"What on earth is going on?"
Inside an office in the Mizukage's building, Obito's voice came out hoarse, laced with confusion—and beneath that, a simmering anger he couldn't quite suppress.
Who knew what that damned, mysterious man was thinking? The violent tremors that had just shaken the village like an earthquake had already caused chaos throughout Kirigakure. Worse still, many shinobi had sensed something far more alarming hidden within the shaking—an intense and unsettling fluctuation of chakra.
It was strange, unfamiliar… yet unmistakably real.
No one believed it was a natural phenomenon.
And Obito least of all.
After all, he knew very well that there was an outsider in Kirigakure—a man of terrifying strength.
If nothing unexpected had occurred, then this disturbance could only have been his doing.
But what was he trying to accomplish? Was he fighting someone? Why unleash such overwhelming power at a time like this, when the situation was already so delicate? The more Obito thought about it, the more both confusion and irritation gnawed at him.
Black Zetsu was no less perplexed.
If even Obito could piece together so many possibilities, then how could someone like Black Zetsu—who had existed for over a thousand years—not think even further?
He refused to believe that the mysterious Nine-Tails jinchūriki would act without purpose.
Was this a test, probing their reaction?
Or perhaps a diversion, meant to draw their attention elsewhere while he carried out some hidden plan?
Or… was it a deliberate show of force, a warning meant to pressure them into submission?
Black Zetsu ran through every possibility he could think of, yet none of them felt quite right. Not once did it occur to him that the man might simply be testing a new technique.
After all, no sane person would practice jutsu in the heart of enemy territory.
"I can't figure it out either," Black Zetsu finally admitted, shaking his head with a faint sigh. "Whatever it is, it's strange… and that man's strength is far beyond ordinary."
"It really is," Obito agreed, frowning as he recalled the reports he had seen. "That level of destruction… it's not something just anyone could achieve."
The technique Natsuhiko had used—Konohanasakuya-hime—had only been a preliminary attempt, yet it had been executed at the absolute limit of his chakra output.
He hadn't even supplemented it with senjutsu or the Nine-Tails' chakra.
And still, what he wielded was a kekkei tōta—a fusion of three chakra natures, on the same tier as Dust Release.
Back then, Ōnoki had used Dust Release at great cost to completely obliterate Madara Uchiha's Wood Release: Deep Forest Bloom, freeing the Five Kage from what would have otherwise been a slow death by poisonous pollen.
Natsuhiko's chakra reserves might not match Ōnoki's… but Ōnoki had already been worn down by prolonged battle at the time.
Natsuhiko, on the other hand, had been in perfect condition.
Unleashing his chakra at full power under such circumstances—even without refined mastery—produced a result so overwhelming it bordered on despair.
By Natsuhiko's own estimation, that single strike likely carried about half the power of the slash Madara had delivered with his Perfect Susanoo against the Five Kage.
Madara had cleaved through several mountain peaks in one blow.
Natsuhiko figured he could manage to cut down one at most—after that, the lingering force of the blade would fade rapidly.
"…Forget it. There's no point overthinking this," Black Zetsu said at last, shaking his head after a long silence. "He probably doesn't know about us yet. Most likely, he's here for the Fourth Mizukage."
"That makes sense," Obito replied with a quiet nod. "As the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, his target would naturally be the Three-Tails' host."
He had already considered this possibility long ago.
"It seems we'll just have to wait… and let him make the first move."
"Actually… I do have a way to force him out into the open."
After a moment of contemplation, Black Zetsu suddenly let out a low chuckle. Paired with his pitch-black face, that eerie smile made him look all the more unsettling.
"Oh?" Obito frowned slightly, a hint of disgust flickering in his eyes at the sight, but he still played along. "What are you thinking?"
"The Mist has been too stable. In a place like this, he might not feel the need to act," Black Zetsu said slowly, his tone low and hoarse, yet carrying a strange, almost hypnotic resonance. "But what if the village were to suddenly fall into chaos?"
His expression darkened further as he continued.
"The Kaguya clan killed our ANBU—and to this day, they haven't provided any reasonable explanation. Raising a hand against your own comrades is no different from betraying the village."
"And besides, that clan has never truly submitted to our control."
