"So, mind telling me what you mean when you say you found me?" Sukuna asked, looking down at a tied-up Mangetsu Hozuki, who was giving him the death glare.
Those menacing, shark-like teeth of the Mist shinobi, especially one related to the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, were specifically unnerving.
By the time Mangetsu came out of his unconsciousness, he found himself completely bound. Chakra blocked and even his hidden weapons taken away. Even his hydrofication technique wasn't working to get him out of this predicament.
This was all thanks to the chakra-suppressing seals Sukuna got his hands on after he raided Root. Danzo had a bunch of them lying around—guess he used them often in his foreplay?
Now, not only did they belong to Sukuna, but he had also stolen the procedure to produce them. He couldn't do it yet though—his sealing skills were in their infancy at best. For now, he was still using the ones he had looted from the Root base. However, in just a few years, he was sure he would master all the sealing techniques he had gotten his hands on.
"You…" Mangetsu finally spoke, after realizing that his silent death glare wasn't helping his case.
"It was you, wasn't it? You're the masked man who was responsible for Kiri's current situation." He spat with hatred in his eyes and words. It was clear that the boy had a prejudice against him.
"I'm under no compulsion to disclose this, but I have never visited your village in my life. I find your excuses completely baseless." Sukuna huffed, but the slime man's words already kicked up a storm in his mind.
Masked man! Who else could it be if not our number one simp Uchiha himself?
Obito brought catastrophe on the Hidden Mist just because they had a hand in Rin Nohara's death. This masked man Mangetsu was talking about—it had to be Obito.
And that's when Sukuna's mind churned, rapidly computing his own connection to this entire ordeal.
Didn't he just kill Obito? And Yagura, the Three-Tails Jinchuriki and current Mizukage of the Hidden Mist, was under Obito's control.
'Damn, that guy must be back to his senses now, wouldn't he? This would change the story… a lot.' Sukuna knew that taking out Obito would change things, but he never gave it too much thought. Since the most troublesome piece besides Black Zetsu himself was out of the match board, he hadn't cared much.
But the consequences of his actions had far-reaching side effects. His mind started to piece things together now.
From Yagura taking control over Kiri once again, stopping his premature downfall, preventing the loss of talent, and in general regaining his own right as Mizukage—to this resulting in a stronger Kiri emerging in a few years. The funds supplied to Akatsuki by Obito through controlling Yagura would also stop.
'Not like it would, since Obito would still be around to cause trouble this time around.' Sukuna grumbled.
Little did he know that his optimism about Obito being dead was wrong. Obito had been rescued. He was in a coma, from deep wounds and the fire Sukuna conjured to burn away all proof. Obito had suffered them all, but still he survived thanks to half of his body being made of Hashirama cells.
It was as if Kishimoto had given all the cheats to this guy, knowing full well there was no other way this hopeless idiot could succeed as a villain.
Sukuna was quick to connect the dots when it came to Kiri's condition right now and Mangetsu's appearance here—once he gave it a thought.
'He most likely was bait. What gave them the confidence that Obito would come after Mangetsu wasn't lost on him either. Obito was looking for strong members for Akatsuki—who was better than Mangetsu?
Sukuna hadn't been sure about his strength until he fought him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall this guy from the story, but he was strong. If Obito wasn't a complete idiot and had even the slightest intel about Kiri after controlling it for so long, then he should know Mangetsu's capabilities.
Most likely Yagura himself sent this guy here to drag Obito out.'
"Don't lie, you bastard. You're the reason Kiri has suffered the entire Blood Mist purge. Do you know how many of your kin have died?" Hatred rolled off the slime boy, his eyes reddening, veins bulging.
"Dude, I really don't know what you're talking about. You've most likely suspected the wrong person here." Sukuna sighed. He couldn't blame the poor bastard—Obito was really too much. It wasn't even exactly Kiri's fault what happened back then.
Which grand idiot's plan was it to seal their biju inside another village's shinobi? And for what? To destroy an enemy village by sending the newly-formed Jinchuriki as a ticking time bomb?
If the village didn't execute whoever suggested this plan for being an enemy spy, then that place had no right to call itself a hidden village.
