Chapter 323: The Coup in the Hidden Mist
Early the next morning, Haneda and Kakashi set out for the Hidden Mist while the sky was still dim.
The Hidden Mist was located deep in the mountains, where dense fog shrouded the area year-round.
Haneda had visited the Hidden Mist before and had stayed there for a time.
To be honest, the Hidden Mist left him with a cold impression—there was almost no trust among people, only wariness disguised as familiarity.
"The coup in the Hidden Mist seems inevitable at this point. Should we leave immediately after retrieving the Byakugan, or…" Kakashi asked softly, scanning their surroundings with vigilance.
The dense fog severely limited visibility, and Kakashi was on high alert for any movement nearby.
"Ao is a key figure in the coup. If there aren't many people, we act directly. If there are too many, we try to negotiate."
"Killing is only a means, not the goal," Haneda replied quietly.
He suddenly noticed an invisible gaze observing him and Kakashi.
Haneda turned his head toward the source of the gaze, but it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
"Obito, huh…"
The two continued on their way to the Hidden Mist.
Like Konoha, the Hidden Mist had a sealing team, and there were barrier sensors around the village.
Anyone entering the Hidden Mist would be detected by the barrier.
However, having stayed in the Hidden Mist before, Haneda had already mastered a method to bypass the barrier without being detected.
The two successfully infiltrated the Hidden Mist.
"72 Whitespring Street, near the Mizukage's residence," Haneda said, handing a hand-drawn map from the previous night to Kakashi.
Due to the peculiar customs of the Hidden Mist, merchants entering the village were usually watched closely, but ninja were rarely harassed.
Disguised as Hidden Mist ninja, Haneda and Kakashi openly strolled through the streets and arrived at 72 Whitespring Street.
"There are quite a few people here," Haneda murmured, frowning slightly. He extended his senses toward the Mizukage's office and detected numerous jonin lying in ambush.
He enhanced his sensory perception further, disregarding the risk of being noticed.
To his astonishment, over 70% of the Hidden Mist's ninja were gathered in this area!
"What's wrong, Haneda?" Kakashi asked in a low voice, noticing the unsettling quiet around them.
"The Hidden Mist is about to stage a coup. When things get chaotic, we'll take Ao's Byakugan and leave," Haneda said calmly.
Just as he turned to leave, a kunai flew toward him from the side.
He caught the kunai mid-air, removed the explosive tag attached to it, and used a sealing technique to neutralize the imminent explosion. Then, he threw the kunai and tag back.
Boom!
The explosion shattered the front door of 72 Whitespring Street, as if signaling the start of hostilities.
The Mist ninja hidden near the door immediately attacked Haneda, Kakashi, and the ANBU behind them.
Clearly, they had mistaken Haneda and Kakashi for Mizukage loyalists.
"Fight or retreat?" Kakashi asked out of habit, keeping his focus on Haneda.
Haneda looked up toward the Mizukage's office. Standing by the window was a figure wearing a tiger-striped mask, staring down at him.
All around, chaos erupted as ninja clashed. The sounds of blades striking, the rumble of jutsu, and the cries of battle filled the air. But Haneda's gaze remained locked on the figure in the Mizukage's office.
Kakashi stepped in front of Haneda, killing a Mist ninja attempting to ambush him.
Grabbing Haneda, Kakashi leaped onto a nearby rooftop.
"Snap out of it! Let's move, as you said!" Kakashi urged.
But Haneda seemed unfazed by the skirmish below, his focus entirely on the figure in the Mizukage's office.
The ninja on the ground didn't matter to him; he could dispatch them effortlessly.
What held his attention was the figure of Obito in the Mizukage's office—the person who haunted his thoughts day and night.
Their invisible gazes clashed in the air—a silent exchange of remembrance, confrontation, and negotiation.
When Kakashi followed Haneda's gaze, the tiger-striped mask disappeared from the window.
In its place was the cold, emotionless stare of the Fourth Mizukage.
The moment the Mizukage appeared, Mei Terumi, who had been hiding at 36 Whitespring Street, made her move.
A massive Water Dragon Bullet shot past Haneda and Kakashi, colliding with Mei Terumi's own technique.
Her auburn hair curled elegantly, her emerald-green eyes sparkled, and her pink lips were as captivating as ever.
She was just as beautiful as eight or nine years ago, except now her previously flat figure rivaled that of Tsunade's.
At first, Mei Terumi thought Haneda and Kakashi were innocent bystanders caught in the chaos.
But the indifference in their eyes as they looked at her reminded her of the humiliation she had suffered during the Chunin Exams.
"Uchiha Haneda? Hatake Kakashi?" Mei Terumi asked tentatively.
"You've got the wrong people."
"Focus on what's in front of you."
Haneda and Kakashi simultaneously denied her suspicion. They had no interest in Mei Terumi and little concern for the Hidden Mist's coup.
Being recognized would only bring unnecessary trouble.
At that moment, their target appeared—Ao, activating his Byakugan and glaring at the Fourth Mizukage.
For a brief moment, the Fourth Mizukage's gaze seemed to regain a trace of clarity.
It was then that Obito revealed himself, stepping out from behind the Mizukage.
He wore the same tiger-striped mask and black hooded cloak that he had during the Nine-Tails attack on Konoha.
Kakashi, who had been preparing to make a move on Ao, immediately shifted his attention to the masked man.
He opened a sealing scroll and gripped the silver-white short sword his father had passed down to him.
Purple lightning crackled as Chidori let out its piercing cry, and Kakashi's left eye turned blood-red.
Without hesitation, he charged toward Obito on the rooftop of the Mizukage's office.
Haneda understood that Obito's attire was meant to convey some kind of resolve to him.
He let out a bitter laugh. Fearing for Kakashi's safety, he unsheathed his own weapon.
The silver blade of Dawn gleamed, a symbol of Haneda's identity.
Mei Terumi's expression turned to one of realization, while Ao suddenly felt the weight of someone's gaze upon him.
At that moment, the fighting in the streets below came to an abrupt halt as all eyes turned toward Haneda and Kakashi.
The strongest in the shinobi world, the God of Shinobi, the legendary Fifth Hokage, the dictator of the Land of Fire—Uchiha Haneda had arrived!
His blade, Dawn, and his ANBU captain, Hatake Kakashi, left no doubt about his identity.
"Every Uchiha is handsome, aren't they? Hmm~ Even more dashing than before, so much more manly…"
"Hey, you two, interested in a sweet romance?" Mei Terumi teased, blowing them a kiss.
But neither Haneda nor Kakashi paid her any attention.
It was even worse than seven or eight years ago—at least back then, they had rejected her.
Now, they outright ignored her!
Fuming, Mei Terumi felt like stomping her feet and chasing after them, if only her subordinates weren't watching.
"Mei-sama, please remember your position!" Ao reminded her.
"What? Is there a problem with a Mizukage and Hokage alliance? Hmph!" Mei Terumi shot Ao a glare before turning to lead her forces into battle.