"If they were to be eliminated… it might also flush out other unstable elements lurking within the village. In that case—"
He stopped mid-sentence, fixing Obito with a cold, sinister gaze, the rest of his meaning hanging unspoken in the air.
Obito stared back at him, unmoving. For a long moment, neither of them spoke, and an awkward silence settled between them.
Finally, Obito broke it, his voice tinged with confusion. "So… what happens next?"
"…"
For a split second, Black Zetsu almost raised a hand to his forehead in frustration, but he restrained himself.
He had long known that Obito wasn't the sharpest mind—after all, most of their plans had always been devised by him. But even so, for Obito to still not understand after things had been spelled out this clearly…
At this point, it wasn't just a lack of sharpness. It was downright exasperating.
Still, stupidity had its uses. If Obito were any sharper, manipulating him wouldn't have been nearly so easy.
"Simply put, we take this opportunity to purge the village of its unstable elements more thoroughly," Black Zetsu said at last, forcing himself to remain calm as he laid out his plan in full.
"You've always wanted to take revenge on Kirigakure, haven't you? This is the perfect chance."
"We'll assume that the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki intends to target the Three-Tails' host. So, we deliberately place the Three-Tails' jinchūriki on the battlefield."
"If everything goes as planned… it could lead to even greater destruction. Don't you think?"
"That's a good plan!"
This time, Obito finally pieced everything together. His eyes lit up as understanding dawned on him, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
Cruel? Without a doubt.
But undeniably effective.
With that thought, he stood up abruptly. "Wiping out a Kaguya clan member could draw out more unstable elements—and even provoke reactions from the other clans. Good… very good."
By the end, his voice had turned into a low, grinding snarl.
He had never forgotten that moment—when Kakashi's hand pierced straight through Rin's chest.
Nor had he forgotten how the ANBU of Kirigakure had hunted them down relentlessly, forcing them into desperate flight.
Everyone involved in that tragedy… anyone even remotely connected…
He would not let a single one of them go.
Kirigakure. Konoha. His former teacher. Kakashi. The shinobi of the Mist.
One by one, he would settle the score.
One by one, he would make them pay.
—
In the central district of Kirigakure, Genji sat quietly within an old, somewhat austere room.
Before him lay two masks, charred beyond recognition.
His face remained calm as ever, but deep within, a heavy sigh echoed silently.
Ao was dead. The Byakugan was gone.
Mei Terumī—his most promising subordinate, the one he had held the highest hopes for—had been reduced to nothing more than a pile of burnt remains.
The blow was a heavy one.
He couldn't understand why any of this had happened… nor how Mei and the others had been dragged into it.
"The Kaguya clan… the Mizukage…"
Genji let out a quiet sigh. There was no overt emotion in his voice, only a chilling stillness.
According to the initial investigation, it seemed that members of the Kaguya clan had clashed with ANBU forces, leading to a fierce and deadly confrontation.
And in that battle… everyone had died.
Not a single survivor.
At least, that was what the preliminary findings suggested. Whether anyone had actually survived remained uncertain.
If there were survivors, they would likely belong either to the Kaguya clan… or to the Mizukage's side.
What Genji could not accept was that a task he had considered so simple… had ultimately cost the lives of two outstanding shinobi.
No matter who had made the move, the result left Genji seething with anger.
If it had been the Kaguya clan, then everything would make perfect sense. That group of reckless fools—once they realized they were being monitored—would absolutely be capable of something like this.
But if it had been the Mizukage's ANBU, that explanation wasn't unreasonable either. The power struggle between the Mizukage and the elders had always existed, simmering beneath the surface.
Now, with the current Mizukage ruling with an iron hand and pushing through sweeping reforms in Kirigakure, the two sides had long since reached a point of sharp opposition.
In such a climate, it wouldn't be surprising at all if the Mizukage's faction had used the Kaguya clan as a cover, quietly eliminating some of their rivals.
Understanding it, however, did not mean Genji could accept it.
The only reason he was still able to maintain his composure was because, at his core, he still cared deeply about Kirigakure.
He knew all too well that the moment he made a move, the Mizukage would gain both justification and opportunity to strike them down without restraint.
And while, in name, he held command over much of the village's shinobi forces, reality was far less favorable. When forced to choose between the Mizukage and an elder, how many would truly stand on the elder's side?
