The Hokage Office Building, conference room.
The urgent report that had just arrived left Sarutobi Hiruzen with a terrible headache.
Had they been exposed again this time? As expected, there was a spy in Konoha—and inside the village, no less. Who could it be? Who knew the village so well and had the ability to infiltrate my study...?
Suspects and motives kept surfacing in his mind, only to be dismissed again. Sarutobi Hiruzen furrowed his brow, slowly set down the letter, and picked up his pen to write another.
"Send this letter to Shikaku. He'll understand once he's read it. Keep the ninjas calm. The Mist Hidden's actions definitely aren't as simple as this."
The Anbu Ninja known as Elephant nodded and left. Gazing at the now-empty study, Sarutobi Hiruzen closed his eyes to rest.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist Hidden are all dead, and Uchiha Hanazuki has seized their Ninja Blades. The Mist Hidden's retaliation definitely won't end here. But who could it be?
Dusk was fading, and the stars shone bright in the night sky. The burdened Third Hokage spent an exceptionally agonizing night.
Meanwhile, at Uchiha Hanazuki's home.
The intricate Mangekyo gazed at the Book of Vermilion Moon in his hand. That faint, elusive connection lingered without fading.
Why is the power of my ocular technique reacting to the Book of Vermilion Moon? Could it be...
Sage Markings slowly spread to the corners of his eyes. The intricate, dreamlike Mangekyo spun wildly.
"Bloom, Illusion."
Turning illusion into reality, or reality into illusion—Hanazuki believed this was the Mangekyo ocular technique that could rival the SSR-level Kamui.
The Book of Vermilion Moon in his hand slowly opened. It was formless and intangible, neither chakra nor Natural Energy.
The strange Azure Barrier was more like spiritual energy, yet not quite the same. As another space emerged from the Book of Vermilion Moon, knowledge from another world poured into his mind.
"So that's how it is. This thing can only be opened with Illusion? No wonder, no wonder the Black Nine-Tails could only retrieve half of itself. It didn't know how to use it, and even after pouring in such a vast amount of chakra, it could only just barely bring back its opposite..."
Blood dripped down. Even in Sage Mode, the massive expenditure of ocular power made every cell in Hanazuki's body ache. But the smile at the corner of his mouth soothed the pain.
"There's a lot of interesting knowledge here. It looks like Blut Vene can be improved again. With only chakra and that crude defensive technique, it can hardly be called a perfect creation."
The ancient bamboo scroll vanished between his fingers, returning to his inner world. Hanazuki turned his head toward the Land of Bears, raising an eyebrow.
"You've gone a bit too far, haven't you, Teacher Orochimaru..."
At the same time, in the Konoha camp in the Land of Bears.
"Lord Shikaku, at this rate, we won't last much longer. The medicinal herbs and protective masks have all been—"
The Medical Team ninja spoke anxiously. Nara Shikaku looked even more troubled. The Land of Bears was a harsh place, full of poisonous swamps and miasma. Without medical supplies, even ninjas couldn't hold out.
"Report, Lord Shikaku! We've found traces of Kirigakure Ninjas. They've discovered our main camp..."
The scout who hurried over made Nara Shikaku's headache even worse. The camp's location should have been top secret. How could it have suddenly been exposed? Could it be...?
"Byakugan? Is the enemy's leader a Kirigakure Ninja who had the Byakugan transplanted?"
The clash of kunai rang out beyond the camp, then fell silent again moments later.
Everyone hurried over. The Kirigakure Ninjas lay unconscious on the ground, not a scratch on any of them.
Turning around, they saw a young man holding a katana, his Tomoe turning slightly in his eyes. He nodded to them.
"Uchiha Shisui? You've been a huge help. If those Mist Hidden guys had invaded us at this critical moment, things really couldn't have gotten any worse."
Shikaku let out a long breath of relief. Before he could say anything, Shisui's expression changed. He turned and spoke.
"Mr. Shikaku, someone's approaching. There are a lot of them—at least a hundred, and they're all highly skilled ninjas."
"Everyone, be on guard!"
The many ninjas still stationed in the camp braced themselves. A hazy mist swept toward them and lingered.
Who could it be? Who are the enemies coming this time? The Seven Ninja Swordsmen? No, the Mist Hidden's elite should have been defeated by Uchiha Hanazuki, and even their symbolic Ninja Blades were taken.
Then who could it be?
Just then, a somewhat childish voice rang out. Silhouettes emerged from the mist one by one, led by a petite figure with a look of surprise.
"Is it really here? I can't believe that intelligence was true. The Konoha camp—I never expected it to be hidden in a place like this."
The figure was small, but none of the Konoha side dared underestimate them. Nara Shikaku's forehead was already beaded with sweat.
"The Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura."
The burly figure beside him surveyed the area, his sharp teeth scraping together and sparking. Suikazan Fuguki was seething with rage.
"That brat—Flash Phantom Moon isn't here? Damn it, where did that brat take our Ninja Blades?!"
"Tch, so this isn't the battlefield against the Mist Hidden? The one here is another Uchiha brat. What should we do, Lord Mizukage?"
Biwa Juzo snorted and eyed the Konoha Ninjas with ill intent.
"Kill them?"
"Even if we kill them, we still won't get the Seven Ninja Blades back. So let's do this. Uchiha brat, go bring Flash Phantom Moon to me."
"The outcome of these negotiations will determine your fate. Understand?"
The Fourth Mizukage Karatachi Yagura's words brought a smile to Suikazan Fuguki's lips. He could hardly wait to see the brat behind the Three-Eyed Demon Fox mask groveling on his knees before him.
Faced with a path that allowed only him to pass, Uchiha Shisui stood tense. Only after he had completely escaped the Mist Hidden's encirclement did trickles of blood run down from the corners of his eyes.
So this is the limit of what I can do? Damn it!
The next morning, Hanazuki was still asleep when a series of urgent knocks woke him.
"What is it? Bothering me first thing in the morning and ruining my sleep. What a nuisance."
When he opened the door, an Anbu Ninja wearing a monkey mask looked frantic. The moment he saw Hanazuki, he hurriedly urged him on.
"Uchiha Hanazuki, Lord Hokage urgently summons you. Go to the Hokage Office Building immediately."
So urgent? You've gone a bit too far, Teacher Orochimaru.
By the time Hanazuki arrived at the Hokage Office Building, the Anbu had all turned to look at him. Most wore indifferent expressions, but a few couldn't hide their discomfort.
"You called me over in such a hurry. What is it, Third Hokage?"
"You're here already? Uchiha Hanazuki, I have an urgent mission for you. Rescue the Konoha Ninjas trapped in the hands of the Mist Hidden."