The moonlight was hazy.
On this night, it was unlikely that anyone in Kirigakure would be able to sleep peacefully.
Torches were erected throughout the village, and streets that should have been silent were crowded with figures. Units assembled everywhere, shinobi moving back and forth in tense coordination.
Even those who were officially on leave had been dragged back, yet no one dared complain. Kirigakure's discipline had always been strict—almost brutal.
"My lord, calling everyone back so urgently… and with the village locked down like this tonight…"
Though no one dared complain, there were still those who couldn't help asking questions. Kisame Hoshigaki, still a trusted subordinate of Mangetsu Hōzuki at this time, lowered his voice as he spoke.
"All ANBU mobilized, full martial law across the village… did something happen?"
"You were on duty in the eastern sector today. It's normal you don't know yet," Mangetsu replied, glancing at the shark-faced youth before him.
"But yes—something happened. Something big."
He paused, then continued grimly.
"It seems the Mizukage-sama's intelligence was correct. External enemies have entered the Land of Water, and their combat strength is… far beyond ordinary."
"Far beyond ordinary?"
Kisame was respectful, but inwardly he couldn't help muttering.
What exactly did far beyond ordinary even mean?
He was a member of the Hoshigaki clan—naturally powerful, with monstrous chakra reserves. That was something they took pride in.
Even if someone was stronger than him, how strong could they really be?
"Yes. Far beyond ordinary."
Mangetsu immediately saw through Kisame's thoughts. He shook his head, his gaze growing darker.
"Based on preliminary counts, more than one group entered. The aftershocks of their clashes alone caused nearly a hundred casualties on our side."
"And that's with reinforcements failing to arrive in time. If they'd gathered together…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
Kisame's expression changed.
Just aftershocks?
For the first time, he felt a chill.
"This serious…"
At the same time Kisame was feeling uneasy, within an old, austere building deep in Kirigakure, Elder Yuan Shi's expression was no better.
Earlier that day, the sensory division had reported intense chakra fluctuations in the western region of the Land of Water. The moment he heard that, a deep sense of unease had settled in his chest.
Because that area was precisely where he had dispatched patrols—under orders from the Mizukage.
Now such massive chakra disturbances had erupted there.
It was impossible not to draw conclusions.
Especially given how strained his relationship with the Mizukage had become.
To avoid escalating that conflict—and to maintain the appearance of harmony for the village—Yuan Shi had sent his most capable subordinates.
Ao, who possessed the Hyūga clan's Byakugan.
And Terumi Mei, whom he had personally cultivated for years, a shinobi bearing two kekkei genkai.
All afternoon, Yuan Shi had been restless. Reports of battlefield losses only darkened his mood further.
It wasn't until Mei returned that evening that he finally let out a breath of relief.
But what she told him next left even someone of his stature momentarily dazed.
"Great Elder, that man said this."
Mei lifted her head, her expression serious as she looked at Yuan Shi.
"And some of the things he mentioned… can be investigated and verified. He even knows Zabuza's situation in detail."
Zabuza, who had been keeping his head lowered, shot Mei an irritated glare.
Was this really the time to bring him up?
"Great Elder, I have a question as well."
Ao noticed Zabuza's reaction and spoke up, smoothly easing the tension.
"How did Konoha infiltrate us to this extent? And who exactly is this Danzo?"
Ren had spoken without restraint, praising Danzo's intelligence network to absurd heights. On the surface, nothing seemed wrong—but Ao genuinely didn't know Shimura Danzo.
For the younger generation, that name was unfamiliar.
Kirigakure had been isolated for too long.
Even if they had heard the name, they didn't truly understand it.
"Danzo…"
Yuan Shi steadied himself and sighed softly as he looked at the three of them.
He wanted to dismiss Danzo as a clown—but given the current situation, he couldn't bring himself to say it.
"His full name is Shimura Danzo. He was the Second Hokage's student, the Third Hokage's contemporary, and is known as the 'Darkness of the Shinobi World.'"
"He controls Konoha's external intelligence and is a giant within the underground world. If intelligence comes from him, much of it is likely real."
He paused.
"Among those who came this time… were any his subordinates?"
"Most likely," Mei nodded.
"The one who used Wood Release and claimed to know Flying Thunder God—he appears to be Danzo's man."
Yuan Shi's brow furrowed even deeper.
Two groups entering Kirigakure. A battle of overwhelming scale.
A subordinate of Shimura Danzo who wielded both Wood Release and Flying Thunder God.
Any one of these was enough to cause a headache.
