Did he really snatch Samehada from Uchiha Kage completely unscathed?
Could it be that last time he really just misjudged, or was it truly as the Third Hokage said, that Uchiha Kage merely had a special constitution that made him immune to Mangekyō Sharingan's eye techniques?
Although he really wanted to ask Kisame, he felt that the likelihood of getting a truthful answer from him was too low, so he simply didn't ask.
"Doesn't it feel like the Fourth Great Ninja War is about to start? I wanted to look through the details of the last war to find a way to stay alive in the next one," Kisame casually made up an excuse.
"You, of all people, thinking about staying alive?", Of course, Uchiha Itachi didn't believe such nonsense.
However, he still tossed a scroll to him.
This outdated intelligence contained no records of ninjutsu or battle tactics, so giving it away wasn't a big deal.
Maintaining contact with the Akatsuki organization was the real priority.
"I'm treading on thin ice right now," Kisame wasn't lying about that.
Ahead of him was the 'mysterious masked man,' and behind him was the unfathomably powerful Uchiha Kage.
One misstep, and this shark would truly become a dead fish.
Was the masked man really Uchiha Obito?
After flipping through all the intelligence and seeing that Uchiha Obito had willingly given his Sharingan to his comrade, Hatake Kakashi, in order to save him, Kisame could now be certain that the masked man was indeed Uchiha Obito.
At least, it was 80-90% certain.
However, the records stated that Uchiha Obito was a hero who had sacrificed himself in the Battle of Kannabi Bridge.
Konoha was truly fascinating. A so-called "hero" was out there plotting to plunge the ninja world into chaos, while a so-called "traitor" was inside the village trying to protect its peace.
"Itachi-san, you..."
After finishing the section on the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, Kisame originally wanted to chat with Uchiha Itachi a little more, but unexpectedly, by the time he finished reading the intelligence scroll, Itachi, who had been standing behind the tree, had already disappeared without a trace.
"Such an impatient guy," Shaking his head, Kisame crushed the intelligence scroll into fragments before leisurely leaving the area.
The new boss wanted intel on Zetsu, so he had to start handling some serious business.
———
"Mr. Ita, you seem very interested in the kids of Team 7. Is there any particular reason for that?"
Somewhere on a rooftop in Konoha Village.
Sai silently appeared near Uchiha Itachi, whose face was wrapped in bandages.
"The Uzumaki clan once did me a great favor."
Subtly retracting his gaze from Team 7, especially from Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi responded in a calm, low voice.
It had been a long time since he had last seen Sasuke. He hadn't expected that in a moment of carelessness, someone else had noticed his slip.
He could only shift the attention to Uzumaki Naruto.
But he wasn't exactly lying either.
When he was a child, his mother, Uchiha Mikoto, had told him that when he was trapped deep within the enemy ranks of Kumogakure, besides his mother and his clan members, there were also Uzumaki clan members who had helped rescue him.
"How rare, Ita, you actually spoke."
'But is your focus really on the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?'
'Uchiha Itachi.'
Sai, who had already obtained intelligence from Danzo confirming that this mysterious "Ita" was indeed Uchiha Itachi, found the current situation even more amusing.
He wondered if that squad captain knew that this Ita was the sworn enemy of the Uchiha clan.
He was really looking forward to seeing the scene when enemies met face to face.
"..."
Without paying further attention to the Anbu member who always seemed to be monitoring him, Uchiha Itachi vanished from the rooftop within a few breaths, returning to his Anbu rest chamber.
However, just as he pushed open the door, he hadn't expected a slip of paper to fall from the gap above.
"A ciphered note from Root."
Uchiha Itachi recognized the writing at a glance. Moreover...
"So even Danzo has figured out my identity. As expected, once someone notices, it's hard to keep it a secret."
Even though Sarutobi Hiruzen had done his best to help him cover it up.
But what was Danzo's reason for calling him?
Exposing his identity wouldn't benefit Danzo in any way. Was he trying to use this as leverage to force him to do something?
Uchiha Itachi's first instinct was to report this note to Sarutobi. However, the message explicitly stated that he must not inform the Third Hokage, which made him hesitate.
"Knowing Danzo's nature, there's nothing he wouldn't do. If Sasuke..."
After thinking it over, Uchiha Itachi put on his mask and prepared to meet Danzo alone.
But there were very few people who knew where he lived.
Sai... That suspicious boy was indeed one of Danzo's people?
———
"This is great!", Not long ago, Hiruzen Sarutobi had thought that the alliance with Kirigakure was going to fall through. He hadn't expected that, within just a few days, he'd receive such a pleasant surprise.
"Not only did we finalize the alliance agreement with Kirigakure before our conflict with Sunagakure escalated, but we also secured better terms for Konoha..."
That Uchiha Kage boy was truly a lucky charm for the village.
Looking at the reports from Hyūga Hiashi, Yūhi Kurenai, and others, as well as the letters from Kirigakure, Hiruzen Sarutobi gained a general understanding of the situation.
"But Kurenai still doesn't trust me. She deliberately downplayed Uchiha Kage's role in all of this."
Does she really think the Uchiha Clan Massacre was my doing?
Such a narrow-minded woman.
She must've been the one who led Asuma astray.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was pleased with Uchiha Kage's contributions in Kirigakure. However, his satisfaction also stemmed from the fact that Hyūga Hiashi's report only vaguely described Kage's involvement.
It merely mentioned helping Kirigakure subdue the Three-Tails and persuading the village elders during alliance negotiations, both in a very brief manner.
