121-125

While Sougen and Shisui were having a calm conversation at the entrance of the camp, the atmosphere inside the newly set-up tent at the center of the Mist Ninja camp was as cold as the icy caves of the Land of Snow. Ordinary Mist Ninjas didn’t care much about the outcome of the war for various reasons, but the Jonin inside the tent were a different story. These were the ones who cared deeply or had no choice but to care about the village’s fate.

Regardless of what they thought, they had to put on an expression of deep shame for the sake of the village’s honor.

"The situation is roughly as I’ve explained. This war with Konoha wasn’t my decision. To be precise, since the attack outside the village five years ago, I’ve been nothing more than a puppet," Yagura calmly explained.

Perhaps bowing his head to Uchiha Sougen earlier had drained all his energy and emotions, leaving him numb. Even as he spoke about being manipulated, his voice remained steady, as if he were talking about someone else.

He didn’t hide the fact that he had been controlled. Instead, he openly told the Jonin, who were regarded as the backbone and future of the village. There was no point in hiding it; he had to explain what "he" had done.

The Mist Jonin remained silent.

Even the usually brash Zabuza, who was clearly displeased with Yagura’s decision to surrender, stayed quiet, though that might have had something to do with his heavily injured and bandaged body. The Uchiha "rebound" attack hadn’t killed Zabuza or his comrades but had left him in a much worse state than Hozuki Mangetsu or Kisame Hoshigaki, who had only suffered minor injuries. Zabuza, already hurt, now had multiple fractures and significant blood loss. If not for the medical ninja’s immediate intervention, he would’ve likely been dead.

"I didn’t expect the rumors to be true," Hozuki Mangetsu said, seated near the front. Not only was he considered a prodigy of the Mist Village, but he also represented the Hozuki clan, one of the village's most prominent families, akin to the Hyuga clan in Konoha. Though not labeled the strongest, they were definitely part of the elite.

Additionally, his clan had produced a former Mizukage, giving them a respected status.

"Mizukage-sama, forgive my bluntness, but... is this really not just an excuse to avoid responsibility?" Mangetsu’s straightforward question echoed the doubts of many in the room.

Could such a story really be true?

The idea of a Mizukage being controlled for over five years without anyone in the village noticing seemed absurd, something even a third-rate novel wouldn’t dare to write. This was beyond belief!

Yagura looked around the room calmly and sighed. "I understand your doubts. Unfortunately, I don’t have any concrete evidence. Even the corpse of the imposter who posed as me is in Uchiha Sougen’s hands. All I can say is, believe me or not, that’s up to you. Just don’t dismiss my words lightly."

He tapped the table with his fingers. "But the mysterious figure isn’t our immediate concern. Right now, our top priority is handling our relations with Konoha..."

"Mizukage-sama, if the person who controlled you had the Sharingan, isn’t this a conspiracy by Konoha?" A man wearing a gray ninja cap and a brown robe interrupted Yagura, causing him to frown slightly.

"Bii, if this were a Konoha conspiracy, they wouldn’t have needed to manipulate me into starting this war. They could have just used me to achieve whatever they wanted," Yagura rebutted.

"What if what Konoha wanted was the war itself?"

The man, called Bii, spoke with a calm, deep voice, giving the impression of reliability and authority.

"What do you mean?"

Yagura’s frown deepened.

"I’m saying, what if Konoha started this war to divert attention from their internal conflicts? According to intelligence reports, Konoha experienced a coup before our war began. The Third Hokage stepped down, and the Fifth Hokage took over. Moreover, most of Konoha’s forces in this war are composed of either civilian ninjas or members of clans like Sarutobi, Shimura, and Mito—all political losers from the coup."

Bii spoke slowly and clearly, ensuring everyone in the tent could understand.

This caused even more suspicion among the Mist Ninjas, who were already uncertain about the truth.

Yagura’s eyes widened in shock. What Bii said made a lot of sense. If he didn’t already know that Uchiha Sougen was enemies with the one-eyed Uchiha who had controlled him, he might have started doubting whether this was all part of Konoha’s scheme.

"Perhaps the victors of Konoha’s coup used you, Mizukage-sama, to start this war, applying external pressure to unite their village and suppress internal conflicts," Bii continued his analysis.

Yagura, however, couldn’t let Bii keep talking. If he incited the radicals like Zabuza to revolt, things could spiral out of control. He couldn’t allow the Mist Village to face such chaos, especially with someone like Uchiha Sougen around, who could wipe them all out single-handedly.

"Enough, Bii. That’s just your speculation, without any evidence to back it up," Yagura firmly interrupted. He then turned his sharp gaze toward the radicals, including Zabuza. "I hate to say this, but we’re not strong enough to face Konoha. Whether or not I was being controlled, you must understand that we don’t have the strength to oppose Konoha. Uchiha Sougen alone could destroy us all."

"Bii, do you understand what I’m saying?" Yagura’s eyes locked coldly onto the man in the gray ninja cap.

"Is Uchiha Sougen really that powerful? Even the Third Raikage was worn down and killed by Iwa’s forces through sheer numbers," Bii replied evasively.

