Yagura (Obito): That's right, the leader of the Akatsuki is in the Land of Water!!

Mizukage Aide Office.

With the arrival of the Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura, the relaxed atmosphere in the office quickly turned cold.

Kakashi and his two companions stared at the small figure in the doorway, their eyes filled with deep vigilance.

Kabuto's gaze passed over Guy, who was protecting him behind his back, and he calmly sized up the composed Fourth Mizukage in front of him.

Kabuto wasn't too surprised by the arrival of this uninvited guest.

After all, no matter how much actual power the Mizukage Aide who was chatting so amiably with them held,

The boy in front of me, who looks like a child but is actually much older than he appears, is the highest-ranking official representing the Mist Village.

If Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage Karatachi Yagura, couldn't even detect the presence of these three Konoha Ninja who had been led in through the main gate by the elite Mist Village squad, then that would be truly unusual.

As a diplomatic mission representing Konoha to negotiate cooperation with Mist Village, the three of them were already mentally prepared to face the Mizukage at any time.

"I just didn't expect the meeting with the Mizukage to happen so soon."

He murmured to himself, his peripheral vision involuntarily shifting to Shuiying, the Mizukage Aide calmly behind the desk.

He looked at Kou's profile, which remained unmoved by the sudden intrusion of the Mizukage, and the solemnity in his heart deepened.

Was it unexpected? Or was it premeditated? What role did that seemingly kind Mizukage Aide actually play...?

Dou murmured solemnly in his heart:

"Understanding the current situation in Mist Village isn't going to be that simple after all..."

He sat down behind the desk, his hands clasped over his chest, his gaze slowly shifting from Yagura to Kakashi.

Looking at Kakashi, who was looking dejected and heartbroken, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"So, you were thinking about Lin?"

The girl who died under Lightning Blade remained an unhealed scar in the hearts of the three of them.

So many years have passed, and even someone who had anticipated the future developments hasn't fully recovered from it, let alone Kakashi, who was the biggest victim.

Kou's gaze swept past Yagura, and he glared at Kamui, who was hiding in the shadows by the door, staring at Kakashi with Obito Uchiha.

This three-way meeting was indeed a script he and Obito had discussed long ago, but the way the Fourth Mizukage made his appearance was completely different from what they had initially agreed upon.

This guy is clearly trying to mess with Kakashi's mentality on purpose!!

Noticing Kou's gaze, Obito, who had been staring at Kakashi in Obito, snapped out of his reverie and guiltily looked away.

Then, as if remembering something, he quickly pulled a small piece of paper from his robe sleeve, and, controlling the Fourth Mizukage in the public eye, slowly spoke:

"Just like Kong said, you don't need to be so nervous... I mean you no harm."

Yagura spoke gently, looking at the three people in front of him who showed no sign of relaxation, he slowly opened his arms, a standard smile playing on his lips:

"In fact, on behalf of Mist Village, I warmly welcome you... guests from Konoha."

Uncharacteristically, Kai didn't shout. Instead, he turned to Kakashi, lowered his voice, and asked earnestly:

"What should we do next, Kakashi?"

Kabuto also turned his gaze to Kakashi, quietly awaiting his decision.

Kakashi was silent for a moment, then made a decision in his heart.

He strode up to Yagura, extended his right hand, and solemnly introduced himself:

"Nice to meet you, Mizukage- sama. I am Kakashi Hatake, the representative of the Konoha delegation."

Yagura looked at Kakashi's outstretched hand and murmured meaningfully:

"Red eyes and White Fang...?"

A subtle smile involuntarily curved the corners of Yagura's mouth.

He grasped Kakashi's outstretched right hand and responded gently in a soft voice:

"I've heard so much about you, Mr. Kakashi."

Kakashi looked at Yagura in front of him, feeling the slight burning sensation in his left eye that had been burning since the beginning, and his brows furrowed slightly.

