I Am Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 321 - 321 Star Ninja's Combat Strength, Eight Hundred is Eight Hundred!

The meeting room was utterly silent.

The Kirigakure's higher-ups present, aside from Elder Genji, were few in number, appearing exceptionally sparse compared to the village's heyday.

The younger generation was represented only by Mei, who possessed two Kekkei Genkai, and Ao, who had one Byakugan.

Major Kekkei Genkai Clans like the Kaguya and Yuki Clans had long been wiped out under the Bloody Mist policy.

The once-feared [Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist] had also disintegrated, with members dead or turned traitor. The sole remaining member, Hozuki Mangetsu, was also unable to take on major responsibilities due to worsening illness.

The new generation's strength had not yet fully matured, leaving the entire Kirigakure with a worrying gap in its forces.

Everyone's feelings were complex.

On one hand, they felt anger and disappointment that Yagura, as the Mizukage, could be controlled for so long, bringing deep disaster to the village… but on the other hand, they also understood that the current Kirigakure was plagued by internal and external problems, its strength greatly diminished, and Yagura himself remained a powerful combatant.

Now, with the Land of Wind and the Land of Stars already at war, and the shadow of the Fourth Great Ninja War looming over the entire Ninja World, dealing with Yagura at such a time was far from wise.

Genji slowly opened his eyes, which were almost always narrowed. His aged voice echoed in the meeting room: "Mizukage-sama's initiative to take responsibility shows his heart is in the right place. However, the current situation is volatile, and Kirigakure is in need of personnel. The matter of electing a new Mizukage is of great importance but can be postponed for now."

He paused, his snake-shaped staff tapping lightly on the floor, and continued: "The urgent task now is to stabilize internally and present a united front externally. Moreover, we must strictly block the news! We absolutely cannot let the outside world know that our Kirigakure's Mizukage was controlled for several years! Otherwise, the consequences would be unthinkable!"

Subsequently, under Genji's direction, the meeting passed a resolution to limit the Mizukage's authority.

Yagura would retain the title of Fourth Mizukage, but his power would be checked by the Elder Councils and the Jonin Commander. He would also need to undergo regular examinations by Ao's Byakugan to ensure he was no longer under any Genjutsu control.

The meeting concluded in a solemn atmosphere.

After the other higher-ups left, Genji, Mei, and Ao remained.

Genji's wrinkled, bald head seemed somewhat dim under the light. He narrowed his eyes, looking at the exhausted Yagura, and directly asked the most critical question: "Mizukage-sama, the person who controlled you... was it the Land of Stars' Shura?"

This was the prevailing theory among Kirigakure's higher-ups.

The ability to control a Kage-level powerhouse for a long time without detection was far beyond the capability of an ordinary Ninja.

The Shura, who had suddenly risen in the ninja world in recent years with unfathomable strength, was undoubtedly the most suspicious target.

Yagura, however, shook his head decisively. He struggled to recall the memories from that period of control, which were like a thick fog, and said with certainty: "No, it wasn't him. The person who controlled me... used a Sharingan Genjutsu. Moreover, I have a vague feeling... that there seems to be... some kind of enmity between the one who controlled me and Shura."

"Enmity?" Genji and Mei frowned simultaneously.

They had heard from Yagura before that he was controlled by a Sharingan User, but that person wore a mask and was extremely mysterious… Yagura had never seen his true face.

Ao, standing to the side, a flicker of surprise and doubt in his unsealed left eye: "Could it be that besides Shura, there is another powerful Ninja hidden in this world with such strength and ambition?"

Mei, her hands crossed on the table, analyzed calmly: "It's not impossible. Elder Genji, do you remember the night of the Kaguya Clan's rebellion three years ago?"

"That mysterious person controlled Mizukage-sama to issue orders, dispatching three of the Seven Swordsmen, Hozuki Mangetsu, Suikazan Fuguki, and Biwa Juzo, to intercept Shura, who happened to have infiltrated Kirigakure. This clearly indicates that the mysterious person likely sensed Shura's intrusion through some special means, or even clashed with Shura directly and didn't gain the upper hand, hence urgently sending the Ninja Swordsmen to pursue, attempting to use them to kill Shura or probe his strength."

Genji's wrinkled face showed a look of recollection. He nodded slowly: "That's right... I remember. That night, the village not only lost the Kaguya Clan, but Suikazan Fuguki and Biwa Juzo also died, and Hozuki Mangetsu returned injured. Excellent Ninja like Momochi Zabuza also defected... the losses were severe."

Yagura also tried hard to recall. Although his memory was hazy, he still spoke as if piecing together fragments: "That night, after I was attacked by Momochi Zabuza... inside the Mizukage Building... there did seem to be a short but intense battle, a mysterious Ninja appeared... but the specific details, I really can't remember..."