"Still not convinced, huh? Then let me tell you one more thing," Yagura said, closing his eyes. "I’ve lost control of the Three-Tails. If I’m right, Uchiha Sougen can forcefully control it anytime."

His words caused an uproar.

If the Mizukage, the Three-Tails Jinchuriki, had lost control of the beast, who was really in charge? The Mizukage? Or Uchiha Sougen? Everyone in the tent began to wonder.

"I’m not anyone’s puppet right now!" Yagura declared. He wasn’t surprised by the reaction, which was why he hadn’t planned on revealing this earlier. But with Bii pushing his conspiracy theory and Yagura’s own authority diminished, he had no choice. "This isn’t just my own feeling. More than ten sensory ninjas have confirmed up close that I’m not under any genjutsu."

"I can confirm that," said Mei Terumi, who had been silent until now. Surprisingly, she didn’t side with Bii. Instead, she supported Yagura. "Mizukage-sama allowed the sensory ninjas to thoroughly examine him. They detected signs of long-term manipulation, but right now, Mizukage-sama isn’t under any illusions."

Yagura gave Mei a deep look of appreciation.

She was sharp, capable of seeing the bigger picture. She was much smarter than Bii, whose rigid thinking limited him despite being one of Gengetsu’s trusted aides. No wonder he still hadn’t been given a leadership role like Ao, and had to serve as Mei’s deputy.

"Mizukage-sama, please continue. What should we do next regarding Konoha?" Mei asked.

The Mist Ninjas exchanged looks, their unsettled hearts gradually calming down.

If this war had damaged Yagura’s reputation, Mei Terumi’s actions had earned her recognition and widened the gap between her and other competitors like Hozuki Mangetsu and Zabuza.

Bii glanced at Mei’s determined face and remembered Gengetsu’s orders before they left the village: "Follow Mei Terumi’s lead." To Bii, Gengetsu’s word was law, even above the Mizukage’s.

So, with Mei’s stance clear, Bii chose to remain silent. He hadn’t made a decision on his own in a long time.

"How we handle our relations with Konoha is our top priority. But it’s not difficult. We just need to honor the agreement," Yagura said, picking up where he’d left off.

"Agreement?" Mei raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, the agreement I made with Konoha when I was their prisoner," Yagura sighed, knowing his legacy as Mizukage would forever be tainted by this.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 122: Can I Become Your Apprentice?

The "Kage" is the highest leader in a ninja village.

Even if there are powerful individuals in the village who can challenge the authority of the Kage, when the Kage truly decides on something, those powerful individuals must bow their heads in submission. The only way to resist is to overthrow the disliked Kage from their position and replace them with a new one to lead the village.

It’s undeniable that the authority of the Fourth Mizukage has greatly diminished.

But he is still the Mizukage.

Here and now, no one has the power or courage to overthrow him from his position as Mizukage. So, when he decided to establish friendly relations with Konoha, the Mist ninja, whether they liked it or not, had no choice but to comply and take action.

Messengers were sent out quickly, and the Mist ninja from two other bases were summoned back.

Then, after the Mist army and the delegation from Konoha stayed on an unnamed island for five days, they set off for the Land of Water, a land shrouded in mist and hidden from the world. It made sense for the Mist army to go, but the Konoha delegation was an interesting case.

Out of the 127 members of the Konoha delegation, apart from a few young wolves who had snuck in, every single one was a fierce warrior. Over 100 elite Jōnin were in the group. It was as if Sougen had pulled away the best forces from Konoha’s main army and the eastern border defense troops.

After all, the Mist ninja had already been defeated.

It was expected that the eastern border defense troops wouldn’t face any large-scale conflicts for a long time. Their job would be to catch endless spies and fight off endless pirates. Keeping the extra Jōnin there would be a waste.

So, Sougen heartlessly packed these valuable human resources into this freshly assembled delegation, still hot from the oven.

The Mist had lost the battle.

However, true peace was still a long way off. As the victors, they had to collect their spoils of war and show off Konoha’s military might, teaching the crafty Mist ninja to understand the reality of the situation.

But bringing an army for a victory tour seemed excessive. It might provoke the Mist ninja, who valued their honor above all else, into taking hostile action, which could spark another war between Konoha and the Mist. Though Sougen was confident in winning, a broken Mist Village would lose much of its value to him.

Therefore, Sougen disguised the group as a "diplomatic delegation."

And he even brought three young kids along.

---

At sea, ships flying the flags of the Mist Village and Konoha sailed through the waves.

On the deck, a sickly-looking blonde boy leaned against the railing, staring at the white foam stirred up by the ship as if entranced. A girl, who had already run from the bow to the stern twice, happily playing, couldn’t help but feel worried.

“Naruto, are you okay?”

Uchiha Fujika approached and gave Naruto a hard pat on the shoulder. “You’ve been looking really out of it lately!”

“Fujika?”

Naruto blinked and snapped out of it. “I’m fine, really. I was just daydreaming… By the way, Fujika, is Sougen around?” He hesitated but eventually worked up the courage to ask about Sougen’s whereabouts.

“My brother?”

Fujika tilted her head in thought. “I think he went to play chess with the Mizukage. Why, do you need to see him? I can take you to him.”

