Konoha Village experienced three Shinobi World Wars, and many times it was besieged by the other Four Great Shinobi Villages. Though they won, the losses were immense, and countless elites in the Village died.
The Third Hokage gave up most of the war reparations and allied with Sunagakure. Most of this was the Third Hokage's decision, but it also had the support of two Advisors.
Even when Orochimaru executed the Konoha Crush, Sunagakure immediately betrayed them, leading to the Third Hokage's death. The two Advisors still supported Tsunade and maintained the alliance with Sunagakure.
They did not want Konoha to fall into a siege again, so finding allies was imperative.
Allied with the weaker Sunagakure to counter the other three Shinobi Villages was a long-term strategy.
Now they saw another opportunity to try and bring the weakened Hidden Mist Village into their alliance.
The two Rogue Ninja were actually not important; Raiga Kurosuki was already crippled, and Zabuza was reduced to being a bodyguard for a merchant. According to the general view in the Ninja World, this person's "capacity" was limited, and his achievements in this life would probably only go this far.
The key was Haku and Ranmaru.
There was no need for Konoha to kill them. Kakashi had not made a move to kill Haku, and Asuma had not really troubled Ranmaru.
They couldn't be kept either. The two boys had too deep a bond with the two Ninja Blade users. Sending all four back to the Hidden Mist Village, which was in a period of decline, would be like sending charcoal in the snow.
In the Ninja World, the title of 'genius' is both important and not important. A genius who has not grown up is not a genius.
Talking about an alliance now was wishful thinking. The Third Hokage needed someone to represent Konoha and go to the Hidden Mist Village to convey his goodwill.
Sending just any small soldier was definitely not an option.
Kakashi and Asuma, one was the Fourth Hokage's disciple, and the other was the Third Hokage's son, but this was useless; their status was not high enough. They were not qualified to represent Konoha Village.
A high-ranking official from Konoha Village had to go. The Third Hokage couldn't move. Danzo? If Danzo went, the two Villages would definitely fight. He could create conflict even if there was none. Utatane Koharu had a deadpan expression, Shikaku's seniority was not enough, and Homura Mitokado believed he was the most suitable.
The Third Hokage also thought he was the most suitable candidate.
After making up his mind, Homura Mitokado did not delay. That same day, he left the Village with two Jonin guards and the Lightning Blade. He was going to the Hidden Mist Village for preliminary contact.
The Third Hokage, on his side, issued orders to Asuma. The original C-rank mission was adjusted to B-rank due to Raiga Kurosuki. After Team 10 completed their original mission, they were to escort Raiga Kurosuki and Ranmaru to the Land of Waves to rendezvous with Kakashi's Team 7 to capture Zabuza, and then await Homura Mitokado's news before heading to the Hidden Mist Village together.
This mission involved the relationship between two Great Shinobi Villages, and the mission ranks for both Team 7 and Team 10 were set at A-rank.
Homura Mitokado represented the older generation, Kakashi and Asuma represented the middle-aged generation, and Ino and Naruto represented the younger generation.
The Chunin Exams were meant to display their strength and reduce the possibility of war.
It was the same now.
The older generation would most likely not fight. A 69-year-old Homura Mitokado against a 90-year-old Gengetsu Hozuki? Konoha had a huge advantage!
With Kakashi in the middle-aged generation, none of the Hidden Mist Village's Jonin would be his match.
After the two sides met, the focus would be on the younger generation.
The Third Hokage hoped to use the youthful demeanor of the younger generation to display Konoha's strength to the Hidden Mist Village. He had great confidence in the abilities of Genin like Ino and Naruto. "Look, our Konoha Genin are all at this level! There are still a bunch of Chunin and Jonin stronger than them in the Village. Doesn't that make you want to form an alliance?"
The Third Hokage called Danzo and, after the other three left, he asked in a low voice, "Does the Oxalis Mine incident have anything to do with you?"
Danzo, perhaps having been made a scapegoat too many times, sneered reflexively. With great poise, he turned and walked away, not bothering to respond to the Third Hokage at all.
Asuma received the mission change order on the evening of the second day after arriving at the Oxalis Mine.
He had no objections; Ninja were just tools. Even if he was the Third Hokage's son and Ino and the others were heirs to various Shinobi Clans, it was the same. They obeyed orders and followed commands. They didn't need too many personal thoughts; they just did as they were told.
With the Kurosuki Family eliminated, Asuma found the mission client in the Land of Rivers, explained the situation, and the mission was considered complete.
The villagers here used to mine for the Kurosuki Family, and now they would mine for the officials of the Land of Rivers. For them, it was always mining from beginning to end. At most, the previous Raiga Kurosuki was a lunatic who would bury villagers alive at the drop of a hat, while the current officials, for the sake of their own wallets, would not easily kill them. That was the only difference.
The merits of handing over the Lightning Blade and assisting in the capture of Raiga Kurosuki accumulated, and along with the messenger hawk, three scrolls also returned.
Ino's reward was still a Ninjutsu scroll.
It was a Water Release Ninjutsu developed by the Second Hokage, Water Release: Water Severing Wave!
It was also a B-rank learning difficulty, but unlike Water Dragon Bullet and Water Formation Wall, which were widely circulated Water Release Ninjutsu, Water Severing Wave had always been the Second Hokage's unique Ninjutsu.
This technique was an offensive Ninjutsu that utilized high pressure to emit a water jet to cut the target. It was fast, consumed little Chakra, had high destructive power, and a relatively long attack range.
When the Second Hokage used it, he even defied the rule of Earth Release being stronger than Water Release, and instead used Water Release to cut through the Third Hokage's Earth Flow Wall.
This Ninjutsu was priceless.
Shikamaru's reward was a Chakra Blade, the same model as Asuma's. Shikamaru felt his talent in Ninjutsu was limited, and his Taijutsu was not as good as Choji's. His only specialty was his mind. He was now preparing to be a supplement for the two of them. When Ino was lacking in Ninjutsu, he would help cast Ninjutsu. When Choji couldn't withstand enemies, he would go over and help fight a bit.
Choji's reward was a thick stack of notes, detailing the training plan the Second Hokage had created for Akimichi Torifu back then.
The Akimichi Clan certainly had training methods passed down through generations, but traditional methods might not suit everyone. The Second Hokage was a figure at the pinnacle of the Ninja World, and his advice was insightful, serving as a valuable reference for Akimichi Torifu back then, and for Choji now.
Asuma, as the Hokage's own son, didn't need this form of reward. He could just go home and ask for whatever he wanted.
While Danzo was "taking the blame," Ino gained a 'blame point'.
It was a bit of a shame that this blame wasn't entirely her doing; it likely also involved Asuma and the Third Hokage's contributions. Divided up, her role was small, so her gain was naturally less.
She didn't care who specifically took the blame. As long as she got the benefits, it was done. This was a blame-shifting panel, not a Sherlock Holmes panel; the truth wasn't important.
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