191-195

Chapter 191: Tobi

Deidara is quite an oddball, almost like a naive sweetheart, to the point where Kimimaro feels guilty for tricking him.

He now feels like a scumbag for not only draining Deidara's chakra but also making him grateful, even treating Kimimaro as his best teammate.

Kimimaro realized he might have overdone it in his attempts to deceive Deidara.

It seems Deidara has gotten quite attached to him.

"Deidara-senpai, as long as we share the same pursuit of art, it doesn’t matter if we’re on the same team or not. In fact, it’s by interacting with different people and experiencing new things that we can improve our artistic skills.

If you focus too much on one person, your art might stagnate. After all, one person's strength is always limited."

Deidara carefully pondered Kimimaro's words, then lit up with excitement.

"You're right! That's absolutely true! It seems I should change teammates more often. After some time, I’ll request a new teammate from the leader. Trying new people could spark new ideas.

Like this time—if it weren't for meeting you, I wouldn't have improved my explosive clay or reached this level of perfect art. You’re like my soulmate! I can already feel my art advancing."

Deidara got excited once again.

He sure gets excited easily.

Kimimaro had grown used to it by now.

Deidara was probably the easiest person he had ever fooled in the ninja world.

Good news all around.

"Deidara-senpai!"

Suddenly, someone called out loudly. Both of them turned toward the voice.

A mysterious figure wearing an orange swirl mask was running toward them.

"It's Tobi," Deidara immediately recognized him.

"Tobi?"

Kimimaro furrowed his brow slightly, already knowing who Tobi was.

Tobi was Obito's alias within the Akatsuki, but he was essentially a combination of Obito and White Zetsu, merged together.

Regardless of which one it was, Tobi, who could use Kamui, was definitely Obito.

That annoying voice was probably White Zetsu's doing.

To differentiate from the Black Zetsu one, Kimimaro decided to refer to this version as Tobi.

Come to think of it, Tobi was quite unique in that he could significantly boost the host's power, similar to Venom from the comics.

After possessing Yamato, Tobi greatly enhanced his Wood Release techniques, even producing a weaker version of the True Several Thousand Hands.

Tobi might be the most successful creation of White Zetsu.

This piqued Kimimaro’s interest.

If he could create something similar, it would be a boost to his own strength as well.

A conscious White Zetsu armor? That sounded appealing, almost like an Iron Man suit.

He had the materials to make White Zetsu, something he hadn’t considered before, but now he had a new direction to explore.

He would first create the White Zetsu armor, then, once he mastered Yin-Yang Release, he could create consciousness and inject it into the armor.

White Zetsu armor was no longer just a dream; it was highly feasible.

Kimimaro was already eager to get started.

"You haven’t been in the Akatsuki long, so you don’t know Tobi. He’s a candidate to become a core member of the Akatsuki. His strength is unknown, but definitely not weak. Though his personality can be pretty annoying," Deidara explained to Kimimaro, noticing his puzzled expression.

"I see," Kimimaro played along, easing the awkward tension.

"Deidara-senpai! Finally, I’ve found you two!"

Tobi stopped in front of them, panting heavily as if exhausted.

"Tobi, what do you want from us?"

"Deidara-senpai, the leader sent me to give you a mission. After receiving the order, I hurried for days to finally track you down."

Tobi spoke, then looked at Kimimaro.

"And this must be Kimimaro-senpai, right? I’m so jealous—becoming a core member of the Akatsuki at such a young age!

I’ve worked hard for years, and the leader still won’t make me a core member. Nice to meet you! I’m Tobi, part of the Akatsuki's intelligence squad."

Tobi extended his right hand.

Kimimaro saw no reason to refuse the offered handshake.

"Hello."

Kimimaro shook Tobi’s hand, saying quietly.

"Ah! Kimimaro-senpai shook my hand! This is amazing! I’m not washing this hand today!"

Tobi immediately became ecstatic.

Well, this guy really was a good match for Deidara.

"Alright, Tobi. What’s the mission?" Deidara interrupted Tobi’s excitement.

