Night had fallen over the Hidden Mist Village, shrouding the entire settlement in a dense, ghostly fog. The normally silent streets were now filled with flickering shadows darting between alleys—assassins moving like wraiths through the mist. Their silent movements and invisible killing intent painted the village in an atmosphere of dread.
Suddenly—
"Ahhhh!"
A blood-curdling scream broke through the still night from the direction of the Mizukage Building. The cry pierced the fog like a blade, signaling the beginning of chaos. Within moments, the Hidden Mist Village erupted into pandemonium—explosions, steel clashes, and alarmed cries echoed in all directions.
"Has it begun?" murmured several Hidden Mist shinobi who had been waiting for this exact moment, their expressions grim yet expectant.
They knew what was happening. The long-simmering rebellion had finally exploded.
The villagers, accustomed to frequent coups and massacres, trembled beneath their blankets, praying the bloodshed would not reach their doors. For civilians of the Mist, rebellion was not rare—it was survival that was uncertain.
Meanwhile, in a small, inconspicuous civilian house near the Mizukage Building, Hyuga Neji quietly pushed open a window.
Through the dense fog, his pale eyes gleamed faintly as the Byakugan and Tenseigan activated.
"One... two... three... six in total. Six conflict points."
His gaze swept across the battlefield. The rebels, led by Momochi Zabuza, had launched coordinated strikes at six critical points surrounding the Mizukage Building. Elsewhere, Ganryu's men deliberately spread chaos to distract loyalist clans, preventing reinforcements from aiding the Fourth Mizukage.
Taking advantage of the confusion, bandits and criminals began looting homes and shops. The village had descended into full-scale anarchy.
Neji turned to the girl beside him. "Hikari, it's time."
Beside him stood Uchiha Hikari, her crimson Sharingan faintly glowing in the dim light.
For this mission, Neji had specifically chosen her to deal with Uchiha Obito—the shadowy manipulator behind the Fourth Mizukage.
The Mangekyō Sharingan's Amaterasu could burn even Obito despite his intangibility, while Tsukuyomi—a genjutsu that warped time—could trap his mind if used correctly. In the original timeline, Obito never moved against Uchiha Itachi directly, partly because of Itachi's terminal illness, but also because Obito wasn't confident in a decisive victory. That was how dangerous Mangekyō abilities could be.
---
Inside the Mizukage Building's Basement
Elsewhere, deep beneath the Mizukage Building, Hoshigaki Kisame swung his massive Samehada, cleaving through a rebel ninja with brutal force. Pushing open the reinforced door to the basement, he descended into the darkness below.
Three ANBU stood silently in the chamber, motionless as statues. Despite the battle raging above, the underground was eerily calm—too calm. Kisame's instincts tensed. Very few shinobi in the entire Mist Village could make him feel pressure, yet these three emitted an aura that made his skin crawl.
Footsteps echoed through the tunnel. A short figure emerged from the passage, and Kisame immediately bowed.
"Mizukage-sama."
The man who appeared was none other than Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage. His eyes were hollow, empty, devoid of life. Yet his tone was cold and sharp as he looked toward one of the ANBU.
"Redmaru," he said icily, "if you value your eyes, keep them where they belong. Or I'll dig them out myself."
The ANBU addressed as Redmaru stiffened. "Who are you really?" he demanded, his hand tightening on the hilt of his blade.
Redmaru was one of the few surviving members of the Red-Eye Clan—a bloodline that had once flourished in the Mist before being wiped out for rebellion. He had hidden his identity and infiltrated the ANBU years ago, seeking revenge. Now, seeing Yagura up close, his blood boiled. His clan's kekkei genkai activated, and his vision pierced into the Mizukage's chakra network—only to find it clouded, corrupted by a foreign chakra. The Fourth Mizukage was being controlled!
As realization struck him, the other two ANBU grew tense, and even Kisame subtly raised his guard.
Then, from behind Yagura, a calm, mocking voice spoke.
"Such fascinating eyes."
From the shadows stepped a man in an orange mask. The moment they saw him, Redmaru and the others instinctively felt danger press down on them like a storm. This man radiated power.
"Was the Fourth Mizukage under your genjutsu's control all this time?" Redmaru asked, his voice taut.
The masked man chuckled. "Clever. You truly are the first to notice, Redmaru. You haven't disappointed me."
He tossed three scrolls to the ground.
"Did you really think you could hide from me by disguising yourself among the ANBU? I've known who you were all along. I even protected your secret identity from being exposed."
The man turned his gaze to the others.
"Kū, when the Kaguya Clan rebelled, Ganryu tried to kill you several times—but I stopped him.
And Ganryu... if I hadn't released you from prison, you'd still be rotting in your grave by now."
The three ANBU glanced at each other, stunned. These were the very men whom Obito—yes, the masked man was none other than Uchiha Obito—had been watching for years. Each possessed a rare Kekkei Genkai, survivors of purged clans. He had quietly guided their fates, waiting for this moment to recruit them.
They picked up the scrolls, reading their own hidden pasts written within. Silence fell.
Finally, Redmaru lowered his blade and asked cautiously, "What do you want from us?"
Obito's single eye glowed scarlet beneath his mask. "I want you to be reborn. Join me—and together, we will create a new world."