Hidden Mist, my ass—it was all that old goat Madara's plan.
Kiri had faced the consequences of it.
Mangetsu's face clearly showcased that he wasn't believing a word Sukuna said, making him sigh.
Honestly, Sukuna didn't care whether they believed him or not. At best, they could try to set more traps for him like this, which he could easily evade—or just change his look enough to not get targeted.
He didn't give a single flying fuck what was going on in the minds of Kiri shinobi at the Hidden Mist. However, he did mind his money. He wasn't lacking money per se—he wasn't very rich, but he didn't need it desperately either.
But this was the pay for his hard work, damnit. And it was clear to him that even if he brought this guy back to Kiri, he would be the one getting jumped on at first sight. Forget getting this guy's bounty.
Irritation knocked on him…
"Okay listen, I don't care whether you believe me or not. However, I do wish to know whether I'll get my bounty if I return you to the Hidden Mist. Or did I do all this for nothing?" Sukuna decided to ask the man himself.
Mangetsu's face was enough to tell Sukuna that he was right in his assumption. He wasn't getting a penny bringing this guy back to Kiri.
However, who the fuck came up with this idiotic plan? If he was going to use himself as bait, then at least have a few more people to make sure the masked man didn't run away.
Not only that, but he also had four of the seven famous Kiri swords with him. Was this guy a complete idiot? What if he fell—what would happen to the swords then?
"Fine… I'll just sell those swords. They've got to be worth something, right? As for you, let's just toss you over the river. You'll most likely make it to Kiri. What do you think, it's completely free?" Sukuna chipped back, making Mangetsu stiffen.
"Sigh, tell me honestly. Did you orchestrate this entire trap on your own, or was the Mist behind it? I don't want to believe that everyone at the Hidden Mist are complete, utter fools like you…"
Mangetsu's face visibly reddened at this.
"Sigh."
"Say, we got some time anyway. I don't plan to hit the road after that fight anytime soon, and you sure as hell aren't going anywhere—I'll make sure of that. So why not explain whatever is happening there in Kiri, and how come you suspect me of whatever you suspect?
At least I have the right to know why some fucker from the Hidden Mist was coming after my ass, right?" Sukuna sat down, taking out something to eat, making himself comfortable.
Mangetsu looked defiant before, but seeing how casual this person was, even he was having second thoughts about attracting the wrong guy.
The masked man was responsible for controlling the Mizukage. However, this guy here—he couldn't be any older than his own little brother, could he?
Could a child barely more than 10 years old really do that? He was wearing a mask and had similar powers, but it was highly unlikely, right?
Mangetsu hesitated.
After some time, like he was finally giving up on his situation, he opened his mouth.
"I… I did it on my own. It wasn't an order from our Mizukage." He spoke, making Sukuna's ears perk up.
"Does that mean the bounty is valid?" Sukuna asked hopefully.
"Ah no, I posted that bounty to attract the masked man." Mangetsu replied sheepishly.
"Tch… meaning you're useless." Sukuna lost his motivation and went back to his food.
Mangetsu hesitated for a moment before continuing.
"The Hidden Mist has long been under a blood feud. The Bloody Mist policy was a training plan suggested by our Mizukage, which led to many deaths among our shinobi to find the strongest and most suitable.
Not only has this destabilized the village, but the recent surge of bloodline elimination done by the Mizukage has started a revolt inside the village.
We thought it was all the Mizukage's fault—his unfair and radical policies. However, I not so long ago learned that it wasn't the Mizukage at all.
Our Mizukage was being controlled by a masked man from the shadows, who was making him do all this.
Not only the Mizukage, but the masked man had also visited many of our outstanding talents to join his organization. I was approached as well.
I didn't know that he was responsible for the Mizukage's Bloody Mist policy back then.
When I later learned of it, I tried to resist, but there wasn't anything I could do alone.
So, I defected from the village, trying to lure the masked man out myself."
Sukuna was baffled at this. No wonder he never heard of this guy—he's really an idiot.
Did this guy really think he could handle Obito on his own?
This guy was asking for death.
xxx
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