At the same time.
Another location in the Land of Hot Water.
In contrast to the News Group Headquarters built next to a bustling city, this place was relatively quiet, nestled in a secluded corner.
Relatively speaking, the scenery here was actually better.
Surrounded by green mountains, a clear river ran through the area at the foot of the mountains, and along both banks was a dense, lush forest. Even the air breathed sweet.
At the river bend stood a giant tree.
In the middle of the giant tree was a massive treehouse, the dwelling of the "Hero of the Land of Waves," the "Savior of the Hidden Mist," the "Good Friend of the People of the Land of Water," and many other title-holders—Momochi Zabuza.
Whether Zabuza was simply accustomed to it or not, he lived in a treehouse in the Land of Waves, and he did the same in the Land of Hot Water.
In public propaganda, this was heralded as a demonstration of the fine virtue of frugality!
It was currently noon, and the high sun was blazing.
In the main room of the wooden house, Zabuza was quietly sitting and reading a book.
Zabuza had always believed that the words of that person were true: since he was about to become the Mizukage, his cultural literacy must keep up.
In the future, if he couldn't speak in refined prose, he should at least not curse vulgarly!
Zabuza had spent this very receptive period reading.
However.
The weather today was a little unusual.
Despite the beautiful weather, a strange mist began to rise around the wooden house.
Initially, Zabuza didn't pay attention. Although the weather in the Land of Hot Water was much better than in the Land of Water, this country had no shortage of water.
Therefore, heavy fog was not uncommon.
However, as time went on, the fog became thicker and thicker, gradually obscuring one's vision completely.
"Is it an enemy?"
Zabuza muttered, keenly sensing the chakra contained within the mist.
Only people from the Hidden Mist Village could use this level of Hidden Mist Technique.
But.
To use this move on him without any warning?
The Hidden Mist Technique!
This was an assassination jutsu exclusive to the Hidden Mist!
Was someone in the Hidden Mist Village trying to kill him?
Zabuza was quite puzzled.
Just two days ago, he had received news from Hōzuki Tetsuhana that the plan was progressing very smoothly. In at most half a year, he could go to his loyal Hidden Mist Village as its master, amid the earnest welcome of the people, and directly become the Mizukage.
So what was this now?
They were actually beginning to target him.
Who was it?
Zabuza was confused in his heart, but his movements were swift. "If it's just the 'Hidden Mist Technique,' I am your ancestor!"
The moment his voice fell, the mist instantly thickened, and Zabuza vanished from his spot.
"Captain~"
A quiet voice echoed in the mist, "The target has disappeared!"
"Huh? Wasn't he just in the room?"
"But just now, he vanished!"
"Idiot! Search the surroundings! The opponent is also a master of the Hidden Mist Technique!"
"Yes!"
"No need to search!"
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice interrupted their conversation.
"Who... are you?" The Captain's voice in the mist was inexplicably panicked.
The enemy had silently crept up beside them. If he wanted to kill them...
"I am the person you are looking for!"
The voice seemed to come from all directions. The Captain nervously scanned the area but found no trace of the enemy.
"Where are you?"
He looked utterly 'flustered,' the calm on his face long gone.
"I am right beside you."
The voice drifted in and out, and the Captain and the other squad member felt an omnipresent sense of pressure.
The surrounding white mist was so thick that the two of them could barely see each other even when facing one another.
The enemy was hiding in this dense mist, ready to kill them at any moment!
They were supposed to be the hunters!
But now their roles were reversed, and they had become the prey?
"Your target is me? What are you trying to do? Kill me?"
Zabuza's voice was so ethereal, as if far away, yet the next moment it was right next to them.
Zabuza had seized the initiative. While constantly pressuring the other side psychologically, he was also interrogating them.
This was his favorite tactic in the past!
He enjoyed the expression on his prey's face, the fear and panic gave him pleasure!
Seeing this situation, the Captain knew that the two of them were likely no match for him.
However, thinking of something, he began to stall for time. "Zabuza, the papers all say you are a great man, loyal to the Hidden Mist. Since you came from the Hidden Mist, you naturally know the rules of the village."
"Hmph!"
The omnipresent voice let out a cold sigh, causing the surrounding temperature to instantly drop three degrees.
Zabuza directly pierced through their bravado. "I know there are more than just the two of you. Look~"
Thud~~
Two objects flew through the mist.
They were about to draw their weapons to block, but upon clearly seeing the incoming objects, they immediately stopped their attack.
"Kion? Nimaru?" Seeing the miserable state of the two men with his own eyes, the Captain's eyes widened in fury!
The people Zabuza threw out were the corpses of the two other members of their squad!
Weren't these two supposed to be hiding early to support them?
Why were they discovered, and why were they killed even earlier than them?
"Well? Still not talking? If you don't, these two will be your fate!"
Hearing that voice, which seemed to come from the abyss, issuing a death warrant again, the Captain gave a desolate smile.
