The Mysterious Masked Man stood on the coast and looked up at the barren mountain in the island's center.
"The Three-Tails' jinchūriki is in a deep cave on the mountain!"
Zetsu emerged from underground and told Obito Uchiha what he had learned. "There are Mist Ninja on the southeastern coast. They probably found him too. Should we deal with them first?"
"No need!"
Obito Uchiha's sinister tone sent chills down the spine. "The Three-Tails is more important!"
"As for the Mist Ninja, heh heh heh..."
Obito's tone brimmed with disdain. He thought nothing of the Mist Ninja!
Space warped once more, and Obito headed toward the mountain.
On the other coast, the Mist Ninja were still assembling.
"This is the island where the Fourth Mizukage's family once lived. As the environment deteriorated and fresh water became difficult to obtain, everyone here moved away."
As the Mist Ninja subordinate explained, he looked toward their leader, a beautiful woman wearing a blue strapless dress, with long, reddish-brown curls cascading down her back.
"So, cough, cough, cough... so there's a strong possibility the Mizukage returned to this island?"
The speaker was a thin, white-haired man who radiated sickliness, with bandages wrapped loosely around his neck. Two unusual swords wrapped in bandages were strapped to his back.
"Yes, Lord Mangetsu!"
Although the thin, white-haired man looked gravely ill and so frail he might drop dead at any moment, not one of the Mist Ninja present dared show him the slightest disrespect.
After all, Hozuki Mangetsu's reputation as a genius had long been known to everyone. Sadly, Kirigakure's genius did not have long to live.
Even so, in the final moments of his life, Hozuki Mangetsu's strength still could not be underestimated.
"Mangetsu, you didn't need to come. If we're lucky, we can bring the