"Make preparations." The Mist ninja leader smiled. "Starting tomorrow, we drive away those annoying Konoha ninja."
The two Mist ninja beside him looked at each other, both showing puzzled expressions.
One of them could not help asking, "Wasn't our mission to..."
"Idiot." The Mist ninja leader cut him off. "Konoha's people have already noticed our presence. Instead of passively taking a beating, we might as well take the initiative and catch them off guard."
The middle-aged man immediately nodded. "My lord is absolutely right. Those Konoha ninja think so highly of themselves. They would never expect us to attack first. Tomorrow, we'll definitely beat them into a complete mess!"
The Mist ninja leader was clearly pleased by his flattery, and the corner of his mouth curled into a smug arc.
"The reef area, the shallows, and the abandoned dock to the west—those three places must be fully arranged before tomorrow."
He pointed at the Mist ninja who had spoken earlier. "At three tomorrow morning, you will lead a team and push forward from the eastern reef area. Make it loud. Make sure every Konoha ninja knows we're here."
"A frontal attack? My lord, didn't we say before that we would mainly focus on harassment..."
"That was the previous plan." The Mist ninja leader raised his hand and interrupted him. "The situation has changed now."
"Yes!"
"The second team will come with me," the Mist ninja leader continued deploying them. "We'll circle around from the abandoned dock to the west and get behind them. Once all their attention is on the eastern battlefield, we'll pierce straight through their camp from behind."
"Yes!"
"The key to this plan is that Konoha must believe we will fight them decisively in the east tomorrow. Do you understand?"
Shin-chan listened to every word without missing a single one, silently memorizing the time and route of the attack.
The middle-aged man was the first to clap. "Brilliant. Truly brilliant. A feint in the east and a strike in the west, crossing the sea under the cover of deception—my lord's move is simply a stroke of genius."
The Mist ninja leader enjoyed the flattery for a while before waving his hand. "Enough. As for the specific manpower distribution..."
His voice suddenly stopped cold, and his icy gaze locked onto the corner.
"Who's there?"
Shin-chan's heart skipped a beat. He had the illusion of being discovered by Misae while doing something bad, and almost instinctively used the Flying Thunder God Technique, disappearing from where he stood.
Almost at the same time, three shuriken shot toward the direction where Shin-chan had been.
The shuriken passed through the shadows and nailed themselves into the wall. That spot was empty. There was nothing there.
The Mist ninja leader frowned, closed his eyes, and carefully sensed for a moment. There were no traces of chakra left in the surroundings.
"What happened?" The two Mist ninja had already drawn their weapons and were alertly looking around. "Was someone there? Why didn't I sense anything?"
"There was indeed someone here just now." The Mist ninja leader suddenly laughed. "I sensed his chakra from the moment he entered the villa."
"Then... then didn't he hear everything we just said?"
"So what if he heard it?" The Mist ninja leader sneered. "Everything I just said was fake."
"Fake?" One of the Mist ninja scratched his head. "Then are we still carrying out tomorrow's plan?"
The Mist ninja leader turned around and stared at him as if looking at an idiot. "Did you forget to bring your brain when you left home?"
That Mist ninja shrank his neck.
"I already said it was fake. How could we actually carry it out?" The Mist ninja leader's tone was full of disdain. "I deliberately told him a false attack plan so he would go back and report it. When they follow the fake deployment to fight us, the real trap will already be waiting for them."
The two Mist ninja revealed looks of admiration.
"So that's how it is. In that case, we'll be able to wipe out Konoha's people without even lifting a finger."
"My lord is truly a brilliant strategist. How could those Konoha ninja possibly be your match?" the middle-aged man also hurriedly flattered him.
The Mist ninja leader leaned back against the sofa and let out a long sigh.
"You two have no problem in terms of strength, but your brains..." His gaze swept over his two subordinates. "You're not even as smart as the people of the Land of Waves."
Hearing this, the middle-aged man quickly bowed and said, "My lord overpraises me. I've merely learned a tiny bit by following you. How would I dare compare myself with the ninja lords under your command?"
The Mist ninja leader waved his hand, his tone carrying a bit of helplessness.
"You two have followed me for so long, yet you don't even have the most basic judgment. I clearly stated that it was fake, and you still asked whether we were going to carry it out. With brains like that, how am I supposed to trust you with more important missions?"
The Mist ninja who had been scolded lowered his head, not daring to breathe loudly.
Seeing this, the middle-aged man quickly stepped forward to smooth things over. "My lord, please calm down. These two ninja lords simply didn't think it through for a moment. With you directing everything from behind the scenes, they only need to put in their strength. In any case, victory will definitely belong to us in the end."
Those words were said perfectly. They gave the two Mist ninja a way out while also raising the Mist ninja leader to the highest position.
"The struggle between Kirigakure and Konoha has never only been about open fighting and killing. Since Konoha's people recklessly involved themselves, then let them learn just how deep these waters are."
He turned around, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.
"Starting tomorrow, all of you had better stay fully alert. If anyone ruins this, don't blame me for turning ruthless."
The middle-aged man was the first to respond. "Lord Ninja, rest assured. All the men on my side will follow your orders. We absolutely won't cause trouble for you!"
The two Mist ninja also cupped their fists solemnly. "Understood."
"Enough." The Mist ninja leader gestured to the middle-aged man. "You go out first. If there is any movement, report it immediately."
The middle-aged man hurriedly bowed and withdrew, closing the door behind him.
Only after the footsteps had gone far away did the Mist ninja leader speak again.
"Remember what exactly we came to the Land of Waves to do."
The two Mist ninja straightened their bodies.
"On the surface, we are confronting Konoha. Whether we fight them or harass them, all of that is for show. The real mission is to use local forces to control the Land of Waves' ports and sea routes."
The corner of his mouth curled into a cold smile. "Right now, Konoha knows nothing. Once we truly control the Land of Waves, it will be too late even if Konoha reacts."
"Understood!"
The Mist ninja leader sat on the sofa, then suddenly frowned again.
"One more thing."
The two Mist ninja, who had just relaxed, immediately tensed up again.
"The way that brat escaped." A hint of confusion entered the Mist ninja leader's tone. "It looked very much like Konoha's Flying Thunder God Technique."
"Flying Thunder God Technique?" The two Mist ninja inhaled sharply at the same time. "Isn't that the Yellow Flash's..."
"That's why it's strange." The Mist ninja leader shook his head. "How could a twelve- or thirteen-year-old brat possibly know that kind of technique?"
He did not dwell too long on the question and waved his hand.
"Forget it. No matter what method he used, the false intelligence has already been delivered."
"Yes!" the two Mist ninja answered in unison.