His voice was exceptionally calm. "Zabuza, I don't know if you remember me. I didn't expect your strength to have grown to this extent after more than ten years. It's truly... lamentable."
The Captain knew the strength of those two subordinates. Even he would have to expend effort to take them out. Yet, the opponent merely disappeared for an instant under their noses, and then killed those two subordinates instantly.
The gap in strength between them was like a chasm!
Only a surprise move could create a miracle!
He finished speaking, and no sound came from the mist, but he clearly felt a gaze pass over him from within the mist.
However, in this dense fog, what could he see?
Sighing, the Captain continued speaking. "You guessed correctly. We came this time to assassinate you. Since the assassination failed, you should know the discipline of the Hidden Mist."
"Come on!"
The Captain roared, spreading his arms in a gesture of non-resistance, prepared to die.
"Captain!"
The nearby squad member gently tugged at his clothes, but it didn't change the Captain's posture.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh~~~~
The sound of a large blade whistling through the air indicated a giant object flying rapidly.
But because the mist was too thick, the two could not see the massive sword at all.
Wait, they saw it!
By the time they saw the flying blade, it was too late to react.
Slaash—
Stab—
The two men were instantly cut in half like rags by the sharp and heavy greatsword.
Swoosh~
The next second, a figure appeared, directly grabbing the hilt of the flying greatsword.
In the thick mist, the blurred figure looked down at the two corpses and sighed silently. "Truly... pathetic!"
Stab—
Suddenly, the sound of a sharp weapon piercing flesh rang out.
Zabuza looked down. A suddenly appearing shuriken had pierced his abdomen.
At that moment, crimson blood pumped out like an inexhaustible fountain, instantly staining his clothes.
Zabuza's cold eyes looked back. The figure was actually the original Captain. Looking back at where the original corpse had fallen, there was only the subordinate's body; the Captain's original body was just a wet patch.
This ability—Zabuza instantly realized something. "You are... from the Hōzuki Clan."
"That's right,"
The Captain revealed a cruel smile. "I didn't expect Senior Zabuza to be so careless! In that case..."
Just as he was gloating, Splash—
The stabbed Zabuza suddenly turned into a puddle of water. It turned out the Zabuza he had stabbed was merely a Water Clone?
When?
He thought he had succeeded, but instead...
"Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique!"
A voice rang out very close by. When Hōzuki Kōgetsu (the Captain) reacted and turned around, a flash of fire had already filled his entire vision!
The fire dragon drew closer and instantly engulfed him.
A moment later.
Crunch crunch—
Zabuza walked over, stepping on dry branches, looking at the charred body without attempting to confirm his death.
He knew his own abilities.
Since that day, in the field of Fire Nature, whether it was the proficiency of his Katon jutsu or the nature and shape transformation, he had reached the peak.
This level of jutsu was too easy to deal with a mere high-ranking ninja (Jōnin).
It's just that.
These people were just too weak!
Thinking back to his time in the Hidden Mist, what kind of squads were those?
What kind of trash were these now?
"I didn't expect the ninjas of the Hidden Mist to have become so lax after more than ten years away. If I become Mizukage, I must properly drill these ninjas. They don't even possess basic assassination skills!"
Clang—
Picking up the greatsword from the ground, Zabuza turned to leave. He hadn't walked far when he looked back, frowning, and meticulously examined the corpses of his enemies.
Anbu?
As a rogue ninja who escaped the Hidden Mist, Zabuza easily recognized their identity—Anbu.
But, their goal was to assassinate him?
"It seems the plan has hit a snag. How pathetic. My mission is to save you, yet you come to assassinate me. How lamentable." Sighing, Zabuza slung the greatsword over his shoulder and walked back.
"Haku!"
Arriving beneath the wooden house, Zabuza called out.
Swoosh~
A small figure appeared and landed beside him.
It was a long-haired young man, already quite beautiful at his young age. One could imagine that after growing up, he would inevitably become another devastatingly attractive 'Hōzuki Tetsuhana'.
"Zabuza-sama."
Haku (Yuki Haku) called out respectfully.
Zabuza looked Haku up and down, and seeing no trace of battle on him, he showed an unsurprised look.
The enemy's raid was not only aimed at him but also at Haku. A total of two squads, six people, were heading straight for him, and two went towards Haku.
However, given Haku's strength, the outcome was self-evident.
"Did you manage to get anything out of them?"
Zabuza asked.
Since he had gained nothing, he naturally placed his hope on Haku.
Hearing this, Haku shook his head. "Their lips were sealed. I did not get any information."
"Tch~"
Zabuza couldn't help but let out a mocking sound. "That is the only good thing about the Hidden Mist ninjas. The high-pressure policies make them exceptionally tight-lipped, or else one careless slip means the consequence of an entire clan being exterminated."
That was how the Hidden Mist was.
At least it was in his era.
This was the original intention behind his determination to change the Hidden Mist!
