“Why aren’t they back yet?”
A kunoichi with fiery red hair leaned against the gate of Kirigakure, her face filled with worry as she gazed into the distance.
Looking in the direction of her gaze, there was no one in sight.
Everyone else had returned, so why was Naoki’s team still on the road?
Mei Terumi sighed. Her concerns went far beyond this.
Although many who had participated in the mission had returned, most were taken away by the Anbu as soon as they entered the village, with no news released.
This was the first time this had happened.
This anomaly hadn’t caught the attention of others, but how could it escape the notice of Mei Terumi, who had been monitoring it?
Naoki, you must be safe.
Mei silently prayed and waited.
But as time passed and there was still no sign of Naoki, Mei’s anxiety grew heavier.
Based on the information she had gathered over the past few days, her conclusions only made her more restless.
First, this mission was undoubtedly important, so the Mizukage did not allow any information to leak out.
Second, the likelihood of the mission’s success was already slim.
From the information Naoki had revealed, this mission was a military action against Konoha signed explicitly by the Mizukage.
It should be noted that the war was about to start.
If the special operation before the war had achieved significant results, it would have been widely publicized.
However, in the current situation, the mission failed.
With the mission’s failure and Kaguya Naoki, the commander, still not returned, Mei feared the worst.
If he doesn’t come back soon, it might be…
Mei stood alone against the wall, her eyes glistening with tears.
Since childhood, as a bloodline limit wielder, Mei had only a few friends.
Among them, Naoki was the most handsome, sunny, gentle, and strong, and he seemed to have a slight fondness for her.
Naturally, the two grew closer.
After graduation, the two bloodline-limit ninjas were inseparable, supporting each other.
In this lonely, bloody world filled with discrimination, misunderstanding, and betrayal, they had a warm harbor of their own.
The deeper the memories, the more ripples they stirred, shaking her heart’s ocean.
Soon, the overwhelming worry swallowed Mei’s emotions like a black hole.
Her eyes lost focus as she stared into the distance.
A figure appeared in her line of sight, bringing light back to her eyes.
Is that Naoki?
Is it Naoki?
Mei stood up, very excited.
She took a few steps forward, ready to leap out.
At that moment, two Anbu approached Kaguya Naoki, causing her to abandon the idea.
Damn it, those two bastards.
Well, I’ll talk to Naoki later.
…
“Kaguya Naoki, the Third Mizukage wants to see you.” Two Kirigakure Anbu spoke sternly with hoarse voices.
“Lead the way.”
Naoki ignored the blatant hostility in their eyes, instead looking towards the Mizukage’s office.
His expression grew serious.
Uchiha Madara was not a kind soul. He had tormented Kirigakure for decades while alive, and even in his final moments, he remained a crucial figure in the upcoming war. He wouldn’t let Kirigakure off easily.
Naoki sighed.
Under the influence of the Kaguya bloodline, he had gone all out in his fight against Uchiha Obito.
Because his victory over Obito was so effortless and relaxed, Madara’s assessment of his combat power must have doubled.
Given the circumstances, it was uncertain if he would even be allowed to participate in the war against Konoha.
War was the stage.
The simplest way for someone to gain fame was to establish impressive achievements through war.
Naoki, who aimed to stage a coup at the end of the war, knew that the backlash from the coup would be unacceptable without gaining achievements and prestige during the war.
Uchiha Madara, don’t be so stingy. At least give me a single team.
Or at least, let me participate in the battles?
As Naoki pondered silently, they neared the Mizukage’s office.
Putting all thoughts aside, he stepped into the office and pushed open the door.
“Lord Mizukage.”
The Third Mizukage, whose face was hidden in shadows, spoke in a deep voice.
“Tell me about this mission, Kaguya Naoki.”
Naoki immediately bowed his head and recounted everything in detail over the past few days, including Hatake Kakashi’s unfortunate escape.
When he finished, he fell silent, waiting for the Third Mizukage’s decision.
“So, as a member of the Kaguya clan, how were you able to break free from Uchiha’s genjutsu?”
Despite hearing about the mission’s failure, the infiltration of Kirigakure Anbu by numerous unidentified spies, and the prolonged cooldown of the Three-Tails, the Third Mizukage showed little emotional change.
Instead, he asked a seemingly trivial and private question.
Uchiha Madara.
Naoki knew this inquiry could only come from Madara, who wanted to see the truth behind his resistance to genjutsu.
Fortunately, he was prepared.
Naoki extended his tongue, revealing a visible scar with traces of blood and flesh.
“That Uchiha’s genjutsu was somewhat slow in taking effect.”
“It gave me time to react and bite my tongue, waking up successfully.”
Naoki showed a helpless expression.
“After all, as a member of the Kaguya clan, I have few means to resist genjutsu. This was the only way.”
The Third Mizukage nodded thoughtfully, then spoke seriously in a deep tone.
“Now, there’s another important matter.”
“Is it true that the Mangekyo Sharingan and Wood Release exist in the same person?”
“Absolutely.”
Naoki immediately replied.
From this line of questioning, Naoki knew that part of Madara’s consciousness had returned to the Third Mizukage.
This poor Kage-level figure only governed the village seriously during brief moments of clarity. He was under Madara’s control the rest of the time, wantonly destroying everything.
“That puts us at a great disadvantage in the upcoming war.”
The Third Mizukage’s voice wavered slightly, sighing.
“A ninja of that caliber—there are hardly any in our village who can stand against such a monster.”
Hearing this, Naoki silently criticized.
There wasn’t one with Mei Terumi and Kisame Hoshigaki still needing to grow.
Third, Mizukage, you have a lot of confidence in your governance of Kirigakure.
The Mizukage naturally didn’t notice Naoki’s thoughts. He spoke with a heavy tone.
“Konoha suddenly having such a powerful ninja could potentially reverse the war, leaving us empty-handed.”
After lamenting, he was about to continue but suddenly paused.
A pair of sinister eyes spun in his mind. After a long while, he raised his head with a mechanical voice.
“Since you were able to defeat a Mangekyo Sharingan and Wood Release user in a direct fight, Kaguya Naoki, do you have the confidence to take on the role of a commander?”
Naoki’s heart skipped a beat, followed by a surge of excitement.
Commander?
Not only participating in the war but also becoming Kirigakure’s commander?
Is this Madara’s decision?
Naoki smelled a whiff of conspiracy.
But the significance of the title “Kirigakure Commander” was too enticing to ignore.
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