"Kid, your gaze is dangerous!"
Momochi Zabuza noticed Uehara Naraku's look and was immediately on high alert, instinctively reaching for the kunai at his waist.
Why did Uehara Naraku suddenly give him such a dangerous look, as if he wanted to bury him in the ground at any moment!
"No."
Uehara Naraku shook his head, retracting his gaze, and looked at Yagura's corpse on the ground, speaking softly, "I was just thinking about who should get the blame for killing the Fourth Mizukage. After all, your aspiration was to kill Yagura, right?"
"Are you still afraid of these things?"
Momochi Zabuza glanced at him disdainfully, speaking coldly, "If you're worried about pursuit from The Hidden Mist Village, I can tell others it was me who killed Yagura…"
As Uehara Naraku expected, Momochi Zabuza verbally chose to comply with Uehara Naraku, though he naturally wasn't willing to accept a kid as his new boss.
As for killing the Fourth Mizukage, for Momochi Zabuza, it wasn't a problem; it was even quite useful.
Because Yagura had turned The Hidden Mist Village into the Blood Mist Village and his reputation there was always poor. Many ninjas feared his Mizukage status and strong power, and they hated the Blood Mist policies he executed.
In the eyes of these people, Momochi Zabuza will be a true hero.
Uehara Naraku also thought of this, smiling as he nodded towards Momochi Zabuza, saying, "This isn't purely a problem. Once the word spreads that you killed Yagura, there will definitely be many ninjas in The Hidden Mist Village secretly supporting you, right?"
"Hmph…"
Momochi Zabuza snorted without answering. He didn't expect Uehara Naraku to see through his little schemes so quickly.
To be honest, he really did plan to use the title of 'Hero of Killing Yagura and Liberating the Blood Mist Village' to return to the Land of Water, and perhaps even control The Hidden Mist Village's power from the shadows.
Uehara Naraku didn't mind this matter.
Hoshigaki Kisame didn't mind either. The only ones present who knew Yagura was just a puppet controlled by someone else were himself and Uehara.
"Lord Uehara."
Hozuki Mangetsu frowned, somewhat displeased as he glanced at Momochi Zabuza, and said in a low voice, "If Zabuza carries too much, will it affect our plans? Suigetsu admires his Decapitating Carving Knife right now…"
Uehara Naraku looked puzzled and asked, "What do you mean?"
"How about we kill Momochi Zabuza!"
Hozuki Mangetsu was brimming with killing intent, his sharp little teeth showing a fierce stance, speaking coldly, "It just so happens I can also wield the Decapitating Carving Knife!"
"Bastard, you think you can kill me!"
"Zabuza-senpai, that's nothing difficult."
"..."
These two former loose allies started arguing again.
Uehara also wasn't sure if Hozuki Mangetsu was jealous of Zabuza's position in Hozuki Suigetsu's heart or wanted his Decapitating Carving Knife.
But to be so eager to turn on his own companion…the moral bottom line of the Seven-swords Ninja of the Hidden Mist is quite low!
Only Hoshigaki Kisame was still trustworthy.
"Alright."
Hoshigaki Kisame kicked the broken handle of the Decapitating Carving Knife in front of Zabuza with a light laugh, "Zabuza, go fix your ninja blade and carry Mizukage-sama's corpse… Lord Uehara, where are we going next?"
"The Hidden Mist Village."
Uehara Naraku scanned the group and commanded in a deep voice, "Zabuza, go to The Hidden Mist Village and announce that you killed the Fourth Mizukage; Hozuki Mangetsu, arrange your affairs. Tonight, Kisame and I will be waiting for you outside The Hidden Mist Village."
"Got it."
"Understood."
Momochi Zabuza and Hozuki Mangetsu each replied and swiftly disappeared in front of Uehara Naraku, leaving only Hoshigaki Kisame standing behind him.
Hoshigaki Kisame looked at Uehara Naraku's back and spoke in praise, "Seeing Lord Uehara's power today seems like it grew even stronger!"
"It's just okay?"
Uehara Naraku was embarrassed to admit he was a cheater; someone like Hoshigaki Kisame, so honest, couldn't understand the existence of a cheater.
Of course, it's also hard for him to comprehend the one who grinds tirelessly in the Ninja World.
Hoshigaki Kisame laughed, assuming Uehara was being modest, and continued along with him, "Given Lord Uehara's age, you'll become even stronger in the future. Perhaps you might even surpass that Ninja Demigod from The Hidden Rain Village someday!"
"Hanzo of the Salamander?"
Uehara Naraku chuckled, unable to resist, "Hey, Kisame, using him as an example, are you insinuating that my strength isn't powerful enough!"
Hoshigaki Kisame shook his head with a smile, then got serious, "No, my lord's power is beyond my comprehension of strength, and I can't understand what that guy Uchiha Obito is thinking, daring to make an enemy of Lord Uehara."
"Him?"
Uehara Naraku, hearing Kisame's words, softly advised, "Kisame, don't underestimate him just because he's not the real Uchiha Madara! In some ways, Uchiha Obito is more troublesome than Uchiha Madara!"
"Is that so?"
Hoshigaki Kisame pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled, "I probably know how to regain his trust...but how do I explain why Lord Uehara spared my life?"
"Hmm…"
Uehara Naraku thought for a moment and found a reason: "Let's just say I'm an intern striving to become a formal member of Akatsuki. After all, my mission in the Land of Water was to recruit you into Akatsuki."
"Understood."
Hoshigaki Kisame grinned.
"Let's go, accompany me to pick someone up first."
Uehara Naraku recalled his previous arrangement to wait for Haku who was assisting Zabuza. Now that he didn't need to help Momochi Zabuza, he needed to take Haku anyway.
Uehara's journey to the Land of Water was relatively smooth; all the tasks he wanted to accomplish were done, even surpassing his expectations.
The only trouble is, where is Uchiha Obito?
Could that guy still be chasing after Hatake Kakashi?
Uehara Naraku guessed right, as Uchiha Obito was indeed pursuing Hatake Kakashi and Karin earlier.
Dusk was setting in.
Hatake Kakashi and Karin hid in the mountains outside The Hidden Mist Village.
Kakashi believed Uchiha Obito must still be near The Hidden Mist, plotting revenge for Rin; while Karin thought Uchiha Obito was a schemer intent on killing them, constantly persuading Kakashi to leave the Land of Water.
However, Hatake Kakashi couldn't give up; he wanted to get the truth from Uchiha Obito and bring him back to Konoha. From Karin's information, he'd been analyzing and felt like his dear friend had gotten a lot smarter.
People truly do grow, huh?
Karin nudged Kakashi's shoulder and pointed to the blazing lights throughout The Hidden Mist Village below, exclaiming, "Kakashi, something seems to be happening in The Hidden Mist Village!"
The sound of clashes in the village could even be heard up the mountain!
Hatake Kakashi's expression became tense. Disregarding his injuries, he was about to go to The Hidden Mist Village to gather intelligence: "It could be Obito's doing! I must go and see!"
"He will kill you!"
Karin grabbed his arm.
Hatake Kakashi was silent for a moment, slowly freeing Karin's grip, and said with his head down, "Even if Obito wants to kill me, I still want to get the truth from him."
Even though Obito refuses to return to the village because of Rin's death…why did he have to kill Namikaze Minato and his wife?