"Reborn?" Kū muttered.
Obito's smirk widened. "Join the Akatsuki Organization. Fight beside me as my comrades. The era of the Great Shinobi Villages is ending. We will shape the future ourselves."
Ganryu laughed derisively. "Akatsuki? Never heard of it."
Obito's voice turned cold. "You will. The Akatsuki has power rivaling the Five Great Shinobi Villages. Soon, the world will tremble before it."
After a tense silence, Redmaru, Kū, and Ganryu exchanged glances—then nodded. Their clans had been exterminated by the Mist's leadership. They owed the village nothing. Joining this mysterious, powerful man was far preferable to dying in obscurity.
Obito nodded approvingly. "A wise choice."
Kisame finally spoke. "My lord, Zabuza's rebellion has drawn many to his side. What are your orders?"
Obito waved dismissively. "Let those fools play. Once they've made enough noise, you can go and clean up."
Kū frowned. "Why not recruit Zabuza as well? He's strong and hates the village."
Obito's tone was disdainful. "The Akatsuki accepts only true elites—not overconfident trash. Zabuza may be a skilled swordsman, but his ambition exceeds his worth. Such men only bring ruin."
He paused, then turned his gaze toward Kisame.
"In this entire village, the only one I truly value... is you."
Kisame said nothing. He knew it was true. As the "Tailed Beast without a Tail," he had carried out countless dark missions for the Mist, staining his hands with blood until the very idea of loyalty disgusted him. In Obito, he saw a reflection of his own disillusionment.
---
The Infiltration
Above ground, as chaos consumed the village, Neji and Hikari slipped quietly through the fog toward the Mizukage Building.
They moved unseen, cutting down guards with silent precision. A flicker of chakra, a flash of light—and a Mist ANBU collapsed with his throat slit. Neji wiped the blood from his chakra blade.
The building's defenses were surprisingly thin.
Either Zabuza's rebellion had pulled too many forces away, or someone wanted Neji to reach his target.
Only a handful of Special Jōnin guarded the interior, while most of the building's defenses relied on sealing and barrier jutsu. These seals interfered with Neji's Tenseigan, making it difficult to pinpoint the Mizukage's exact location.
"Neji," Hikari whispered, tugging at his sleeve. "Why is this taking so long? Should I just use Susanoo and tear this place apart?"
Neji sighed, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Our goal is Obito, not chaos. If you destroy the building, you'll alert him immediately."
Hikari nodded slowly, pretending to understand—but her mischievous grin suggested otherwise.
According to Mei Terumi's intelligence, there was a secret chamber beneath the Mizukage Building. That was likely where the Fourth Mizukage was being kept—or controlled.
But even Mei hadn't been able to locate the exact entrance.
Neji pushed his Tenseigan to its limit, scanning every wall and corner. After minutes of careful observation, his sight pierced through the illusions—and there it was. A hidden doorway inside a storeroom.
He formed a chakra blade and slashed through the seal-protected wall. The entrance revealed a narrow passage leading deeper underground. But when he entered, he found not Yagura—only a vast archive chamber filled with scrolls, weapons, and relics.
Four ANBU guarded the room.
"Who's there?"
"How did you get in here?"
They surrounded the intruders, kunai drawn.
Neji's lips curved into a calm smile. He glanced at Hikari. "Show me your strength."
Hikari beamed. "Okay, my love."
Her Mangekyō Sharingan spun rapidly, and within seconds, a blood-red spectral warrior erupted around her. The half-formed upper body of Susanoo filled the narrow chamber, radiating immense power. The guards froze in horror as the crimson giant drew its blade.
In one swing—
Slash!
The four ANBU were reduced to shredded remains before they could even scream. Blood splattered the walls, then fell silent.
Neji sighed as he looked at the carnage, then at Hikari, who was humming happily, her expression innocent.
"Brutal," he muttered. "But impressive."
With the path cleared, he turned toward the sealed vault door at the end of the chamber. "Let's move."
Hikari's Susanoo swung its sword once more, shattering the reinforced door with a deafening crash. The sealing jutsu shattered like glass. She withdrew the Susanoo, smiling sweetly.
"How was that, Neji?"
Neji patted her head. "Perfect."
Inside the chamber were countless treasures—rows of scrolls containing powerful Water Release techniques, rare artifacts, and legendary blades. The seven famous Mist swords were all here except those already claimed: Kubikiribōchō, Samehada, and Kiba were gone, but the remaining four—Hiramekarei, Nuibari, Kabutowari, and Shibuki—sat waiting on their racks.
"Not bad," Neji murmured, storing them all into sealing scrolls. "These will come in handy."
---
Below, in the Depths
Meanwhile, Obito frowned.
A powerful chakra surge had rippled through the building above—the distinct signature of Susanoo.
"Someone's broken in?" he muttered. "Zabuza couldn't have made it this far... interesting."
The secret underground chamber was heavily warded; even intense battles above couldn't normally reach this deep. That meant whoever had breached it wasn't just another rebel—they were a true threat.
A swirling vortex appeared beside him as he activated Kamui.
Space distorted, and with a flicker, Uchiha Obito vanished from the room, leaving behind only the silent figure of the Fourth Mizukage—standing motionless, eyes empty, like a puppet waiting for its master's return.
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Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)