With that thought flashing through his mind, Zabuza turned to leave. However, this time, he was not returning to the house but walking into the distance.
"Mr. Zabuza, where are you going?"
Zabuza paused, looking back at him with a sidelong glance. "The plan has changed. Since the enemy has come right to our doorstep to kill us, of course, we are going to pay them a visit."
He turned and left, as if having made a certain resolve.
Haku naturally followed him immediately.
The two, one large and one small, did not head directly for the Land of Water but took a detour toward the News Group Headquarters.
After all, the entire strategy for the Land of Water, all the planning, was done by Hōzuki Tetsuhana. The two of them had to align their activities with the arrangements.
But when he arrived at the News Group Headquarters, Zabuza found something amusing.
There were also four Hidden Mist assassins here. Based on their clothing, they were the same as the group that attacked him—Hidden Mist Anbu.
These four people actually had the audacity to attack this 'Hōzuki Tetsuhana,' to attack this very existence?
"Have the higher-ups of the Hidden Mist become so incompetent?"
One must know that the News Group's rise in just a few months, and the constant news scoops, while greatly increasing sales, naturally created many enemies. Yet, why did the News Group still stand tall here after all this time, completely undisturbed?
It was naturally because of the presence of its President and all those employees!
Thinking of this, Zabuza felt a bit alarmed.
All those employees, every one of them was an existence no less powerful than himself.
If this force were to conquer the Hidden Mist, the village would be utterly defenseless.
Not only the Hidden Mist, but likely all five great nations would be the same!
At this thought, Zabuza felt a slight wariness, but this was also the reason he relied on the News Group.
Tetsuhana saw his arrival and was surprised for a moment, but instantly understood.
He asked with a smile, "What, did they attack you too?"
That smile, that smile!
Zabuza immediately averted his gaze.
Even though he was a man in his twenties, even though he felt he would never fall in love again, the charm of this man still caused a ripple in his heart.
Yes.
Even though he already knew the person before him was a man!
"That's right."
Zabuza confirmed, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the four assassins. "Are these the ones who attacked you?"
"No,"
Hōzuki Tetsuhana denied. "These ones came to join me."
"Join you?" Zabuza was extremely astonished.
As far as he knew, the ninjas of the Hidden Mist were all 'discipline'-obsessed individuals, quite foolish and stubborn. And yet, there were those who would run this far to defect?
He looked at the four again. They indeed showed no signs of battle, and although their expressions were a bit dull, with dead-fish eyes, every one of them was clearly brimming with vitality.
"What information do you have?" Zabuza sat down in a chair, resting his greatsword beside him.
"It's Ao of the Hidden Mist Village who wants to deal with you,"
Tetsuhana looked at him meaningfully. "You know Ao, right? They want to assassinate you! And even—"
Pausing, Tetsuhana offered his guess. "Even the 'Elder Gensui'—the one who is Mizukage in all but name—might have the intention to kill you."
This was merely Tetsuhana's speculation.
But he stated it directly and decisively, preparing to force Zabuza to move in the direction he had foreseen.
"Ao and Elder Gensui... is that it?"
Zabuza thought about those two people.
Ao was a senior ninja. It was said that his Byakugan revealed the reality that the Fourth Mizukage was being manipulated.
As for Elder Gensui...
Did that man actually make such a choice?
Zabuza knew that if that person also thought this way about him and intended to eliminate him, then he had no place left in the current Hidden Mist.
If that's the case!
A ruthless glint flashed in Zabuza's eyes. If that's the case, then he would eliminate them and thoroughly turn the entire Hidden Mist upside down!
However.
Zabuza turned his head to look at that exquisitely beautiful profile, asking with doubt, "Didn't we agree that after a few more months, I would be able to claim the Mizukage throne without a fight, simply based on my immense reputation and answering the call of the people?
How has the plan devolved to this point?"
Tetsuhana handed Zabuza a research report. "Take a look!"
Zabuza took it and examined it.
It contained various charts, primarily surveys on his (Zabuza's) public perception and support.
After four or five months of publicity, his trust rating in the Land of Water was now around 50%, with a penetration rate of 60%.
The prediction that followed stated that if this level of publicity continued, his trust rating would reach at least 80% after six months.
That was the survey for the Land of Water. As for the Hidden Mist Village, the numbers were a bit lower, but in half a year, it would be enough to stage a "King's Return" scenario!
By then, with such high support, what could an Ao or an Elder Gensui do?
Wouldn't it be Zabuza's word that was law?
"But the enemy isn't giving us that chance!" Tetsuhana explained.
"Since the enemy won't give us a chance, we can only forcibly activate the subsequent plan!"
Thinking of the plan he had arranged, Tetsuhana was full of smiles. "Although there is a slight lack of preparation due to the unexpected turn, the current situation is already sufficient. So,"
"Mr. Zabuza, are you ready to become a hero?"
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