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However, Yagura had no time to dwell on these thoughts.
The enemy had already breached the village, slaughtering its ninja one after another. As the Mizukage, he had no choice but to step in and stop them—and eliminate the invaders.
Otherwise, his reputation as Mizukage would suffer a devastating blow.
"Yagura is coming. Prepare to retreat."
Sasori was not one to lose his cool and foolishly engage Yagura head-on within Kirigakure.
If too many reinforcements arrived, both of them risked being buried here.
"Understood."
Kakuzu responded irritably, fighting while retreating.
He had always believed that money was the only thing he cared about. But today, he realized there was something else that mattered to him—his image!
He could accept being called a monster, but he couldn't stand Sasori comparing him to a monkey.
The thought of the Kirigakure ninja looking at him as if he were some kind of ape made Kakuzu tremble with rage.
Shaking with fury! Was it fate for those who looked strange to be despised?
When would the oddly shaped finally rise up?
As he prepared to retreat, Kakuzu manipulated the masks representing Lightning and Fire. The two masks unleashed a torrent of flames and lightning spears, sweeping toward the surrounding enemies.
Caught off guard by this sudden attack, many of the Kirigakure ninja surrounding them were hit.
Most didn't even have time to defend before being engulfed in flames or pierced by the sharp lightning spears.
Even those who hastily activated defensive ninjutsu found few could withstand the penetrating force of the lightning spears.
"Retreat!!"
After dealing a heavy blow to Kirigakure, Kakuzu and Sasori immediately withdrew along their planned escape route.
Obito had already cleared the path of potential enemies, ensuring their smooth retreat.
The heavier the losses among the attacking ninja, the fewer men Yagura could bring in pursuit.
"Damn it!!"
Arriving from the Mizukage's office, Yagura clenched his teeth in fury at the gruesome scene before him.
"What a fine bunch, this Akatsuki!! What a fine Uchiha Obito!!"
"The rest of you, stay behind to rescue the wounded and stabilize the situation! The Mizukage Guard and the ANBU squad—follow me in pursuit!"
Against formidable enemies like Kakuzu and Sasori, ordinary ninja would only be cannon fodder.
Thus, Yagura left them behind.
Moreover, the suddenness of the attack meant Kirigakure's forces hadn't fully mobilized. There was no time to form an encirclement using sheer numbers.
So Yagura could only take his personal guard and his usual ANBU squad in pursuit.
This could be a simple raid—or a carefully laid trap.
Either way, Yagura had to give chase. He owed the people an explanation.
If he let the enemy escape unscathed, those who opposed his rule as Mizukage would surely spread vicious rumors.
Harsh words were one thing—Yagura could endure them.
But what he truly feared was the fallout from his diminished authority. Once his prestige took a hit, certain restless clans would start making moves.
That was something he absolutely could not allow.
People called the Uchiha a clan of madmen, but many of Kirigakure's ninja clans were just as insane—if not more so.
They dared to do things even the Uchiha wouldn't, such as openly attacking another clan's territory.
Or brazenly challenging Yagura's authority.
Compared to the relatively restrained Uchiha, Kirigakure's clans were the true definition of a madhouse.
The Uchiha's madness stemmed from the emotional volatility caused by their Kekkei Genkai, the Sharingan.
But Kirigakure's troublesome clans? They were just plain crazy!
"Lord Mizukage, all the ninja along the route have been eliminated."
Kakuzu and Sasori's retreat was swift and smooth because Obito and Zetsu had already cleared the path of Kirigakure's forces.
This left their escape completely unhindered.
For Yagura, this was terrible news. The enemy had come prepared—this was no simple hit-and-run attack.
"It seems Uchiha Obito's years of patience have finally run out."
The most prudent course of action would be to return to the village, stabilize the chaos, and then reach out to the other villages to coordinate a counterattack against Akatsuki.
But Kirigakure's internal strife left Yagura with no such luxury.
Even if this was a trap, he had to pursue—for the sake of the village's dignity.
Besides, he had confidence in his own strength. Even if ambushed, he could safely withdraw.
Yagura refused to believe Obito could rally all of Akatsuki just for revenge.
What he didn't know was that Akatsuki's ambitions far exceeded his imagination.
This wasn't just about setting a trap for him—it was about Kirigakure itself.
No, even beyond that—the Five Great Shinobi Nations.
"After them!!"
A surge of tailed beast chakra erupted from Yagura as the tail of the Three-Tails materialized behind him.
Augmented by this power, his speed skyrocketed, and he shot forward like an arrow.
"Lord Mizukage, be careful!"
His guards and ANBU squad panicked, pushing themselves to their limits to keep up, lest Yagura fall into an ambush.
"I've caught up to you."
The moment he closed in on Kakuzu and Sasori, Yagura's eyes burned with fury.
Gripping a weapon taller than himself, he charged straight at them.
"Move!!"
Neither Kakuzu nor Sasori had any intention of stopping to fight. They knew all too well how terrifying Yagura's strength was.
Without backup, facing him alone would be a gamble at best.
At most, they could inconvenience him.
As a perfect Jinchūriki, Yagura's power was monstrous even among the Five Kage.
The boost from being a perfect host was simply too overwhelming.
If the current Five Kage were ranked in terms of strength...
Yagura would undoubtedly sit above Rasa and Tsunade.
"He's too fast."
The ambush point was still some distance away, but Yagura's speed exceeded their expectations.
They wouldn't make it in time before he caught up.
'What now?'
Exchanging a glance, Sasori gritted his teeth and unleashed a swarm of puppets to intercept Yagura, hoping to slow him down.