Genji took a deep breath, his hunched body seeming to bend even further. The hand holding his snake staff tightened slightly: "So it seems... this Shura likely holds important information about this mysterious enemy!"

Mei added: "But Shura's appearance on the night of the Kaguya Clan's rebellion is itself suspicious. According to the intelligence we've gathered, during the Land of Stars' battle with the Land of Snow, individuals suspected of possessing the Kaguya Clan's Shikotsumyaku and the Yuki Clan's Ice Release Kekkei Genkai were seen."

The battle between the Land of Stars and the Land of Snow within the Land of Darkness's borders had many witnesses… Ninjas from both sides, plus numerous ordinary soldiers, rogue samurai, and refugees. It was difficult to completely block the news.

The intelligence networks of the various villages had long collected these scattered pieces of information and were analyzing them internally.

"The Kaguya Clan's Shikotsumyaku... the Yuki Clan's Ice Release..." Yagura muttered to himself, a pained expression appearing on his face.

These two Kekkei Genkai Clans, once the pride of Kirigakure, had met their end under the high-pressure policies implemented during his control.

Now, their Kekkei Genkai had appeared in the Land of Stars, thousands of miles away. It was a huge irony.

Genji's narrowed eyes almost closed completely. He said in a deep voice: "According to intelligence from our spies in Konoha, both the Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan's branch family experienced large-scale defections, ultimately joining the Land of Stars. It seems now that the number and variety of Kekkei Genkai Clans gathered in the Land of Stars likely... exceed the combined total of our Kirigakure and Sunagakure."

"What?!" Ao was greatly shocked upon hearing this. He knew all too well how difficult it was to gain the loyalty of such powerful Kekkei Genkai Clans.

He himself had only obtained this Byakugan by ambushing a Hyuga Clan's main family during the Third Great Ninja War, paying a heavy price for it.

And that Shura actually had a way to make the proud Uchiha clan follow him en masse, and could even break the Hyuga Clan's branch family's [Caged Bird]?

This was simply unbelievable!

Mei snorted lightly, a somewhat schadenfreude yet also grave smile curling at the corner of her red lips: "In that case... it seems Sunagakure has kicked an iron plate this time. Even if Konoha eventually joins the war, they probably won't gain much advantage."

Genji looked at Yagura and made a suggestion: "Mizukage-sama, the urgent task is to quickly restore the village's vitality and obtain more intelligence about the outside world, especially regarding the Land of Stars and that mysterious enemy. I recommend immediately dispatching elite Ninja skilled in infiltration to find a way into the Land of Stars."

Yagura nodded wearily, completely delegating authority: "Elder Genji, I entrust this matter entirely to you. For now... I am merely one atoning for his crimes."

"Before the next Mizukage is formally appointed, the only thing I can do is to cooperate with you and the others to the best of my ability, and try to tidy up the mess I personally created into something slightly more presentable."

His words were filled with powerless pain and deep guilt.

…

Star City, Military District Operations Command Center.

The atmosphere in the large circular meeting room was stern and grave.

A huge map of the Ninja World hung on the wall, with the border area between the Land of Wind and the Land of Stars covered in conspicuous red markings.

In the center of the room was an exquisitely crafted, detailed sand table, clearly modeling the terrain of the Sea of Death and the surrounding oases and towns.

Menma sat in the main seat, wearing his signature black robe with red edges. His heterochromatic eyes calmly scanned those present.

To his left sat Administrative Minister Uzumaki Kanon and Military Minister Uchiha Hikari, to his right were Finance Minister Oyashiro En, Anbu Commander Hoshigaki Kisame, and core combatants participating in the military council like Uchiha Shisui, Hyuga Hizashi, and Natsuhi.

The air was thick with the tension and a faint excitement of an impending major battle.

Hikari stood up. Her neat, dark blue clan attire accentuated her snow-white skin. Even with her Sharingan deactivated, her eyes naturally exuded a sharp aura.

Holding a scroll, she reported to Menma, and to everyone present, in a cool and steady voice:

"According to the latest statistics, the number of registered Ninja in our Land of Stars has broken eight hundred, reaching a total of eight hundred and seven."

This number caused slight reactions in the eyes of some newly joined members, like Shisui and Hizashi.

One had to know that even the Five Great Ninja Villages typically maintained only around two thousand Ninja in peacetime, with numbers doubling only during full wartime mobilization.

For instance, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, the entire Ninja World only assembled an Allied Shinobi Forces of eighty thousand. Excluding small villages and samurai from the Land of Iron, as well as Rogue Ninja and samurai, the Ninja from the Five Great Nations probably accounted for only half, meaning less than eight thousand Ninja per village.

