The voyage back to Kirigakure passed in silence. Once the ship docked, Ling and Zabuza headed straight to the Mizukage's Office. Mei Terumi and Aogiri were already waiting there.
"How did it go?" Mei Terumi asked without preamble.
This time, Zabuza spoke first. He dropped to one knee and delivered his report with the formal etiquette of the Anbu. "Lady Mizukage, we confirmed that a Ghost Ship serving as the Sacred Lord's base is present in the target waters. We engaged it in fierce combat and encountered Kisame Hoshigaki aboard, under someone else's control."
He paused, his voice growing graver. "However, at a critical moment in the battle, Uchiha Itachi suddenly appeared, intervened, and took Kisame away."
"Uchiha Itachi?!" Mei Terumi and Aogiri exclaimed in unison. The air in the office instantly froze. This news was far more shocking than the Ghost Ship itself.
"Yes," Zabuza confirmed. "Itachi's arrival forced back the evil will aboard the Ghost Ship. His objective was clear: to take Kisame away. His motive remains unknown."
Mei Terumi drew a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil within her, and turned her gaze to Ling. "Jōnin Hatake, what do you think?"
Ling smoothly took over, steering the discussion deeper. "Uchiha Itachi's appearance was certainly unexpected. But in my view, it may reveal a more complicated relationship between the Sacred Lord, the Akatsuki, and individual members like Itachi. Itachi's rescue of Kisame may not have been a simple organizational mission. There could be a deeper reason."
He continued guiding their thoughts. "More importantly, while fighting Kisame and examining the Ghost Ship's barrier, I sensed similarities between its energy patterns and certain extremely ancient forbidden symbols. Considering the title 'Sacred Lord' and his actions, I suspect their origins may lie not in a mere international organization or group of