Looking at the two little ones glaring at each other like drawn blades, Gekko Chizan burst out laughing. There was no need for him to step in.
Tagitsuhime's chakra had already begun to surge, directly pulling Haku back and melting all the ice he had created.
"Little Haku, don't start fighting at the slightest thing. That's not cute at all."
"The chakra I gave you isn't for using against your own people~"
Suppressed by Tagitsuhime's chakra, Haku had no choice but to shoot Kimimaro a vicious glare.
But the latter showed no reaction whatsoever, which drove Haku nearly crazy.
Orochimaru watched the scene and smiled faintly.
"I didn't expect these two kids to be so incompatible, hehe."
"Chizan-kun, are you still planning to take Kimimaro with you?"
"I'm afraid you won't be able to manage the two of them."
Looking at Orochimaru's smug expression, Gekko Chizan really wanted to leap up and kick him.
But he could also see that Haku's personality had already begun to change due to his interference. Making him get along harmoniously with Kimimaro would indeed be difficult.
Rather than watching the two little ones bicker every single day, it would be better to separate them.
"You're right. Sensei, where are you heading next?"
Gekko Chizan already had plans. Earlier, he had also observed the situation around Kirigakure.
It was clear that the Akatsuki base was not built nearby. After thinking it over, he silently accepted this fact.
After all, the main purpose of establishing a base for Akatsuki was to house the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. With something that massive, there probably wouldn't be any suitable place within Kirigakure.
So he planned to continue searching throughout the Land of Water.
"Hehe, since I've already gained something, I plan to head back."
"Oh, right, Chizan-kun, I advise you not to go north recently. When I came here, Kumogakure was already launching a counterattack around the Land of Water against Kirigakure."
"Don't get dragged into it."
Gekko Chizan already knew about this.
After all, he was the one who started it.
Now that Orochimaru was reminding him of it, he couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.
"Hm? What are you laughing at?"
"Oh? Could it be those two people from before?"
Gekko Chizan nodded while laughing, a trace of pride in his voice.
"I went to Kumogakure and beat up the Eight-Tails, then abducted one of his subordinates."
"Of course, when I beat up the Eight-Tails, I used a Transformation Technique to disguise myself as someone from Kirigakure."
Orochimaru: …No wonder Kumogakure hates Kirigakure so much. Everything makes sense now.
...
Kirigakure.
"Mizukage-sama, the Kaguya clan's rebellion has been completely suppressed."
"The entire Kaguya clan has been wiped out."
The Fourth Mizukage personally stood at the scene. Looking at the corpses scattered everywhere, his expression did not change in the slightest.
He merely nodded.
"Dispose of all the bodies."
"I don't want to see any of them tomorrow."
The Anbu nodded and began issuing orders for the cleanup.
But for some reason, the Fourth Mizukage felt that something was off. His gaze drifted toward the distant mountain peak.
He issued another command.
"Have the Anbu patrol around the village. Don't let a single person slip through."
"And keep a close watch on Kumogakure as well."
"Damn the Kaguya clan. Causing trouble at a time like this."
Kirigakure could truly be described as beset by troubles both within and without. Kumogakure had been constantly provoking them.
And now the Kaguya clan had chosen this moment to stir up chaos as well. This chain of events made the Fourth Mizukage's brows knit tightly together.
He had a nagging feeling that there was something else, but for the moment, he couldn't figure out what it was.
With no other option, he could only let it go for now.
By the next day, the Kaguya clan had vanished from this land forever.
Meanwhile, Gekko Chizan parted ways with Haku and Orochimaru. Instead of heading directly toward Kirigakure, he began traveling around the village's perimeter.
His first stop was north of Kirigakure.
War or no war, he intended to tour the entire Land of Water.
...
Land of Water, on a remote island far from the central region in the south.
From the outside, it looked like nothing more than a deserted island—but that was far from the truth.
Uchiha Makito had deliberately chosen this island as a place to store the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
The entire island was covered in mountains. Their group had hollowed out the largest one, turning it into the base of Akatsuki.
At this very moment, deep within that base, the massive Demonic Statue of the Outer Path stood towering there. In front of it, one large and one small figure were standing side by side.
"Hey, kid Kabuto, can you even pull this off?"
"How many test subjects have I delivered to you already? Why haven't I seen this so-called human puppet yet?"
Uchiha Makito looked at the boy in front of him with clear displeasure.
Kabuto, however, remained calm, as if the criticism wasn't directed at him at all. He even had his own theory about it.
"One plus one equals two, but that principle isn't so simple when applied to puppets."
"How easy do you think it is to have two Bloodline Limits coexist at the same time?"
"By the way, what about the Kaguya clan?"
"Don't forget to send me all the corpses."
The Kaguya clan…
It was clear that their rebellion had everything to do with the two people standing here.
"Hmph. The Kaguya clan was completely wiped out last night."
"Zetsu has already gone to Kirigakure to collect the bodies. He should deliver them to you by this afternoon."
"But don't forget your research. I'm still very interested in seeing that kind of puppet capable of bearing two Bloodline Limits."
Uchiha Makito let out an annoyed snort. In his view, the Kaguya clan were nothing but barbarians.
All he had done was whisper a few words in their ears, and they had revolted.
"I know. Stop rushing me. Research can't be hurried."
"If you have time to pressure me, you might as well go find some people."
Uchiha Makito's forehead immediately bulged with vein marks. Ever since bringing this brat back, he had noticed it—Kabuto's strength and temper had grown together. He no longer even listened to him, the leader.
He was clearly just a kid!
And because of him, Kakuzu complained to him every single day.
"Do you even know Kakuzu has a problem with you?"
"The organization's funds can't withstand you wasting them like this."
"Kakuzu will be back in a few days. You'd better lie low. If he goes berserk, I won't interfere."
Kabuto showed clear disdain.
Chasing him around to beat him up—so what?
Did they really think he was still the same kid as before?
Having mastered all of Sasori of the Red Sand's secret techniques, Kabuto had great confidence in his own strength.
At the very least, relying on the puppets under his command, holding his ground against Kakuzu wouldn't be a problem.
After all, he now represented the very pinnacle of puppet techniques.