"Long time no see, Ibiki!"
The one who had silently appeared beside Morino Ibiki was none other than Raiden Uzumaki, who had been traveling near the Land of Water. His group had been resting in a forest far from here for the night. When Raiden sensed the commotion of battle, he picked up on Kisame's chakra and the presence of Konoha's forces, prompting him to rush over.
But by the time he arrived, Kisame had already leaped off the cliff.
"Lord Raiden, why are you here?"
"I heard you were traveling across the ninja world. There don't seem to be any famous sights around here, do there?"
As the head of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Force, Morino Ibiki was somewhat familiar with Raiden Uzumaki and spoke up in curiosity. The Konoha ninja behind him immediately recognized Raiden as well. Their expressions lit up with excitement.
"It's really the Fourth Hokage! I didn't expect to see him here!"
"This is amazing!"
They whispered among themselves, unable to hide their admiration and respect.
"I'm heading to the Land of Water. I was resting in the woods for the night when I heard the commotion and decided to check it out."
"What was this 'deal' you mentioned earlier?"
Raiden looked down the cliff. Using his Kagura Mind's Eye, he quickly sensed that Kisame had landed safely and was already escaping. However, he had no intention of pursuing him. This incident had stirred memories of events he had seen before—events that had shaped Kisame's fate.
"This... Lord Raiden..." Morino Ibiki hesitated. The secret deal with the higher-ups of the Land of Water was classified information. According to protocol, he wasn't permitted to discuss it with unrelated individuals.
But Raiden Uzumaki was different. He was Konoha's Fourth Hokage. Even though he no longer managed village affairs, this wasn't something that needed to be hidden from him.
"If it's inconvenient to say, I understand," Raiden said calmly. "But I want to take this Mist kunoichi with me."
Raiden had noticed Ibiki's hesitation and didn't press further. Instead, he walked directly toward the blood-soaked girl lying on the ground.
"Lord Raiden?" Ibiki was taken aback. He couldn't understand why the Hokage would want to take a dying Mist ninja. Someone like her should be of no value to him.
However, to the Interrogation Force, these bodies were different. They were the targets of their mission—even in death, they held significant value.
"Is there a problem?" Raiden asked softly. Without waiting for a reply, he crouched down beside the girl, placing his right hand on her abdomen. A visible golden chakra radiated from his palm, quickly enveloping her body. The bleeding from her wounds gradually slowed as they began to heal.
"This is...?!" Morino Ibiki's eyes widened in disbelief. He had never heard of Raiden Uzumaki being proficient in medical ninjutsu.
"The injuries are severe. Relying only on the regenerative ability of the Tailed Beast chakra won't be enough."
"But... if this can push Kisame toward defection, it's worth the effort."
Raiden remained focused on the girl's condition. Although her wounds had closed, her vitality was still dangerously low.
With a quiet sigh, Raiden rolled up his sleeve, revealing his pale forearm. He brought it close to the girl's mouth, channeled his chakra, and manipulated her muscles—forcing her to bite into his arm.
A surge of Raiden's chakra flowed into her. The near-lifeless girl, who had been on the brink of death, suddenly stirred. A faint glow returned to her eyes.
When she opened them, however, she did not see the man she had longed for in her final moments. Instead, she saw a red-haired stranger and a scarred "middle-aged" man.
Still dazed, she suddenly realized the situation and asked in a panicked voice, "Who are you?!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she noticed Morino Ibiki's Konoha forehead protector. Her expression darkened with despair—she had been captured by Konoha's forces.
"It seems to have worked."
"Ibiki, don't speak of what you just saw."
Raiden issued the command before slowly standing up. As a pure-blooded Uzumaki, he possessed not only immense chakra reserves and formidable sealing techniques but also an extraordinary self-healing ability. Though he had long suspected the potential of his regenerative abilities, this was his first true experiment.
If word of this got out, the few remaining Uzumaki clan members scattered across the ninja world could become prime targets for other villages.
"Understood," Ibiki responded, quickly suppressing his astonishment.
"My name is Raiden Uzumaki. I am the Fourth Hokage of Konoha."
"I saved your life."
"It must be painful to be a Mist ninja, isn't it? The feeling of being betrayed and killed by your own comrades... it must be unbearable."
Raiden's voice was gentle as he looked at the girl.
Ibiki glanced at him in confusion, uncertain why his Hokage was speaking to an enemy like this.
"Mr. Kisame... he was forced into it! I understand him!"
"He was a kind man!"
"If this is your attempt to turn me against him, don't waste your breath!"
Determination flashed in the girl's eyes as she glared at Raiden. Without hesitation, she pulled a kunai from her clothes and aimed it at her own heart.
No one had expected such a drastic reaction from her.
Snap!
Raiden hadn't anticipated her to be this resolute, but her movements were far too slow in his eyes. He reached out swiftly, gripping her wrist tightly and stopping her from taking her own life.
"Not bad. Even though the Mist Village's leadership is chaotic, they do train their ninja well."
"Don't worry—I'm not going to kill you, nor will I force you to reveal anything about the Mist Village."
"But I do need a favor from you."
The girl was about to refuse, but Raiden continued before she could speak.
"Can you cook? I need someone to prepare meals for my disciple."
His words left the girl stunned. She hadn't expected Konoha's Hokage to make such an absurd request.
Caught off guard, she simply nodded in confusion.
Seeing her response, Raiden smiled.
"In that case, follow me."
"Ibiki, I'm taking her with me."
Without giving her a chance to protest, Raiden grabbed her wrist. The girl tried to resist, but a sudden wave of dizziness overtook her, and she collapsed into unconsciousness.
Although his chakra had replenished her life force, the loss of blood and exhaustion could not be so easily restored. The moment her body relaxed, she passed out.
Securing this girl was the first and most crucial step in pushing Kisame toward defection.
(End of Chapter)