That was why they had been operating entirely underwater, never surfacing.
"No wonder the Mist ninja have all disappeared. So they all came here," Zetsu muttered to himself.
Every Mist ninja here exuded a powerful aura. Judging by their chakra levels, they were all Tokubetsu Jonin or Jonin rank. Due to the distance, Zetsu couldn't see exactly what they were doing. It was only after he had traced the movements of all the Mist shinobi that he realized the truth.
They were setting up a massive formation on the seabed!
Zetsu was stunned. There were over two hundred Mist ninja present. It was safe to say that the majority of the Mist's elite forces on the front lines were gathered in this one spot. What kind of formation required so many people?
Beneath the waves, a Mist ANBU member, enveloped in an air bubble, swam before Mei Terumi.
"Lady Mizukage."
Mei had changed into her battle gear, a gray uniform that was inconspicuous in the water. Most of the other Mist ninja were dressed similarly. She seemed somewhat excited. "How much longer until the Cloud fleet arrives?"
"Ma'am, the Cloud fleet is moving quickly. They will pass through our position in approximately six days."
Mei did a quick mental calculation. They should have enough time. As soon as this formation was activated...
"What's the situation on the ground?"
The ANBU replied, "Ma'am, the Akatsuki's previous attack on the Cloud was highly successful. The Cloud suffered about fifty casualties, with many more injured. Killer Bee has already rendezvoused with Yugito Nii."
"The Cloud forces are temporarily regrouping and have made no further moves."
"The identities of the two Akatsuki members have been confirmed. One is the Sand rogue ninja, Sasori of the Red Sand. The other is the Stone rogue ninja, Deidara."
"Sasori of the Red Sand is a long-renowned shinobi who once destroyed a small country with his puppets."
"Deidara was the personal disciple of the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki. He was rebellious from a young age and often caused trouble for Onoki before defecting from the village."
"It's unknown why they both joined the Akatsuki."
Mei fell into thought. She didn't care where these people came from, only whether they could hold back the Cloud's offensive. Their very first strike had dealt a major blow to the Cloud, making Mei see them in a new light. It also sparked her curiosity about the Akatsuki's leader. According to Taki, their leader's strength was extraordinary, greater than all the other members combined.
"Is there any other news about the Akatsuki?"
The ANBU member shook his head. "Information on Akatsuki members is extremely scarce, especially concerning their leader, who is exceptionally mysterious. There is no reliable intel to date."
"Furthermore, Sasori and Deidara have vanished since their last attack. However, Lord Taki returned today."
"He said that many of Sasori's puppets were destroyed by Yugito, greatly diminishing his strength. He has gone to replenish his puppet collection."
"As for Deidara, it seems he sustained minor injuries."
Mei frowned. "When can they act again?"
"Lord Taki said that other members of his organization will arrive over the next two days. At that point, they will launch a full-scale counterattack. He asks that you rest assured, Lady Mizukage."
"Has there been any word from Ken?"
Ken was an elite Jonin of the Mist Village, one of the few remaining powerhouses from the older generation. Disappointed by the era of the Fourth Mizukage's rule, he had once retired into seclusion. After Mei took office and implemented a series of reforms that gradually improved the village, Ken returned to service.
After Utakata's defection, Ken had been leading the search party but had never found a trace of him. It wasn't until the Fourth Mizukage's suicide and Isobu's death that the Mist's situation took a drastic turn, prompting Mei to dispatch several more teams to find Utakata. Although Utakata's combat ability was far from Yagura's, and his mastery over the Tailed Beast's power was poor, as a jinchuriki, his Tailed Beast Bomb was still a massive threat to ordinary ninja.
"Get a message to Ao. Have him contact Taki and ask for their help in finding Utakata. If they bring him back, the reward will be generous."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Mei had found the intelligence Kawasaki provided on the Akatsuki to be quite reliable. The Mist Village was already in dire straits. Since their own search for Utakata had yielded no results, perhaps the Akatsuki had a way.