Their power base was still insufficient. Their legitimacy, tenuous at best.
If they acted now, it would be no different from inviting death.
Closing his eyes, Genji forced himself to calm down again and again.
A shinobi must remain composed at all times—only with absolute clarity of mind could one face the countless uncertainties ahead.
"Elder."
A knock sounded at the door, pulling Genji's thoughts back to the present.
"Come in," he said, letting out a quiet breath before regaining his usual authoritative tone.
The door slid open, and an ANBU operative stepped inside, moving silently before dropping to one knee. With both hands, he presented a scroll to Genji.
"Elder, this contains the latest findings from the investigation," the ANBU said in a low voice.
Genji nodded and accepted the scroll, unfurling it quickly.
In the next instant, his eyes sharpened.
The information recorded within was nothing short of astonishing.
According to the investigation, the site near the Kaguya clan was not a single battlefield.
There had been multiple.
And that detail alone changed everything.
If there were multiple sites, then it meant that whether it was the Kaguya clan, the ANBU, or even their own people… they might not have killed each other at all.
Could there have been a third party present—someone who, for their own purposes, had slaughtered everyone involved?
If so, then that person was truly terrifying.
Genji's thoughts raced as he analyzed the implications. Whoever had acted must have been both meticulous and overwhelmingly powerful—so much so that their victims had no chance to resist.
Ao possessed the Byakugan and was a battle-hardened veteran; his strength was beyond doubt.
And with Mei Terumī—a prodigy who wielded two kekkei genkai—fighting alongside him, for them both to fall like this…
It spoke volumes about just how formidable their opponent must have been.
More than that, this mysterious figure had targeted both the ANBU and the Kaguya clan alike.
Most alarming of all, the entire operation had been carried out with minimal disturbance.
In the end, the bodies had even been gathered together, deliberately staged to create the illusion of a mutual clash between the ANBU and the Kaguya clan.
Perhaps the ANBU themselves had already noticed that something was off.
But the one seated at the pinnacle of power—the Mizukage—might very well prefer things to appear this way.
At that thought, Genji's heart suddenly clenched.
For a fleeting moment, an unsettling suspicion surfaced in his mind.
Could it have been the Mizukage?
If it were him… then catching all those people off guard wouldn't be difficult at all...
Genji cut off the thought almost immediately, unwilling to let it continue.
If that were true… then the consequences would be far too severe to imagine.
Aside from the revelation about multiple battle sites, the report contained one more detail.
According to the investigation—
one body was missing.
It was precisely this piece of information that made Genji unwilling to continue suspecting the Fourth Mizukage.
After all, who could say for certain that an enemy hadn't infiltrated the village, disguising themselves as an ANBU operative before launching a sudden ambush?
And when he thought of the recent upheaval—the earth-shaking disturbance accompanied by that vast, suffocating chakra that inspired both awe and despair—it all pointed to one undeniable conclusion:
Nothing about this situation was simple.
After a long silence, Genji finally spoke. "How many people have seen this report?"
"And on the Mizukage's side… do they have anything similar?"
"Elder, no one else knows about this," the ANBU replied, lowering his head deeply, his tone steady and controlled. "The ANBU division has reportedly sealed all related information. They're currently mobilizing toward the Kaguya clan and haven't conducted any further investigation."
"As for us, only a very small number of personnel are aware of this matter."
"I see." Genji nodded quietly before rising to his feet, his expression turning grave. "Forget about this. Completely forget it. Do not reveal it to anyone—understood?"
"Yes, Elder!" The ANBU's voice was firm, unwavering.
"You may go."
With a simple wave of his hand, Genji dismissed him.
As the ANBU's figure disappeared beyond the door, Genji wasted no time. Turning back, he held the scroll over the flickering candle flame.
This matter could not be exposed—not yet.
The most effective way to keep a secret would have been to eliminate everyone who knew it.
But Genji would never do such a thing.
Not because of the image he maintained, nor because of his true beliefs.
Perhaps that was precisely where his strength of character lay—why, even in an era without a dominant Kage, he had remained firmly seated in his position, unshaken by anyone.
"It seems… this village is finally about to make a move."