He carefully observed the Fourth Mizukage before him, a subtle hint of wariness creeping into his eyes.

Kou coughed at just the right moment.

The cough was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough to attract everyone's attention.

Ignoring the crowd staring at him, Kou walked past them and stared intently at Yagura.

He feigned a serious expression and asked in a deep voice:

"Your sudden arrival without prior notice breaks the agreement between our two factions... Fourth Mizukage."

Yagura listened to Kotori's threatening words, he slowly released Kakashi's hand, turning his gaze slowly towards Kotori, his smile remaining unchanged.

"Didn't you explain to me, the Mizukage, the visit of guests from Konoha?"

"My... Mizukage Aide."

"Vomit!"

He gagged inwardly, but outwardly he merely frowned, pursed his lips, and coldly stared at the Fourth Mizukage before him.

Yagura looked at Kotobukuri in front of him, his gaze gradually turning cold:

"Please recognize your place, Mr. Mizukage Aide, the Shiina Sora's assistant."

"I, Karatachi Yagura, am the Mizukage of Mist Village!!"

Kō stared at Yagura with a somber gaze, saying nothing.

The two people, one sitting and one standing, were only a few steps apart, their eyes locked, neither willing to look away first.

The atmosphere in the entire office seemed to become even more oppressive.

Kakashi and his two companions exchanged glances, silently observing the two who were locked in a tense standoff.

Yagura was the first to turn his gaze away from Kō.

He glanced at Kakashi and the other two beside him, then lifted his foot and walked straight towards the direction of the knock.

"As fellow high-ranking members of Mist Village, let's set aside our personal grudges for now and have a proper discussion with our guests from Konoha about our future cooperation."

The moment he finished speaking, the open door behind him was swiftly slammed shut.

In the instant the door closed, Kakashi caught a glimpse of a tall figure flashing past outside.

"The Mist Village, Kisame Hoshigaki!"

Kakashi silently repeated the name in his heart, a heavy layer of vigilance rising within him.

Yagura, with his short legs, walked step by step to Koko's desk and sat down in the empty chair that "just happened" to be extra next to Koko.

He looked up, extended his hand to Kakashi and the other two, gesturing for them to sit down in the chairs across the table.

Kakashi hesitated for a moment, his gaze lingering for a brief instant on Yagura's empty face, which showed no hostility, before sweeping over Kotori's still gentle and composed face.

Finally, he exchanged a brief glance with Kabuto and Kai beside him.

After a brief moment of thought, Kakashi pulled out a chair and sat down first.

After him, Kai and Kabuto sat down on either side of him.

The seats in the office formed a subtle symmetry at this moment.

On one side were three people from Konoha, and on the other side were two people from Mist Village, with a desk between them.

At this moment, everyone's eyes naturally turned to Yagura.

Yagura, noticing the gazes of the crowd, nodded in satisfaction.

He looked at Kakashi and said in a deep voice:

I've also heard some of what you've been saying about the "cooperation" you discussed earlier.

If I'm not mistaken, the cooperation you want to discuss... refers to working with Mist Village to investigate that mercenary organization called "Akatsuki," right?

Kakashi nodded seriously without interrupting.

Yagura looked at the Konoha members in front of him, exchanged a glance with Kotori beside him, then turned his gaze back to Kakashi and said solemnly:

"As the Mizukage of Mist Village, I also know a little about the Akatsuki."

Hearing Yagura's confident words, Kakashi's gaze suddenly sharpened.

At the same time, Kai also calmed down, suppressing his excitement, and looked eagerly at Yagura in front of him.

In the shadows of the room, Obito looked at Kakashi and his group ahead, suppressing a smile, and controlled Yagura, who was sitting next to him, as he spoke slowly and confidently:

"There's one thing I, as the Mizukage, can tell you definitively..."

Yagura looked at the crowd before him and continued in a confident tone:

"The leader of Akatsuki, and the Akatsuki's base... are indeed in the Land of Water!"