"Kaede Yuki!"
Memaro Kaguya abruptly turned his head to glare at the other party, his voice rising even louder. "Don't use the Mizukage's name to pressure me! If my father hadn't died fighting alongside the second Mizukage back then, and if I hadn't been too young at the time, how would the position of Mizukage have ever fallen to your Yuki Clan to pick up…"
His words suddenly stopped. His body instantly stiffened as more than a dozen streams of water, gleaming with cold light, silently wrapped themselves around his limbs and torso like living venomous snakes, locking all the joints in his body.
Water Style: Water Whip!
Memaro Kaguya stiffly turned his neck, his gaze locking onto Yagura Karatachi, who had remained facing away from him as though he had never moved. Dense killing intent almost materialized in the air.
"Yagura! You…"
"Clan Head Memaro, please mind your words."
Yagura's voice remained calm. He did not even turn his head, merely lifting a finger lightly.
The dozen streams of water immediately loosened and fell to the ground like living creatures receiving orders.
"The Mizukage-sama's name and decisions are not things we may recklessly discuss."
Just as Memaro Kaguya's expression drastically changed and he was about to erupt, Yagura finally turned around.
There was no expression on that baby-faced visage; his purple eyes calmly gazed at the other party.
"Since Clan Head Memaro is so eager for battle..."
As he spoke, his finger landed on a location on the map. It was an arc-shaped bay along the southeastern coast of the Land of Fire, marked with the name White Sand Bay.
"Then, five days from now, at dawn, Clan Head Memaro will lead the Kaguya Clan's elite forces to land here. If you encounter Konoha ninjas during the operation, kill them all without exception! After successfully landing, remain in place and await further instructions from headquarters."
Yagura had no intention of assigning any additional cooperating personnel to Memaro Kaguya.
Everyone in the Village Hidden in the Mist knew that most members of the Kaguya Clan were natural battle maniacs, bloodthirsty and warlike. Even the small minority who were not would quickly change under such an atmosphere.
Once these people reached a state of bloodlust, they recognized neither friend nor foe.
Aside from themselves, no other Village Hidden in the Mist troops could keep up with their rhythm. They could only be allowed to operate independently, while others provided support from the sidelines.
"Well then? Clan Head Memaro?"
Hearing this, everyone present turned their gaze toward Memaro Kaguya.
Especially the current head of the Hozuki Clan, Hangetsu Hozuki, and the leader of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Fuguki Suikazan, both crossed their arms over their chests with expressions clearly waiting to watch a good show.
Memaro Kaguya glared fiercely at Yagura, his chest heaving several times violently, but in the end, he still did not erupt.
"Fine! I'll take this mission!"
After saying that, he ignored everyone else, turned around, and strode out of the command headquarters, his footsteps gradually fading into the distance.
Only after he left did Yagura once again shift his gaze back to the map, his finger pointing toward a stretch of coastline on the left flank of the map as he issued orders to the others.
"Clan Head Kaede, five days from now, I ask that you lead the elite of the Yuki Clan and the others to land in this area, establish a defensive line, and gradually advance inland to tie down Konoha's left-wing forces."
"Fuguki Suikazan, you will lead the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist as the main force and coordinate with Clan Head Kaede's operations. Your responsibility is to eliminate Konoha strongholds and reconnaissance units along the route."
"Clan Head Hangetsu."
Yagura's finger moved toward the right side of the map, toward another bay not far from the Kaguya Clan's designated landing point.
"Five days from now, I ask that you lead the elite of the Hozuki Clan and the others to land here. Your mission will be to establish a forward position on the right flank and…"
He paused briefly, his tone growing slightly heavier.
"As much as possible, support the Kaguya Clan's operation. After they land, you will be responsible for making contact with them and relaying the command headquarters's follow-up combat orders."
After saying this, Yagura fell silent for a moment, his gaze ultimately settling on the center of the map, the city directly facing the Village Hidden in the Mist's army, the city known as Rinkai City.
What he had arranged was a tactical doctrine Village Hidden in the Mist had always excelled at: Dividing one's own forces into two or more tactical groups and carrying out converging assaults against the enemy from different directions.
This style of warfare could effectively disperse the enemy's defensive firepower, reducing the resistance and casualties of frontal assaults, eventually forming an encirclement and completely trapping the enemy.
To a certain extent, it could be called this world's version of a pincer offensive.
And five days later would also be the agreed time for the full-scale assault, secretly coordinated between the Village Hidden in the Mist and the Village Hidden in the Sand.
Five days later, the Village Hidden in the Mist would launch a fierce assault from the southeastern coast, while the Village Hidden in the Sand would simultaneously apply pressure from the southwest.
The eastern and western fronts would strike simultaneously, jointly attacking Konoha!
"At that time!"
Yagura raised his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within his purple pupils.
"I will personally lead the headquarters' main force and attack alongside all of you."
His finger slammed heavily onto the position of the Rinkai City.
"We will annihilate every last Konoha defender here!"
"Yes!"
Inside the command headquarters, everyone responded in unison, murderous intent spreading through the air before they dispersed one after another.
After everyone left, Yagura once more fixed his gaze upon the map.
He knew very well how highly the Mizukage regarded him, even intending to cultivate him as the future successor to the Mizukage position.
That was why the Mizukage had entrusted him with full authority over this critically important southwestern war against Konoha. This was a key step in accumulating prestige and establishing his status.
This battle had to be fought beautifully and won thoroughly. Only then could he live up to the Mizukage's expectations and cultivation, solidify his position within the village, and pave the road for the future.
"Shinichi Higashino…"
Looking at the various positional markers and information nodes on the map, this name suddenly flashed through Yagura's mind.
The genius youth who, shortly after the outbreak of this great war, had appeared like a bolt of lightning, rapidly rising to prominence and repeatedly creating unbelievable miraculous battle achievements that shocked the entire Shinobi World.
Most people in the current Shinobi World felt shock toward him, even fear.
Fear of his overwhelming strength and growth speed that utterly mismatched his age.
But Yagura was somewhat different. Over the past few days, he had gathered extensive intelligence and analysis on Shinichi Higashino. What he focused on was not personal combat strength or talent, but the strategic thinking and command artistry behind it.
Especially that lightning guerrilla campaign deep within the Land of Lightning that had turned the Village Hidden in the Cloud's rear lines upside down.
That style of warfare, involving precise predictions, bold penetration tactics, concentrating superior force at a single point, skillfully utilizing intelligence, constantly creating chaos, and exchanging minimal cost for maximum results, had repeatedly caused Yagura to ponder for a very long time.
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