So it really was Danzo.
Yōkō said to Purple Cat: "I will handle this matter. Act as if you know nothing, and absolutely do not tell anyone, not even Battalion Commander Yellow Dog.
Purple Cat, continue probing the corpse's brain for intelligence, find out the recognition signal for the meeting with Hoshigaki Kisame."
Fortunately, Danzo hadn't obtained the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal yet; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to get this much intelligence from the Root ninja's corpses.
Purple Cat went back to the corpse and continued reading memories and intelligence.
These two had joined Root when the war in the Land of Whirlpools began, so their knowledge was limited.
"White Ram, hide these two corpses. I'll take them back to Battalion Commander Yellow Dog later."
"Alright!"
Yōkō took off his own mask and put on a Root mask.
He said, "White Ram, you wear the other corpse's mask and wait for me on the shore. Purple Cat, you hide further away, don't expose yourself. I'm going out to the sea to complete Battalion Commander Yellow Dog's arrangement."
This was Yōkō's most crucial arrangement.
Waves crashed against the reef, turning into sprays of white foam.
Hoshigaki Kisame stood on the sea surface, his massive body over two meters tall rising and falling with the waves.
He glanced sideways at the woman beside him.
This woman was no simple character; her medical ninjutsu was quite capable in both healing and attack, and many in Kirigakure had received her help.
Who would have thought she was actually from Konoha.
So many Kiri-nin wounded had passed through her hands; thinking about it sent a chill down his spine.
She acted as the intermediary, asking Hoshigaki Kisame to meet with Konoha's Root, saying there was a benefit to be had.
Truly worthy of being called the Wandering Shrine Maiden. Her name in Kirigakure must be fake; he would have to keep a closer eye on her in the future.
Two figures appeared in the coconut grove on the shore. One stayed at the edge of the grove, while the other quickly rushed towards the sea.
Arriving on the sea surface, Yōkō stood opposite Hoshigaki Kisame.
He first glanced at the girl with black-rimmed glasses beside Hoshigaki Kisame.
According to the intelligence from the corpse, this girl was Yakushi Nonō.
They exchanged recognition signals; they were the correct parties for the meeting, no problem.
Yōkō threw a scroll to Hoshigaki Kisame and said:
"Let's keep it brief, Hoshigaki Kisame. This is an operational plan. Five Konoha battalions plan to use the Twin Swords Hiramekarei to ambush your Kiri-nin sword retrieval team."
Yōkō had tampered with this operational plan a bit.
Hoshigaki Kisame caught the scroll but didn't open it. Instead, he asked suspiciously:
"I know what's in it for me, but what's in it for you? I don't believe Konoha's Root is so benevolent, simply helping me out of kindness?"
"Your success is our benefit." Yōkō said:
"You just need to know that the one leading the ambush is a battalion commander from the Anbu, who is sowing discord between our Master and the Third Hokage.
He delusionally wants to become the Deputy Head of the Anbu, creating division within the Anbu.
For the sake of Konoha, our Master has no choice but to take some extraordinary measures."
Saying more would risk exposure. After one last glance at Yakushi Nonō, Yōkō's body flickered away.
Hoshigaki Kisame turned to look at Yakushi Nonō and said:
"The internal strife in your Konoha is this severe, too, huh? An Anbu battalion commander sold out just like that, along with five Anbu battalions.
I thought only Kirigakure implemented the brutal 'Village of the Bloody Mist' policy of cruel fighting."
Yakushi Nonō said:
"Fellow village ninja who harbor ill intentions bring greater harm to the village than enemies.
If it were an ordinary Konoha ninja, the Anbu could deal with them.
If it's an Anbu ninja, then we have no choice but to seek help from other villages.
It's all for Konoha."
"Right, right, it's all for Konoha. I'm also doing it for Konoha."
Hoshigaki Kisame opened the scroll and saw the operational plan: the ambush location, the ambush time, all clearly laid out.
He put the scroll away, turned around, and disappeared across the sea surface.
Yakushi Nonō headed off in another direction.
Over ten minutes later, Yakushi Nonō suddenly stopped, standing on the beach.
