Chapter 319: Hidden Truth in the Mist, Murderous Intent Erupts!
The entire ocean surged violently, with a towering pillar of fire at its center.
The massive warship rocked like a tiny skiff caught in a storm, helpless against the fury of nature.
Standing on the ship's deck—
The Third Mizukage, Bailan, instantly turned pale.
"That guy is Uchiha Ci!"
Back in the Land of Hot Springs, he'd once fallen under a genjutsu and been forced to watch a battle between young prodigies alongside that man.
Now, just three months later, Bailan instantly recognized the youth standing aboard that lightning-powered ship—
It was the same Uchiha brat favored by that man!
"Why is he here?!"
"And judging by the looks of it, he's been waiting right along my route for quite some time."
"Could the Elders have instigated him to kill me?!"
Bailan's expression grew increasingly grim.
"Who told him my route? Hōzuki Mangetsu?"
"No… that can't be right! Mangetsu has been away on a mission for over half a month now. The only ones who know my whereabouts are—"
A sinister glint flashed through Bailan's eyes as his gaze swept toward the group of Pursuit-nin struggling to stay upright on the shaking deck.
This mission was top-secret, a secret among secrets of the Hidden Mist!
It involved a deal with Uchiha Madara.
He was offering the life of the Three-Tails Jinchūriki as a bargaining chip—feeding its life force to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path—in exchange for Madara's help in suppressing the rising powers within the Mist.
This departure had been a last-minute decision to travel alongside the diplomatic envoy to the Land of Lightning, for the express purpose of delivering the Three-Tails Jinchūriki to Uchiha Madara.
He had already resolved himself to sacrifice the Jinchūriki.
Only a select group of Pursuit-nin who had always stayed by his side knew of the route, and they never had a chance to leak information—they'd never left his sight.
Except, perhaps… the commander of the Pursuit-nin—
Bailan suddenly whipped his head around, his eyes cold as he stared at the greatsword-wielding Fuguki Suikazan.
At that moment—
On the deck, sensing the Third Mizukage's cold, sharp glare—
Fuguki couldn't help but shudder violently, his grip on the hilt of Samehada instinctively tightening.
Why's he looking at me like that?
What's with that expression?
Could it be... he knows I joined Yagura's faction?
Does he plan to kill me?
For a moment, Fuguki nearly couldn't hold back the impulse to swing Samehada straight into Bailan's skull and shout, "A one-eyed stone man stirs the Yellow River—let the rebellion begin!" as he defected on the spot to raise the banner for Yagura, the one he truly served.
But—
The deathtrap set for the Third Mizukage wasn't ready to be sprung yet. Yagura and Kanryū's preparations weren't complete. Fuguki gritted his teeth and barely managed to suppress the urge to decapitate the old dog right then and there.
And then he heard Bailan speak, voice devoid of emotion:
"Fuguki—"
"Take everyone and kill that brat for me!"
"…Huh?" Fuguki stared blankly, following Bailan's pointing finger toward the cause of the ship's turbulence—that pillar of flame stretching into the heavens—
And then recognized Uchiha Ci standing within it.
Fuguki shuddered again, his dazed mind suddenly snapping into clarity.
Me? Kill Uchiha Ci?
Come on, are you serious?
After the battle in Hell Valley and the destruction of Yunming, Uchiha Ci's name had already shaken the entire shinobi world. His assassination attempt on a feudal lord was a tale repeated far and wide.
Never mind whether he could actually beat him—who knew how many S-rank rogue nin might jump out the moment he engaged?
Yet at that moment—
Bailan's impatient gaze grew even colder as it bore into Fuguki.
Fuguki immediately tensed. He knew full well that if he didn't follow orders, given the Third Mizukage's growing paranoia and ruthless methods in his old age, he was as good as dead.
He gritted his teeth, raised his hand, and leapt from the deck, charging straight at Uchiha Ci.
The other Pursuit-nin, seeing Fuguki's signal, immediately followed.
At the tail end of the formation, just as one burly, shark-like member was about to leap past the Mizukage—
Bailan quietly called out, stopping him.
"Kisame."
A cold voice, audible only to the two of them, murmured in Kisame's ear:
"When the time comes… kill Fuguki Suikazan."
"The greatsword Samehada will be yours from now on."
Kisame's expression froze behind his mask. His shark-like eyes slowly turned to look at Bailan.
Confirming the grim resolve on the Mizukage's face, Kisame gave a silent nod—and then leapt down to follow.
Having given his orders—
Bailan gazed coldly at the two groups about to clash, his eyes dark with killing intent.
No matter the reason that brat was here—whether it was a coincidence or a deliberate ambush—
At such a critical juncture, anyone who might leak the secret had to be silenced permanently.
This matter must never be exposed!
Not because he feared what the Hidden Mist would do if they learned of Uchiha Madara's involvement—
But because…
He feared Uchiha Madara!
Feared that Madara might kill him for failing to execute his orders properly!
A month and a half ago, when he traveled to the Land of Hot Springs to meet Madara, there had already been killing intent in that man's gaze.
That day, Madara had genuinely intended to kill him—he was certain of it. Only for some unknown reason, he changed his mind at the last moment, saying Bailan still had his uses.
(Refers to Chapter 218, where Madara declared he'd kill someone, then changed his mind due to Ci's influence.)
Thinking back on it, Bailan let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh.
Back then, to prove himself stronger than Hōzuki Gengetsu, for the sake of a "brighter tomorrow through the mist," he chose to make a deal with the devil.
Yet now, the devil had grown too powerful to control.
He was supposed to be the Shadow of the Hidden Mist—but the entire Land of Water was now shrouded in that man's darkness!
With that thought—
Bailan's eyes narrowed as he stared at the raging sea, watching Uchiha Ci and Fuguki approach one another.
Fuguki alone had no chance of killing Uchiha Ci.
So—
Bailan took a deep breath and reached into his wide sleeve.
In his palm, a spore quietly bloomed.
It sprouted along his arm, curling around half his body.
Soon, a pale-faced, spiral-headed White Zetsu emerged from his shoulder.
"Heehee~"
"Oh Third Mizukage~ Are you finally going to tell me what it's like to poop?"
Bailan's face darkened as he turned to look at that swirling face, locking eyes with its deep, hollow sockets, then said coldly:
"You're called Zetsu, right? Hurry up and help me!"
"I can't kill him on my own!"
"Hmm?"
"Well, since Lord Madara ordered me to help you, I've got no problem with that!"
The spiral-faced White Zetsu chuckled, then said in a mock-serious tone:
"But my name's Tobi, you know! I'm Tobi!"