After the sun set, starlight shimmered across the surface of the sea.
Zabuza Momochi and Mangetsu Hōzuki walked along the coastline of the Land of Whirlpools, their feet sinking into the damp sand. From time to time, they glanced inland, their expressions increasingly grim.
After a long silence, Zabuza spoke.
"Since you're determined to overthrow the Mizukage, why bring me here? Looking for a backup escape route?"
His voice was low and blunt.
"If the coup fails, the Fourth Mizukage won't let us off. Not you. Not me."
Mangetsu shook his head with a faint smile.
"I never planned to run if we fail. But if the coup collapses, the Hōzuki Clan will bear the consequences. I have to think about Suigetsu. He's still just a kid."
Zabuza snorted.
"So you do care about your little brother. If you're that worried, why not abandon this crazy plan? The Fourth Mizukage is targeting bloodline clans. The Hōzuki aren't even on his hit list."
"That won't work," Mangetsu replied softly.
"If we let the Fourth continue like this, Kirigakure will collapse sooner or later. And I refuse to watch my village rot. Besides…" His eyes sharpened slightly. "I still plan to collect all Seven Ninja Swords. My surname won't allow me to ignore the village's fate."
Zabuza didn't argue.
He had always solved problems with violence.
Ten years ago, he believed the Kirigakure Ninja Academy's graduation exam—forcing students to kill each other—was insane. So he slaughtered every examinee himself and forced the higher-ups to reform the Blood Mist policy.
Now, if the Fourth Mizukage was incompetent and issuing brain-dead orders from the Mizukage Tower all day, then fine.
He'd make the Mizukage step down.
One way or another.
Not long after, Mangetsu suddenly stopped. His gaze fixed on the forest ahead, brows furrowing.
Zabuza noticed immediately.
"Ambush? Wandering ninja?" he asked. "I heard the Land of Whirlpools is crawling with missing-nin. I was hoping to beat a few answers out of them."
Mangetsu's expression remained tense.
"That's the problem. We haven't encountered a single wandering ninja since landing. For a supposed 'paradise' of rogue shinobi, it's too quiet."
Zabuza's face darkened.
Too clean. Too controlled.
Then—
Footsteps.
Shuriken tore through the night sky.
Zabuza dodged instinctively, but he was a split second too late to avoid the crimson gaze locking onto him.
"No—Sharingan!"
Mangetsu reacted instantly. He unsheathed the twin blades of Hiramekarei and slashed across Zabuza's arm.
Blood splattered.
Pain snapped Zabuza out of the genjutsu. Cold sweat trickled down his temple.
"…Thanks."
He glanced toward the trees, eyes narrowed.
"But what the hell are Uchiha doing here? Weren't they wiped out by Itachi?"
Mangetsu exhaled slowly.
"No idea. Maybe Konoha's trying to occupy the Land of Whirlpools and establish a base against Kirigakure. The 'Uchiha massacre' rumor might just be a smokescreen."
Zabuza clicked his tongue.
"Damn Konoha. Always scheming when others are weak."
Mangetsu tightened his grip on Hiramekarei.
"Forget that. We survive first. Judging by the attack frequency, there are at least two squads. Luckily, not many of them have three-tomoe Sharingan."
Zabuza nodded and formed hand seals.
"Hidden Mist Technique."
Thick fog rolled across the forest, swallowing the battlefield.
They were elite jōnin, but outnumbered. The mist would even the odds—and prevent direct eye contact.
Or so they hoped.
At the same time, Naruto stood atop a nearby hill, calmly observing the battle.
When his shadow clone reported the landing, he initially suspected Obito Uchiha—the puppet master behind the Fourth Mizukage—had sent a large force to eliminate the remaining Uchiha and seize the Land of Whirlpools.
But after scanning the area, Naruto sensed no White Zetsu. No large Kirigakure unit.
Just two shinobi.
Which meant they likely weren't an invasion force—just two Mist ninja who wandered in at the worst possible time.
Still, confirmation would come after capture.
Beside him, Shisui Uchiha and Huomen looked far less relaxed. Their expressions were grim.
If this incident exposed Uzushiogakure's existence, the Five Great Nations might turn their attention here prematurely. Their fragile development window would be gone.
But seeing Naruto standing there, hands in his pockets like this was a casual evening show, their anxiety eased slightly.
Down below, the fight intensified.
After a barrage of Fire Release techniques evaporated much of the mist, Mangetsu fully unsealed Hiramekarei. Chakra gathered along the blade, forming a massive chakra hammer the size of a carriage.
He swung.
The blast tore through trees and detonated in the center of the battlefield.
The Uchiha squad was thrown back more than ten meters before barely regaining their footing.
Their eyes reflected tension.
The moment they saw Hiramekarei, they recognized one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Elite level. Dangerous.
And their own clan no longer had many elites left.
Their odds weren't good.
But retreat wasn't an option.
They had already lost their ancestral compound in Konoha. They would not lose their new home in Uzushiogakure.
They had heard enough about the Uzumaki's tragic exile. None of them intended to become wandering dogs again.
Meanwhile, Zabuza and Mangetsu looked equally grim.
Even with the Hidden Mist Technique, the Sharingan could still track them through the haze.
Their escape plan was collapsing.
If they wanted to survive, they would have to go all out.
Shisui took a step forward.
"Master Mianma, the battle has reached a stalemate. Allow me to handle these two Kirigakure jōnin."
Naruto raised a hand to stop him, a grin spreading across his face.
"Relax. I haven't stretched my muscles in days. Perfect chance to loosen up."
Before Shisui could object, Naruto leapt down from the hillside.
Several flashes later—
He appeared directly in the middle of the battlefield.
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