Chapter 153: Optician Terumi Mei
Chapter 153: Optician Terumi Mei
"What kind of common defense plan is Lord Hokage referring to?" Iwata Sawaki said after some hesitation. He needed to consult the Daimyo before deciding on economic cooperation, but he could still make decisions regarding military cooperation.
"This is even simpler," Uchiha Douhuan said with a smile. "For all countries that join the pact, Konoha will dispatch troops to garrison the borders alongside their own ninja forces. This way, any power that dares to invade our allies will be tantamount to declaring war on Konoha."
"Of course, a portion of the military expenses for the garrisoned troops will still need to be borne by the host country. After all, we are helping others guard their territory," Uchiha Douhuan chuckled.
"I understand." Iwata Sawaki nodded. With Uchiha Douhuan's words, he felt much more reassured. After all, if it were merely a paper treaty, he truly wouldn't trust Konoha much, given Konoha's past record of abandoning allies – wasn't the Land of Whirlpools destroyed just like that? However, if it involved garrisoning troops, it would be equivalent to paying Konoha to help them defend their borders, which was a different matter entirely. If any power dared to violate their borders, it would be tantamount to directly going to war with Konoha.
"Additionally, after the troops are garrisoned, your national security will be Konoha's responsibility. However, the command authority over your ninja forces will also need to be transferred to us," Uchiha Douhuan stated. "After all, we also need to prevent our allies from dragging Konoha into the whirlpool of war due to irrational actions. If that happens, it would deviate from our objectives. Mr. Iwata can understand this point, right?"
"I can understand, but the matter of transferring command authority..." Iwata Sawaki hesitated.
"As I said, Mr. Iwata needn't be anxious. Such important matters should be carefully considered before making a decision," Uchiha Douhuan chuckled. "However, to demonstrate Konoha's sincerity, regardless of whether the pact is established or not, Konoha will help your esteemed village resolve the issue with your Jinchuriki."
"Thank you for Lord Hokage's generosity," Iwata Sawaki said, somewhat moved. Before coming to Konoha, Iwata Sawaki had already prepared himself to be given a hard time by Uchiha Douhuan. After all, the Uchiha clan had a reputation for being difficult to deal with, and they had directly destroyed more than half of Kusagakure Village not long ago. But after interacting with him like this, Iwata Sawaki found Uchiha Douhuan surprisingly easy to get along with. Compared to the consistently aggressive Onoki, Uchiha Douhuan was practically an angel!
As for Kusagakure's fate some time ago, that was entirely them courting death. Konoha had already issued a declaration, yet those people from Kusagakure still insisted on their own course. Naturally, Konoha would get angry. Besides, thinking about it from another perspective, if Konoha truly achieved full cooperation with them in the future, with such a powerful and domineering ally protecting them, wouldn't their Takigakure be even safer?
Iwata Sawaki's expression changed continuously, while Uchiha Douhuan watched all this with a smile. Who knew when this fellow would realize that what's free is often the most expensive?
"Lord Hokage, please allow me to return and discuss this with the Daimyo before making a decision. The next time I come, I will bring our village's Jinchuriki along," Iwata Sawaki said after bowing respectfully to Uchiha Douhuan.
"No problem. Konoha always welcomes friends with open arms," Uchiha Douhuan said with a pleasant chuckle.
...
Soon, Iwata Sawaki embarked on his return journey, his face beaming with delight. When he left, Uchiha Douhuan personally saw him off.
After watching Iwata Sawaki depart, Kakashi came to Uchiha Douhuan's side and asked with some curiosity, "Are you really planning to ally with them? That old fellow Onoki probably won't just sit by and watch their Land of Waterfall fall into our embrace."
"Ally?" Uchiha Douhuan looked at the departing figures of Iwata Sawaki's group and sneered. "Ally my ass. Small countries led by such incompetent fools will only drag us down."
"Then why did you still offer them such favorable conditions?" Kakashi asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Hehe, when fishing, naturally you have to be willing to chum the waters. Otherwise, the real big fish won't take the bait," Uchiha Douhuan chuckled. "Next, have Captain Fugaku and Miura Kazuo make a trip to the Land of Rice Paddies and the Land of Hot Water. Present this alliance plan to their Daimyos in the name of the Land of Fire's Daimyo. The Daimyos of these two countries are notoriously good-for-nothing gluttons, and they don't have any strong ninja villages within their borders. They'd probably be thrilled for us to help garrison their borders. Besides, between them and the Land of Lightning, there's still the Land of Frost. The resistance to us allying with them shouldn't be too great."
