On a secluded rocky beach in the northern Land of Whirlpools, a large number of Ninja gathered as numerous ships successively docked.
The salty sea breeze, wrapped in cold, damp mist, struck the jagged, strange rocks, emitting a whimpering sound, but even the roar of the waves could not conceal the unusual noises surrounding them.
The massive Hidden Mist fleet, like silent sea beasts, cast large shadows near the shore.
Dense ranks of Ninja teams landed one after another, their discipline strict, yet a small group among them moved slowly and had wandering eyes—these were the hundreds of Ninja dispatched by the Hōzuki, Yuki, and Kaguya Clans.
However, with the addition of the power from these Ninja Clans, the total military strength of Hidden Mist had exceeded 2,500 people.
Operating in the familiar coastal areas and islands, they were the undisputed main force of this operation.
But just as Senju Mori had guessed, this attack involved far more than just the Hidden Mist Village.
Not far from the large Hidden Mist fleet was a slightly smaller convoy; over six hundred Cloud Hidden Ninjas had also crossed the sea.
Perhaps to conceal their identities, these Cloud Hidden Ninjas were not wearing their Village's headbands.
However, most of them were dark-skinned and robust, making the unique fierce aura of the Land of Lightning difficult to hide.
The Jonin leading them was none other than Furui.
His expression was calm and composed, his right hand tightly gripping the Ninja sword at his waist, his knuckles slightly white from the excessive force, and in the depths of his eyes burned an almost obsessive flame of vengeance.
For several years, he had never forgotten the humiliation Konoha inflicted upon him, constantly honing himself maniacally, all for the opportunity to exact revenge, just like today.
His position as the leader of this mission was the result of him personally volunteering before Third Raikage A.
On the other side, the Iwagakure team was sparser.
Although their formation still looked rigorous, many of them showed signs of fatigue, looking rather travel-worn.
There was no helping it; compared to Kumogakure and Hidden Mist, who could cross the sea directly, Iwagakure was simply too far from the Land of Whirlpools.
They could only choose to travel by land, having to pass through the four minor countries of Taki, Iron, Rice, and Hot Water along the way, while remaining constantly vigilant against detection by Konoha's Ninja and patrol units.
The Iwagakure leader was named Shiraishi, one of the Village's top elite Jonin.
He had not only served as a trusted subordinate to the previous Tsuchikage Mu but was also a close friend of the current Tsuchikage, Ōnoki.
His gaze was sharp and calm, constantly scanning the various factions present.
The more than three hundred Iwa Ninja behind him stood silently like solid rock, emanating a powerful aura in the stillness.
The last to appear was the Sunagakure team, led by the siblings Chiyo and Ebizo.
Chiyo was similar in age to Hiruzen Sarutobi, currently in her thirties.
Beneath her gray robe was a tall, agile figure, and framed by her light purple hair was a young and beautiful face.
In the Hidden Sand Village, with its harsh climate, dry environment, and scarce resources, she was considered a top-tier beauty.
Her younger brother, Ebizo, standing beside her, looked more reserved, his gaze containing hidden vigilance as he secretly observed everything around them.
Due to the poor geographical location of the Hidden Sand Village, the force they led was similar in size to Iwagakure's, also numbering only about three hundred people.
Interestingly, the Ninja from Iwagakure and Sunagakure also did not wear their respective Village headbands, although such an action would be as ridiculous as burying one's head in the sand once the real fighting began.
The four contingents converged on this small rocky beach, maintaining a subtle distance from each other, and the atmosphere grew heavier in the silence.
Although it was called a joint operation, the various parties were secretly wary of one another, and no one dared to easily trust the others.
It was only then that Third Mizukage Qing slowly emerged from the ship's cabin.
He had absolutely no intention of concealing his identity.
Over his light gray combat uniform, he even wore a sky-blue Mizukage robe, with "Sandaime Mizukage" clearly written on the back.
The moment this Mizukage appeared, he immediately broke the silent atmosphere.
His voice was deep, yet it remained exceptionally clear despite the interference of the night wind and the sound of the waves: "Thank you all for arriving on schedule. Since our goals are aligned, and in the interest of combat efficiency, our Hidden Mist is willing to take the lead, coordinate efforts, and aim for a swift resolution."
As the initiator of this operation and possessing an overwhelming advantage in military strength, he naturally wanted to seize control of the command.
However, the response he received was a unanimous chorus of refusal.
"That won't be necessary, Lord Mizukage."
Furui of Kumogakure was the first to speak, his tone stiff and carrying undisguised rejection.
"We Kumogakure Ninja are taught from a young age to obey the orders of the Raikage. We have never had the habit of taking orders from outsiders."
Shiraishi, the Jonin from Iwagakure, spoke next.
Although his tone was smoother than Furui's, his stance was firm: "I appreciate your kind intentions, Your Excellency Mizukage, but this operation is secretive, and your Village's internal—"
He meaningfully glanced at the Hidden Mist Ninja Clans forces, who were clearly low in morale, if not outright distracted.
"—is complicated."
"To avoid complications, I personally believe that if each party coordinates itself, the objective will be clearer and the combat effectiveness will be better. I hope Your Excellency Mizukage understands."
Shiraishi's bluntness caused the expression of Third Mizukage Qing to darken slightly.
Five years had passed, and the internal discord within Hidden Mist was no longer a secret, but a scandal known throughout the Ninja World.
Chiyo of Sunagakure expressed her opinion last, her voice cool: "I agree with the views of the two gentlemen, but Your Excellency Mizukage's proposal also has merit."
"The immediate priority is to concentrate the strength of all parties to tear open the Uzumaki Clan's shell. As for what happens afterward, everyone can rely on their own abilities."
While seemingly agreeing with the Mizukage's suggestion, she was actually stating that once the barrier surrounding the Uzu no Kuni was breached, the so-called "alliance" would cease to exist in all but name.
"Qing" lowered his head slightly, concealing his expression beneath the shadow of his hat, and took the opportunity to observe the three leaders, clearly seeing the wariness in their eyes against Hidden Mist dominating the operation, as well as their implicit intention to unite against him.
He sneered, but outwardly stopped insisting, suppressing his displeasure and saying, "In that case, we shall proceed as you all wish."
"However, the Uzumaki Clan's barrier is no trivial matter. Since you are unwilling to accept unified command, let the four parties take turns attacking a single point on the barrier, aiming to breach it as quickly as possible."
No one objected to this practical proposal.
"Agreed."
Furui grunted.
He was already impatient to attack and use the fighting to wash away his humiliation.
More importantly, the new Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Blue B, was known to him.
Even if only to save his friend's life, he absolutely had to bring the Sealing Jutsu data back to Kumogakure.
"Reasonable."
Shiraishi also nodded; this was very much in line with his cautious style of doing things.
"Very fair."
Chiyo also expressed her agreement, but secretly planned her subsequent actions.
Sunagakure only had the Ichibi Shukaku as its Tailed Beast, meaning its need for Jinchuriki was the lowest.
Furthermore, the military strength brought on this trip was too sparse, making the odds of competing with the other parties for the Sealing Jutsu remote.
Rather than fighting for the Sealing Jutsu, it would be better to try and abduct a few bloodline members of the Uzumaki Clan to enrich Sunagakure's meager bloodline reserves.