"The leader said the Hidden Mist Village is planning something big. He wants you two to go check it out.

It seems to be related to the Fourth Mizukage. If there’s an opportunity, you can capture the Three-Tails Jinchuriki.

That’s one of the targets for you and Sasori-senpai."

"The Three-Tails Jinchuriki? Sounds like a decent target. I’ve just developed a new form of art, and I can test it on him."

Deidara rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"Deidara-senpai's new art? I’ve got to see that for myself! Let me join you two on this mission!" Tobi was eager.

"You?"

"Yeah! I know a lot about the Land of Water. With me coming along, I’m sure I can help. Plus, the leader has approved it."

"Fine. Just don’t hold us back, or I’ll blow you up along with everything else!"

"Ah! Deidara-senpai, you’re so fierce! But no worries, I won’t slow you down."

Tobi joked playfully.

Kimimaro remained silent as they discussed.

The Hidden Mist Village?

The Fourth Mizukage?

Is he still alive?

Kimimaro had been near the Mist Village when he first crossed into this world, so he had a bit of "sentiment" toward the place.

Returning there would be like revisiting an old haunt.

"By the way, Kimimaro, weren’t you from the Hidden Mist Village? This is like a homecoming for you.

If you’re not comfortable with it, Tobi and I can go without you. I can handle them alone."

Deidara, already considering Kimimaro a friend, spoke with concern.

"It’s fine. I’ll come along. I haven’t been back to the Hidden Mist in years, so this is a good opportunity to see it again."

"Alright, if you're cool with it, then no problem. Let's head out!"

"Great! Deidara-senpai, can we ride your white bird? It’s so convenient and fast!"

Tobi's one visible eye sparkled with hope.

"Fine, I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll give you both a lift. But tomorrow, you're on your own! My explosive clay isn't a taxi service."

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 192: The Perfect Jinchūriki*

The Land of Water, home to the Hidden Mist Village, is the most mysterious of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. It has been cut off from the outside world for a long time.

A few days later, Kimimaro and his two companions set foot on this enigmatic land.

"Deidara-senpai, Kimimaro-senpai, we’ve arrived in the Land of Water. I used to be in charge of gathering intelligence in this area, so I'm pretty familiar with it," said Tobi, full of pride.

"This Hidden Mist Village has always been shrouded in mystery. What else do you know? Especially about the Fourth Mizukage," Deidara asked.

"Sure thing, Deidara-senpai. Speaking of the Fourth Mizukage, he’s had some really bad luck. About six years ago, Itachi-senpai and Jūzō-senpai, after just joining the Akatsuki, infiltrated near the Hidden Mist Village for a mission, but they were discovered by the Fourth Mizukage.

"A fierce battle ensued. Jūzō-senpai sacrificed himself, but Itachi-senpai managed to severely injure the Fourth Mizukage with his Amaterasu flames!

"Not long after, there were multiple assassination attempts on the Mizukage, including one by Zabuza Momochi, the wielder of the Executioner’s Blade.

"Also, Kimimaro-senpai’s Kaguya clan rebelled against the Hidden Mist Village around that time, but unfortunately, they were defeated," Tobi said, looking toward Kimimaro.

Deidara also glanced at Kimimaro, but his expression remained calm, showing no signs of emotional turmoil.

Clearly, this topic didn’t stir him at all.

Noticing their gazes, Kimimaro spoke up, "Why are you both looking at me? Tobi, what you’ve mentioned is ancient history. Do you have any more useful intel?"

"Hahaha, of course I do, Kimimaro-senpai. No need to rush; I was just getting to the good part," Tobi chuckled and continued.

"There’s a man in the Hidden Mist named Ao. His right eye is a transplanted Byakugan, which allows him to see through illusions.

"About three years ago, the higher-ups in the village started to notice something off with the Fourth Mizukage's actions, so they sent Ao to check if the Mizukage was under a genjutsu.

"Sure enough, after examining him, they found the Mizukage had been under a genjutsu for at least five years.