"I understand," Kakashi nodded. "Then I'll head back to the Security Department first."
"Not going to sit at my place for a bit first?" Uchiha Douhuan raised an eyebrow.
"Enough already. Every time I go to your place, you don't drag me in to help you deal with those village documents," Kakashi said, sporting a Sharingan eye.
"Sigh, if only there was someone else in the village like Miura Kazuo who could help me handle these trivial matters," Uchiha Douhuan said with some regret.
"If it really comes down to it, just reinstate Shikaku and the others," Kakashi suggested.
"Forget it. Reinstating those three clans isn't timely right now. I have other arrangements for those three clans," Uchiha Douhuan stretched his joints. "Being Hokage isn't that easy either. I don't know why Lord Third clung to power so tightly back then."
...
After Uchiha Douhuan returned to the Hokage office, before long, a portly middle-aged man emerged from the floor of the Hokage's office. Just as Uchiha Douhuan was about to reach for Jirai on the sword rack beside him, the middle-aged man snapped to attention and saluted: "Salute Lord Douhuan! Loyalty!"
Uchiha Douhuan: ...
"Tobi?" Uchiha Douhuan raised an eyebrow. Among all the people he knew, only Tobi would salute him in this tone every time.
"It's me!" The middle-aged man before Uchiha Douhuan began to change shape, quickly transforming into the form of White Zetsu.
"Don't appear so suddenly next time. I almost slashed you just now," Uchiha Douhuan said somewhat speechlessly, retracting his hand, then finally spoke, "Alright, tell me, what brings you here?"
"Lord Douhuan, the identity you requested last time, one that can infiltrate the Kiri rebel army, has been prepared. During this period, the Kiri rebel leader, Terumi Mei, is about to make some major moves. Therefore, Lord Indra sent me to inform you, hoping to receive your advice," Tobi reported.
"Is that so?" Uchiha Douhuan nodded, then formed hand seals and created a shadow clone, saying to Tobi, "Then I'll go with you."
Soon, Tobi transformed into a White Zetsu outer layer, wrapping around Uchiha Douhuan's shadow clone, and then disappeared from the Hokage office.
Two hours later, Uchiha Douhuan's shadow clone arrived at a house in a town northwest of the Land of Water. Black Zetsu had been waiting here for a long time.
"Ancestor." Uchiha Douhuan's shadow clone emerged from the ground and greeted Black Zetsu.
"You've finally arrived," Black Zetsu said hurriedly upon seeing Uchiha Douhuan brought over. "Quick, think of something! That woman you met last time, during this period, has developed a vast network of influence in the Land of Water. They are already on the verge of exceeding our control."
Uchiha Douhuan frowned upon hearing this. "So quickly? It hasn't even been two weeks, right? And where is this place?"
"This is a town east of Kirigakure, also a stronghold of the Kiri rebels," Black Zetsu said. "Ever since that woman formally became the leader of the rebels, she led her subordinates to escape from Kirigakure and established this secret base here. Furthermore, when she fled Kirigakure, she took a large number of commoner ninjas dissatisfied with the Fourth Mizukage, as well as some survivors from clans that were wiped out in the disputes."
"Moreover, they've raised the slogan of a 'New Will of Water'. Because of this new slogan, many strong individuals have joined them. Two members of the current generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist have joined them," Black Zetsu reported.
"Is that so?" Uchiha Douhuan raised an eyebrow. "And which 'little broken swords' owners might they be?"
Black Zetsu glanced at Uchiha Douhuan. Anyone who could inherit one of Kirigakure's seven ancestral ninja swords could be called a powerhouse anywhere in the ninja world, yet in Uchiha Douhuan's mouth, they were owners of 'little broken swords'.
However, Uchiha Douhuan was indeed qualified to say so. On the Kirigakure battlefield back then, it wasn't as if Kirigakure hadn't dispatched the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to try and assassinate Uchiha Douhuan. But at that time, Uchiha Douhuan, having just awakened his Mangekyou and with strength far inferior to his current powerful self, single-handedly made all seven of them flee with their tails between their legs. If Uchiha Douhuan hadn't been unaccustomed to the power of the Mangekyou at that time, those seven would never have had the chance to later ambush Konoha's homeland.