Eight hundred Ninja, all full-time combat personnel, already placed them just below the Five Great Villages in terms of scale.

One had to remember that just three or four years ago, when Menma first took over the Hoshigakure, he had only just over two hundred Ninja of varying quality under his command!

Uchiha Hikari continued with the detailed data: "Among them, six hundred and two are Genin, one hundred and fifty-nine are Chunin, thirty-two are Special Jonin, and fourteen are Jonin."

She read out the Jonin list, each name representing a force not to be underestimated.

"The Jonin include: Uchiha Hikari, Uzumaki Kanon, Natsuhi, Hotarubi, Oyashiro En, Oyashiro Jin, Gotta, Hoshigaki Kisame, Yakushi Nono, Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Izumi, Uchiha Inabi, Hyuga Hizashi, Hyuga Tokuma."

This list almost encompassed all of the Land of Stars' current top-tier combatants on record.

And this was only the registered Ninja belonging to the official ninja military forces.

Individuals like the former Hoshigake, now Justice Minister Yosei, Kakuzu, who was outside protecting the Gato Company's business activities, Orochimaru from the laboratory, and the semi-retired but still combat-capable Otsutsuki Shuto were not counted.

If one added the reanimated Kushina and Minato, the actual usable combat power at Jonin-level and above approached twenty individuals.

Among them, Shisui, as well as Kisame, possessed the strength of powerful Kage-level fighters, and Hikari was even beyond that.

And the reanimated Minato and Kushina were at their peak strength!

This force was enough to contend head-on with any of the Five Great Ninja Villages!

The Jonin list also injected a dose of confidence into those present.

Although the total troop numbers were far inferior to a major village, the quality of their high-end combat power was enough to draw attention.

Compared to half a year ago, the significant growth in the Land of Stars' mid-to-high-end combat power was mainly due to the wholesale addition of the Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan's branch family, bringing a large number of experienced Ninja.

The improvement in lower-to-mid-tier combat power, meanwhile, benefited from the gradual deployment of the revolutionary [Chakra Kinetic Armor].

This armor not only greatly enhanced the user's physical stamina and defense, but its built-in scientific ninja tools also allowed elite ordinary members of the police force, after training, to stably perform some basic Ninjutsu.

Their comprehensive combat strength was comparable to ordinary Genin, with a few outstanding individuals even reaching Chunin level.

Oyashiro En, appointed as Chief of Staff of the Star Ninja Army, walked to the large sand table. Picking up a slender pointer, he aimed it at the vast area marked Sea of Death. His expression beneath his orange sunglasses also turned serious:

"Based on the General Staff's comprehensive assessment combining various intelligence sources, Sunagakure under wartime conditions can initially mobilize a standing force of approximately three thousand Ninja. If they conduct a full wartime mobilization, they could potentially field five thousand, even six thousand Ninja at maximum capacity!"

This number made the air in the meeting room grow even heavier.

Eight hundred against three thousand, or potentially even five or six thousand!

"Although the vast majority of Sunagakure's Ninjas are Genin with limited combat effectiveness, we must consider the worst-case scenario." Oyashiro En's pointer swept over several key nodes within the Land of Stars' borders.

These were the Land of Stars' major cities, railway hubs, large warehouses, bridges, ports, and other important facilities...

"If the enemy adopts a strategy of dispersing into small units, sending numerous small teams to infiltrate our territory and conduct indiscriminate harassment and sabotage operations... They don't need to engage us in direct decisive battles. Simply destroying our transportation lines, supply warehouses, and key facilities would be enough to slow our war pace, causing huge economic losses and public panic. At that time, just clearing out these scattered 'rats' would exhaust us, consuming a large amount of manpower originally intended for the main front."

He pointed the pointer firmly at the markers for several oases and towns in the southern part of the Sea of Death, emphasizing: "Therefore, the General Staff's opinion is highly unified: We cannot defend passively, and we must take the initiative! Push the front line into the Land of Wind's territory!"

"Two days ago, upon receiving Shura-sama's order, Hikari-sama ordered the formation of the First Army Division as the vanguard force. It comprises twelve squads, supported by medical teams and logistics support units, totaling one hundred and seventy personnel. Currently, they have already entered the Sea of Death and successfully taken control of eight key oases and four cities in the southern part of the Sea of Death, initially establishing a forward defense line."

"Our strategic goal is, through active offensive operations, to firmly contain the flames of war within the Land of Wind's borders. Force Sunagakure to concentrate its main forces on the frontal defense line, leaving them no capacity for anything else, thereby fundamentally preventing the possibility of them conducting large-scale infiltration and harassment deep into our territory!"

"Then, in one push, advance the front line to Sunagakure itself! Force Sunagakure to either surrender or have its village stormed!"