—
Seated within a hidden safehouse, Natsuhiko murmured softly to himself as he absorbed the information transmitted from his shadow clone.
Since leaving Konoha and arriving in Kirigakure, nearly a month had passed in silence.
To him, the time had gone by quickly—filled with constant travel and relentless training, leaving little room for anything else.
And throughout this entire month, Konoha had not once used the Flying Thunder God mark to summon him back.
That could only mean one thing: everything there was under control. Even if minor issues had arisen, his shadow clone would have been more than capable of handling them.
Natsuhiko had full confidence in that.
After all, his clone wasn't ordinary—it carried both senjutsu chakra and the Nine-Tails' chakra within it. Unless it was struck down by a fatal, instantaneous attack, it could handle most opponents without difficulty.
He had already demonstrated just how formidable his shadow clone was during that night's confrontation.
Besides, back in Konoha, he held the position of ANBU commander. With that status alone, he was far safer there than he was here.
"It looks like things are about to get interesting."
Rising to his feet, Natsuhiko glanced toward Mei Terumī, who had long since regained consciousness. Her gaze was cold, sharp, and utterly devoid of emotion.
He couldn't help but let out a faint chuckle.
"Aren't you curious," he asked lightly, "about what your village is about to do?"
Mei did not respond. She simply continued to stare at him with those icy, unfeeling eyes.
It was a silent form of resistance—the only kind she could offer now.
Natsuhiko merely smiled in return. He had seen far more terrifying gazes in his life.
During his years in the ANBU, especially on assassination missions, the enemies he defeated often glared at him with far more vicious, desperate hatred. That kind of killing intent, so dense it felt almost tangible, had never once shaken him.
So how could the glare of someone utterly powerless move him in the slightest?
"I told you before—you're not an Uchiha. You can't kill with your eyes."
With a casual shake of his head, Natsuhiko reached out and picked up a black coat.
"Strictly speaking, there's no reason for you to hate me this much," Natsuhiko said calmly as he adjusted his clothing. "I gave you an opportunity—it's just that you failed to seize it."
"My hatred isn't the point."
At that moment, Mei Terumī finally spoke. Her voice was hoarse, raw, like something dragged up from the depths of hell itself.
"What about your promise?" she demanded, her eyes locked onto him. "The one you made back then… it doesn't seem to mean anything now."
"Which part?" Natsuhiko asked lightly, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he pulled the large hood over his head, shadowing his expression.
"I promised I wouldn't kill you—and I also said I'd let you go," he continued evenly. "The first part, I've already fulfilled. Otherwise, you wouldn't still be alive."
"As for the second… I have no intention of breaking it. At the very least, not before I finish what I came here to do."
"If nothing unexpected happens, you'll be free tomorrow."
If everything went according to plan, Mei would regain her freedom tomorrow.
From the information relayed by his shadow clone, Kirigakure had already begun mobilizing its forces at an unusual pace. As the head of Konoha's ANBU, Natsuhiko was especially sensitive to such movements—he could clearly tell that even the ANBU units were being deployed more frequently.
At the same time, evacuation efforts had quietly begun, carried out in secrecy.
All signs pointed to one conclusion:
Obito was about to make his move.
Natsuhiko had to admit, with Black Zetsu at his side, Obito had become far more perceptive than before. In a way, Natsuhiko's own actions had given him the push he needed—and now, they were taking advantage of the situation to completely eradicate the Kaguya clan.
Perhaps Obito's hatred for Kirigakure ran deeper than expected. Driven by that resentment, he had seemingly chosen to ignore Natsuhiko's presence altogether, focusing solely on dealing with the Kaguya clan.
Of course, Natsuhiko couldn't rule out the possibility that there were other schemes at play.
If Obito were acting alone, there would be little to worry about.
But with someone like Black Zetsu lurking behind him… caution was necessary.
Even so, things had already progressed to this point. No matter how much he speculated, it wouldn't make much difference now.
His plans—for both attack and retreat—were already in place.
Kimimaro had been sent out of Kirigakure ahead of time.
All things considered, this entire village had effectively become his testing ground.
There was one particular ability of the lizard summons that Natsuhiko had known about for some time but had never used before.
Much like Jiraiya's Toad Mouth Bind technique, he could enter the lizard's mouth and have it carry him away from the battlefield.
