Those ninja clans are the real key.
Especially the leading Uchiha and Hyuga clans.
The inheritance of these Kekkeigenkai clans is extraordinarily complete, and the Kekkeigenkai has never been broken, capable of continuously producing elite combat power for Konoha.
Once the number of these ninjas increases, the power generated by gathering together is even stronger than the individual Sannin.
Kekkeigenkai and secret technique ninja clans are the true foundation of Konoha, while civilian ninjas are just cannon fodder on the battlefield.
To weaken Konoha, one must first target its ninja village, exploiting their internal conflicts to deplete their strength.
This is the future strategic plan against Konoha proposed in the Hidden Cloud's high-level meeting.
Currently, Konoha has already fallen into their meticulously crafted trap.
When the Third Hokage wanted to resolve the matter peacefully, it had already become irretrievable.
According to the Third Hokage's long-standing policy of appeasement, he certainly wouldn't want to reignite war.
As the Fourth Raikage's personal secretary, Mabui naturally saw this clearly.
Her duty is to study the current development of the various ninja villages for the Fourth Raikage, and make precise judgments and analyses.
"Next, Raikage-sama, you just need to calmly wait for the results from Konoha's side. The daimyo will also put pressure on the Land of Fire."
Mabui appeared full of confidence.
Although the combined power of the Five Great Nations used to be led by the Land of Fire, that is a thing of the past.
Now is the era of ninja wars replacing ordinary soldiers in war; ninja villages are a nation's military strength.
The stronger a nation's ninja village, the louder its voice on the international stage.
Konoha, already on a disadvantageous footing, naturally makes the Land of Fire unable to assert itself.
"It always feels a bit convoluted; can't we think of a once-and-for-all solution?"
The Fourth Raikage's deep brown face frowned.
"If we press too hard, the other ninja villages will have opinions. As far as I know, because we, the Hidden Cloud, have been expanding the military power of our ninjas over the years, the other villages have already started to be wary of us."
Mabui sighed, hoping the Fourth Raikage could calm down a bit.
"Is it that old man Onoki? Then bring it on; just right for this period, I also want to concentrate on training and further enhance the power of the Lightning Style Armor."
The Fourth Raikage snorted, clearly aware of the current situation of the Hidden Cloud Village.
As one of the Five Great Nations' Ninja Villages, they are all growing cautiously wary of each other, and the Hidden Cloud's consistent advocacy for a strong military policy naturally elicits apprehension from the other villages.
"I understand, during Raikage-sama's absence, I'll handle the political affairs well."
Mabui nodded slightly, not obstructing the Fourth Raikage's actions.
In fact, the Fourth Raikage never seemed like the kind of ninja who would just sit quietly in an office.
Being the Fourth Raikage's secretary has only been for a few years, and occasionally in idle chats, the other Jonin mentioned how their Fourth Raikage had once been defeated by the Hyuga clan's Byakugan and Gentle Fist.
These past years of honing his Lightning Style Armor was aimed at one day erasing that shame.
As one of the Five Kage of his time, yet being suppressed by a renegade ninja from Konoha had always been a thorn in the Fourth Raikage's heart.
Even a renegade ninja fleeing Konoha had such power, and Mabui had been grateful more than once.
Fortunately, such a ninja defected Konoha before the war began.
Otherwise, the Third Great Ninja War would've been Konoha's absolute victory, crushing the other villages.
After the Fourth Raikage left, Mabui continued handling the documents on the desk.
Glancing over a document, Mabui's brows slightly furrowed.
This document recorded some intelligence on the Hidden Mist Village.
Currently, the one in power in the Hidden Mist Village as the Fourth Mizukage is Karatachi Yagura.
This Fourth Mizukage is a very dangerous individual.
The first in the ninja realm to ascend through a coup among the Five Kage.
During the coup, he ruthlessly massacred thousands of Hidden Mist Blood Mist ninjas, completely seizing power with a bloodless iron fist, becoming the absolute dictator of the Hidden Mist Village.
Bloodier than the Blood Mist refers to this Fourth Mizukage.
Under his current policy of isolationism, the Hidden Mist Village remains secluded, rarely letting information slip, almost becoming transparent among the Five Great Ninja Villages.
But Mabui dared not underestimate this baby-faced Mizukage, maintaining attention on him without wavering.
Judging by the way this Mizukage came to power, he might be the most dangerous of today's Five Kage.
His iron-fisted methods even made Mabui, as the Hidden Cloud Raikage's secretary, feel chills.
"After dealing with Konoha, we need to slightly watch out for the Hidden Mist Village's movements. The sudden isolation after a coup, although due to severe self-inflicted damage, makes me feel like the Hidden Mist Village is deliberately hiding something…"
The rise of the Hidden Cloud Village still has a long road ahead.
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When Ayane arrived in Konoha, it was already nine o'clock at night, a time of deep silence when most people were already asleep.
For her, once a member of Konoha's ninjas, slipping in unnoticed was extremely easy.
Back then, even though she retreated from Konoha via a hidden passage, she had long prepared another passage, hidden with a secret technique, connecting the inside and outside of Konoha, as an escape route for espionage personnel lurking within Konoha.