Chapter 168: Kirigakure Revolution

Chapter 168: Kirigakure Revolution

Uchiha Douhuan carefully observed the people participating in this gathering, then found a corner and sat down. Tobi was also quietly communicating with Uchiha Douhuan in his ear.

"Has this woman still not clearly expressed her desire to become the Fifth Mizukage or directly re-establish a new Kirigakure?" Uchiha Douhuan asked.

"Yes, Lord Douhuan. I have probed in this identity. Terumi Mei said at the time that the current top priority is to overthrow Yagura Karatachi's tyrannical rule. As for the Mizukage position, it will be decided by everyone's vote after success."

Uchiha Douhuan: ...

Uchiha Douhuan looked speechlessly at the crowd in the venue, then sneered and said, "Tobi, take a guess, how many of these people joined this organization because they have their eyes on the Fifth Mizukage position?"

"Is that so? But these people all seem to follow Terumi Mei's lead," Tobi said, puzzled.

"That's because this team was pulled together by Terumi Mei. Before achieving success, they still need Terumi Mei's strength," Uchiha Douhuan stated. "After Terumi Mei used my methods to assemble this team, she forgot one thing: she failed to instill the concept of herself as the leader into the consciousness of every participant."

"But, it seems you didn't specifically do that either, back then," Tobi said, somewhat confused.

"This is what she hasn't seen," Uchiha Douhuan chuckled lightly. "My strength doesn't require me to specifically do this. The Mangekyou Sharingan and my achievements in the Third War are inherently sufficient to suppress everyone under my command, preventing them from having any ambitions. But Terumi Mei is different. Her strength might be on par with the powerhouses among these people; the Six-Tails Jinchuriki's strength might even be above hers. If I were her, I definitely wouldn't have extended an invitation to Utakata."

"A team like this, the second after achieving success, will immediately fall apart due to the Mizukage position, believe it or not?" Uchiha Douhuan chuckled lightly. "However, this does suit my intentions. It's better for Kirigakure to remain in chaos."

"However, according to the intelligence we've gathered during this period, whether it's the owners of those two ninja swords or the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, they all seem very convinced by Terumi Mei. The probability of the situation you described actually isn't very high," Tobi said.

"The few people you just mentioned, apart from the Six-Tails Jinchuriki who joined recently, whether it's Zabuza or Kisame Hoshigaki, they both have quite a few direct supporters under them, right?" Uchiha Douhuan chuckled lightly.

"That's correct. Kisame Hoshigaki is manageable; only two squads of ninjas under him obey his commands. But Zabuza, as one of the earliest ninjas to defect from Kirigakure with Terumi Mei, already had a considerable force under his command before joining the rebel army."

"That's right, Tobi. Sometimes, even if the main person doesn't want to contend for power, their subordinates will push them forward," Uchiha Douhuan chuckled.

While the two were chatting, Terumi Mei also walked into the assembly hall. Following behind her were two figures: one was the young Chojuro, carrying the twin swords Hiramekarei; the other was Ao, with an eye patch covering his right eye, known as the "Byakugan Killer." Unlike most people present, these two were Terumi Mei's true confidants.

Uchiha Douhuan sneered as he looked behind Terumi Mei at the figure with the eye patch covering the Byakugan. Speaking of which, this fellow was still a wanted target on Konoha's gold list. The Hyuga clan, after all these years, had only lost this one pair of Byakugan – the left eye was obtained by Kumogakure, and the right eye was under this fellow's eye patch.

[Now there's a direct reason to send troops too.] Uchiha Douhuan thought.

Just then, Ao also noticed Uchiha Douhuan's gaze and looked over. This made Tobi, attached to Uchiha Douhuan, nervous for a moment, fearing his disguise would be seen through.

However, Uchiha Douhuan was quite calm, meeting Ao's gaze openly and revealing a friendly smile. Never mind whether this Byakugan could see through White Zetsu's disguise; in the current situation, if Ao truly dared to activate his Byakugan during a meeting, the ninjas gathered here would definitely cause an uproar. *What, everyone is risking their necks for you, and you don't trust everyone? What's that supposed to mean?*

Sure enough, Ao, looking at Uchiha Douhuan's smile, also returned a smile. The identity Uchiha Douhuan currently wore, Satake Masato, was considered one of the most loyal to Terumi Mei within the rebel army, aside from confidants like him and Chojuro who had followed Terumi Mei since their time in Kirigakure. Therefore, Ao didn't think much about Uchiha Douhuan's gaze.