Together, they were suffocating.
Flying Thunder God—he knew its terror well. The Second and Fourth Hokage's reputations were carved into history.
And Wood Release…
As someone who had lived through that era, Yuan Shi understood exactly how horrifying that power was.
"A new generation… combining Senju Tobirama's technique with Senju Hashirama's power?"
The thought alone made his scalp tingle.
And worse still was the name Ren had mentioned—
Uchiha Obito.
A Sharingan with space-time abilities, seemingly already at Mangekyō level.
Someone who had stolen Wood Release from Konoha and fused it into himself.
"…A fusion of Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama?"
The damage Madara had inflicted on Kirigakure was unforgettable. Hatred had carried forward for generations.
That hatred—and the resulting conflicts—were why Kirigakure always charged at Konoha the moment war erupted.
And now, such a person might be hiding inside Kirigakure.
Possibly even controlling their Mizukage.
And they hadn't known—until Konoha came chasing him down.
How far had Kirigakure fallen?
How deeply had Konoha already infiltrated them?
Yuan Shi's face turned pale.
What had this village become?
"My lord, please calm yourself."
Ao spoke softly, understanding the cause of Yuan Shi's anger.
"The village's current state isn't your fault. You can't govern properly when surrounded by parasites."
"…You're right."
Yuan Shi nodded slowly.
After a moment of silence, he spoke again.
"I need to meet that boy. There are things we must discuss."
"That's a good idea," Mei agreed, but hesitated.
"We can't contact him—and finding him will be difficult…"
"Check yourselves carefully," Yuan Shi said with a wry smile.
"Don't be fooled by his generosity. He told you he knows Flying Thunder God."
"If he left a mark on you, then you can never escape."
"So… Uchiha Obito is likely controlling the Fourth Mizukage?"
Elsewhere, inside a cave, Yūgao treated Jiraiya's wounds while glancing curiously at Ren.
Kakashi and Tenzo stood nearby, their expressions complicated. Kakashi focused on Obito's actions, while Tenzo couldn't help sneaking glances at Pakura—who seemed to be covertly watching Ren and Yūgao.
"Yes," Ren nodded.
"That's probably the case."
He smiled at Jiraiya.
"Right, Captain Jiraiya?"
"…."
Jiraiya pressed his lips together.
You've already decided—why bother asking me?
"Based on what we know, Obito is most likely controlling the Fourth Mizukage," Jiraiya finally said.
"Just as Ren predicted. Everything he's done is driven by revenge."
"And this operation… is probably meant to eliminate dissent."
"So the other 'lord' Ren mentioned… the Great Elder Yuan Shi?" Kakashi asked quietly.
"That would make sense," Ren replied.
"Eliminate him, and Obito controls Kirigakure completely."
"Actually, it wouldn't need to be that complicated."
Pakura, who had been silent, finally spoke.
She had long since realized what "cooperation" really meant—Ren had withheld certain things from Jiraiya.
She had known for three years that Ren represented Danzo. She had even seen him negotiate on Danzo's behalf.
Yet his teammates knew surprisingly little.
She chose not to expose it.
Some secrets were more valuable when left unspoken.
"Obito's goal is revenge," Pakura continued.
"Chaos hurts more than control. Letting the village tear itself apart leaves nothing but ruin."
"That fits the meaning of revenge far better."
Ren nodded.
"Exactly."
Jiraiya's head throbbed.
"Evil little Uchiha brat…"
Hearing those words from Jiraiya almost made Ren laugh.
"So what do we do now?" Tenzo asked, eyes bright.
"Obito controlling the Mizukage is beyond our authority, isn't it? Are we… infiltrating Kirigakure and attacking the Mizukage?"
Judging by his expression, Tenzo liked the idea.
"Maybe," Ren said lightly.
"We finally know where Obito is. We can't just leave and call the mission a failure."
"Enough, both of you," Yūgao sighed.
"Captain Jiraiya decides."
"Oh."
Ren blinked innocently.
Tenzo did the same.
Jiraiya sighed.
"We'll stay and observe for now," he said at last.
"Obito is our target—we can't let this go. Be ready to move."
Kakashi and Yūgao were both surprised.
This didn't sound like the cautious Jiraiya they knew.
Later, Jiraiya recalled the private conversation he'd had with Ren earlier that afternoon.
Ren had calmly laid everything out.
And then, with a smile, reminded him—
That if these matters were reported up the chain, Danzo would tear the village apart with them.
Jiraiya wasn't being threatened.
He was being warned.