“Playing chess? Will I be interrupting him?”

Naruto asked nervously.

“You won’t. Don’t worry! My brother plays chess just for fun!” Fujika waved her hand and dashed off like a little cannonball, calling out from a distance, “Naruto, what are you standing there for? Hurry up!”

Naruto scratched his head and jogged after her.

As soon as Naruto was out of sight, Kakashi silently appeared from the shadows, following closely behind Naruto to protect the son of his teacher. He had been strongly against bringing Naruto to the Land of Water, but his objections carried no weight. He had no choice but to accept Sougen’s decision.

The only thing he could do was join the delegation and personally protect Naruto.

---

At this moment, Sougen was indeed playing chess with Yagura. They chatted casually while playing, occasionally discussing serious matters. “I’ve sent a letter to the Elder. By the time we reach shore, I should have his reply.”

“Let’s hope your Elder can see the current situation clearly. Otherwise, things won’t be pleasant for anyone.”

Sougen held a black piece. He wasn’t concerned about who went first; he just preferred the deep color of black.

“The Elder is wiser than I am. He will make the best decision for the village. He witnessed firsthand the might of the First Hokage and the ancestor of your clan when they brought peace to the ninja world. There’s no need for you to worry, Lord Uchiha.”

Yagura made his next move cautiously.

“An old sage, is he? I look forward to meeting him,” Sougen smiled as he placed his piece on the board.

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed through the room.

Even before seeing who it was, the familiar light steps gave it away. Kurama Yakumo, who had been quietly watching the game, turned her head toward the sound. Even Yagura smiled, “It seems your sister is here again.”

“Fujika?”

Sougen glanced up and spotted his sister approaching. Fujika was lively and active, unlike Yakumo, who could patiently watch them play chess. Usually, she’d be off playing somewhere, and it would take her at least two hours to return. But it had only been about half an hour—what brought her back so soon?

Then he saw a blonde boy following behind her, and it all made sense.

“Fujika, Naruto, come here.”

Sougen motioned for them to come closer.

As they reached him, Sougen asked, “Is there something you need?” His gaze briefly lingered on Naruto, who looked nervous and out of place, unlike the carefree Fujika.

Sure enough, Fujika immediately explained the situation.

“Brother, Naruto said he needed to talk to you, so I brought him here.”

“Oh? So, Naruto, what is it?” Sougen held his chess piece in hand, not placing it on the board yet. Yagura, too, was curious about what the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki wanted. Unlike most Jinchuriki, Yagura had chosen to become the Three-Tails Jinchuriki to gain power, making his situation very different from the others.

Under the scrutiny of the room, Naruto felt awkward. He scratched his head, hesitated for a couple of seconds, took a deep breath, and finally gathered his courage to ask, “Um, Sougen, can I become your apprentice and learn ninjutsu from you?”

Apprentice?

Yagura’s face lit up with an amused smile. The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki asking the Uchiha clan leader to be his teacher? Wasn’t this like delivering the Nine-Tails on a silver platter?

Kurama Yakumo also widened her eyes in surprise, while even Fujika looked at Naruto in disbelief.

No one had expected this!

“Apprentice?”

Sougen blinked, his face showing no emotion as he asked, “Why do you want me to be your teacher? Doesn’t the Ninja Academy train you well enough? Or do you think it’s too basic? What’s the real reason you want to learn from me?”

“Um…”

Naruto glanced nervously at Yagura and Yakumo, unsure.

“Just say what’s on your mind.”

Since Yagura already knew about Naruto’s dual identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and the Fourth Hokage’s son, there wasn’t much Naruto could say that would be a secret.

“I want to become Hokage!!”

Naruto shouted his goal.

“Is that the future you’ve decided for yourself?” Sougen’s expression remained calm. “To become Hokage?”

“That’s right! I want to become Hokage. I want to see for myself the world my father once saw.” Naruto’s voice softened at the end. He now knew about his parents’ identities and, after witnessing the horrors of war, had made up his mind to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“Sougen, you’re the strongest ninja I know. If I learn from you, I’m sure I can become Hokage.” Naruto explained.

“I see.”

Sougen nodded in understanding. “But unfortunately, Naruto, I’m not the right teacher for you.”

“Most of the Uchiha techniques rely on our eyes, and without these eyes, it’s impossible to learn many of them.” Sougen ignored the change in Naruto’s expression and continued, “There’s someone else more suited to be your teacher.”

Naruto hung his head, disappointed.

“Lift your head, Naruto. While I won’t be your teacher, I can teach you a very interesting ninjutsu!” Sougen said with a smile.

Naruto immediately looked up, his eyes filled with new hope!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 123: Genji (Seeking Monthly Votes!)

"What were the results of the investigation?"

Uchiha Obito sat on a tree branch, slightly tilting his head to look at the pitcher plant emerging from the trunk. "Did you find any trace of that useless thing?"

"We found signs of Mokuton being used, but that's all we have—just traces. As for what ultimately happened to my predecessor, it's unclear. Did they self-destruct? Or were they killed, and their body taken? The clues we've gathered from the scene aren't enough to draw any definitive conclusion."