"It's Momochi Zabuza, owner of the Executioner's Blade, and Hoshigaki Kisame, the new owner of Samehada. Moreover, when they fled Kirigakure, they also took the Twin Swords, Hiramekarei. It's estimated they'll soon find a successor for that blade," Black Zetsu said.
"The content of the 'New Will of Water' that woman shouted, have you inquired about it, Ancestor?" Uchiha Douhuan asked.
"Is that important?" Black Zetsu was somewhat puzzled. It was just a slogan; was it worth Uchiha Douhuan specifically asking about?
"Of course," Uchiha Douhuan nodded. "Their new slogan was able to gather so many people in such a short time; there must be something commendable about it. This concerns my subsequent plans."
"Stagnant, dead water only breeds rot and disease. Only an endless flow of living water can nurture new life. We are that clean, living water. Our mission is to wash away the village's filth and bring rebirth to the village!" Just then, Tobi beside them suddenly spoke, imitating Terumi Mei's voice, speaking with impassioned fervor.
Uchiha Douhuan raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. This Terumi Mei woman had something to her.
"What else has she done?" Uchiha Douhuan asked.
"When she fled Kirigakure, she absconded with a lot of money and ninjutsu left behind by the exterminated ninja clans. She distributed all these things to the commoners who followed her. Therefore, the strength of this batch of commoner ninjas improved immensely in a short time. As for the survivors of those ninja clans, she provided money and effort to help them rebuild their sacrificial shrines in this small town, ensuring their clan names would not be cut off," Tobi reported.
"This operation sounds somewhat familiar, doesn't it?" Uchiha Douhuan said, amused.
"Yes," Tobi replied. "It's very similar to your actions in Konoha before. This is because Miss Terumi Mei has been constantly analyzing your intelligence. She wants to replicate in Kirigakure the miracle you created leading the Uchiha clan."
"When she's thinking about problems, the phrase she uses most often is: Think about what Uchiha Douhuan would do."
As Tobi's voice fell, Uchiha Douhuan almost couldn't keep a straight face. He truly hadn't expected to have fans in Kirigakure as well, and the kind that seriously studied his methods.
"So, in a sense, this woman could even be considered my disciple?" Uchiha Douhuan chuckled in amusement.
"Yes," Tobi nodded.
"She actually managed to learn a thing or two," Uchiha Douhuan chuckled. Setting other things aside, just their slogan was definitely not something that could be shouted out at the current political level of the ninja world.
"So, Lord Douhuan, what should we do?" Tobi asked.
"They're already working so hard; naturally, we have to help them," Uchiha Douhuan chuckled. "Although this little lady has worked hard enough, after all, it was analyzed from limited intelligence. My skills, she has only learned the basics. For something like rebellion, the most important thing is to adapt to local conditions. Rigidly copying won't lead to success."
"The identity prepared for me is fine, right?" Uchiha Douhuan asked.
"Of course," Tobi said, once again attaching himself to Uchiha Douhuan's shadow clone. Soon, Uchiha Douhuan transformed into a man with an unremarkable face, even a bit middle-aged and balding on top, who could only use his forehead protector to cover his hairline.
"Your current identity is named Satake Masato, formerly a commoner Jounin of Kirigakure. He was killed by Yagura Karatachi's Anbu during his escape from Kirigakure, and his identity was secretly replaced by us. You are now a squad captain in the rebel army, capable of barely entering the decision-making level of the Kiri rebel forces," Tobi explained.
"Able to have a say at the decision-making level?" The disguised Uchiha Douhuan's clone nodded. "That saves me a lot of trouble then."
"However, when you act, it's still best to be careful," Black Zetsu reminded from the side at this point. "The rebel army has a Byakugan user in their hands, capable of seeing through White Zetsu's disguise. Fortunately, the one who possesses the Byakugan is currently not here but remains within Kirigakure as an insider for the rebels."
"Can't you control Yagura Karatachi to deal with that guy?" Uchiha Douhuan asked.
"Difficult," Black Zetsu shook his head. "That fellow is an elder of Kirigakure. Without a suitable reason, even the Mizukage cannot touch his position."
"Alright, I understand." Uchiha Douhuan's shadow clone smiled, pushed open the door of the house, and simultaneously chuckled inwardly:
[Terumi Mei, your master has arrived.]
(End of Chapter)
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