As soon as that Mist ninja left, a wave of hatred toward the Mizukage erupted among the others.
Before, he was a mighty Kage, towering and untouchable.
Now he's half-dead, manipulated like a puppet.
He was the one who created this Blood Mist Village.
Since they couldn't find the real culprit, the Mizukage must pay the price.
Being controlled as a Kage—*that alone* is his crime.
In this world, weakness *is* a sin.
If he had been stronger, if he hadn't been controlled, wouldn't Kirigakure have turned out much better?
Everyone loves kicking someone when they're down, especially since the Mizukage nearly got killed by Kawaki not long ago.
This is the perfect opportunity to kill him and vent some rage.
"Kill him!"
"Kill him!"
The Mist ninja gathered their nerve and cautiously edged toward the deep crater.
Elder Genji simply stood aside, watching with cold indifference.
He gave no orders and made no attempt to stop them.
Whether the Mizukage lives or dies, this will still be Elder Genji's era.
Only when another capable young man arises to take the mantle of Mizukage will Kiri return to normalcy.
That has always been what he'd hoped for all these years.
Kawaki watched the approaching Mist ninja but still couldn't spot the sixth man's presence.
Maybe that guy really is a master of stealth, or maybe he never intended to protect this puppet Mizukage at all.
"You guys do whatever you want."
Kawaki gestured politely and stepped aside.
It doesn't matter to him whether he kills the Mizukage himself or not.
"It's just a shame about the Tailed Beast, though."
Walking a short distance away, Kawaki muttered quietly to himself.
He can't extract the beast either, and taking it away from Kirigakure would clearly be unwise.
"Go!"
A bold Mist ninja gave the signal to attack.
A large group of ninja leapt into the deep crater, all targeting the Mizukage.
Kawaki stood there happily watching the show—Mist ninja killing their own Mizukage would definitely make for an unforgettable story later.
"Hahaha… Today, I lost."
"But my puppets won't be so easy for you to kill."
Suddenly, an even stronger chakra burst forth from within the crater.
The Mist ninja were blasted backward by crimson-colored chakra.
Before everyone appeared a giant turtle with only one eye open.
Its back covered in spines, three tails swaying ominously—it looked absolutely terrifying.
That massive crimson Mangekyō Sharingan, larger than a person, seemed particularly dreadful.
The Mizukage's body had already been too severely injured to use effectively, so Madara decided to control Isobu instead.
For him, it was actually easier—after all, both are just puppets in his eyes.
"It's the Three-Tails!"
"Be careful everyone!"
The Mist ninja quickly backed away—staying near a Tailed Beast was clearly unwise.
Now Kawaki was the closest to Isobu, and perhaps the Mist ninja weren't entirely against using this situation to their advantage.
Isobu glanced at Kawaki before turning its head away.
Madara knew transforming into a Tailed Beast wouldn't help defeat Kawaki—after all, Wood Release was a natural counter to Tailed Beasts, just like the Mangekyō.
Since Kawaki currently showed no intent to fight, he might as well teach these Mist ninja a lesson first.
Even a tiger stripped of its former glory shouldn't be disrespected by dogs.
With a powerful stomp from its short, thick legs, Isobu launched itself out of the crater.
Bang!!
As Kawaki landed, he felt the ground tremble beneath his feet.
Three colossal tails howled through the air behind him, aiming straight at the Mist ninja.
The crimson chakra radiating from it looked sinister and evil.
[Water Release: Water Formation Wall]!
A group of Mist ninja joined forces, instantly forming a massive water wall that barely blocked Isobu's tail attack.
"Barrier Team, move in first."
Seeing Kawaki had no intention of joining the fight, Elder Genji had no choice but to bite the bullet and take command.
He wasn't about to swallow his pride and ask for help—not yet. After all, Kawaki was still technically an invader.
Several Mist ninja leapt from the formation, their faces tense as they surrounded Isobu.
This strategy might've worked against a rampaging Tailed Beast.