The one speaking was White Zetsu, specifically the new White Zetsu chosen by Black Zetsu to replace the former.

"So, you're saying this is all a waste of time?"

Uchiha Obito reached out and gently pressed his orange mask, which concealed not only his true face but also his emotions. However, even without seeing his face, it was easy to sense his frustration.

"Whether it's a waste or not, you can only know by doing. And confirming that White Zetsu might have been taken by Uchiha Sougen is a result in itself, isn't it, Obito?" Black Zetsu's raspy voice chimed in.

"Don't try to fool me with that nonsense!"

Obito stood up. "Possibilities, maybes—none of that is an answer. If Uchiha Sougen really got his hands on White Zetsu's body and found a way to use it... it would be nothing but trouble! That useless idiot!"

His mood was sour. White Zetsu, the failure, couldn't even manage to escape. Despite having the Mayfly technique, everything still went horribly wrong. Obito was beginning to regret sending White Zetsu to impersonate Yagura to escalate the war between the Mist and the Leaf. True, the number of ninja casualties from both sides had been high.

But none of that compared to the threat posed by Uchiha Sougen alone.

Black Zetsu remained silent, lost in his own thoughts. If Uchiha Sougen truly got hold of White Zetsu's body and successfully made use of it—no, even without White Zetsu, his troublesome Mangekyō Sharingan was enough to defeat Obito. If Sougen gained any more power... it seemed adjustments to their plan were necessary.

Deal with the Leaf later.

If Obito couldn't handle it, Madara would have to take care of things. For now, they needed to avoid Uchiha Sougen as much as possible. The Uchiha clan really was something... producing monsters one after another! Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Obito, Uchiha Sougen—and that’s not counting the ones Black Zetsu had chosen over the centuries, only for them to fail. His elder brother certainly favored his firstborn.

Too bad there's no opportunity to get rid of the whole clan just yet.

Truly unfortunate!

"Alright, Zetsu, let's go. Staying here is just a waste of time."

With a use of *Kamui*, Uchiha Obito vanished, and Black Zetsu took one last look at the nameless island before his pitcher plant-like form slowly sank back into the tree.

---

The Land of Water, Kirigakure.

A man hurried through the empty streets, glancing at the sparse number of passersby. The state of the village was already precarious, and then the Fourth Mizukage insisted on starting a war with the Leaf.

As soon as the fighting began, the village’s economy collapsed.

The streets were desolate and quiet, putting the man in an even worse mood.

"I wonder how things are going on the frontlines. I hope the Fourth can secure a victory!"

With a glimmer of hope, the man quickened his pace, thinking that if the Mizukage gained an advantage—maybe even won—it might help restore the village’s strength, even if it meant draining others for it. His spirits lifted slightly at the thought, and his footsteps became faster.

He arrived at the southern end of the village.

"Senior Ao."

Before he even reached the door, someone called his name. Looking up, he saw a serious-looking man with short brown hair and a matching brown jacket. He opened the door and said, "You're as punctual as ever."

"Gunbei, how's Genji doing today?" Ao asked as he walked briskly toward the man, the charms dangling from his ears shaking more than usual.

"He just had breakfast. Appetite’s still as good as ever—healthy enough to put anyone at ease."

"That's good! Genji’s health is our top priority. No matter how small, if you notice anything odd, even a false alarm, report it immediately. As long as Genji is well, the village will be fine, no matter what happens." Ao reminded Gunbei, even though there was only a four-year age gap between them.

"Yes, I understand, Senior Ao," Gunbei replied earnestly.

"Where is Genji now? What's he doing?" Ao asked as he stopped in the entrance to let the cold air dissipate before taking off his shoes and stepping onto the corridor.

"Before you arrived, a report from the frontlines came in. Genji is reading it in the tearoom," Gunbei explained.

"So early?" Ao frowned.

Normally, reports arrived around ten in the morning, sometimes even later if there were delays. It was unusual for them to arrive this early.

Has something happened on the frontlines?

"I’ll go see for myself."

Ao quickly made his way down the familiar corridors, stopping in front of a sliding door with a snake-patterned design. Kneeling respectfully outside, he called out, "Genji, it's Ao."

"Oh, it’s you, Ao! Come in."

The voice from the tearoom was frail and raspy, giving the impression of someone on the brink of death.

"Genji, forgive my intrusion."

Ao slid open the door to reveal a six-mat room with a simple, clean setup. In the center was a long table with writing materials and a bonsai black pine tree.

Behind the table sat an old man with no hair, eyebrows, or beard. His small, frail frame was wrapped in a large brown robe, with a bright yellow sash around his neck, although he wasn’t a monk—just a lay practitioner who couldn’t leave Kirigakure to spend his final days in a temple.

This elderly man was Genji—an ancient figure who had witnessed the founding of Kirigakure.

Ao knelt in front of the table in a formal posture. "Genji, I heard from Gunbei that a report from the frontlines came in this morning. I was wondering—"

"We lost," Genji sighed softly.

"What?" Ao was stunned.

"We lost. The Mizukage has already signed a ceasefire agreement," Genji said, half-closing his eyes.