"Keep a close watch on the waters around the Thousand Island Lake. Notify me the instant Isobu revives!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Bring back Utakata? He's not in the village?"
"Isobu is reviving? The Fourth Mizukage is dead?!"
Zetsu's presence was blocked by the deep water, but Mei's words sent a shock through him.
"How is that possible? Wasn't Yagura perfectly fine before?"
"How could a healthy Yagura Karatachi just die like that?"
"Heh, no wonder we couldn't find a trace of him," White Zetsu sneered.
Since the Three-Tails was dead, the Tailed Beast Capture Plan couldn't proceed for now. Should he tell Obito immediately? Or... He's busy with his experiments right now. It wouldn't hurt to wait a little longer.
Water Country. Tsurai Island, Cloud Village outpost.
Itachi and Shisui Uchiha returned with the puppets and other components.
"Yo, so this is Sasori of the Red Sand's puppet? Pretty slick craftmanship, a work of art, ya fool!" Killer Bee started his rap.
Present were the three Uchiha, along with the Cloud's Yugito Nii, Killer Bee, and Samui. C was swamped, tending to the many injured Cloud shinobi.
When Killer Bee first heard that the Uchiha were coming as reinforcements, he was excited for a fight, but he didn't see Kawasaki anywhere. Itachi and Shisui had no interest in sparring with him, and while a young man named Yogetsu was willing, he was just a clansman who hadn't even awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan, which killed Bee's interest. Ever since being defeated by Kawasaki's Susanoo, Killer Bee had been holding a grudge. In the past, he had always overwhelmed others with pure power; it was the first time someone other than his brother had overpowered him. Now he had better control over Gyuki, but the one Uchiha who showed up was not Kawasaki.
Killer Bee could only sigh in resignation. He'd heard that Kawasaki had become the Uchiha clan head, so naturally, he wouldn't leave the village so easily. Shisui had a humble personality, Itachi was cold and distant to everyone, and while Yogetsu ran around shouting about how the Uchiha were the best, they all got along reasonably well.
"Where are Sasori's main body and the Kazekage puppet?" Samui asked. Her squad had nearly been killed by the Iron Sand World Order, so she was particularly concerned about that puppet.
"I incinerated Sasori's main body with Fire Release. His Kazekage puppet is a spoil of war that must be recovered by us," Itachi stated.
Everyone present was a high-ranking member of the Cloud Village; they understood the political value of the Third Kazekage's corpse. Itachi's request to retrieve it was perfectly reasonable.
Yogetsu chimed in, "As long as we Uchiha make a move, everything's an easy win."
Shisui, being the eldest, was the implicit leader of the three. He didn't stop Yogetsu but gave a slight nod in agreement.
"Yo, thanks for your help this time, avenging the Cloud in a rhyme, yeah!"
Shisui spoke calmly, "The Akatsuki has many strong members. Those two were merely the vanguard. Others may follow."
"Killer Bee, the outpost is secure. It's time to resume the offensive," Yugito said. She had been cooped up for days. With the injured Cloud shinobi stabilized and the Uchiha scoring a major victory, she couldn't hold back any longer.
Killer Bee was also fired up. "Finally! Time to show those guys what's what, the foolish chumps, the idiotic bots!"
Yugito and Killer Bee would take the lead. Their objective was to capture the two islands held by the Mist and destroy their bases, clearing enough space for the main Cloud army to advance.
"Lord Bee, if you leave, the outpost's defenses will be weakened," Samui reminded him. In truth, the hundred-plus reinforcements Killer Bee had brought had already solved that problem. But Samui worried that if more Akatsuki members attacked, the base would lack a top-tier defender and suffer heavy casualties. Still, having two jinchuriki guarding a single outpost was a gross misuse of their power.
"Yo! Don't forget our reliable allies here today, yeah!"
The Uchiha's direct elimination of Sasori had made Yugito see them in a new light. She turned to Shisui. "Can we leave this place to you?"
Shisui nodded.
Yogetsu added, "Don't worry! With us here, the Akatsuki are nothing!"
