Never Cut Again: This Is Konoha's Conspiracy
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the reflection of countless stars shimmered upon the restless waves of the sea.
Zabuza Momochi and Mangetsu Hōzuki walked along the coast of the Land of Whirlpools, their steps sinking slightly into the damp sand. Their gazes occasionally shifted inland, their expressions grim with contemplation.
After a prolonged silence, Zabuza turned to Mangetsu and asked, "If you're so determined to overthrow the Fourth Mizukage's rule, why bring me here? Do you plan on securing an escape route?"
"You should know that if our coup fails, Yagura won't let us live."
Mangetsu shook his head with a small smile. "Running was never an option. But if the plan fails, the Hōzuki Clan will bear the brunt of the consequences. I have to think of Suigetsu—he's just a child."
Zabuza scoffed. "You're still thinking about your little brother? If you're so concerned, why not abandon this reckless plan? The Fourth's bloodline purges don't target your clan or the Seven Swordsmen."
"That's not the point…"
Mangetsu sighed, his fingers tracing the hilt of his sword. "If Yagura's madness continues, the village will crumble. I swore to reclaim all Seven Swords of the Mist, but what's the point if there's no Kirigakure left? My name won't allow me to ignore the state of our village."
Zabuza didn't argue. As the Demon of the Hidden Mist, he had ended the Blood Mist era through violence, proving that some problems could only be solved by force.
A decade ago, he had been disgusted by Kirigakure's graduation exam, which forced students to kill their peers. So he chose to eliminate them all in a single night, forcing the elders to abolish the barbaric practice. Now, with Yagura issuing erratic decrees from the Mizukage's office, Zabuza saw only one solution—removing him by force.
Suddenly, Mangetsu halted, his sharp gaze fixed on the dense forest ahead.
Zabuza followed his stare and frowned. "Are rogue ninja waiting in ambush? The Land of Whirlpools is known for harboring outcasts. This might be a good chance to get intel."
But Mangetsu's wariness deepened. "No… that's what's strange. We should have run into mercenaries or drifters by now. It's too quiet, and it doesn't fit the reputation of this land."
A cold expression overtook Zabuza's face as he sharpened his focus on their surroundings.
Then, the silence shattered.
A flurry of footsteps rushed toward them, followed by shuriken slicing through the night air.
Zabuza dodged, but the moment he landed, his body tensed—his vision swam in the red glow of the Sharingan.
"Damn it, it's a genjutsu!"
Mangetsu reacted instantly. Drawing his twin swords, the Hiramekarei, he swung with precision, slicing into Zabuza's arm.
Pain jolted Zabuza back to reality, sweat dripping from his brow. "Tch… thanks." He clenched his bleeding arm and narrowed his eyes. "But what the hell are Uchiha doing here? Itachi slaughtered the clan."
"I don't know," Mangetsu admitted. "But if Uchiha survivors are here, it might mean Konoha is trying to establish a foothold in the Land of Whirlpools. Maybe even the massacre was a cover for something bigger."
Zabuza spat, his voice laced with venom. "Damn Konoha. Always scheming."
Mangetsu exhaled. "Speculation won't help us now. We need to focus on survival. From the attack pattern, there are at least two enemy squads. Luckily, few Uchiha have mastered the Mangekyō."
Zabuza nodded, forming a seal. Thick mist began creeping over the battlefield, swallowing the forest in a white abyss.
…
From a hilltop, Naruto Uzumaki observed the fight with quiet calculation.
When his shadow clone first reported enemy movement, he'd expected an assault orchestrated by Obito, the true puppet master behind the Fourth Mizukage. Perhaps even an invasion force.
But as he studied the two Kirigakure shinobi below, he sensed no trace of Zetsu's presence. No reinforcements lurked in the shadows.
These two weren't part of an invasion. They had stumbled into the Land of Whirlpools by accident.
Compared to Naruto, Shisui Uchiha and Uchiha Homura looked far more unsettled. Their eyes flickered with unease.
"If we kill them," Homura muttered, "Kirigakure will come looking. If we let them go, they'll report back. Either way, Uzushio's existence will be exposed."
Naruto remained composed, his usual carefree expression unchanged. "It's fine. We'll deal with it."
The battle intensified.
A burst of fire release scorched away the mist, revealing Mangetsu mid-seal. The moment he released his chakra, Hiramekarei morphed into a massive chakra bomb. The explosion ripped through the forest, shaking the ground beneath them.
The Uchiha squad staggered from the blast, eyes widening.
They knew the sword instantly. Hiramekarei—one of the Seven Ninja Swords. That meant this man was no ordinary swordsman; he was one of Kirigakure's elites.
Their odds of victory dropped.
But retreat wasn't an option.
They had already lost their ancestral home in the Naka River Valley. They refused to lose Uzushio, too.
The exiled Uchiha had heard whispers of what happened to the scattered remnants of the Uzumaki Clan—how their lands were burned, their people slaughtered, their survivors forced into hiding.
They would not become wandering ghosts like them.
Meanwhile, Zabuza and Mangetsu weren't faring much better. Even in the mist, the Uchiha's vision gave them an edge. Escape was impossible unless they turned the tide.
Shisui took a step forward, his voice calm but firm. "Lord Mima, let me handle this."
Naruto raised a hand, stopping him. A playful smirk crossed his face. "No need. I've been itching for a warm-up."
And with that, he leapt from the hilltop, disappearing into the night.
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