"That was fast! Even with the Mizukage personally involved, how could we have lost so quickly?" Ao was bewildered. Wasn't Konoha dealing with internal conflict? What happened on the frontlines?

"It’s complicated. You’ll understand when you read the report." Genji handed the opened scroll to Ao. The elderly man's hands were weak, and the scroll didn’t go far, but Ao caught it easily. Skimming through the contents, Ao’s expression grew increasingly shocked.

"This is insane. Completely insane..." He shook his head, unable to form a coherent sentence. After pinching his thigh hard to clear his mind, he asked, "Genji, the Mizukage claims he was controlled by someone with the Sharingan... could that really be true?"

"I don’t know," Genji replied, shaking his head.

He looked at Ao and asked, "Have you ever used that eye of yours to check on the Mizukage?"

"…No. Actually, I haven't seen much of the Mizukage in recent years. Even when I had reports to give, I couldn't meet him in person—it was always through the guard team..." Ao fell silent.

Looking back, everything seemed normal, but now it felt suspicious.

"When the Mizukage launched the war against Konoha, I originally wanted you to join that girl to gain some experience. But for some reason, the Mizukage rejected your name and replaced you with Bi," Genji revealed.

"It seems our Mizukage may have truly been under someone’s control."

Genji sighed again.

Ao, worried about Genji’s health, quickly tried to calm him. "Please don’t be upset, Genji. Your health is what matters most."

"Don’t worry, Ao. I’m just a little surprised. I never expected the Mizukage to be controlled by an Uchiha's Sharingan. No wonder his behavior has been increasingly erratic in recent years. I underestimated the situation. I thought Uchiha Madara alone had consumed the Uchiha clan's talent over a century. Who knew there would be someone else capable of controlling a tailed beast?"

Genji sighed again, leaving Ao anxious. His mind raced to find a way to distract Genji from his troubling thoughts.

"Genji, do you think this could be a plot by Konoha? After all, I've never heard of an Uchiha defecting from Konoha. And besides, only the Uchiha can bear the cost of using the Sharingan," Ao speculated.

"It’s not Konoha."

Genji shook his head firmly.

"If Konoha had controlled the Mizukage, they wouldn’t have started this war. They could have allied with the Mizukage against the Cloud or Stone, which would have better suited Konoha’s interests."

"Also, when I met with Lord Mizukage, I felt his undisguised malice towards the Leaf Village. Or rather, the malice of the person controlling Lord Mizukage from behind the scenes—there's no way that hostility was faked," Genji said, closing his eyes as he recalled his meeting with the Mizukage, nodding firmly with certainty.

Having his theory denied, Ao didn’t feel discouraged; as long as Genji didn’t sigh like that again, he was fine with it.

"So, Genji, what should we do next? According to the battle report, it seems the Leaf Village’s shinobi will be coming to Kirigakure as well. Should we...?" He made a gesture mimicking a decapitation.

This time, Genji didn’t immediately answer his question.

Instead, he fell into a long silence.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 124: Assassination

Maintaining the same posture for an extended time is exhausting. Naruto had been bent over the table drawing for two hours straight. His wrist felt so weak it could barely hold the brush, and his back ached, making him groan. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to finish the final stroke, then carefully placed the brush back on its stand. Jumping down from the stool he'd been standing on, Naruto immediately sprawled out flat on the deck in a starfish-like position.

"So tired! But so comfortable!"

Naruto stretched out his arms, and his bones crackled in response.

He gazed up at the sky, his blue eyes reflecting the drifting clouds. His mood was just as peaceful as the clouds overhead. Although Brother Sougen had not agreed to take him on as a disciple, he did promise to teach Naruto a powerful new ninjutsu.

Then—

He started learning how to draw.

"Not bad! Naruto, you might actually have a talent for creating art!"

Sougen walked over, bending down to examine Naruto's drawing on the table. It wasn’t a complex landscape, just a simple sketch of a bird and a snake, but Naruto had a clear knack for capturing the essence of his subjects. The bird and the snake on the paper were already quite lifelike.

This meant—

Naruto only needed to master the application of Yang Release chakra, and he would have essentially learned the basics of the secret art Super Beast Imitating Drawing.

Sougen had considered what to teach Naruto. Genjutsu was ruled out first; the Uchiha clan’s genjutsu relied too heavily on the Sharingan, making it impossible for others to learn. The basic five elemental jutsu were the second option discarded. Simple ninjutsu wouldn’t be enough, and complex ones would be too difficult for Naruto at his current level.

In the end,

He chose Super Beast Imitating Drawing over sealing techniques.

The reason for ruling out sealing techniques, which would have been more suitable for Naruto's Uzumaki bloodline, was simple: Sougen didn’t know enough of them. Sealing techniques are vast and complex. Teaching basic ones would feel like shortchanging Naruto, and advanced techniques were beyond Sougen’s mastery.

By comparison, Super Beast Imitating Drawing, a Yang Release technique, combined multiple functionalities—scouting, combat, flight, and sealing—and might even help Naruto explore the power of Yang Release.

After much consideration, Naruto began learning to draw under Sougen’s guidance.