"Lady Terumi Mei, all ninjas at Chuunin rank and above within the organization have arrived," the civilian staff member in charge of counting personnel in the venue reported to Terumi Mei.

Terumi Mei nodded, walked to the center of the venue, scanned everyone below, took a deep breath, and then began to speak: "Everyone! Thank you for coming. For the future hope of Kirigakure, we gather here. At this moment, we stand on the borderline between the Bloody Mist and the dawn."

Terumi Mei's voice was low yet full of infectious power. Subsequently, Terumi Mei nodded towards Chojuro behind her. Chojuro came to her side, unrolled a sealing scroll, infused chakra into it, and then took out a stack of new forehead protectors and white silk scarves.

Terumi Mei picked up one of the forehead protectors and displayed it to the crowd below.

Compared to the original Kirigakure forehead protector with its pattern of four short, slanted rainwater lines, the pattern on the forehead protector Terumi Mei held out was a 川 (river) character shape composed of three wavy thin lines.

"This is the newly designed forehead protector," Terumi Mei said after taking a deep breath.

Seeing this new forehead protector, the ninjas below immediately began whispering to each other.

Terumi Mei waited a moment. Only after the discussions below had calmed down slightly did she continue to speak.

"During this past period, I have also thought about what stance we should adopt when we return to Kirigakure. As rogue ninjas striking back at the village? Or as thugs staging an armed coup? Neither! We are the clean water that will wash away the Bloody Mist that has shrouded Kirigakure for years!"

"This is not a betrayal of past glory! The previous forehead protector, although representing Kirigakure's past glory, is also stained with the blood of our comrades!"

"Our beloved village has reached a time when change is imperative! Therefore, everyone, let our beloved village shed its blood-red color and welcome a new birth, starting with this new forehead protector!"

"The darkest moment before dawn is precisely when the starlight is most brilliant! Remember, this is not a rebellion; it is allowing the Land of Water, drowning in a sea of blood, to breathe again!"

"When the morning sun pierces through the Bloody Mist, I hope I can personally place this new forehead protector on the first child who graduates without having to kill a comrade. At that time, I implore all of you... you must live to witness that morning."

"Yes!" Uchiha Douhuan watched the impassioned Terumi Mei on the platform and couldn't help but applaud vigorously. It had to be said, although Terumi Mei had only delved into his methods on her own, she had, to some extent, grasped some of his true teachings. This speech, even if he delivered it himself, he couldn't guarantee he could do better than Terumi Mei.

"Everyone! Three days from now, we march on Kirigakure Village!" Terumi Mei declared loudly, her eyes like swords.

"Yes!" The ninjas present shouted in unison.

Subsequently, Chojuro and Ao distributed the mission details for each department to every commander present.

Satake Masato, disguised by Uchiha Douhuan, received the mission to lead his subordinates to block a Kiri Anbu squad north of Kirigakure while simultaneously evacuating the civilians still within the village.

After everyone received their respective missions, Terumi Mei also began to summarize the specific arrangements for this coup.

Firstly, the rebel army would, within these three days, successively arrive at various locations surrounding Kirigakure Village and hide. At midnight, three days later, everyone would launch a unified attack on Kirigakure.

The powerhouses within the rebel army would each be responsible for one direction. Momochi Zabuza, wielding the Executioner's Blade, would be responsible for the eastern gate of Kirigakure. Utakata would be responsible for the west. And Hoshigaki Kisame, because the Three-Tails Isobu was a natural counter to Samehada, would be responsible for the southern gate, which was furthest from the Mizukage's building. As for the northern gate, closest to the Mizukage's building, Terumi Mei herself would personally lead the assault.

At that time, Gensui, who was currently undercover within Kirigakure Village, would, at that precise moment, replace the ninjas guarding Kirigakure's main gates with rebel ninjas embedded within the village. Coordinating from within and without, they would breach Kirigakure's gates at top speed, then complete the evacuation of the civilians within the village.

Subsequently, they would jointly assault the Mizukage's building. After various parties trapped Yagura Karatachi with barriers, the powerhouses within the rebel army would jointly besiege Yagura Karatachi.

