Nine Tails' Mission
"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu!"
A massive water dragon surged forth, crashing into the incoming Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu, extinguishing the flames in an explosive spray. As the mist settled, Zabuza Momochi and Mangetsu Hōzuki stood back to back, their eyes locked onto the Uchiha kunoichi before them.
The battle had been relentless. This Uchiha girl was the most reckless among them—unhinged, fearless. Her crimson Sharingan gleamed eerily against the dimly lit battlefield, like the eyes of an avenging demon returning from the depths of hell.
Seeing their forces being encircled, Mangetsu made a swift decision. "The enemy may have reinforcements. When I detonate the Hiramekarei's chakra burst, you use the Hiding in Mist Technique and escape. If you can reach the coast, you'll be safe."
Zabuza hesitated, glancing at his comrade. Mangetsu, however, remained resolute. "Once you return to Kirigakure, overthrow the Mizukage. And… if you can, look after my hopeless little brother."
Before Zabuza could respond, the Uchiha girl suddenly froze. Mangetsu's expression darkened. Something was wrong. Their opponent hadn't surrendered—far from it.
Turning cautiously, they spotted a lone figure approaching through the mist, clad in a black fox mask. Despite his slow, deliberate steps, his presence exuded suffocating pressure. It was as if an entire battalion of elite shinobi loomed behind him, a weight heavier than the oppressive aura of Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage himself.
Izumi Uchiha and the other Uchiha shinobi stiffened. They recognized him immediately—Naruto Uzumaki, the unseen ruler of Uzushio Village.
While the average clan members were unaware of his identity, Uchiha Shisui had long ago informed his closest comrades of Naruto's true strength. He wasn't merely a powerful shinobi—he was among the elite few who stood at the very peak of the ninja world, the mastermind who had orchestrated the Uchiha escape.
Naruto's piercing gaze fell upon Zabuza. He recognized him from his past life—one of the assassins who had attempted to kill the Mizukage, later reduced to working for the corrupt Gato in the Land of Waves, only to meet his end on the Great Naruto Bridge.
Yet, this Zabuza was younger. Less hardened. Still filled with potential.
Beside him, Mangetsu gripped Hiramekarei tightly. A prodigy of Kirigakure, master of all seven swords of the Shichibukai no Ninja—and yet, he, too, was still in his prime.
Naruto wasted no more time. With a flick of his wrist, golden chains shot from his sleeves—Adamantine Sealing Chains. The shimmering tendrils lashed toward Zabuza and Mangetsu, moving with impossible speed.
The two swordsmen reacted instantly, slicing at the chains, but no matter how many they severed, they regenerated just as quickly. Within moments, the chains coiled around them, their chakra suppressed by the sealing technique.
Realizing their helplessness, Zabuza and Mangetsu's expressions darkened. They had faced many formidable enemies, but this was different. This was absolute dominance. When had Konoha gained such a monstrous shinobi? And why had the world heard nothing of him?
"Take them to the interrogation room. Have Shisui question them."
Naruto spoke casually, as if disposing of mere inconveniences. He turned, his footsteps echoing as he walked away, leaving behind only the silhouette of a lone warrior, unchallenged.
Izumi exchanged a glance between the subdued Kirigakure no Oni and Naruto's retreating figure before snapping out of her daze. Quickly, she relayed his command to the others.
The remaining Uchiha shinobi were equally stunned. Their gazes flickered between Naruto and the two captured swordsmen, members of the legendary Shichibukai no Ninja. Even Shisui, their leader, would not have subdued them this effortlessly.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were considered the elite of Kirigakure's Jōnin, yet here they had been utterly overwhelmed.
And that realization brought an unexpected sense of relief.
They no longer needed to fight. No longer needed to fear. As long as Naruto stood with them, their survival was guaranteed.
On the sidelines, Uzumaki Homura watched in disbelief. Turning to Shisui, he muttered, "Sensei… isn't Mianma a little too strong?"
Shisui glanced at him, an amused expression crossing his face. "Lord Mianma has always been strong. His power rivals the Five Kage."
"I don't mean his strength—I mean his talent…"
Shisui raised an eyebrow. "Talent?"
Homura sighed, rubbing his temples. "He just used the Adamantine Sealing Chains—one of the Uzumaki clan's most advanced techniques. It took me half a year to master it, and he learned it in just a few days. He was a novice in fūinjutsu not long ago—he used to ask me for help just to unlock a basic seal!"
Shisui clapped a hand on Homura's shoulder, smirking. "Get used to it. You'll see even crazier things in the future. With Lord Mianma, the impossible is just another Tuesday."
Homura frowned. He still didn't understand why the Uchiha revered an Uzumaki so much.
---
The next morning, Naruto exited his temporary hideout and made his way toward the Uzushio Village administrative office.
After dealing with Zabuza and Mangetsu the night before, he had gone straight to sleep, needing a solid eight hours to avoid exhaustion.
As he walked through the streets, villagers greeted him with friendly waves and respectful bows. Many were former rogue ninja or displaced fishermen who had settled in Uzushio Village.
Most had arrived here out of desperation—fleeing persecution, war, or exile. The Land of Whirlpools was their last refuge. And for those whose crimes were beyond redemption, the Uzumaki elders handled their fate personally.
Naruto greeted them with a faint smile. He wasn't particularly invested in their admiration, but being treated with respect was… pleasant. It was a stark contrast to the hatred he had once known.
Arriving at the administrative building—a modest two-story structure—he headed straight to the first-floor interrogation room.
Inside, Shisui sat waiting, a report in hand.
"Did you figure out why they entered Uzushio?" Naruto asked.
Shisui nodded, handing over the document. "They weren't sent by Kirigakure. They were looking for an escape route before attempting to assassinate Yagura."
Naruto skimmed the report, then set it aside.
An assassination attempt on the Mizukage wasn't surprising. In Kirigakure, such things were routine. Given Yagura's control under Obito's Genjutsu, internal rebellion was inevitable.
What was surprising was that Zabuza and Mangetsu had made their way to this remote village.
Shisui's voice interrupted his thoughts. "What do we do with them? Release them or eliminate them?"
Naruto considered his options. "Keep them imprisoned for now. Mangetsu is a Hōzuki, like the Second Mizukage—he may know secret Water Release techniques. We need more Water Release specialists."
Letting them go would stir chaos in Kirigakure, but it would also risk exposing Uzushio. And with Obito's influence over Yagura, their assassination attempt would likely be futile.
For now, keeping them here was the best move.
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