Chapter 185: Surprisingly, They Weren't Sent by Danzo
In broad daylight, men actually prefer to hang out with other men.
After a few sentences of idle chatter, Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha began to talk like old friends. The two had quite a bit in common and had always gotten along well.
They discussed everything from small matters like ninjutsu development to large ones like the state of the ninja world. They could even bring out some of their most deeply held thoughts to share, possibly because they had both raised Kitahara.
Even though Mei Terumi was a great beauty, she couldn't get a word in under these circumstances and could only roll her eyes at the two men from time to time.
"Wait!"
Itachi Uchiha suddenly stopped talking and held up a hand to halt the advancing party. "You two, please wait a moment. I'm going to take care of a private matter."
"Be my guest."
Watching him leap into the distance in a few bounds, Mei Terumi's red lips parted slightly. "Leaving your guests behind like this is really quite rude!"
"It's probably because Konoha still has some doubts about us!" Kisame Hoshigaki sat down on the ground and chuckled. "Perhaps there are people in Konoha who want to make us stay here for good!"
"Absolutely not! Looking at it now, coming to Konoha so rashly was indeed too risky!" Mei Terumi bit her lip and said in a low voice, "Kisame-senpai, if that really happens, you must break through. I will cover your escape…"
"…Huh?" Kisame Hoshigaki was stunned for a moment. He looked at his junior and gave a strange nod. "Alright, I understand."
Mei Terumi: "…"
You really aren't going to be polite about it, are you! Couldn't you have gone back and forth with me a little, so I could have graciously accepted your kind offer or something…
The facts were just as Kisame Hoshigaki had predicted.
There were indeed people within Konoha Village who did not want the Hidden Mist and Konoha to reach a new agreement. They had even decided to carry out an assassination in secret the moment they learned that the Hidden Mist envoys were Kisame Hoshigaki and Mei Terumi.
Currently, the Hidden Mist Village appeared to be in a state of joint governance led by Kisame Hoshigaki and Mei Terumi. In reality, Mei Terumi could make the final decision on all political matters, while military affairs were entirely under Kisame Hoshigaki's command.
Eliminating these two would leave the Hidden Mist Village without a leader, almost certainly cutting off any hope of its resurgence. At the very least, it would be impossible for them to contend with Konoha… Of course, as it stood now, the Mist was no match for Konoha anyway.
In all of Konoha, the one who liked to meddle in such affairs should be Lord Danzo.
"Come out! You should know that you cannot hide from me."
Itachi Uchiha stopped on a tree trunk, his eyes scanning the jungle, sensing every ninja lurking in the shadows. The squad was not large, but they were undoubtedly elite.
The forest remained quiet.
Clang!
Several shuriken fell into the spaces between his fingers. Itachi Uchiha casually threw them out, and they scattered towards the squad's hiding places!
"As expected, Lord Itachi's senses are very sharp." A tall figure leaped down from a large tree. "We are under the Hokage's orders to execute the Mist shinobi!"
Itachi Uchiha: "…"
Do you think I don't know what you people are about? You're all ruthless and speak very little, who explains things like this… Isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to be impersonating the Hokage's direct ANBU and forging the Hokage's orders?
"Anyone who obstructs us…" The masked ninja slightly raised his head and tightened his grip on his ninja sword. "…will be killed!"
Itachi Uchiha: "…"
Don't be rash… There's a crow on my shoulder!
If we really start fighting, I can't guarantee I can let these people go back unharmed… In fact, whether they can go back at all is a problem…
"Hold it!"
Soon, another ninja leaped out and explained with open hands, "Lord Itachi, please do not doubt us. We did indeed receive the Hokage's orders."
He took a scroll from his robes and tossed it over!
The scroll was indeed written with an order for this Root ninja squad to assassinate the Hidden Mist ninjas who had come to Konoha to negotiate. At the end, there was a final sentence: At all costs.
At a glance, it was an authentic order from Hiruzen Sarutobi.
This… what is the meaning of this?
"Lord Hokage… why would he issue this order?" Itachi Uchiha carefully examined it for any flaws but found none. He could only toss the scroll back. "But my mission is to welcome and escort the Hidden Mist ninjas into Konoha…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi had issued two different orders, and they were two missions that were diametrically opposed. Something wasn't right… Because although that old man was a worrywart, he couldn't possibly be this brainless.
If it was a ploy to eliminate him, it didn't seem likely. Never mind this small Root squad in front of him; even sending out the entire ninja force of Konoha would be a bit difficult.
"Lord Itachi, please don't make things too difficult for us…" the squad leader said, looking with some difficulty at the Uchiha youth before him.
"No, what I think is…" Itachi Uchiha raised his head solemnly and looked at the group of masked ninjas, "Even if I don't interfere, your squad is probably no match for those two Mist envoys…"
The ninja captain: "…"
Is that something you need to point out, kid?
Are you showing off how strong you are?
"We live only for the mission! Even if we must sacrifice our lives for it. Besides, we are not without our methods…" The ninja captain's conviction was firm. Which of their missions wasn't a dance on the edge of a blade?
"Caw~"
The crow raised its eyes. It sensed no hostility from this group of people.
As a squad of Root members, they held no hostility towards the pillar of the Uchiha clan. It was simply incredible.
These must be fake Root members!
Itachi Uchiha slowly closed his eyelids, then snapped them open. An astonishing aura erupted from him in an instant. "Speak. Who is the person behind you!"
"…"
No one answered.
The situation fell into a stalemate.
Itachi Uchiha paid it no mind. His palm shot out, grabbing for a ninja's mask, seemingly wanting to see his true face!
"Lord Itachi!"
His speed was clearly more than a notch slower than the youth's. In the blink of an eye, his mask was snatched off by Itachi Uchiha. The young genius said in astonishment, "…Uchiha Genji…"
The captain of this ninja squad was Uchiha Genji. He had a three-tomoe Sharingan in both eyes and was a well-known Jonin within the clan. He could even sit at the very front and speak during clan meetings.
"It seems there's no mistake…" Itachi Uchiha and Kitahara were both a little stunned. The young ninja was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "…Did Father send you?"
"…"
Still, no one answered.
The red eyes of Kitahara spun as a thought formed in its mind. It probably knew who had sent these people…
Shisui Uchiha.
Although he was at the Naka Shrine, Shisui was in fact extremely well-informed and had gathered a group of rather capable personnel through his "cultivation cram school." As for why he would send people to assassinate Kisame Hoshigaki…
It didn't make sense.
Honestly, the most likely person to make a move should be Danzo Shimura! Why would Shisui suddenly pop up! Surely it couldn't be just to make his presence known?
Kotoamatsukami was really no good… A fine young man with noble and simple ambitions, after being changed by the will of Kotoamatsukami, had been forcibly turned into a political schemer!
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