The Root ninja from before stood opposite her.
Glancing at Yakushi Nonō's Kiri-nin forehead protector, Yōkō said: "The Master requires intelligence on the Kiri-nin sword retrieval team."
If he could get intelligence on the sword retrieval team, Yōkō would gain the intelligence advantage.
In his previous life, he was always in the thick fog and saw limited intelligence.
Yakushi Nonō said, "I don't know if Hoshigaki Kisame will change the Kiri-nin's plans after getting the operational plan.
Their previous plan was for Hōzuki Muragetsu, Kuriarare Kushimaru, Hoshigaki Kisame, and four other Jōnin, totaling seven ninja battalions, to complete the sword retrieval mission."
"Seven battalions, I understand."
Yōkō's body flickered away, unwilling to have further contact with Yakushi Nonō for fear of being discovered.
Hoshigaki Kisame returned to a ship floating offshore.
In the largest cabin were six Jōnin, making seven, including himself.
The Jōnin in charge of the sword retrieval mission, Hōzuki Muragetsu, who carried the great sword Samehada, asked:
"Hoshigaki Kisame, aren't you the Jōnin in charge of the Intelligence Division? Did you get new intelligence?"
Hoshigaki Kisame said:
"My contact in Konoha sent intelligence. Five Konoha battalions plan to ambush us on a certain hillside the night after tomorrow."
"Contact?" Hōzuki Muragetsu asked:
"You have a contact in Konoha? What level of contact could obtain such high-level intelligence?
An operation involving five battalions, something like that would have to be led by at least a Konoha Vice-Commander, right?"
"Where I get my contacts is none of your concern." Hoshigaki Kisame said:
"The intelligence says that starting tomorrow morning, Kiri-nin will die from your Hōzuki clan's secret technique, the Water Gun Technique.
The bodies of these Kiri-nin will form a line leading to the ambush site.
As long as we find Kiri-nin corpses killed by the Water Gun Technique tomorrow, it will prove the intelligence is genuine.
My suggestion is to verify the intelligence tomorrow during the day, and go to the area of the hillside mentioned in the intelligence tomorrow night to set up our ambush.
Then quietly wait for the five Konoha battalions to enter our kill zone the day after tomorrow."
The other Jōnin's eyes lit up.
If they could counter-ambush five Konoha battalions, wouldn't that mean easily handling the enemy?
But Hōzuki Muragetsu said, "Hoshigaki Kisame, first explain clearly how you obtained such valuable intelligence!
You're just an ordinary Jōnin, somehow appointed by Elder Genji as the Jōnin in charge of the Intelligence Division. Are you trying to deceive us on purpose?"
Hoshigaki Kisame's large frame meant his head almost touched the deck. He twisted his fat neck, stared at Hōzuki Muragetsu, and covertly glanced at the hilt of the great sword Samehada, saying:
"Hōzuki Muragetsu, what do you have besides the ninja sword left by the Second Mizukage?
If you don't understand intelligence gathering, then don't shout about it here.
I don't need to explain my intelligence sources to you. I must protect my channels.
If leaked, all the spies on the entire network would die, you fool."
Tensions rose between the two.
The hilt of the great sword Samehada even bent slightly, as if impatient for Hōzuki Muragetsu to draw it and cut down this orange-haired fatty.
Kuriarare Kushimaru shouted: "Both of you, shut up!
Konoha extracted the Water Gun secret technique from Hōzuki Rinzuki. If we just verify tomorrow whether there are Kiri-nin corpses killed by the Water Gun Technique, won't that prove whether the intelligence is true or false?
What's the point of arguing?
Retrieving the Twin Swords Hiramekarei is the top priority.
Hōzuki Muragetsu, isn't it shameful enough that your Hōzuki clan lost the Twin Swords Hiramekarei?"
Hōzuki Muragetsu really wanted to explode, but for the sake of the Twin Swords Hiramekarei, he had to suppress his temper.
He would settle the score with Hoshigaki Kisame tomorrow if no Kiri-nin corpses killed by the Water Gun Technique were found.
***
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(Chapter End)