To say "guidance"—

Sougen mainly let Naruto practice on his own. His own drawing skills came from copying with the Sharingan, which meant that while his drawings had form, they lacked spirit. Fortunately, the Super Beast Imitating Drawing technique didn’t require both form and spirit.

As long as it resembled the subject, that was enough.

So, Sougen wasn’t too worried about his mediocre skills leading Naruto astray. The goal from the start was simply for Naruto to "draw something that looks right."

However, Sougen noticed that Naruto seemed to have real artistic talent.

Not only did he achieve likeness, but he was also reaching toward a higher level of expression.

"Hehe! Really?"

Naruto jumped to his feet in excitement, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. His face beamed with a bright, slightly goofy smile that was as radiant as the sun.

"Very good! Very good indeed! Naruto, this technique seems to suit you even better than I expected!" Sougen didn’t hold back his praise. Memories from his past life stirred in his mind—he vaguely recalled that in the original history, Naruto had once helped Jiraiya with ghostwriting while training with him, and the book had sold like hotcakes!

He wasn’t sure if that was due to Jiraiya’s fame…

Or if Naruto’s writing skills were just that convincing.

Shaking off those irrelevant thoughts, Sougen patted Naruto’s head, "Keep it up. Once you can draw ten different animals in under a minute, we’ll move on to the next phase of training." The Super Beast Imitating Drawing technique only required the drawings to resemble their subjects.

As for the time limit—

That was Sougen’s addition.

This was, after all, a combat technique for use in battle. The speed at which the drawings were made was crucial, just like how quickly a regular ninja could form hand signs. The faster you could draw, the quicker you could strike. If you were slow, you'd be at a disadvantage.

"I’ll do my best, Brother Sougen."

Naruto puffed out his chest, full of confidence.

He’d noticed it himself—drawing wasn’t as difficult as he thought. Drawing ten animals seemed easy. The only real challenge was meeting the one-minute time limit.

"Master."

"Yakumo? Come over and take a look. This is what Naruto drew. How is it? Pretty good, right?"

Sougen waved over his other disciple, Yakumo, pointing to Naruto’s drawing. "By the way, Yakumo, you also like to draw, though not with ink like this." Indeed, Yakumo loved drawing too, but she specialized in oil painting.

"It’s good! Not only does it look like the real thing, but it also has more spirit than what you’ve drawn, Master."

Sougen didn’t know whether the concept of beauty was the same between ink painting and oil painting, but he could tell Yakumo was in a bad mood. She rarely teased him, but her puffed-up cheeks made it obvious something was bothering her.

"Haha! What’s this? You’re getting jealous now?"

Sougen chuckled softly, rubbing the top of her head. "It’s not that I don’t want to teach you Super Beast Imitating Drawing. It just doesn’t suit you. Besides, you don’t need it. The most important thing for you is to strengthen your body and tap into your innate talent. You’re going to be an incredibly strong shinobi one day."

There were always a few in the world who were particularly favored by the heavens.

Yakumo Kurama was one of them.

Her vast mental energy was something even the Uchiha, with their Six Paths bloodline, found hard to match. Sougen himself had only been able to seal and suppress that overwhelming energy after unlocking the Mangekyō Sharingan. The sheer scale of it was putting immense strain on her body.

If she could just overcome the limitations of her physical vessel, Yakumo would have no trouble securing a place among the most powerful in the ninja world.

"Alright! Go pack up your things. Naruto, you too. Get your stuff together; we’re going ashore soon."

In the distance,

A dark silhouette gradually emerged where the sea met the sky.

---

The Land of Water was a nation of islands, isolated from the mainland and made up of over a hundred isles. The largest island was referred to as the "main island," though its actual name was Kirigakure Island. Both the Land of Water's daimyo palace and the Hidden Mist Village were located on this island.

On the western coast of Kirigakure Island—

The largest port.

The army of the Hidden Mist Village and the delegation from the Hidden Leaf Village had arrived here today. The Mist-nin had already sealed off the port, enforcing the highest level of security as they awaited the return of the Mizukage and the Leaf delegation. However, there was no welcome ceremony—after all, they were returning from defeat.

"Kirigakure Island… The name really fits!"

Uchiha Akitaro eagerly jumped down from the gangplank, planting his feet on solid ground. He glanced around, marveling at the thick white mist surrounding him, making everything feel dreamlike. He waved his hand, scattering the fog slightly, but it quickly reformed.

This kind of naturally occurring mist wasn’t something that could be easily dispelled.

"Fujika, don’t wander off. If you get lost in this, you might never find your way back. Yakumo, Naruto, you two stay close as well. This oppressive environment really kills the mood." Sougen stepped off the ship, looking back at his group and giving them a warning.

It was his first time in the Land of Water, too.

Although he had studied the place before their arrival and learned that the island was perpetually shrouded in mist, he hadn’t fully appreciated what that meant until seeing it firsthand. Even typhoons could only temporarily push back the mist near the coast. The dense fog inland never cleared.

Seeing it in person, he realized some things just couldn’t be fully understood through words alone.

In this kind of weather,

It was like walking through a natural Hiding in Mist Jutsu. There was no room for carelessness in this land.

