After circling the temporary base once more, Fuguki Suikazan glanced at the courtyard where the Mizukage resided, then silently left the premises.
"Mei Terumi and Kisame Hoshigaki are both the Mizukage's escorts, never leaving her side. Yet at a time like this, both have been sent out on missions by the Mizukage. That's too unusual! Could the Mizukage have left as well? Is the Mizukage in the courtyard just a water clone?"
This suspicion made him uneasy.
In the current tense situation, the Five Kage wouldn't act recklessly. Especially since the Mizukage was a jinchuriki herself—a prime target for the Akatsuki—she'd be even less likely to make a move.
If an operation required the Mizukage's personal involvement, it had to be a major one!
"Damn it, did those Akatsuki bastards mess something up?"
The thought stirred Fuguki, and he could no longer resist the urge to contact the Akatsuki.
Undoubtedly.
The Akatsuki's mole in Hidden Mist was none other than Fuguki Suikazan, the current leader of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist!
He was also the one who had betrayed the Six-Tails jinchuriki's whereabouts!
To outsiders, a high-ranking Hidden Mist official like him shouldn't betray the village. But in reality, those most likely to betray or get entangled in power struggles were precisely figures like him—high-ranking officials just one step away from the Kage's seat.
Such incidents weren't unique to Hidden Mist.
Hidden Cloud had once faced a coup by the Gold and Silver Brothers, which not only disrupted peace talks with Hidden Leaf but also led to the deaths of the Second Raikage and Second Hokage.
In the original timeline, Hidden Sand's Fourth Kazekage, to secure his position, had orchestrated the death of the elite jonin Yashamaru, who threatened his rule.
Of course, in this timeline, Shinji's butterfly effect caused the Akatsuki to emerge earlier, averting Hidden Sand's power struggle.
Compared to other villages, Hidden Mist, known as the "Village of the Bloody Mist," had even more brutal and bloody internal power struggles!
For someone like Fuguki, failing to seize power meant the constant risk of being purged by the Fourth Mizukage.
Thus, for self-preservation and ambition, he allied with the Akatsuki.
After sending out the secret signal agreed upon with the Akatsuki, Fuguki didn't head to a secluded spot. Instead, he did the opposite, entering a bustling izakaya.
Moments later, a figure sat in the empty seat beside him, ordering some drinks and snacks.
As Fuguki discreetly sized up the newcomer, the figure suddenly chuckled. "For you to request contact at a time like this, it must be something important, right?"
"That's not our agreed-upon code phrase."
Fuguki frowned but trusted the newcomer's identity. After all, only an Akatsuki operative would approach him immediately after he sent the secret signal.
The figure smiled. "My apologies. The person originally assigned to contact you was captured by Hidden Leaf's Anbu a week ago. So now, I'm the one meeting you."
Fuguki's expression shifted. "What happened?"
"Don't worry, I've taken care of him. There's no risk of exposure for you!" After a pause, the figure continued, "So, please tell me the purpose of this meeting."
Hearing this, Fuguki dropped his earlier dismissive attitude.
The fact that this person could eliminate a prisoner held by Hidden Leaf's Anbu showed both strength and cunning worthy of his attention.
After a moment's thought, he revealed that the Mizukage might have secretly left Hidden Leaf.
The figure responded, "Hidden Leaf is about to hold the Chunin Exams, and the Mizukage should be invited to the opening ceremony. Leaving Hidden Leaf secretly at such a time is indeed suspicious."
"For you, this is an opportunity. Don't miss it!"
With that, Fuguki stood and left without lingering.
The Fourth Mizukage's presence made him feel like a thorn was in his back. That's why he was so eager to leak her whereabouts, hoping the Akatsuki would take her out!
If the Fourth Mizukage fell to the Akatsuki, he'd have a shot at the Mizukage's seat!
After Fuguki left, the contact didn't leave immediately. Instead, he finished the snacks and downed the drink before leisurely departing.
Soon after, the contact met Orochimaru in secret at a residence belonging to Danzo. "Lord Orochimaru, Fuguki Suikazan from Hidden Mist just informed me that the Fourth Mizukage has likely left Hidden Leaf secretly, destination unknown."
Clearly.
The contact meeting Fuguki was none other than Kabuto Yakushi, a top-tier spy from the Root.
In Hidden Leaf's current high-surveillance environment, ordinary spies couldn't infiltrate. Only someone like Kabuto, intimately familiar with Hidden Leaf and protected by Danzo, could operate freely. Thus, Sasori had tasked Kabuto with gathering intelligence in Hidden Leaf.
Hearing Kabuto's report, Orochimaru smiled. "It seems the Five Kage are planning something new!"
As a double agent, Kabuto asked, "Lord Orochimaru, should I pass this intelligence to the Akatsuki?"
"Why not?" Orochimaru chuckled. "Whether the Akatsuki is scheming against the Five Kage or the Five Kage are scheming against the Akatsuki, it'll make our next moves smoother!"
Kabuto's lips curled. "Understood. I'll deliver the news of the Mizukage's secret departure to the Akatsuki now!"
"Go ahead!"
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed as he watched Kabuto leave.
Whether it was the Akatsuki or the five great shinobi villages, both were powers that wouldn't tolerate him. Letting these two forces clash would allow him to profit from the chaos.
...
Land of Iron.
Days later, Kabuto's intelligence reached Sasori.
"The Mizukage secretly left Hidden Leaf…"
Sasori's lips curved into a playful smirk.
Though brief, this intelligence confirmed that his bait in the Land of Demons had successfully lured the five villages' elite forces out of Hidden Leaf.
With his goal achieved, he immediately sought out Tendo and reported the situation.
Tendo fixed his gaze on Sasori. "Is everything prepared?"
Sasori nodded slightly. "All arrangements are in place. We can proceed!"
Tendo looked to the sky and declared, "Notify all members. The operation begins! Tell them this mission allows only success—no failure!"
"Yes!"
Sasori responded with a smile.
After this operation, the five great shinobi villages would be reduced to a hollow shell, and no one would be able to stop the Akatsuki's advance!