Just as Gohara's group was deep in discussion, Reiji, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya arrived at the cave.
The four exchanged glances. Reiji gave the cave a sidelong look and nodded silently.
Orochimaru glanced at the eager Jiraiya, then lowered his voice.
"Darabunba, should I go in and scout?"
Reiji shrugged casually and spoke in a low tone.
"You decide. Let me remind you again, I'm not your sensei—I'm just a bodyguard.
But one thing: if your life's in danger, don't hold back. Scream as loud as you want.
Oh, and call me by my full name—Darabunba Madara Bedibedi Butobi Rokuon!"
With that, he stepped back, found a pile of rocks to hide behind, and laid down.
The three of them stared at him in speechless disbelief.
Call you by your full name?!
We've died inside a dozen times from doing that!
Still, after spending a few days together, they'd more or less figured him out.
He might not seem reliable most of the time—but whether he came through when it counted… well, that was still up in the air.
With a sigh, they huddled up and began planning.
After a brief discussion, they decided that Jiraiya, skilled in Earth Release and versatile in other jutsu, would infiltrate for recon. Tsunade and Reiji would stand watch and guard the entrance.
They'd already come to a silent agreement that Darabunba was absurdly strong.
With him covering their rear, Orochimaru and Jiraiya were confident they could handle three Jōnin and one Genin.
A few quick words later, the group split.
Orochimaru and Jiraiya simultaneously formed seals and used Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique.
In the next second, they nodded at each other and sank into the ground.
Truth be told, although both were still Chūnin, their raw combat ability was already at Jōnin level.
Reiji could sense that Jiraiya had a faint cloaking effect just by standing still.
There was also a feeling of natural attunement coming off him.
No doubt about it—this guy had trained in Senjutsu.
Which meant Reiji wasn't the least bit worried about Jiraiya.
Before Senjutsu, Jiraiya's training pace was like riding a tractor.
After Mount Myōboku? He was on a bullet train—with no stops.
As Reiji was mulling this over, his senses suddenly picked up a large group of chakra signatures closing in.
The one in front carried a terrifying amount—Kage-level.
No time to think. Reiji quickly formed a seal.
Ox → Ram → Snake.
"Secret Technique: Nurarihyon Technique."
With a low chant, a gray mist instantly engulfed him and Tsunade.
He raised a finger to his lips.
"Shh—someone's coming. And there's a lot of them!"
Just then, Tsunade, lying beside him, moved lightning-fast and yanked off Reiji's mask.
Again?! That's the second time!
What the hell, did your Mega Beedrill evolve or something?! I've trained in Lightning Release Chakra Mode and still couldn't keep up with that speed.
Dammit—don't tell me you're my natural counter or something!
As Reiji silently screamed inside, Tsunade's face darkened. She gritted her teeth.
"So it is you. I knew it! There's no one else in Konoha as ridiculously out of line as you!"
Reiji hunched his shoulders and gave an awkward smile.
"Tsuna..."
"I wasn't hiding it on purpose, okay? It was... it was Old Man Hiruzen who made me wear the mask!"
Just then, a thick fog slowly began to roll in. Reiji frowned and steadied Tsunade with a hand on her shoulder.
"Time to hide."
He let out the agreed-upon night owl cry—a signal to Jiraiya and Orochimaru that plans had changed and they should stay hidden.
At the same time, he formed a one-handed seal and instantly teleported both himself and Tsunade to the other side of the island.
As soon as they landed, Tsunade's amber eyes widened. She grabbed Reiji by the collar and whispered urgently...
"You bastard, you know the Flying Thunder God Technique?!"
Reiji gave an awkward grin, trying to look as harmless as possible.
"Tsuna, can we not do this right now? Whatever you've got to say, save it for later."
Tsunade puffed out her cheeks in frustration, lips pouting so much they looked like they could hold an oil jar.
"Reiji, you're dead meat! You know the Flying Thunder God Technique and didn't even come see me?
I waited so long for—"
Before she could finish, Reiji quickly covered her mouth.
"They've landed! Stay alert!"
Tsunade frowned but nodded firmly. No matter how angry she was, their teammates were still inside that cave. The mission had to come first.
"What now?" she whispered close to Reiji's ear.
"I'm going to cast a secret technique to cloak us. Remember—move quietly, no sudden movements," Reiji said calmly.
He wasn't worried about Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
After all, both of them bore his Flying Thunder God markers. If things went sideways, he could be by their side in an instant.
He might not know any area-of-effect jutsu, but in a one-on-one fight or for mobility, he feared no one.
He formed seals again, and another layer of gray mist enveloped both him and Tsunade.
Using the cover of the mist, the night, and the creeping fog, the two of them crept side by side toward the cave entrance.
There, seven or eight Kirigakure shinobi stood guard, sealing the path tight.
At the front stood a man in a kimono, long black hair draped over his shoulders, eyes barely open—as if the world wasn't even worth looking at.
Reiji's eyes flickered, his enhanced vision kicking in. In an instant, he saw the man's face clearly.
The Third Mizukage.
A flicker of surprise passed through Reiji's eyes—and then a bold idea surfaced.
The Land of Water and its ridiculously outdated, feudal system—it all began with this boring guy, the Third Mizukage.
Back during his rule, Kirigakure wasn't yet called the Bloody Mist, but it might as well have been dead in the water.
Just look at the Second Shinobi World War—while the other four great nations were clashing with full force, Kirigakure was barely even present, just observing from the sidelines.
Reiji even suspected this fool might have ties to Madara Uchiha.
After all, no matter how messed up his head was, no one would come up with the idea of sealing the Three-Tails inside Rin and sending her to Konoha to blow up.
Everything Obito saw during the Third War was all orchestrated by Madara from the shadows.
And the Third Mizukage? He was definitely involved.
The thought made Reiji's stomach churn with scheming ideas.
...
Inside the cave, Gohara and the others also sensed something was wrong.
They rushed to the entrance—and froze in shock. Gohara's face tightened, and his heart dropped like a stone.
"The Third Mizukage!"
The Mizukage cracked his eyes open slightly, casting a glance at the four, his tone flat and laced with contempt.
"Gohara, did you really think I wouldn't find you just because you ran off with a few low-rankers?
Your plan was exposed long ago.
Kidnap the Uzumaki, draw Konoha's attention, use them as hostages to pressure me into negotiating?
And then what? You think Konoha's going to start a war with the Land of Water over something so trivial?
They won't even find out."
Gohara froze, then clenched his teeth until they ground audibly.
"No wonder! No wonder it's been so long and no Konoha ninja has shown up…
It was you. You killed them all!"
The Mizukage let out a cold snort and replied without a hint of shame.
"You're absolutely right—I did. And who's going to know?
You're all about to die anyway.
And everything you've gathered? It's mine now."
Underground, Jiraiya's fists clenched so tightly they trembled. If Orochimaru hadn't been holding him back, he'd have burst out and slaughtered every one of them.
The village had sent two squads before this—and they were all dead.
...
At the cave entrance, Gohara glared at the smug Mizukage and suddenly burst out laughing, completely unhinged.
"Mizukage-sama, maybe I can't succeed alone—but if you keep locking down the borders, Missing-nin will just keep rising!
They'll abandon the village and attack Uzushiogakure nonstop—until Konoha is forced to act!
The kids we captured? They'll join us too—
And together, we'll help lay the foundation for Kirigakure's future!"