"Hoshigaki Kisame, reporting to the Mizukage!"
"I haven't seen you in a few days, my lord, yet you've already infiltrated Rain Shinobi Village personally. It won't be long before this village falls under your control!"
The moment Hoshigaki Kisame saw Mizuki Ryosuke, he dropped to one knee, greeting him with absolute reverence. Without hesitation, he also offered a flattering remark, his shark-like grin flashing as he did so.
"Kisame, no need to be so formal."
"In these times, such things are unnecessary."
Mizuki Ryosuke chuckled and reached out to support Kisame, his grip firm but casual. Although his words downplayed the gesture, the faint smirk on his lips showed that he appreciated the sentiment.
Standing nearby, Kaguya Yuta gave Kisame a side-eye full of skepticism.
"I see how it is… Even you, with those thick eyebrows and big eyes, are a bootlicker?"
His gaze shifted between Kisame and Momochi Zabuza with a look of disdain.
So that's how things worked here? A culture of flattery?
Hmph! Jealous? Him? Absolutely not!
Of course, if one ignored the subtle movements of his hands, Kaguya Yuta really could have maintained that illusion. But as the others spoke, he was quietly extending small bone fragments from his fingers, carving Kisame's exact words into the ivory surface.
For reference. For future use.
Just in case.
"No more pointless chatter."
"Kisame, report the intelligence you've gathered."
Skipping further pleasantries, Ryosuke focused on the real reason for their meeting.
Without hesitation, Kisame began his report. First, he gave an update on the White Shark Unit's operations. Then, he moved on to the crucial information they had gathered regarding Rain Shinobi Village's situation.
"Not long ago, Hanzō of the Salamander initiated a large-scale purge within Rain Shinobi."
"A significant number of enemy spies from other villages were exposed and captured."
"Hanzō himself personally executed several of the more troublesome infiltrators, making a public spectacle of their deaths."
"This move didn't just shake the spies in hiding—it directly provoked the major villages watching from the shadows. In response, Konoha, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure have been launching retaliatory skirmishes against Rain Shinobi. Nearly every night, battles erupt in the village's outskirts."
Kisame's voice carried an unusual solemnity, his usual smug amusement replaced with wary admiration.
But he wasn't finished.
"And it doesn't stop there."
"A growing number of Rain Shinobi have been seen leaving the village in organized units, escorting large quantities of supplies."
"Recently, Rain Shinobi Village has suffered from frequent food shortages."
"My conclusion? Hanzō is forcefully requisitioning provisions."
"All signs suggest that Hanzō of the Salamander is preparing for something big."
"I just can't determine what his endgame is."
Kisame stopped talking, allowing the room to absorb the weight of his words.
Ryosuke, however, barely hesitated.
"He's preparing for war."
His certainty made the others freeze.
Although Zabuza, Kisame, and Yuta had suspected as much, hearing Ryosuke say it so decisively sent a shiver down their spines.
"Hanzō was clearly aware of the spies infiltrating Rain Shinobi Village."
"And yet, he didn't act for so long. Why?"
"The answer is simple—he wasn't ready."
"If he had moved prematurely, the retaliation would have been overwhelming. But now that he has taken action, it means he is ready."
"Expelling spies is the first step in establishing wartime control."
"And the large-scale requisitioning of food and supplies? There's only one logical purpose for such a move—sustaining an extended conflict."
The weight of Ryosuke's words settled heavily over them.
It was Zabuza who voiced the next thought, his usual cold demeanor tinged with uncertainty.
"My lord, in your opinion… who will Rain Shinobi declare war on?"
Based on the current tensions, the most likely enemies were Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure—the three villages that had been trampling over the Land of Rain for years.
But which of them was Hanzō's primary target?
Ryosuke's answer made them all widen their eyes.
"If I were Hanzō…"
"I'd declare war on all three at once."
The stunned silence that followed was shattered by Zabuza's incredulous scoff.
"Is he insane?!"
"How could he possibly think he could take on three Great Nations?"
Zabuza's voice was sharp, his disbelief clear.
Although Hanzō had earned the fearsome title of "Demi-God" in recent years…
And although he had indeed strengthened Rain Shinobi…
The difference in scale between Rain Shinobi and the Five Great Nations was undeniable. Even against one of the major villages, victory would be uncertain. But three?
And among them was Konoha—the strongest of them all.
Was Hanzō trying to get himself killed?
"No."
"He's not insane."
"In fact, declaring war on all three is his best option."
Ryosuke's calm rebuttal made them pause.
"…You mean…"
Kisame's sharp eyes flashed with realization, the pieces of the puzzle starting to fit together in his mind.
"Hanzō is trying to drag them all down with him?"
This time, it was Yuta who spoke, his normally brutish expression tightening with newfound understanding.
"Exactly."
"To understand Hanzō's strategy, you first have to understand his goal."
"Right now, the Land of Rain is nothing more than a battlefield for the Great Nations—a pawn in their wars."
"Hanzō's goal isn't conquest. He doesn't seek to invade other nations."
"His objective is simple: to drive out the foreign powers occupying his land."
"But how does one drive out the forces of three separate Great Nations?"
"You pit them against each other."
"Right now, the Great Nations are already on edge. They just need a spark to set them off."
"Hanzō is that spark."
Ryosuke's voice was steady, his analysis cutting through the fog of uncertainty like a blade.
"If he can survive the early stage of this war—if he can hold out long enough for Konoha, Iwa, and Suna to turn their attention toward each other—then Rain Shinobi Village will no longer be their primary concern."
"At that point, Rain Shinobi becomes something else entirely."
"A deciding factor."
"A neutral force with the potential to tip the balance of power."
"And in doing so… Hanzō may very well force the world to recognize Rain Shinobi Village as an independent power."
"Perhaps even elevating himself into a position of unprecedented influence."
The silence that followed was thick with disbelief and admiration.
Even Mizuki Ryosuke, despite knowing the outcome in advance due to his knowledge as a traveler, couldn't help but acknowledge Hanzō's brilliance.
Regardless of how the war played out, one thing was certain—
The Demi-God of the Rain wasn't making a reckless gamble.
He was playing a game of survival…
And the entire ninja world was his chessboard.
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