Encountering the Kumogakure Negotiation Team

In the dense forest, Kazama Kaguya was speechless for a moment.

He looked at the vigilant Kisame Hoshigaki, intending to retort, but realized he had truly screwed the man over. It wasn't surprising that Kisame was acting like he was guarding against a thief.

Kisame Hoshigaki sneered, "I don't need information about the Mangekyo, but you can't trick me. Impossible."

Kazama Kaguya thought for a moment before tentatively asking, "How about you give up on killing me in three months? It's better to resolve enmities than to create them."

"Get lost!"

Kisame Hoshigaki said decisively, "A rogue ninja should have the awareness of a rogue ninja. If you're really afraid of death, why live for another 3 months? A short pain is better than a long one. I can kill you right now."

You want me to ask you to kill me?

"..."

Kazama Kaguya fell silent, unable to retort.

Kimimaro, standing nearby, listened with his mouth agape.

He knew Kisame Hoshigaki's thought process was strange, but he hadn't expected it to be this strange.

Just then, a gentle breeze blew past, carrying a rich aroma of meat.

Kisame Hoshigaki had rushed all the way from Kirigakure across the strait, only consuming two military ration pills along the way. Now, after saying so much, he was already hungry.

Seeing Kisame swallow, Kimimaro cleverly offered him a piece of fragrant meat.

Kazama Kaguya hadn't yet figured out what he needed Kisame Hoshigaki to do, so he said, "Teacher Kisame, I can give you the information in advance. As for the price, I'll tell you when I've thought of it."

"As you wish."

Kisame Hoshigaki opened his sharp, shark-like teeth and tore off a fist-sized piece of meat, his mouth bulging. "Just don't try to trick me."

"Don't worry, I'll be relying on you in the future, Teacher Kisame."

Soon, the three sat down by the campfire and began to eat, replenishing their Chakra.

Kazama Kaguya then started to talk about the Mangekyo Sharingan information.

"Konoha currently has 2.5 pairs of Mangekyo Sharingan. Fugaku Uchiha and Shisui Uchiha each have a pair, and the other pair is with Kakashi Hatake."

"As for abilities, you already know about the Susanoo, which all Mangekyo Sharingan possess. Shisui possesses the strongest Genjutsu, Kotoamatsukami, which can permanently rewrite a person's will. I advise you not to target him. If you encounter him, it's best to fight with your eyes closed."

"Kakashi's half Mangekyo Sharingan came from Obito Uchiha and possesses the ability Kamui. It not only has its own pocket dimension but can also phase its body to become immune to attacks. He's evenly matched with anyone, so you can't handle him."

"The last one is Fugaku Uchiha. As the clan head, he has never gone all out, so I don't know his specific abilities. If you're not afraid of being surrounded by the Uchiha clan, you can try to probe him."

As soon as he said this, Kisame Hoshigaki's body visibly stiffened.

He put down the food in his hand and said in disbelief, "The strongest Genjutsu that rewrites will? A space-time ninjutsu that grants immunity to attacks? How can such abilities exist? Are you sure your information is correct?"

"Teacher Kisame, don't doubt my sources."

Kazama Kaguya tore into the meat Kimimaro had stewed, mumbling, "If you don't believe me, you can go and test it yourself. But I suggest you do it after 3 months, so you don't get brainwashed by Shisui and become a puppet, affecting your mission to protect me."

Kisame Hoshigaki vs. Shisui Uchiha?

Honestly, as long as Shisui was willing to use Kotoamatsukami, he could turn Kisame Hoshigaki into his dog with just a glance.

Kisame Hoshigaki opened his mouth, then fell silent, seemingly contemplating how to complete his mission.

Kazama Kaguya took the opportunity to ask Kimimaro what happened after he fainted.

Upon learning that the Kirigakure ninja pursuing him had been repelled by Kisame Hoshigaki's Great Waterfall Technique, he couldn't help but feel fortunate about his wise choice.

If he hadn't tricked Kisame Hoshigaki beforehand and made him promise, he would likely be fish on a chopping block now, at the mercy of others.

