Inside the command office of the Konoha–Kiri frontline camp.
After hearing Mitsuki's plan, Fugaku immediately objected without hesitation.
"I don't agree. It's far too dangerous."
If there was anyone in Konoha who least wanted Mitsuki to get hurt, Fugaku was undoubtedly at the top of that list.
Hizashi also spoke up in dissuasion.
"Fugaku is right. We currently hold the advantage. There's no need to rush. As long as we move steadily, Konoha will surely win this war."
But Mitsuki had already made up his mind — this trip to the Land of Water was something that had to be done.
"Don't worry. I have the Flying Thunder God Technique. If things get out of hand, I can retreat instantly. I've already done plenty of missions like this back in the Land of Rivers."
That was true. Not long after Mitsuki had first stepped onto the battlefield, he had carried out numerous high-risk "suicidal assault missions" alongside Minato. He was more than used to it by now.
Still, more than the Flying Thunder God Technique, the power Mitsuki truly trusted was Full Counter.
Seeing that Mitsuki's resolve wouldn't waver, Fugaku and Hizashi had no choice but to hold their tongues.
Mitsuki chuckled lightly and said with ease:
"Relax. For me, a mission of this level stopped being difficult a long time ago."
With that, Mitsuki wasted no more time. He focused on the Flying Thunder God mark he had placed earlier on a merchant ship bound for the Land of Water. Chakra surged within him, and in an instant, Mitsuki — along with Shukaku, perched on his shoulder — vanished from the spot, teleporting to a foreign port in the Land of Water.
Watching him disappear in the blink of an eye, Fugaku couldn't help but sigh in awe.
"The Flying Thunder God Technique… truly remarkable."
Hizashi nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Indeed, space-time ninjutsu were among the rarest and most powerful techniques in the entire shinobi world. Mastering one could elevate even an ordinary ninja's strength to a level that left bloodline users in the dust.
It had to be said — Tobirama, was truly a genius when it came to jutsu.
The principle behind the Flying Thunder God was similar to Summoning Jutsu — by linking to a pre-marked seal, the user could have the seal "summon" their body across space. Thus, the greatest hurdles in mastering it were long-distance spatial perception and precise chakra control — two areas in which Mitsuki excelled beyond measure.
When Mitsuki had trained in the technique back in the village, his progress had completely stunned Minato, sparking yet another round of "Mitsuki fanboy season" from the Yellow Flash himself.
In contrast to the smooth mastery of the Flying Thunder God, Mitsuki's progress with the Spirit Transformation Technique was… rather worrying. Even now, he had barely grasped its fundamentals — he couldn't even form a spiritual clone yet.
And this time, it wasn't humility — it was the plain truth.
...
Land of Water.
Mitsuki had departed early. Now, as the first light of dawn stretched over the horizon, the salty sea breeze carried a mysterious scent from afar.
Walking casually across the deck of the merchant ship, Mitsuki stepped onto foreign soil — though his arrival hardly heralded good fortune.
The wooden docks bustled with life. Sailors hurried back and forth, their shouts mingling with the cries of seagulls, creating a vibrant symphony of sound. The towering masts of old-fashioned ships reached high into the sky, their sails billowing under the wind like the wings of colossal sea birds preparing to take flight.
Merchants from all over the shinobi world haggled with one another. Piles of goods filled the docks — spices, fabrics, and heavy iron ore — each exuding its own distinct aroma, painting a vivid scene of an exotic island nation.
Laborers hauled crates on their shoulders, sweat dripping down their faces.The waves lapped gently against the shore, and the entire port pulsed like a living heart.
"Whoa, this place looks completely different from the ports in the Land of Fire."
Mitsuki was dressed in a simple cloth outfit with a black hooded cloak. Having removed his forehead protector, he now looked like any ordinary merchant's son.
He'd bought the outfit the day before — Ruri had dragged him to the busiest street near the front-line camp. She'd said that if he was going to infiltrate, then he needed proper attire for the Land of Water.
Mitsuki had to admit — when it came to details like these, girls were definitely more attentive.
He'd even hired a skilled tailor on the spot to make a small hooded robe for Shukaku, matching his own. Judging by the pleased expression on the tanuki's face, it was quite satisfied with the result.
As Mitsuki walked along a damp forest path, he couldn't help but feel the sticky humidity clinging to his skin.
"Figures… can't expect anything less from a country surrounded by the sea."
He already had the location of Isobu. In truth, wild Bijū that weren't sealed were relatively easy to track down. Any organization with a decent intelligence network could find them with enough effort.
Kirigakure, of course, was also well aware of Isobu's whereabouts. However, due to the village's political instability and its isolation from the mainland, they had no immediate need to reclaim the tailed beast's power.
Besides, the Six-Tails' Jinchūriki already gave them enough headaches. As long as Isobu stayed quiet, they preferred to simply dispatch small teams to monitor it occasionally.
Time wasn't pressing for Mitsuki, so he struck up a conversation with Shukaku on the road.
"Shukaku, how much do you know about Isobu?"
Shukaku thought for a moment before shaking its head.
"Not much. After the Sage of Six Paths left, we tailed beasts didn't really get along. We used to fight each other quite a lot."
"Hmm…" Mitsuki mused. "Then what do you think are the chances that Isobu will agree to join us in attacking Kirigakure?"
"Pretty high," Shukaku replied confidently."I can't stand Sunagakure — no reason he should like Kirigakure either."
Indeed, after Hashirama distributed the tailed beasts among the villages, Kirigakure tried to seal the Three-Tails to create their own Jinchūriki. But the result was a complete failure — the first host died, and Isobu escaped the village overnight.
"Alright, then let's go pay him a visit."
With his current strength, Mitsuki could easily infiltrate Kirigakure, wreak havoc, and retreat unscathed. But his true goal wasn't a mere raid — it was to inflict widespread destruction on the village's infrastructure, forcing them to divert manpower away from the front lines.
For that purpose, Isobu's Bijūdama was far more efficient than throwing out Rasenshuriken after Rasenshuriken.
When faced with the choice between rebuilding their village or continuing the war, Mitsuki knew — any shinobi village would know which one to prioritize.