In the Kazekage's office in Sunagakure, Ebizō sat on the sofa, addressing Sōmi, who was seated opposite him.
"Regarding the two promising seedlings you mentioned to me earlier, it just so happens that the Land of Water has recently opened itself to the outside world."
"One of them, a young boy named Haku, has already been taken to an orphanage for care."
"However, it would be best if you sent Sasori over to check on him. After all, the child is already over a year old. I'm worried that as he grows, he might start recalling some memories of Kirigakure."
"For individuals from foreign villages, even though we were the ones who actively brought him here, it's better to be cautious and eliminate any potential risks."
"As for the other one, Kimimaro of the Kaguya clan, our informants have located the Kaguya clan's settlement. However, that clan is extremely xenophobic and notoriously temperamental."
"On top of that, their strength is formidable. Our informants couldn't infiltrate, nor could they force their way in."
"If you truly value this child, I'm afraid you'll have to make the trip yourself."
"This is a map of the Land of Water, with the Kaguya clan's settlement marked in red..."
Ebizō, ever thorough in his preparations, pulled a scroll from his waist and handed it to Sōmi.
Sōmi took the scroll, unrolling it immediately to examine the terrain of the Land of Water. His eyes quickly found the conspicuous red mark at the edge of the map.
"Understood!"
"Thank you, Elder Ebizō!"
Sōmi carefully rolled up the map and bowed respectfully to Ebizō in gratitude.
Ebizō waved his hand dismissively, his tone carrying a mix of jest and self-deprecation. "These days, it's a world for the young!"
"Ah, youth... daring to think, daring to act..."
"Unlike this old bag of bones, always hesitating and overthinking everything, lacking decisiveness..."
"You're too modest, Elder!"
"Young people's ideas can sometimes be overly aggressive. It's your experience that helps refine and detail our strategies, ensuring they're more reasonable and thorough. After all, we're all working for the village's development and the nation's prosperity."
Sōmi's tone was earnest.
He held great respect for elders like Ebizō, who were both virtuous and capable, yet unentangled by the desire for power.
What Sōmi despised were the so-called "elder relics" who contributed nothing practical, wielded their authority arrogantly, and spouted outdated platitudes while bossing others around.
"Well said... well said..."
"Kazekage! You've chosen an excellent disciple..."
Ebizō squinted slightly, chuckling softly.
"Haha!"
"I'm very pleased with this disciple of mine."
The Kazekage, who had been diligently writing at his desk, paused his work and smiled at Ebizō.
However, a sudden thought seemed to occur to the Kazekage. He glanced down at the mountain of documents on his desk, a look of distress crossing his face. "Elder, about the secretarial team I mentioned last time, why is it taking so long to finalize?"
"No rush, no rush... The secretarial team will have access to the highest-level secrets of our village. Loyalty and capability are both essential. How could it be so simple?"
Ebizō teased as he picked up the freshly brewed tea Sōmi had just poured for him, taking a light sip.
"Well then..."
Just as the Kazekage opened his mouth to say more, Ebizō interrupted, "Alright! Don't worry!"
"I've already selected the candidates. Once they've undergone some training, I'll send them over to you!"
The Land of Water, an island nation surrounded by the sea, boasted a thriving fishing industry and an abundance of marine life.
At dawn, as a thick mist blanketed the coastline, some fishermen were already calling out to their companions, heading toward the fishing boats they had pooled their money to purchase.
"Matsushita Shōsha!"
"Hurry up!"
"You're the only one we're waiting on!"
The group, already on the boat, spotted a dark figure through the dense white fog and shouted loudly.
"I'm coming! I'm coming!"
"What's the rush?"
A young man with gleaming dark skin sprinted toward the boat.
"Hurry up already! Stop dawdling! What were you doing?"
"This season's mantis shrimp, crabs, octopus, and mackerel are abundant. Just a few casts of the net, and we'll have a great haul!"
"If we're lucky enough to catch some blue lobsters or salmon, we might even earn enough to buy a bigger boat!"
A fisherman wearing a straw hat pushed Shōsha onto the boat as he spoke.
"I just saw a golden light fall from the sky. I followed it for a while but couldn't catch up, which is why I'm late."
Matsushita Shōsha turned to look back in the direction obscured by the thick fog.
"Stop dreaming! Gold falling from the sky? Really?"
"You must've spent too much time on your wife's belly last night and haven't woken up yet!"
The laughter of his companions rang out.
This was a rocky hill shrouded in dense mist. The hill was covered with irregular black and gray stones and stood only a few hundred meters high. Even in the Land of Water, it couldn't be considered a majestic mountain.
However, halfway up the hill, a clear river flowed along a path carved by the water, cascading down into the forest below and nourishing the greenery.
In a flat area along the river, the trees had long been cleared, replaced by rows of wooden buildings.
Although it was still early morning, the sounds of intense combat had already shattered the dawn's tranquility.
Following the source of the commotion, one would find a bonfire burning brightly.
Beside the fire sat a group of men who shared similar physical traits, clearly belonging to the same clan.
These men were all adults, their eyebrows forming tight, dark-red oval shapes. One even had eyebrows resembling inverted tadpoles—a truly peculiar sight.
On either side of their heads were symmetrical protrusions, wrapped in white cloth. At first glance, it looked as though they had small black dumbbells hanging from their heads.
These distinctive features could only belong to the Kaguya clan.
"Clan leader!"
"That damned elder not only refused our request to continue participating in the war but also secretly signed a surrender treaty with the Land of Wind!"
"And now he wants to end the Bloody Mist policy, saying we should enter a state of readiness but not wage war against other nations. What are we supposed to do?"
One member of the Kaguya clan spoke up.
"Exactly!"
"Clan leader!"
"Ending the Bloody Mist policy, forbidding us from killing, and yet refusing to go to war with other nations!"
"It's suffocating to hold back like this..."
Another clan member, his face twisted with brutality, shouted before turning to two others who were sparring. "You two, fight me!"
As he spoke, a sharp bone extended from his palm. Gripping this bone spear, he charged directly at the two combatants.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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