Wandering in the midnight wind, whose sigh drifts on the breeze?
So helpless, yet without regret, how many past life dreams remain in this life's edge?
Even if time and space change, and appearances alter, I still remember the lingering affection in your eyes.
Hōzuki Gengetsu stepped back onto the familiar soil of his homeland.
After so many years apart, Hōzuki Gengetsu had almost forgotten what the Hidden Mist Village looked like.
Too many memories reside here.
Feeling the taste of the wind, accompanied by the thick mist of Hidden Mist, Hōzuki Gengetsu's eyes couldn't help but moisten.
Why are my eyes always filled with tears?
Because I love this land so deeply...
If not for the power struggles, why would he have left his homeland? Left the resting place of the previous Mizukage, the Village he personally founded!
He also blamed himself for his hesitation back then, thinking that if a war had broken out, it would have led to internal strife within Hidden Mist, so he chose to back down.
"Hidden Mist Village, your Mizukage has returned..."
"You damn families, I've brought the Iwagakure army to see you!"
Hōzuki Gengetsu recalled the various families who had colluded before and instantly gnashed his teeth in hatred.
He didn't know if any descendants of these families were still alive.
"Please, Nidaime(2nd)-sama, retake control of Hidden Mist!"
"Please, Nidaime(2nd)-sama, retake control of Hidden Mist!"
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist led the Hidden Mist army, kneeling in unison, requesting Hōzuki Gengetsu to retake control of Hidden Mist.
Whoosh~~~
Gusts of gentle wind slowly blew through Hōzuki Gengetsu's slicked-back hair.
Fate is fickle, and destiny plays tricks on people.
Hōzuki Gengetsu deeply understood this; even he hadn't expected to retake control of Hidden Mist decades later.
In the wind, Hōzuki Gengetsu's trench coat fluttered.
At this moment, he seemed to have returned to his younger days.
"I must speed up! Quickly take control of Hidden Mist to cooperate with Mu's strategy of unifying the Ninja World!"
Hōzuki Gengetsu's eyes sharpened.
...
Mu looked sternly at Might Duy in front of him.
At this moment, Might Duy's eyes were firm, blue steam rising from his back, and his body surged with Chakra. Even from nearly a hundred meters away, Mu felt a scorching heat.
"You two, get back a bit..."
Mu slightly focused his gaze, while motioning for Roshi and Han behind him to move further away.
"Tsuchikage, please release Sandaime(3rd)-sama!"
Might Duy said in a deep voice, simultaneously striking the starting pose for the Eight Gates.
It was as if he was about to shout and charge forward at any second.
Mu was not intimidated; a junior, even with the Eight Gates Release, would not cause Mu to lose his composure.
Facing this situation, Mu remained quite calm.
"Steady..."
Mu's eyes were deep, and he slowly took out the Amber Purifying Bottle.
"State your name, approaching warrior!?"
Mu shouted towards Might Duy.
"Konoha, Might Duy!"
Might Duy immediately shouted back.
Buzz!!!!
Mu's lips curved: "Heh heh, you fell for it!"
The next second, the Amber Purifying Bottle instantly burst out a large amount of Chakra.
An invisible force violently sucked towards Might Duy!
"Damn it! What is this thing!?"
Might Duy's expression changed slightly, and then his body was uncontrollably sucked inside.
After he was sucked in, Mu immediately closed the lid of the Amber Purifying Bottle.
"The Amber Purifying Bottle is truly a divine skill!"
Mu exclaimed, looking at the large vase.
Although he also wanted to experience the power of the Eight Gates, now was a critical moment, and it was better not to create complications.
If he messed up, it would be more trouble than it was worth.
"It's time to go see Hiruzen Sarutobi..."
Mu came to the secret room where Hiruzen Sarutobi was imprisoned.
At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi was still trying to struggle and escape.
"Little Saru, don't even think about it. Even if you master thousands of Ninjutsu, you can't escape the restraints of the Six Paths Treasures, especially since your Chakra has been sealed."
Mu walked over slowly with his hands behind his back.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Mu with a serious expression, then sighed slightly.
"Ahem, Mu is indeed still sharp, even in his old age. I never thought that I, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who spent my whole life learning Ninjutsu, would still be no match for Mu..."
"Weren't you critically ill before? How can you still..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes held disbelief, seemingly not expecting Mu, at such an old age, to still be able to fight.
Mu's eyebrow twitched fiercely when he heard Hiruzen Sarutobi's words.
"I've been critically ill for decades..."
Mu couldn't help but chuckle, answering faintly.
Around the time Mu retired, news of his critical illness had already spread, intermittently during this period.
Some Iwagakure eavesdroppers widely publicized the news of Mu's critical illness.
Yet, it's the Third Great Ninja War, and Mu can still fight...
"Alright, stop with this useless talk."
"Konoha, what do you plan to do? If you fight to the death, Konoha's fate, I probably don't need to say more."
Mu sat on a chair, looking calmly at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered in silence.
After a long deliberation, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly spoke.
"If you conquer Konoha, how will you treat the Konoha residents?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.
Mu immediately replied: "After conquering Konoha, Konoha will be Iwagakure. From now on, you will all be one people, and I will treat everyone equally."
Mu had no interest in further slaughter.
He wanted to focus his efforts on researching immortality and technology.
After conquering Konoha, most of the key figures would be under his control.
Under his rule, Naruto and Sasuke would also have to obediently stay home and scroll through short videos.
The "Konoha Twelve Genin" would become the "Era Youth Group."
There would be no so-called saviors.
This was a strategy.
Hiruzen Sarutobi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Now, you only need to write a surrender letter."
Mu slowly handed a piece of paper to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
As long as Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage, chose to surrender, it would severely dampen Konoha's morale.
Hiruzen Sarutobi quietly looked at the surrender letter.
If Danzo Shimura saw this, he would definitely curse him to death.
Even his sensei would!
But if he didn't sign, others would.
If they fought to the death, Konoha would be annihilated.
"I, Hiruzen Sarutobi, am a sinner of Konoha!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi lamented in his heart.
"Sign it quickly!"
Mu urged.
He still had to go see the Daimyo of the Land of Fire later.
Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated briefly, thinking that as long as Konoha didn't perish, there was still a possibility of a comeback. So, he resolutely signed his name on the surrender letter.
"Good! Iwagakure has an old saying, 'He who understands the times is a wise man'!"
Mu clapped his hands slightly and ordered the camera and recorder to be brought over.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, in front of the camera and recorder, issued a surrender declaration.
Under Iwagakure's broadcast output, the imperial announcement was sent to Konoha!
Hiruzen Sarutobi's Imperial Announcement!