"The village elders gathered their strongest shinobi and managed to subdue the Mizukage, freeing him from the illusion.

"However, because of the prolonged control under the genjutsu, the Mizukage’s mental state deteriorated, and he was imprisoned.

"Since then, the village has been run by an elder, and they still haven’t chosen a new Mizukage."

Hearing this, Kimimaro found it odd.

"If the Fourth Mizukage is imprisoned, why haven’t they elected a new Mizukage? Has the Hidden Mist really gone three years without a leader?"

"I’m not sure, but I heard that although they say the Fourth Mizukage is imprisoned, he's actually undergoing training. The higher-ups plan to let him continue as Mizukage once he becomes a perfect jinchūriki.

"After all, the Fourth Mizukage is still young. If he becomes a perfect jinchūriki, he’ll no longer be vulnerable to genjutsu. Maybe that’s why they haven’t selected a new Mizukage yet."

Kimimaro nodded in understanding.

So that’s the reason.

However, based on the original story’s timeline, the Fourth Mizukage should be dead by now.

Otherwise, the Three-Tails wouldn’t have been roaming free in the wild.

Could he have died during this period?

Or was the Fourth Mizukage secretly executed by the village’s higher-ups?

These were questions that would need further investigation.

"The Hidden Mist Village is such a chaotic place. Bro, you were right to leave when you did. Otherwise, this messy village would’ve just hindered the development of true art," Deidara remarked, clearly unimpressed by the village.

Kimimaro didn’t mind. His opinion of the Hidden Mist Village wasn’t much better.

"It’s about time, brother. Shall we begin our training for today? We can act afterward," Deidara was eager to start.

Today marked the tenth day of their training. Just one more fusion of his chakra with the Star-Cracking Insects, and his explosive clay would undergo a qualitative change.

Explosive clay that was no longer weak to lightning release—that was true art.

"Alright," Kimimaro agreed, equally eager for the Star-Cracking Insects’ evolution.

"Huh? Are you both going to do that weird training again?" Tobi asked, curious. He had witnessed their training over the past few days and was intrigued by what kind of results it would produce.

Thousands of Star-Cracking Insects flew out of Kimimaro’s sleeve and landed on Deidara, quickly devouring his chakra.

Deidara was already enjoying the sensation of being drained.

Tobi quietly observed, his right eye beneath the mask turning into a Mangekyō Sharingan!

His vision sharpened.

"Deidara’s chakra is undergoing a transformation, and so are the Star-Cracking Insects. It seems Kimimaro is not only helping Deidara but also cultivating these insects.

"Star-Cracking Insects? I hadn’t heard of them before. But it’s no surprise—Kimimaro learned from Orochimaru, after all. He’s full of strange techniques," Tobi thought, gaining a deeper understanding of Kimimaro.

Tobi had always known Kimimaro’s motives for joining the Akatsuki weren’t pure.

But he didn’t care.

After all, few in the Akatsuki were truly loyal.

As long as Kimimaro’s strength could be used, that was enough.

After a brief observation, Tobi withdrew his gaze.

The Star-Cracking Insects weren’t worthy of much attention yet.

Half an hour later, the final fusion was complete.

The Star-Cracking Insects dropped to the ground, falling into a deep sleep.

Purple liquid seeped from their bodies, encasing them in crystalline cocoons.

Kimimaro recognized the scene. It was similar to their last evolution.

With a flash of joy in his eyes, Kimimaro collected the crystal-encased insects.

Deidara had also completed his transformation, reaching into his ninja tool pouch and letting his palm-mouth produce a clay bird.

With a flick of his hand, the bird took flight.

"Bro, let your summoning beast test this out," Deidara suggested.

Kimimaro nodded and glanced at the Pikachu on his shoulder.

Pikachu understood and launched an attack.

*Thunderbolt!*

Golden electricity struck the clay bird.

"Hah!" Deidara quickly activated the chakra in the bird.

Boom!

The clay bird exploded in mid-air!

Its power, compared to before, had not weakened—in fact, it had grown even stronger!

"We did it! This is true art!" Deidara was ecstatic.