"Then let's go, Bee. The Raikage will be here soon. We need to take these two islands and give him a wide-open front."
"The Mist's harassment has weakened lately, and their numbers have dropped. I suspect a trap."
"I can handle Tsuzawa Island by myself! You got it, babe!" Since landing, besides the trouble from the Akatsuki, Yugito had found the Mist forces to be utterly collapsible. No one could match her mobility.
Killer Bee, on the other hand, had been a wrecking ball. He led the charge in every engagement, with the Cloud ninja behind him mostly handling cleanup. His squad did little more than secure the battlefield and gather intel; in fact, they mostly just slowed him down.
Tsurai Island. Mist Village outpost.
The Mist forces here had not been significantly reduced. This small island had become a crucial strategic point for the Mist. They had to stop the Cloud here if they were to have any chance of survival.
In Ao's absence, the man in charge was an elite Jonin named Naoya.
Previously, the Akatsuki had dealt a heavy blow to the Cloud Village, and Naoya and Taki had been getting along quite well. This was especially true after Ao had informed Naoya that Taki was actually a respected senior from the Mist's past, which made Naoya even more deferential. At this moment, the two of them were standing on a watchtower, gazing into the distance toward the Cloud outpost.
"Lord Taki, the Cloud forces have been hiding. What's our next move?" Naoya asked.
Kawasaki, disguised as Taki, replied calmly, "Don't worry. We have eyes inside the Cloud camp. I know exactly when they'll make their move."
"They're waiting for their wounded to recover, and I'm waiting for more of my comrades. Two should be arriving today, and my apprentice is also on his way. You might even know him."
Naoya's curiosity was piqued. "I wonder who this esteemed apprentice of yours might be?"
Taki feigned mystery. "You'll know when you see him."
Caw—caw—caw—
The cry of a crow echoed through the air. Taki waved a hand, and the crow descended. He untied the message scroll from its leg and carefully unrolled it.
"The intelligence has arrived."
Taki turned to Naoya. "Killer Bee and Yugito, those two jinchuriki, are moving out alone. Yugito is heading for our outpost here. Killer Bee is going to Tsuzawa Island by himself."
Naoya was incredibly impressed by the spies Taki had planted within the Cloud; he could get his hands on any intel. But now wasn't the time to discuss that. "Should we set up an ambush?" he asked.
Taki shook his head. "No need. Pull all your scouts back. My teammates will handle Yugito."
"If they fight Yugito, innocent bystanders could easily get hurt."
"I'll arrange it immediately." Naoya nodded in understanding. Clashing with a jinchuriki, even the shockwaves alone could overwhelm ordinary ninja. Getting too close could mean a swift and unexplained death.
Taki continued, "Killer Bee is even more formidable. Send some men to harass him and slow him down. My apprentice and I will deal with him personally."
"We'll aim to capture him alive."
Taki spoke so casually, as if capturing a jinchuriki alive was a simple matter. Hearing his plan to capture the Eight-Tails jinchuriki, Naoya was filled with admiration. The audacity of a true master was on another level!
Out on the open sea, a small boat sped forward. Kawasaki had been piloting it across the water for a full day without reducing speed. But the Cursed Seal on his body had receded on its own. It wasn't that Kawasaki wanted to deactivate it; it simply faded away. He discovered that while the system compensated for the physical strain of the Cursed Seal, that compensation had a limit—specifically, the amount of time he himself could maintain the seal. It seemed the system's loopholes weren't so easy to exploit.
As Shisui's genjutsu wore off, Deidara was jolted awake by the whistling wind and splashing water. He opened his eyes to find himself bound hand and foot, his mouth gagged, and his body tightly wrapped in ropes.
"Mmph... mmph..."
Kawasaki had been bored out of his mind piloting the boat. Hearing the noise was a welcome relief from the monotony. He immediately stopped the boat. Having recovered thanks to the Cursed Seal, his chakra reserves were quite full.
Shadow Clone Jutsu!
Poof!
Another Shadow Clone appeared.
