"Is this... a wooden clone?"
Terumi Mei was somewhat surprised at the opponent's ability to use wood clones.
"This is based on my Wood Dragon Technique."
The real body of Akihara Kagura appeared behind the big tree and explained indifferently, "When you tried to release a water clone to dodge the vines, I had already released a wood clone. Nothing escapes my perception in this area where no chakra flow can be hidden."
"You've been stalling for time, waiting for this moment, right?"
Akihara Kagura walked to Terumi Mei's side and asked in amazement, "But I guessed you might choose to take the weakest among us hostage. I didn't expect you to take the strongest..."
"..."
Hatake Kakashi's eyelids twitched.
Had this kid already assumed he was the strongest in the team? If judged by actual combat strength, this kid wasn't exactly wrong.
Uchiha Itachi never considered himself the strongest, but his expression turned somewhat strange, knowing he was the weakest among them.
"Cease the attack!"
Suddenly, a voice came through the mist.
Ao, who had been coordinating the battle, saw through his Byakugan that Terumi Mei had been captured. Frightened, he immediately ordered everyone to stop attacking.
This attack was originally meant to cover for Terumi Mei, but with her capture, continuing the attack would be futile and only add to the casualties.
The most troublesome part was...
Ao felt that they no longer had any formidable fighters to rely on.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, the most powerful in the Mist Village, had defected under the high-pressure policy. The younger generation had not yet matured, and even if there were capable individuals, they might not be willing to come to the rescue of the Fourth Mizukage...
This Mizukage was too unpopular.
To be honest,
Even among the troops he led to rescue the Mizukage, most were merely following orders, and many disliked the Bloody Mist policy.
Ao gritted his teeth and sternly instructed the ninjas beside him, "Go report to Lord Genji that our attack is not going well. The enemy is from Konoha. I hope to negotiate with them. As long as we can rescue Lord Mizukage and Lady Terumi Mei..."
The implication of this statement was…
No matter what conditions the enemy proposes, it is best for them to agree to all.
Compared to other Mist ninja, Ao's character is extremely calm, and he is very measured in his actions. When facing an enemy he cannot defeat, he chooses to retreat rather than make unnecessary sacrifices.
Of course.
This is not something he, a mere Jonin, can decide on his own.
"Konoha ninja!"
After Ao had arranged everything, he raised his head and shouted towards Wooden Dragon: "Please stop this meaningless battle for now. I have already asked for permission from the village's great elder. We can negotiate any demands as long as the safety of the Mizukage and Jonin Terumi Mei is assured!"
"..."
On the Wooden Dragon's head.
Uchiha Itachi, observing the vast mist and then glancing at Terumi Mei tied to a tree and the Fourth Mizukage Yagura being re-hung, curiously asked: "How did they know this female ninja was captured by us? Does the Mist Village have such a powerful sensory ninja?"
"Probably that Byakugan killer from the Mist Village…"
Hatake Kakashi began to enlighten his two subordinates: "It's noted in the village's S-Rank wanted list that the Jonin Ao of the Mist Village obtained a Byakugan from the Hyuga clan's main family left on the battlefield during the Third Great Ninja War…"
"Can the Byakugan be lost?"
Uchiha Itachi took a deep breath.
Knowing some secrets of the Hyuga clan, a fellow prestigious ninja clan with Kekkei Genkai, Itachi was aware of the extreme measures the Hyuga main family took to protect the Byakugan. They used a curse mark called the "Caged Bird" to prevent the Byakugan of the branch family from being leaked. Upon the death of a branch family member, their Byakugan would be destroyed. This curse mark also allowed the main family to completely control the branch family members, even treating them as slaves.
"Anything can happen on the battlefield…"
Hatake Kakashi thought it was not surprising that such a thing could happen. When he mentioned the Hyuga clan, he suddenly remembered something, and a drop of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
"Kagura…"
Hatake Kakashi's face slowly turned colder.
There was an unknown darkness in the eyes of this member of Konoha's Anbu, and he did not want to convey this darkness from the village's higher-ups.
The last time Konoha and Cloud Village had a conflict, an envoy from Cloud Village attempted to steal the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan. The head of the Hyuga clan killed the intruder. Despite the Hyuga clan being on the side of justice, they were forced by the higher-ups in the village to hand over a dead body.
What about this time?
If Mist Village demands that Konoha hand over Akihara Kagura, the Third Hokage might not refuse the request, even though Mist Village seems quite weakened.
But…
Mist Village is one of the great ninja villages..
As long as it can protect the stability of Konoha and maintain peace, everything can be sacrificed, no matter who it is…
Even a powerful Wood Release ninja…
As long as it prevents Konoha, currently troubled internally and externally, from facing the threat of Mist Village, the higher-ups in the village might not be willing to protect Akihara Kagura and might even let Akihara Kagura make a self-sacrifice.
Hatake Kakashi cannot just sit back and watch all this happen.
This time they were out on a mission, and Hatake Kakashi was somewhat grateful to Akihara Kagura for offering help, otherwise, he might have died at the hands of the Fourth Mizukage.
"It's about time things have come to this."
Hatake Kakashi shook his head and began to persuade the kid: "Kagura, we can't bring a dangerous Jinchuriki back to Konoha."
Perhaps it's a cycle of fate?
Last time, his teammate Rin had the Three-Tails implanted in her, and to avoid harming Konoha, she chose to die by his hand... This time, Hatake Kakashi felt he had reached another pivotal point in his fate.
"Dangerous?"
Akihara Kagura looked at the Fourth Mizukage Yagura and couldn't help but tilt his head: "Even Uchiha Obito could control him, and even I, a chunin, managed to capture him."
"..."
Hatake Kakashi was somewhat speechless, then argued: "Danger is not calculated like that, a tailed beast is ultimately a dangerous entity for the village."
"Then keep him under Lord Danzo's Root division."
Akihara Kagura immediately found a task for his superior, feeling obliged to help Shimura Danzo: "Lord Danzo is so skilled in cursed seals, he must have a way to deal with the Mizukage."
Of course, Akihara Kagura had his own considerations. If his superior, Shimura Danzo, couldn't handle this trouble, then it would be up to him, the subordinate, to solve it.
"..."
Hatake Kakashi was somewhat at a loss.
Terumi Mei, who had been tied to a tree, looked somewhat displeased.
In the ninja world, the name of Shimura Danzō does not carry a good reputation. He has always committed misdeeds under the guise of Konoha's name and remains beyond reproach.
"Konoha Ninjas!"
A voice suddenly echoed through the mist.
Ao, who had been overseeing the situation here, quickly received an order from his superior, granting him discretion in his actions as long as he could rescue the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura.
Ao shouted towards the wooden dragon, "We have agreed to your request to enter the Mist Village to search for the rogue ninja of Konoha, Uchiha Obito, on the condition that once it's confirmed that Uchiha Obito is not in the Mist Village, we will release both the Jōnin Terumi Mei and the Lord Mizukage, right?"
"That's possible..."
Hatake Kakashi raised his voice in agreement.
"No, it's not!"
Akihara Kagura interrupted Hatake Kakashi and said firmly, "At this moment, we have no chance of capturing Uchiha Obito. We should take this opportunity to pass the problem to the Mist Village, so they can help us search for Uchiha Obito as well..."
"Hey, listen up down there!"
Akihara Kagura's figure flickered and he stood atop the wooden dragon, shouting into the mist below, "If ever the Mist Village captures Uchiha Obito and sends him back to Konoha, that's when we'll return the Fourth Mizukage to them!"
...
Ao's forehead was sweating.
Who on earth is this Uchiha Obito!