Kirigakure Remains Under Akatsuki's Control
Outside the foggy village, a fierce battle raged between Uchiha Itachi, Loquat Juzo, and the Fourth Mizukage. The confrontation had escalated to a point where each combatant recognized the other's strength, realizing that they were all formidable enemies requiring full effort to defeat.
Loquat Juzo gripped his Kubikiribōchō (Beheading Sword) and eyed the Fourth Mizukage from a distance, his gaze filled with frustration and jealousy. He had initially believed he had the power to face the Fourth Mizukage, only to find that his Kirigakure no Jutsu (Hidden Mist Technique) was easily countered, and the illusions created by his sword technique were ineffective. If it hadn't been for Itachi's intervention, Loquat Juzo would likely have been taken down by the Mizukage and the Anbu forces keeping a close watch.
The sound of a clang echoed as Loquat Juzo narrowly dodged a sneak attack from a Kirigakure Anbu, swiftly slapping the Anbu agent away. He then managed to avoid a detonating tag and retreated to the base of a distant tree, wiping the sweat from his brow. His mission was clear: he needed to break the Fourth Mizukage's control by the masked man and make the ninjas of the village realize that their leader was being manipulated. However, this task was complicated by his reluctance to harm his former comrades.
At that moment, Loquat Juzo's attention was caught by the figure of the Fourth Mizukage. Under Itachi's pressure, the Mizukage had transformed into a tailed beast, his body enveloped in black and red chakra. This transformation greatly enhanced his speed, strength, and defense—though it did come at the cost of emotional instability.
Seeing this, Loquat Juzo felt a small sense of relief, as the Mizukage's transformation made it evident that something was amiss. Meanwhile, Uchiha Itachi was beginning to struggle. The Fourth Mizukage, now wielding the power of the Three-Tails, proved a significant threat. After being struck by the Mizukage's palm, coral emerged from his cloak, slowing his movements. When he was hit again, Itachi was forced to tear off his fire-resistant cloak to evade the blow, but it wasn't fast enough.
As Itachi debated whether to use Tsukuyomi, a figure suddenly appeared behind him, blocking the Mizukage's next strike. Loquat Juzo had placed himself between Itachi and the Mizukage, and when the Mizukage's palm came down, it was intercepted by Juzo's Kubikiribōchō.
"Be careful, Itachi. The Mizukage just used Korallate, which can make the target's body form coral," Loquat Juzo warned, his voice tense.
Itachi nodded in acknowledgment but couldn't help but wonder at the strangeness of the situation. He and Loquat Juzo had infiltrated Kirigakure under the assumption that they were going unnoticed, but their presence was immediately discovered. The team was being led by the Fourth Mizukage, a figure who had been absent for years. The delayed response from the village's other forces only deepened his suspicion that something larger was at play—was this a plot specifically aimed at them, or something more sinister?
Before he could dwell further on this, the Fourth Mizukage unleashed his ultimate weapon: a Tailed Beast Bomb. The attack, a concentrated sphere of chakra, was launched with terrifying force directly at Itachi. With little time to react, Itachi leaped into the air to dodge, but the Tailed Beast Bomb was coming too fast.
Just before the explosion could reach him, Loquat Juzo intervened once more, stepping in front of Itachi to take the blow. The Tailed Beast Bomb collided with Juzo's sword, resulting in a localized explosion. The force of the blast shattered Juzo's Kubikiribōchō, sending fragments flying. One of these fragments pierced Loquat Juzo's body, embedding him in a nearby tree, nearly severing him in half.
The act of sacrifice left Itachi stunned. As blood and tears welled in his eyes, he quickly activated Amaterasu, enveloping the Fourth Mizukage in black flames. The Mizukage struggled to put out the fire, but the Amaterasu continued to burn, consuming his chakra until he retreated in defeat.
Itachi turned to Loquat Juzo, who, despite his grievous injuries, wore a faint, regretful smile. "I'm sorry, Itachi. I should have taken this mission alone, but I dragged you into it," Loquat Juzo said weakly.
Itachi, still in shock, replied, "The mission may have failed, but if you find a good doctor, you might survive."
Loquat Juzo shook his head gently. "No... My mission is complete. I don't have much time left. I've lived through so many missions that went against my conscience. But in the end, I'll die here, in the village I once called home."
His gaze turned toward Kirigakure, and a small, bitter smile formed on his lips. Itachi couldn't help but feel the weight of Juzo's words. He realized that Loquat Juzo's mission had not been in vain—he had managed to accomplish what he had set out to do. As for Itachi, his journey was only beginning. He couldn't help but wonder if, someday, he would be fortunate enough to die in his own village, as Loquat Juzo had.
As the distant sound of Kirigakure ninjas approached, Itachi knew the mission was over. These ninjas were no threat to him, but it was clear that continuing the battle was futile. He needed to leave, and quickly. Perhaps the next time he undertook a mission, he would be luckier, with better comrades to support him.
A few hundred meters away, Itachi paused as a figure emerged from behind a tree trunk—Obito. The masked man stared intently at the scene before him. He had originally intended to kill Loquat Juzo himself, but the former swordsman had unexpectedly taken the Tailed Beast Bomb for Itachi, solving Obito's problem.
The smile on Loquat Juzo's face irked Obito, however—how dare the traitor smile as he died?
Obito then spoke coldly, "Loquat Juzo is dead, and it doesn't matter. He was useless anyway."
Turning his attention to Itachi, he continued, "The mission is not over. I need you to take my identity and temporarily control the Fourth Mizukage. Wait for a ninja in a black fox mask to appear. Deal with him and retreat."
Itachi, still unsure, asked, "Is this ninja also part of the organization?"
Obito's response was cryptic: "Yes... and no. But he is our partner, and Kirigakure will be his to control in the future."
Itachi nodded, accepting the task, even as uncertainty clouded his thoughts about the path ahead.
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