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What surprised Mizuto, however, was that among the people accompanying Chōmei Mei, there was a young boy about his age—roughly the same age as Deidara. The boy wore square-framed glasses and a light blue ninja outfit, and he appeared somewhat shy and timid, speaking in a hesitant tone in front of Chōmei Mei.
However, this seemingly timid and insecure youth carried an enormous, menacing blade on his back, which made him look particularly strange.
From what others had said, this boy was named Chōjiro, and he served as Chōmei Mei's personal bodyguard. What astonished Mizuto even more was that this boy was one of the legendary new generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—one of the youngest ever to inherit a great blade, specifically the Hiramekarei.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were infamous for their eccentric personalities, brutality, and merciless killing sprees. Mizuto had encountered Kisame Hoshigaki before—a man as fearsome as a shark. It was hard to associate the legendary Seven Swordsmen with this shy, unassuming boy.
Each battalion was led by a high-ranking member of the allied forces. Naturally, these leaders were chosen for both their strength and intelligence. Nearly ten thousand soldiers of the Water Country alliance marched steadily toward the Hidden Mist Village. At this pace, it would take only two to three days to reach their destination. When they arrived, they would be met with a brutal and bloody war.
However, almost no one noticed that, as the allied forces advanced, a half-white, half-black face slowly materialized on some concealed tree trunks—it was Zetsu.
"These rebels have finally moved out, and they've divided themselves into multiple battalions. It seems their actions are well-planned. Sending clones to monitor them from other locations was indeed the right decision," Black Zetsu's hoarse, sinister voice echoed.
"That's true. But Tobi has already decided to abandon the Hidden Mist Village. The outcome of this war is already set. Though the village itself is no longer a concern, the Three-Tails remains crucial for the organization's future plans. It's indispensable," White Zetsu added with a grin.
"No, actually, there's no need to capture the Three-Tails at this stage. Leader's technique still requires a long time to complete, and the sealing process must follow the order from One-Tail to Nine-Tails. Otherwise, the seal will become unstable and collapse. Even if we capture the Three-Tails now, it won't be useful and could expose the organization to unnecessary risks," Black Zetsu explained calmly.
"I see," White Zetsu murmured thoughtfully. "Let's go. For now, we'll report this information to Tobi. Meanwhile, we'll continue using our clones and the Mayfly Technique to monitor these guys and further weaken the Hidden Mist Village's strength. After all, it's one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, so reducing its power benefits both our current and future plans."
"You're right," White Zetsu chuckled. With that, Zetsu's body slowly merged into the tree trunk and disappeared without a trace. Not a single ninja detected their presence during this entire process.
Meanwhile, Mizuto, Deidara, and the group accompanying Chōmei Mei advanced swiftly through the dense forest. "When we arrive at the Hidden Mist Village, what exactly should we do? Surely we're not launching a direct assault immediately?" Mizuto asked, turning to Chōmei Mei ahead of him.
"You guessed it, little brother—exactly that! A direct assault!!!" Chōmei Mei winked flirtatiously at Mizuto and smiled.
"What?! Aren't we dealing with the Fourth Mizukage? Why are we leading the first wave of attacks?!" Mizuto exclaimed in shock, clearly confused.
"You're correct. Normally, as high-tier combatants, we wouldn't engage directly. But this situation is different—it's an internal conflict within the Land of Water. Our goal is to minimize casualties caused by the civil war. To achieve that, we must seize control of the Hidden Mist Village as quickly as possible. If we succeed in the first wave of attacks, it will significantly boost the morale of the allied forces. After all, everyone instinctively fears war. By doing this, we eliminate that fear and ignite the troops' fighting spirit!" Chōmei Mei explained confidently.
"I see," Mizuto said, suddenly enlightened. This strategy not only minimized casualties when breaking into the village but also boosted the morale of the allied forces—a brilliant move indeed. The Fourth Mizukage likely hadn't anticipated such an approach. In most large-scale wars, battles tended to drag on, and deploying elite forces in the initial assault was rare.
At this moment, Ao chimed in, "Moreover, the Hidden Mist Village has two entrances—one main gate and one back door. Attacking the main gate directly will draw the enemy's attention and firepower, providing support for the forces attacking from the rear entrance."
"Hmph! Why bother splitting up? Why not just charge straight through the main gate and fight those artless fools head-on? My art can end the battle instantly!!!" Deidara scoffed arrogantly.
"Oh? It seems your abilities are quite extraordinary, young man," Chōmei Mei teased with a seductive smile. However, Deidara remained unfazed, proudly declaring, "My art is the highest form of art—something you mortals could never comprehend, yeah!"
"Oh, is that so? I'd really like to see it for myself," Chōmei Mei said, genuinely intrigued by Deidara's so-called art.
At this point, Mizuto stepped in to explain Deidara's abilities to Chōmei Mei. "It's a forbidden technique from the Hidden Rock Village that involves infusing chakra into objects. No wonder this brat is so confident," Chōmei Mei chuckled softly.
"True. Deidara's abilities are perfect for a frontal assault. We'll count on you to handle the attack on the Hidden Mist's defenses," Mizuto said calmly.
"Hmph!!! So, Mizuto, deep down, you really do admire my art, don't you?! HAHAHAHA…." Hearing Mizuto's words, Deidara burst into uncontrollable laughter, utterly pleased with himself.