On the border of the Land of Hot Water, shrouded in morning mist, two figures slowly moved through the thin fog.
Uchiha Itachi's robes swayed slightly in the damp air as he walked with unhurried steps, as if he were simply taking a leisurely stroll. Kisame, carrying Samehada behind him, occasionally cast a questioning glance his way.
"Itachi-san, are we walking too slowly?" Kisame finally couldn't help but speak, his shark-like teeth gleaming coldly in the morning light. "Is White Zetsu saying that the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is in the Land of Hot Water?"
Itachi's gaze remained calm, his voice low and composed. "No need to rush."
(There was definitely a problem...)
Itachi's thoughts had already raced through his mind several times.
When he first received the White Zetsu's notification, he was indeed alarmed—if Pain personally captured Naruto, all his plans would be in vain. But as he traveled, he gradually became aware of the strangeness of the situation.
According to current information, the Three-Tails has not yet been revived, and the plan to collect the Nine Tailed Beasts should theoretically proceed step by step.
Given Nagato's cautious nature, he would never act so hastily. Moreover, for such a significant operation, Pain would surely convene a phantom meeting to plan ahead; why would he simply send White Zetsu to deliver a vague message?
(Unless... this wasn't Nagato's order.)
A sharp glint flashed in Sharingan. He remembered the Masked Man who called himself "Madara Uchiha"—this mysterious figure had been secretly manipulating the Akatsuki's operations. If he was behind it all, then everything made sense.
"Hey, Itachi-san..." Kisame scratched his head, looking confused. "Are you feeling unwell again?"
Itachi shook his head slightly, offering no further explanation. He knew that while Kisame was incredibly strong, he was also quite straightforward when it came to strategy. Sometimes, the less he knew, the safer he was.
The two Earth Flow like this, one fast and one slow, until White Zetsu's figure suddenly emerged from the tree trunk by the roadside.
"Oh, you guys are so slow!" White Zetsu said with a grin, "The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki has already left the Land of Hot Water, you can go back now~"
Kisame widened immediately. "What? Then we've come all this way for nothing?"
Itachi's lips curled up almost imperceptibly; everything was going according to plan. He asked calmly, "Was it Pain's order to cancel the operation?"
White Zetsu's smile froze for a moment, then returned to its carefree expression. "Well... anyway, the mission is canceled~"
This subtle change in expression did not escape Itachi's Sharingan.
He was now certain that this operation was not ordered by Nagato, but rather orchestrated by the Masked Man. Perhaps he was testing something, or perhaps he had some other ulterior motive.
"In that case, we'll be going now," Itachi said calmly, turning to leave.
Kisame followed, looking bewildered. "Itachi-san, did you already know this would happen?"
Itachi didn't answer, only leaving Kisame with a meaningful look from behind.
As the morning mist gradually dissipated, sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone on the dirt road leading east.
Uchiha Itachi wasn't wearing the Akatsuki's Akatsuki cloak; his simple dark blue casual clothes made him look like an ordinary traveler.
He walked Earth Flow ahead, his dark eyes revealing no emotion.
"Going to the Land of Water...?" Kisame followed behind, carrying Samehada on his back, a complex expression on his shark-like face. "It's been so many years since I've been back."
Itachi didn't turn around, only giving a soft "hmm" in response. The silence between them made their footsteps on the road sound exceptionally clear.
(That snake likely escaped overseas...)
Itachi pondered in his heart. Orochimaru was always cunning, and now all the ninja villages were hunting him down. The safest hiding place would be the many islands surrounding the Land of Water. More importantly, he had to ascertain Sasuke's situation—his younger brother, who was probably still pursuing his dream of revenge.
Kisame's thoughts were drawn back to the distant past by the words "Land of Water." Every step he took felt like treading on fragments of memory.
(The mission to protect the intelligence department...)
He suddenly remembered that bloody night. Konoha's Ibiki Morino led the Anbu to surround and kill them; the situation was extremely critical. As a subordinate of Suikazan Fuguki, he faithfully carried out the order to "protect the intelligence at all costs"—including personally killing any comrades who might be captured.
Kisame's fingertips unconsciously traced the bandages on Samehada, the rough texture reminding him of the feeling of a blade piercing his comrade's body. Back then, he naively believed that this was the fate of a ninja.
How ironic...
Kisame muttered to himself unconsciously. He still vividly remembered the anger of betrayal he felt when he later discovered that his respected superior Suikazan Fuguki's Kirigakure.
Even more ridiculously, it was later proven that the Fourth Mizukage was Puppet controlled by someone.
(This fake world...)
The sea breeze gradually became clearer, carrying a salty and damp scent. Kisame took a deep breath, as if trying to expel all the pent-up emotions of the past.
"Mr. Itachi," he suddenly spoke, his voice a few decibels lower than usual, "What do you think... is the meaning of the existence of ninjas?"
Itachi paused slightly, but quickly resumed his steady pace. He didn't answer immediately, but instead gazed at the distant horizon where the sea was already faintly visible.
"We've arrived." Itachi pointed to the port town ahead. "Let's find a boat first."
Kisame grinned, revealing sharp teeth. He knew this was Itachi-style evasion—some questions, perhaps, have no answers.
At the dock, fishermen are busy preparing their boats for the sea.
Amidst the cries of seagulls, two dangerous individuals dressed in plainclothes quietly blended into the crowd and headed towards the Land of Water.
Behind them lay their own painful pasts; ahead lay a fog of uncertainty.
The waves crash against the rocks on the shore, endlessly, just like the endless intrigue and betrayal in the ninja world.