Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin returned to the hotel and saw Uchiha Ryun and the others eating in the second-floor restaurant. So, he took Rin and hurried straight to the second floor.
"Lord Hokage," Uchiha Obito called out. Uchiha Ryun stopped his chopsticks and looked at Uchiha Obito, then suddenly froze. "What happened."
Uchiha Ryun's voice was serious because he saw the bloodstain left on Uchiha Obito's face. He was all too familiar with that kind of bloodstain.
Obito had used the Mangekyō Sharingan, which meant he had been attacked!
Uchiha Obito explained everything to Uchiha Ryun, with Nohara Rin adding details from the side. Uchiha Ryun listened about the attack by Kiri-nin and Iwa-nin, and how they were later saved by Kumogakure's Darui, who quickly dispatched the two shinobi, leaving no chance for interrogation.
Uchiha Ryun's eyes grew inscrutable. He had considered it might be a scheme orchestrated by Kumogakure itself, aiming to sow discord between Konoha and Iwagakure, and Kumogakure.
"Alright, I understand this matter. You two eat first." After saying that, Uchiha Ryun got up and walked outside.
Namikaze Minato then offered a white handkerchief. Nohara Rin immediately took it, thanked him, then wet the handkerchief and began cleaning the bloodstains from Uchiha Obito's face.
Outside the hotel where Sunagakure was staying, Sasori was repairing his previous puppet when suddenly a Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet came attacking towards him.
Sasori frowned, extended a finger, and a blue chakra thread entered the puppet's body. Sasori hooked his finger, and the puppet moved.
It raised both arms, crossing them in front of its body, and squarely took the Fire Dragon Bullet, not moving from its spot.
After the Fire Dragon Bullet ended, Sasori straightened his finger, and his puppet charged towards that shinobi, creaking loudly.
Seeing he was no match, that shinobi's pupils constricted, and he retreated. But the next moment, another puppet appeared. Sasori's right hand fingers shot out chakra threads that entered the new puppet's body.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Drizzle," Sasori roared. The next moment, a large amount of iron sand surrounded the Third Kazekage's puppet.
"Fire," Sasori pressed his five fingers down. The iron sand transformed into numerous steel needles, stabbing towards that shinobi.
The shinobi was currently mid-air and had no way to dodge. Thud, thud, thud. The steel needles pierced the shinobi's body, causing him to fall from the air.
Sasori had held back his attack, not taking the shinobi's life, aiming to interrogate the prisoner later. But when Sasori had his puppet bring the person back, the person was gone.
He immediately reported this to his father, the Kazekage, Chiron. The Kazekage, Chiron, narrowed his eyes. He slowly spoke, "When we came, I felt this succession ceremony wasn't that simple."
"Now it seems, indeed it is not," the Kazekage, Chiron, chuckled, then patted his son's shoulder. "My good son, to be able to do this at such a young age, I am not as good as you."
Sasori chuckled, he greatly enjoyed his father's praise.
Kiri Hotel
Just as the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were walking around, a mist suddenly rose, making the Seven Ninja Swordsmen pause.
They knew this technique all too well. Since someone was using the Hiding in Mist Technique to ambush them, they wouldn't hold back. In an instant, the seven of them formed hand seals and hid within the thick mist.
Who knows what the assassin was thinking, using the Hiding in Mist Technique in front of Kiri-nin. Was he seeking death, tired of living?
That assassin couldn't sense the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and began to panic. The next moment, a sound of something cutting through the air was heard. It was the Longsword: Nuibari.
The assassin sensed danger and tried to leave, but the Longsword: Nuibari's steel wire wrapped around his neck.
Jinin Akebino exerted force with his right hand, twisted the wire, and severed the assassin's head.
The action was clean and efficient. The next moment, the mist dispersed, and the seven of them appeared in their respective positions.
They were completely baffled. Why would someone attack them at the entrance of the hotel arranged for them by Kumogakure, using the Hiding in Mist Technique?
Just as they were about to take away the head of the assassin who used the Hiding in Mist Technique, a shinobi wearing an Iwagakure forehead protector descended from above, throwing several explosive tags.
Jinin Akebino was the first to speak. "Everyone, fall back. Explosive tags." He was the wielder of the Explosion Blade: Kabutowari, frequently used explosive tags himself, and was particularly sensitive to them.
Upon hearing the warning, the other six immediately leapt back.
A moment later, explosions sounded. The ground was blasted into a large crater. Fortunately, Jinin Akebino's timely warning allowed them to react, otherwise they might have been seriously injured.
"Jinin Akebino, good thing you were here," Ringo Ameyuri let out a sigh of relief. She had been the closest. If Jinin Akebino hadn't warned them, she probably wouldn't have escaped unscathed.
