Chapter 404
After the Third Mist Legion landed in the Land of Whirlpools, they quickly joined forces with the First Mist Legion.
In the past few months, the First Mist Legion had suffered nearly four hundred casualties due to assassinations and other factors. However, after merging with the Third Legion, their numbers had risen to 4,700. Some individuals were not part of the official military structure, making it difficult to determine the exact count.
In the following days, the two legions underwent troop adjustments. Some battalions and squads originally belonging to the First Legion were reassigned to the Third Legion, while the Third Legion also allocated personnel to the First Legion.
During this time, all major forces in the ninja world tried their best to gather intelligence on these two Mist legions. Their next actions could significantly influence the balance of power in the ninja world.
If they took an aggressive approach—combining their forces to push westward across the Land of Whirlpools with brute force—it would completely disrupt Konoha's strategic arrangements in the region. However, such a move would also be extremely dangerous for the Mist forces.
The Land of Whirlpools housed numerous factions, and Mist's aggressive advance would not only provoke Konoha but also stir up the many local groups. While these factions had limited numbers of ninja and samurai, their combined strength could surpass six thousand or more. The number of samurai was difficult to estimate, as many hunters and merchant guards were also skilled warriors.
If Mist advanced recklessly, they could find themselves mired in a quagmire. They might succeed, but they could also fail, especially since Konoha's Fourth Legion was stationed at the border, making failure more likely.
Now, the key question was: what would the Mist forces do next?
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June, in the village of Gutian.
Inside the underground base beneath the palace, Thirteen, the acting principal of Gutian Ninja Academy, was instructing over a thousand students. The youngest were only three years old, while the oldest were in their twenties.