Uchiha Yao's figure completely vanished from the Hokage's Office under Tsunade's reluctant gaze.
The next moment.
On a remote stretch of coastline in the Land of Water, space suddenly twisted.
Uchiha Yao stepped out from it at an unhurried pace.
The sea breeze, carrying a salty dampness, rushed toward him and lifted the hem of his black robe.
Before him, several Konoha ANBU who had long been waiting there immediately dropped to one knee.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Your mission is complete," Uchiha Yao ordered.
"Return to Konoha and report to Tsunade."
"Yes!"
Without the slightest hesitation, the ANBU flickered away and swiftly vanished into the dense forest.
Alone, Uchiha Yao turned his gaze toward the depths of the sea fog.
There lay his next target: Kirigakure.
Kirigakure.
The air was thick with year-round mist, along with a faint, lingering scent of blood.
There were few pedestrians on the streets. Everyone hurried along, their eyes filled with wariness and numbness.
Occasionally, shinobi wearing Hidden Mist Village forehead protectors patrolled past, their gazes toward the civilians incomparably cold.
This was the "Bloody Mist Village" under the high-pressure rule of the Fourth Mizukage Yagura.
A terrifying village that regarded comrades slaughtering one another as glory and made killing part of its graduation examination.
Inside a dark, damp underground cavern somewhere in the village.
"This can't go on any longer!"
A resolute-looking man with an eyepatch slammed his fist onto the stone table.
Ao.
One of the few elite jonin in Kirigakure who had experienced the Third Shinobi World War.
"Yagura's rule is pushing Kirigakure into the abyss of destruction!"
"Ao, keep your voice down!"
A timid voice rang out.
The speaker was Chojuro, a youth who looked not yet of age and carried the twin swords Hiramekarei on his back.
He nervously glanced around,