Controlling the Mizukage

Over the next two days, Narong used White Zetsu controlled by Black Zetsu to keep feeding the Hidden Mist's intelligence network "traces" of Utakata's whereabouts. The reports mixed truth with lies, suggesting Utakata was wandering around remote coastal locations, apparently surveying the terrain or searching for something. The tension grew steadily.

At last, on the evening of the third day, an urgent report landed on Yagura's desk. It confirmed that Utakata had landed on a deserted island about a hundred nautical miles from the village, where intense chakra reactions had been detected. He was suspected of performing some kind of ritual or preparing a large-scale ninjutsu!

The time was right.

Narong was summoned again. This time, only Yagura and Genji were in the office, and the atmosphere was even more somber.

"Crow, your instincts were right." Yagura handed Narong the intelligence scroll. "Utakata really has returned, and his behavior is suspicious. Advisor Genji believes this could be a trap aimed at the village—or... at me."

Narong quickly scanned the scroll. Its contents were exactly what he had carefully fabricated through Black Zetsu: Utakata was setting up a barrier on a deserted island, his chakra was fluctuating abnormally, and he was suspected of preparing a large-scale Water Release technique or Tailed Beast Bomb.

"Lord Mizukage, what do you mean to do?" Narong asked nervously.

"I can't let this go unchecked." Yagura stood up. Though his stature was small, he radiated an imposing aura. "Utakata is a rogue ninja from our village, and a Six-Tails Jinchuriki. If some unknown force really is controlling him and he's preparing to attack the village from outside, the consequences would be unthinkable. We have to subdue him and bring him back before he can cause any more damage!"

"But, Lord Mizukage, it's too dangerous!" Genji urged, frowning. "You've only just taken office. The village needs you here. Why not send an elite squad..."

"Teacher Genji," Yagura interrupted firmly, "it's precisely because I'm the Mizukage that protecting the village is my responsibility. You know Utakata's strength. Sending an ordinary squad would just get them killed. Besides, if there really is a mastermind behind this, I may well be their target. Only by going myself can I draw them out and eliminate the threat in one fell swoop!" He had another reason he did not voice: if he managed to subdue the Six-Tails Jinchuriki and bring him back, it would greatly strengthen his standing in the village—crucial to securing the Mizukage position he had only just taken.

"But..." Genji was still worried. Yagura was the Three-Tails Jinchuriki, but he had only become one recently. About two months earlier, when Genji was planning a coup, he had worried that something might go wrong during the operation and suggested that Yagura find a reliable ninja to seal the Three-Tails, thereby increasing their top-level combat strength. But, considering his sense of responsibility and desire for control, Yagura had ultimately chosen to seal the Three-Tails inside himself. He was still far from mastering its power. Utakata, on the other hand, had been the Six-Tails Jinchuriki for many years. Though he had defected, he might have far more experience using a Tailed Beast's power.

"My decision is made." Yagura turned to Narong. "'Crow,' you know that stretch of sea well, and you're meticulous. You'll be my guide and second-in-command for this mission. Make your preparations at once. We'll meet at the docks in an hour and leave in secret!"

"Yes! I swear to protect you with my life, Lord Mizukage!" Narong knelt on one knee, his voice fervent and resolute. Behind his mask, a cold glint of triumph flashed in his eyes. At last, the fish had taken the bait.

An hour later, under the deep night sky and in the biting sea wind, a small, unmarked speedboat slipped away from Kirigakure's docks and raced toward the dark waters in the distance. There were only two people aboard: the Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura, and the ANBU "Crow," Uchiha Narong.

Yagura stood at the bow, letting the sea breeze ruffle his pale green hair as he gazed into the distance with emerald eyes, lost in thought. Narong silently steered the boat, suppressing his chakra and presence to the utmost, like a truly loyal and taciturn ANBU.

Several hours later, the outline of a deserted island shrouded in faint mist appeared on the horizon. Unsteady chakra pulses, wild and violent, could be felt coming from the island.

"That's the place," Yagura murmured. He could clearly sense the Tailed Beast Chakra there, similar to his own yet filled with hostility—the chakra of the Six-Tails Saiken.

The speedboat hid behind a reef several hundred meters from the island. Yagura and Narong used the Body Flicker Technique to slip ashore without a sound.

The island was small, with a relatively flat hollow at its center. In the middle of it, someone stood with his back to them. Long dark blue hair, green robes, several gleaming soap bubbles floating beside him—it was Utakata!

He seemed to be gathering chakra. His presence fluctuated, tinged with irritation and ferocity.

"Utakata." Yagura appeared and spoke calmly.

Utakata stiffened, then slowly turned around. His face was pale, and his expression conflicted, a mixture of hatred, confusion, and pain. "Karatachi Yagura... No, I should call you the Fourth Mizukage now." He gave a cold laugh. "I never thought you'd actually dare come alone."