And Satake Masato, disguised by Uchiha Douhuan, happened to be under Terumi Mei's direct command.

Everyone received their orders, memorized the details, proactively destroyed all evidence, then departed individually to gather their respective subordinates and proceed to the designated locations to await orders. Uchiha Douhuan, after leaving the rebel assembly point, also returned to that small courtyard.

After closing the door, Black Zetsu also emerged from the ground, looked at Uchiha Douhuan, and asked, "Their plan, what do you think?"

"Not a bad plan," Uchiha Douhuan chuckled. "If we didn't know their plan, the chances of Yagura Karatachi's side falling for it would be almost one hundred percent."

"Now that we know the rebel army's plan, do we need Yagura Karatachi's side to do something? For example, kill the embedded mole Gensui within Kirigakure before they launch their attack?" Black Zetsu proposed. "We already have evidence of Gensui participating in the rebellion. Even if we eliminate him, it probably won't cause much chaos within Kirigakure. This way, without internal coordination, they will inevitably clash head-on with the defending ninjas at Kirigakure's main gate. Although the ninjas leading the rebel army in each direction are stronger, with the geographical advantage, they won't be able to breach Kirigakure immediately and will inevitably break out into intense, bloody battles."

"No need. For now, let's just play it according to their script," Uchiha Douhuan said.

"Why? Isn't them fighting each other exactly in line with your intention to throw Kirigakure into chaos?" Black Zetsu was somewhat puzzled.

"If we follow your plan, Ancestor, although Kirigakure will be extremely chaotic that night three days from now, it will only be chaotic for that one night. Yagura Karatachi's genjutsu probably won't last long in an intense battle," Uchiha Douhuan stated.

"Yes," Black Zetsu nodded. "If Yagura Karatachi clashes with them, it won't be long before the genjutsu Madara previously cast on him through the Three-Tails will be broken. But by that time, Yagura Karatachi won't be alive either."

"With both sides suffering heavy losses, the remaining people, after the leader of one side falls, will on the contrary find it easier to put aside their differences and unite. After all, they were all ninjas from the same village before," Uchiha Douhuan said. "If it goes like that, although Kirigakure's strength would greatly decrease, it will recover its vitality someday. With the ocean as their barrier, if they want to rest and recuperate, it will be very difficult for either us or Kumogakure to directly attack their homeland. After they recover their vitality, dealing with them will require a lot of effort."

"Then, what do you plan to do?" Black Zetsu asked.

"Hehe, naturally, the Fourth Mizukage is heavily besieged. For the sake of the village's succession, he requests aid from the Land of Fire, a fellow major power, to quell the rebellion. Although the Fourth Mizukage sacrifices himself in the rebel siege, the Sky Soldiers of the Land of Fire help him suppress this rebellion. What does Ancestor think of this script?" Uchiha Douhuan said with a smile.

After hearing Uchiha Douhuan's words, Black Zetsu hesitated somewhat. But Uchiha Douhuan's next sentence made Black Zetsu's eyes light up.

"As payment for dispatching troops, Kirigakure needs to pay the Land of Fire all military expenses for this operation. Furthermore, if Kirigakure is unable to pay the military expenses, they proactively offer two Tailed Beasts to offset the huge debt."

"Let's do it just like that! You really have a way!" Black Zetsu said excitedly. Previously, although the Three-Tails was under his and Obito's control, they couldn't directly take possession of it. After all, the genjutsu seal on the Three-Tails wasn't stable, and the Three-Tails Jinchuriki was, on paper, still Kirigakure's Fourth Mizukage. Forcibly taking the Three-Tails would likely trigger a series of huge reactions. But now, if they proceeded according to Uchiha Douhuan's plan, not only could they reasonably take away the Three-Tails, but they could also package the Six-Tails along with it.

This way, counting the Nine-Tails Konoha originally possessed and the Seven-Tails already settled in Konoha, Konoha could directly recover four Tailed Beasts. Adding the Five-Tails Akatsuki recovered some time ago, the Moon's Eye Plan would be just a little more than halfway to completion! How could this not make Black Zetsu ecstatic?

[Mama! I'll be able to save you soon!]

Black Zetsu thought, looking excitedly at Uchiha Douhuan. Uchiha Douhuan, on the other hand, returned a meaningful smile.

(End of Chapter)