"Why are you even here?"
Kiyosuke crossed his arms, looking at Ao with clear annoyance.
"If it weren't for Mei calling me, I would've taken you out the moment I saw you," Ao said flatly.
"If you had the strength for that," Kiyosuke replied with a mocking chuckle. It was precisely because of his strength that he had remained safe up to now. Even Mei's parents hadn't attacked him at first—they had let their daughter run around with him instead.
Because they knew, no matter his purpose in coming to Kirigakure, they couldn't stop him.
"Enough. Quit arguing," Mei said, shooting Kiyosuke a glare. "Ao, sit down."
"Mm."
Ao knelt down properly to the side. Mei's parents also sat beside him.
"Is your friend really inside the Mizukage Building?" Mei asked.
"Ridiculous! There's no way someone from Konoha could be there!" Ao snapped.
"Because he has space-time ninjutsu," Kiyosuke said calmly, arms still crossed. "He's probably one of only two people in the entire ninja world with the ability to teleport himself."
Technically speaking, summoning jutsu also fell under space-time ninjutsu, but it was far less convenient than the Flying Thunder God or Kamui.
"Then why is he hiding in the Mizukage Building?"
"The Fourth Mizukage."
"What?!" Ao jumped to his feet. Mei, however, said, "I've always suspected that something—or someone—might be responsible for Yagura-sama's sudden change in personality."
"That's impossible," Ao said. "Yagura-sama controlled the Three-Tails. He's a perfect jinchūriki—there's no way he could fall under genjutsu."
Perfect jinchūriki could rely on their tailed beasts to help them resist genjutsu. As the host of Isobu, Karatachi Yagura certainly had that ability. Everyone knew that.
"What if the tailed beast is under control too?" Kiyosuke said softly.
Instantly, Ao's face darkened. Mei's parents went stiff as well.
"That's… impossible…" Ao muttered. But his mind flashed back to the boy he'd once encountered on the battlefield…
"Could it be… Shisui of the Body Flicker from Konoha?"
"No, but close." Kiyosuke let out a sigh. "During the last war, Shisui had one of his eyes stolen. My friend was placed under genjutsu using that eye. Now, that same eye is embedded in his own socket—it might be what's controlling the Fourth Mizukage."
Ao and Mei both clenched their fists at his words. Mei asked,
"Are you sure your friend is being controlled?"
"Of course. He's a complete idiot. There's no way he could pull off something this complicated on his own," Kiyosuke said with such certainty that the others couldn't help but believe him a little.
"Then all we need to do is release Yagura-sama from the genjutsu," Ao said.
He brushed a hand over his Byakugan. If he could confirm chakra irregularities in Yagura-sama's body, he'd know whether genjutsu was at play. In the past, out of respect for the Mizukage, he had never used this method—but now, it seemed unavoidable.
"Yeah. First, we free the Fourth Mizukage from the genjutsu. Then, we catch that idiot and release the genjutsu on him too," Kiyosuke said.
What he really wanted was to capture Obito alive and bring him back to Konoha so that Shisui could cancel Kotoamatsukami. After all, only Shisui could undo his own technique.
Kotoamatsukami must be used to counter Kotoamatsukami!
"In that case, there's no time to waste. Let's move," Mei said.
She handed Kiyosuke a Kirigakure ninja uniform so he could change.
The three of them made their way to the edge of the Mizukage Building.
Kiyosuke quickly took down two Kirigakure ANBU who were on lookout duty. The area around the Mizukage Building remained calm and quiet.
"Byakugan!"
The veins around Ao's right eye bulged as he activated his dōjutsu and scanned the surroundings.
"Fifty-eight of them are gathered nearby," he reported. "And… I can see Yagura-sama. Just as expected—his chakra flow is clearly being manipulated by genjutsu. Even the tailed beast inside him is affected."
It looked like Kiyosuke and Mei's theory was spot-on.
But a chill crept into Ao's heart. According to Kiyosuke, Yagura-sama was being controlled by his friend… who in turn was being controlled by someone else. So who was this mastermind?
What exactly did this person want?
To bring down Kirigakure?
His mind raced with dark possibilities.
"I'll handle the next part," Kiyosuke said.
He raised his hand, and a faint light began to gather in his palm. Mei quickly grabbed his arm.
"Are you trying to alert everyone?!"
"Just a little misdirection."
A powerful surge of heat radiated from his palm.
Boom!
A section of the Mizukage Building exploded in a fiery blast.
Immediately, the nearby ANBU were alarmed and began converging on the source of the explosion.
"I'm heading in first!" Kiyosuke called out.
He leapt forward and began weaving hand signs.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
A large water dragon spiraled around him before launching outward, crashing into two Kirigakure ANBU and sending them flying.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Whip Technique!"
As enemy attacks closed in, Kiyosuke raised a wall of water to block the incoming projectiles. Then, pressing his hands together—
"Wind Style: Wind Cutter Technique!"
Countless blades of wind tore through the air, taking down several Mist shinobi.
Kiyosuke surged forward at incredible speed, rushing into the Mizukage Building—
A moment later, he jumped back out.
Boom!
A massive flood of water came crashing out of the building like a tidal wave.
From within, Hoshigaki Kisame emerged, carrying his massive blade, Samehada, over his shoulder. He grinned wide, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth. That shark-like face was pure nightmare fuel.
"You've got some nerve," he said. "Breaking into the Mizukage Building at night and disturbing the Mizukage's rest."
Kiyosuke had disguised his face. As long as he didn't reveal his abilities, it wouldn't bring trouble back to Konoha.
"Huh? Isn't the Mizukage supposed to live at the Kaguya clan compound? What's he doing here? Don't tell me he's so overworked he can't even go home? Is the workload in Kirigakure really that insane? Or maybe…"
His tone darkened.
"Maybe the Mizukage's hiding something."
Kisame frowned but didn't respond.
In truth, he'd seen a stranger lurking in the Mizukage Building more than once. That man had invited him to join a group called Akatsuki, but Kisame had ignored him and reported it to the Fourth Mizukage. Yagura hadn't cared.
Maybe Yagura-sama really was being controlled by that guy…
"Why bother talking?" another voice said.
A young man stepped forward—shirtless, face wrapped in bandages, carrying the massive Executioner's Blade. He crossed his arms.
"Kisame, our job is to protect the Mizukage and eliminate all threats."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. No need for a brat like you to remind me," Kisame grunted.
He lifted Samehada.
"No matter who you are, breaking into the Mizukage Building at night is a crime punishable by death."
"Ooh, scary, scary. Am I gonna die? Hahaha!"
His cocky grin made it clear—this guy was just asking for a beating.