A few days after Deidara's encounter with the Akatsuki, Iwagakure issued a wanted notice to the entire shinobi world. The announcement declared that Deidara, after killing several Iwagakure ninja, had fled the village. He was now classified as an S-rank missing-nin—the highest threat level possible.
This news caused a significant stir throughout the Five Great Shinobi Nations. According to intelligence gathered from various countries, the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki had been grooming this gifted Iwagakure prodigy as his potential successor. Deidara's defection represented not only a substantial blow to Iwagakure's standing but to the Third Tsuchikage's reputation as well.
More damaging still was the fact that Deidara had previously participated in terrorist activities in other nations—crimes that Ōnoki had personally ensured were suppressed from public knowledge. His defection was equivalent to the Third Tsuchikage publicly slapping himself in the face, making him a source of mockery among certain circles.
Several months later, in Konohagakure, Minato sat in the Hokage's office examining an intelligence report personally compiled by Uchiha Yoruki.
"You believe Deidara's defection might be connected to the masked man and his associates?" Minato asked, scanning the document in his hand.
"Yes. From what we know, the boy called Deidara specializes in creating devastating explosions. His ninjutsu utilizes an Iwagakure secret technique known as 'Exploding Clay,'" Yoruki explained.
"Typically, he would blow his targets to pieces. However, when the bodies of the Iwagakure ninja were later recovered and examined, forensic analysis revealed that the explosion wasn't the actual cause of death."
Uchiha Yoruki added that Iwagakure would never make this information public. Regardless of the circumstances, Deidara had betrayed his village. If the world discovered that his defection might have been orchestrated by outside forces, it would deliver yet another humiliating blow to Ōnoki's standing.
Such matters, like Orochimaru's human experimentation, represented the darker, hidden facets of shinobi village politics.
"First Orochimaru, now this Deidara," Minato mused, his eyes darkening. "It appears they're systematically accumulating power for some purpose."
Despite Deidara's youth—barely twelve years old—the unique nature of his explosive techniques made him a formidable threat to any shinobi village.
"What is their ultimate objective in all this?"
Neither Minato nor Uchiha Yoruki had yet discerned what the masked man and his companions were secretly planning. World domination? Even shinobi as powerful as Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha hadn't managed to unify the entire world.
And even if they conquered the world—then what?
A heavy silence fell between them.
"Shisui has been out of contact with the village for far too long," Uchiha Yoruki finally said. Several months had passed without a single communication from Shisui—highly unusual behavior, even accounting for the dangerous nature of his mission.
Minato nodded, his expression equally serious.
"It's possible that they have already..." Yoruki's voice trailed off, implying the grim possibility that Shisui and his team had been eliminated.
Minato's eyes flickered momentarily. "If that were true, Mei Terumi would have found some way to inform us of Shisui's fate—unless she too has been compromised."
"That's not entirely impossible," Uchiha Yoruki's eyes darkened as murderous intent gradually emerged in his gaze.
He had personally mentored Shisui, nurturing him into the exceptional shinobi he had become. Their relationship transcended that of merely superior and subordinate. Having no children of his own, Yoruki had come to view Shisui as a son, though he rarely expressed such sentiments openly.
Minato shared this sentiment. Shisui was his student, and he had already lost Obito and Rin to conspiracies with motives that remained unclear to this day.
Taking a deep breath, Minato declared, "The current situation leaves us no time for elaborate strategizing."
"Bring me someone," he called out. The door to the Hokage's office opened as an ANBU operative entered.
"Summon Sakumo and Nawaki-senpai," Minato ordered.
"Yes, sir!" The ANBU acknowledged before disappearing.
"Provide them with all the intelligence we've gathered since losing contact with Shisui," Minato instructed Yoruki as he stood up. Though they didn't know Shisui's precise location, Uchiha Yoruki had not been idle in his search.
"I'll also give them my Flying Thunder God marker. I can rush to their position if necessary."
Minato's expression hardened. Both Sakumo and Nawaki were elite shinobi, but the abilities of the mysterious masked man and his black-robed accomplice were too unpredictable. In the entire village, only Minato himself stood a chance of countering those two individuals.
"This approach is quite unlike your usual style," Uchiha Yoruki observed with a soft sigh. Minato typically operated with methodical caution, but his current actions seemed influenced by emotional considerations.
Minato inhaled deeply, resolution burning in his eyes. "If forced to choose between completing a mission and protecting my subordinates, I will abandon the mission without hesitation."
"A failed mission can be attempted again, but a life lost can never be recovered."
Though his words weren't absolute—after all, Minato himself had once died—all his efforts were ultimately directed toward preserving their hard-won peace.
"Even if we don't expose his conspiracy this time, he will eventually come to me again after gathering sufficient strength."
For a fleeting instant, a scarlet gleam flashed in Minato's eyes—so briefly that even Uchiha Yoruki failed to notice it.
On a small island shrouded in sea mist, a slender figure moved swiftly, finally landing at the entrance of a damp cave. Upon arrival, she paused momentarily before tapping the outer stone wall in a specific rhythm.
Judging by her attire, she was a Kirigakure ANBU operative—a woman.
The moment her hand left the wall, a dark shadow materialized before her eyes as a figure appeared.
"You've come," Shisui said, removing his mask.
"What news?" he asked directly.
The Kirigakure ANBU also removed her mask, revealing delicate, beautiful features.
"You were right—Lord Mizukage's behavior is indeed unusual," Mei Terumi confirmed, her striking eyes reflecting concern.
"Then our plan—" Shisui began, but Mei Terumi cut him off.
"Because of him, I trust you," she said, referring to Minato, "but I'm afraid that plan cannot proceed for now."
Her expression shifted to one of alarm. "Your presence has been discovered by other Kirigakure forces. You must leave immediately!"
Shock registered in Shisui's eyes. Despite severing all communication with the village to maintain secrecy, had the Kirigakure ANBU somehow detected them?
At that moment, another ninja wearing a Konoha ANBU uniform emerged from the cave beside them.
The man cast a wary glance at Mei Terumi before addressing Shisui urgently:
"We're in trouble! I just sensed a large contingent of Kirigakure shinobi approaching our position. We're surrounded!"
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