May 25th
The morning mist hung thick over the Mizukage's office, drifting lazily around shelves of scrolls and racks of naval charts. In the center of the room, a massive map of the Elemental Nations lay unfurled across a lacquered table. Miniature flags, carved figurines, and tiny wooden forts were scattered across it like pieces of an elaborate board game.
The Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hōzuki hummed softly as he rearranged the pieces with delicate precision.
"Shuto," Gengetsu asked without looking up, "what do you think of this war? How long do you think it will last?"
Shuto studied the map, then answered with calm certainty.
"At most an year."
"Hoh?" Gengetsu widened one of his eyes. If he had brows one would have arched. "And why is that?"
Shuto pointed to each region in turn.
"All Four major hidden villages wants something. Iwa wants two more jinchuriki. Suna wants a piece of arable land from Land of Rivers. Kumo wants another Jinchuriki. And we... want one as well."
He continued.
"Konoha could have remained silent and let it become war between major nation and minor ones. But for the sake of legitimacy and their status as the leading Hidden village, they intervened. Now it's the four great villages against Konoha. Konoha is undoubtably the strongest... but even they cannot face the entire world."
Gengetsu burst into laughter, clapping his hands.
"hahahahhahaha! Good! Good! "
Then, just as suddenly, his expression flattened into a cold mask.
"But, you are wrong on few parts."
Shuto tilted his head in confusion. "Wrong?"
Gengetsu tapped the scroll Onoki had sent days earlier.
"This war is not like clan wars. Nor like a large village crushing a small one. Though this is trench warfare. A defensive warfare. But because it is between major villages, it will not last long. One or two months at most."
Shuto frowned almost incredulous. "One or two months?"
"Normally," Gengetsu explained, "trench warfare should drag on for years. Decades even. Both sides laying traps, waiting for the other to make a mistake."
He swept his hand across the map, knocking over miniature forts and flags.
"But once Kage-level shinobi enter the field... once monsters like Kinkaku and Ginkaku appear, trenches crumble and formations collapse. And all those careful preparations become meaningless."
He crushed a tiny wooden fort between his fingers.
"These trenches forced every village to deploy their Kage early. And no village wants to risk losing their Kage… especially when they have no idea what horrors the others have prepared."
Then he smirked and waved his hand playfully in the air.
"Of course... unless you want to get rid of them."
"..." Shuto stiffened, little unsettled by his Mizukage.
Gengetsu revealed a mischievous grin as he slung an arm around his shoulders. "
"What? Kohai, are you unaware that of the five great villages, we are the most politically unstable?"
"... I am aware of it."
"Good. Then you know this: Kirigakure is the youngest of the great villages. And as islanders, our clans — our renegades, our civilians, our… inhabitants — are natural isolationist and regionalist. We are. Not united."
Shuto frowned. "Isn't that all the more reason to focus on internal matters?"
"That is one way," Gengetsu admitted, deadpan. "Even ideal, in theory."
He turned away, waving a hand dismissively.
"But it takes too much time. Too much money. Take a look at those rebellious clans. They are textbook islanders, welcoming no one and are hated by all. They all demand autonomy. And They all ignore my orders."
A cruel and ruthless grin crept across his face
"But they are all greedy by nature, desiring easy loots, like the current Uzushiogakure."
Shuto's eyes narrowed. "You are suggesting that we use external conflict to resolve internal conflicts?"
"Precisely." Gengetsu snapped his fingers. "War is expensive, yes. But—"
"That's been resolved by Iwa for us..."
Gengetsu's smile widened.
"This morning, Iwa's envoy delivered a 'tribute' of nearly two billion ryos and another billion in provisions and weapons."
Gengetsu tapped the map again, dragging a finger from the Land of Water toward the Land of Fire.
"Now then, Shuto… let's discuss how we will enter this war."
Shuto straightened. "Yes, Mizukage‑sama."
Gengetsu's grin widened.
"Konoha is strong. Stronger than any of us individually. But they are not united. Not truly."
He flicked a miniature Senju flag aside with casual disdain.
"The Senju and Tobirama control the village. But the Uchiha? Their thousand‑year grudge still festers. Especially among the older generation."
Shuto nodded slowly. "You believe Tobirama will deploy the Uchiha to Uzu?"
