Not long ago.
Land of Water, Hidden Mist Village, the Hozuki Clan compound.
The thick, impenetrable night mist, like cotton soaked in ink, tightly wrapped around every eave and alleyway within the compound, completely swallowing the already sparse moonlight.
Inside the council hall, the few struggling lamps cast flickering shadows upon faces that were either solemn or agitated.
The air was so thick it felt like water could be wrung from it; oppressive silence intertwined with the occasional, heavy, unrestrained breath.
"— — — — Has the news been confirmed?"
The voice of the Hozuki Clan Head rang out in the dim council hall, carrying a hint of dryness that was hard to detect.
Outside the window, the dense mist spread endlessly, completely blocking out the moonlight, much like the suffocating atmosphere currently gripping the Hidden Mist Village.
"It is confirmed."
A young Jonin with a steady demeanor and sharp eyes replied in a deep voice.
"The Mizukage's direct Anbu, as well as the newly formed Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, are secretly mobilizing within the Village. Our people have been completely excluded, and the execution of all action plans is flawless."
"We only barely managed to get this information thanks to the spy we planted within the Anbu."
A chill instantly swept through the entire council hall.
"He — — — — Is he finally going to move against us?"
An old man with white hair and beard spoke, his voice trembling.
His fear represented the feelings of most conservatives within the clan — they were accustomed to the political maneuvering and checks and balances with the Mizukage, but they had never anticipated facing such a blatant, impending purge.
"Prepare for war! Prepare immediately!"
Hozuki Muzuki slammed his hand onto the table, leaning forward in agitation, water faintly beginning to condense around his body.
He was a Jonin of the younger generation within the clan, a member of the hardliners, and always the most radical in his thinking.
"If he wants war, let there be war! The Hozuki Clan has been passed down through generations; when have we ever feared battle? And when have we ever feared anyone?"
"Rather than sitting here waiting for death, we should strike first!"
"Nonsense!"
Another clan elder sharply rebuked him.
"Moving against the Mizukage is treason against the Village! We will become enemies of the entire Land of Water. Do you want to lead hundreds of clan members to a dead end and leave us all without a burial place?"
"And are we not already at a dead end now?"
Hozuki Muzuki stood his ground, shouting back sharply, "We can't even figure out the Mizukage's movements! When the blade is at our throats, it will be too late for everything!"
The council hall immediately erupted into chaos.
The younger generation's voices advocating for war were loud and intense, arguing that this was the only way to protect the clan's dignity and survival, while the older generation was full of apprehension, emphasizing the bigger picture and retreat options, insisting on cautious action to first probe the Mizukage's true intentions.
"Alas — — — — We should have listened to your suggestion back then, Muzuki."
Just then, a long sigh suddenly sounded, silencing the noisy council hall instantly.
The speaker was another clan elder, his aged face etched with exhaustion and regret.
The young Hozuki Muzuki showed no appreciation, immediately scoffing, "Ridiculous! Now you know how to regret?"
Faced with the cruel reality, the clan elder had no rebuttal and could only stammer defensively, "This was for the sake of the Village's overall situation — — — — "
Hearing this, Hozuki Muzuki finally couldn't help but show contempt, mocking him without restraint, "Hmph! Overall situation, overall situation! The survival of the clan is the overall situation!"
"After the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, was killed, the Senju Clan of Konoha quickly mobilized under the leadership of that fellow, Senju Mori, and immediately seized the position of the Third Hokage."
"That is truly a brilliant decision!"
"After Lord Gengetsu died, I strongly urged you all to follow Senju Mori's example and act, doing everything possible to prevent Kiyoshi from becoming Mizukage. Yet, you were full of apprehension, terrified of starting a civil war in Hidden Mist."
"Now look! Kiyoshi has completely solidified his position as the Third Mizukage and is starting to settle accounts with us dissidents!"
"Everyone, calm down."
After the initial panic subsided, the Clan Head's voice regained its composure.
He scanned the crowd, a flash of shrewdness born from experience crossing his cloudy eyes: "Have you considered this: if Kiyoshi's target was us, why would he secretly mobilize troops at the port? Even within the Village, utilizing the terrain and our Bloodline Limit, he would not have absolute certainty of victory."
"What advantage does moving the battlefield to the sea give him?"
The pointed question stunned everyone.
"Unless — — — — "
The Clan Head slowly uttered two words, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.
"His target is not within the Village at all."
After a brief silence, another Jonin suddenly burst in from outside, shouting, "Clan Head! We found out! Our planted operative risked his life to send information — Lord Mizukage has repeatedly consulted documents regarding the tides and shipping lanes around the Land of Whirlpools in recent days!"
The truth exploded in everyone's minds like a thunderclap.
"Uzu no Kuni — — — — His target is Konoha! It's the Uzumaki Clan!"
Hozuki Muzuki cried out, extreme anger immediately surging onto his face.
"He intends to use another's hand to kill! Our dealings with Konoha must have been exposed, and he wants to use the blood of the Uzumaki Clan to drive a wedge between us and Konoha!"
"Is he insane?! Has he not considered the consequences of doing this?! If Konoha's main forces move east — — — — "
After realizing this, all the confusion and misjudgment vanished, replaced by a deeper, interest-based, calm analysis.
"We absolutely cannot let his scheme succeed. If this operation is successful, our clan will lose its most important foreign aid and source of wealth. That bastard Kiyoshi will return riding the momentum of a great victory, and his next step will inevitably be to purge us."
The Hozuki Clan Head looked at the elder responsible for liaising with Konoha and decisively ordered: "Immediately send this intelligence, along with our deductions, to Konoha with the highest priority. Remind the Hokage to be extremely wary of a sneak attack from that despicable Kiyoshi."
"Then — — — — How should we respond here in the Village?"
Someone asked.
The Hozuki Clan Head sneered, his smile appearing exceptionally cold beneath the flickering lamplight.
"It probably won't be long before the order for us to mobilize comes down. After all, it's an order from the Village and Lord Mizukage — — — — naturally, we must obey."
"You, you, and you all — — — — "
He named several young Jonin.
"At that time, lead three teams of clan Ninja and go forth under the command of Lord Mizukage."
"Remember, your mission is to — protect yourselves, observe the battlefield, and, if necessary — — — — you may assist our Konoha friends. Do it subtly, and be sure to recognize who the true enemy is."
He stood up, his shadow stretching long.
"Remember, from the moment Kiyoshi decided to keep this hidden from us, Hidden Mist ceased to be our only home."
"Now, disperse. For the future of the Hozuki Clan."