A special thank you to my patrons:
—Miguel razo, Cain, Shahzaam, Splendid, Jacob Mooe, Varun Madhu, Gonzalo Sumalavia, kevin Williams, Jose Carrillo, Jose Sierra, Salim, Edvards Kazlouski, Wilver, Archer, ManyEB.
You can read 30 chapters ahead of everyone on p@treon.
P@TREON - [email protected]/lessaservantofcosmos
(just replace the "@" with "a")
ps: Please support me on P@treon. I can really use your help!
-------------------------------------------------------------
"This is just unreasonable!" Juzo grumbled to Kagaya with palpable frustration.
"I don't want to go back to that annoying place!"
The next morning, Kagaya asked, "You said last night you didn't want to return. Is there a reason?"
Juzo's face twisted, clearly reluctant to dredge up the memories. "Didn't I tell you? I fled because of the Hidden Mist's tyranny. I have no attachment to that place. It's utterly disgusting."
"Disgusting? That bad?" Kagaya asked.
"The Village of the Bloody Mist. Ever heard of it?" Juzo replied.
Kagaya's head snapped up. Juzo's words sparked a realization. "It couldn't be…"
"Exactly what you're thinking," Juzo confirmed. "The rumors aren't exaggerated. The Hidden Mist is a village that ruthlessly slaughters ninja with kekkei genkai. It's bloody, cruel, and nauseating."
Kagaya stared intently at Juzo. Something had felt off since last night, and now he understood why.
The Bloody Mist era—who started it? The Fourth Mizukage.
And there was a critical detail about the Fourth Mizukage: shortly after Obito's fall to darkness, he placed the Mizukage under a genjutsu, controlling him. Kagaya vaguely recalled that the genjutsu was eventually broken by Ao, and soon after, the Mizukage died.
This raised a crucial point: since the Fourth Mizukage died shortly after the genjutsu was lifted, it meant that from the time Obito turned dark until the Mizukage's death, the Mizukage was almost certainly under Obito's control.
The Fourth Mizukage had no period of acting on his own will. Everything he did was at Obito's behest.
This mission to the Land of Water for Kagaya and Juzo was likely no simple task.
'Wait... 'Kagaya remembered something else—how did Juzo die? Killed by the Fourth Mizukage. But if the Mizukage was under Obito's control after his fall, having no agency, then in the original story, Juzo was most likely killed by Obito!
But why would Obito kill Juzo? Something didn't add up.
Juzo, noticing Kagaya's intense stare, felt a chill and asked, "What's wrong?"
Kagaya realized his lapse in composure, averted his gaze, and shook his head. "Nothing."
Ultimately, Obito had no clear reason to target Juzo. So why, in the original story, did Obito manipulate the Fourth Mizukage to attack Juzo?
No, wait—Juzo had a partner in the original story. Who was it? Itachi!
Kagaya's face paled as everything clicked. His intelligence, bolstered by his knowledge as a transmigrator, pieced it together in mere minutes.
In the original story, Obito's true target was likely Itachi. He sent Itachi and Juzo on a mission near the Land of Water, then controlled the Fourth Mizukage to attack them.
Why target Itachi? The reason was clear. At that time, only three people in Akatsuki knew Obito's claimed identity as Uchiha Madara: Nagato, Konan, and Itachi. Kisame hadn't yet joined, so he was unaware. Of the three, Nagato was brainwashed, and Konan followed Nagato unquestioningly—both were trustworthy allies.
Itachi, however, knew Obito's identity, he possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan, and likely still harbored attachment to Konoha, as Obito could sense his lack of complete despair.
With his immense power, knowledge of Obito's identity, and lingering loyalty to Konoha, Itachi was the most dangerous person to Obito in Akatsuki. It made sense for Obito to use the Fourth Mizukage to eliminate him.
But Kagaya couldn't understand why Obito would target him and Juzo now. In the original story, Itachi and Juzo were paired, so Juzo was collateral damage in Obito's plan to kill Itachi.
Now, with Kagaya partnered with Juzo, Obito should know Kagaya had no lingering attachment to Konoha—at least not yet. So why send them to the Land of Water? Why?
If Kagaya could unravel this mystery, he'd have the final answer. But no matter how much he thought it over, Obito's reasons for targeting him and Juzo seemed insufficient. While it was possible, it wasn't necessary.
'Or is this just a straightforward assignment to the Land of Water, with no plan to use the Fourth Mizukage against us?' Kagaya wondered silently.
Just as he began to think it was a normal mission, the arrival of two people revealed Obito's true intentions.
"Hey, Kagaya! Good to see you!" Izumi called out, her usual optimism restored as she waved at him.
Beside her, Itachi spoke calmly. "The leader sent us to assist you. The situation in the Hidden Mist is chaotic, so two teams working together is better."
Kagaya's breath caught.
He understood. Obito's target wasn't Juzo, Kagaya, or even Itachi—it was Uchiha Izumi.
Obito planned to kill Izumi in front of Kagaya and Itachi, redirecting their hatred toward the Hidden Mist while solidifying their loyalty to Akatsuki through that shared pain. It would also rid Akatsuki of a perceived burden.
That was the baseline benefit for Obito. If luck was on his side and he also killed Itachi, he'd eliminate a major threat and reduce Akatsuki's instability. If Kagaya died too, Obito would gain two pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan. While losing two powerful members, the trade-off was worth it for him.
As for Juzo? He was incidental—his death didn't matter either way.
Kagaya thought further. In a few years, Naruto and his peers would graduate, and the Fifth Mizukage would rise to power. That meant the Fourth Mizukage's time was nearing its end. In other words, Obito was likely preparing to discard the Fourth Mizukage as a pawn.
This made Obito's plan even more profitable. Using a disposable piece, he'd lose nothing regardless of the outcome.
It was clear Obito feared Itachi the most, but he wasn't entirely at ease with Kagaya either. It all came down to their Mangekyō Sharingan, whose power Obito knew all too well.
"Itachi, you're here," Kagaya said, forcing a smile despite his inner shock, keeping his composure.
Unbeknownst to anyone, Kagaya subtly cast a genjutsu on Itachi, who accepted it with a faint smile.