It was precisely this technique that gave him the confidence to leave without relying on the Flying Thunder God.
Back in Konoha, he had once considered using it—but at the time, he hadn't fully mastered it. Besides, summoning lizards was something of a signature move for him; using it carelessly might have exposed too much.
Now, however, the situation was different.
As long as he prepared in advance, placing the lizard in position beforehand, he could withdraw safely without any concerns.
"Tomorrow…?"
Mei caught onto the implication in his words, and for the first time, her expression shifted.
"You mean… Kirigakure is about to move against the Kaguya clan?"
"Mm. Quick on the uptake—points for that," Natsuhiko replied with a slight nod.
He fastened his sword at his waist before straightening, a faint smile returning to his face as he spoke with quiet confidence.
"So you're not entirely useless after all. Your Mizukage wants to establish authority, and the Kaguya clan makes for a perfect target."
"As for me, I'm simply here to obtain something I want. Our objectives don't really conflict."
"Otherwise… don't you find it strange? Not a single person has come looking for me all this time."
"You mean—"
Mei's eyes widened as realization dawned, her teeth clenching as she forced out the words.
"They already knew about you? And yet…"
"Not from the very beginning," Natsuhiko interrupted calmly, shaking his head. "But they found out soon enough."
As he spoke, he stepped closer to her and drew out a kunai.
With a swift motion, he sliced through the ropes binding her.
The restraints fell away instantly.
Natsuhiko straightened, casually tucking the kunai back into place.
"After all, I did stir up quite a bit of commotion. There's no way they wouldn't have noticed me."
Natsuhiko spoke casually, as if discussing something trivial.
"At first, I found it strange that Kirigakure's search efforts were so lax. But when I realized their attention was still focused on the Kaguya clan, everything started to make sense."
"So I tested them a little… and sure enough, things turned out exactly as I expected."
He paused briefly, a faint, knowing smile appearing beneath the shadow of his hood.
"It seems that in your Mizukage's eyes, political interests outweigh everything else. Even cooperating with someone like me, in secret, is perfectly acceptable."
With that, Natsuhiko deliberately stopped.
He was, quite plainly, planting seeds of doubt—adding fuel to the fire for Obito. After all, there was no downside to making things more uncomfortable for his enemies.
And as expected, Mei's gaze flickered violently, her emotions churning beneath the surface. Natsuhiko didn't need to guess to know how conflicted she must feel at this moment.
But none of that concerned him.
Letting her return, letting her and Genji continue their struggle against Obito…
If the entire village of Kirigakure descended into chaos, that would only serve his interests.
After all, Natsuhiko's sights had always been set on one goal—the position of Hokage. Everything he was doing now was, in one way or another, preparation for that future.
—
Moonlight draped itself across the land, casting a hazy glow over Kirigakure. Wrapped in its ever-present mist, the village appeared even more dreamlike and indistinct.
Yet there was no beauty in that haze.
Only a suffocating sense of killing intent lingered in the air.
Under the cover of night, hundreds—no, thousands—of shinobi gathered in silence. Moving with practiced precision, they spread out and began to encircle the Kaguya clan's compound.
High atop a tree, Natsuhiko stood quietly, his gaze sweeping across the hidden forces below. With the aid of his sensory abilities, he soon located the figure he was searching for—
The Fourth Mizukage.
He hadn't expected this.
Obito and Black Zetsu had actually sent the Mizukage himself to the battlefield.
They were practically using him as a blade.
"So they've already discovered the Nine-Tails' chakra… and I've been exposed earlier than I thought."
Standing on the branch, Natsuhiko's mind raced as he pieced everything together.
Under normal circumstances, Obito would never allow the Mizukage to appear on the battlefield. After all, the man was under his control—if anything went wrong, that secret could easily be exposed.
And yet, here he was.
Which meant only one thing:
They had noticed something.
The most plausible explanation was that when Natsuhiko fought Mei and the others, traces of the Nine-Tails' chakra had already been detected by Black Zetsu.
From there, it wouldn't be hard to guess his objective.
The Fourth Mizukage was the Three-Tails' jinchūriki.
Naturally, they would assume that Natsuhiko's target was him.
