a scroll and handed it to her. "You'll understand better if you read this."
Chiyo opened the scroll. It contained a firsthand account from Sakumo Hatake.
The content wasn't lengthy, but it was bizarre.
Sakumo described his encounter with the Third Mizukage—how, the moment they crossed paths, Sakumo had instinctively drawn his blade to attack. But instead of fighting back, the Third Mizukage fled. Worse still, Sakumo noted that the Mizukage's skin appeared unnaturally pale, a stark contrast to his advanced age.
This alone was alarming.
The Third Mizukage's age could be traced back to the era of the First Hokage. For someone so old, merely surviving to this point was miraculous. But not only had he avoided death, he had somehow grown healthier, and even his skin appeared rejuvenated.
That alone was suspicious enough.
It was no wonder that Kirigakure was fighting so desperately. And it was no surprise that neither Konoha nor Kirigakure wanted to share this information.
But the encounter itself…
Chiyo's face twitched slightly as she continued reading. Meeting in a bathroom? Could there possibly be a more awkward situation?
The moment their eyes met, both parties froze. Sakumo's reaction was to draw his blade and attack, causing quite a commotion. But the Mizukage didn't fight back—he ran, pulling up his pants as he fled.
Was that even normal?
The Third Mizukage was known for his formidable Ice Release techniques. If an intruder managed to infiltrate his office, his first instinct should have been to retaliate, not flee.
In her mind, Chiyo couldn't help but imagine the scene—a pale, bare backside flashing as the Mizukage dashed away. She quickly shook off the thought. What a ridiculous image.
"The Third Mizukage is definitely not right," Chiyo declared. "He's old enough to have served as the First Mizukage's bodyguard and participated in the First Five Kage Summit. The fact that he hasn't died yet is surprising enough. There's no way he could have recovered so miraculously."
"Back when the Third Mizukage was in his prime, I was still just a young girl," she added. "It makes no sense for me to be this old while he grows younger."
"Even so, suspicion won't help," Orochimaru said with a sigh. "Without concrete evidence, no one will believe us. Even if we're right, the war won't stop because of our doubts."
Their suspicions weren't new. Both he and Jiraiya had been wondering the same thing. But no matter how suspicious the Mizukage's behavior was, Kirigakure wouldn't halt the war for such accusations.
Chiyo's eyes narrowed. "Have you tried contacting anyone else in Kirigakure?"
It was a logical thought. If there was something wrong with the Third Mizukage, surely others in Kirigakure would have noticed. Kirigakure wasn't entirely under his control—there was still the position of Elder 'Genji,' whose authority rivaled that of the Mizukage.
If the Elder took action, it could make a significant difference.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru exchanged looks, realization dawning on their faces.
"That's… actually a good idea," Jiraiya said. "The Elder might not have the Mizukage's power, but they still hold influence. If we're suspicious, there's no way they haven't noticed something too."
"Who should we send to contact them?" Jiraiya asked.
Experience truly came with age. Chiyo's insight far surpassed theirs in this regard.
"Use prisoners of war, or carefully select someone to go to Kirigakure," Chiyo suggested. "It needs to be someone with enough influence to make a difference."
She paused, then added, "If possible, contact Yagura directly. He was dismissed for his failures as a commander and sent back to the village. Yagura was once trusted by the Third Mizukage and comes from a powerful family within Kirigakure. He would certainly hold some sway."
_______________________
Next Bonus: 600
___________________________
(P)(S): If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 500+ at Patreon com/ Emik01.
And Visit Me On Scribble_Hub for the other chapters
___________________________