The greatest risk of defecting from Kirigakure had now passed, and Kazama Kaguya breathed a sigh of relief.

As dawn broke, the three headed towards Konoha.

Kazama Kaguya was still carried by Kimimaro, moving at just over half the speed of a genin.

Kisame Hoshigaki trailed far behind, leaping intermittently, his mind heavy with unknown thoughts.

The scorching sun gradually climbed into the sky, leaving the high mountains and forests behind. Ahead lay the Land of Fire.

Three days later.

The group arrived in the heart of the Land of Fire, less than half a day's journey from Konohagakure.

Kimimaro emerged from the forest carrying Kazama Kaguya and was about to merge onto the main road when they unexpectedly ran into a squad of ninja wearing Kumogakure forehead protectors.

"Kumogakure?" Kazama Kaguya was surprised.

This was the heart of the Land of Fire; Kumogakure ninja shouldn't be here.

Although small-scale battles between Konoha and Kumogakure had not yet ceased, with Konoha's strength, they shouldn't have allowed enemies to get this close.

The Kumogakure squad consisted of five people, led by a one-eyed man.

His remaining right eye scanned Kimimaro and Kazama Kaguya, who had suddenly appeared, with sharp vigilance. A heavy aura emanated from him, hinting at his readiness to fight.

The other Kumogakure ninja behind him drew their kunai, and some were constantly forming hand seals, scanning their surroundings, seemingly sensory ninja.

"Kimimaro, step back." Kazama Kaguya actively avoided conflict. There was no need to fight. If Kisame didn't intervene, they wouldn't be able to win.

The one-eyed man leading the group saw the two retreat and turned to look behind him, "Kasai, do you sense any ambushes nearby?"

"Lord Dodai, those two were just genin and were probably just passing by. However, there's a man about two kilometers away with an incredibly powerful chakra level. I'm not sure if he's an enemy. Other than that, I don't sense anything else."

The one-eyed man, addressed as Dodai, pondered for a moment before saying, "Be careful. We're very close to Konoha now, and we're here for negotiations. It's for the peace between our two nations, so we can't make the first move."

As he spoke, he subtly glanced at another Kumogakure ninja wearing a hood with dark brown skin.

The moment their eyes met, they both nodded almost imperceptibly.

Kasai, the sensory ninja, continued to maintain his hand seals and nodded, "Understood, Lord Dodai. I will remain in a sensory state from now on."

"Good, let's speed up."

Beside the main road, Kazama Kaguya watched the Kumogakure squad quickly run past and disappear, pondering to himself, Kumogakure is coming to Konoha so openly? Is there something important going on?

Carefully recalling the events of Konoha 54, Kazama Kaguya suddenly thought of something.

It was now Konoha 54. The Konoha 11, led by Naruto, were three years old. A major event did indeed happen this year.

Kumogakure used the guise of peace talks to secretly plot the acquisition of the Hyuga Main Family's Byakugan.

They kidnapped Hinata Hyuga. After she was killed by Hiashi Hyuga, they used it as a pretext for war, demanding Konoha hand over the killer, Hiashi Hyuga, or face a full-scale invasion.

The Hyuga clan elders naturally refused to hand over the head of the Main Family, and Hizashi Hyuga, the head of the Branch Family, became the scapegoat.

Neji Hyuga witnessed his father's forced death, which ignited even greater hatred for the Main Family.

Alas, the bird in the cage had its wings bound, losing the ability to soar through the heavens.

The genius's struggle against fate, in an era filled with cheat-like powerhouses, couldn't even stir up a ripple before he died under the Ten-Tails' attack.

This scene was hasty and tragic.

Hyuga, the caged bird, Kumogakure's conspiracy... Perhaps, I need to change my plan to hunt the Byakugan. The Hyuga clan's distorted state needs to change.

Kazama Kaguya looked up at the birds freely flying through the trees, and couldn't help but think of that young man, confined in a cage, struggling desperately but unable to break free.

"Neji Hyuga, the bird that fights fate. If you were given a chance, how high could you fly?"