"Don't be impulsive."
Uehara Naraku casually held a card.
The thin card he held in his hand blocked the blade of the Decapitating Carving Knife, a scene that sent a chill through Momochi Zabuza's heart. Could an ordinary card really block the Decapitating Carving Knife?
Uehara flicked the card toward Momochi Zabuza!
Momochi Zabuza hastily retrieved the Decapitating Carving Knife to defend, only to see the card penetrate the blade and lodge itself on its surface!
Uehara Naraku raised his head and slowly continued, "Mr. Zabuza, a person who knows too many secrets usually doesn't live long..."
This was something that could only fool ordinary people.
Looking across the entire Ninja World, the more you knew, the longer you lived, like Black Zetsu; people like Momochi Zabuza, on the other hand, were destined for an early demise.
"Hmph!"
Zabuza snorted coldly, arrogantly saying, "Who do you think you are? Brat, if you confess your identity and purpose for going to the Land of Water now, you might suffer less!"
"Are you sure you want me to confess?"
A mysterious smile appeared on Uehara Naraku's lips as he mockingly looked at Momochi Zabuza, saying word by word, "My purpose in going to the Land of Water is to guide one of the Seven-swords Ninja of the Hidden Mist to assassinate their Mizukage. Is that what you want?"
"..."
Momochi Zabuza was shaken, his murderous intent overflowing as he glared daggers at Uehara Naraku, his fierce gaze seemed ready to tear the boy apart!
Because Uehara Naraku had hit the nail on the head regarding his innermost thoughts.
Every ambitious Hidden Mist ninja could see the harm that the Fourth Mizukage Yagura's Blood Mist policy was doing to the village, all of them wanting to change the situation.
Momochi Zabuza was one of them.
From the time he was at the Ninja Academy, he was determined to change the Blood Mist Village, even going so far as to ruthlessly kill all his classmates during the deadly graduation exam, forcing the Hidden Mist leadership to abolish such a potentially ninja thinning assessment method.
After coming of age, Momochi Zabuza joined the Hidden Mist Anbu, growing stronger and earning the title of Hidden Mist Demon in the ninja world. Not long ago, he had just taken possession of the returned Decapitating Carving Knife, becoming part of the second generation of Seven-swords Ninja.
Since acquiring the Decapitating Carving Knife, new thoughts had surfaced in Momochi Zabuza's mind. He believed he was strong enough and had been secretly plotting to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage Yagura and change the entire Hidden Mist Village.
If the plan succeeded, everything would naturally go smoothly.
If the plan failed, he had to be ready to flee.
This time, Momochi Zabuza appeared in the Land of Waves to find an escape route. Once he returned, he planned to seize an opportunity to assassinate the Mizukage.
The boy before him seemed to have seen through his mind! This plan had always been hidden in his heart, never mentioned to anyone.
Momochi Zabuza was internally flustered, wanting to cut down Uehara Naraku directly, while also eager to find out which member of the Seven-swords Ninja the boy intended to incite for the assassination.
If Uehara Naraku mentioned his name, Momochi Zabuza would risk his life to chop off his head...
If Uehara Naraku mentioned someone else's name, Momochi Zabuza would go back to the village to test that person, to see if they could act together...
Of course, regardless of whether their future assassination of the Mizukage succeeded or not, he would ultimately have to behead Uehara Naraku. Whether he could do it or not, he would see when the time came.
He was just that kind of decisive and vengeful ninja.
Thinking of this, Momochi Zabuza glanced at Uehara and spoke contemptuously, "Hmph, the Seven-swords Ninja are the seven strongest swordsmen in our village, the most loyal ninja to the Mizukage-sama. How could they possibly be swayed by a brat like you to assassinate the Mizukage?"
Without skipping a beat, Momochi Zabuza's eyes suddenly filled with murderous intent: "Or is it that you've already colluded with one of the traitors... Brat, tell me his name, and maybe I'll spare your life!"
"For now, I can't reveal a name to Mr. Zabuza."
Uehara Naraku leaned back against the ship's cabin, shaking his head lightly, a mocking smile reappearing on his face: "Whether the Seven-swords Ninja are loyal, hasn't Mr. Zabuza already known the answer?"
The first generation of Seven-swords Ninja were easily defeated by a Konoha Genin, Kurosuki Raiga and Biwa Juzo defected, and the only remaining Suikazan Fuguki had other intentions.
The second generation of Seven-swords Ninja had only four members, Hozuki Mangetsu and Ringo Ameyuri died prematurely due to illness, while Hoshigaki Kisame and Momochi Zabuza both chose to defect.
The third generation of Seven-swords Ninja had only two, Hozuki Suigetsu was a born rogue ninja, while Chojuro remained in the Hidden Mist Village.
The defection rate among the Seven-swords Ninja of the Hidden Mist Village was unusually high.
"Seems I need to use some means..."
Momochi Zabuza brought his fingers together.
The current second generation of Seven-swords Ninja in the Hidden Mist Village consisted of only three: Hozuki Mangetsu, Hoshigaki Kisame, and himself, Momochi Zabuza. The issue was that apart from himself, he perceived the other two as loyal to the Fourth Mizukage.
Since Hoshigaki Kisame had killed Suikazan Fuguki, he had seemingly seized power within the village; Hozuki Mangetsu, being a clansman of the Second Mizukage, could wield all the ninja blades and was regarded as a genius with high expectations.
Momochi Zabuza was too afraid to gamble; he wanted to get one name from Uehara Naraku, to identify a partner he could potentially collaborate with.
"Ninpo: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
A mist appeared over the sea, gradually enveloping the small boat.
Momochi Zabuza retreated a few steps, his tall figure disappearing into the mist, his voice coming from all directions of the mist: "Brat, do you have any parts of your body you don't want? I can help you cut them off..."
"Idiot..."
Uehara Naraku cursed softly, slowly clasping his fingers together, and quietly said, "Zabuza, there are people in the Ninja World you should never provoke, yet you just like to provoke those people!"
Like him, the cheater.
Like Konoha's future team of Genin cheaters.
"Lighting Release: Heavenly Thunder Prison Jutsu!"
In the mist over the sea, a massive thunderstorm cloud appeared, with a bolt of lightning accurately striking Zabuza's position, though he fortunately dodged in time using the Mist Instant Body!
However, in a second, two more lightning strikes fell consecutively!
"This brat is actually skilled in Lighting Release Ninjutsu..."
Zabuza gritted his teeth, quickly clasping his hands together, enduring a lightning strike, forming a jutsu: "Water Release: Water Prison Jutsu!"
The sea waters surged upwards, forming a hollow water sphere that enveloped Momochi Zabuza, and a lightning bolt struck down, its electric light spreading along the water sphere onto the sea.
Once inside the Water Prison, Momochi Zabuza reluctantly sighed with relief, though his expression was quite dire, as the boy had exposed his position with just a single ninjutsu.
Uehara Naraku walked step by step across the sea toward Zabuza's location, his youthful voice still sounding somewhat immature: "Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit..."