This vague description left room for Hiruzen Sarutobi's own interpretation.
He instinctively assumed that while Uchiha Kage had played a role, his actual involvement wasn't too deep.
And most likely, it was because of his good looks that he won Kirigakure's favor.
After all, the confidential letter from Kirigakure had mentioned nothing about his achievements, only that his personality and appearance matched that of the Mizukage's apprentice.
This immediately dispelled many of Sarutobi Hiruzen's doubts.
"Kirigakure is not only willing to form an alliance but also willing to arrange a marriage between their future Mizukage and the Uchiha clan?"
Although it was easy to see that Kirigakure was eyeing the Sharingan, Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help but smile.
The Uchiha clan's bloodline must not be allowed to spread outside, but securing Kirigakure's alliance, especially one where they were taking the initiative to curry favor, still made Sarutobi Hiruzen quite pleased.
This was also the best news he had heard in a while.
Lately, Danzo's movements had been growing increasingly bold. Asuma, after learning that Kurenai Yuhi had been sent on a bait mission, had been arguing with him almost daily.
And then there was Orochimaru, disguised as the Fourth Kazekage, who not only refused to give him a chance for a private conversation but also seemed eager to stir up trouble during the Chunin Exams.
All these troublesome matters had visibly aged Sarutobi Hiruzen in recent days.
"Judging by the time, they should be arriving soon, right?"
After organizing the documents on his desk, Sarutobi Hiruzen personally set out to the village gate.
Although the representative from Kirigakure had yet to be officially declared Mizukage, they were already acting as the interim Mizukage. Out of respect, he had to personally welcome them.
———
"Uchiha Kage, Hyuga Hinata, Aburame Shino… In recognition of your outstanding performance in the alliance mission and your contributions to the village, I, the Third Hokage, hereby grant you a special promotion to Chunin as a reward."
After welcoming the Kirigakure delegation to the conference room in the Hokage building, Sarutobi Hiruzen quickly proceeded with the commendation for Uchiha Kage's group.
Of course, this was also to prevent everyone from continuing to dwell on the previous misunderstandings during the mission.
With this tangible reward, along with the record and compensation for completing an S-rank mission, it should be enough to quell any lingering dissatisfaction in these young ninjas' hearts.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked on with satisfaction as the three Genin excitedly accepted their Chunin vests.
As for the resentment visible on Kurenai Yuhi's face, he simply pretended not to see it.
"Lord Mizukage, on behalf of Konoha, I welcome you and Kirigakure, and I thank you for choosing to stand alongside us!"
Such a young female ninja. No wonder she was captivated by a boy like Uchiha Kage.
"I am also very pleased to form an alliance with a powerful village like Konoha. I hope Kirigakure and Konoha can continue to exchange and cooperate in the future."
After discussing the terms of the alliance with Sarutobi Hiruzen, Mei Terumi blushed slightly as she handed over the document given to her by Elder Genshi.
A marriage contract.
"Good, good, good…"
After reading through the document from Kirigakure, Sarutobi Hiruzen's wrinkled old face showed even more delight.
Ah, young people and their tricks, such an important document, yet it was only for a marriage arrangement.
"You have all traveled a long way; the journey must have been dull. Why not take some time to experience Konoha's culture and atmosphere? But I imagine you wouldn't want to be accompanied by an old man like me. How about letting Kage show you around Konoha instead? Would that be alright?"
"Of course—ahem—it sounds great. This young Uchiha is a great benefactor to Kirigakure, so having him host us would be most fitting."
Upon seeing the smile on Sarutobi Hiruzen's face after he received the document, Mei Terumi felt somewhat embarrassed.
However, her reaction caused Ao, the bodyguard behind her, to furrow his brows deeply.
For the future Mizukage to fall for a mere Genin from Konoha and to show it so openly, it was disgraceful for Kirigakure.
Even though he was mentally complaining, Ao didn't dare to voice his objections.
He had personally witnessed how terrifying this future female Mizukage could be when she was angry. Especially when the matter involved Uchiha Kage.
"Wait, Lord Hokage! Kage has been escorting us the entire way and must be exhausted. Moreover, he was just a Genin not long ago. How is he qualified to host the dep— the interim Mizukage of Kirigakure?", Seeing Mei Terumi's excitement, Kurenai Yuhi could not stay calm.
She couldn't understand why, out of all the people in the village, it had to be Uchiha Kage who was chosen to host the guests.
And what exactly was written in that document from Kirigakure that made the Third Hokage smile so lecherously?
"He may be a Genin in your village, but in ours, he is a hero. Why wouldn't he be qualified? Or… are you jealous of your own student? What a morally corrupt and petty female teacher…"
"What did you just say? You're the shameless one!", Even here, the two who had been arguing the entire journey continued to bicker.
"Enough nonsense! Show proper respect to Lord Mizukage, Kurenai Yuhi!"
With Sarutobi Hiruzen's intervention, Mei Terumi gained the upper hand.
"…"
Seeing the Third Hokage slam the table, Kurenai Yuhi could only remain silent for now.
"Aren't you going to apologize to Lord Mizukage?"
"I… I'm sorry, inim Mizukage-sama!"
After offering a completely insincere apology, Kurenai Yuhi snorted coldly and turned to leave the conference room.
The Third Hokage was truly senile.
Was he really going to let Uchiha Kage be taken away by Kirigakure?
"I apologize for the disturbance, Lord Mizukage."
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/ZenonTL
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.