"Come back to the village, Utakata," Yagura urged. "The Blood Mist Policy was to blame for the tragedies of the past. The village has changed now. We can..."

"Changed?" Utakata interrupted, suddenly agitated. The bubbles beside him trembled violently. "Easy for you to say! My master died! He died because of that damned policy! You can't just say things have changed and expect everything to be fine! Karatachi Yagura, don't pretend to care! You Mizukage are all the same! Today, I'll avenge my master!"

Before he had even finished speaking, Utakata drew in a sharp breath and spewed a stream of enormous bubbles filled with corrosive chakra!

"Ninja Art: Bubble Chaos Wave!"

Yagura's gaze sharpened, and he formed Hand Seals in an instant. "Water Release: Water Formation Wall!" A thick wall of water surged up and blocked the corrosive bubbles.

The battle erupted in an instant!

Utakata wielded his bubble techniques with astonishing skill. The bubbles exploded, corroded, or trapped his opponent in an endless variety of ways. Yagura relied on his superb Water Release and the Three-Tails Chakra he had only recently begun to master to defend and counterattack. Waves surged through the hollow, bubbles flew everywhere, and the thunder of colliding chakra rang out without pause.

Narong moved around the edge of the fight like a phantom, occasionally throwing a few Shuriken or using a simple technique to "harass" Utakata, perfectly playing the part of an ANBU doing his best to support the Mizukage. But beneath his mask, his Sharingan had quietly opened, calmly analyzing every movement the two men made and every shift in their chakra.

He was waiting for the perfect moment.

Just as he had expected, Yagura was stronger, but his control over the Three-Tails Chakra was nowhere near as practiced as Utakata's. Driven by hatred, Utakata attacked with increasing ferocity and gradually gained the upper hand.

"Boom!" A powerful bubble explosion sent Yagura staggering back several steps.

"Lord Mizukage!" Narong cried out, rushing over as if to help him.

"I'm fine!" Yagura steadied himself, his gaze turning sharp as though he were about to unleash even greater power.

At the instant Yagura's attention was wholly fixed on Utakata, the Three-Tails Chakra within him began to surge faster, and his defenses opened up for the briefest moment—

Narong, who had followed like a shadow, moved!

His speed surged. This was no longer the speed of the ANBU "Crow," but the full, enhanced speed of Uchiha Narong, bolstered by Hashirama cells!

The Kunai in his hand was no longer aimed at Utakata. It pointed straight for Yagura's back! At the same time, the Mangekyō Sharingan beneath his mask spun wildly. His right eye's ability—"Domain Deflection"—quietly activated, warping the force field around a small area surrounding Yagura and making his movements falter for an instant!

"What?!" Yagura's pupils contracted sharply. A powerful sense of imminent death made his hair stand on end! He had never imagined that the seemingly loyal ANBU would launch a deadly sneak attack now!

Yet the moment Narong's Kunai touched Yagura's skin, its direction shifted slightly. It only slashed his arm, drawing a streak of blood. At the same time, Narong's left eye—"Deconstruction Vision"—instantly analyzed the sealing nodes of the Three-Tails Chakra within Yagura, now fluctuating violently in response to the ambush!

"Ugh..." Yagura grunted. The interference disrupted the seal, and the Three-Tails Chakra nearly slipped out of control, roiling his insides.

But to Utakata, it looked as though Yagura had been wounded by the aftershock of his bubbles despite being saved by his loyal ANBU, who had thrown himself in harm's way!

"Now!" Though Narong's strange speed and movements puzzled him, hatred overwhelmed Utakata's doubts. He seized the moment when Yagura was hurt and his chakra in disarray, and launched his strongest attack!

"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!" Combining it with his Kekkei Genkai, he exhaled a scalding acid mist that surged toward Yagura!

"Damn it!" Caught between Utakata's attack and the ambush, and now suffering the backlash from his seal, Yagura was in mortal danger!

And now the true hunter—Uchiha Narong—curved his lips into a cold smile. He had already achieved his goal: pushing Yagura to the brink and forcing him to overdraw on the Three-Tails' power. Then, while Yagura's mind and seal were at their weakest... he would plant the seed of control.

He flashed forward, seemingly throwing himself in front of Yagura to face the scalding acid mist. In secret, however, he quietly sent a faint pulse of Yin Release Chakra infused with his Mangekyō ocular power deep into Yagura's mind, through the crack opened by the disturbance in his seal...

"Lord Mizukage! Watch out!"

On the deserted island, the battle entered its bloodiest and most pivotal moment. And in the midst of this carefully orchestrated conspiracy and slaughter, the future of Kirigakure began to slide into an unknown abyss.