Glancing at the swaggering Zabuza, Zou Hyuga teased, "Once we resolve this crisis, why don't you take turns governing as Acting Mizukage?"
Zabuza nodded seriously. To his own surprise, he thought that could work.
The other Kirigakure missing-nin looked at Zabuza with pity. None of them thought they were suited to leading Kirigakure. Given their status as missing-nin, even if they returned to the shinobi village, they could never claim that seat.
According to the intelligence they had gathered, the person closest to becoming Mizukage was currently the jonin Mei Terumi.
Just then, space began to distort, and Obito's figure appeared underground once more. He had just visited the Mizukage Building and seen the puppet under his control, the Fourth Mizukage.
To be safe, he had not brought Karatachi Yagura here to participate directly in the plan.
Akatsuki's plan this time was not complicated. After realizing that the Fourth Mizukage would most likely be exposed as his pawn, Obito had begun searching for a new pawn to keep Kirigakure isolated from the outside world.
To achieve that, he would have to stage an elaborate performance of his own making and put a Kirigakure missing-nin in power.
As his thoughts continued to wander, Obito looked at the four powerful Kirigakure ninja before him and considered his options seriously.
Juzo Biwa had been the first to join Akatsuki and had made several public appearances, so he was clearly not a candidate for the position.
Zabuza had never shown himself, but he lacked both raw strength and vision. Even if he rose to power, he would be ousted.
That left only two candidates: Hozuki Mangetsu and Kisame Hoshigaki.
Hozuki Mangetsu was not a missing-nin and had impeccable credentials in Kirigakure. His tested strength had also reached the level of an elite jonin, enough