"However, this guy wants more."
Hoshigaki Kisame's expression gradually turned a bit solemn, then suddenly relaxed and said, "Unless Hozuki Mangetsu wants to defect, otherwise, he must be planning to silence the two of us who know the truth!"
"One person can't do two things at once... tsk, he has an accomplice."
Uehara Naraku nodded, a card danced at his fingertip, and with the help of Aerial Dance, his body rose into the air, hovering as he observed the surroundings.
"Looks like you've figured it out!"
Hozuki Mangetsu struck down Fourth Mizukage Yagura with a single blow, exposing his shark-like teeth, and said with a smile, "No matter who it is, you can't escape!"
The inherent nature of the Hozuki Family has always been bloodthirsty. If Hozuki Mangetsu were a gentle ninja, how could he live up to those sharp teeth!
Since Uehara Naraku and Hoshigaki Kisame had figured it out, Hozuki Mangetsu didn't think of hiding it, he just shouted loudly, "Come out, Zabuza-senpai!"
"..."
A trace of silence flashed in the air.
Uehara Naraku's expression turned slightly strange, even feeling a bit amused.
If he hadn't misheard just now, the name Hozuki Mangetsu shouted out sounded somewhat familiar!
Uehara Naraku's neck stiffly turned as he looked at Hoshigaki Kisame, "Do all your Hidden Mist village ninja act so hastily? Why does he think Momochi Zabuza could stop the two of us?"
"..."
Hoshigaki Kisame shook his head, indicating he didn't know either, but he wouldn't underestimate Momochi Zabuza.
Kisame whispered, "Zabuza is skilled in the Fog Concealment Technique, he indeed has the ability to hold me off, but I don't think he can defeat Uehara-sama."
"Incomprehensible."
Uehara Naraku watched Hozuki Mangetsu, who was still pressuring Fourth Mizukage Yagura, and frowned as he asked, "Before looking for help, don't you investigate your helpers' combat abilities? That Momochi Zabuza guy..."
"Hey, kid, don't underestimate people!"
A figure suddenly darted out, cursed after leveraging himself into the air, swinging the large sword in his hand at Uehara Naraku—it was the underestimated Zabuza.
Uehara wasn't flustered. He was far more agile in the air than Zabuza, only slightly lowering his head to avoid the Decapitating Carving Knife, swinging his wrist forcefully across Zabuza's chest!
Bam!
Momochi Zabuza fell from the air embarrassingly to the ground!
Uehara Naraku looked at Zabuza and sighed, shaking his head, "Zabuza, just three days apart, and your strength has grown weaker!"
"Pah!"
Zabuza spat out a mouthful of blood. Although he was previously gravely wounded during the assassination attempt on Yagura, Zabuza clearly felt that Uehara Naraku's power had grown even stronger.
It hadn't been that long since they last met, and this kid Uehara Naraku's strength seemed to have doubled. What was going on?
Hozuki Mangetsu couldn't help but turn to look at Momochi Zabuza, softly asking, "Zabuza-senpai, do you know him?"
"..."
Momochi Zabuza remained silent.
His previous defeat at the hands of Uehara Naraku was not a glorious matter.
Uehara Naraku slowly landed beside Zabuza, seemingly understanding Zabuza's thoughts, chuckled lightly, and said, "Mr. Zabuza, you needn't be concerned about our relationship... after all, there are many defeated by my hand, but few I let go."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Hozuki Mangetsu couldn't help but show a hint of amazement, as the situation seemed to be slipping out of his control!
Six hours earlier.
Momochi Zabuza believed the time to assassinate Yagura had come and quietly made his way to the residence of Yagura, intending to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage.
Unexpectedly, his strength was far from sufficient, beaten badly by Yagura and forced to flee, and the news leaked out.
Hozuki Mangetsu, responsible for village defense, was the first to receive the news of the Mizukage being attacked by Zabuza. He didn't choose to send reinforcements directly, instead killing the Mizukage's guardian ninja who returned to the village for help, immediately sealing the information.
Hozuki Mangetsu found Momochi Zabuza, extracted information about Yagura from him, and planned to seize the opportunity here.
If Yagura was still intact, Hozuki Mangetsu remained a loyal member of the Seven-swords Ninja of the Hidden Mist. If Yagura was gravely injured, Hozuki Mangetsu wouldn't mind sending him away—the Hozuki Family never entertained thoughts of pacifism!
However, when Hozuki Mangetsu arrived here, he didn't know that if given a little time, Uehara Naraku could directly kill Yagura.
Hozuki Mangetsu only noticed the severely injured Yagura.
Thus, this current young clan leader of the Hozuki Family immediately decided to take action, planning to kill both Yagura and Uehara Naraku.
However, the current situation had clearly gotten out of hand.
"Alright, let's clarify the current situation!"
Uehara Naraku clapped his hands and pointed to the heavily injured Yagura in the distance, softly saying, "It appears our objectives overlap; we all want to kill this Fourth Mizukage, wouldn't you agree?"
"..."
The three ninjas of the Seven-swords Ninja glanced at each other, Momochi Zabuza snorted, Hozuki Mangetsu nodded, and Hoshigaki Kisame's face revealed a smile.
Truly the tragedy of the times...
The strongest ninja squad of the Hidden Mist Village, the second generation of the Seven-swords Ninja, now only three people—all intent on killing their superior.
Fourth Mizukage Yagura's expression changed as he looked at everyone present and laughed bitterly, "I didn't expect any of you..."
"Sorry, almost forgot, Mizukage-sama is still alive!"
Uehara Naraku didn't turn his head, still gazing at Momochi Zabuza and Hozuki Mangetsu, he just snapped his fingers in Yagura's direction!
As everyone was still bewildered, a bizarre shark suddenly shot out from the ground beneath Yagura, swallowing him whole!
A moment later, the shark dived back into the ground, leaving only the lonely corpse of Fourth Mizukage Yagura lying there...
The Giant Shark Assault, this bizarre skill, has an unexpectedly powerful effect if the ambush succeeds!
Uehara Naraku simply snapped his fingers, summoning a strange shark to kill Fourth Mizukage Yagura, a scene that left Momochi Zabuza and Hozuki Mangetsu's faces flabbergasted!
Hoshigaki Kisame, however, chuckled lightly, "As expected, Uehara-sama is best at Sealess Ninjutsu, isn't he?"
Whenever Hoshigaki Kisame saw Uehara Naraku form hand seals, he always felt something was off, as he would occasionally make small mistakes.
Reflecting now, those were just Uehara Naraku's disguises of playing weak, weren't they?
As an excellent hand seal ninja and loyal subordinate, Hoshigaki Kisame considerately suggested, "If Uehara-sama is willing, I could help you create some beautiful hand seals."
Hoshigaki Kisame is indeed skilled in hand seals.
Uehara Naraku was tempted for a moment, then shook his head, "Forget it, I'll think about learning hand seals later... Let's deal with the current situation first! I don't want anyone to know that Kisame was involved in killing Fourth Mizukage Yagura!"
"Our thoughts really align."
Hozuki Mangetsu slowly gripped the scroll on him, softly saying, "Aside from Zabuza-senpai, I don't want more people to know I intended to kill Yagura either."