Tobi’s eyes narrowed, astonished by the result.

But what surprised him more was the realization that Kimimaro’s summoning beast, Pikachu, could use such a powerful lightning jutsu. He had originally thought Pikachu was just for show.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 193: Infiltrating the Hidden Mist Village

"Good brother, I really have to thank you this time. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know how much longer it would have taken me to overcome my fear of Lightning Release."

Deidara was in great spirits, feeling grateful towards Kimimaro.

“All for the sake of art.”

“Hahaha! Yes! All for art!”

The two exchanged a knowing smile.

Obito didn’t get it, but he was deeply moved.

Is this the bond between artists?

Whatever, it didn’t matter.

After this brief exchange, the three continued their journey toward the Hidden Mist Village.

A day later, they arrived near the Hidden Mist.

Looking at the village, which was slightly different from a few years ago, Kimimaro felt nostalgic.

"Deidara-senpai, Kimimaro-senpai, I know how to quietly open the Hidden Mist's barrier. Let’s split up and infiltrate the village to gather intel," Tobi whispered.

“You know how to do that? Your intel-gathering abilities are quite impressive,” Deidara remarked, surprised.

After all, each village's barrier was a secret known only to a few.

For Tobi to have figured this out was indeed impressive.

Kimimaro wasn’t surprised. Obito had been controlling the Fourth Mizukage for years. If he didn’t know how to open the barrier, that would be strange.

What Kimimaro was more curious about was why Obito had come to the Hidden Mist Village.

Could it really be for the Three-Tails?

Now didn’t seem like the best time to capture it.

Obito must have some other motive for coming here.

Tobi scratched his head sheepishly, saying, "You flatter me, Deidara-senpai. I’m just a little bit exceptional, that’s all."

“Stop making that face, it’s weird. Alright, just tell us how to get in already.”

“Got it, Deidara-senpai.”

With Tobi leading the way, Kimimaro and Deidara successfully entered the Hidden Mist.

“It’s already dark now. In two hours, no matter what you find, we meet back here. Be careful, don’t get caught,” Deidara whispered.

“Understood, Deidara-senpai,” Tobi replied quietly. Kimimaro just nodded.

The mission began!

Infiltration was a basic skill for a ninja.

But some learned it well, and others didn’t.

Among the three, Deidara probably had the worst infiltration skills.

Obito, with his Kamui ability, had perfected the art of sneaking in and out. He’d been going in and out of the Leaf Village for years without anyone noticing.

As for Kimimaro, his Gaia Foundation could disguise him as anyone.

As long as he didn’t slip up in conversation, his infiltration was virtually flawless.

Deidara’s concerns were unnecessary—he should’ve worried more about himself.

Kimimaro first snuck into a single man’s home, knocked him out, hid him away, and used the Gaia Foundation to disguise himself. He then walked the streets of the Hidden Mist as the man.

Flawless.

"This guy isn’t bad-looking. Still single at this age, though. Maybe he's too much of a shut-in?" Kimimaro mused, evaluating himself in the mirror after the disguise.

As for how he knew the man was single, that’s best left unsaid.

It wasn’t hard to figure out.

After leaving the house, Kimimaro headed to a restaurant a bit farther away to eat.

Restaurants close to home would likely know the single man well, which might lead to slip-ups.

A place farther away was safer.

An izakaya—perfect for food, drink, and overhearing conversations. The patrons were always chatty, making it an ideal spot for gathering intel.

The timing was right, so Kimimaro chose this spot.

What ninja wouldn’t like a safe and comfortable way to gather intel?

“Owner, I’ll have an order of fried chicken and a soda,” Kimimaro ordered casually as he entered, blending in perfectly.

“Got it! Have a seat, your food will be ready soon,” the owner called cheerfully, showing him to a spot.

The izakaya was occupied by five or six people, two of whom appeared to be Hidden Mist Chunin, judging by their outfits.

They were eating fish and drinking, chatting enthusiastically.

Kimimaro’s lips curled into a slight smile—he knew he’d found the right place.