"Oh, he must." Gengetsu chuckled. "He has no choice. Iwa, Suna, Kumo are already moving in. Konoha cannot win without their precious Uchiha."
He twirled the miniature Uchiha flag between his fingers
"I don't know if sidelining them was meant to diminish their influence… But once the Uchiha are deployed, Tobirama will send them to where they will bleed the most. Just as we intend for our own 'Uchihas'."
Shuto frowned. "You intend to target the Uchiha?"
"No, no, no." Gengetsu waved a hand. "That would be stupid. The Uchiha are too valuable."
"Valuable…" Shuto blinked. "To us?"
"Valuable to everyone who wants Konoha weakened." Gengetsu smirked. "The Uchiha are a thorn in Tobirama's side. A thorn that keeps growing. A thorn that will one day pierce his throat."
He placed the Uchiha flag beside the Senju's.
"So we will not destroy them. We will… irritate them."
Shuto's eyes widened. "You plan to go easy on the Uchiha?"
"Of course." Gengetsu shrugged. "If they die too quickly, Tobirama's internal problem disappears. If they survive, they will continue to destabilize Konoha for decades."
He leaned back, satisfied.
"Why kill a clan that is more useful alive?"
Shuto nodded. "If we plan to send those... rebellious bunch... how will send them?"
Gengetsu's grin sharpened.
"Will use the Kaguya clan as our vanguard."
Shuto stiffened. "Mizukage‑sama… Kaguya is a major clan. Although they are a bit—"
"Unstable? Bloodthirsty? Arrogant and Impossible to control?" Gengetsu laughed. "Kaguya clan is a major clan. But as I said before, they are outsider among clans of Kirigakure. They have to prove their worth and loyalty to us. This is the perfect opportunity for them to prove it."
He placed a miniature Kaguya banner on the map, right at the island of Whirlpools.
"The Kaguya once fought beside the Uchiha. But in the end, they fled the Land of Fire, ran from the Senju, and took refuge here. Old grudges, Old alliances, and Old betrayals. Once they learn of Senju and Uchiha's involvement in Uzu, the Kaguya clan will come begging for this opportunity."
Shuto swallowed. "You intend to lure them… using their old grudge?"
"Lure them? No. no no" Gengetsu waved dismissively as his tone turned gentle. "We are simply granting their request. I intend to let them fulfil their destiny. Let them clash with the Senju as they desire."
He tapped the map again.
"Let them spill blood. Let them weaken each other. And once enough damage is done — to Konoha, to the Uzumaki, or to our own disobedient clans — we pull out."
Shuto stared. "Just like that?"
"Just like that." Gengetsu smiled. "We already profited enough from Iwa's investment. Two billion ryō and another billion worth of supplies and weapons. It is enough to rebuild our entire navy twice."
He slowly sat down wearing a magnanimous smile.
"Since we made promises to our dear Onoki-kun, we should fulfill our end of the deal and invade Uzushio."
Shuto exhaled slowly. "So our invasion is not meant to win the war… but to reshape Kirigakure."
Gengetsu clapped and pointed toward Shuto.
"Exactly! You're learning."
He then pointed at the map.
"We don't need victory. We need opportunity. Konoha is busy with Iwa, Kumo, and Suna. Its armies spread thin through out its vast borders."
He then placed a miniature Mist flag on the Land of Uzu, home of Uzumaki clan.
"And then we strike. Just enough to force Tobirama to divert its last remaining reserves."
"I see... " Shuto nodded. "Then, Mizukage-sama."
"Hmm?" Gengetsu turned lazily.
"Since we aren't planning for a full confrontation... Why don't we take some of our youth as a training exercise?"
Gengetsu's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he stroked his mustache.
"A training exercise for the young... Against Uzumaki, Konoha, and Uchiha? Hmm...."
After a moment of silence he turned.
"Select 200 and no more. Take our most promising youths and pair them up with a jonin and special jonin. If the oppertunity arises, they will join the fun. If not... then let them observe from afar."
He turned back to the map
"Prepare the fleet. Send word to the Kaguya. And tell the clans…"
He paused and took a deep breath, savoring the moment.
"…that Kirigakure is going to war."