But what they were facing now was Isobu under Madara's control. The outcome was obvious.
From Kawaki's perspective, the Barrier Team ninjas hadn't even taken their proper positions before getting swept away.
They didn't even get a chance to use their skills.
"These Mist ninja really aren't strong at all," Kawaki muttered to himself, watching the spectacle unfold.
There was no need to go into other details—their Barrier Team was nowhere near Konoha's level.
"The person has arrived, Elder."
Earlier, that same Mist ninja led Nagato forward.
"Teacher."
Nagato had wanted to throw out a few mocking words, but seeing Kawaki made him forget everything else.
Joy lit up his face, warmth spreading through his chest.
Teacher actually came to save me.
"Come here. I'll take you back."
Kawaki smiled and gestured toward Nagato. He'd love to see who would dare stop this.
"Okay."
Nagato walked toward Kawaki. Isobu glanced at him but dared not make a move.
Kawaki clearly saw the resentment in his eyes.
Exactly the effect he wanted—watching helplessly as the target slipped away. That would frustrate anyone.
"You alright?"
"There's a seal on you. We'll have someone remove it when we return."
Kawaki quickly checked Nagato's condition. He hadn't lost weight, so it seemed like he'd been treated decently.
"Okay."
In front of Kawaki, Nagato was back to his obedient self and nodded in agreement.
"Well then, you can keep fighting. I'm heading out."
Smiling, Kawaki waved at Elder Genji, planning to leave.
Let the Mist ninja deal with Isobu themselves—he wouldn't gain anything by stepping in anyway.
"Besides, there's no need for Mist Village to exist anymore anyway."
If you can't have something, destroy it. The Mist ninja's actions earlier had already annoyed Madara greatly.
If he couldn't defeat Kawaki, he'd settle scores with these small fries instead.
This chapter isn't over yet!
For those enjoying Naruto: Starting from Pursuing Tsunade, please bookmark: (m.
He opened his mouth, beginning to gather a massive amount of chakra, quickly forming a high-density chakra sphere.
[Tailed Beast Ball]!!
"Kawaki-dono!"
"Help us, and whatever demands you have—we'll accept them."
Elder Genji shouted loudly, afraid Kawaki would vanish any second.
At this point, he was treating a dead horse like a live one—he had no idea whether Kawaki could block the Tailed Beast Ball.
But one thing was certain: they couldn't withstand it.
One shot of this Tailed Beast Ball would reduce the entire Hidden Mist Village to ruins.
"My appearance fee isn't cheap."
A smirk curled Kawaki's lips. New Mission Incoming!
Isobu was truly amusing, still useful for making profit even before dying.
"Sure, fine by me."
Elder Genji's voice turned increasingly urgent as the Tailed Beast Ball swelled in size.
The Mist ninja had already started evacuating the weaker ninjas nearby.
Staying here would only lead to unnecessary casualties.
Isobu rolled one of his eyes and shot Kawaki a sidelong glance.
Madara muttered under his breath: What does a Konoha ninja care if Kiri survives or falls?
"You're the one calling the shots. Don't even think about backing down later."
There was no time for negotiations anymore, so Kawaki made his position clear right away—just in case they had second thoughts later.
"We'll keep our word."
As soon as Elder Genji finished speaking, the Tailed Beast Ball shot violently from Isobu's mouth.
"It's too late for you to agree or refuse now."
Isobu cackled madly—the Tailed Beast Ball might get blocked, but at point-blank range, it'd still cause massive damage.
So saying, he controlled his tails to launch another attack against the Mist ninja.
"You stay here."
Kawaki said to Nagato, then vanished from sight.
A space-time barrier unfolded, and instantly the Tailed Beast Ball disappeared before everyone's eyes.
They'd never seen a jutsu like this before—everyone stood there with mouths wide open.
Then, after a few seconds, a deafening explosion boomed from far away.
The Tailed Beast Ball had been relocated.
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