"Why do I have to do it? Can't you handle it?" the clone grumbled.
"Less complaining. I'm about to die of boredom. Get to work."
With Kawasaki's "encouragement," the Shadow Clone muttered as it took over the task.
The real Kawasaki walked to the front of the boat and found Deidara struggling against his seat.
"Alright, alright, stop wriggling. I'll untie you now."
Kawasaki happily untied the rope around Deidara's mouth and pulled out the piece of cloth stuffed inside.
"Ptui! Ptui!"
Although he had been under genjutsu, Deidara had slept for a whole day and was full of energy, which was evident from his voice.
"Who are you! Hm!"
Deidara woke up to see an unfamiliar person speeding him across a vast, empty ocean. He suddenly remembered the pair of eyes he saw before passing out.
"You're one of the Uchiha! You tricked me! Hm!"
"Yeah, that's right."
Kawasaki hadn't spoken to anyone in days. Having someone to talk to now felt wonderful, and he immediately confessed.
"That's right, I tricked you. What are you going to do about it?" Kawasaki simply took all the credit.
"..."
Deidara was stunned for a moment, not expecting that answer. Then, he erupted in fury!
"You insult art! You used art to scheme against me! Hm!"
Kawasaki snorted. "You call that thing you do art?"
Deidara thrashed violently. "Explosion is art! It's the most beautiful art! Hm!"
Kawasaki clicked his tongue. "The light from the explosion is art! Not the explosion itself!"
Hm!? Deidara's struggling eased slightly.
Kawasaki continued his patient persuasion. "Deidara, do you think your art is the sound of the explosion, or the brilliant flash of light?"
"Art should be a fleeting moment of brilliance, a dazzling but transient beauty!"
Kawasaki's words struck a chord deep within Deidara. This was precisely the kind of dazzling, ephemeral beauty he pursued. Deidara stopped struggling, and his gaze toward Kawasaki softened.
"But the best way to create that light is through explosion! Hm!" Deidara actually began to debate with Kawasaki.
Kawasaki chuckled to himself. I've already figured you out completely. You think I can't talk you around? Then I would have tied you up for nothing.
Kawasaki untied Deidara completely, even the ropes on his hands. "You need your special clay to create explosions, don't you?"
Deidara, now devoid of hostility, flexed his wrists and wiped a bit of drool from his mouth. "So what if I do? Hm!"
Kawasaki shook his head. "You see, art cannot have limitations. Art should be infinite."
"Your art is so restricted. Without clay, you can do nothing."
"And I know that your clay explosions are just a form of Earth Release."
"Face a master of Lightning Release, and your explosions are instantly neutralized."
"Can something with so many limitations truly be called art?"
Deidara was unconvinced. "This is already the best way to express art, hm!"
Kawasaki wagged a finger. "I've seen a better, more brilliant art. One that requires no secret clay and has no fear of Lightning Release."
"I don't believe you! Hm!"
Kawasaki didn't explain. Deidara might have seen Onoki's Dust Release as a child, but for some reason, he hadn't learned such a dazzling jutsu. Either Onoki and Deidara's philosophies didn't align, or Deidara's understanding of Dust Release was insufficient. Or perhaps Onoki never intended to entice Deidara with it in the first place.
Kawasaki deliberately provoked him. "Don't be so stubborn about things you've never seen. In any case, it's far more brilliant than your explosions."
Deidara took the bait. "There can't be an art more brilliant than my explosions, hm!"
"If you come back with me obediently, I'll show you."
"Fine! I'd like to see it! Hm!"
Deidara had long noticed they were speeding across the water's surface, faster than even a flying bird could keep up. It looked like it consumed a lot of chakra. How did that Shadow Clone in the back still have enough chakra to use jutsu after all this time?
"Oh no! Sasori, my man! Hm!" It was only then that Deidara remembered his partner.
Kawasaki calmly pulled out Sasori's puppet body.
"Your 'man' Sasori is right here."
Deidara froze, his eyes locking onto the character for "Scorpion" carved into the puppet.