Everyone present—except Kabuto—knew the name Kazuyama Gekkō.
After all, they had all fought him before. Even Muren Uchiha and Nagato had crossed blades with him multiple times.
"Hey, hey, hey, Zetsu—you sure you're not mistaken?"
"That bastard's coming to the Land of Water?"
No one knew Kazuyama Gekkō better than Muren Uchiha. Back when he was in Konoha, he'd constantly hear that name.
He was the kind of man who could never sit still, and as for his reputation—well, words hardly did it justice.
But one thing was certain: his power had grown terrifyingly strong. Even with his Mangekyō Sharingan, Muren wasn't confident he could defeat him.
In fact, he always had the feeling that Kazuyama never fought him seriously.
"There's no mistake. He's been doing everything to hide his tracks," Zetsu said. "But after dealing with him so many times, I'm sure of it."
"And I also saw that red serpent beside him—the Serpent Sage from Ryūchi Cave."
"If he really comes south, with his Senjutsu perception, it's only a matter of time before he finds us."
As soon as Zetsu finished, both Muren Uchiha and Nagato fell silent.
If Kazuyama Gekkō had indeed entered the Land of Water, then a confrontation between them was inevitable.
Their eyes met—Sharingan and Rinnegan locking for a moment—before they both nodded in silent understanding.
"Hmph. He's just a Konoha ninja. It's not like I haven't fought him before."
"Is this really something to fuss over?"
"If it comes to it, we'll just kill him."
Kakuzu, who had fought Kazuyama once before, though briefly, acknowledged his skill. But he didn't believe a single man could force them on the defensive.
Having lived for so long, Kakuzu had absolute confidence in his own strength.
His words quickly gained Kabuto's support.
"Kakuzu's right. It's just one guy. What's there to be afraid of?"
"If he's coming, let him. We'll kill him."
"Actually, this is perfect—I've been short on test subjects lately. How about I go?"
Fearless and arrogant—Kabuto was exactly that now.
Having inherited all of Sasori of the Red Sand's research, he was overflowing with confidence, convinced his puppets were invincible.
"Hmph, kids will be kids."
"Do you have any idea how much Kazuyama Gekkō is worth on the black market?"
"Almost the same bounty as a Kage—one hundred and fifty million ryō."
"We should capture him, kill him, and cash in."
The gleam of money flashed in Kakuzu's eyes as he turned and shot Kabuto a murderous glare.
"And you, you damn brat. The money I earn isn't for you to waste on your stupid toys."
"If I ever find out you're using my funds to buy those ridiculous materials again—"
"I'll kill you."
The murderous intent radiating from Kakuzu filled the cave, directed squarely at Kabuto.
But Kabuto didn't flinch. To him, puppets were everything.
In fact, he found Kakuzu's body intriguing. He couldn't help but wonder—if he turned Kakuzu into a puppet, could he surpass his current limits?
No, not just Kakuzu. He was interested in everyone in this cave.
"Enough. Zetsu, stay alert for now."
"Madara, retrieve the Fourth Mizukage and bring him here."
"If Kazuyama Gekkō truly comes, we must eliminate him. Otherwise, he'll become a serious threat sooner or later."
Nagato's voice was laced with killing intent—aimed entirely at Kazuyama.
In his mind, every Konoha ninja had to be wiped out. Especially Kazuyama Gekkō.
He wanted to kill him personally.
"Understood. I'll head north and bring back the Fourth Mizukage."
Muren Uchiha understood how serious this was. Without another word, his Sharingan spun—and in the next moment, he vanished from the cave.
...
Several days later, Kazuyama Gekkō had arrived in the southern region of the Land of Water.
Unlike the north's bustling prosperity, the southern lands were filled with villages and farmlands.
The scent of tilled soil hung in the air—a refreshing change for him.
"Tagitsuhime, still no trace of unusual chakra?"
Still seated in their small boat, watching the approaching shore, Kazuyama called out once more.
Unfortunately, Tagitsuhime shook her head. She had been sensing nonstop, but nothing particularly powerful had appeared within her range.
"Kazuyama, are you sure Akatsuki's even in the Land of Water?"
"We've practically explored the whole country already."
Or rather, the snakeberries she'd brought from the north were nearly gone. If they didn't find Akatsuki soon, she'd lose it.
Haku, on the other hand, was completely calm, his gaze fixed on the distant land. Through the mist, he could faintly feel traces of natural energy.
"They're here. I can feel it."
"Just a bit more—we're close."
Kazuyama's confidence was back in full force.
Tagitsuhime's snake-like lips twisted in exasperation. She'd heard this speech too many times.
He said the same thing before heading to Kirigakure. He was certain of it at the Northern Islands too.
And now, once again, he was "sure."
Honestly, did this man have no sense of self-awareness?
"Hey, Tagitsuhime, what's with that look?"
"I'm serious this time! I can feel it!"
"They're right ahead!"
"Let's go!"
Kazuyama didn't care whether she believed him—he believed himself.
Just look at the Northern Islands. He hadn't found Akatsuki, sure, but he'd made a fortune instead!
That's what a man's sixth sense was for!
Come to think of it, his instincts had been spot-on since arriving in the Land of Water.
He'd gone to Kirigakure and picked up little Haku, then headed to the Northern Islands and struck gold.
Now, he was certain the southern region held what he was looking for.
As they stepped onto the island, Kazuyama's Hive Mind began scanning the surroundings.
Meanwhile, Tagitsuhime coiled around him, expanding her sensing range through Senjutsu chakra.
But even after searching the area, they found nothing noteworthy.
So they continued all the way to the island's southernmost shore, where several small islets dotted the distant horizon.
"Kazuyama, I found them."
"Northwest—on that island. Four strong chakra signatures."
"But... it feels like more than just four people."
At last, Tagitsuhime's sensing ability picked up what they'd been searching for.
Kazuyama's face lit up for a moment before his expression turned serious again.
He turned toward Haku.
"Haku, you can't come with us to where we're going next."
"I'll send you to Orochimaru. Wait for me there."