Two Chunin were bound to know something.

He sat close by, listening in on their conversation.

"Sakai, I’m telling you, what the village needs right now is a new Mizukage! The Fourth Mizukage is done for; we need to pick a Fifth Mizukage quickly to bring life back to the village! I think Terumi Mei would be perfect. I don’t know why the elder council won’t let her take over. Are they really going to wait for the Fourth Mizukage to wake up and keep ruining our village?" one of the Chunin, Ishida, complained.

Sakai, startled by the outburst, glanced around and saw that everyone was staring at them. He quickly patted Ishida’s shoulder.

“Ishida, you’re drunk. Stop talking nonsense.”

“I’m not drunk! Not even close! I’m just frustrated. The Fourth Mizukage has killed so many people! Why should we wait for him? My best friend died because of his orders!

He died so senselessly! Not at the hands of an enemy, but killed by his own people. He couldn’t believe it until the end. What did he do wrong? Just because he was part of the Yuki clan?”

The more Ishida spoke, the more agitated he became. He downed the rest of his drink.

The atmosphere grew heavy.

No one around spoke; they just silently drank their sake.

It hadn’t been easy for anyone living in the Hidden Mist Village these past few years.

It wasn’t just the bloodline clans that had suffered.

Under Yagura’s leadership, life had been tough for both ninjas and civilians alike.

Everyone in that izakaya shared that sense of misery.

Sakai sighed and took a sip of his drink as well.

“What good does it do to say all that? At least it’s over now. The higher-ups figured out that the Fourth Mizukage was under genjutsu, which is why he did all those terrible things. Our village will recover, you’ll see.”

“Recover? How? Other than canceling the bloodline purges, nothing has changed. And most of the bloodline clans are already gone.

Even if a few survived, how many of them would be willing to return? They probably hate the village now. Maybe they’ll even come back for revenge one day. Tell them the Fourth Mizukage was under genjutsu, and see how they respond.

Will they forgive him? Or will they send him to meet the Shinigami and let the Shinigami forgive him?”

Ishida scoffed.

"This..."

Sakai fell silent, unable to refute it.

The hatred of an entire clan wasn’t something that could be erased by calling it a misunderstanding.

"Your fried chicken and soda, enjoy," the owner said, placing Kimimaro's food in front of him.

“Thanks, owner. Time to dig in.”

As Kimimaro ate, he continued to listen to the conversation, all while processing what he’d overheard.

“It seems the Hidden Mist Village holds a lot of resentment toward the Fourth Mizukage and the higher-ups. Obito really has messed this village up,” he thought.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 194: Where Hearts Lean*

After living in fear for more than ten years, it was impossible for the ninjas to have no objections.

Even though they knew the Fourth Mizukage had been controlled by genjutsu, they still couldn’t forgive him.

As the village leader, he was supposed to protect the village and ensure the people lived better, not bring trouble to them.

Yagura, being the jinchūriki of the Three-Tails, already faced prejudice from many in the village.

Now, with this incident, he had completely lost the people's support.

If he wanted to continue serving as the Mizukage, there would likely be a lot of opposition.

The atmosphere in the izakaya hinted at this.

Despite the harsh discussions about the Fourth Mizukage, no one stood up to defend him.

If this had happened in Konoha, a crowd would have already gathered to argue.

The Hokages of Konoha always had a strong grasp on public sentiment.

In comparison, Kirigakure had a long way to go.

"We absolutely cannot let Yagura continue as the Mizukage. We must take action!"

Ishida said this, glancing around before whispering something into Sakai’s ear.

“This… will that really work?”

Sakai was clearly shocked by Ishida’s words.

“What’s stopping us? We need to act while we still have a choice. If not, it’ll just be the same miserable life as before. Can you accept that?”

Sakai hesitated but finally made up his mind.

“You’re right. We should choose while we still can.”

“Great! Let’s go right now!”

But in the next moment, the izakaya fell into an eerie silence.

*Barrier of Silence!*

Activated!