Now, as he looked at Ren sitting calmly nearby, Jiraiya could only sigh.
"This kid…"
Kirigakure's tension continued to rise.
When more shinobi reached the battlefield and saw the obliterated forest, the deep craters, and the lingering chakra even days later, they knew this wouldn't pass easily.
"What kind of people could do this…?"
That question echoed through every mind.
High on a nearby mountain, Yuan Shi stood with Mangetsu and Kisame. Mei, Ao, and Zabuza were not far away.
"You shouldn't have come, Great Elder," Mangetsu said quietly.
"This is dangerous."
"I've seen worse," Yuan Shi replied calmly.
"I've witnessed Madara and Hashirama fight. Compared to that, this is nothing."
Mangetsu cursed inwardly.
That was then.
Still, he couldn't argue.
Eventually, he left with Kisame.
Once they were gone, Mei spoke anxiously.
"This is risky. Those Konoha and Sand shinobi…"
"Some risks must be taken," Yuan Shi said gently.
"And we need their help."
He knew exactly how dangerous this was.
He had exposed himself completely—to Konoha's gaze, to Flying Thunder God marks.
One mistake, and he would die.
But he was doing this for Kirigakure.
From the moment the Blood Mist policy expanded, he had opposed it.
Yet he was not the Mizukage.
His role was to restrain the Kage—not replace him.
"That man from Konoha…" Mei muttered bitterly.
She had thought Ren was sincere.
Only after inspecting herself did she discover the Flying Thunder God mark.
Ren had never trusted them.
He had simply prepared to erase them if things went wrong.
Then a voice spoke behind them.
"It seems we didn't misjudge your resolve."
They turned.
Ren, Jiraiya, and Pakura emerged from the forest.
Surrounding chakra signatures made it clear—they weren't alone.
"I thought we'd meet sooner," Ren said lightly.
"But it still only took a few days."
"Rushed decisions are dangerous," Yuan Shi replied calmly.
"At my position, one must think more carefully."
He smiled faintly.
"Konoha truly has many talents. With Lord Jiraiya present, yet a boy leads the talks… remarkable."
I'm just here to take the blame, Jiraiya thought silently.
"In Konoha, we don't judge by age," Ren said.
"The young need opportunities. Captain Jiraiya gives them—and oversees the big picture."
Yuan Shi paused, then nodded.
"Perhaps Konoha truly is ahead of us."
"Let's get to the point," Jiraiya said quickly.
"What do you intend to do?"
"Not what we intend," Yuan Shi replied.
"What you intend."
"Obito is your problem. Regardless of his betrayal, he uses Konoha's power. You owe us an explanation."
Ren scoffed.
"He's a traitor. Why should we be responsible?"
"If anything, you should thank us. Without us, Kirigakure would tear itself apart in ignorance."
The words were harsh—but true.
Yuan Shi didn't deny it.
"So let's be honest," Ren continued.
"What do you want?"
"Sand's losses?" Ren asked first.
"They're being treated. Supplies, medical care, protection," Yuan Shi answered.
"Economic compensation can be discussed later."
Ren accepted it.
"Then Konoha."
He spoke slowly.
"End the old hostilities. Some grudges were forced upon you."
Yuan Shi understood immediately.
Blame the past on the Fourth Mizukage.
A familiar Danzo-style maneuver.
After a moment, he nodded.
"Once this is over, I'll personally send envoys to Konoha."
"That works," Jiraiya said at once.
Then Yuan Shi took a breath.
"One final request."
"If this succeeds… deal with the Fourth Mizukage."
"Don't kill him."
"But don't let him remain in Kirigakure either."
"Take him to Konoha."
Afterward, back at the cave, Jiraiya sat beside Ren.
"We're in deep trouble this time," he sighed.
"Not only are we attacking Kirigakure—we're bringing the Mizukage home."
"Trouble, yes," Ren replied calmly.
"But manageable."
"Zabuza can lead the opening move."
"That's a feint," Jiraiya muttered.
"True," Ren smiled.
"But someone has to knock."
Jiraiya glanced toward the cave, where Yūgao was treating Pakura again.
"Every time I work with you, something insane happens."
"I enjoy working with you, Captain," Ren replied sincerely.
"Because I take responsibility?" Jiraiya snorted.
Then he smirked.
"By the way… getting a girlfriend is troublesome. Much easier to visit taverns."
Ren blinked.
"Captain… do you know the saddest thing about those places?"
"…What?"
"You never know what she thinks when you pick her."
Jiraiya's fist clenched.
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