And so, after taking advantage of Natsuhiko's actions to accelerate the downfall of the Kaguya clan, they had also laid a trap—one centered around the identity of a "Nine-Tails jinchūriki."
Placing the Mizukage on the battlefield was undoubtedly risky.
But it also served multiple purposes.
It increased pressure on the battlefield.
It boosted the morale of the shinobi—after all, fighting under the watchful presence of a Kage could inspire a level of determination that was hard to measure.
And most importantly, it created an opportunity.
An opportunity to test Natsuhiko's identity.
An opportunity to lure him into making a move.
But if he did strike, the consequences would be immediate.
Any action he took would, in effect, aid the Kaguya clan—further justifying Kirigakure's resolve to wipe them out completely.
And once he revealed himself, he would inevitably be surrounded and attacked by the assembled forces.
"A plan that kills four birds with one stone…"
Natsuhiko let out a quiet sigh.
For all the thought he had put into this situation, Black Zetsu was no easy opponent either.
Still, that was what made things interesting.
It was just like his earlier battles of wits in Konoha against Hiruzen Sarutobi. Back then, he had been forced to rely on the Third Hokage—an enemy in all but name—to shield him from the storm.
But now, things were different.
Now, he could stand on his own.
And more than that—he had already grasped Sarutobi's weakness, placing himself firmly in a position of control.
Shaking his head, Natsuhiko decided not to dwell on these tangled thoughts any longer. His sensory perception sharpened, locking firmly onto the Fourth Mizukage.
If he was going to act, then he would act.
Even if it meant facing more enemies than originally planned—even if it meant, once again, inadvertently helping Obito—he didn't mind in the slightest.
After all, building the reputation of this "identity" of his had always been part of the plan. Otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered letting Mei return.
As his senses continued to probe the battlefield, movement finally erupted from the Kaguya clan's side.
One after another, their shinobi surged forward, gathering with astonishing speed before charging straight into the encirclement. Even though they were surrounded on all sides, their fighting spirit did not falter in the slightest.
If anything, facing overwhelming numbers only seemed to excite them further.
Their battle intent burned brighter, fiercer.
It was the first time Natsuhiko had witnessed something like this, and he couldn't help but find it… fascinating.
No wonder the Kaguya clan had earned such a fearsome reputation. That complete disregard for life and death—that unrestrained thirst for battle—was something few could ever match.
And this was a clan that had already lost most of its kekkei genkai.
"Hmm?"
At that moment, Natsuhiko's brow lifted slightly.
Within his perception, he had already detected the chaotic core of the Fourth Mizukage's chakra.
And within that chaos, he found it—
A thread.
Thin. Subtle. Almost imperceptible.
It extended from the Mizukage's chakra, trailing backward into the distance, becoming clearer the further it stretched.
Following that thread, Natsuhiko traced its source, his senses reaching outward—
And just then, the battle began in earnest.
A thunderous roar filled the air as Kirigakure's forces and the Kaguya clan clashed. Chakra surged violently across the battlefield, colliding and erupting in waves of power.
A barrier rose, sealing the area.
Within that transparent prison, blood and death began to spread.
Hidden in the shadows, Natsuhiko suddenly smiled.
Because he had found them.
Two figures lurking like rats in the dark.
Their chakra was strange—unnatural. And within it, he could clearly sense a power not unlike his own.
"Found you at last…"
There was no doubt.
Those two half-human, half-monster presences could only be Obito… and Black Zetsu.
Now that he had pinpointed their location—and memorized the signature of their chakra—Natsuhiko finally made his decision.
Even if this move meant being used as a pawn, what of it?
They might think they were manipulating him, but he could just as easily play along—for now.
Besides, some debts were best repaid immediately.
His target wasn't just the Three-Tails' chakra…
But also the White Zetsu half attached to Obito—or Black Zetsu himself.
At that thought, a pale golden chakra suddenly flared around Natsuhiko's body.
The glow was tightly controlled, so restrained that even in the darkness of night, it did not immediately draw attention.
His gaze pierced through the barrier, locking onto the distant figure of the Fourth Mizukage.
Then, slowly, he raised his hand.
A vast, destructive force began to gather in his palm—dense, overwhelming, brimming with annihilation.
"Ninjutsu… Tailed Beast Bomb."
...
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