The signs of a coup in the Village Hidden in the Mist (Kirigakure) were reemerging, and beneath the seemingly calm surface, the undercurrents were growing more turbulent. The war, lacking any semblance of order, caused the number of casualties to rise daily to shocking levels. More and more Hidden Mist shinobi were becoming dissatisfied with the Fourth Mizukage's rule. However, no one was willing to stand out as the first to rebel, as these shinobi, accustomed to betraying each other, waited for someone else to make the first move.
But if no one acted soon, the opportunity might be lost.
After many risks and setbacks, the group escorting the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki finally arrived at Black Tide Castle just in time for dinner. Naruto was well-protected and hadn't suffered a scratch. In contrast, the shinobi tasked with escorting him—Kakashi, Shisui, and Guy—showed signs of fatigue, not from visible injuries but from significant chakra depletion.
"Aburame Clan Leader, Akimichi Clan Leader," Sougen greeted the two slightly exhausted clan leaders.
"Looks like the journey wasn't smooth!"
Aburame Shibi remained silent, his sunglasses and high-collared coat concealing his expression, while Akimichi Choza responded with a bitter smile, mixed with anger and relief. "It was quite dangerous. If not for the timely aid of Uchiha Clan Leader's reinforcements, and Shisui pulling me out of harm's way, I might have fallen to those damned Cloud shinobi."
His words were filled with anger and resentment toward the Cloud shinobi.
"As long as it helped," Sougen said. After receiving the letter, he had called for Aburame Shibi and Yamanaka Mokuren to lead a team to meet the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. He himself had to keep an eye on Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage. Moreover, the escort team included Shisui and Guy; unless the Fourth Raikage intervened personally, there shouldn't have been any serious issues.
"Were the attackers really Cloud shinobi?" Sougen asked.
"Yes," Choza answered with a gritted expression, the forced smile fading from his face. "It was definitely those mountain brutes. Their Lightning Style taijutsu is unmistakable. The wandering shinobi from before didn't provide direct evidence of who was behind the scenes, but several skilled attackers used Lightning Style techniques during the dawn ambush. I nearly got taken out, but thanks to Shisui's Body Flicker Technique, he managed to shield me from a lethal blow. When Shibi's reinforcements arrived, the attackers saw they were at a disadvantage and retreated."
Mentioning Shisui, Choza could only feel deep gratitude. It was a narrow escape—he had almost met the Sage of Six Paths in the afterlife.
From Konoha to the eastern border, the route lay entirely within the Fire Country's heartland, far from the northern borders. Even if Cloud shinobi spies had obtained accurate information, it seemed unlikely they could dispatch skilled shinobi to infiltrate Fire Country in time.
Or could it be that Cloud shinobi had stationed skilled operatives in neighboring countries like the Land of Hot Water or the Land of Frost... or even within Fire Country itself?
It wasn't an impossible guess. After all, they had successfully coerced Konoha once before, emboldening them to take bigger risks.
"Cloud shinobi... We'll settle this score with them later." Sougen narrowed his eyes, the slit-like pupils glowing blood-red with a murderous aura before he suppressed it. The current priority was to resolve the situation with the Hidden Mist.
"Aburame Clan Leader, Akimichi Clan Leader, please rest for now. I'll take care of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."
Aburame Shibi stood still and then asked, "Uchiha Clan Leader, are you planning to leave?"
He had seen many armed shinobi moving in and out of the castle entrance in a short time, and Sougen himself was now dressed in red armor, carrying the long-lost Uchiha clan's "Flame Fan."
This seemed like preparation for something big.
"That's right," Sougen nodded. "This war has gone on long enough. It's about time we put an end to it."
Akimichi Choza blinked, not immediately understanding. Aburame Shibi, however, remained silent for a few seconds before continuing, "Ending the war... is this a decapitation strategy? Are you planning to destroy the Mist's command center?"
"Not destroy. I'm going to form an alliance. Don't forget the trump card we have." Sougen smiled.
A trump card?
Aburame Shibi's eyebrows, hidden beneath his sunglasses, twitched as he recalled a certain name.
"The Fourth Mizukage?"