"Mizukage-sama, welcome back."

At that moment,

A Mist-nin stepped forward to greet them.

He appeared to be in his forties, a seasoned Mist-nin with a forehead protector and the standard uniform of the village’s Jonin. His weathered face revealed little emotion. Though he spoke words of welcome, his tone didn’t convey any real warmth.

"Ah, it’s you, Megurome."

Yagura didn’t seem bothered by the lack of respect.

He had expected this kind of reception. After all, Megurome wasn’t one of his supporters. Like Ao, Biwa, and Kenbei, Megurome had been groomed by the previous Mizukage. "How is the Elder? Is his health still holding up?" Yagura asked.

“Lord Mizukage, rest assured, Master Gen’s health is still strong!”

Meiguro responded stiffly to Yagura Karatachi’s question.

Standing off to the side, Sōgen watched with amusement. It seemed that Yagura, the Mizukage, was truly at the end of his line. But... even if the Mist shinobi were willing to continue acknowledging the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura couldn’t hold the position much longer. He didn’t have much time left!

Suddenly,

Sōgen’s brow furrowed.

Moving swiftly, he drew the Ember Fan from his back, infused it with chakra, and swung it sharply. A fierce wind howled, blowing away the kunai with explosive tags attached that had been thrown from the mist.

The sound of explosions echoed, and the bright, searing flames dispelled the dense fog nearby, revealing the attackers.

They were a group of Mist shinobi, the ones responsible for securing the port, “Kill Yagura! He’s a disgrace to the village! We don’t need such a worthless Mizukage!”

The leading Mist shinobi shouted loudly, and behind him—

Followers gathered.

The next moment, a barrage of shuriken, kunai, explosive tags, flash bombs, and smoke bombs rained down like a storm—everything that could be thrown was thrown. The target was none other than the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi. However, with over a hundred Mist shinobi attacking at once, the dense wave of attacks unfortunately engulfed everyone around Yagura as well.

This included Sōgen, Meiguro, and his subordinates—all within the attack range.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 125: Was I Your Target All Along?

This was an assassination—an assassination aimed at the Fourth Mizukage.

Unfortunately, the people nearby also got caught in the crossfire.

"Clan leader!"

Uchiha Akitaro, who was guarding beside Sougen, finally reacted in time before Sougen could take action. As Sougen swung his fan, Akitaro quickly formed hand seals, holding his jutsu until the second wave of attacks came. Then, he released **Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall**.

Though his proficiency in Earth Style wasn’t as strong as his Fire Style, the wall he created was sturdy enough. Even a dozen explosive tags couldn’t bring it down.

Then—

The other Uchiha who were standing farther away rushed over. Not just the Uchiha—Shikuro Aburame, Mokuren Yamanaka, and others quickly approached as well. The sudden assault put everyone on high alert, even though they could hear the Mist ninjas shouting accusations against the Fourth Mizukage.

But the underlying worry wasn't so easy to dispel—after all, they were still in the Land of Water.

If the Mist ninja were determined to take them down...

Frankly, no one felt they could withstand a major ninja village with just a few dozen people. No matter how powerful the Uchiha clan leader was, could he really stand against the thousands of Mist ninja?

"Clan leader!"

"Lord Sougen."

Everyone looked toward Sougen.

"Don't let any of the Leaf ninjas escape either! Yagura has betrayed the village by conspiring with Konoha!" Before Sougen could say anything, the Mist ninja's shouts echoed all around. Sougen chuckled quietly as he surveyed the group. "Do I really need to tell you what to do now?"

Silence.

If the attackers were only targeting the Fourth Mizukage, they could have stood aside for now. But that shout from the Mist ninja made it clear there was no room for retreat. The only option was to eliminate them by force.

The sound of movement filled the air.

Shikuro Aburame raised his hands, releasing a swarm of bugs from his sleeves, as dark as storm clouds. These weren't the typical **Parasitic Insects** of the Aburame clan, but highly deadly **Nano Venom Bugs**—an ability only he and his son, Torune, could wield.

The crowd backed away, even Sougen's expression tightened.

Poisonous insects were not something anyone, even he, wanted to deal with directly.

The Mist ninja, unfamiliar with the deadly power of the Aburame’s insects, rushed recklessly toward the Konoha ninjas under the orders of their leader.

And then—

They collided head-on with the venomous swarm, like a cloud descending on them.

The Mist ninjas weren’t fools, though. Instead of using kunai or swords, they threw explosive-tagged kunai into the air, causing fiery explosions. But none of them noticed the small number of insects flying low across the ground.

Only a select few knew: Shikuro Aburame’s deadly bugs never relied on sheer numbers to win.

That’s why Sougen held a deep respect for him—those nano-scale insects were nearly impossible to defend against. Without the Sharingan to detect their presence, Sougen would have avoided Shikuro altogether.

As expected.

The first four Mist ninjas who rushed in silently dissolved into pools of water, their ninja tool pouches falling to the ground.

"Water clones?"

Shikuro frowned.

Water Clone Jutsu was one of the most troublesome clone techniques—no contest. Although it lacked the memory-sharing feedback of Shadow Clones, it only required a fraction of the chakra, making it much more efficient and just as physically tangible.

