After sending off the shinobi from Kumogakure and Iwagakure, Shigure welcomed his third visitor of the day.
It was Sasuke.
Shigure raised a brow at the sight before him. Sasuke's outfit was different—no longer the garb from Orochimaru's hideout.
"What's with the change?" Shigure asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
Sasuke blinked. "What's with what?"
"Your clothes. Where are the old ones?"
"They were shredded. How am I supposed to keep wearing them?"
"…Fair enough."
Shigure folded his arms. "So? You came looking for me. What for?"
"You're the one who invited me to join the Hidden Mist Village," Sasuke replied, eyes narrowing.
Shigure tapped his forehead lightly. "Ah—right, that. I've been dealing with so much lately, it slipped my mind for a second."
Sasuke stared at him, speechless. "Are you seriously inviting me? You don't even remember saying it."
Shigure chuckled. "Of course I'm sincere. Whether you join or not, I've already told you—Kirigakure will always welcome you."
With that, he lowered his head again and returned to reviewing the towering stack of documents on his desk.
Even with the Great Sage assisting him, the accumulated affairs of the village were considerable.
Many matters still required Shigure's personal approval.
For example, the Land of Tea was requesting permission to traverse the territorial waters of the Land of Water—something only the Mizukage could authorize.
Watching Shigure buried in work, Sasuke threw himself onto the nearby sofa with a sigh.
"…Being Mizukage doesn't look easy."
Shigure shot him a side-eye. "An entire shinobi village depends on you. What part of that sounds easy?"
Sasuke smirked. "I thought life here would be pretty carefree for you."
Shigure finally looked up, expression surprisingly relaxed.
"It's not easy," he admitted, "but it is free."
In Kirigakure, Shigure could do as he wished. There were no binding restrictions on him—not anymore. As Mizukage, his authority was absolute.
Even Mei Terumī and the village elders couldn't override him now.
"Shigure."
Sasuke's voice suddenly turned serious.
Shigure looked up again. Sasuke's expression told him this wasn't casual conversation anymore.
"Just say it," Shigure said.
"…Thank you. For helping me."
That made Shigure pause.
"We were all shinobi of Team 7," Sasuke continued softly. "Even if Team 7 is gone, I still consider you and Naruto my friends."
He gave a faint smile.
"So… can you help me with one more thing?"
Shigure's brows drew together. "What is it?"
"I'm going to find the Akatsuki."
Shigure straightened. "Akatsuki? Why?"
Itachi's matter had already been resolved. There should have been no further reason for Sasuke to involve himself with them.
Unless—
"Don't tell me…" Shigure's eyes narrowed.
"…Do you want to join the Akatsuki?"
Sasuke let out a dry laugh at Shigure's question.
"You invited me to join the Hidden Mist Village, and I already refused. Do I look like someone deranged enough to turn around and join the Akatsuki instead?"
…Fair point.
"Then what are you planning?" Shigure asked.
Sasuke's expression darkened. "I want to uncover the truth about Itachi."
Shigure tapped his finger against the desk. "If it's about Itachi, you could just ask me. I can tell you everything."
Sasuke shook his head. "No. I want to know what happened during his time in the Akatsuki. I don't want secondhand answers. I want to see it myself."
Shigure exhaled quietly.
Typical Sasuke.
He could never accept anything unless he dug up the truth with his own hands.
But Sasuke's words reminded Shigure of a crucial issue.
Kumogakure was preparing to move against the Akatsuki…
Yet the Akatsuki had already captured the Two-Tails.
And the only tailed beast chakra Shigure still lacked was precisely that—Matatabi's chakra.
If he obtained it, he would finally complete all the Tailed Beast chakra.
The full power of the Six Paths would be within reach.
And Gluttony would only need to devour one last Tailed Beast to fully recover.
With that thought, Shigure raised his head.
"Alright. I'll take you to find the Akatsuki."
Sasuke blinked. "…You'll take me?"
Shigure stood and stretched, joints popping lightly. "I'm going too."
"You're going too?" Sasuke's brows drew together. "For what purpose?"
Shigure smiled faintly. "The Akatsuki has attacked the Hidden Mist Village twice. Do you think I'll just let them act as they please?"
He turned toward the open window, his chakra surging faintly.
"I'm going to erase the Akatsuki Organization."
Sasuke stiffened.
"Don't worry. You'll be able to question whoever you want first. But once you're done…"
Shigure's eyes hardened.
"…every last one of them will be eliminated."
If the Akatsuki was destroyed entirely, the so-called Fourth Great Ninja War would never come to pass.
And Shigure was also very interested in Nagato's Rinnegan.
"Alright," Sasuke finally said. "When do we depart?"
"Tomorrow," Shigure replied after a moment's thought. "There are things I need to arrange first."
Leaving the village meant its defenses had to be properly organized.
Kirigakure had performed admirably in repelling invaders recently, but perfection was still far off.
Moreover, Cloud shinobi would also be present when the Akatsuki was confronted.
One mistake and conflict could erupt instantly.
And Shigure still needed the Two-Tails.
So—
"Ringo, go notify the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Tell them to gather in the Mizukage's office."
Ringo entered from outside the door, nodded respectfully, and left with a serious expression.
Sasuke, who had been preparing to depart, stopped in his tracks.
Shigure was summoning the entire Seven Ninja Swordsmen?
Was he really planning to march out and crush the Akatsuki?
Shigure alone was already terrifying beyond belief.
And the current Seven Swordsmen were monsters in their own right.
Even the youngest—Chōjūrō—radiated pressure that normal jōnin couldn't hope to withstand.
Their kenjutsu was on an entirely different level.
With all seven mobilized…
…the Akatsuki wouldn't survive the encounter.
Konoha
"Konoha!" a voice shouted.
The village was deep in reconstruction.
Houses were shattered, families torn apart.
Grief hung over the streets like a heavy mist.
Inside the temporary Hokage office set atop the Hokage Rock—
Naruto stood before Tsunade, his expression cold and hollow.
Since Jiraiya's death, he hadn't truly smiled.
Tsunade looked at him quietly.
"The village is at its weakest right now. And you want to leave? Where are you planning to go?"
"I've mastered the Nine-Tails completely. There won't be any more spacetime disruptions," Naruto replied flatly.
Tsunade knew that already. But the question remained: where was Naruto going?
"I'm leaving Konoha to find the Akatsuki," he said.
"I'm going to deal with the person who killed Jiraiya… myself."
"Naruto!" Kakashi barked, stepping forward, still bandaged from his injuries.
"If the Hokage does not permit you to leave, then you cannot leave!"
But Naruto remained unmoved.
Tsunade let out a long, weary sigh…