The battle with Nagato was already a year ago.
Gekko Chizan ate the delicacies of the Land of Hot Water while listening to Mei Terumi talk about what had been happening recently.
"So, that Jashin cult was found?"
"Mm, but it's just a very small sect. There aren't any particularly powerful figures inside. Still, Sensei, your intelligence network is really well-informed. Back then, I had absolutely no idea such a cult even existed."
After a year of tempering, Mei Terumi had already developed a faint air of leadership, which made Gekko Chizan feel fortunate that he had sent her to the Land of Hot Water in the first place.
Over the course of this year, Gekko Chizan had practically never returned to the village, constantly wandering outside.
Whenever he felt like it, he even brought Pakura and his own son along with him. As for his younger brother, Gekko Hayate—hehe—he had already gone completely off-track.
However, under Gekko Chizan's strict demands, Gekko Hayate still trained his clan's kekkei genkai and a series of ninjutsu, especially defensive-type ninjutsu.
"Hehehe, there are plenty of things you don't know."
"Ah, anyway, you've done well on your end. Over on Yugito's side, there's really nothing I can say—but at least it looks like something now."
Speaking of Yugito, Gekko Chizan felt his head grow twice as big. Yugito and Mei Terumi were completely different kinds of people.
The former was a brute, the latter a strategist. No comparison, no comparison.
Yugito's small group in the Land of Grass had expanded who knew how many times over. As long as she could gather intelligence, that was enough.
"I really have nothing to say anymore!"
"A perfectly good intelligence organization, and she turned it into that. Sigh—what kind of leader takes their underlings out every day to fight this group and that group?"
"It's basically a whole Beggars' Sect!"
Hearing Gekko Chizan's complaints, Mei Terumi couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.
"Enough talk. I'm leaving. It's been over a year—I should head back to the village."
Gekko Chizan slowly stood up, his whole body radiating a lazy aura.
The construction of the intelligence network was extremely comfortable; after all, he didn't need to do anything personally.
He handed the Land of Grass to Yugito, the Land of Hot Water to Mei Terumi, and even had Mei Terumi gather intelligence from the areas surrounding the Land of Hot Water.
She had even already opened flower shops over in the Land of Water.
This was precisely the reason Gekko Chizan was extremely satisfied with her performance.
What a wonderful disciple—without him even needing to say anything, she knew to exceed the mission requirements. Well done.
As for the Land of Earth, the Land of Wind, and the Land of Lightning—
Gekko Chizan had completely turned into a big merchant, selling fruit in the Land of Earth, seafood in the Land of Wind, and clothes in the Land of Lightning.
As long as it was a major city within those countries, he had shops there.
As for the money to open those shops—Minato funded it.
In just over a year, he had asked Minato for a total of fifty million ryō, nearly making Minato's heart ache to death.
After all, they were great nations. Trying to insert one's own intelligence network was extremely difficult. With Gekko Chizan's approach, many pieces of information didn't even require deliberate inquiry—shop gossip circulated the fastest, not to mention all kinds of news flowing out of the black market.
The intelligence network was perfect!
"Sensei, what did the village say?"
"The intelligence network is complete. When are we moving against Amegakure?"
Mei Terumi was now also a member of Takigakure. Yahiko and Konan had long since told her about their plans regarding Amegakure.
She didn't feel there was any problem with this at all. Big fish eat small fish; small fish eat shrimp.
After suffering a blow from her Sensei, Amegakure was already far from what it once was. Coupled with the spread of the intelligence network, as long as they found the right timing, they could directly overturn Amegakure.
"Soon. I've already discussed it with Yahiko. Once we move, it will be like a thunderbolt."
"That bastard Hanzo of the Salamander—I'll set things up so that you, Yugito, Yahiko, and Konan deal with him."
"Strive to kill him at the very first moment. Once he's dead, Amegakure will be taken."
Hanzo of the Salamander, the so-called demigod of the shinobi world, propped up the entire Amegakure with his own strength. Tsk tsk.
To capture the bandits, first capture the king—go after him!
"All four of us? Sensei, you're not taking action?"
Mei Terumi looked at her Sensei in surprise. Although she was satisfied with her own strength, she wasn't stupid.
That was Hanzo of the Salamander. Were they really going to fight him?
"Mm. What, a battle between Takigakure and Amegakure—can someone from Konoha intervene?"
"If I do, the other great nations will come crusading."
"Don't worry. I've found helpers for you—a very powerful figure. He'll also take action against Hanzo."
The Land of Iron was also waiting for his message. After all, Gekko Chizan was now a renowned liquor merchant within the Land of Iron, deeply loved by a group of samurai.
His relationship with Mifune was also extremely close. Gekko Chizan had truly reached the point of winning over groups of people to help him.
"Alright, I'm heading back to Konoha."
"When the operation begins, I'll appear in Takigakure."
...
Returning to Konoha, Gekko Chizan didn't dare make any noise. As long as he showed his face now, he would be summoned to the Hokage's office.
In Minato Namikaze's words: There's no helping it, Chizan. You're my flesh and blood—if you don't help me, who will?
So now, every time Gekko Chizan returned to the village, he wouldn't go home. Instead, he ran to a place where he wouldn't be discovered.
That place was the Uchiha compound—specifically, right next to the home of the Uchiha clan head, Uchiha Fugaku.
"Eh? Chizan-sensei, you're back."
"Oh? Itachi, is your dad at home?"
"He's not. He was called away by Hokage-sama."
Called away by Hokage-sama…
Hearing this, a trace of awkwardness appeared on Gekko Chizan's face.
Why awkward? Wasn't it because of Uchiha Fugaku's current situation?
Ever since Gekko Chizan left the village to carry out missions, Uchiha Fugaku had first taken his advice and, in order to preserve the Uchiha clan, carried out large-scale internal reforms within the clan.
How could such actions possibly escape the notice of Konoha's upper echelons?
Including old man Sarutobi, the four old men all placed immense attention on the Uchiha, fearing that something might go wrong.
But the result completely exceeded their expectations.
Uchiha Fugaku changed his usual approach and directly carried out sweeping reforms.
He directly seized control of those clan members who were famous hardliners and placed them under confinement. Although this greatly reduced the Uchiha's overall strength, to Uchiha Fugaku, nothing was more important than his son and wife.
After purging the internal clan affairs, he personally went alone to meet the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
After that, he became one of the Hokage's top helpers, just like Gekko Chizan.
The price was year-round work without rest.
As a result, Uchiha Fugaku was now exhausted to the point of near collapse. After all, the other top helper wasn't in the village.
Uchiha Fugaku's resentment toward this situation was enormous!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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