Before anyone realized something was wrong, the Clow Card of Illusions flew out from Kimimaro's body.

A golden light landed on Ishida.

The words he had just spoken came out of his mouth again.

"Sakai, let's join Lady Mei Terumi's side. I’ve heard that Lady Mei is preparing to succeed as the Fifth Mizukage. If we join her now, we might be able to help her. We can definitely get Yagura removed!"

Hearing this, Kimimaro’s eyes narrowed, and the powers of the Clow Card of Illusions and the *Barrier of Silence* were lifted at the same time.

Only about twenty seconds had passed, and no one present felt anything was out of place.

Everything seemed normal.

Kimimaro finished the last piece of fried chicken.

“Boss, the bill.”

Leaving the izakaya, Kimimaro quietly followed the two men.

“Ishida, are we betting too much on this? If Lady Mei doesn’t succeed, we’re doomed.”

Sakai was still wavering.

“Don’t worry. Lady Mei will succeed. I’ve heard that most of the village’s ninjas have already sided with her. There’s no way we can lose.”

“Really?”

“Why would I lie to you? I wouldn’t gamble my life on something uncertain.”

“You’re right, Ishida. You’ve always been smart.”

Finally, Sakai made up his mind.

The two men continued walking, unaware that a shadow had quietly merged with Ishida’s.

*Shadow Merging Technique!*

A perfect tool for tracking!

At this moment, Kimimaro was hiding in Ishida’s shadow, silently following them to their next destination.

Ishida led the way, with Sakai walking beside him. They soon arrived at the back door of a courtyard.

Knock, knock, knock.

After three rhythmic knocks, the door opened automatically.

“It’s clear that Ishida knows the situation well. It seems he’s been recruiting for Mei Terumi.”

Ishida’s familiarity with the place made Kimimaro realize something was off.

This wasn’t his first time here.

After the door opened, the two men stepped inside.

“Ishida, how come you’re so familiar with this place?”

Sakai asked in confusion.

“I asked around before. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come so easily.”

Ishida laughed it off, changing the subject.

“I see.”

Just then, two figures appeared behind them.

“Master Ao!”

“Master Chōjūrō!”

Seeing who it was, both men were startled.

Ao, once a loyal confidant of the Fourth Mizukage.

Chōjūrō, the heir to the Hiramekarei of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

Why were they both here?

Ishida and Sakai were scared because Ao was known as a close associate of the Fourth Mizukage.

If he was here, didn’t that mean they were already exposed?

“Relax. I know why you’re here. I’m not here to arrest you. I’ve come to join Lady Mei Terumi too.”

Ao’s words left Ishida and Sakai in shock.

Could it be that even the Fourth Mizukage’s confidants had turned against him?

“Master Ao, are you supporting Lady Mei to become the Fifth Mizukage as well?”

Ishida asked.

Ao nodded.

“Kirigakure is at a breaking point. I can’t rely on the Fourth Mizukage anymore.”

Ao held deep respect and recognition for Yagura.

But now, with the village’s future at stake, if he had to choose between Yagura and Kirigakure, he would choose Kirigakure.

“That’s fantastic! With Master Ao’s help, we’ll surely succeed!”

Ishida was thrilled.

“Let’s go inside together.”

The four of them continued forward.

Hiding in the shadows, Kimimaro thought to himself, “I didn’t expect Yagura to end up abandoned by everyone. Even his closest allies have betrayed him. It seems most of Kirigakure’s forces are already under Mei Terumi’s control.

But I wonder how they plan to proceed? Will they use force to seize power? Or do they have some other plan?”

Before Kimimaro could think further, the four men had already reached an underground room.

Inside, there were no fewer than a hundred ninjas.

At the front sat a woman — Mei Terumi.

Seeing Ao and Chōjūrō arrive, she smiled.

“You’re finally here.”

Ao looked surprised and whispered, “You knew we’d come?”

“Ao, we’ve worked together many times. I know your character well. Although you’re loyal to Yagura, Kirigakure is more important to you. We both know the village’s current state.

