Everyone was stunned!
Is this even possible?!
Who would have thought?
As more intelligence reports came in, they learned about Haruto Saito's operation in greater detail, which left them in utter shock! His plan was as precarious as walking a tightrope—if even a small part of the initial setup had gone wrong, it would have been exposed, leading to complete failure.
But what shocked them the most was the method he used!
Flooding the Mist Village forces? Only he could have come up with such an idea!
Reports indicated that the Mist Village's First and Third Army Corps had been disbanded. The remaining combat forces were reorganized into a special operations unit, while over two thousand injured soldiers were being hastily evacuated back to the Land of Water.
The Mist Village had even deployed the Second Army Corps across the sea to provide emergency support the very next day.
The losses Mist suffered this time were catastrophic!
While they had only lost about a thousand troops to death, the number of injured was immense. In warfare, the pressure caused by a single death was far less than that caused by a severely wounded soldier.
A dead soldier couldn't fight and had no further value to the army, but severely wounded ones were a logistical nightmare—they required care, protection, treatment, and a massive expenditure of resources.
In this sense, while the First and Third Army Corps hadn't been completely wiped out and could still reconstitute a highly elite strike force, the burden of their injured soldiers meant that these two corps were effectively crippled!
This also meant that the crisis in Uzushio was now effectively neutralized.
While Mist Village still had military forces at its disposal, they now had to consider the need for homeland defense and the immense logistical costs of long-distance warfare. Mist had never deployed multiple corps in a foreign campaign simultaneously because the supply costs were too high, the supply lines too long, and the financial burden too great.
Originally, if the First and Third Corps had succeeded in securing a stronghold in Uzushio, they could have sustained themselves, solving the logistical issue. Mist could have even sent reinforcements.
But Haruto Saito had ruined everything!
Mist was still a formidable force.
But this year, they had invested an enormous amount of resources into the Uzushio campaign. Now, with two army corps decimated and in need of restructuring, and massive costs for treating the wounded, Mist was in no position to launch another invasion anytime soon.
However, the Mist Village still remained a significant threat to Uzushio.
While they had lost the capability for a full-scale occupation, smaller-scale military actions and targeted assassinations by ninja operatives remained viable threats.
---
Haruto Saito's name was rapidly ascending to legendary status, standing alongside the most powerful figures of the era. Whether his reputation would be fleeting or not remained to be seen, but the title of "Scarlet Eye of the Leaf" had now become one of the most defining symbols of the Second Great Ninja War!
Meanwhile, the White Fang of the Leaf had also gained immense renown in the Land of Rain. His exploits, once known only to high-ranking ninjas, had now spread across the entire shinobi world. His fame had even reached the common people!
Yet compared to the Scarlet Eye, the White Fang still fell short!
Haruto Saito was a miracle maker!
His strike against Mist had achieved an unprecedented victory, making him perhaps the most accomplished independent shinobi of the entire Second Great Ninja War!
As a result, the bounty on Haruto Saito's head had skyrocketed in the black market!
Reports indicated that all five great ninja villages—excluding the Leaf—viewed him as a serious threat. Mist Village bore a grudge that would never fade; Haruto Saito was destined to be remembered as their ultimate nemesis, a villain in their history books. Meanwhile, the other three great villages found it impossible to accept that such a young ninja had already achieved so much.
They could acknowledge that he was a genius.
But he wasn't just a genius—he was a highly intelligent and strategic genius. And that made him dangerous.
There were many talented shinobi who became powerful warriors, but very few had the qualities of a true leader.
Haruto Saito had proven himself capable not just in combat, but also in leadership, management, and strategy. He was not only a fearsome warrior but also a capable commander and administrator, with an unmatched ability to generate wealth and manage resources.
Because of this, just a few days after the battle, the bounty on his head in the black market skyrocketed from a little over one hundred million ryo to over three hundred million ryo! This astronomical price was a result of combined efforts from over twenty anonymous clients.
Haruto Saito's bounty had officially shattered all previous records!
According to reports, the previous highest bounty ever recorded in history had been set over two decades ago.
During the early years of the Leaf Village, around Year Five, the bounty on Senju Hashirama's head had once surpassed two hundred million ryo on the black market. However, after his sudden passing in Year Seven, the bounty contracts were all canceled. His successor, Senju Tobirama, then established the framework for the modern ninja academy in Year Eight.
Haruto Saito had once again made history!
Though this was not the kind of record he would have wanted to set.
---
**Land of Fire, Hidden Leaf Village.**
**Seven days after the Battle of Tidal Mountain.**
It was a moonless night, with thick clouds obscuring the sky.
Behind the Hyuga Clan's grand estate.
In the same dimly lit courtyard as before, beneath the flickering lantern, two figures stood under the eaves—Danzo Shimura and Hyuga Raiyo.
"Today, Koharu and I approached Hiruzen to discuss Haruto Saito. He's far too young, no matter how great his achievements. He can have any position, given his record, but an advisor's seat is too much… Hiruzen wouldn't listen. He's stubborn, unwilling to reconsider," Danzo spoke in a low, measured tone, his eyes dark and calculating beneath his mask.
"The Hokage…" Hyuga Raiyo began, pausing for a moment before continuing, "It seems he's paving the way for that kid. If Haruto Saito secures his place as an advisor, and if the Hokage ever decides to step down… he might just be the successor."
Danzo scoffed coldly.
"Even if you and the other advisors convened a special council to remove him, I doubt it would work…" Hyuga Raiyo added. "His achievements are too significant—far too big for you to justify removing him. His age isn't a valid argument anymore; for someone like Haruto Saito, age is irrelevant."
The council did, in theory, have the authority to remove any advisor—or even the Hokage himself.
But no one had ever dared to do so.
In truth, no one really knew what Hiruzen Sarutobi was planning.
Hyuga Raiyo's theory was just one possibility. But he mentioned it for a reason—because he knew it was the scenario Danzo feared the most.
"Uzushio is safe now. The Mist Village has lost its ability to launch a full-scale invasion," Danzo suddenly said, changing the subject.
Hyuga Raiyo remained silent.
Danzo lifted his hand, passing a small scroll to Hyuga Raiyo.
Taking it, Hyuga Raiyo watched as Danzo vanished in a blur.
Unrolling the scroll, he found just three words:
**Furuta Village.**