In theory, just three to five jonin using Water Clones could create an army of over a hundred.

Of course, no one typically went that far.

The downside was the water clones’ relatively weak combat strength. They were good for distraction but not for fighting skilled opponents.

"Explosive tags paired with water clones, huh? Looks like the attackers aren't as numerous as we thought," Sougen mused as he noticed the ninja tool pouches remained intact while the clones vanished.

No wonder this operation looked so grand—it was all propped up by water clones.

This meant the number of actual attackers was likely low, though they were likely supported by someone influential. Otherwise, getting access to so many explosive tags wasn’t something just any Mist ninja could manage.

**Ninja Art: Mind-Body Disturbance Technique!**

**Secret Technique: Poison Dust!**

Mokuren Yamanaka and Shikuro Aburame teamed up to strike at the Mist ninja. Mokuren’s mind-based jutsu immobilized the targets, allowing Shikuro’s poison bugs to finish them off.

Water clones exploded all over, and several unlucky attackers who had their true forms paralyzed were swiftly killed by the venomous swarm, along with their clones.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Shisui pierced into the enemy ranks like a blade.

The **Body Flicker Technique** didn’t allow long-range movement like space-time ninjutsu, but in close combat, it could be honed to a level of speed rivaling the finest space-time techniques. The legendary White Fang had once mastered it to such a degree, and now Shisui was achieving the same level. Wherever his sword flashed, blood and water sprayed wildly.

And let’s not forget the "Blue Beast of Konoha."

The **Konoha Strong Fist** style was in full display on the battlefield, as Guy charged through like a beast unleashed. He looked nothing like the man who had been seasick just moments before. His seemingly simple punches and kicks were imbued with devastating power, shattering water clones on contact, even creating shockwaves like the Gentle Fist’s **Air Palm**.

Others like Uchiha Chisato, Choza Akimichi, and Tsume Inuzuka weren't just standing by either—the Konoha ninjas were fully engaged.

Only Kakashi and a few others stayed back to guard Naruto and the younger shinobi.

Sougen stood with his fan in hand, watching the battlefield. His gaze locked onto Yagura.

As the attackers' primary target, Yagura had wisely begun moving away as soon as the ambush began. Let the Mist ninja deal with the rest. Plus, it was a good chance to see if Meikuro, who was in charge of receiving the delegation, was one of the attackers. If the ambush involved someone from the welcoming party, Meikuro would be at fault.

However—

Yagura realized the attackers were a bit more troublesome than expected.

He wasn’t fighting mere water clones. Three elite Mist jonin had cornered him, and they seemed to know his techniques well, dodging his most lethal moves repeatedly.

This only deepened Yagura’s realization that his strength was waning.

Before, even without the Three-Tails, he could have easily handled these three nimble opponents in no time.

"Do I have much time left?"

Feeling the persistent ache in his mind, Yagura began to gather chakra, preparing to end this battle at all costs. He couldn't afford to waste time or energy here. Just then, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Meikuro was being pushed back by two attackers.

Coincidentally or not, Meikuro wasn’t retreating toward Yagura but toward Uchiha Sougen, bringing the two attackers dangerously close to him.

Yagura’s heart skipped a beat, suddenly realizing Meikuro was indeed compromised.

"You fool! Don't throw your life away!"

Yagura shouted.

But the attackers pushed him back, preventing him from stopping the fool from heading straight toward Uchiha Sougen’s deathtrap.

*Crackle—*

Electricity sparked around Meikuro.

He was using Lightning Style.

Though the Mist Village was renowned for its Water Style users, it wasn't without skilled practitioners of other elements. Just like Ringo Ameyuri, the Lightning Blade genius, Meikuro was proficient in Lightning Style. His attacks were exceptionally powerful, but against two former comrades, it seemed like he was holding back, which led to his current disadvantage.

As Meikuro retreated, he glanced at Sougen, realizing he could go no further. He steeled himself and swiftly formed hand seals, preparing a powerful Lightning Style jutsu.

**Lightning Style: Angry Thunder Tiger!**

Electricity surged around Meikuro, forming a massive tiger made of lightning, which roared forward at incredible speed, hurtling toward Sougen.

"No originality at all! Such an outdated trick—don’t show that to me. But that killing intent... So, I was your target all along? Well, it doesn’t matter. Whatever scheme you’re plotting, you’re wasting your time."

Sougen raised his fan.

The raging electric tiger crashed into the fan like a missile, only for the **Flame Fan** to absorb all the chakra effortlessly, rendering the powerful attack completely ineffective.

"How... how is that possible? My Angry Thunder Tiger... just vanished?"

Meikuro stared at Sougen in disbelief.

Even if it didn’t kill him, it should’ve caused at least some damage.

"This next part is simple," Sougen thought.

All that remained was for him to unleash **Uchiha Reflection** with his fan and return the attack tenfold to show Meikuro and the other attackers the true meaning of retaliation.

That’s exactly what Sougen did.

Injecting an equal amount of chakra into his fan, he swung it, unleashing a violent windstorm.

(End of Chapter)