Now is the time to make a decision. Tonight, Yagura will complete his training and become a perfect jinchūriki, ready to continue as Mizukage. But someone who has led Kirigakure into hell is unworthy of that title again.

He has lost the people's support, and no matter what he does now, he can’t win it back. The village can’t afford to wait any longer. The other four Great Shinobi Villages are watching us closely. We need to grow stronger quickly.”

Mei Terumi spoke calmly.

To her, Yagura couldn’t save Kirigakure. Only she could change things.

She had been preparing for this day for a long time.

Ao sighed.

“Lady Mei, you are indeed remarkable. There is no one more suitable to be the Fifth Mizukage than you. But I hope that after tonight, you’ll spare the Fourth Mizukage. After all, everything he did wasn’t his true will.

As a perfect jinchūriki, he can still bring stability to the village. I believe he wouldn’t mind stepping down. The only reason he hasn’t is because the village elder doesn’t want him to.”

Mei Terumi was about to reply when suddenly, a loud explosion echoed through the village!

"Something’s wrong! The Fourth Mizukage has lost control!"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 195: Yagura Must Die*

At the Hidden Mist Village’s forbidden grounds.

The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, sat cross-legged, concentrating his mental energy within the sealed space.

“Isobu, you finally stopped resisting my presence.”

Yagura let out a sigh of relief.

“I just don’t want to be controlled by the Sharingan anymore. That person is too strange. Even the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan shouldn’t be this strong. His Sharingan is already very close to the Eternal Mangekyō. Perhaps it’s related to the power of the First Hokage I sense in him.”

“The power of the First Hokage? But isn’t that person from the Uchiha clan?”

Yagura asked in surprise.

“I can’t say for sure. But I definitely felt the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan and the Wood Style of the First Hokage from him. There’s something very suspicious about that person.”

Recalling the time under the control of the Sharingan, Isobu still felt a lingering fear.

During those years, it had experienced the same despair that the Nine-Tails once did.

Under the overwhelming power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, they—these tailed beasts—had become little more than jokes.

This innate weakness was deeply frustrating, not just for people, but for beasts as well.

“Could it be the legendary ninja, Madara Uchiha?”

Yagura speculated.

“No, his ocular power isn’t as strong as Madara’s.”

Isobu still remembered the time, when the Five Great Nations had just been established, when it and the other tailed beasts were utterly defeated by Hashirama and Madara.

Back then, it was Madara Uchiha who had subdued it.

“So, who could this person possibly be?”

Just as both Yagura and Isobu were lost in thought, a voice echoed through the space.

“Are you talking about me?”

Both Yagura and Isobu were startled—they hadn’t noticed that someone had entered the area.

Turning their heads, they saw Tobi, standing right beside them, clad in the iconic black cloak with red clouds.

His orange spiral mask added an air of mystery.

“You again!”

Yagura and Isobu immediately tensed up, but some things can’t be solved by mere vigilance.

“This time, we won’t fall under your genjutsu!”

“Oh, really? Too bad—when you lost to me the first time, your fate was already sealed. Your future holds only death! Fourth Mizukage! This is the price you must pay!”

Tobi’s cold, raspy voice sent a chill down Yagura’s spine. The single exposed eye shone crimson.

Mangekyō Sharingan!

Genjutsu!

“I’m now a perfect jinchūriki! Your genjutsu won’t work on me anymore!”

Yagura shouted excitedly, but soon, he realized something was wrong.

Isobu was becoming agitated!

The Three-Tails, who had been quietly residing within Yagura, was now losing its composure. A closer look revealed that its eyes had already taken on the pattern of the Sharingan.

It had fallen under Tobi’s control.

“How is this possible?!”

Yagura could feel the Three-Tails’ chakra pouring uncontrollably out of the seal.

Without the cooperation of the Three-Tails, he could not control such a massive amount of tailed beast chakra by himself.

Yagura couldn’t understand how this mysterious man could so easily control the Three-Tails.

Was it really just because of the Sharingan?

What he didn’t know was that, during the time he was being controlled, Tobi had thoroughly studied the seal inside Yagura.