As he murmured, Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage, appeared before them. The short-statured, baby-faced Mizukage glanced around at the assembled yet incomplete team and frowned. "Still not ready? Too slow."
"Good things come to those who wait. Be patient, Lord Mizukage," Sougen replied calmly.
Yagura didn't argue. It was pointless, and even winning a dispute wouldn't bring any benefit. He walked over to a shaded area, sat down on the ground, and closed his eyes to rest. Sougen, meanwhile, invited the two clan leaders inside the castle, arranging for Nara Suzaku to welcome them and Guy.
...
Naruto spotted Uchiha Fujika approaching from a distance, pushing a wheelchair. He eagerly waved and ran over. Kakashi hesitated briefly but stayed put, leaving the children to their own interactions.
However, was Naruto's only friend an Uchiha?
He unconsciously thought of Obito, who was crushed under rocks. He had failed to keep his promise to Obito and couldn't protect Rin. The thought brought a dull ache to his heart, casting a shadow over his mood.
"Fujika, long time no see!"
Naruto beamed.
"Naruto?" Fujika blinked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Yakumo, seated in the wheelchair, was also curious. Though young, she was mature and perceptive. Having read many books and listened to stories from her father, Kurama Unkai, she had a vague understanding that Naruto's status was not ordinary and that he shouldn't have left the village so easily.
"..." Naruto was stumped by the question.
Why was he here? He couldn't figure it out. It seemed he had been in the park, met Fujika's grandfather, and had a brief conversation. Then, Fujika's grandfather had asked him if he was afraid of death. If not, he should see the battlefield.
After that, the Fifth Hokage himself had gotten involved. Naruto didn't really understand terms like "acting Hokage." He only knew that the Third had died, and this chubby old man was the new Hokage. In any case, a group had been assembled, including some familiar faces like Shisui, and many unfamiliar ones, to accompany him.
He had agreed in a daze. Ideas like ninja warfare and battlefields didn't concern him much—he just wanted to find his friend.
Now that he'd met her, though, he was a bit embarrassed.
"Sigh! Still the same clueless guy! Don't you even know why you're here?" Fujika sighed, feeling exasperated at having such a simple-minded companion. "Oh well, it doesn't matter. Since you're here, I'll look after you."
The little girl boasted confidently.
"Okay!" Naruto scratched his head with a bright smile.
"What are you grinning about? This is a battlefield! Let's see if you can still smile after you see some corpses." Fujika gave Naruto a stern look before pushing the wheelchair toward the castle gate. Both she and Yakumo were to participate in the upcoming mission, which, according to Sougen, would be a rare chance to gain valuable experience by infiltrating the Mist's command center.
Would the presence of the two girls be a hindrance? Certainly not.
While wiping out the entire Hidden Mist village would be challenging, taking down the army led by Yagura was well within Sougen's capabilities. But killing wasn't his goal; he wasn't a bloodthirsty maniac. War was not an end in itself but a means to an end.
Rather than annihilate the Mist shinobi, it would be better to tame them.
If they could form a stable alliance, it would not only add a strong ally but also be beneficial in future confrontations with the Akatsuki and Black Zetsu.
Outside the castle gate, ninjas skilled in Earth Style had already leveled the ground at Sougen's command. The now-flat area was crowded with members from various clans, including Uchiha, Hyuga, Aburame, Yamanaka, Inuzuka, and Kurama.
Fujika and Yakumo easily spotted Uchiha Chihaya among the crowd.
Even amidst the numerous elite ninjas, Chihaya stood out—not just because of her beauty, but due to her aloof demeanor, which made people hesitate to approach her. Few in the Uchiha clan liked dealing with this blunt, unpretentious woman, who often unintentionally pointed out others' flaws.
"Chihaya-sister," Fujika greeted her politely.
"Yakumo, Fujika, and... the little blonde." Uchiha Chihaya paused for two seconds, unable to recall Naruto's name, so she simply referred to him as "the little blonde." This left Naruto a bit frustrated, and he whispered, "My name is Naruto Uzumaki!"
However, as soon as the topic of names came up, a rumor immediately came to mind.
If she remembered correctly, wasn't the Fourth Hokage's surname different from Uzumaki?
(End of this chapter)