Steel Release, Steel Release Kekkei Genkai, and Ketsuryūgan

"A year ago, there were reportedly Steel Release shinobi active near the Land of Waves, but they soon vanished from public sight. Though that area isn’t part of the Land of Water, it remains within Kirigakure’s sphere of influence. It’s far away, there’s too little information, and it would be difficult both to act and to track them down."

"Among Kusagakure’s twelve jounin elders is a man named Gingyu. He possesses the Steel Release Kekkei Genkai and is quite formidable. He is also one of the top three core figures in Kusagakure. He would be easier to find, but killing him could cause some trouble. Still, he is a decent target."

"The last option is the Chinoike Clan in Hell Valley, on the border between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Hot Water. This clan was crippled by the Uchiha during the Warring States Period. I can’t say how many people remain now, but their Ketsuryūgan has tremendous potential. Kumogakure has also been pushing for the clan to join them.

"In terms of value, the Chinoike Clan is the most suitable target, but Kumogakure would be troublesome to deal with.

"As for the remaining Kekkei Genkai, their holders either belong to the Five Great Shinobi Villages, or the intelligence is over a year old and no longer useful as a reference."

Shimizu silently weighed his options.

The Steel Release shinobi in the Land of Waves had appeared a year ago. The place was remote and within Kirigakure’s sphere of influence. Sunagakure likely had little manpower or influence there, so they would not be easy to find.

Neither the Land of Grass nor the Land of Hot Water bordered Sunagakure directly.

However, the former was beside the Land of Rain, while the latter lay at the far end of the shinobi continent.

If he wanted to reach the Land of Hot Water, there were only two routes.

One was to first reach the Land of Rain, then cross the entire Land of Fire.

That route could be ruled out immediately. If he truly entered the Land of Fire and Konoha discovered him, he would be in serious trouble.

The other route required making a huge detour. He would likewise depart from the Land of Rain, then travel through the Land of Grass, the Land of Falls, the Land of Iron, the Land of Fields, and several other small countries. The journey would be long.

"I see…"

The Third Kazekage was thinking as well.

Steel Release could be excluded for now. That left Steel Release Kekkei Genkai and the Ketsuryūgan.

One target was among Kusagakure’s top three figures, stronger than an ordinary jounin. The other was an entire shinobi clan.

Even though they had once lost to the Uchiha, the Ketsuryūgan was still a powerful ocular Kekkei Genkai that surpassed most bloodlines in the shinobi world. Even if few members remained, they would not be something ordinary shinobi could handle.

Not to mention that it was Kumogakure’s sphere of influence.

The team assigned to this mission had to be strong enough, and the leader could not be an ordinary jounin. They also needed sufficient capability to resolve any problems they encountered…

The Third Kazekage’s gaze quietly shifted to Shimizu.

"Shimizu, I’ll have you lead this mission. Bring back Gingyu’s corpse from Kusagakure, and while you’re at it, see whether the Land of Grass has inherited Steel Release. Keep yourself as clean as possible, and frame Iwagakure and Konoha for it.

"As for the Chinoike Clan, recruit them if you can. Sunagakure would gladly accept a new Kekkei Genkai clan. If you cannot, then do not let them join any other shinobi village.

"Choose your own personnel. Oh, bring Baki along and treat this as his jounin promotion examination. As for the specifics, I trust you can handle them."

The Third Kazekage immediately issued Shimizu an S-rank mission order.

The meeting ended, and the group quickly left the Kazekage’s Office Building.

Rasa went to select elite Anbu personnel, while Ebizo went to contact several rogue shinobi organizations outside the village that served as their proxies.

Shimizu began selecting personnel as well.

Since the Third Kazekage had said to treat this mission as Baki’s jounin promotion examination, Baki naturally had to take one of the slots.

The kid had now mastered both Wind Release and Earth Release Nature Transformation. He had also attended Shimizu’s Swordsmanship Improvement Class, and his strength had already reached jounin standards.

Little Baki was doing well now. If this mission succeeded, he would become a jounin at fourteen. His value to Sunagakure would greatly increase, and his future potential might be higher than in the original timeline.

Pakura could come too. This was not a honeymoon trip; she had only recently awakened Scorch Release, and it would be best for her to use combat of a certain standard to establish her new combat system.

An elite jounin’s strength was enough to handle most problems. Even if they encountered a Kage-level expert, she could barely exchange a few moves with them.

These two were the core of his own core followers and naturally had to be cultivated carefully.

That left one person for a four-man squad.

Ideally, it would be an experienced veteran jounin with enough knowledge and considerable strength.

Kazakami Senran, Sunakami Sayama, and Ishido would all work.

They were all his people. When the time came for the Fourth Kazekage election, barring any surprises, they would certainly choose to stand with him.

But he could also choose some jounin from the neutral faction, build goodwill with them during this mission, and preferably establish some ties.

It was time for him to build his own faction within Sunagakure.

He could smoothly take over the intelligence division and Puppet Force that Ebizo and Chiyo had managed for many years in the future, but that did not mean he could simply wait for those things. He still had to do what needed to be done.

"A jounin promotion examination?"

When Baki saw the mission order in Shimizu’s hand, he was so excited he nearly jumped up.

Of the three of them, he was now the only one who was not a jounin.

"Mm. I wanted to ask, does Senior Kurokawa have time right now? I’d like to invite him to assist with this mission."

Shimizu spoke to Baki.

Kurokawa had been Baki’s jounin instructor during his genin days. During the Ninja World War, Shimizu had dealt with Kurokawa several times, and his team had also carried out missions alongside Kurokawa.

He was a fairly capable elite jounin, over forty years old and highly experienced.

"Teacher Kurokawa? He should be carrying out a mission in the Land of Rivers right now. He probably won’t be back anytime soon."

That was rather unfortunate.

"However, I do have another jounin on my side. I can try inviting him for you."

"Oh?"

Shimizu was somewhat curious.

Who was worth Baki’s recommendation?

"The vice-captain of the Elite Combat Force I’m currently serving in, Sada. He might be a little weaker than Teacher Kurokawa, but he is not weak among jounin. He specializes in Earth Release and Fire Release."

Then Baki suddenly wore a rather gossipy expression.

"About three years ago, Senior Sada pursued Karura, then got beaten up by Rasa. There’s some bad blood between them. Last year, Rasa became deputy director of the Anbu and gave Jounin Sada no small amount of trouble."

There was such a story?

He had offended Rasa by pursuing Karura, so he was probably among those least willing to see Rasa become Kazekage.

Now that Shimizu had risen abruptly to prominence, Sada had likely also been in contact with Baki, Shimizu’s friend.

Then he would do.