What Tobi was doing now was tearing open part of the seal, allowing the Three-Tails’ chakra to leak out uncontrollably.

At the same time, using his Mangekyō Sharingan’s genjutsu, he kept the Three-Tails subdued, preventing it from resisting.

Faced with the rapidly escaping tailed beast chakra, Yagura was unable to use his own chakra to wake Isobu.

Because his rationality was being drowned by the negative emotions within the tailed beast chakra.

He was losing control!

At that moment!

With a loud explosion, Yagura was enveloped in crimson chakra, transforming into the form of the Three-Tails, Isobu.

Tobi withdrew from the sealed space, standing atop a high point, silently watching the Three-Tails wreak havoc throughout the Hidden Mist Village.

“Back then, you wanted to use the Three-Tails to destroy Konoha, didn’t you? Now, you can experience the same thing for yourself.”

Tobi’s cold words were spoken softly, but only Zetsu heard them.

“Tobi, you really know how to hold a grudge. Is this the final step of your revenge for Rin?”

Zetsu’s annoying voice rang out.

“No. I don’t care about avenging Rin anymore. What happens to this world is meaningless to me. I just want to complete the Moon’s Eye Plan. Everything I’m doing now is just idle entertainment. And weakening the Hidden Mist Village will greatly aid our plan.”

Tobi’s words didn’t convince Zetsu.

But it didn’t really matter.

“By making the Three-Tails’ jinchūriki go berserk like this, Deidara and Kimimaro won’t be able to capture it anymore.”

If Deidara and Kimimaro acted now, they would just be helping the Hidden Mist with its internal crisis. They weren’t that benevolent.

“It doesn’t matter. This isn’t the best time to capture the tailed beasts anyway. If Yagura hadn’t completed his training as a perfect jinchūriki, I wouldn’t have acted.”

Tobi had originally come just to check on the situation. If everything seemed fine, he would have let Kimimaro and Deidara cause some trouble for the Hidden Mist Village.

If the opportunity was right, he might have had them capture the Three-Tails early.

But just now, he discovered that Yagura had completed his training as a perfect jinchūriki.

That was a big problem for him.

Since that was the case, he had no choice but to take action.

Yagura couldn’t survive the night.

If things continued as they were, the seal would fully unravel, and the Three-Tails would break free completely.

At that moment, Yagura would become a jinchūriki without a tailed beast.

And without the Uzumaki Clan’s strong vitality, Yagura would die the instant the beast tore free from the seal.

“So, are we just going to watch the show now?”

“Yeah. I’m letting you take control of my body for a while.”

As Tobi spoke, the Sharingan in his right eye faded, and Zetsu took over control of his body.

Zetsu was already used to this kind of thing.

“It’s going to be a good show. Time to find a nice spot to watch. I know this place like the back of my hand, hehe.”

By now, the Hidden Mist Village had plunged into chaos.

The appearance of the enormous Three-Tails was already a huge problem.

And even more so in its rampaging state.

In this condition, the Three-Tails had only one move.

Tailed Beast Bomb!

A massive amount of chakra began gathering in the Three-Tails’ mouth.

At that moment, Mei Terumī and the others arrived on the scene.

“Damn it, how did things turn out like this?”

Watching the rapidly forming Tailed Beast Bomb, Mei felt a sinking feeling in her heart.

If that thing detonated in the village, the Hidden Mist would be wiped out.

“Everyone, Water Release: Water Formation Wall!”

Mei made a swift decision, issuing orders.

Without hesitation, everyone followed her command, forming hand seals and performing the Water Formation Wall technique.

In an instant, water gushed out of everyone’s mouths.

“Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!”

At the same time, Mei finished her own hand seals.

With her extraordinary chakra control, she was able to take control of the water released by the others.

Using the flowing water, a massive water dragon soared into the sky!

Boom!

The water dragon collided with the Tailed Beast Bomb, altering its trajectory!

The Tailed Beast Bomb shot into the sky, where it exploded into a brilliant white light!

(End of chapter)