Land of Water.
At the guard post of the Mist Village.
A group of vigilant Mist ninjas were in a state of disarray as they looked at the wooden dragon by the sea, and even more so at the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, who was suspended between the two horns of the dragon by vines.
Akihara Kagura stood atop the dragon's head, speaking leisurely, "Lord Mizukage, command them to clear the way. You don't want to see them sacrifice in vain, do you?"
"..."
The Fourth Mizukage Yagura looked at the group of Mist ninjas below. The highest-ranking among them was only a Chunin ninja, no match for Akihara Kagura and his companions.
"Clear the way!"
The Fourth Mizukage Yagura, his face twisted in humiliation, issued his command!
"Lord Mizukage!"
The group of Mist ninjas looked up at the Fourth Mizukage, their emotions running high.
"I said, clear the way!"
The Fourth Mizukage Yagura issued his command once again.
"Yes..."
The group of Mist ninjas, filled with anger, began to disperse, watching the wooden dragon head towards the direction of the Mist Village.
"Admirable, Lord Mizukage!"
Akihara Kagura quietly praised the Fourth Mizukage's authority.
"...Bastard..."
The Fourth Mizukage Yagura cursed in anger.
The news of the capture of the Fourth Mizukage Yagura quickly spread within the Mist Village. The leaderless Mist ninjas had no choice but to ask the village's Genji to take charge.
Genji.
In terms of position, he was akin to an elder of the Mist Village, possessing power equivalent to the Mizukage and even the authority to appoint the Mizukage.
Genji immediately issued an order to rescue the Mizukage.
At any cost...
Rescuing Yagura was the top priority.
After all, the Fourth Mizukage was not just the village leader, but also an essential Jinchuriki, vital to the village, and could not be lost.
Facing an opponent who was a Wood Release ninja... Should they allow such a powerful adversary to wreak havoc in the Land of Water just because of his strength?
As Akihara Kagura, controlling the wooden dragon, was about to reach the Mist Village, he encountered a group of ninjas sent by Genji of the Mist Village, on a mission to rescue the Fourth Mizukage.
"So many people!"
Akihara Kagura looked at a group of Mist Shinobi and exclaimed, "There must be at least a few hundred of them, it will take quite some time to kill them all!"
"Don't always think about solving problems by killing," Hatake Kakashi said somewhat helplessly to Akihara Kagura, softly adding, "If problems can be solved through negotiation, that would be ideal... After all, the other party is one of the Five Great Ninja Villages. If it really comes to a fight to the death, it would be a big problem..."
"Release the Mizukage!"
A man, looking like a team leader, stood in the middle of the road, staring intently at the enormous wooden dragon and shouted at the huge creature, "Or today, you will die..."
Bang!
A female ninja kicked him away!
"Idiot!"
This female ninja cursed the team leader under her breath.
The most powerful Mizukage of the village was captured by the enemy, and they still wanted to threaten them. Were they trying to sacrifice the Fourth Mizukage directly?
However...
This was actually not a bad thing.
After all, the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, was not thinking clearly. He was killing people all over the village, even turning many of the village's ninjas against him, leading to numerous conflicts within the Mist Village...
But...
When all is said and done.
Yagura is still the Mizukage of the Mist Village, representing the image of the village, and even has a Tailed Beast, a strategic weapon of great importance to the village, sealed inside him...
No matter how terrible the governing policies of this Fourth Mizukage were, he was still very important to the currently leaderless Mist Village. Everyone might not approve of his way of ruling, but they had to admit that the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, was strong enough to control the Mist Village.
Although, after today, that might no longer be the case.
"Hey!"
This female ninja was more clear-headed. She had more comprehensive thoughts than the others and shouted at the figures on the wooden dragon, "Let's talk, the purpose of your visit to the Land of Water!"
"No matter what you want to do, just release the Mizukage first. Whatever demands you have, we will consider them..."
"That is... Terumi Mei..."
The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, recognized the person who came to rescue him.