"Look," Zabuza Momochi pointed to the open space ahead. The assassin's head and body had already been taken. The wire from Jinin Akebino's Longsword: Nuibari was now empty, meaning the target was gone.
He looked at the Longsword: Nuibari in his hand and fell silent. Due to the explosion, he hadn't felt the target slip away and couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible.
"Jinin Akebino, it's not your fault. In that situation, even I wouldn't have had time to react," Fuguki Suikazan patted Jinin Akebino's shoulder to comfort him. Hearing his leader's consolation, Jinin Akebino felt much better.
"Thank you, boss," Jinin Akebino said with a smile beneath his mask.
The others also smiled. Although the Seven Ninja Swordsmen usually competed and fought amongst themselves, when facing an external enemy, they were united as one. Otherwise, how could they shoulder the responsibility of protecting the Mizukage and safeguarding their shared home, Kirigakure?
After consoling each other about this incident, they headed towards the hotel, intending to report it to Yagura.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen arrived together at the door of the Mizukage, Yagura's room. They exchanged glances, and finally, the leader of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Fuguki Suikazan, knocked.
Knock, knock, knock.
Hearing the sound, Yagura looked up. "Enter. The door isn't locked."
Hearing this, the corners of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's mouths twitched. Then, led by Fuguki Suikazan, they entered. Fuguki Suikazan explained the entire incident to Yagura. Yagura's eyes showed anger.
"Good, good, good. Using the Hiding in Mist Technique against my Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and using explosive tags to blast my people. What a great Iwagakure, what a great Ōnoki. Very good," Yagura seemed convinced that this was the work of Iwagakure's Ōnoki.
Seeing their leader speak, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen chimed in. "Lord Mizukage, should we go teach Iwagakure a lesson for some fun?"
"Of course. But not now. All Seven Ninja Swordsmen, after the succession ceremony, follow me and ambush them on the necessary route between Iwagakure and Kumogakure. I will make them pay," Yagura was furious enough. Had he provoked them? Not only did they insult him by using the Hiding in Mist Technique, but they also tried to attack his Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
"Yes, Lord Mizukage," the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's lips curled up. After the Fourth Raikage's succession ceremony, it would be time for the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to make a name for themselves, a time to test the results of their recent training.
Previously, they had fought Uchiha Ryun, fought Konoha, so their reputation hadn't spread. But this Iwagakure team, except for Ōnoki, Kitsuchi, and that blonde-haired young man who seemed troublesome, the other Iwa-nin they could instantly kill.
And so, within Yagura's room, they settled on the plan to ambush Iwagakure after the ceremony.
Uchiha Ryun, at this moment, arrived at the Raikage's office in Kumogakure. The Fourth Raikage, A, was drinking tea, discussing matters with Darui. Uchiha Ryun was on the office roof, using Magnet Release to silently remove a roof tile.
He heard the conversation inside.
"How did things go," the Fourth Raikage sat in the main seat, tapping the desk with a single finger, speaking with his eyes closed to Darui before him.
Darui was on one knee. "Lord Raikage, I have already had the Anbu shinobi attack the teams from all four villages and directed the blame towards Iwagakure."
"Mm, well done. By the way, what about Konoha," the Fourth Raikage, A, tapped the desk. What he actually hoped for most was to draw Hokage Uchiha Ryun into the conflict.
"According to reports, they are still hesitating. After all, Hokage Uchiha Ryun is a formidable leader, even called the Military God. Given his intelligence, it's not easy to draw him in," Darui reported truthfully.
Hearing this, Uchiha Ryun's lips curled up. This Darui had some skill. Let's listen some more.
"Mm, if we can incite hostility from the other three villages towards Iwagakure, that's good too. As for Konoha, let them decide for themselves. If we interfere too much and anger Uchiha Ryun, we might end up worse off," the Fourth Raikage thought it over and decided it was better not to provoke that bringer of calamity.
"Yes, Lord Raikage. I will go give the orders now. But about the shinobi who died this time, how do we inform their families," Darui's expression was grave now. The shinobi had become a problem.
The Fourth Raikage, A, rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Tell their families they died in the line of duty. Triple the compensation. Their children's education will be free of all charges."
"Lord Raikage is benevolent. I, Darui, am willing to go through fire and water for Lord Raikage, without hesitation," Darui said again.
"Mm, rise, Darui. If one day, in the future, I die, Kumogakure will need you to lead it. I can tell you clearly, you will be the next, the Fifth Raikage," the Fourth Raikage, A, now stood up. He patted Darui's shoulder.
Through this operation, he clearly understood that Darui was a responsible, capable, and skilled person. Currently, Kumogakure's talent was dwindling. It needed many capable people to help him maintain Kumogakure's legacy.
Thinking of this, the Fourth Raikage, A, began to miss B. If B were here, with the two brothers united, what enemy could they not defeat?
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