As a genius female ninja of the Mist Village, Terumi Mei had received a lot of attention from a young age. Not only was she exceptionally skilled in Water Release ninjutsu, but she also possessed the Kekkei Genkai of Lava Release and Boil Release!
However…
Due to the terrifying effects of Terumi Mei's Kekkei Genkai, coupled with the deep-seated contradictions between the Kekkei Genkai ninja and non-Kekkei Genkai ninja within the Mist Village, no one has dared to pursue her...
"Should we negotiate with them?"
Uchiha Itachi looked towards Hatake Kakashi and Akihara Kagura.
"If the problem can be solved through negotiation..."
Hatake Kakashi has always been reluctant to escalate the conflict with the Mist Village. The ideas of Akihara Kagura were so righteous that it even seemed reasonable to him.
But...
The situation now seemed somewhat out of control.
"Let me do the talking!"
Akihara Kagura suddenly stood up, looking down at the group of Mist ninjas below, and loudly declared, "If you want us to release the Mizukage, there are two conditions, either of which will do..."
Akihara Kagura stroked his chin, smiling as he continued, "Either hand over the rogue ninja from Konoha, Uchiha Obito, or let us search the Mist Village to find out where he is!"
"..."
Terumi Mei breathed a sigh of relief and immediately turned to ask, "Ao, have any rogue ninjas from Konoha, especially from the Uchiha clan, sought refuge with us recently? Quickly send someone to check the village for a Konoha rogue ninja named Uchiha Obito..."
"There's no such person..."
Ao, who always had the latest intelligence, replied with his head down.
Places like the Mist Village, isolated overseas and notorious as the 'Village of the Bloody Mist', have never been popular destinations for defectors.
That Konoha rogue ninja named Uchiha Obito, coming from the prestigious Uchiha clan of Konoha, would definitely be a piece of intelligence that Ao would remember.
"I understand."
After nodding, Terumi Mei turned back to look at the wooden dragon's head, staring at the black-haired young man who had stepped forward, and began fabricating her own intelligence.
"Because of your arrival, that Konoha rogue ninja named Uchiha Obito has fled from the Mist Village. He has stolen quite a bit of information while here, and we are also tracking his whereabouts..."
"..."
Atop the wooden dragon's head.
Hatake Kakashi, supporting his forehead, said in a low voice, "As expected, our battle has alerted Uchiha Obito, and he has already fled from the Mist Village..."
"Perhaps."
Akihara Kagura glanced at Terumi Mei below and continued loudly, "If you can't hand over Uchiha Obito, then why should we return the Mizukage to you?"
"Are you ninjas from Konoha?"
Terumi Mei looked up at the youth and suddenly smiled softly, "Little guy, both our villages want to capture Uchiha Obito. Now, capturing the Mizukage doesn't help you much. It's more beneficial for us to cooperate and exchange information..."
"..."
On top of the wooden dragon.
Hatake Kakashi slowly nodded and whispered, "She makes sense. We have foiled Uchiha Obito's plot to control the Mizukage, and we have obtained information about Obito from within the Mist Village. Our mission here is accomplished..."
"Perhaps it is."
Actually, Akihara Kagura's goal was also achieved.
For Akihara Kagura, as long as Uchiha Obito's plot is thwarted and Obito learns to value the energy this spy can bring, that's enough.
But...
It's a bit strange.
How does Terumi Mei have information on Uchiha Obito? When Obito acts, he does so under the identity of a masked man. Even if she found out, she shouldn't be able to recognize him, right?
Akihara Kagura's brain worked, secretly observing Terumi Mei's situation with the "Ninja in the Shadows," eavesdropping on her conversation with those around her.
Terumi Mei shouted loudly towards the wooden dragon, "Ninjas of Konoha, can you release the Mizukage now? I can come up and tell you the information about Uchiha Obito!"
After saying this, Terumi Mei turned to Ao behind her and whispered, "In a while, if they dare let me jump onto the wooden dragon, command the others to cast the Mist Technique collectively, enveloping this place. I'll take advantage of the dense fog to rescue the Mizukage!"
"..."
Akihara Kagura tapped his arm slowly.